Emergency lighting system with improved monitoring

• US 7,400,226 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Simplexgrinnell LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Barrieau, Johnpaul P., Barrieau, Mark P., Brooks, Jeffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/934,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/514
• US Class Current: 340/286.01
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

An emergency lighting unit includes a lamp, a backup battery, and controller and a network interface. The controller connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of an emergency condition and loss of main power. The network interface interfaces with and receives commands via a fire alarm network. Each emergency lighting unit has a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network.

Claims

1. An emergency exit lighting unit, comprising:

a light source for providing illumination of an exit;

a backup battery;

a controller that connects the backup battery to the light source upon detection of loss of main power; and

a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands from a fire alarm controller via a fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network,

wherein at least one of the commands from the fire alarm controller comprises a testing command for the controller to test the backup battery.

2. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, the controller, upon receiving the test command, causing the backup battery to discharge, the controller sensing battery state and forwarding battery state information via the network interface to a network controller.

3. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, the battery state information comprising an indication of at least one of:

voltage across the battery and current draw from the battery.

4. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein the backup battery is discharged through the light source.

5. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein the backup battery is discharged through a ballast load.

6. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein the backup battery is discharged for a preset period.

7. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein discharge of the backup battery begins and ends upon receipt of commands from the network controller.

8. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, wherein discharge of the backup battery ceases if terminal voltage of the backup battery drops below a predetermined threshold.

9. The emergency lighting unit of claim 8, the controller sending a trouble indication to the network controller when the terminal voltage drops below the threshold.

10. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, the controller interpreting detection of no or low current during discharge to mean the emergency light source is defective.

11. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, backup power being delivered via the network while the battery is being discharged.

12. The emergency lighting unit of claim 11, the network controller supplying the backup power.

13. The emergency lighting unit of claim 2, a test log being maintained.

14. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein said unit is one of plural similar units connected to the network, each uniquely addressed.

15. The emergency lighting unit of claim 14, the plural units being tested on a periodic rotating schedule.

16. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein plural fire alarm appliances are connected to the network, each uniquely addressed.

17. The emergency lighting unit of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plural fire alarm appliances is at least one of:

a smoke detector, a fire detector, a pull station, an intrusion detector, a motion sensor, and an audible alarm.

18. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1 wherein the controller, responsive to a command from a network controller, inhibits the light source from turning on during an emergency condition that would normally cause the light source to be on.

19. The emergency lighting unit of claim 18, the light source being inhibited from turning on if ambient light is adequate in the vicinity of the unit.

20. The emergency lighting unit of claim 18, the light source being inhibited if no movement is detected in the vicinity of the unit.

21. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, the fire alarm controller being a fire alarm control panel.

22. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the network is any combination of wired, wireless and optical.

23. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor to verify that the light source is activated, the controller reporting a detected fault via the network interface.

39. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein a network controller sends a command to the controller to control the light source based on at least one sensor input to the network controller.

40. The emergency lighting unit of claim 39, wherein the network controller sends a command to the controller to prohibit the light source from generating light.

41. The emergency lighting unit of claim 40, wherein the at least one sensor input comprises input from a motion sensor or a photo sensor.

42. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the controller, responsive to an override command from a network controller, prohibits the light source from generating light.

43. The emergency lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the emergency lighting unit receives external power from at least two sources.

44. The emergency lighting unit of claim 43, wherein the at least two sources of power comprise a power line and the fire alarm network.

24. A fire alarm control panel, programmed to monitor and control a fire alarm network, said fire alarm network including at least one emergency exit lighting unit, the emergency exit lighting unit comprising:

a light source for providing illumination of an exit;

a backup battery;

a controller that connects the backup battery to the light source upon detection of loss of main power; and

a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands from the fire alarm control panel via the fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network,

wherein at least one of the commands from the fire alarm control panel comprises a testing command for the controller to test the backup battery.

45. The fire alarm control panel of claim 24, wherein the fire alarm control panel sends a command to the controller to control the light source based on at least one sensor input to the fire alarm control panel.

46. The fire alarm control panel of claim 45, wherein the fire alarm control panel sends a command to the controller to prohibit the light source from generating light.

47. The fire alarm control panel of claim 46, wherein the at least one sensor input comprises input from a motion sensor or a photo sensor.

48. The fire alarm control panel of claim 24, wherein the fire alarm control panel sends a command to the controller to prohibit the light source from generating light.

25. A fire alarm system, comprising:

a fire alarm control panel;

a fire alarm network connected to the fire alarm control panel, the fire alarm control panel communicating with fire alarm peripheral devices connected to the fire alarm network;

an emergency exit lighting unit connected to the fire alarm network, the emergency exit lighting unit comprising;

a lamp for providing illumination of an exit;

a backup battery;

a controller that connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of loss of main power; and

a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands from the fire alarm control panel via the fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network,

wherein at least one of the commands from the fire alarm control panel comprises a testing command for the controller to test the backup battery.

26. In a fire alarm system comprising a fire alarm control panel, a fire alarm network connected to the fire alarm control panel, an emergency exit lighting unit in communication with the fire alarm network, the emergency exit lighting unit comprising a lamp for providing illumination of an exit, a backup battery, a controller that connects the backup battery to the lamp upon detection of loss of main power, and a network interface which interfaces with and receives commands from the fire alarm control panel via the fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network, a method for testing the emergency exit lighting unit, comprising:

upon receiving a test command from the fire alarm control panel (FACP) via the fire alarm network, the emergency exit lighting unit discharging the backup battery; and

reporting, by the emergency exit lighting unit, information about the backup battery acquired during discharge to the FACP.

27. The method of claim 26, the battery state information comprising an indication of at least one of:

voltage across the battery and current draw from the battery.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the backup battery is discharged through the light source.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the backup battery is discharged through a ballast load.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

terminating discharge of the backup battery if terminal voltage of the backup battery drops below a predetermined threshold.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

sending a trouble indication to the FACP when the terminal voltage drops below the threshold.

32. The method of claim 26, backup power being delivered via the fire alarm network while the battery is being discharged.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

maintaining a test log.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein plural emergency light sources are connected to the network, each uniquely addressed.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

testing the plural units on a periodic rotating schedule.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the fire alarm system comprises plural fire alarm peripheral devices;

and

wherein at least one of the plural fire alarm peripheral devices is at least one of;

a smoke detector, a fire detector, a pull station, and intrusion detector, a motion sensor, and an audible alarm.

37. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

inhibiting, responsive to a command from the FACP, the light source from turning on during an emergency condition that would normally cause the light source to be on.

49. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a command from the FACP via the fire alarm network during a non-test operation to control the emergency lighting.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the command during the non-test operation comprises a command to prohibit the light source from generating light.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the command to prohibit the light source from generating light is based on at least one sensor input to the FACP.

38. An addressable emergency exit lighting unit comprising:

backup battery means for supplying power to a light source upon loss of main power, the light source for providing illumination of an exit;

network interface means for interfacing with and receiving commands from a fire alarm controller via a fire alarm network, the emergency lighting unit having a unique identifier with respect to the fire alarm network;

discharge means for discharging the backup battery means upon receipt of a test command via the network interface means from a fire alarm control panel (FACP) via the fire alarm network in order to test the backup battery means; and

reporting means for reporting information about the backup battery means acquired during discharge to the FACP.