EP1123637B1 - Public address apparatus - Google Patents

Public address apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1123637B1
EP1123637B1 EP99949117A EP99949117A EP1123637B1 EP 1123637 B1 EP1123637 B1 EP 1123637B1 EP 99949117 A EP99949117 A EP 99949117A EP 99949117 A EP99949117 A EP 99949117A EP 1123637 B1 EP1123637 B1 EP 1123637B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signal
control unit
pulse
message
duration
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP99949117A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1123637A2 (en
Inventor
Adrian Heddle
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vimpex Ltd
Original Assignee
Vimpex Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Vimpex Ltd filed Critical Vimpex Ltd
Publication of EP1123637A2 publication Critical patent/EP1123637A2/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1123637B1 publication Critical patent/EP1123637B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R27/00—Public address systems

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to public address apparatus and more particularly but not exclusively to such apparatus when used as a fire alarm.
  • US-A-3858195 discloses an alarm control system corresponding to a plurality of condition sensors to reproduce appropriate messages stored on tape through a paging system.
  • the message to be reproduced is selected by energising a track changing mechanism for a length of time corresponding to selection of the desired track.
  • the present invention provides a public address system comprising a control unit and a plurality of sounders, wherein the control unit has a plurality of inputs for receiving signals indicative of different conditions and signal generating means for supplying to the sounders a data signal the duration of which is determined by which control unit input receives the signal; and each sounder includes apparatus for playing pre-recorded messages comprising means for storing a plurality of pre-recorded messages, a data input for receiving said data signal from the control unit and signal discriminating means arranged to monitor the data input to detect a synchronisation pulse and the end of said data signal to determine the duration of the data signal, the duration of the data signal indicating which pre-recorded message is to be played.
  • the present invention provides a synchronising arrangement whereby the sound output from a plurality of sound output from a plurality of sound sources is synchronised. This is achieved by sending a synchronising signal followed by a further signal indicative of a message, e.g. voice, to be played, the further signal being spaced from the synchronising signal by a predetermined period of time.
  • the signal discriminating means is preferably arranged to detect the end of a single pulse or two pulses following the synchronisation pulse. This allows for an extended number of message sets, allowing for a greater number of different pre-recorded messages to be indicated.
  • each public address sounder stores the plurality of pre-recorded messages independently from the other sounders, and is responsive only to the synchronisation pulse and the further signal indicative of the pre-recorded message to be played, it is possible for the sounder to immediately play the pre-recorded message at the appropriate time as indicated by the synchronisation pulse received.
  • each sounder can be set to play a default message if no control signal is received from the control unit within a predetermined amount of time. This has the advantage that in an emergency situation where the control unit may be damaged and the sounders may still operate to alert members of the public to the emergency situation.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in relation to its use as a fire alarm.
  • a person in any area should be able to hear messages from at least two message sources simultaneously. This is to ensure that the message will still be heard even if one source is faulty for any reason.
  • a main control unit 10 is arranged to control the operation of a number of sounder units 11.
  • the sounder units are connected together in two groups with the units in each group connected in series. It is preferred that the units perform a dual sound function of being capable of emitting warning sounds as well as being the source of voice messages.
  • Each unit 11 is provided with a control circuit and a memory device for storing signals indicative of one or more voice messages which are to be played by the unit.
  • the control unit 10 is arranged to send control signals to the sounder units so that they will transmit the, or a selected, message at the appropriate time and how this is achieved will now be described with reference to Fig. 2.
  • the control unit 10 is a microprocessor controlled device which receives an input from one or more detectors 14 such as heat or smoke detectors or fire alarm buttons. In this embodiment it is assumed that the unit 10 will be able to discriminate between the following four conditions:
  • the unit 10 After power up, the unit 10 goes through a set up procedure as indicated at State 1 and once set up scans its input or inputs as indicated at State 2. The input or inputs are continually scanned until an appropriate signal or signals is received whereupon the unit 10 will proceed through State 3, or through States 3 to N to determine which condition has been indicated. Depending upon the condition detected by State 3, 4 or up to N a signal will be sent to a pulse generator circuit as indicated at State 7 where a control pulse signal will be generated. The signal is formed from a combination of pulses to produce a waveform as shown in Fig. 3. The waveform is produced by a calibration or synch pulse of fixed, predetermined duration e.g. 20 millisecs.
  • This calibration pulse is followed by an identification pulse whose duration is indicative of the message to be played.
  • the duration of the identification pulse is preferably an integer multiple of the duration of the calibration pulse and is followed by a gap of predetermined duration e.g. a function of the duration of the calibration pulse such as one half.
  • the unit 10 scans its inputs again and if appropriate detects a "clear" condition as at State N and causes the appropriate waveform to be constructed and sent to the sounder units 11.
  • control unit may change the message being played even if two different inputs are being received. This would enable a "fire" input to take priority over any other input.
  • the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 can be modified to produce a modified form of the waveform shown in Fig. 3.
  • the modified waveform is shown in Fig. 4.
  • a fourth pulse nominally starting at a minimum of 20 msecs from the third pulse, enables many more message sets to be catered for.
  • Extended message set I would have a pulse inserted a predetermined period e.g. 20 msecs after the third pulse.
  • Extended message set 2 at 30 msecs after the third pulse and so on up to message set N. Sounder units only able to interpret 3 pulses as shown in Fig. 3 will ignore the fourth pulse as a rogue pulse.
  • each sounder unit 11 there is a microprocessor controlled message system which receives the waveform signals from the control unit 10, determines which voice message to play and causes the message to be played. This will now be described with reference to Fig. 5.
  • the microprocessor executes a set up procedure and ignores signals on its input for a predetermined period of time e.g. 250 msec. in order to avoid false triggering of the sounder unit. After this predetermined period of time, the input is monitored as indicated at State 2. If there is data on the input to the sounder unit, the microprocessor looks for the calibration pulse at State 3 and if this is present then moves to State 4 where the succeeding pulse length(s) is monitored and if determined to be one of the predetermined lengths e.g. 20, 40, 60 80 msec, or including an extended message set pulse, this causes the microprocessor to initiate the playing of the appropriate message. After the message has been played, the microprocessor returns to State 2 and monitors the input to the sounder for a data signal.
  • a predetermined period of time e.g. 250 msec.
  • the input is monitored as indicated at State 2. If there is data on the input to the sounder unit, the microprocessor looks for the calibration pulse at State 3 and if this is present
  • a further state 6 is also possible, wherein if the microprocessor has not received a signal on its input for a predetermined amount of time, indicating that the central control unit 10 may have been damaged, then a default message can be set to play to alert members of the public.
  • a default message can be set to play to alert members of the public.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Fire Alarms (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
  • Alarm Systems (AREA)
  • Massaging Devices (AREA)
  • Meter Arrangements (AREA)
  • Prepayment Telephone Systems (AREA)
EP99949117A 1998-09-22 1999-09-21 Public address apparatus Expired - Lifetime EP1123637B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9820644 1998-09-22
GBGB9820644.4A GB9820644D0 (en) 1998-09-22 1998-09-22 Public address apparatus
PCT/GB1999/003141 WO2000018188A2 (en) 1998-09-22 1999-09-21 Public address apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1123637A2 EP1123637A2 (en) 2001-08-16
EP1123637B1 true EP1123637B1 (en) 2005-01-12

Family

ID=10839280

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99949117A Expired - Lifetime EP1123637B1 (en) 1998-09-22 1999-09-21 Public address apparatus

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1123637B1 (sr)
JP (1) JP2002526007A (sr)
AT (1) ATE287193T1 (sr)
AU (1) AU6211299A (sr)
DE (1) DE69923203T2 (sr)
GB (1) GB9820644D0 (sr)
WO (1) WO2000018188A2 (sr)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3858195A (en) * 1973-08-28 1974-12-31 Jab Co Inc Audio alarm system
DE2533330C3 (de) * 1975-07-25 1981-08-13 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Verfahren und Einrichtung zur Übertragung von Meßwerten in einem Brandmeldesystem
ATE30646T1 (de) * 1983-10-17 1987-11-15 Cerberus Ag Verfahren zur alarmsignalisation und einrichtung zur anwendung desselben.
US5887067A (en) * 1996-05-10 1999-03-23 General Signal Corporation Audio communication system for a life safety network

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69923203D1 (de) 2005-02-17
WO2000018188A2 (en) 2000-03-30
EP1123637A2 (en) 2001-08-16
WO2000018188A3 (en) 2000-06-08
ATE287193T1 (de) 2005-01-15
GB9820644D0 (en) 1998-11-18
JP2002526007A (ja) 2002-08-13
DE69923203T2 (de) 2005-12-29
AU6211299A (en) 2000-04-10

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