Non-home run zoning system

• US 4,468,664 A
• Filed: 01/12/1982
• Issued: 08/28/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADT Security Services Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American District Telegraph Company
• Inventors: Guscott, John K., Galvin, Aaron A., Harvey, Roy L., Henderson, Martin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/338,839
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 340/533, 340/531, 340/506, 340/508, 340/509, 340/518, 340/522, 340/525, 340/534, 340/535, 340/825.69, 340/537, 340/825.54, 340/825.52, 340/825.57 , 340/825.59, 340/825.6, 340/825.64, 340/825.66, 340/825.65, 340/825.68, 340/825.62, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.09 , 340/825.10, 340/825.11, 340/825.12, 340/825.13, 340/825.14, 340/825.15, 340/825.18, 340/825.2, 340/825.21, 340/825.29, 340/505 , 340/512, 340/825.04
• US Class Current: 340/533
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems

Abstract

Zone indication is provided for a facility monitoring and control system by providing the system'"'"'s sensors and control unit with counters which are simultaneously incremented with clock pulses delivered to the sensors via the multi-wire interconnect cable from the system'"'"'s control unit. Each sensor output circuit has enabling circuitry connected, as with jumper pins, to a counter output corresponding to a predetermined number or count, and this number or count identifies the sensor. In one embodiment, each sensor output is enabled only during the occurrence of the corresponding count or number from its counter as the counters are incremented through their cycle. When the sensors are used to sense alarm conditions, the sensor sending an alarm signal is identified when an alarm condition signal exists simultaneously with a particular count from the counter at the control unit, with the particular count indicating which sensor is sending the alarm signal. When zone indication is utilized in conjunction with remote data gathering, data is transmitted between counter clock pulses. Should transmission of complex data be required, the counter clock pulses are inhibited and complex data is then read out from the sensor actuated when the counter clock pulses are inhibited, with the complex data read out at a rate governed by a different type of pulsed signal transmitted to the sensor. In one embodiment, zone indication signals are made compatible with sensor control signals so as to establish compatibility with previously installed in-place systems. This greatly facilitates retrofitting existing systems with non-home-run zoning.

Claims

1. A zone indication system for use with multiple sensors and a multiwire interconnect cable between a monitoring location and a monitored location, comprising:

a control unit having a counter which provides output signals, one each for each count thereof, and means for clocking said counter with a first set of clock pulses and for simultaneously applying said clock pulses to said multiwire cable, said control unit further including means for applying to said multiwire cable a second set of clock pulses interspaced between said first set of clock pulses, said second set of clock pulses being distinguishable from said first set; and

,

a sensor coupled to said multiwire cable at said monitored location, said sensor including first and second counters coupled to said multiwire cable, said first counter connected so as to be clocked by the first set of clock pulses applied to said multiwire cable such that said control unit counter and said first counter are simultaneously clocked with said first set to clock pulses, said first counter providing output signals, one each for each count thereof, and means responsive to a selected one of said first counter output signals for activating said second counter, said second counter being connected to said multiwire cable so as to be clocked by the second set of clock pulses, said second counter producing output signals, one each for each count thereof,

said sensor including means for generating an information carrying signal responsive to a predetermined condition thereat, and means for applying said information carrying signal to said multiwire cable responsive to the occurrence of a predetermined output signal from said second counter,

said control unit including means responsive both to the transmission of said information carrying signal by said cable and to the state of said control unit counter at the time of receipt of said information carrying signal for indicating the presence of said information carrying signal, its content and the identity of the transmitting sensor,

said control unit further including means for generating an elongated clock pulse and for applying said elongated clock pulse to said multiwire cable for the resetting of a corresponding counter in said sensor, said sensor further including means for detecting said elongated clock pulse and for resetting said corresponding counter.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said indicating means is responsive to the transmission of said information carrying signal in the interval between two adjacent pulses of said first set of clock pulses.

3. The system of claim 2 and further including means at said control unit for freezing the production of pulses in said first clock pulse set, whereby time may be provided for the transmission of information from a predetermined sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said control unit normally generates a signal for use by all sensors coupled to said multiwire cable and wherein said normal signal is modified in different ways to provide said first and second sets of clock pulses.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said normal signal provides current to said sensors and wherein said modification includes provision of either positive or negative going voltage spikes depending on which of said sets of clock pulses is to be generated.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said control unit generated a normal signal for use by all sensors, said normal signal being coupled to said multiwire cable, and wherein said normal signal is modified to provide said first and second set of clock pulses.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said normal signal provides current to said sensors and wherein said modification includes provision of voltage pulses therewith.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said control unit includes means for coupling to said multiwire cable a control signal responsive to the detection of said information carrying signal, and wherein said sensor includes means for detecting said control signal and for producing an actuation signal responsive to the detection of said control signal and the previous actuation of said sensor.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said control signal includes a carrier displaced in amplitude in a predetermined direction for a predetermined control function.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said elongated reset pulses are of a longer duration than any pulse of said first and second set of clock pulses, said control unit further including means for coupling said elongated reset pulse to the same line as that to which said first and second sets of clock pulses are coupled while at the same time removing said first and second sets of clock pulses from said line.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said information carrying signal conveys information in terms of current flow along one of the lines in said multiwire cable and wherein said control unit includes means for monitoring current flow on said line.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said sensor includes means for detecting an alarm condition and means responsive to detection of said alarm condition for grounding the line along which current flow is monitored.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said sensor includes means for monitoring a predetermined condition and means for establishing the amplitude of said current flow in accordance with the monitored condition.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor is adapted to sense an alarm condition and includes a local display for displaying the occurrence of said alarm condition, said display being latched upon the occurrence of said alarm condition and unlatched upon the occurrence of a predetermined level of one of said first set of clock pulses.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said control unit includes means for inhibiting said predetermined level from occurring, thereby to permit a walk-by inspection of the local display at a sensor without disturbing the normal clocking and other operations of said sensor.

16. The system of claim 1 and further including at each sensor a terminal board for each counter thereat, each terminal board having a number of pairs of terminals thereon;

means for connecting one terminal of each pair to an output terminal of a corresponding counter at said sensor; and

,

a jumper pin placed between the terminal board terminal associated with said last mentioned counter output terminal and the associated other terminal of the pair.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said control unit includes means for generating voltage control signals, means for coupling said voltage control signals to one of the lines of said multiwire cable, and wherein said information carrying signal from a sensor is in the form of current drawn from said one line.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said voltage control signals include said first and second sets of clock pulses.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said control unit includes means for coupling a multilevel signal on a line in said multiwire cable different from the one carrying said information carrying signal and wherein each sensor includes a relay and means at said sensor for controlling said relay responsive to the level of said multilevel signal.

20. In a zone indication system for use with multiple sensors coupled to a multiwire cable in which clock pulses are simultaneously applied to a counter in a control unit and through one of the wires of said multiwire cable to a counter in a sensor, means for resetting said counters including means at said control unit for applying an elongated reset pulse to said one wire and means at said sensor for detecting said elongated pulse and for resetting the counter in said sensor.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said sensor has two counters, wherein said clock pulses include pulses of opposite polarity, and wherein said reset pulse applying means includes means for generating elongated reset pulses of opposite polarity.

22. In a zone indication system having a control unit which transmits over a multiwide transmission line a second set of clock pulses interspaced within a first set of clock pulses;

a sensor coupled to said transmission line and having two counters, each responsive to a different set of said clock pulses, the counter responsive to said first set of clock pulses activating with a predetermined output therefrom the other of said counters, the activation of said other counter and the clocking thereof causing the transmission to said control unit from said sensor a data signal which corresponds to a predetermined output of said other counter, said different sets of clock pulses being of opposite polarity and applied to one wire of said multiwire line, the data signal from said sensor being transmitted to said control unit on the same line as the one carrying said clock pulses to said sensor.

23. In a zone indication system having a control unit which transmits over a multiwire transmission line a second set of clock pulses interspaced within a first set of clock pulses;

a sensor coupled to said transmission line and having two counters, each responsive to a different set of said clock pulses, the counter responsive to said first set of clock pulses activating with a predetermined output therefrom the other of said counters, the activation of said other counter and the clocking thereof causing the transmission to said control unit from said sensor a data signal which corresponds to a predetermined output of said other counter, said control unit including means for applying multilevel control signals to one of the wires of the multiwire line different from the wire carrying the clock pulses, said sensor further including relay means enabled by said predetermined output from the counter responsive to the first set of clock pulses, and controlled by said multilevel signals.

24. In a zone indication system having a multiwire transmission line and a control unit which transmits clock pulses over one wire of said multiwire transmission line to at least one remote unit having data corresponding to the status thereof, said remote unit comprising:

at least one counter receiving said clock pulses in the form of DC voltage pulses from said one wire and being incremented thereby, and providing a corresponding output signal; and

means for receiving said counter output signal and for transmitting said data in the form of current pulses when said counter output signal reaches a predetermined count, said current pulses being applied to said one wire.