Addressable smart speaker

• US 7,170,396 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Simplexgrinnell LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Kalafarski, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US10/873,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20050280526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 340/384.72, 340/384.73, 340/825.52, 340/539.22, 340/326, 381/82, 381/77, 700/94
• US Class Current: 340/326
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

An addressable smart speaker for use in a fire alarm system connects to and receives messages over a network, has plural taps for selecting audio power. In response to a command, a selector in an addressed smart speaker selects a tap to select a particular audio power.

Claims

1. A notification appliance for use in a fire alarm system, the notification appliance comprising:

a network interface which connects to and receives messages over a network;

means for assigning an address to the notification appliance;

a speaker

plural taps for selecting audio power for the speaker;

a first selector which selects at least one of said plural taps to select a particular audio power for the speaker as directed by a received network command addressed to said notification appliance;

a visual indicator;

plural settings for selecting intensity for the visual indicator;

a second selector which selects at least one of the plural settings to select a particular intensity for the visual indicator as directed by a received network command addressed to the notification appliance;

mode selector for selecting modes of the notification appliance as directed by a received network command addressed to the notification appliance, the modes comprising speaker operation only, visual indicator operation only, and speaker and visual indicator operation.

2. The notification appliance of claim 1, further comprising non-volatile storage for storing information about the last-selected audio power setting.

3. The notification appliance of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a strobe.

11. The notification appliance of claim 1, wherein at least two said notification appliances are on different networks.

4. A notification appliance for use in a fire alarm system, the notification appliance comprising:

a network interface which connects to and receives messages over a network;

a speaker;

a visual indicator;

a mode selector for selecting modes of the notification appliance, the modes comprising speaker operation only, visual indicator operation only, and speaker and visual indicator operation

a controller for implementing a received network command, the command comprising an address addressed to said notification appliance and a message for the controlling the speaker, the visual indicator, or the mode selector.

5. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the command is a command to set a transformer tap.

6. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the command is a command to select a voltage type.

7. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the notification appliance is responsive to a group address.

8. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the command is one of an activation and a de-activation command.

9. The notification appliance of claim 4, further comprising non-volatile storage for storing command information.

10. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein said notification appliance in conjunction with similar notification appliances are controlled as a virtual notification appliance circuit.

12. The notification appliance of claim 4, the network interlace further transmitting a response generated by the controller over the network.

13. The notification appliance of claim 4, further comprising:

a tone generator which generates an ultrasonic tone; and

a detector for detecting the ultrasonic tone, the notification appliance transmitting a trouble message over the network if the ultrasonic tone is not detected, the message providing a notification appliance identification.

14. The notification appliance of claim 4, wherein the visual indicator comprises a strobe.

15. A method for communication in a fire alarm system, comprising:

sending a message addressed to an addressable notification appliance, the message including an address and a command to control one or both of a speaker and a visual indicator in the notification appliance or indicative of a mode setting, the mode setting for speaker operation only, visual indicator operation only, and speaker and visual indicator operation; and

at said addressable notification appliance, implementing said command.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is a command to set a transformer tap.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is a command to select a voltage type.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the notification appliance is responsive to a group address.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is one of an activation and a de-activation command.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing command information in non-volatile storage.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

controlling said notification appliance in conjunction with similar notification appliances as a virtual notification appliance circuit.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least two said notification appliances are on different networks.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting a response to the received command over the network.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating an ultrasonic tone;

detecting the ultrasonic tone; and

transmitting a trouble message over the network if the ultrasonic tone is not detected, the message providing a notification appliance identification.

25. A notification appliance for use in a fire alarm system, comprising:

means for assigning an address to the notification appliance;

speaker means;

means for selecting audio power for the speaker means;

first selector means for selecting a particular audio power;

visual indicator means;

means for selecting intensity for the visual indicator means;

second selector means for selecting a particular intensity for the visual indicator means;

mode selector means for selecting modes of the notification appliance, the modes comprising speaker means operation only, visual indicator means operation only, and speaker means and visual indicator means operation;

communications means for receiving a message addressed to said notification appliance, the message including an address and a command; and

means for implementing said command.

26. The notification appliance of claim 25, wherein the visual indicator means comprises a strobe means.