COMBINATION OF BUSES FOR A HAZARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, HAZARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE HAZARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20150212965A1
• Filed: 01/28/2015
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: KAESTLI, URS, KUENZLI, SIMON
• Granted Patent: US 10,282,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4221 being an input/output bus, e.g. ISA bus, EISA bus, PCI bus, SCSI bus
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40182 by using a plurality of communication lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40189 by using a plurality of bus systems

Abstract

A hazard management system is provided with a field bus and a broadband bus. The field bus is configured to connect at least two units of the hazard management system for sending alarm signals among the units of a hazard management system. The broadband bus, which is separate from the field bus, is configured to connect at least two units of a hazard management system, so that these units may exchange data through the broadband bus. The broadband bus is configured to stream audio and/or video data from one unit to other units or to deploy software updates among the units of the hazard management system.

Claims

1. A combination of buses for a hazard management system, the combination of buses comprising:

a field bus configured to;

connect at least two units of the hazard management system, enabling the units to exchange data through said field bus; and

send alarm signals in among the units of the hazard management system;

at least one broadband bus separate from said field bus, said broadband bus being configured to;

connect at least two units of the hazard management system, enabling the units to exchange data through said broadband bus;

stream audio and/or video data from one unit to other units of the hazard management system or to deploy software updates among the units of the hazard management system;

said broadband bus further being configured to switch from an activated mode to a deactivated mode or to an idle mode; and

said broadband bus being configured to be activated;

either through an activation signal sent from one unit of the hazard management system to another unit of the hazard management system through said field bus;

or

periodically for or a limited time span;

or

by an alarm signal generated by a unit of the hazard management system.

2. The combination of buses according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said field bus or said broadband bus is bi-directional, enabling data to be sent through said bus from a first unit to a second unit and also from the second unit to the first unit.

3. The combination of buses according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said buses is wireless.

4. The combination of buses according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said buses is hard-wired.

5. The combination of buses according to claim 1, wherein the hazard management system has a plurality of units selected from the group of safety units, security units, and one or more central units, and said field bus is configured to connect to all of the plurality units of the hazard management system.

6. The combination of buses according to claim 1, wherein the hazard management system has a plurality of units selected from the group of safety units, security units, and one or more central units, and said broadband bus is configured to connect to selective some of the plurality of units of the hazard management system.

7. The combination of buses according to claim 1, wherein said field bus is a permanently activated field bus.

8. A hazard management system, comprising:

a plurality of units selected from the group of safety units, security units, and one or more central units; and

a combination of buses according to claim 1 interconnecting said plurality of units.

9. The hazard management system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said units is configured to be a router for forwarding data from one unit to another unit.

10. The hazard management system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said units provides visible status indication means for providing an operator with information regarding an activated mode or deactivated mode of at least one of said buses.

11. The hazard management system according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said units is a handheld device or a laptop computer or a computer in a control room, and said at least one of said units is connected to said broadband bus.

12. A method of operating a hazard management system having a plurality of units, the hazard management system having:

a field bus configured to connect at least two units of the hazard management system, enabling the at least two units to exchange data through the field bus and the field bus being configured to send alarm signals among the units of the hazard management system; and

at least one broadband bus separate from the field bus, the broadband bus being configured to connect at least two units of the hazard management system, enabling the at least two units to exchange data through the broadband bus, the broadband bus being configured to stream video data from one unit to other units of the hazard management system or to deploy software updates among the units of the hazard management system;

the method comprising the following steps;

sending an activation signal from at least one of the units through the field bus; and

following a receipt of the activation signal, activating the broadband bus with at least one of the units.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one of the units sending the activation signal is a handheld device or a laptop computer or a computer in a control room.