EP1400940B1 - System for hazard detection - Google Patents

Abstract

Alarm system has a central unit (1) with a multiplicity of connected alarms (2-5) and an operating unit (6) for operation or testing of the alarms. The alarms and operating unit are linked via a two-way communication system and the alarms also act as connection nodes to link the operating unit to the central unit.

Description

The present invention relates to a danger detection system with a control center, a plurality of connected to this hazard alarms and with an operating unit for the operation of the danger detector, wherein the control unit and the hazard alarm are designed for two-way communication.

EP 0872817 A1 describes a hazard detector which has a housing which contains a sensor for a hazard parameter, a stage for evaluating the sensor signals and a light source for alarm indication. The detector also has a communication interface for the wireless transmission of data recorded by the detector and it is switchable to a data transfer mode in which a transmission of the detector data takes place. The communication interface includes a transmitter formed by the light source for alarm indication or by an additional infrared source. The detector is assigned an operating module. This is designed as a mobile unit and has means for receiving the emitted detector data.

US 5365568 describes the detection of one or more alarm situations by alarm detectors. The alarm situations can be assigned to one or more monitoring units. The system includes a circuit for monitoring power consumption.

So-called detector exchangers and detector testers are known for the efficient insertion, replacement and function control of smoke detectors. With the detector exchangers, fire detectors can be inserted and removed from the detector base during commissioning and overhauling by means of a pressure and rotary movement. The detector exchanger contains a so-called adapter, which is flexibly mounted on a pipe socket and with which the detector can be fixed like a wrench, and extension pipes which allow a detector exchange up to a height of about 7 meters. The detector tester can either contain a can with a test gas or a hot air generator (see for example US-A-3,693,401 and the detector testers CERBERUS DZ1191 and CERBERUS RE6 / RE6T from Siemens Building Technologies AG (CERBERUS - registered trademark of Siemens Building Technologies AG).

Also known are detector exchangers / detector testers with a combined picking / testing / picking head, in which light pulses are transmitted into the measuring chamber of a scattered light detector to be tested and the respondent of the detector is checked for these light pulses (see, for example, EP-A-0 636 266, EP-A-0 910 055 and the detector exchanger / detector tester CERBERUS DZ1193 from Siemens Building Technologies AG).

Whenever a detector is removed from its socket, the panel must first receive a message that the detector in question is not in function, and it must be informed after the exchange that an exchange has taken place. This means that during maintenance work, the respective operator must go to the control center before and after the detector exchange and enter the necessary information there, the maintenance work would be carried out on the detectors themselves. The same applies to the checking of detectors, where the control center must also be informed accordingly so that the function test does not trigger an alarm. It is obvious that this procedure is cumbersome and time-consuming especially for larger systems.

The invention is now a danger detection system of the type mentioned are given, in which maintenance and maintenance work on the detectors can be performed as simple and efficient.

This object is achieved by a hazard detection system according to the features of claim 1. In the dependent claims advantageous refinements and developments of the invention are given.

In the hazard alert system according to the invention, the hazard alarms are designed as connection nodes for the communication between the operating unit and the control center. The operating unit is a mobile terminal which can be connected to the control center via any hazard detector and can communicate with it. As a result, the information to be provided during the exchange and verification of central office detectors can be input directly to the relevant detectors themselves and it is no longer necessary for the operator to go to the central office to enter this information.

A suitable control unit may be, for example, a control module for a hazard detector of the type described in EP-A-0 872 817, a device for remote adjustment of parameters of a sensor of the type described in US-A-4,704,607 or a remote control of EP-A -1 158 840 be described type. All these operating units have in common that they have an interface for bidirectional data communication with the relevant hazard detector, this data communication is used to query and / or remote adjustment of the detector. The control unit can also be installed in a detector exchanger and / or detector tester of the type mentioned and form part of this.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Brandmeldeanlage und einer Bedieneinheit für die Vort-Ort-Bedienung der Brandmelder der Anlage;

Fig. 2

ein Blockschema eines Details der Bedieneinheit von Fig. 1; und

Fig. 3, 4

je eine Skizze einer Anwendung der Bedieneinheit.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment and the drawings; it shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a fire alarm system and a control unit for the on-site operation of the fire alarm system;

Fig. 2

a block diagram of a detail of the operating unit of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3, 4

one sketch each of an application of the operating unit.

The fire alarm system shown in Fig. 1 schematically shows a center 1 and various associated with this detector lines, a detector line M ₁ with Handgefahrenmeldern 2, a detector line M ₂ with special detectors, according to a flame detector 3 and a line extinction detector 4, and a detector line M ₃ with the ceiling mounted so-called point detectors 5 (scattered light smoke detector, temperature, fire gas or Mehrkriterienmelder), and a control unit 6 for on-site operation of the various detectors. The representation is not to be understood that each type of detector connected via its own detector line with the center 1 is; rather, it is the case that different types of detectors each depend on a common detector line. Suitable stray-light smoke detectors are described, for example, in EP-A-0 636 266 and EP-A-0 821 330, a line extinction detector in European Patent Application No. 01 114 103.3 and a flame detector in EP-A-0 718 814.

The term operating unit 6 is to be understood generally. This may be a remote control module for data communication with the detectors, or a tool for replacement / insertion or verification of detectors, which may be used simultaneously for data communication. The control unit 6 shown in Fig. 1 is a tool of the latter type and consists of a so-called detector tester and / or detector picker (hereinafter referred to as Prüfpflücker 7), which is a tool for checking the function and / or insertion / removal a detector in / from a socket, and from a terminal 8 for the input and display of data.

The Prüfpflücker 7 consists essentially of a test / picking head 9, which is articulated on a short tube 10, arranged in a test / picking 9 test electronics, a power supply, a function display and a main switch. In the test / picking 9 and the point 5 each interface for bidirectional data communication between the test / picking 9 and detector 5 is provided. This interface is shown in FIG. To enable the operation of the point detector 5 without tools up to a ceiling height of 7 meters, the tube 10 by extension tubes (not shown) can be extended telescopically. Suitable test pickers 7, but without the mentioned communication interface, are described in EP-A-0 636 266 and EP-A-0 971 329.

In FIG. 2, the communication interface of a detector 5 designated by the reference character KM is shown in the left half, and the communication interface of the checking / picking head 9 designated by the reference symbol MB is separated from one another by a dashed line A symbolizing the transmission medium are. Both communication interfaces KM and KB each have an optical and an inductive channel KM _o , KM _i or KB _o , KB _i . The optical channel KM _{o of} the detector communication interface KM contains an externally visible alarm indicator 11 formed by an LED for the visual display of alarms and faults and an LED driver 13 connected to a microprocessor 12 of the detector. The optical channel KB _{o of} the test / Picking head communication interface KB includes a photodiode 14, an amplifier connected to this 15 and a repeater connected downstream of the amplifier 16 whose output is connected to a microprocessor 17 of the control unit.

The inductive channel KB _{i of} the check / picking head communication interface KB contains an oscillator 18 controlled by the microprocessor 17 and an inductance 19, which is formed for example by a wire loop. The inductive channel KM _{i of} the detector communication interface KM includes a resonant circuit 20, a demodulator 21 connected downstream thereof and a pulse shaper 22 connected to the demodulator, whose output is connected to the microprocessor 12. The wire loop 19 is inserted in the test / picking head 9, which is pushed for each transfer operation on the resonant circuit 20 containing detector 5. The photodiode 14 is arranged in the test / picking head 9, that it is acted upon by the light emitted by the alarm indicator 11. This can be achieved, for example, by a mechanical coding, which allows the sliding of the check / picking head 9 on the detector 5 only in a single relative position. Of course, the coding can also be chosen so that multiple relative positions are possible. Alternatively, the communication interface for communication in the high frequency range, preferably according to the Bluetooth standard, or in the infrared range, preferably according to the IrDA standard, be formed.

In principle, the terminal 8 could be fixed to the tube 10 or to an extension tube and designed so that an operator can simultaneously hold the check / picking head 9 over the detector to be operated 5 and operate the terminal 8, but this is difficult from a certain height is possible. For this reason, the terminal 8 formed for example by a handheld or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) is not attached to the Prüfpflücker 7 but deducted from this and it is between the terminal 8 and the test / picking 9 a communication link, for example, the IrDA - or the Bluetooth standard, provided.

To start a data transfer from the detector 5 to the Prüfpflücker 7 of the test / picking head 9 is pushed onto the detector 5 and positioned on this. The detector then sets itself in a data transfer mode upon request by the module communication interface KB. The data arrive from the detector 5 to the Prüfpflücker 7, are stored there and displayed as coarse information (Go / No Go) so that this information is readable from 7 m distance. Then the Prüfpflücker 7 is discontinued by the detector 5 and the details of the stored data can be retrieved by the terminal 8, if this information is desired.

The data transfer from the terminal 8 to the detector 5 is analogous, whereby also an intermediate storage in the Prüfpflücker 7 takes place. It is also a data transfer in both directions possible. Of course, once entered into the terminal 8 data can remain stored in the Prüfpflücker 7 and several times, to different detectors used.

The detector can also set itself in the data transfer mode when the Prüfpflücker 7 authenticates as an authorized control unit for data transmission or identified. This authentication can be done by special codes or cryptographic methods.

This prevents another device or an unauthorized device from accidentally or intentionally putting the detector into data transfer mode.

In the data transfer mode, on the one hand, the annunciator 5 may send data acquired and stored during operation to the terminal 8, such as near alarms and the like, and on the other hand may transmit to the annunciator data or commands, such as instructions related to servicing or parameters , It may also be possible to perform software updates in the data transfer mode. A very significant advantage of the system shown with the control unit 6 is that the data transfer mode can also be used to establish a bidirectional connection between the control unit 6 and the control panel 1 via the respective detector by, for example, the control panel is informed that at the detector Servicing be performed or the control panel is asked to switch the detector in a corresponding mode or to write the sent data in the detector.

The indirect transfer of data or commands from the control unit via the control center to the detector has the advantage over the also possible direct transfer that the control panel is informed on the one hand made changes in the detector and on the other hand exercise a filter function and not freely enabled changes for the detector concerned can prevent.

Especially when installing a fire alarm system with a large number of detectors, the possibility of two-way communication between the control panel and control unit can be very helpful by the associated room number is entered on the control unit and transmitted from the detector to the control center, where then linking the room number with the Detector identification number (see also EP-A-0 546 401) and thus a clear localization of the detector takes place. As a result of the design of the detectors as connection nodes for communication between the operating unit and the control center, the operating unit can be connected to the control center as a mobile terminal via the relevant danger detector. This opens up the possibility of delivering functionality from the detectors to the control center.

Since the system can be operated from any location equipped with a detector in the building, the time required for commissioning and servicing is reduced. In addition, operator errors can be avoided by not having to select the detector to be moved to another mode via a list (risk of selecting an incorrect entry or faulty list), but instead designating it locally.

As is apparent from Fig. 1, a fire alarm system usually contains not only attached to the ceiling point detector 5, for the operation of the Prüfpflücker 7 was originally provided, but also special detectors, such as hand hazard detector 2, flame detector 3 and line extinction detector 4, the Most are attached to the wall. For Although this detector is not a special tool for assembly / disassembly or detector test in use, but also these detectors must be periodically tested on site, here also before and after the test must be entered in the head office that the detector in question is tested / and should therefore be set to the test mode or the normal operating state.

In the system according to the invention, the operating unit 6 is designed so that it can also be used for the operation of said special detectors and other components. In Fig. 3, this multi-functionality of the control unit 6 is shown in connection with a hand hazard detector 2, in Fig. 4 in connection with a line extinction detector 4, an acoustic alarm device 23 and with a so-called line module 24. Line blocks are, for example, input / output modules for turning on of fire detectors of another type to an existing system, or to turn on work or rest contacts or for the decentralized control of technical equipment, such as fire doors, ventilation, air conditioning, and the like. Other line components are the so-called line separators, which ensure that in the event of a short circuit on a detector bus, not the entire bus fails, but only the defective part of a line is isolated. These line building blocks usually have a flat, box-like shape and are often arranged in a stack next to each other, so that there are certain restrictions on the accessibility from the outside.

For hand hazard detectors 2, the control unit can be used without significant adjustments. Hand hazard alarms are known to be mounted at a height of about 150 cm to the wall and have the shape of an approximately square, flat box with a diagonal, which corresponds approximately to the diameter of a point detector 5. This makes it possible to keep the Prüfpflücker 7 horizontal and put on the hand hazard detector 2. Since an extension of the tube 10 is not required, the terminal 8 is advantageously fixed to the tube 10, for example with an elastic clip. The testing / picking head 9 is equipped with a module communication interface KB and the hand hazard detector with a detector communication interface KM of the type shown in Fig. 2. Since the test picker 7 with the short tube 10 is easy to handle, it is unnecessary to perform the data communication in two steps. With such an arrangement, the distance of wireless communication becomes greater than that of the point detector. This situation is detected by the Prüfpflücker 7 (limit switch), whereupon transmission power and receiving sensitivity are increased.

The linear extinction detector 4 shown in FIG. 4 has a metallic shielded housing and is therefore rather unsuitable for a communication interface of the type shown in FIG. The same applies to the line blocks 24, which are accessible because of their arrangement in stacks only on a narrow side, so that would not be sure when using the communication interface of Fig. 2, with which line module from a stack, the control unit 6 just communicates. The acoustic alarm device 23 has the form a round box, possibly with cambered bottom, and can therefore be equipped with a detector communication interface KM (Figure 2). The communication between Prüfpflücker 7 and line extinction detector 4 and the Linienbau stone 24 via a connector cable 25, the plug are designed so that they can be easily inserted even in arranged in stacks line blocks 24. With the line extinction detector, the test picker also serves as an installation aid, in that the quality and the distance of the reflected-back optical signal are displayed online, thereby simplifying the adjustment of the housing.

Both in the embodiment of FIG. 3 and in that of FIG. 4, as in FIG. 1, the communication between terminal 8 and test picker 7 takes place via an IrDA interface or via Bluetooth. Of course you could in the cases of Figures 3 and 4, the terminal 8 with the Prüfpflücker 7 also wired, but then you would have a special tool for these cases, which can not be used universally. The solution shown, however, has the advantage that the installer with the control unit 6 receives a single tool for the operation of the various detectors and blocks and use this single tool not only the detector but also can communicate with them via the control center. Another advantage is the use of a standardized interface (IrDA or Bluetooth), so that the operating unit can be easily replaced by a corresponding to the respective state of the art, commercial device.

Claims (13)

1. Hazard detection system having a control centre (1), a plurality of hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) which are connected to the latter and an operating unit (6) for operating the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5), the operating unit (6) and the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) being designed for two-way communication, characterized in that the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) form connecting nodes for communication between the operating unit (6) and the control centre (1), and in that there is, on the one hand, a communication link between the operating unit (6) and the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) and, on the other hand, an indirect communication link between the operating unit (6) and the control centre (1), and in that the operating unit (6) and the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) can communicate indirectly via the control centre (1).
2. Hazard detection system according to Claim 1, characterized in that control centre functions can be operated from the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) via said indirect communication link.
3. Hazard detection system according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the operating unit (6) has a testing and/or installation tool, which can be placed onto the hazard detectors (2, 3, 4, 5) or can be connected to the latter, and a terminal (8) for inputting and displaying data.
4. Hazard detection system according to Claim 3, characterized in that the testing and/or installation tool is a so-called detector tester or detector exchanger which is referred to below as a test picker (7) and has a testing/picking head (9) which is fastened to a rod (10).
5. Hazard detection system according to Claim 4, characterized in that the testing/picking head (9) is designed to operate various types of detectors and other linear modules (23, 24) in the hazard detection system.
6. Hazard detection system according to Claim 5, characterized in that there is a communication link between the terminal (8) and the testing/picking head (9), and in that the testing/picking head (9) has a communication interface (KB) for said two-way communication with a hazard detector (2, 3, 4, 5) or another linear module and for communication with the terminal (8).
7. Hazard detection system according to Claim 6, characterized in that said communication interface (KB) has a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication.
8. Hazard detection system according to Claim 7, characterized in that said communication interface is also designed for wire-based communication, and in that wireless and wire-based communication can be selectively used.
9. Hazard detection system according to one of Claims 4 to 9, characterized in that the terminal (8) is formed from a handheld device or a PDA and can be fastened to the test picker (7).
10. Hazard detection system according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the hazard detectors (2, 5) have a communication interface (KM) for communicating with the operating unit (6), and in that this communication interface (KM) contains an optical transmission channel (KM_o), which is formed from an alarm indicator (10), and an inductive reception channel (KM_o).
11. Hazard detection system according to either of Claims 6, 7, 8 and 10, characterized in that the communication interface (KB) of the testing/picking head (9) has a transmitter, which is formed from an inductance (9), and a receiver which is formed from a photodiode (4).
12. Hazard detection system according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that wireless communication is used to communicate with so-called point detectors (5), particularly scattered-light, temperature and smoke detectors, or with manually operated hazard-warning alarms (2).
13. Hazard detection system according to Claim 8, characterized in that wire-based communication is used to communicate with flame detectors (3), absorption detectors (4) or linear modules (23, 24).

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