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System for annunciating emergencies

  • US 4,887,291 A
  • Filed: 07/23/1987
  • Issued: 12/12/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A detector and communication system comprising:

  • one or more detecting means for detecting one or more emergency events;

    at least one facility monitor means for annunciating said emergency events responsive to detection of any of said one or more emergency events by any of said one or more detecting means wherein said facility monitor means comprises a programmable computer;

    a receiver means for receiving an event message from at least one of said facility monitor means responsive to said detection of any of said one or more emergency events by any of said one or more detecting means;

    an electrical port connected to at least one of said detecting means and said programmable computer, said port comprising at least one pair of electrical leads, each pair including one input and one output lead, said port capable of sustaining a voltage between said pair of electrical leads;

    power means connected to said port for supplying a voltage to said leads;

    wherein said facility monitor is effective to transmit said event message to said receiver means responsive to said detection of any of said one or more emergency events by any of one or more detecting means, and wherein said facility monitor is effective to encode said event message with information sufficient to identify at least which of said one or more facility monitor means is transmitting and which of said one or more detecting means has caused said detection;

    wherein said programmable computer is effective to selectively cause said power means to apply a voltage positive with respect to circuit ground on one of said pair of leads, or apply a voltage positive with respect to circuit ground on the other of said pair of electric leads;

    wherein said programmable computer is effective to measure the voltage across said pair of leads;

    said programmable computer comprises means for transmitting said event message to said receiver means, said computer comprising a memory;

    said programmable computer being effective to;

    receive in memory one or more precoded annunciation messages;

    receive in memory a datum point corresponding to a reference voltage;

    compare said reference voltage to said voltage across said pair of leads;

    cause said means for transmitting said event message to transmit to said receiver a preselected one of said precoded annunciated messages responsive to said voltage across a said pair of leads deviating from said reference voltage by a preselected amount, whereby said preselected one of said precoded annunciation messages becomes said event message;

    wherein said programmable computer is effective to determine that said memory contains no reference voltage, and responsive to determining that said programmable memory contains no reference voltage, and in sequence;

    measure the voltage drop across said pair of leads, and if said voltage drop across said pair of leads is non-zero, record said voltage drop across said pair of leads in said memory as a new said reference voltage, and cause said power means to be disenabled from applying any potential positive with respect to ground to either of said pair of leads;

    if said voltage drop across said leads is zero, cause said power means to apply a voltage positive with respect to ground to said one of said pair of leads;

    measure the magnitude of voltage drop across said pair of leads;

    if said voltage drop is non-zero, record said voltage drop in said memory as a new said reference voltage and disenable said power means from applying a voltage positive with respect to ground on said other said pair of leads;

    if said voltage drop is zero, cause said power means to apply a voltage positive with respect to ground to said other of said pair of leads;

    measure the magnitude of said voltage drop across said pair of leads;

    if said voltage drop is non-zero, record said voltage drop in said memory as a new said reference voltage and disenable said power means from applying a voltage positive with respect to ground on said one of said pair of leads;

    if said voltage drop is zero, record zero as a new said reference voltage and disenable said power means from applying a voltage positive with respect to ground on said other of said pair of leads.

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