Wireless fire protection valve inspection and monitoring systems, and methods for automated inspection and monitoring of fire protection systems

• US 9,805,588 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Factory Mutual Insurance Company, Synesix Solutions AG
• Original Assignee: Factory Mutual Insurance Company, Synesix Solutions AG
• Inventors: Gritzo, Louis Alan, Smith, Richard, Tamanini, Francesco, Dierkes, Markus, Zanetti, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US13/835,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 34087001, 340605, 73 40, 137486, 169 16, 169 60, 169 5
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0623 characterised by the set value given to the control element
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A wireless fire protection system valve inspection and monitoring system, including: a plurality of valves, each valve including a detecting unit adapted to detect valve state information for the valve, wherein the valve state information comprises at least one of an open state, a partially-open state, and a closed state; at least one collection unit that wirelessly receives the valve state information from the detecting units; and an information module that receives the valve state information from the collection unit and aggregates, stores, and/or reports the valve state information.

Claims

1. A wireless fire protection system valve inspection and monitoring, system, comprising:

a plurality of smart locks, each smart lock adapted to retrofit onto an existing fire protection system valve, each valve movable through a range of valve positions including a fully-open position, a fully-closed position, and partially-open positions and partially-closed positions between the fully-open and fully-closed positions;

each smart lock including a detecting unit adapted to detect valve state information corresponding to the valve position, the valve state information including a first detection state calibrated to an open range of valve positions including the fully-open position, and a second detection state calibrated to a closed range of valve positions including the fully-closed position and a partially open/closed range comprising the partially-open and partially-closed positions, wherein the detecting unit is adapted to wirelessly send the valve state information;

at least one collection unit that wirelessly receives the valve state information indicating the first detection state or the second detection state from the detecting units by a RF communication interface; and

an information module that receives the valve state information indicating the first detection state or the second detection state from the collection unit and aggregates, stores, and/or reports the valve state information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the collection unit comprises a mobile collection unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the collection unit comprises a fixed collection unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detecting unit communicates valve state information to the collection unit in real-time or near-time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the collection unit communicates with the information module by a wireless connection.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the wireless connection comprises at least one of a wireless local area network or a cellular connection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the collection unit communicates with the information module by a wired connection.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the wired connection comprises an Ethernet connection.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the collection unit is adapted to store valve state information received from one or more of the detecting units.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface between the information module and a building information systems and maintenance management program.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication interface comprises at least one of a file-based transfer or an API.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication interface uses push integration.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication interface uses pull integration.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one collection unit transmits the valve state information to the information module only when:

(i) one or more of the detecting units fails to communicate with at least one collection unit, and/or (ii) one or more of the detecting units reports a change in the valve state to at least one collection unit.

15. A method for automatically inspecting and monitoring a fire protection system, comprising:

retrofitting a smart lock onto at least one existing fire protection system valve, each valve movable through a range of valve positions including a fully-open position, a fully-closed position, and partially-open positions and partially-dosed positions between the fully-open and fully-closed positions,

each smart lock including a detecting unit adapted to detect valve state information corresponding to the valve position, the valve state information including a first detection state and a second detection state;

calibrating the detecting unit to store a range of valve positions corresponding to the first detection state, the first detection state corresponding to an open range of valve positions including the fully-open position;

calibrating the detecting unit to store a range of valve positions corresponding to the second detection state, the second detection state corresponding to a dosed range of valve positions including the fully-closed position and a partially open/closed range comprising the partially-open and partially-closed positions;

transmitting the valve state information from the smart lock, wherein the valve state information is transmitted via a wireless RE communication interface;

wirelessly receiving the valve state of each valve from the at least one smart lock using a collection unit via the wireless RF communication interface;

transmitting the valve state of each valve indicating the first detection state or the second detection state from the collection unit to an information nodule; and

transmitting the valve state of each valve indicating the first detection state or the second detection state from the information module to a building information systems and maintenance management program.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising alerting a user about a change in the valve state.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the collection unit receives valve state information from the detecting units in real-time or near-time.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication interface communicates with the information module using push integration.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication interface communicates with the information module using pull integration.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting the valve state information from the collection unit to the information module only when;

(i) one or more of the detecting units fails to communicate with at least one collection unit, and/or (ii) one or more of the detecting units reports a change in the valve state to at least one collection unit.