Multiple procesor hazard detection system
First Claim
1. A hazard detector comprising:
- a first processor couple to receive readings from at least one sensor; and
a second processor coupled to wireless transceiver circuitry and operative to process external wireless communications;
wherein the hazard detector is characterized by at least six states selected from the group consisting of;
(1) idle state characterized by a first sampling rate;
(2) monitoring state characterized by a second sampling rate that is higher than the first sampling rate and entered into after a first threshold value is sensed by the at least one sensor;
(3) alarming state characterized by a loud shrieking noise corresponding to a detected hazard;
(4) alarm hush state characterized by a silencing of the loud shrieking noise;
(5) pre-alarm state characterized by a voice output; and
(6) pre-alarm hush state characterized by a silencing of the voice output;
wherein states (1)-(4) are controlled by the first processor;
wherein states (5) and (6) are controlled by the second processor; and
wherein operation of the hazard detector is robust against failure of the second processor in that the hazard detector is able to maintain basic operation of states (1)-(4) even while the hazard detector cannot communicate via the wireless transceiver or control operation of states (5) and (6) due to unavailability of the second processor.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for using multi-criteria state machines to manage alarming states and pre-alarming states of a hazard detection system are described herein. The multi-criteria state machines can include one or more sensor state machines that can control the alarming states and one or more system state machines that can control the pre-alarming states. Each state machine can transition among any one of its states based on sensor data values, hush events, and transition conditions. The transition conditions can define how a state machine transitions from one state to another. The hazard detection system can use a dual processor arrangement to execute the multi-criteria state machines according to various embodiments. The dual processor arrangement can enable the hazard detection system to manage the alarming and pre-alarming states in a manner that promotes minimal power usage while simultaneously promoting reliability in hazard detection and alarming functionality.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A hazard detector comprising:
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a first processor couple to receive readings from at least one sensor; and a second processor coupled to wireless transceiver circuitry and operative to process external wireless communications; wherein the hazard detector is characterized by at least six states selected from the group consisting of; (1) idle state characterized by a first sampling rate; (2) monitoring state characterized by a second sampling rate that is higher than the first sampling rate and entered into after a first threshold value is sensed by the at least one sensor; (3) alarming state characterized by a loud shrieking noise corresponding to a detected hazard; (4) alarm hush state characterized by a silencing of the loud shrieking noise; (5) pre-alarm state characterized by a voice output; and (6) pre-alarm hush state characterized by a silencing of the voice output; wherein states (1)-(4) are controlled by the first processor; wherein states (5) and (6) are controlled by the second processor; and wherein operation of the hazard detector is robust against failure of the second processor in that the hazard detector is able to maintain basic operation of states (1)-(4) even while the hazard detector cannot communicate via the wireless transceiver or control operation of states (5) and (6) due to unavailability of the second processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification