Gateway device to interconnect system including life safety devices

• US 20060082461A1
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Silver, Travis, Buchholz, Matthew J., Burnette, Stan, Andres, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,385,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/04 using a single signalling line, e.g. in a closed loop
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/06 using power transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• 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

A life safety device can include a sensor configured to sense a hazardous condition, an interconnect module configured to communicate the hazardous condition to a wired life safety device using one or more wires, and a transceiver module configured to wirelessly communicate the hazardous condition to a wireless life safety device.

Claims

1. A life safety device, comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a hazardous condition;

an interconnect module configured to communicate the hazardous condition to a wired life safety device using one or more wires; and

a transceiver module configured to wirelessly communicate the hazardous condition to a wireless life safety device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to sense smoke or gas.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the interconnect module includes a three-wire interconnect, and wherein the device further includes a battery configured to provide backup power.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an alarm module, wherein the device is configured to alarm using the alarm module when the sensor senses the hazardous condition.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the interconnect module is configured to receive a wired alarm signal from the wired life safety device, wherein the transceiver module is configured to receive a wireless alarm signal from the wireless life safety device, and wherein the device is configured to alarm when the device receives either the wired alarm signal or the wireless alarm signal.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the interconnect module is configured to send the wired alarm signal to the wired life safety device when the transceiver module receives the wireless alarm signal from the wireless life safety device.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the transceiver module is configured to send the wireless alarm signal to the wireless life safety device when the interconnect module receives the wired alarm signal from the wired life safety device.

8. A system including a plurality of life safety devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of wired life safety devices configured to sense a hazardous condition, wherein each of the wired life safety devices is connected to one or more of the other wired life safety devices using one or more wires, and wherein each of the wired life safety devices communicates with one or more of the other wired life safety devices using the wires;

at least one wireless life safety device configured to sense the hazardous condition; and

a gateway life safety device configured to sense the hazardous condition, wherein the gateway life safety device is wired to at least one of the wired life safety devices, and wherein the gateway life safety device communicates with one or more of the wired life safety devices using the wires, and wherein the gateway life safety device communicates wirelessly with the wireless life safety device;

wherein the wired life safety devices communicate with the wireless life safety device through the gateway life safety device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the gateway life safety device further comprises:

a sensor configured to sense the hazardous condition;

a battery configured to provide backup power;

an interconnect module configured to communicate the hazardous condition to the wired life safety devices using the wires; and

a transceiver module configured to wirelessly communicate the hazardous condition to the wireless life safety device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the gateway life safety device further comprises an alarm module, wherein the device is configured to alarm using the alarm module when the gateway life safety device senses the hazardous condition.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the hazardous condition is smoke or gas.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the wires connecting the wired life safety devices and the gateway life safety device include a three-wire interconnect.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the gateway life safety device is configured to receive a wired alarm signal from one of the wired life safety devices, wherein the gateway life safety device is configured to receive a wireless alarm signal from the wireless life safety device, and wherein the gateway life safety device is configured to alarm when the device receives either the wired alarm signal or the wireless alarm signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway life safety device is configured to send the wired alarm signal to the wired life safety devices when the gateway life safety device receives the wireless alarm signal from the wireless life safety device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the gateway life safety device is configured to send the wireless alarm signal to the wireless life safety device when the gateway life safety device receives the wired alarm signal from one of the wired life safety devices.

16. A method of creating wireless capability for an existing system of wired life safety devices, wherein each of the wired life safety devices is wired to one or more of the other wired life safety devices using one or more wires, the method comprising:

wiring a gateway life safety device to the system of wired life safety devices;

allowing the gateway life safety device to communicate with the wired life safety devices using the wires; and

allowing the gateway life safety device to wirelessly communicate with a wireless life safety device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of wiring further comprises replacing one of the wired life safety devices of the system with the gateway life safety device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sensing a hazardous condition using the gateway life safety device;

communicating a wired hazardous condition signal to the wired life safety devices using the wires; and

communicating a wireless hazardous condition signal to the wireless life safety device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a hazardous condition signal from one of the wired life safety devices using the gateway life safety device; and

communicating the hazardous condition signal to the wireless life safety device.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a hazardous condition signal from the wireless life safety device using the gateway life safety device; and

communicating the hazardous condition signal to the wired life safety devices.