Wireless service tool for automated protection systems

• US 20070241866A1
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Jobe, Michael, Cool, Troy, Grant, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/403,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241866A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.410
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 of fire detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/22 Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement

Abstract

A service tool accesses a building system to wirelessly configure, test, troubleshoot and control a building fire protection system. Using wireless communication with a fire alarm control panel, the service tool provides for remote viewing of a control panel. The service tool may be used for remote control for functionality of a fire alarm control panel or other devices of a building fire protection system. The service tool may display information such as status indicators that correspond to a display on a remote control panel. The service tool may be used to confirm and/or monitor an installation, test functionality, diagnose and/or troubleshoot problems.

Claims

1. A service tool for a fire protection system having a plurality of distributed components, the service tool comprising:

a transceiver operable to wirelessly communicate information with at least one component of the fire protection system; and

a controller configured to process information received from the at least one component of the fire protection system, the information being received via the transceiver; and

a user interface operable to visually display the processed information in a user readable format.

2. The service tool of claim 1 where the information received from the fire protection system comprises a status of the fire protection system.

3. The service tool of claim 1 where the information received from the first protection system comprises diagnostic information of the at least one component.

4. The service tool of claim 1 where the at least one component comprises a fire alarm control panel.

5. The service tool of claim 4 comprising a user interface operable to receive a command for the fire alarm control panel, the command being communicated with fire protection control panel via the transceiver.

6. The service tool of claim 5 where the command is associated with a testing for the fire alarm control panel.

7. The service tool of claim 1 where the service tool wirelessly receives supervisory information from the fire alarm control panel.

8. The service tool of claim 1 where the service tool remotely controls the fire alarm control panel using wirelessly communicated commands received via the user interface.

9. The service tool of claim 1 where the controller and transceiver comprise a unitary part of the service tool.

10. A service tool for a distributed fire protection system having a plurality of remotely located devices, the service tool comprising:

means for wirelessly communicating with at least one device of the fire protection system;

means for wirelessly receiving information related to the fire protection system in response to the communication with the at least one device of the fire protection system; and

means for displaying the information related to the fire protection system received in response to the communication with the at least one device.

11. The service tool of claim 10, where the information related to the fire protection system comprises a status for the fire protection system.

12. The service tool of claim 11, further comprising means for displaying at least one control command for the fire protection system.

13. The service tool of claim 12, further comprising means for receiving a user command for the fire protection system.

14. The service tool of claim 13, further comprising means for wirelessly communicating the user command to the fire protection system in response to receiving the user command.

15. The service tool of claim 12, where the at least one control command corresponds to a control command displayed by a component of the fire protection system.

16. The service tool of claim 12 further comprising means for displaying a supervisory notification in response to wirelessly receiving information from the fire protection system.

17. A method for wirelessly servicing a building fire protection system, the method comprising:

receiving a user service command;

wirelessly communicating, in response to receiving the user service command, with at least one of a plurality of devices of the building fire protection system using a mobile transceiver;

in response to wirelessly communicating, receiving information associated with a status of at least one of a plurality of devices of the building fire protection system using the mobile transceiver; and

displaying the received information in a user readable format.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

displaying real-time location specific information for the fire protection system using a mobile display, the information being updated as the transceiver changes locations within a building environment.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising remotely controlling at least one component of the fire protection using a command wirelessly transmitted to the at least one component using a mobile transceiver.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising wirelessly communicating with a control panel of the fire protection system using the mobile transceiver.