Wireless fire system with idle mode and gateway redundancy
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- providing a plurality of wireless nodes including at least one parent node and at least one child node;
a control panel sending instructions to and receiving data from the plurality of nodes through a wired connection with a primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway;
the primary gateway synchronizing the plurality of nodes into a network by periodically transmitting a synchronization signal;
one of the plurality of nodes detecting failure of the primary gateway and transmitting an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway;
a backup gateway wired to the control panel initializing and synchronizing with the network and then entering a sleep mode;
the backup gateway detecting the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes and assuming a role of the primary gateway; and
upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resuming its backup state,wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus that includes the steps of providing a plurality of wireless nodes including at least one parent node and at least one child node, a control panel sending instructions to and receiving data from the plurality of nodes through a primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the gateway, the primary gateway synchronizing the plurality of nodes by periodically transmitting a synchronization signal and one of the plurality of nodes detecting failure of the gateway and transmitting an idle synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the gateway.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing a plurality of wireless nodes including at least one parent node and at least one child node; a control panel sending instructions to and receiving data from the plurality of nodes through a wired connection with a primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway; the primary gateway synchronizing the plurality of nodes into a network by periodically transmitting a synchronization signal; one of the plurality of nodes detecting failure of the primary gateway and transmitting an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway; a backup gateway wired to the control panel initializing and synchronizing with the network and then entering a sleep mode; the backup gateway detecting the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes and assuming a role of the primary gateway; and upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resuming its backup state, wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of wireless nodes including at least one parent node and at least one child node; a primary gateway; a control panel having a wired connection with the primary gateway, wherein the control panel sends instructions to and receives data from the plurality of nodes through the primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway, wherein the primary gateway synchronizes the plurality of nodes into a network by periodically transmitting a synchronization signal, and wherein one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway and transmits an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway; and a backup gateway wired to the control panel wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program, wherein the backup gateway initializes and synchronizes with the network and then enters a sleep mode, wherein, upon detecting the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes, the backup gateway assumes a role of the primary gateway, and wherein, upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resumes its backup state. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of wireless nodes of a mesh network including at least one parent node and at least one child node; a primary gateway that synchronizes each of the plurality of wireless nodes to the primary gateway; a control panel wired to the primary gateway, wherein the control panel sends instructions to and receives data from the plurality of nodes through the primary gateway and a wireless subsystem of the primary gateway, and wherein one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway and transmits an idle mode synchronization signal for so long as the one of the plurality of nodes detects failure of the primary gateway; and a backup gateway wired to the control panel, wherein there are no differences between the primary and backup gateways except that the backup gateway includes a backup control program, wherein the backup gateway synchronizes the plurality of nodes and exchanges messages between the plurality of wireless nodes in place of the primary gateway upon detection of the idle mode synchronization signal from the one of the plurality of nodes, and wherein, upon detecting an over-riding synchronization signal from the primary gateway, the backup gateway resumes its backup state.
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Specification