Low nuisance fast response hazard alarm

• US 9,330,550 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Zribi, Anis, Chandler, Bill, Buchholz, Matthew J., Bush, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US13/893,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 340/589, 340/628, 340/693.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• 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 29/183 Single detectors using dual technologies G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/26 by updating and storing reference thresholds

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems for, and methods of, providing low nuisance, fast response hazard notification. Advantageously, the disclosed techniques avoid sounding an alarm in response to typical nuisance events, such as burnt food.

Claims

1. A hazard safety device comprising:

an electronic processor;

at least one smoke sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the at least one smoke sensor is configured to produce a smoke sensor signal;

a temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to produce a temperature sensor signal;

wherein the processor is configured to increase a smoke sensor signal threshold from a first smoke sensor signal threshold in a standby state to a second smoke sensor signal threshold in a first smoke slump state, wherein increasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the second smoke sensor signal threshold occurs in response to a combination of at least (i) the smoke sensor signal above the first smoke sensor signal threshold, (ii) a calculated rate of change of the smoke sensor signal below a smoke sensor rate of change threshold, and (iii) a calculated rate of change of the temperature sensor signal below a temperature sensor rate of change threshold;

wherein the processor is configured to increase the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold in the standby state to a further smoke sensor signal threshold in a second smoke slump state in response to;

a) a combination of (i) the smoke sensor signal above the first smoke sensor signal threshold and (ii) the calculated rate of change of the temperature sensor signal above the temperature sensor rate of change threshold;

b) a difference between smoke sensor signals for adjacent time samples exceeding a temporally adjacent smoke sensor sample difference threshold.

2. The hazard safety device of claim 1, further comprising a timer, wherein the processor is further configured to start the timer upon the increase of the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the second smoke sensor signal threshold, and wherein the processor is configured to decrease the smoke sensor signal threshold from the second smoke sensor signal threshold to the first smoke sensor signal threshold upon both expiration of the timer and the smoke sensor signal below the first smoke sensor signal threshold.

3. The hazard safety device of claim 1, further comprising a carbon monoxide sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the carbon monoxide sensor is configured to produce a carbon monoxide sensor signal, and wherein the increase from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the second smoke sensor signal threshold is further in response to the carbon monoxide sensor signal below a carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold and a calculated rate of change of the carbon monoxide sensor signal below a carbon monoxide sensor rate of change threshold.

4. The hazard safety device of claim 1 further comprising a carbon monoxide sensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the carbon monoxide sensor is configured to produce a carbon monoxide sensor signal, and wherein the processor is configured to decrease the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to a third smoke sensor signal threshold in response to the smoke sensor signal below the first smoke sensor signal threshold and the carbon monoxide sensor signal above a carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold.

5. The hazard safety device of claim 4, further comprising a timer, wherein the processor is further configured to start the timer upon the decrease of the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the third smoke sensor signal threshold, and wherein the processor is configured to increase the smoke sensor signal threshold from the third smoke sensor signal threshold to the first smoke sensor signal threshold upon both expiration of the timer and the carbon monoxide sensor signal below the carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold.

6. The hazard safety device of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to issue an alarm prior to expiration of the timer in response to the carbon monoxide signal above the carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold, and the smoke sensor signal above the third smoke sensor signal threshold.

7. A method comprising:

obtaining a smoke sensor signal from at least one smoke sensor;

obtaining a temperature sensor signal from a temperature sensor; and

increasing a smoke sensor signal threshold from a first smoke sensor signal threshold in a standby state to a second smoke sensor signal threshold in a first smoke slump state,

wherein increasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the second smoke sensor signal threshold occurs in response to a combination of at least (i) the smoke sensor signal above the first smoke sensor signal threshold, (ii) a calculated rate of change of the smoke sensor signal below a smoke sensor rate of change threshold, and (iii) a calculated rate of change of the temperature sensor signal below a temperature sensor rate of change threshold; and

increasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold in the standby state to a further smoke sensor signal threshold in a second smoke slump state in response to;

a) a combination of (i) the smoke sensor signal above the first smoke sensor signal threshold and (ii) the calculated rate of change of the temperature sensor signal above the temperature sensor rate of change threshold;

b) a difference between smoke sensor signals for adjacent time samples exceeding a temporally adjacent smoke sensor sample difference threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

starting a timer upon the increase of the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the second smoke sensor signal threshold; and

decreasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the second smoke sensor signal threshold to the first smoke sensor signal threshold upon both expiration of the timer and the smoke sensor signal falling below the first smoke sensor signal threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

issuing an alarm prior to expiration of the timer in response to the smoke sensor signal rising above the second smoke sensor signal threshold.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining a carbon monoxide sensor signal from a carbon monoxide sensor; and

obtaining a calculated rate of change of the carbon monoxide sensor signal;

wherein increasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the second smoke sensor signal threshold is further in response to the carbon monoxide sensor signal falling below a carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold and the calculated rate of change of the carbon monoxide sensor signal falling below a carbon monoxide sensor rate of change threshold.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining a carbon monoxide sensor signal from a carbon monoxide sensor; and

decreasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to a third smoke sensor signal threshold in response to the smoke sensor signal falling below the first smoke sensor signal threshold and the carbon monoxide sensor signal rising above a carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

starting a timer upon the decreasing of the smoke sensor signal threshold from the first smoke sensor signal threshold to the third smoke sensor signal threshold; and

increasing the smoke sensor signal threshold from the third smoke sensor signal threshold to the first smoke sensor signal threshold upon both expiration of the timer and the carbon monoxide sensor signal falling below the carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

issuing an alarm prior to expiration of the timer in response to the carbon monoxide signal rising above the carbon monoxide sensor signal threshold, and the smoke sensor signal rising above the third smoke sensor signal threshold.