EP0546401B1 - Addressing for anti-theft, for fire and for gas alarm - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved addressing method for fire, gas and intrusion signalling systems consists in that the detector base (20) of each detector contains an identification module (21) which defines for each individual detector base (20) an unmodifiable detector base identification number which differs from the number of all other detector bases (20) and is taken from a numerical range which is greater than ten thousand, and that in the detector (30), means are provided which can detect the detector base identification number. The identification module (21) is preferably an arrangement consisting of several resistors (211) having different resistance values, or a ROM, PROM, EPROM or EEPROM (215), in which the detector base identification number is stored. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an addressing device for fire, gas and intrusion alarm systems in which existing detectors are connected by a detector base and a detector via communication paths to a signaling center and in which only passive means for defining an addressing code and means for reading the detector in the detector base Addressing codes are available.

Fire, gas and intrusion alarm systems which are intended to warn of dangers in the environment generally consist of a more or less large number of detectors, which are functionally connected individually or in groups with signal centers and are spatially distributed in the areas to be monitored. The detectors contain sensors that monitor certain environmental conditions, an alarm signal being transmitted to a signaling center if one of the monitored criteria exceeds a predetermined value. The signals are further processed in the signaling center, displayed and / or forwarded to external locations. Such alarm systems must, if their reliable response in the event of an alarm be guaranteed, be checked at regular intervals for their functionality.

In order to avoid false alarms in fire, gas and intrusion detection systems, however, there has been an increasing tendency to transmit the measured value of the sensor on which the alarm signal is based to the signaling center instead of an alarm signal and to decide whether it is an actual danger or a malfunction is to be carried out in the signaling center, since a comparison of the measured variables of different hazard detectors can be used to make a much more precise statement.

However, a prerequisite for a meaningful evaluation of the signals from the detectors in the signaling center is that the origin of the signals can be clearly determined, i.e. the detectors must be identifiable. This identifiability must also be retained if the detectors are replaced during a revision.

Systems have already been developed for the field of fire detection technology in which detector identification is possible and measured value transmission to the signaling center. However, the complexity of the circuitry is very high and the installation is associated with application-related difficulties.

The main disadvantage of this method is that an individual setting must be made to determine the detector address on each detector or in the associated, permanently installed base. This results in dangers of incorrect addressing and the associated incorrect identification. To overcome this disadvantage, a method for transmitting measured values in a fire detection system was proposed in DE-B1-25'33'382, in which the measured values determined by individual fire detectors lying in a chain on the detection lines were passed analogously to a signal and sent there Obtaining differentiated fault or alarm messages are linked, the fire detectors being switched on in succession to the line voltage in a predetermined order and the respective detector address can be derived in the signaling center from the number of increases in the line current. One of the major drawbacks of this system is that the number of detectors per line is limited by the resistance of the detectors connected in series.

There are also simple addressing systems in which an address is set in the detector by pressing two switches, e.g. in DeltaNet Fire & Security System 74-2549, 1986; As a number from 0 to 9 can be set with each switch, the number of addresses is limited to 99.

In another addressing system of the prior art, the detectors are provided with a code number during manufacture and, after assembly, are differentiated from one another by the signal center by means of a software-controlled query algorithm and their position within the line network is recorded electronically. In this way, the signaling center recognizes the selected arrangement and network topology and then assigns the required addresses fully automatically for the respective detector groups. Double address assignments and address gaps are avoided. With twelve (binary) digits, just over four thousand code numbers can be realized. The disadvantage of this system is that a clear assignment cannot be guaranteed if the detectors are revised or exchanged ("painter syndrome").

JP-A-63 311 463 and JP1156893 describe addressing methods in which the identification number is represented by a resistance value. In the first case, each identification number is represented by the combination of several resistors that have different values for each number. In the second case, a resistor has a variable value, which is determined when the detector is installed in the base.

EP-A1-0'362'985 describes an addressable fire detection device in which a base part has only passive means for defining an addressing code and a sensor part has means for reading the addressing code when the sensor part is inserted into the base part, the Socket part also enables the sensor part to receive signals identified by the addressing code. The passive means consist of a number of mechanical elements that can, for example, define a binary code. The number of addresses that can be realized with this is naturally small. The code is therefore set mechanically by a person, for example an installer. During the installation, coding errors such as double coding or coding gaps arise. Furthermore, the codes can also be changed after the installation of the system, which can lead to errors in the alarm location.

EP 0 296 022 describes addressing for a bus system for alarm systems, which uses a programmable memory to identify and address the participants on the bus. However, this is a system whose bus users consist of a single part. If, for example, two participants are exchanged during the installation or revision of a system, this change of location of these participants is not registered by the system center. If an alarm system contains, for example, different types of subscribers that have been selected for specific locations, an addressing system of this type has the disadvantage that mix-ups remain unnoticed and, finally, the detector types are installed at unsuitable locations.

The present invention has for its object to provide an addressing method for a fire, gas and intrusion detection system, in which existing detectors from a detector base and a detector are connected via communication paths to a signaling center, which avoids the disadvantages of the known addressing methods and in particular a To create addressing methods for fire, gas and intrusion detection systems, which has suitable means for defining an addressing code, through which bases can be produced in one and the same manufacturing process, without additional costs, which are all different and identifiable from one another, so that no coding errors occur.

This object is achieved in an addressing arrangement for fire, gas and intrusion alarm systems of the type mentioned at the outset in that the passive means for defining an addressing code are electronic and are designed in such a way that for each individual detector base they have a non-changeable detector base identification number, which depends on the number all other detector bases from the production series are different and are taken from a range of numbers that is greater than ten thousand, and that means are provided in the detector which recognize the detector base identification number. In particular, the means for defining an addressing code consist of a ROM, PROM, EPROM or EEPROM, the identification number of which has already been determined in the factory during the manufacture of the ROM, PROM, EPROM or EEPROM and cannot be changed in their further use and the means for recognizing the detector identification number from a circuit for reading a read-only memory.

The arrangement according to the invention is preferably used in fire alarm systems.

In the following, a preferred embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention for fire, gas and intrusion detection systems is explained in more detail using a fire detection system.

The single figure shows a fire detector with an embodiment of an addressing device according to the invention.

The present invention aims to avoid the need for mechanical setting of switches in the detectors, as well as the switching elements necessary for a daisy chain principle. For this purpose, 20 means for defining an addressing code are used in the detector base; these means form a so-called identification module (ID module) 21. This ID module 21 contains a number from a very large number range, which is, for example, a thousand to ten thousand times larger than the maximum number of detectors on a line or as large as the number of detector bases that are manufactured in the production series. The ID module 21 is part of the detector base and remains in this even if the detector is replaced (revision). It therefore contains clear, fixed information.

In the figure, a fire detector is shown with a detector base 20 and a detector part 30. In the detector part 30 there is at least one sensor 32 for monitoring ambient conditions and a detector electronics (evaluation circuit) 31, which evaluates the output signal of the sensor 32 and for transmission via Lines 10, 11 processed to a (not shown) signal center.

In the detector base 20 there is a detector base terminal block 22 and a detector base identification module (ID module) 21 consisting of a serially readable read-only memory (ROM) 215. The evaluation circuit 31 in the detector 30 is also connected via electrical contact pins 312 in the detector 30 and electrical contacts 222 in the detector base 20 connected to the detector base terminal block 22 and to the detector base identification module (ID module) 21 via electrical contact pins 311 in the detector 30 and contacts in the detector base 20. In the evaluation circuit 31 of the detector 30 there is accordingly a reading device (not shown) in the evaluation circuit 31.

In this example, apart from the two contacts 222 for connecting the detector base terminal block 22 to the contact pins 312 of the detector 30, only two contacts are required for connecting the ROM 215 in the ID module 21 to the contact pins 311 in the detector 30. Instead of the ROM described, a PROM, EPROM or EEPROM can also be used. For example, suitable ROMs with only two contacts are available on the market for this purpose, which contain a numbered 32-bit number from the factory (value range four billion). When manufacturing the detector base and installing the ROM, the identification number has already been determined and can or must no longer be changed, so that coding errors are excluded. In particular, due to the very large number range, it is not possible for double coding to occur, since there are enough numbers available for the production series.

The identification module 21 is contacted by the detector 30 after it has been inserted into the detector base 20, the content is read and transmitted by the detector 30 to the signal center. In addition, the signal is communicated centrally when the detector 30 is first used, its location, supplemented by the detector parameters defined for this location. This process is called "localization". After localization, the signal center assigns a working address to each detector used (address range approximately equal to the maximum number of detectors on a line).

If the detector is replaced later or if the line is restarted after being temporarily switched off, the working address, location and parameters of each detector can be reconstructed automatically. For this purpose, each detector reads in the content of the identification module of its base and transmits it to the signal center. This provides him with all the information needed to automatically restore the original state. Incorrect manipulations are impossible, since the localization is done automatically without human intervention.

Regardless of the technical implementation or the construction principle of a detector line, an intelligent action must be carried out for each of the previously known systems until the initial start-up, which provides the system with information about the location of the individual detectors.

With the daisy chain principle, this action is the project-specific installation of the wires and bases, as well as the corresponding parameterization of the signaling center.

For detectors with dip switches, the action is to set the correct switch position and to inform the signal center which switch position each detector has and where it was installed. When replacing detectors, the switch of the new detector must be set to the same position that was in the old detector.

• a) Die Reihenfolge des Detektoreinsetzens und der zugehörigen Raumbezeichnungen wird notiert und der Signalzentrale anschließend übermittelt.
• b) An Stelle des Detektoreinsetzens tritt die Reihenfolge des erstmaligen Detektoralarmierens (mit Prüfgas).
• c) Die Detektoren werden vor dem Einsetzen mit einem Programmiergerät mit einer Arbeitsadresse versehen (vorzugsweise in ein EEPROM geschrieben). Der Signalzentrale werden dann diese Arbeitsadressen und zugehörigen Raumbezeichnungen übermittelt.

In the addressing device according to the invention for fire, gas and intrusion detection systems, the localization can be carried out in different ways. The main options are:

• a) The order in which the detector is used and the associated room names are noted and then transmitted to the signaling center.
• b) Instead of inserting the detector, the sequence of the first detector alarm (with test gas) takes place.
• c) The detectors are provided with a working address (preferably written in an EEPROM) using a programming device. These signaling addresses and associated room names are then transmitted to the signaling center.

Claims (1)

1. Addressing device for fire, intrusion and burglary alarm systems, in which alarms comprising an alarm base (20) and a detector (30) are connected via communication paths (10, 11) to a signalling centre and in which only passive, electronic means for defining an addressing code are present in the alarm base (20) and means for reading the addressing code are present in the detector (30), characterized in that the passive, electronic means for defining an addressing code comprise a ROM, PROM, EPROM or EEPROM and contain, for every individual alarm base (20), an unalterable alarm-base identification number which has been determined during the production of the electronic means in the factory and is unalterable during its further use and is different from the number of all the other alarm bases (20) in the production series and is taken from a numerical range which is greater than ten thousand, and the means for detecting the alarm-base identification number comprise a circuit for reading a read-only memory.

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