Emergency warning system integrated with building hazard alarm notification system

• US 7,714,733 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Simplexgrinnell LP (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Haynes, John R., Farley, Daniel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/580,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/505, 340/3.2, 340/3.52, 340/3.1, 340/508, 340/514, 340/693.3, 340/601, 340/539, 340/690, 340/905, 340/311.2, 340/7.48, 340/628
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast

Abstract

A hazard alarm system includes a hazard alarm notification appliance, and a warning detector which detects a warning alert message from an external source (such as a governmental organization). The hazard alarm system processes the warning alert message and issues an alarm system alert via the notification appliance. In issuing the alarm system alert, the hazard alarm system determines whether, how, what, where, and/or when to issue the alarm system alert using the notification appliance.

Claims

1. A hazard alarm system, comprising:

a warning device for receiving a warning alert message from a source external to the hazard alarm system;

a system controller for the hazard alarm system in communication with the warning device and receiving the warning alert message from the warning device, the system controller determining whether to issue an alarm system alert based on at least one aspect of the warning alert message received;

at least one notification appliance in communication with the system controller, the system controller sending the alarm system alert to the at least one notification appliance based on the warning alert message if the system controller determines to issue the alarm system alert; and

at least one hazard detector that detects any of fire, heat, and smoke, the hazard detector in communication with the system controller and being separate from the warning device,

wherein the system controller receives data from the at least one hazard detector in order to determine whether to issue a hazard detector alert, and

wherein the system controller sends the hazard detector alert to the at least one notification appliance if the system controller determines to issue the hazard detector alert.

2. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the warning device comprises a warning receiver for receiving the warning alert message;

and

wherein the system controller is in communication with the warning receiver.

3. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the warning device comprises a network interface device for receiving the warning alert message via an Internet.

4. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the warning alert message comprises a type of message;

wherein the system controller determines the type of the warning alert message; and

wherein the system controller determines whether to issue the alarm system alert based on the type of warning alert message.

5. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the warning alert message comprises a tag to indicate the at least one aspect of the warning alert message;

and

wherein the system controller determines whether to issue the alarm system alert based on the tag.

6. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the hazard alarm system comprises a plurality of notification appliances;

and

wherein the system controller determines which, of the plurality of notification appliances, to send the warning alert message to in order to issue the alarm system alert.

7. The hazard alarm system of claim 6, wherein the system controller determines which, of the plurality of notification appliances, to send the warning alert message to based on at least one of time of receipt of the warning alert message or type of the warning alert message.

8. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the warning alert message comprises a current warning alert message;

and

wherein the system controller determines whether to issue an alarm system alert based on analyzing a history of at least one stored warning alert message, the stored warning alert message being received prior to the current warning alert message.

9. The hazard alarm system of claim 8, wherein the system controller determines whether to issue an alarm system alert by comparing the stored warning alert message with the current warning alert message to determine if the stored warning alert message is different from the current warning alert message.

10. The hazard alarm system of claim 9, wherein the system controller determines whether to issue an alarm system alert by determining whether a threat level in the current warning alert message is greater than the threat level in the stored warning alert message.

11. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the system controller dynamically creates a content of the alarm system alert.

12. The hazard alarm system of claim 11, wherein the warning alert message received from the warning device comprises a dynamic message;

and

wherein at least a part of the alarm system alert created by the system controller is based on the dynamic message.

13. The hazard alarm system of claim 12, wherein at least a part of the alarm system alert created by the system controller is based on the dynamic message and based on a stored message;

and

wherein the notification appliance cycles between issuing the dynamic message and the stored message.

14. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the system controller determines when to issue the alarm system alert.

15. The hazard alarm system of claim 14, wherein the system controller determines to delay issuance of the alarm system alert.

16. The hazard alarm system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one, device for monitoring the area; and

wherein the system controller modifies operation of the at least one device based on the warning alert message received.

17. The hazard alarm system of claim 16, wherein the at least one device comprises an environmental control device for the area.

18. The hazard alarm system of claim 17, wherein the environmental control device comprises an HVAC system;

and

wherein modifying operation comprises modifying flow of air in the HVAC system based on the warning alert message received.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the system controller automatically determines whether to issue the alarm system alert based on the at least one aspect of the warning alert message received.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the hazard detector communicates to the system controller data indicative of detection of at least one of fire, heat, and smoke;

wherein the system controller determines whether to issue a hazard detector alert based on the data; and

wherein the system controller sends the hazard detector alert to the notification appliance to issue the hazard detector alert.

21. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the system controller automatically determines whether to issue the alarm system alert based on the at least one aspect of the warning alert message received.

22. The hazard alarm system of claim 1, wherein the hazard detector communicates to the system controller data indicative of detection of at least one of fire, heat, and smoke;

wherein the system controller determines whether to issue a hazard detector alert based on the data; and

wherein the system controller sends the hazard detector alert to the notification appliance to issue the hazard detector alert.

23. The hazard alarm system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one device for controlling the area; and

wherein the system controller modifies operation of the at least one device based on the warning alert message received.

24. A method, in a hazard alarm system, for providing warnings, the hazard alarm system comprising a warning device for receiving a warning alert message, a system controller for the hazard alarm system in communication with the warning device, at least one hazard notification appliance in communication with the system controller, and at least one hazard detector that detects any of fire, heat, and smoke, the hazard detector in communication with the system controller and being separate from the warning device, the method comprising:

detecting the warning alert message by the warning device from a governmental organization;

determining by the system controller whether to issue an alarm system alert based on at least one aspect of the detected warning alert message;

providing, from the hazard alarm notification appliance, notification of the alarm system alert if it is determined to issued the alarm system alert;

receiving, by the system controller, data from the hazard detector in order to determine whether to issue a hazard detector alert; and

sending, by the system controller, the hazard detector alert to the at least one hazard notification appliance if the system controller determines to issue the hazard detector alert.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the warning alert message comprises a type of warning alert message;

and

determining whether to issue an alarm system alert based on at least one aspect of the warning alert message is based on the type of warning alert message.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining how to issue the alarm system alert.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the hazard alarm system comprises a plurality of notification appliances;

and

wherein determining how to issue the alarm system alert comprises selecting a subset of the plurality of notification appliances to issue the alarm system alert.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the notification appliance selected comprises an annunciator.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining where to issue the alarm system alert.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the hazard alarm system comprises a plurality of areas monitored;

and

wherein determining where to issue the alarm system alert comprises selecting a subset of the plurality of areas in which to issue the alarm system alert.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining what to issue as the alarm system alert.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein determining what to issue as the alarm system alert comprises dynamically generating at least a part of the alarm system alert based on a message content in the warning alert message.

33. The method of claim 24:

wherein the hazard alarm system monitors at least one aspect of an area; and

further comprising modifying operation of at least one device for monitoring the area based on the warning alert message received.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least one device comprises an environmental control device for the area.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the environmental control device comprises an HVAC system;

and

wherein modifying operation comprises modifying flow of air in the HVAC system based on the warning alert message received.