Computer system for monitoring events and which is capable of automatically configuring itself responsive to changes in system hardware

• US 5,444,642 A
• Filed: 05/07/1991
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GSBS Development Corp. (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Signal Corporation (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Tim, Oliver, Bill, Slack, Mike, Becker, Don, Robins, Cathy, Montgomery, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US08/199,977
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 395/700, 371/11.1, 371/16.1, 371/16.5, 340/506, 340/514, 340/518, 340/525, 340/577, 340/584, 364/221.7, 364/264, 364/267.4, 364/267.5, 364/267.9, 364/550, 364/557, 364/571.03, 364/921.8, 364/949.4
• US Class Current: 702/91
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A system for monitoring events which is capable of automatically configuring itself responsive to changes in system hardware comprising: a plurality of input circuits for detecting events and a plurality of output circuits for indicating the presence of the events; a computer means, including a microcontroller connected to the input circuits for two-way communication with the input circuits and further connected to the output circuits; a front panel and means at the front panel for further indicating the events; and means within the computer means for automatically configuring the system responsive to changes in system hardware.

Claims

1. A system, having a program menu, for monitoring fire alarm events and automatically configuring itself responsive to changes in system hardware comprising:

a plurality of I/O modules for monitoring said fire alarm events, including a plurality of input circuits for detecting and responding to said fire alarm events, and a plurality of output circuits for indicating the presence of said fire alarm events;

an I/O bus and a microcontroller, including an I/O bus driver, connected to said I/O modules;

a computer means for responding to said fire alarm events, including means for storing an internal program, said microcontroller being connected to said computer means, and to said input circuits for two-way communication with said input circuits, and further connected to said output circuits;

a front panel connected in said system, and means at said front panel for further indicating said fire alarm events for at least one-way communication with said output circuits; and

means, within said computer means, for automatically configuring the system responsive to changes in the quantity of said I/O modules connected to the system hardware throughout the operation of the system, including means for selecting the automatically configuring function from the system program menu after said changes have been made, and means, responsive to said means for automatically configuring, for updating said internal program to take into account the changes made in system hardware, said means for updating comprising;

means for receiving inputs relating to the number of said I/O modules in the system;

means for sending messages to said I/O bus instructing said I/O bus driver to compare the actual number of said I/O modules against said received inputs;

means, including the I/O bus, for receiving said messages and for developing an I/O map identifying module locations and module types of said I/O modules on said I/O bus;

means for storing said module locations and said module types of said I/O map within an autoconfiguring map, said autoconfiguring map containing autoconfiguring information;

means for looking up data from tables containing information relating to said modules types and updating said autoconfiguring information of said autoconfiguring map based on said data; and

means for relaying said autoconfiguring information to said internal program.

2. A system, having a program menu, for monitoring fire alarm events and automatically configuring itself responsive to changes in system hardware comprising:

a plurality of I/O modules for monitoring said fire alarm events, including a plurality of input circuits for detecting and responding to said fire alarm events, and a plurality of output circuits for indicating the presence of said fire alarm events;

an I/O bus and a microcontroller, including an I/O bus driver, connected to said I/O modules;

a computer means for responding to said fire alarm events, including means for storing an internal program, said microcontroller being connected to said computer means, and to said input circuits for two-way communication with said input circuits, and further connected to said output circuits;

a front panel connected in said system, and means at said front panel for further indicating said fire alarm events for at least one-way communication with said output circuits; and

means, within said computer means, for automatically configuring the system responsive to changes in the quantity of said I/O modules connected to the system hardware throughout the operation of the system, including means for selecting the automatically configuring function from the system program menu after said changes have been made, and means, responsive to said means for automatically configuring, for updating said internal program to take into account the changes made in system hardware, said means for updating comprising;

means for receiving inputs relating to the number of said I/O modules in the system;

means for sending messages to said I/O bus instructing said for bus driver to compare the actual number of said I/O modules against said received inputs;

means, including the I/O bus, for receiving said messages and for developing an I/O map identifying module locations and module types of said I/O modules on said I/O bus;

means for storing said module locations and said module types of said I/O map within an autoconfiguring map, said autoconfiguring map containing autoconfiguring information;

means for looking up data from tables containing information relating to said modules types and updating said autoconfiguring information of said autoconfiguring map based on said data; and

means for relaying said autoconfiguring information to said internal program;

wherein said means for automatically configuring includes means for configuring said front panel of said system, means for verifying data in said autoconfiguring map and means for remapping zone and LED data for a service console.