Emergency lighting system with improved monitoring

• US 20050057353A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Simplexgrinnell LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Barrieau, Johnpaul P., Barrieau, Mark P., Brooks, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

An emergency lighting unit includes a lamp, a backup battery, and controller and a network interface. The controller connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of an emergency condition and loss of main power. The network interface interfaces with and receives commands via a fire alarm network. Each emergency lighting unit has a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network.

Claims

1. An emergency lighting unit, comprising:

a lamp;

a backup battery;

a controller that connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of an emergency condition and loss of main power; and

a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands via a fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network.

2. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, the controller, upon receiving a test command, causing the backup battery to discharge, the controller sensing battery state and forwarding battery state information via the network interface to a network controller.

3. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, the battery state information comprising an indication of at least one of:

voltage across the battery and current draw from the battery.

4. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein the backup battery is discharged through the light source.

5. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein the backup battery is discharged through a ballast load.

6. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein the backup battery is discharged for a preset period.

7. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein discharge of the backup battery begins and ends upon receipt of commands from the network controller.

8. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein discharge of the backup battery ceases if terminal voltage of the backup battery drops below a predetermined threshold.

9. The emergency lighting unit of claim 8, the controller sending a trouble indication to the network controller when the terminal voltage drops below the threshold.

10. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, the controller interpreting detection of no or low current during discharge to mean the emergency lamp is defective.

11. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, backup power being delivered via the network while the battery is being discharged.

12. The emergency lighting unit of claim 11, the network controller supplying the backup power.

13. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, a test log being maintained.

14. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein said unit is one of plural similar units connected to the network, each uniquely addressed.

15. The emergency lighting unit of claim 14, the plural units being tested on a periodic rotating schedule.

16. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein plural fire alarm appliances are connected to the network, each uniquely addressed.

17. The emergency lighting unit of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plural fire alarm applicances is at least one of:

a smoke detector, a fire detector, a pull station, an intrusion detector, a motion sensor, and an audible alarm.

18. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1 wherein the controller, responsive to a command from a network controller, inhibits the light source from turning on during an emergency condition that would normally cause the light source to be on.

19. The emergency lighting unit of claim 18, the light source being inhibited from turning on if ambient light is adequate in the vicinity of the unit.

20. The emergency lighting unit of claim 18, the light source being inhibited if no movement is detected in the vicinity of the unit.

21. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, the network controller being a fire alarm control panel.

22. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the network is any combination of wired, wireless and optical.

23. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor to verify that the lamp is activated, the controller reporting a detected fault via the network interface.

24. A fire alarm control panel, programmed to monitor and control a fire alarm network, said fire alarm network including at least one emergency lighting unit, the emergency lighting unit comprising:

a lamp;

a backup battery;

a controller that connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of an emergency condition and loss of main power; and

a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands from the fire alarm control panel via the fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network.

25. A fire alarm system, comprising:

a fire alarm control panel;

a fire alarm network connected to the fire alarm control panel, the fire alarm control panel communicating with fire alarm peripheral devices connected to the fire alarm network;

an emergency lighting unit connected to the fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit comprising;

a lamp;

a backup battery;

a controller that connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of an emergency condition and loss of main power; and

a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands from the fire alarm control panel via the fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network.

26. A method for testing emergency lighting, comprising:

providing a backup battery, such that upon loss of main power, the backup battery supplies power to a lamp;

upon receiving a test command from a fire alarm control panel (FACP) via a fire alarm network, discharging the backup battery; and

reporting information about the backup battery acquired during discharge to the FACP.

27. The method of claim 26, the battery state information comprising an indication of at least one of:

voltage across the battery and current draw from the battery.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the backup battery is discharged through the light source.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the backup battery is discharged through a ballast load.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

terminating discharge of the backup battery if terminal voltage of the backup battery drops below a predetermined threshold.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

sending a trouble indication to the FACP when the terminal voltage drops below the threshold.

32. The method of claim 26, backup power being delivered via the fire alarm network while the battery is being discharged.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

maintaining a test log being.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein plural emergency lamps are connected to the network, each uniquely addressed.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

testing the plural units on a periodic rotating schedule.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein at least one of the plural fire alarm peripheral devices is at least one of:

a smoke detector, a fire detector, a pull station, an intrusion detector, a motion sensor, and an audible alarm.

37. The method of claim 26, durther comprising:

inhibiting, responsive to a command from FACP, the lamp from turning on during an emergency condition that would normally cause the lamp to be on.

38. An addressable emergency lighting unit comprising:

backup battery means for supplying power to a lamp upon loss of main power;

discharge means for discharging the backup battery means upon receipt of a test command from a fire alarm control panel (FACP) via a fire alarm network; and

reporting means for reporting information about the backup battery means acquired during discharge to the FACP.