Mesh network enabled building safety system and method

• US 10,600,315 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris Kelly
• Original Assignee: Chris Kelly
• Inventors: Kelly, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US12/383,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,019 Days
• Field of Search: 340517, 340584, 340628, 340632, 455 131, 455 111, 455 117
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• 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

Abstract

A building safety alarm system comprising: a central controller having a dynamically addressable wireless data communication router, a plurality of remote devices each having a dynamically addressable wireless communication router and a wireless mesh communications network wherein the central controller is in wireless communication with the plurality of remote devices via a mesh network for sending and receiving instructions and data communications.

Claims

1. A building safety alarm system comprising:

a control panel located within a building structure, the control panel including a central controller having a dynamically addressable wireless data communication router and an audio input and output device for electrically connecting to a plurality of audio communications devices for routing audio and data communication into and out of said building structure,

a plurality of remote devices located on separate floors within said structure, wherein each of said remote devices includes and is electrically connected to both a safety sensor device and a dynamically addressable wireless communication router for transmitting a constant data signal to and from each of said plurality of remote devices, and

a plurality of portable two way audio equipment,

wherein each safety sensor is in communication, either directly or indirectly across said wireless mesh communications network with a mesh network base data node located at said central controller and, wherein said wireless mesh communication network utilizes a protocol selected from one of IEEE 802.11 protocol or IEEE 802.15 protocol,

wherein each of said remote devices include an RF audio transceiver device for providing automatic and uninterrupted audio communication with said plurality of portable two way audio equipment, where each of said plurality of remote devices are electrically connectable to at least one of said plurality of portable two way audio equipment through said RF audio transceiver device via at least one of a wired or wireless connection for transmitting an audio signal for automatically providing continuous two way real time audio communication between said central controller and each one of said plurality of portable two way audio equipment; and

wherein said central controller further includes means for radio and/or telephone communications, the central controller further including a signal processor that receives electrical or radio fault information signals from said safety sensor of each of said remote devices,

wherein each of said remote devices include a Bluetooth repeater for receiving Bluetooth data from a Bluetooth communications device carried by a user and transferring the Bluetooth data through a mesh node of said wireless mesh communications network,

wherein each of said safety sensor devices provide fault data signals to said signal processor and provide uninterrupted audio communications and a data connection to each of said safety sensor device within said building structure over said constant data signal and said audio signal and is automatically and continuously in wireless communication with each of said plurality of remote devices via said wireless mesh communications network for sending and receiving two way voice and data communications,

wherein, the control panel further includes a fully redundant backup controller including a dynamically addressable wireless data communication router and an audio output device, the backup controller configured for performing the same functions as the central controller, wherein the backup controller is configured to monitor the central controller for fault or failure and automatically assume all command and control functionality of the central controller within the building safety alarm system and generate a fault signal if a fault or failure of the central controller is detected.

2. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include heat detectors.

3. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include fire detectors.

4. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include smoke detectors.

5. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include carbon monoxide detectors.

6. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include call boxes.

7. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include audio transmission radio repeaters.

8. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include RFID transponder antenna.

9. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said remote devices include motion detectors.

10. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said mesh network utilizes an IEEE 802.16 protocol.

11. The building safety alarm system according to claim 1 wherein said mesh network utilizes a frequency agile data transmission protocol.

12. A building safety method operative in a building safety system, through a central building safety system control panel, a plurality of portable two way audio equipment, and a plurality of remote devices, the control panel having a central controller and a fully redundant backup controller, said method comprising the steps of:

locating said central building safety control panel within a building, said central controller including a dynamically addressable wireless data communication router,

locating and deploying said plurality of remote devices and a dynamically addressable mesh wireless data communications network within said building for providing building safety monitoring services, wherein each of said remote devices include and is electrically connected to a safety sensor device, a dynamically addressable wireless communication router, an RF audio transmission device for providing continuous and uninterrupted audio communication via a wired or wireless connection for transmitting a radio signal with said plurality of portable audio equipment, and a Bluetooth repeater for receiving Bluetooth data from a Bluetooth communications device carried by a user and transferring the Bluetooth data through a mesh node of the dynamically addressable mesh wireless data communications network,

providing continuous data and two way voice communications between said central controller and each of said remote devices via said dynamically addressable mesh wireless data communications network; and

providing continuous audio communication between each of said remote devices and each of said plurality of portable audio equipment via a radio signal, and

transferring data between the central fire alarm system controller and the plurality of remote devices via said dynamically addressable mesh wireless data communication network, and providing audio communication between each of said remote devices and each of said plurality of portable two way audio equipment through said RF audio transmission device via at least one of wired connection or a wireless radio signal, wherein, the backup controller includes a dynamically addressable wireless data communication router, the backup controller configured for performing the same functions as the central controller, wherein the backup controller is configured to monitor the central controller for fault or failure and automatically assume all command and control functionality of the central controller within the building safety alarm system and generate a fault signal if a fault or failure of the central controller is detected.

13. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said dynamically addressable mesh network is self-healing.

14. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include heat detectors.

15. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include fire detectors.

16. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include smoke detectors.

17. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include carbon monoxide detectors.

18. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include call boxes.

19. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include RFID transponder antenna.

20. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said remote devices include motion detectors.

21. The building safety method according to claim 12 wherein said mesh network utilizes a frequency agile data transmission protocol.