Method for testing notification appliances in alarm systems

• US 8,994,525 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Piccolo, Joseph III, Dahlstrom, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US13/836,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 340/514, 340/506, 340/516, 340/539.1, 340/13.24, 340/309.16, 324/537, 324/754.19, 324/754.29
• US Class Current: 340/514
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/00 Checking or monitoring of signalling or alarm systems; Prevention or correction of operating errors, e.g. preventing unauthorised operation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/126 of annunciator circuits

Abstract

A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system and creating a record of such testing including the steps of placing an alarm system in a test mode, actuating an input device of a notification appliance in the alarm system a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period, and automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period. The method may further include actuating the input device of the notification appliance a second time during the waiting period, whereby a pass signal is transmitted from the notification appliance, and creating a record of the pass signal. The method may further include transmitting a fail signal from the notification appliance after expiration of the waiting period if the input device of the notification appliance was not actuated during the waiting period and creating a record of the fail signal.

Claims

1. A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system, the method comprising:

actuating an input device on a notification appliance a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period;

automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period; and

activating a waiting mode indicium on the notification appliance during the waiting period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising actuating the input device on the notification appliance a second time during the waiting period, whereby a pass signal is transmitted from the notification appliance.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising deactivating the waiting mode indicium.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising creating a record of the pass signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the pass signal was received.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the record further includes an identifier associated with a key that was used to actuate the input device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a fail signal from the notification appliance after expiration of the waiting period if the input device was not actuated a second time during the waiting period.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising deactivating the waiting mode indicium after expiration of the waiting period.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising creating a record of the fail signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the fail signal was received.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the record further includes an identifier associated with a key that was used to actuate the input device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the alarm system in a test mode before actuating the input device on the notification appliance a first time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein placing the alarm system in the test mode comprises selecting a corresponding test mode option.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps of actuating an input device and automatically entering a waiting period for every other notification appliance in the alarm system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of actuating the input device comprises disposing a magnet in close proximity to a magnetic switch in the notification appliance.

16. A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system, the method comprising:

actuating an input device on the notification appliance a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period;

automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period;

actuating the input device on the notification appliance a second time during the waiting period, whereby a pass signal is transmitted from the notification appliance; and

creating a record of the pass signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the pass signal was received.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.

18. A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system, the method comprising:

actuating an input device on the notification appliance a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period;

automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period;

transmitting a fail signal from the notification appliance after expiration of the waiting period; and

creating a record of the fail signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the fail signal was received.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.