Paperless pressure and alarm recorder
First Claim
1. A data recorder for a fire control system having a pipe network connected to a fire pump, a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network, the pressure sensor producing pressure signals representative of the actual pressure magnitude in the pipe network, said data recorder comprising:
- an input coupled to the pressure sensor, said input receiving the pressure signals representative of the actual pressure magnitude in the pipe network;
an electronic memory capable of storing pressure data provided by said pressure signals representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network; and
a processor which monitors the pressure signals representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network at first periodic intervals and stores the signals in the form of pressure data in said electronic memory at second periodic intervals, said second periodic intervals being longer than said first periodic intervals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A paperless recorder for recording pressure and alarm condition data from a fire controller for a fire pump control system. The fire pump is connected a pipe network which has a pressure sensor for sensing pipe pressure. The recorder is connected to the pressure sensor and checks for pressure changes. When a pressure change is detected, it is stored in an electronic memory. Pressure readings are also periodically stored in the electronic memory. The recorder may also monitor alarm voltages and alarm contacts which may also be stored in the electronic memory. The stored data may be transmitted to a computer via modem or port connection for further analysis.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A data recorder for a fire control system having a pipe network connected to a fire pump, a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network, the pressure sensor producing pressure signals representative of the actual pressure magnitude in the pipe network, said data recorder comprising:
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an input coupled to the pressure sensor, said input receiving the pressure signals representative of the actual pressure magnitude in the pipe network; an electronic memory capable of storing pressure data provided by said pressure signals representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network; and a processor which monitors the pressure signals representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network at first periodic intervals and stores the signals in the form of pressure data in said electronic memory at second periodic intervals, said second periodic intervals being longer than said first periodic intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 21, 22)
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13. A method of recording data from a fire control system having a pipe network, a pressure sensor responsive to absolute pressure coupled to the pipe network, and a pressure recorder coupled to the pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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taking a pressure reading indicative of the actual absolute pressure in the pipe network from the pressure sensor; comparing said actual absolute pressure reading to a set pressure value; and recording said actual absolute pressure reading in an electronic memory if the absolute value of the difference between said actual absolute pressure reading and said set pressure value exceeds an allowable change value. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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23. A data recorder for use with a fire control system having a pipe network connected to a fire pump, and a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network for producing an electrical signal representative of the actual pressure magnitude in the pipe network, comprising:
a microprocessor with input means, programming means, timing means, and memory means, said input means receiving said electrical signals representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network, said programming means causing said electrical signal to be acquired by said microprocessor at first periodic intervals determined by said timing means, said programming means causing said microprocessor to compare said acquired electrical signal to an electrical signal representative of a set pressure, said programming means causing said microprocessor to record said acquired electrical signal in said memory means if it differs from said electrical signal representative of a set pressure by more than an allowable difference in pressure, said programming means causing said acquired electrical signal to be acquired by said microprocessor and stored in said memory means at second periodic intervals determined by said timing means, said second periodic intervals being longer than said first periodic intervals, whereby said memory means stores data representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network at first more frequent periodic intervals when the pressure in the pipe network differs by more than an allowable difference in pressure in the first more frequent periodic intervals, and also at second less frequent periodic intervals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for recording data from a fire control system having a pipe network, a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network for producing an electrical signal representative of the magnitude of the pressure in the pipe network, and a pressure recorder coupled to the pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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acquiring the electrical signal representative of the magnitude of the pressure in the pipe network at first periodic intervals, comparing said acquired electrical signal to an electrical signal representative of a set pressure magnitude, recording said acquired electrical signal in memory if it differs from the electrical signal representative of a set pressure magnitude by more than an allowable difference in pressure magnitude, and recording said acquired electrical signal in memory at second periodic intervals which are longer than said first periodic intervals, whereby data representative of the actual pressure in the pipe network is stored at first more frequent intervals when the pressure in the pipe network differs by more than an allowable difference in pressure magnitude in the first more frequent periodic interval, and also at second less frequent periodic intervals. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A data recorder for use with a fire control system having a pipe network connected to a fire pump, and a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network, the pressure sensor producing pressure signals representative of the magnitude of the pressure in the pipe network, said data recorder comprising:
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a pressure input/output circuit block receiving the pressure signals from the pressure sensor, said pressure input/output circuit providing an analog signal output representing the magnitude of the pressure in the pipe network, a microprocessor bus, an alarm interface circuit block containing an analog to digital converter, and connected to said microprocessor bus, said alarm interface circuit block receiving the analog signals from the pressure input/output circuit block, and providing digital signals representing the magnitude of the pressure in the pipe network to said microprocessor bus, a control circuit block containing a microprocessor, electronic memory and a versatile interface adapter, the digital signals from said microprocessor bus being supplied to said microprocessor, said microprocessor programmed to receive the digital signal from said microprocessor bus at first periodic intervals, said microprocessor comparing the digital signal to a signal representative of a set pressure, said microprocessor causing the digital signal to be recorded in said electronic memory if it differs from the signal representative of a set pressure by more than an allowable difference, said microprocessor causing said digital signal to be recorded in said electronic memory at a second periodic interval, said second periodic interval being longer than said first periodic interval, whereby data representative of the magnitude of the pressure in the pipe network is recorded at a first more frequent periodic interval when the pressure in the pipe network differs by more than an allowable change in pressure in the first more frequent periodic intervals, and also to be recorded at a second less frequent periodic interval. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method of recording data from a fire control system having a pipe network, a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network, and a pressure recorder coupled to the pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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taking a pressure reading indicative of the actual pressure in the pipe network from the pressure sensor; comparing said pressure reading to a set pressure value, recording said pressure reading in an electronic memory if the absolute value of the difference between said pressure reading and said set pressure value exceeds an allowable change value taking additional pressure readings at first periodic time intervals; storing one of said additional pressure readings in the electronic memory at a relatively longer periodic time interval than the first periodic time interval; and storing a time corresponding to said one of said additional pressure readings in the electronic memory.
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68. A method of recording data from a fire control system having a pipe network, a pressure sensor coupled to the pipe network, and a pressure recorder coupled to the pressure sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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taking a pressure reading indicative of the actual pressure in the pipe network from the pressure sensor; comparing said pressure reading to a set pressure value, recording said pressure reading in an electronic memory if the absolute value of the difference between said pressure reading and said set pressure value exceeds an allowable change value monitoring for the occurrence of alarm conditions in an alarm contact which produces an alarm signal representative of an alarm condition in the fire control system, signified by the occurrence of an event not indicated by the actual pressure magnitude in the pipe network; storing data indicating an alarm condition upon the occurrence of an alarm condition in the electronic memory; and storing a time corresponding to the occurrence of said alarm condition in the electronic memory.
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Specification