Fire extinguisher notification system and method of use

• US 8,842,016 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cazanas, Carlos A., Khan, Azam, Sullivan, Terence John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US13/225,941
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.8, 340/539.1, 340/612, 340/614, 340/615, 340/626, 340/669, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 42/700.6, 42/707, 169/60, 169/63, 169/61, 169/71, 169/75, 169/76, 455/456.3, 455/453.6
• US Class Current: 340/611
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A system for notifying when a fire extinguisher is discharged or moved uses a device mounted on the fire extinguisher for monitoring one or more conditions. For example, the device may be interconnected with a trigger detecting mechanism otherwise present on the extinguisher or sense a sudden drop in pressure to detect when the extinguisher is activated. An accelerometer may be provided to detect motion. GPS processing can identify the location of the fire extinguisher when an event occurs. When the device detects a change in one or more of the conditions, or needs to send periodic updates of the fire extinguisher conditions, a message is forwarded from the device to a third party clearinghouse via a wireless communication network. The clearinghouse reviews the data, and forwards the data, as may be appropriate, to one or more authorized parties identified in the database.

Claims

1. A notification device for a fire extinguisher, comprising:

a pressure sensor for coupling to the fire extinguisher for sensing pressure in the fire extinguisher;

a wireless communication transmitter for transmitting via a public cellular wireless mobile communication network;

a receiver for receiving signals to determine a location of the fire extinguisher; and

a programmed microprocessor for controlling operations of the transceiver and the receiver, wherein programming of the microprocessor configures the notification device for responding to the pressure sensor by;

upon determining when the sensed pressure meets a first report criteria related to a sudden drop of the pressure in the fire extinguisher,

initiating processing of signals through the receiver to obtain information identifying a current location of the fire extinguisher;

generating a first notification message containing an identification of the fire extinguisher and the information identifying the current location of the fire extinguisher; and

operating the wireless communication transmitter to send the first notification message through the public cellular wireless communication network addressed for delivery to signal a first party of a discharge of the fire extinguisher; and

upon determining when the sensed pressure meets a second report criteria related a slow drop or to certain amount of the pressure in the fire extinguisher;

initiating processing of signals through the receiver to obtain information identifying a current location of the fire extinguisher;

generating a second notification message containing an identification of the fire extinguisher and the information identifying the current location of the fire extinguisher; and

operating the wireless communication transmitter to send the second notification message through the public cellular wireless communication network to signal a second party to recharge the fire extinguisher;

wherein the notification device is configured to be mounted on the fire extinguisher.

2. The notification device of claim 1, wherein each notification message is sent via the public cellular wireless communication network as a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message or a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

3. The notification device of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer for sensing movement of the fire extinguisher.

4. The notification device of claim 1, wherein the first notification message and the second notification message each further contains data about the pressure in the fire extinguisher as sensed by the pressure sensor.

5. The notification device of claim 1, further comprising a camera for recording one or more visual images, wherein the microprocessor activates the camera to begin recording images when a sensed condition meets either the first report criterion or the second report criterion, and at least one visual image from the camera is included in a notification message.

6. The notification device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone for recording sound data, wherein the microprocessor activates the microphone to begin recording sound when a sensed condition meets either the first report criterion or the second report criterion, and the sound data is included in a notification message.

7. The notification device of claim 1, wherein the notification device performs maintenance checks of conditions of the fire extinguisher and the notification device at random time intervals.

22. The notification device of claim 1, the programming of the microprocessor further configures the notification device for:

prior to sending at least one of the first or second notification messages, transitioning the wireless communication transmitter from a power saving state to an on state that uses more power than the power saving state when a wake up timer signals the wireless communication transmitter to wake up; and

resetting the wake up timer with a wake up time to signal the wireless communication transmitter to wake up after sending the first or second notification message and then transitioning the wireless communication transmitter to the power saving state.

8. A system for processing a notification regarding a fire extinguisher, the system comprising a server configured for network communication, the server containing a processor, wherein programming for the processor of the server configures the server to:

receive, through a wireless communication network, notification messages sent from a notification device of the fire extinguisher and triggered by a sensed pressure in the fire extinguisher, each received notification message containing an identification of the fire extinguisher and information identifying a current location of the fire extinguisher, the notification device generating a first of the notification messages regarding discharge of the fire extinguisher and a second of the notification messages for recharge of the fire extinguisher;

access a database to identify a party authorized to receive notice about the fire extinguisher in response to the received notification message;

evaluate the first message and send the first message from the system to signal a first party of the discharge of the fire extinguisher based on a sudden drop of the pressure; and

evaluate the second message and send the first message from the system to signal a second party to recharge the fire extinguisher based on a slow drop or on a certain amount of the pressure.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the database is accessible by the processor of the server and comprises records for fire extinguishers, and

each record includes an identification of a respective one of the fire extinguishers and information identifying a location at which the respective fire extinguisher was installed, and at least one of the records identifies a party authorized to receive notice about the respective fire extinguisher.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each received notification message includes a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message or a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each received notification message further includes data about the sensed pressure as sensed by a sensor of the notification device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein information from a received notification message sent through the communication network to equipment of an identified authorized party includes video image data obtained from a camera and sound data obtained from a microphone that are activated when a sensed condition triggered a received notification message.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the information from the received notification message sent through the communication network to equipment of an identified authorized party includes pressure data obtained from a pressure gauge of the fire extinguisher.

14. A method, comprising the steps of:

upon determining when a sensed pressure in a fire extinguisher meets a first report criterion related to a sudden drop of the pressure in the fire extinguisher,

initiating processing of signals through a receiver in a notification device mounted on the fire extinguisher to obtain information identifying a current location of the fire extinguisher;

generating a first notification message containing an identification of the fire extinguisher and the information identifying the current location of the fire extinguisher; and

operating a wireless communication transmitter of the notification device mounted on the fire extinguisher to send a first notification message through a public cellular wireless communication network addressed for delivery to signal a first party of a discharge of the fire extinguisher when the sensed pressure meets the first report criterion; and

upon determining when the sensed pressure meets a second report criterion related a slow drop or to certain amount of the pressure in the fire extinguisher;

initiating processing of signals through the receiver to obtain the information identifying the current location of the fire extinguisher;

generating a second notification message containing the identification of the fire extinguisher and the information identifying the current location of the fire extinguisher; and

operating the wireless communication transmitter to send the second notification message through the public cellular wireless communication network to signal a second party to recharge the fire extinguisher.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

upon determining the sensed pressure meets the first or the second report criterion, activating a camera associated with the fire extinguisher to begin recording one or more images; and

sending the recorded one or more images via a notification message through the public cellular wireless communication network to a predetermined destination.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each notification message includes a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message or a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a third report criterion corresponds to movement of the fire extinguisher.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein each notification message further contains data about the sensed pressure.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises steps of:

upon determining a sensed condition of the fire extinguisher meets either the first or the second report criterion, activating a microphone associated with the fire extinguisher to begin recording sound; and

sending the recorded sound via notification message through the wireless communication network to the predetermined destination.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises steps of maintaining the notification device associated with the fire extinguisher by at least:

checking a condition associated with maintenance of the notification device at random time intervals,

determining if the condition meets a threshold for notification, and

after determining if condition meets the threshold, sending a message containing information of the condition via the public cellular wireless communication network.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising a step of resetting a random time to wake the notification device within the next 24 hours to repeat the steps associated with maintaining the notification device.