System and method of group definition
First Claim
1. An event detection system comprising:
- a plurality of independently functioning event detectors wherein at least some of the detectors define group boundaries by the presence of selected electronic components coupled directly to respective ones of the boundary defining detectors, and wherein at least some of the event detectors are associated with a group without the presence of the selected electronic components coupled directly thereto, due to the location of the non-group boundary defining detectors relative to the detectors which define group boundaries.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An event detection system has a control element coupled to a plurality of detectors, such as smoke detectors. The control element can be implemented with a programmed processor. The detectors can include a base which removably receives a separable detector housing and electronics. Group boundaries can be specified by incorporating boundary defining electrical elements, such as switches or resistors, into either a respective detector base or into the detector itself. The control element can include instructions for carrying out an automatic addressing process with respect to the detectors. Topology information obtained during the automatic addressing process in combination with the location of the boundary defining elements specifies one or more groups for the control element. In an alternate embodiment, groups can be defined based exclusively on the topology information. In this embodiment, boundary defining electrical elements are not needed.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An event detection system comprising:
a plurality of independently functioning event detectors wherein at least some of the detectors define group boundaries by the presence of selected electronic components coupled directly to respective ones of the boundary defining detectors, and wherein at least some of the event detectors are associated with a group without the presence of the selected electronic components coupled directly thereto, due to the location of the non-group boundary defining detectors relative to the detectors which define group boundaries. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for determining a group of electrical units, each of the electrical units being independently addressable, comprising:
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a plurality of electrical units wherein each of the units includes control circuitry for bidirectional communications;
at least first and second group identifier circuits wherein the identifier circuits are coupled to respective first and second group defining members of the plurality wherein selected members of the plurality, along with the first and second group defining members, form a group and wherein the presence of the identifier circuits can be remotely detected, thereby enabling the members of the group including one or more non-group defining members to be remotely determined. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A monitoring system comprising:
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a common control element;
a plurality of electrical units wherein the units each include circuitry for at least unidirectional communication with the common control element;
first and second group boundary defining devices wherein the devices are each coupled to a different electrical unit in the same group to define group boundaries wherein the common control element includes circuitry for establishing the remaining electrical units of the group, which are not coupled to group boundary defining devices. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A monitoring system comprising:
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a control element;
a communications link;
a plurality of ambient condition detecting devices coupled to the link wherein the element includes executable instructions for developing topology information for the devices coupled to the link, including both group boundary determining devices and non-group boundary determining devices; and
additional instructions for defining groups based at least in part on the topology information, and at least in part on the location of the group boundary determining devices;
which includes a plurality of boundary defining components coupled to respective devices for defining group boundary determining devices, wherein in the absence of the boundary defining components being coupled to a particular device, the device is defined as a non-group boundary determining device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
first and second group boundary defining components wherein the components are each coupled to a different electrical device in the same group to define group boundaries wherein the control element includes circuitry for establishing the remaining members of the group.
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28. A system as in claim 27 wherein each of the components comprises a boundary defining current carrying element.
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29. An event detection system comprising:
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a communication link;
a common control element coupled to the communication link;
a plurality of event detectors, each of which is coupled to the communication link and capable of communicating with the common control element via the communication link, wherein at least some of the detectors define group boundaries by the presence of selected electronic components coupled to respective ones of the boundary defining detectors, thereby defining groups of event detectors wherein at least some of the groups of event detectors comprise a plurality of event detectors including both boundary defining detectors and non-boundary defining detectors. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A communication system comprising:
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a control unit;
a plurality of devices that receive and transmit information between each other and the control unit via a common medium;
wherein one or more of the plurality of devices is capable of attachably receiving a group boundary designating component, and has a processor which is adapted for sensing the attachment of a group boundary designating component and identifying itself as a group identifier to the control unit while the group boundary designating component is attached; and
wherein the control unit downloads group information to the plurality of devices via the common medium based upon the information received from the one or more of the plurality of devices identifying itself as a group identifier. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification