Speaking fire alarm system

• US 4,816,809 A
• Filed: 06/17/1987
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jin-Seak
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US07/062,966
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 340/692, 340/584, 340/628, 340/502, 340/599, 340/661, 340/506, 364/550
• US Class Current: 340/692
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion

Abstract

A speaking fire alarm system for not only giving an alarm in voice on an occurrence of a fire but also providing some information necessary for coping with the situations. The system includes a temperature sensor for sensing a surrounding temperature and providing a voltage responsive to the temperature sensed, comparator means for comparing the voltage supplied from the temperature sensor with a reference voltage and thereby providing a logic signal in accordance with its comparison, a central processing unit for receiving the logic signal from the buffer, thereby deciding the occurrence of the fire and providing both a fire alarm signal and message data according to an emergent situation, a voice synthesizer for providing address signals in accordance with the message data supplied from the central processing unit and also providing quantized voice messages which are synthesized from voice data received, voice memory for providing again to the voice synthesizer the voice data which is in advance stored in adequate format responsive to the address signals supplied from the voice synthesizer, voice output amplifying means for receiving the quantized voice messages supplied from the voice synthesizer for reshaping to smooth waveforms and amplifying to an adequate level, a host computer having a control program for controlling a plurality of slave fire control systems which are coupled to the host computer itself for detecting the fire alarm signal from each central processing unit and providing the fire alarm signal to remaining slave fire alarm systems.

Claims

1. A speaking fire alarm system for providing in voice not only warning signals but also information to cope with an emergent situation on an occurrence of a sudden fire, comprising:

temperature sensor for sensing surrounding temperature and providing a voltage in accordance with said temperature sensed;

comparator means for obtaining a comparative result by comparing said voltage supplied from said temperature sensor with a reference voltage and thereby providing a logic signal responsive to said comparative result;

a central processing unit for receiving said logic signal and deciding the occurrence of a fire, and providing both message data according to the emergent situation and fire alarm signals at the same time;

voice synthesizer means for providing address signals responsive to said message data supplied from said central processing unit and providing quantized voice messages synthesized from voice data received in response to said address signals;

voice memory means for providing to said voice synthesizer, said voice data stored at addresses corresponding to said address signals supplied from said voice synthesizer;

voice output amplifying means for receiving said quantized voice messages supplied from said voice synthesizer, for reshaping said quantized voice messages supplied, and for amplifying said quantized voice messages reshaped to an adequate level; and

a host computer connected to said central processing unit and connectable to a plurality of slave fire alarm systems and having a control program for, upon reception of a fire alarm signal from one of said central processing unit and slave fire alarm systems, controlling said providing of message data by others of said central processing unit and slave fire alarm systems not providing a fire alarm signal to said host computer, by simultaneously providing said fire alarm signals in accordance with execution of said control program to others of said central processing unit and slave fire alarm systems not providing a fire alram signal.

2. The alarm of claim 1, further comprising:

said processing unit providing during a first phase of operation, said fire alarm signals to said host computer and a first type of message data to said voice synthesizer means, and during a second phase of said operation, providing a second type of message data to said voice synthesizer means; and

said voice synthesizer means transmitting a busy signal to said processing unit upon reception of said first type of message data, addressing said voice memory means with address signals determined by said first type of message data, receiving a first type of voice data from said voice memory means, and generating a first type of quantized voice messages on the basis of said first type of voice data.

3. The alarm of claim 2, further comprising said voice synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processing unit upon generating said first type of quantized voice messages.

4. The alarm of claim 2, further comprising said voice synthesizer means transmitting said busy signal to said processing unit upon reception of said second type of said message data, receiving a second type of voice data from said voice memory means, and generating a second type of quantized voice messages on the basis of said second type of voice data.

5. The alarm of claim 4, further comprising said voice synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processor means upon generating said second type of quantized voice messages.

6. The alarm of claim 1, wherein said host computer includes an internal memory and, upon receiving said alarm signals, said host computer stores current time and date.

7. The alarm of claim 1, wherein said host computer, upon receiving said fire alarm signals from one of said slave fire alarm systems, provides both fire alarm signals and message data about safety to others of said slave fire alarm systems.

8. The alarm of claim 1, further comprising:

said processing unit providing, during a first phase of operation, said fire alarm signals to said host computer and message data notifying said voice synthesizer means about the occurrence of a fire, and during a second phase of said operation, providing said voice synthesizer means with message data containing information and instructions about coping with the fire; and

said voice synthesizer means transmitting a busy signal to said processing unit upon reception of said message data about the occurrence of a fire, addressing said voice memory means with address signals determined by said message data about the occurrence of a fire, receiving from said voice memory means voice data about the occurrence of the fire, and generating quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data about the occurrence of the fire.

9. The alarm of claim 8, further comprising said voice synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processing unit upon generating said quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data about the occurrence of the fire.

10. The alarm of claim 8, further comprising said voice synthesizer means transmitting said busy signal to said processing unit upon reception of said message data containing information and instruction about coping with the fire, addressing said voice memory means with address signals determined by said message data containing information and instructions about coping with the fire, receiving voice data containing information and instruction about coping with the fire from said voice memory means, and generating quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data containing information about coping with the fire.

11. The alarm of claim 10, further comprising said voice synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processing unit upon generating said quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data containing information about coping with the fire.

12. The alarm of claim 11, wherein said host computer includes an internal memory and, upon receiving said alarm signals, said host computer stores current time and date.

13. The alarm of claim 12, wherein said host computer, upon receiving said fire alarm signals from one of said slave fire alarm systems, provides both fire alarm signals and message data about safety to others of said slave fire alarm systems.

14. A fire alarm, comprising:

a plurality of fire detection systems, each comprising;

sensor means for providing a sensor signal representative of an ambient temperature;

means for making a comparison of said sensor signal and a reference signal and for providing a logic signal in response to said comparison;

processing means for generating said reference signal, for receiving and determining on the basis of said logic signal, the occurence of a fire, at the same time providing both alarm signals and message data;

memory means for storing and providing voice data in response to reception of corresponding address signals;

synthesizer means for receiving said message data, addressing said memory with address signals determined by said message data, receiving voice data from said memory means, and generating quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data; and

means for broadcasting said quantized voice messages as vocal sounds; and

control means for monitoring a plurality of said fire detection systems and for receiving said alarm signals, and for applying control signals to others of said fire detection systems upon reception of a fire alarm signal.

15. The alarm of claim 14, further comprising:

said processor means providing during a first phase of operation, said alarm signals to said control means and a first type of message data to said synthesizer means, and during a second phase of said operation, a second type of message data to said synthesizer means; and

said synthesizer means transmitting a busy signal to said processor means upon reception of said first type of message data, addressing said memory means with address signals determined by the type of said message data, re first type of message data, addressing said memory means with address signals determined by the type of said message data, re first type of message data, addressing said memory means with address signals determined by the type of said message data, receiving a first type of voice data from said memory means, and generating a first type of quantized voice messages on the basis of said first type of voice data.

16. The alarm of claim 15, further comprising said synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processor means upon generating said first type of quantized voice messages.

17. The alarm of claim 15, further comprising said synthesizer means transmitting said busy signal to said processor means upon reception of said second type of message data, addressing said memory means with address signals determined by said second type of message data, receiving a second type of voice data from said memory means, and generating a second type of quantized voice messages on the basis of said second type of voice data.

18. The alarm of claim 17, further comprising said synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processor means upon generating said second type of quantized voice messages.

19. The alarm of claim 14, wherein said control means includes an internal memory and, upon receiving said alarm signals, said control means stores current time and date.

20. The alarm of claim 14, wherein said control means, upon receiving said alarm signals from one of said fire detection systems, provides both alarm signals and message data about safety to others of said fire detection systems.

21. The alarm of claim 14, further comprising:

said processor means providing during a first phase of operation, said alarm signals to said control means and message data notifying said synthesizer means about the occurrence of a fire, and during a second phase of said operation, providing said sythesizer means with message data containing information and instructions about coping with the fire; and

said synthesizer means transmitting a busy signal to said processor means upon reception of said message data about the occurrence of a fire, addressing said memory means with address signals determined by said message data about the occurrence of a fire, receiving from said memory means voice data about the occurrence of the fire, and generating quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data about the occurrence of the fire.

22. The alarm of claim 21, further comprising said synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processor means upon generating said quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data about the occurrence of the fire.

23. The alarm of claim 21, further comprising said synthesizer means transmitting said busy signal to said processor means upon reception of said message data containing information and instructions about coping with the fire, addressing said memory means with address signals determined by said message data containing information and instructions about coping with the fire, receiving voice data containing information and instructions about coping with the fire from said memory means, and generating quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data containing information about coping with the fire.

24. The alarm of claim 23, further comprising said synthesizer means discontinuing transmission of said busy signal to said processor means upon generating said quantized voice messages on the basis of said voice data containing information about coping with the fire.

25. The alarm of claim 24, wherein said control means includes an internal memory and, upon receiving said alarm signals, said control means stores current time and date.

26. The alarm of claim 25, wherein said control means, upon receiving said alarm signals from one of said fire detection systems, provides both alarm signals and message data about safety to others of said fire detection systems.