Monitoring system and method

• US 20050104724A1
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Faltesek, Anthony E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,126,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/511
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems

Abstract

An apparatus and method monitor the operational status of one or more other systems or components. Each of the other systems has a primary operational function such as message repeating, environmental control, hazardous condition monitoring or regional security. The systems or components feedback information as to their functionality to the apparatus for analysis and presentation.

Claims

1. A monitoring method comprising:

generating an indicium indicative of operational status of at least part of a selected system to be monitored; and

sensing the presence of the indicium within a predetermined window to determine the operational status of the at least part of the selected system.

2. A method as in claim 1 which includes generating a plurality of spaced apart indicia, each of which is indicative of operational status of at least part of a selected system to be monitored.

3. A method as in claim 1 which includes providing at least one of an audio output or a visual output indicative of the status.

4. A method as in claim 3 comprising generating a time-based visual presentation of a plurality of status indicating indicia.

5. A method as in claim 1 which includes generating a plurality of separate indicia each of which is associated with a different part of the system.

6. A method as in claim 5 which includes presenting members of the plurality in at least one of a visual or an audible form.

7. A method as in claim 5 which includes providing at least one alarm indicative of a failure indicating indicium.

8. A method as in claim 7 which includes presenting at least one of a visual or an audible indicator of the failure indicating indicium.

9. A method as in claim 5 wherein the members of the plurality are generated by at least one of a communications subsystem, an electrical subsystem, a monitoring subsystem, an environment control subsystem, a security subsystem, a lighting control subsystem, a fuel distribution subsystem, a hazardous material distribution subsystem, or, a selected component associated with one of a selected system or subsystem.

10. An apparatus comprising:

first feedback circuitry for generating a first feedback signal indicative of the operative status of first operating circuitry; and

monitoring circuitry responsive to the first feedback signal and indicator circuitry for producing at least one of an audible or a visible indicator of the status of the first operating circuitry.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 which includes at least second circuitry for generating a second feedback signal indicative of the operative status of second operating circuitry;

the monitoring circuitry is responsive to at least the first and second feedback signals, the indicator circuitry producing an indication of the operative status of at least first and second operating circuitry.

12. An apparatus as in claim 10 with the first operating circuitry comprising at least one of an RF repeater system, a fire alarm system, a security system or a building environmental control system.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 which includes a graphical display coupled to the monitoring circuitry.

14. An apparatus as in claim 10 which includes a plurality of feedback circuits coupled to different elements of the first operating circuitry to provide a plurality of feedback signals to the monitoring circuitry indicative of the operational status of the first operating circuitry.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one of, a regional monitoring system with a plurality of spaced apart detectors for monitoring conditions in a region, a wireless communications repeating system, a building environmental control system, a lighting control system, a security system, a fuel distribution system, a petrochemical distribution system, a hazardous material distribution system, or a selected component associated with one of a selected system or subsystem;

a plurality of elements for monitoring functional operation of different portions of the at least one system; and

a common control unit coupled to the elements and responsive to functional operation indicating indicia received from at least some of the elements.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15 including a graphical display coupled to and driven from the control unit thereby providing visual indicators of functional operation of the different portions of the at least one system.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16 where the control unit includes executable instructions for formatting the visual indicators.

18. An apparatus as in claim 15 where the elements each periodically provide an indication of the functionality of respective portions of the at least one system.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 where the elements periodically generate an electrical signal indicative of operational status of respective portions of the at least one system.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19 where the elements are coupled to respective subsystems or components of the at least one system.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20 where the elements periodically generate modulated electrical signals indicative of operational status of the respective subsystems or components.

22. An apparatus as in claim 15 which includes instructions executable by the common control unit which respond to received indicia to evaluate functionality of respective portions of the at least one system.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22 where the indicia comprise electrical signals.

24. An apparatus as in claim 22 where the indicia comprise electrical signals, which are periodically coupled to the common control unit.

25. An apparatus as in claim 24 where the electrical signals are modulated with functional operation indicating information.