Method and apparatus for detection of hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions
First Claim
1. A fire alarm system comprising:
- a fire alarm control panel (FACP);
an addressable signaling line circuit (SLC) operably coupled to the FACP for communicating with addressable components, including a plurality of sensors;
a plurality of atmospheric sensors operably coupled to the SLC and each configured to provide a potential hazard signal representative of a potentially hazardous condition, wherein said plurality of atmospheric sensors comprise magnetically activated switches; and
a mobile robot configured to be addressed and dispatched by said fire alarm control panel (FACP) when the sensors generate the potential hazard signal, to an area indicated by said sensors detecting the potentially hazardous condition, the FACP dispatching the mobile robot to the area before the FACP activates a pre-set alarm, said robot having mobile sensors configured to obtain verification of the potentially hazardous condition, said mobile sensors comprising a magnet configured to activate said magnetically activated switches, to communicate a mobile sensor signal verification to the FACP, the FACP issuing an alarm signal when the FACP receives the mobile sensor signal verification.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fire alarm system includes a fire alarm control panel (FACP) and an addressable signaling line circuit (SLC) operably coupled to the FACP for communicating with addressable components, including a plurality of sensors. The sensors can include a plurality of atmospheric sensors operably coupled to the SLC and each configured to provide information about their local atmospheric environment. Also provided is a mobile robot addressable and dispatchable by the fire alarm control panel (FACP) to an area indicated by sensors that are detecting a hazardous or potentially hazardous condition. The robot has mobile sensors that are configured to obtain verification of the hazardous or potentially hazardous condition and the robot is further configured to communicate the verification to the FACP.
13 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A fire alarm system comprising:
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a fire alarm control panel (FACP); an addressable signaling line circuit (SLC) operably coupled to the FACP for communicating with addressable components, including a plurality of sensors; a plurality of atmospheric sensors operably coupled to the SLC and each configured to provide a potential hazard signal representative of a potentially hazardous condition, wherein said plurality of atmospheric sensors comprise magnetically activated switches; and a mobile robot configured to be addressed and dispatched by said fire alarm control panel (FACP) when the sensors generate the potential hazard signal, to an area indicated by said sensors detecting the potentially hazardous condition, the FACP dispatching the mobile robot to the area before the FACP activates a pre-set alarm, said robot having mobile sensors configured to obtain verification of the potentially hazardous condition, said mobile sensors comprising a magnet configured to activate said magnetically activated switches, to communicate a mobile sensor signal verification to the FACP, the FACP issuing an alarm signal when the FACP receives the mobile sensor signal verification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18)
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- 11. A mobile robot addressable and dispatchable by a fire alarm control panel (FACP) to an area indicated by local atmospheric sensors each configured to provide a potential hazard signal representative of a potentially hazardous condition, said robot configured to be addressed and dispatched by the FACP, when the sensors generate the potential hazard signal, to an area before said FACP activates a pre-set alarm, said robot having mobile sensors configured to obtain verification of the potentially hazardous condition and further configured to communicate the mobile sensor verification to the FACP, said mobile sensors including a magnet configured to activate magnetically activated switches to send a mobile sensor signal verification to the FACP, the FACP issuing an alarm signal when the FACP receives the mobile sensor signal verification.
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16. A method for detecting a hazardous or potentially hazardous condition, said method comprising:
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detecting a signal from a sensor capable of providing a potential hazard signal representative of a potentially hazardous condition; dispatching a mobile robot to a room in which the potential hazard signal was received to verify the potentially hazardous condition before the FACP activates a pre-set alarm; and using mobile sensors on the mobile robot to confirm that the potentially hazardous condition does or does not exist, the mobile sensors including a magnet configured to activate magnetically activated switches to communicate a mobile sensor verification to the FACP, the FACP issuing an alarm when the FACP receives the mobile sensor verification. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification