Alarm triggering device for a security system and method for installing an alarm triggering device

• US 9,466,206 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Finsecur
• Original Assignee: Finsecur
• Inventors: Pichard, Laurent, Dimarco, Stephane, Lewiner, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/007,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 340/539.21, 340/539.14, 340/539.16, 340/539.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults

Abstract

An alarm triggering device (200) for a security system (10), includes an interface (210) arranged so as to connect the alarm triggering device (200) to a device for managing the security system (100) via a wireless connection (50); triggering elements (220) for triggering an alarm in the case of a pre-determined event; elements for controlling the wireless connection (240) in order to check, during an alarm triggering device installation step, the quality of the wireless connection between the alarm triggering device and the management device; and signalling elements (250) for signaling, to the alarm triggering device, an indication of the quality of the wireless connection between the alarm triggering device and the management device during the alarm triggering device installation step.

Claims

1. An alarm triggering device for a security system, the alarm triggering device comprising:

an interface configured to connect the alarm triggering device to a management device of the security system by means of a wireless connection for transmission of an alarm signal to the management device;

at least one trigger that triggers an alarm in case a predefined event occurs;

a verification device that verifies, during a step of installing the alarm triggering device within an area to be monitored, the quality of the wireless connection between said alarm triggering device and the management device for transmission of the alarm signal, the verification device configured

to emit, during the installing step, a test radio signal towards the management device,

to wait for a predefined time period for a response radio signal from the management device, and

in the case where the response radio signal is received, to measure the intensity or the signal-to-noise ratio of the response radio signal to verify the quality of the wireless connection for transmission of the alarm signal;

at least one signaling device that signals, at the location of the alarm triggering device, an indication of the quality of the wireless connection between said alarm triggering device and the management device during the installation step of said alarm triggering device; and

a test button;

wherein, in response to the test button being pressed, the verification device operates to verify the quality of the wireless connection, and the signaling operates to signal an operating fault in the case where an operating fault is detected when the test button is operated.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the verification device is configured to measure a parameter representative of the reception quality of a predefined radio verification signal coming from said management device.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the verification device is configured to measure the signal-to-noise ratio or the intensity of the predefined radio verification signal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the signaling device is configured to generate different signals depending on the quality of the wireless connection.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the signaling device is configured to emit a light signal having a color, intensity or blinking frequency that varies depending on the quality of the link to the alarm triggering device.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the signaling device is configured to emit a sound signal in the form of impulses having a volume, frequency or impulse repeat frequency that varies depending on the quality of the link to the alarm triggering device.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an emitter that emits a predefined verification radio signal to the management device to allow the management device to check the quality of the wireless connection between the management device and the triggering device during the installation of the triggering device.

8. A fire detection system comprising at least one alarm triggering device according to claim 1, and a management device able to communicate with said at least one alarm triggering device.

9. An installation method for an alarm triggering device of a security system in an area to be monitored, where the security system has a management device that communicates with the triggering device by means of a wireless link, the method comprising:

in response to an actuation of a test button, verifying a quality of a wireless connection, between the triggering device and the management device, for transmission of an alarm signal to the management device, where the triggering device is positioned at a first location within the area to be monitored,

wherein the verifying includes at least the following sub-steps;

emitting a test radio signal towards the management device;

waiting for a predefined time period for a response radio signal from the management device;

measuring, in the case where the response radio signal is received, any of an intensity and a signal-to-noise ratio of the response radio signal; and

signaling, at the location of the triggering device, an indication of the quality of the wireless connection between said triggering device and the management device, and

wherein the verifying is repeated in response to an actuation of a test button when the alarm trigger device is positioned at a second location within the area to be monitored, to check if the quality of the wireless connection can be improved.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the verifying further comprises a step of measuring a parameter representative of a predefined radio verification signal coming from said management device.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the verifying further comprises a step of measuring the signal-to-noise ratio or the intensity of the predefined radio verification signal.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the signaling further comprises generating different signals depending on the quality of the wireless connection.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the signaling further comprises emitting a sound signal having a frequency or volume that varies depending on the quality of the radio link.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the signaling further comprises emitting a light signal having a color or intensity that varies depending on the quality of the radio link.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the signaling further comprises emitting a blinking light signal having a blink frequency that varies depending on the quality of the radio link.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the signaling further comprises emitting a sound signal in the form of impulses having an impulse repeat frequency that varies depending on the quality of the radio link.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the impulse repeat frequency of the impulses increases depending on the increase in the quality of the radio link.

18. A computer program product, comprising any of a memory device in connection with a processing device and/or a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium, having stored thereon program code that, upon execution by the processing device, causes the processing device to execute the steps of the method according to claim 9.

19. A management device of a security system that includes one or more alarm triggering devices, the management device comprising:

an interface, configured to connect the management device to an alarm triggering device of the security system via a wireless connection, for reception of an alarm signal from the alarm triggering device;

at least one alarm indicator that indicates an alarm upon reception of an alarm signal from the alarm triggering device;

a signaling device that indicates a quality of the wireless connection between the management device and the alarm triggering device; and

a verification device that verifies, for installation of the alarm triggering device within an area to be monitored, a quality of the wireless connection between the alarm triggering device and the management device for reception of the alarm signal from the alarm triggering device,

wherein the verification device is configured to

receive a test radio signal from the alarm triggering device,

send, within a predefined time period and in response to reception of the test radio signal, a response radio signal to the alarm triggering device, and

enable the alarm triggering device to measure the intensity or the signal-to-noise ratio of the response radio signal to verify the quality of the wireless connection between the management device and the alarm triggering device.

20. The device according to claim 19,

wherein the verification device is configured to

receive a predefined verification radio signal from the alarm triggering device, and

verify, based on the received signal, the quality of the wireless connection between the management device and the alarm triggering device, and

wherein the signaling device is configured to indicate the quality of the wireless connection between the management device said alarm triggering device.

21. A security system, comprising:

a management device; and

an alarm triggering device,

said management device comprising;

a first interface, configured to connect the management device to the alarm triggering device via a wireless connection for reception of an alarm signal from the alarm triggering device;

at least one alarm indicator that indicates an alarm upon reception of an alarm signal from the alarm triggering device;

a signaling device that indicates a quality of the wireless connection between the management device and the alarm triggering device; and

a first verification device that verifies, for installation of the alarm triggering device within an area to be monitored, a quality of the wireless connection between the alarm triggering device and the management device for reception of the alarm signal from the alarm triggering device,

wherein the verification device is configured to

receive a test radio signal from the alarm triggering device,

send, within a predefined time period and in response to reception of the test radio signal, a response radio signal to the alarm triggering device, and

enable the alarm triggering device to measure the intensity or the signal-to-noise ratio of the response radio signal to verify the quality of the wireless connection between the management device and the alarm triggering device;

and said alarm triggering device comprising;

a second interface configured to connect the alarm triggering device to the management device by means of the wireless connection for transmission of the alarm signal to the management device;

at least one trigger that triggers an alarm in case a predefined event occurs;

a second verification device that verifies, during a step of installing the alarm triggering device within an area to be monitored, the quality of the wireless connection between said alarm triggering device and the management device for transmission of the alarm signal, the verification device configured

to emit, during the installing step, the test radio signal towards the management device,

to wait for the predefined time period for a response radio signal from the management device, and

in the case where the response radio signal is received, to measure the intensity or the signal-to-noise ratio of the response radio signal to verify the quality of the wireless connection for transmission of the alarm signal;

at least one signaling device that signals, at the location of the alarm triggering device, an indication of the quality of the wireless connection between said alarm triggering device and the management device during the installation step of said alarm triggering device; and

a test button;

wherein, in response to the test button being pressed, the verification device operates to verify the quality of the wireless connection, and the signaling operates to signal an operating fault in the case where an operating fault is detected when the test button is operated.