SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

• US 20140253318A1
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Burnette, Stan, Fasen, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 9,530,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/514
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/14 checking the detection circuits

Abstract

A system for obtaining performance information is provided and includes a condition detector configured to output the performance information as an optical signal, an optical probe wirelessly disposed in signal communication with the condition detector, the optical probe including a photodiode configured to receive the optical signal and to output an electrical signal accordingly, a data converter, which is coupled to the optical probe and configured to convert the electrical signal into data representative of the performance information and a computing device, which is coupled to the data converter and configured to allow for analysis, display and/or storage of the data representative of the performance information.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining performance information, the system comprising:

a condition detector configured to output the performance information as an optical signal;

an optical probe wirelessly disposed in signal communication with the condition detector, the optical probe including a photodiode configured to receive the optical signal and to output an electrical signal accordingly;

a data converter, which is coupled to the optical probe and configured to convert the electrical signal into data representative of the performance information; and

a computing device, which is coupled to the data converter and configured to allow for analysis, display and/or storage of the data representative of the performance information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the condition detector comprises a light emitting diode configured to issue the optical signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical probe comprises a 540 nm photodiode.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical probe and the data converter comprise amplifiers disposed in series to amplify the electrical signal output by the photodiode.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an optical probe housing to house the optical probe.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a data converter housing to house the data converter.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising wiring by which the optical probe, the data converter and the computing device are coupled.

8. A condition detector to detect a condition and to issue an alarm in response to the detection, the condition detector comprising:

an optical element;

a signal control unit coupled to the optical element; and

a microcontroller coupled to the signal control unit and configured to gather performance and/or diagnostic data and to transmit that performance and diagnostic data to the signal control unit,

the signal control unit being configured to receive the performance and/or diagnostic data, to generate optical signals that are representative of the performance and/or diagnostic data and to cause the optical element to issue the optical signals.

9. The condition detector according to claim 8, further comprising a housing to house at least the optical element, the signal control unit and the microcontroller.

10. The condition detector according to claim 9, wherein the housing is wall and/or ceiling mountable.

11. The condition detector according to claim 9, wherein the housing is not dismounted for issuance of the optical signals.

12. The condition detector according to claim 8, wherein the optical element comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

13. The condition detector according to claim 8, wherein the optical signals are issued by the optical element at predetermined times, periodically and/or responsive to stimuli.

14. A method for obtaining performance information from a condition detector, the method comprising:

gathering data representative of performance information at the condition detector;

issuing an optical signal reflective of the gathered data from the condition detector toward an optical probe; and

upon receipt of the optical signal at the optical probe, converting the optical signal into an electrical signal and converting the electrical signal into data representative of the performance information.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the issuing comprises issuing the optical signal at a predetermined time, periodically or in response to stimuli.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising amplifying the electrical signal prior to the conversion of the electrical signal into the data representative of the performance information.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising analyzing, displaying and/or storing the data representative of the performance information.