Self-configuring emergency event alarm network

• US 7,301,455 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Vulano Group, LLC
• Inventors: McKenna, John Daniel, McKenna, Daniel Bernard, Graziano, James Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/231,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/506, 340/521, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/539.18, 340/539.19, 340/870.03, 340/870.16, 700/108
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

The present self-configuring emergency event alarm network uses a decentralized (ad hoc or mesh) architecture that does not have a centralized “master” node. In this ad hoc network, any node is capable of behaving as if it were the “master node” by autonomously reporting the alarm event directly to all other nodes in the ad hoc network independent of where the alarm event occurred. The network of alarm devices, therefore, can spread the alarm indication to the entirety of the area covered by the network of alarm devices and can also differentiate between a general alarm indication and the locus of the alarm event.

Claims

1. A self-configuring emergency event alarm network comprising:

a plurality of alarm network devices;

a set of communication links interconnecting said plurality of alarm network devices; and

wherein each of said alarm network devices comprises;

at least one sensor means for detecting the presence of a hazard condition;

a network means for establishing a communication session with one or more of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices via selected ones of said communication links;

processor means for communicating with said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices to dynamically establish a network of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices;

alarm means for generating one or more alarm indications;

wherein said processor means is also responsive to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means for activating said alarm means to generate an alarm indication and for communicating with said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices to relay said hazard detection to said plurality-of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

2. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said sensor means of said alarm network devices comprises:

at least one sensor for detecting at least one hazard from the class of life-endangering events comprising;

fire, heat, carbon monoxide gas, natural gas, smoke, propane, chemical, hazardous gas, bio-hazard, nuclear radiation, flood, water incursion, unauthorized entry, motion, infra-red, and optical recognition.

3. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said sensor means of said alarm network devices comprises:

means for detecting the presence of at least one of a predetermined level, concentration, and intensity of said hazard condition.

4. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said alarm means comprises:

alarm indication generation means for generating at least one alarm indication comprising one of;

an audible output of predetermined volume, duration, and pattern, a visual indication of predetermined intensity, duration, and pattern, and external communication to an outside location.

5. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said alarm means comprises:

alarm indication generation means capable of generating at least two alarm indications comprising;

a first alarm indication indicating that said sensor means has detected said hazard condition, and a second alarm indication indicating receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

6. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 5 wherein said processor means comprises:

means, responsive to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means, for activating said alarm means to generate said first alarm; and

means, responsive to receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices, for activating said alarm means to generate said second alarm.

7. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said network means establishes a communication session with one or more other of said plurality of alarm network devices via a communication medium.

8. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said processor means comprises:

query means for detecting the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium; and

memory means for storing identities of said detected self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices in memory to form a sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

9. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 8 wherein said processor means further comprises:

relay means, responsive to receipt of a communication for detecting the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, for activating said query means to detect the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium.

10. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 8 wherein said processor means further comprises:

alert transmission means, responsive to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means, for transmitting an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

11. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 10 wherein said processor means further comprises:

relay means, responsive to receipt of an alert indication from any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, for activating said alert transmission means to transmit an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

12. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said set of communication links comprises at least one of communication medium modes including:

power line carrier, radio frequency, acoustic, ultra-sonic, optical, and wired.

13. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 1 wherein said network comprises an interconnection of said plurality of alarm network devices using a network topology selected from the class of network topologies including:

full mesh, partial mesh, partial mesh connected to partial mesh, linear, partial mesh connected to linear, partial mesh connected to star.

14. A method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network comprising:

installing a plurality of alarm network devices;

initiating a set of communication links interconnecting said plurality of alarm network devices; and

operating each of said alarm network devices to execute the steps of;

detecting, using at least one sensor element, the presence of a hazard condition;

establishing a communication session with one or more of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices via selected ones of said communication links;

communicating with said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices to dynamically establish a network of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices;

generating one or more alarm indications in response to said detected hazard condition; and

communicating with said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices to relay said hazard detection to said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

15. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said step of detecting comprises:

sensing at least one hazard from the class of life-endangering events comprising;

fire, heat, carbon monoxide gas, natural gas, smoke, propane, chemical, hazardous gas, bio-hazard, nuclear radiation, flood, water incursion, unauthorized entry, motion, infra-red, and optical recognition.

16. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said step of detecting comprises:

sensing the presence of at least one of a predetermined level, concentration, and intensity of said hazard condition.

17. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said step of generating comprises:

generating at least one alarm indication comprising one of;

an audible output of predetermined volume, duration, and pattern, a visual indication of predetermined intensity, duration, and pattern, and external communication to an outside location.

18. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said step of generating comprises:

generating at least two alarm indications comprising;

a first alarm indication indicating that said step of sensing has detected said hazard condition, and a second alarm indication indicating receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

19. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 18 wherein said step of communicating comprises:

activating, in response to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means, said step of generating to generate said first alarm; and

activating, in response to receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices, said step of generating to generate said second alarm.

20. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said step of establishing a communication session establishes a communication session with one or more other of said plurality of alarm network devices via a communication medium.

21. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said step of communicating comprises:

detecting the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium; and

storing identities of said detected self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices in memory to form a sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

22. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 21 wherein said step of communicating further comprises:

activating, in response to receipt of a communication for the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, said step of detecting to detect the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium.

23. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 21 wherein said step of communicating further comprises:

transmitting, in response to a hazard detected by said step of detecting, an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

24. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 23 wherein said step of communicating further comprises:

activating, in response to receipt of an alert indication from any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, said step of transmitting to transmit an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

25. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said set of communication links comprises at least one of communication medium modes including:

power line carrier, radio frequency, acoustic, ultra-sonic, optical, and wired.

26. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 14 wherein said network comprises an interconnection of said plurality of alarm network devices using a network topology selected from the class of network topologies including:

full mesh, partial mesh, partial mesh connected to partial mesh, linear, partial mesh connected to linear, partial mesh connected to star.

27. A self-configuring emergency event alarm network comprising a plurality of cooperatively operative alarm network devices, wherein each of said alarm network devices comprises:

at least one sensor means for detecting the presence of a hazard;

network means for exchanging messages with one or more of said plurality of alarm network devices;

processor means for communicating with at least one of said plurality of alarm network devices via said network means to establish a network of said plurality of alarm network devices;

alarm means for generating one or more human sensible alarm indications; and

wherein said processor means is also responsive to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means for activating said alarm means to generate an alarm indication and for communicating with at least one of said plurality of alarm network devices to relay said hazard detection to said plurality of alarm network devices.

28. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said sensor means of said alarm network devices comprises:

at least one sensor for detecting at least one hazard from the class of life-endangering events comprising;

fire, heat, carbon monoxide gas, natural gas, smoke, propane, chemical, hazardous gas, bio-hazard, nuclear radiation, flood water incursion, unauthorized entry, motion, infra-red, and optical recognition.

29. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said sensor means of said alarm network devices comprises:

means for detecting the presence of at least one of a predetermined level, concentration, and intensity of said hazard condition.

30. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said alarm means comprises:

alarm indication generation means for generating at least one alarm indication comprising one of;

an audible output of predetermined volume, duration, and pattern, a visual indication of predetermined intensity, duration, and pattern, and external communication to an outside location.

31. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said alarm means comprises:

alarm indication generation means capable of generating at least two alarm indications comprising;

a first alarm indication indicating that said sensor means has detected said hazard condition, and a second alarm indication indicating receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

32. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 31 wherein said processor means comprises:

means, responsive to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means, for activating said alarm means to generate said first alarm; and

means, responsive to receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices, for activating said alarm means to generate said second alarm.

33. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said network means establishes a communication session with one or more other of said plurality of alarm network devices via a communication medium.

34. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said processor means comprises:

query means for detecting the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium; and

memory means for storing identities of said detected self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices in memory to form a sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

35. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 34 wherein said processor means further comprises:

relay means, responsive to receipt of a communication for detecting the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, for activating said query means to detect the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium.

36. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 34 wherein said processor means further comprises:

alert transmission means, responsive to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means, for transmitting an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

37. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 36 wherein said processor means further comprises:

relay means, responsive to receipt of an alert indication from any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, for activating said alert transmission means to transmit an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

38. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said set of communication links comprises at least one of communication medium modes including:

power line carrier, radio frequency, acoustic, ultra-sonic, optical, and wired.

39. The self-configuring emergency event alarm network of claim 27 wherein said network comprises an interconnection of said plurality of alarm network devices using a network topology selected from the class of network topologies including:

full mesh, partial mesh, partial mesh connected to partial mesh, linear, partial mesh connected to linear, partial mesh connected to star.

40. A method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network comprising a plurality of cooperatively operative alarm network devices comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of a hazard using at least one sensor;

exchanging messages with one or more of said plurality of alarm network devices via a communication medium;

communicating with at least one of said plurality of alarm network devices via said communication medium to establish a network of said plurality of alarm network devices;

generating one or more human sensible alarm indications;

generating, in response to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor, an alarm indication; and

communicating with at least one of said plurality of alarm network devices to relay said hazard detection to said plurality of alarm network devices.

41. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said step of detecting comprises:

sensing at least one hazard from the class of life-endangering events comprising;

fire, heat, carbon monoxide gas, natural gas, smoke, propane, chemical, hazardous gas, bio-hazard, nuclear radiation, flood, water incursion, unauthorized entry, motion, infra-red, and optical recognition.

42. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said step of detecting comprises:

sensing the presence of at least one of a predetermined level, concentration, and intensity of said hazard condition.

43. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said step of generating one or more alarm indications comprises:

generating at least one alarm indication comprising one of;

an audible output of predetermined volume, duration, and pattern, a visual indication of predetermined intensity, duration, and pattern, and external communication to an outside location.

44. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said step of generating comprises:

generating at least two alarm indications comprising;

a first alarm indication indicating that said step of sensing has detected said hazard condition, and a second alarm indication indicating receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

45. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 44 wherein said step of communicating comprises:

activating, in response to a hazard detected by said at least one sensor means, said step of generating to generate said first alarm; and

activating, in response to receipt of a communication indicative of said hazard detection from another of said plurality of self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices, said step of generating to generate said second alarm.

46. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said step of establishing a communication session establishes a communication session with one or more other of said plurality of alarm network devices via a communication medium.

47. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said step of communicating comprises:

detecting the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium; and

storing identities of said detected self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices in memory to form a sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

48. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 47 wherein said step of communicating further comprises:

activating, in response to receipt of a communication for the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, said step of detecting to detect the presence of any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium.

49. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 48 wherein said step of communicating further comprises:

transmitting, in response to a hazard detected by said step of detecting, an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

50. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 49 wherein said step of communicating further comprises:

activating, in response to receipt of an alert indication from any other self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices that are connected to said communication medium, said step of transmitting to transmit an alert indication to said sub-network comprising said identified self-configuring emergency event alarm network devices.

51. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said set of communication links comprises at least one of communication medium modes including:

power line carrier, radio frequency, acoustic, ultra-sonic, optical, and wired.

52. The method of self-configuring an emergency event alarm network of claim 40 wherein said network comprises an interconnection of said plurality of alarm network devices using a network topology selected from the class of network topologies including:

full mesh, partial mesh, partial mesh connected to partial mesh, linear, partial mesh connected to linear, partial mesh connected to star.