Circuit arrangement for the transmission of measurements to a central, especially in a fire alarm system

• US 4,435,698 A
• Filed: 05/13/1981
• Issued: 03/06/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hekatron GmbH Betbergerstrasse 12 7811 Sulzburg West Germany
• Original Assignee: Hekatron GmbH
• Inventors: Klett, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US06/263,258
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 340/512, 340/533, 340/538, 340/870.19, 340/870.09, 340/870.16, 340/870.17
• US Class Current: 340/512
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/04 using a single signalling line, e.g. in a closed loop
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults

Abstract

Several arrangement in which several measurement sources (fire alarms) are connected in parallel to a two-wire line. The supply voltage for the measurement sources is simultaneously fed through this line. Here, a measurement is formed by switching a measurement shunt circuit into the two-wire line, to generate measurement pulses, where the switch-in process is controlled by a local pulse generator. Each measurement source is provided with a pulse generator, and all these pulse generators operate at frequencies of the same order of magnitude. A monitoring circuit, at the far end of the two-wire line, is switched through by a pulse generator whose frequency is significantly lower. The pulse duration of the monitoring pulses is no longer than the pulse pauses of the measurement pulses.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the transmission of alarm signals to a detector, comprising

a signaling channel,

means for energizing said signaling channel,

means for applying monitoring signals to said channel at a first frequency,

means for applying alarm signals to said channel at a second frequency greater than that of said first frequency, and

means connected to said channel for detecting the monitoring and alarm signals,

wherein the duration of said monitoring signals is no longer than the interval between said alarm signals.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for transmitting fire alarm signals to a central detector, wherein

said signaling channel is a two-wire line,

the energizing means is a supply voltage applied to said two-wire line,

the monitoring signal means is connected in shunt with said two-wire line, and

the alarm signaling means comprises a plurality of measurement sources connected in shunt with said two-wire line.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said alarm signaling means generates measurement pulses and said monitoring signal means generates monitoring pulses.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said central detector includes a resistance-capacitive charging circuit connected to said two-wire line for detecting said monitoring signals and a separate resistance-capacitance charging circuit connected to said two-wire line for detecting said alarm signals, the first resistance-capacitance charging circuit being proportioned to keep the voltage on the capacitor below a prescribed threshold during the occurrence of said monitoring pulses and the second resistance-capacitance charging circuit is proportioned to indicate the occurrence of said measurement pulses.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said detector further includes a threshold switch connected to said two-wire line and said threshold switch activates an alarm only for the coincidence of two measurement pulses.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said measurement pulses are generated as impulses and said central detector includes a resistance-capacitance charging circuit for detecting the occurrence of a plurality of measurement impulses.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said central detector includes further resistance-capacitance charging circuits for the measurement of monitoring pulses having greater pulse widths than said impulses.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said detector includes separate resistance-capacitance charging circuits for the measurement of the respective monitoring and alarm signals.