FIRE-FIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20120061108A1
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hale Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Phantom Controls Inc.
• Inventors: Cerrano, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,418,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/46
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/00 Fire prevention or containment A62C3/00 takes precedence; flame traps A62C4/00
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/02 Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/00 Control of fire-fighting equipment heat-sensitive devices G01K
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/38 by both sensor and actuator, e.g. valve, being in the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/058 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/41302 On off fluid valve and power cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 using flashing light

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for remotely controlling the operation of a fire-fighting device coupled to a pump and a valve. The system may comprise a base component and a remote component. The base component comprises a transceiver operable to control operation of the fire-fighting device. The remote component comprises a transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the base component and is positioned near a discharge end of a hose coupled to the fire-fighting device wherein an input end of the hose coupled to the fire-fighting device. The remote component also includes an input device for receiving input from a user and is configured to wirelessly communicate the received input to the base component. The base component is configured to control at least one of the pump and the valve based on the received input communicated to the fire-fighting device subject to a set of rules.

Claims

1. A controller for use with a fire-fighting device coupled to a pump, said controller comprising:

a nozzle configured to selectively discharge fluid supplied from the pump, said nozzle comprising a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive data from the fire-fighting device and to wirelessly transmit data to the fire-fighting device, said nozzle further configured to transmit data wirelessly to the pump to facilitate control of the pump operation.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said nozzle further comprises an output device for controlling operation of at least one of:

a pressure of water discharged from a hose coupled to the pump, a flow rate of water through the hose, and an actuation state of at least one valve.

3. A control system for use with a fire-fighting device coupled to a pump, said system comprising:

a base component comprising a transceiver for receiving data transmitted from a remote component, said base component configured to control operation of the pump using a programmable logic controller based on predefined logic and based on data received wirelessly from the remote component, wherein the predefined logic facilitates control of the pump based on at least one of;

a volume of water stored in the fire-fighting device, a pressure of a fluid supplied from a source coupled to the fire-fighting device, at least one input received wirelessly from the remote component.

4. A control system for use with a fire-fighting device coupled to a pump and at least one valve, said system comprising:

a base component comprising a transceiver operable to control operation of the fire-fighting device; and

a remote component comprising a transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said base component, said remote component positioned near a discharge end of a hose coupled to the fire-fighting device wherein an input end of the hose coupled to the fire-fighting device, said remote component comprising;

an input device for receiving input from a user, said remote component configured to wirelessly communicate the received input to said base component, said base component configured to control at least one of the pump and the at least one valve based on the received input communicated to the fire-fighting device subject to a set of rules.

5. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said input device includes at least one of a keypad, a pushbutton, and a rotary control, and wherein the input received from the user by said input device includes at least one of a desired pressure of water output from the discharge end of the hose, a desired actuation state of at least one valve, and a desired flow rate of water output from the discharge end of the hose.

6. A system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said remote component further comprises an output device for presenting information to the user, said output device configured for presenting information received by said remote component from said base component to the user, the presented information including at least one of an actuation state of at least one of one or more valves on the fire-fighting device and an estimated pressure of water output at the discharge end of the hose.

7. A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said remote component incorporates a unique identifier in wireless communications transmitted to said base component, the unique identifier identifying the hose which said remote component is positioned adjacent.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a second remote component having a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said base component, said second remote component positioned adjacent a discharge end of a second hose coupled to the fire-fighting device, a proximal end of the second hose coupled to the fire-fighting device, said second remote component comprising an input device and an output device.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said second remote component incorporates a second unique identifier in wireless communications transmitted by the wireless transceiver to said base component, the second unique identifier identifying the hose which said remote component is positioned adjacent.

10. A method of controlling a fire-fighting device, the fire-fighting device coupled to a pump, said method comprising:

receiving, at the fire-fighting device, a wireless communication from a remote component, the wireless communication including instructions input by a user into an input device on the remote component, wherein the instructions include at least one of a desired pressure of water to be output from a discharge end of a hose, a desired actuation state of the at least one valve, and a desired flow rate of water output from the discharge end of the hose;

determining, with a programmable logic controller, based on predefined logic whether to execute the instructions received from the remote component; and

controlling the operation of the fire-fighting device with the programmable logic controller based on the determination of whether to execute the instructions received from said remote component.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the set of rules define boundary conditions for the control of the at least one valve and the fire pump based on at least one of:

a volume of water stored in the fire-fighting device;

a pressure of a water source coupled to the fire-fighting device; and

the input received via the wireless communication.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising transmitting information to an output device for presentation to the user, the information including at least one of an actuation state of at least one of the at least one valve and an estimated pressure of water output at the discharge end of the hose.

13. A control system for use in controlling a pump, said control system comprising:

a remote component configured to receive input including instructions for the operation of at least one of a ladder, at least one valve, and the pump, said remote component comprising an input device for receiving the input from the user; and

an interface component configured to receive input from said remote component, said interface component configured to simulate operation of at least one of the ladder, the at least one valve, and the pump based on the received input and predefined logic.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the interface component is an emulation component configured to simulate operation of at least one of the ladder, the at least one valve, and the pump.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the emulation component is configured to simulate the operation of at least one of the ladder, the at least one valve, and the pump in a simulation environment presented to the user.

16. A system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the simulation environment is graphically presented to the user by a computing system.

17. A system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising a data logging component for storing data describing at least one of:

a position of the ladder;

the input received by the interface component from said remote component, an actuation state of the at least one valve, a pressure of water output to a hose coupled to the fire-fighting device, and information describing the operation of the pump.

18. A controller for use with a fire-fighting device coupled to a pump, said system comprising:

a remote component having a transceiver coupled wirelessly with the fire-fighting device for receiving data transmitted from the fire-fighting device and for transmitting data to the fire-fighting device, said remote component configured to transmit data wirelessly to the pump to control operation of the pump.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said remote component is coupled to a nozzle positioned adjacent a discharge end of a hose couple to the fire-fighting device.

20. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said remote component is positioned adjacent a user.