Optically redundant fire detector for false alarm rejection
First Claim
1. A system for discriminating between a fire event and a false fire event comprising,a first radiation detecting structure having a first field of view and configured for transmitting a first signal that is generated in response to detection of a potential fire event by the first radiation detecting structure,a second radiation detecting structure having a second field of view and being operationally redundant to the first radiation detecting structure and configured for transmitting a second signal that is generated in response to detection of the potential fire event by the second radiation detecting structure, andan electronic assembly configured for (i) receiving the first signal and at least one other signal generated in response to detection of the potential fire event and calculating a first output based thereon, (ii) determining whether the first output satisfies a first predetermined flame-presence criteria for indicating a fire event, (iii) receiving the second signal and calculating a second output based on the second signal and the at least one other signal, (iv) determining whether the second output satisfies a second predetermined flame-presence criteria for indicating a fire event, and (v) transmitting a fire alarm command signal to a fire extinguishing system when both the first output satisfies the first predetermined flame-presence criteria and the second output satisfies the second predetermined flame-presence criteria,wherein the first field of view and the second field of view overlap and the first radiation detecting structure and the second radiation detecting structure are supported within a dedicated housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for confirming the detection of a fire using a plurality of radiation or flame sensors each equipped with a radiation detector and an optical filter having a spectral transmission characteristic in which at least one optical filter is redundant to at least one other optical filter. The result is a system having operationally redundant sensors. In use, if a fire is detected by one of the redundant sensors without including the other redundant radiation sensor in the fire detection calculation, then a fire detection algorithm can switch to the other operationally redundant sensor to check for confirmation of a fire. Due to the spatial separation and if the object is small and close, a different result will be obtained with the redundant detector being used in the calculation compared to the primary detector that is associated with the redundant detector.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for discriminating between a fire event and a false fire event comprising,
a first radiation detecting structure having a first field of view and configured for transmitting a first signal that is generated in response to detection of a potential fire event by the first radiation detecting structure, a second radiation detecting structure having a second field of view and being operationally redundant to the first radiation detecting structure and configured for transmitting a second signal that is generated in response to detection of the potential fire event by the second radiation detecting structure, and an electronic assembly configured for (i) receiving the first signal and at least one other signal generated in response to detection of the potential fire event and calculating a first output based thereon, (ii) determining whether the first output satisfies a first predetermined flame-presence criteria for indicating a fire event, (iii) receiving the second signal and calculating a second output based on the second signal and the at least one other signal, (iv) determining whether the second output satisfies a second predetermined flame-presence criteria for indicating a fire event, and (v) transmitting a fire alarm command signal to a fire extinguishing system when both the first output satisfies the first predetermined flame-presence criteria and the second output satisfies the second predetermined flame-presence criteria, wherein the first field of view and the second field of view overlap and the first radiation detecting structure and the second radiation detecting structure are supported within a dedicated housing.
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9. A method for discriminating between a fire event and a false fire event in a monitored region comprising,
positioning a plurality of flame sensors within the monitored region, wherein the plurality of flame sensors is supported within a dedicated housing and includes a first flame sensor, a second flame sensor that is operationally redundant to the first flame sensor and a third flame sensor that is operationally different from the first flame sensor, the first flame sensor having a first field of view that overlaps a second field of view of the second flame sensor and a third field of view of the third flame sensor that overlaps the first field of view and the second field of view, transmitting signals from the plurality of flame sensors to an electronic assembly upon detection by the plurality of flame sensors of a potential fire event, and calculating a first output and a second output based upon the signals, wherein the first output is calculated using a first signal transmitted by the first flame sensor and a third signal transmitted by the third flame sensor absent a second signal transmitted by the second flame sensor, and the second output is calculated using the second signal and the third signal absent the first signal, and refraining from transmitting the fire alarm command signal to a fire extinguishing system when the first output satisfies and the second output fails to satisfy a set of predetermined flame-presence criteria.
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17. A method of making a system for discriminating between a fire event and a false fire event comprising,
operatively coupling a plurality of flame sensors to an electronic assembly, configuring a first sensor of the plurality of flame sensors to be operationally redundant to a second sensor of the plurality of flame sensors, configuring a third sensor of the plurality of flame sensors to be operationally different from the first sensor, and configuring the electronic assembly for (i) receiving and analyzing signals generated by the plurality of flame sensors upon detection thereby of a potential fire event, (ii) calculating a first output using a first signal transmitted by the first sensor and a third signal transmitted by the third sensor absent a second signal transmitted by the second sensor, (iii) calculating a second output using the second signal and the third signal absent the first signal, (iii) transmitting a fire alarm command signal to a fire extinguishing system when the first output and the second output indicate a fire event, and (iv) refraining from transmitting the fire alarm command signal to the fire extinguishing system when the first output indicates a fire event and the second output does not, wherein the first sensor has a first field of view that overlaps a second field of view of the second sensor and the first sensor, the second sensor and the third sensor are supported within a dedicated housing.
Specification