Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R29/00—Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B25/00—Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
  • G08B25/003—Address allocation methods and details
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
  • H01R12/50—Fixed connections
  • H01R12/59—Fixed connections for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures
  • H01R12/61—Fixed connections for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures connecting to flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures

Definitions

• the present application is generally related to networks, and more particularly is related to addressable devices requiring unique addresses on a network or communication channel.
• a group of such devices is often referred to as a "line of devices.”
• Many lines of devices may connect to a control panel that controls the overall operation of the system.
• a line of devices may be associated with a certain zone of a building and/or a certain type of device. For example, one floor of a multi-story building may have all of its smoke detectors wired together on a line that connects to the control panel.
• Each device on a line may be individually addressed from the control panel.
• Individual addressing of devices allows a single device to indicate an alarm condition at a specific location on a line, provides selective operation of specific devices, and can also be useful for alarm system fault diagnosis and/or individual device testing.
• Unique device addresses may be set in each device, for example, electronically by signal download from an external programming tool or by manually configuring DIP switches, rotary switches, or jumpers internal to the device.
• the address of a device is typically visually identified after the address is set, for example, by affixing a label showing the address to the device.
• an installer may accidentally configure the same address in more than one device.
• the problem of duplicate addressing may cause failures in device communications resulting in incorrect operation of the system.
• separate efforts associated with assigning a device address and labeling the address on the device are cumbersome and inefficient.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system consistent with the invention including a system controller having a plurality of channels and devices.
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an exemplary preset address element and an associated mating connector disposed on an addressable device consistent with the present the invention.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a fused conductor in the preset address element shown in FIG. 2.
• FIG. 4 is a representative schematic diagram showing an exemplary electrical configuration of a preset address element consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a preset address element as shown in FIG. 2 configured wth one example of a preset address consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 6 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a preset address element consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of preset address elements packaged on a packaging stick consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 8 is a front view of another exemplary preset address element consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 9 is a side view of the preset address element shown in FIG. 8.
• FIG. 10 is a rear view of the preset address element shown in FIG. 8.
• FIG. 11 is a rear view of another exemplary embodiment of a preset address element consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 12 is a rear view of another exemplary embodiment of a preset address element consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary addressable device configuration including electrical contacts consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 14 illustrates a preset address element aligned with electrical contacts on the addressable device configuration of FIG. 13.
• FIG. 15 is a front view of one exemplary embodiment of a sheet of preset address elements consistent with the present invention.
• FIG. 16 is a flow chart of exemplary methods for assigning addresses to addressable devices consistent with the invention.
• FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 consistent with the present invention including a system controller 104.
• the system is depicted with only one system controller 104.
• the system controller 104 may be coupled to one or more communication channels 108-1...108-N to provide electrical communication between the system controller 104 and a plurality of uniquely addressable devices, e.g. devices 112-1, 112-2, 112-3 ... 112N, coupled to the communication channels.
• each communication channel 108 may communicate with up to two hundred fifty (250) uniquely addressable devices 112.
• Each addressable device 112-1, 112-2, 112-3 ... 112-N includes an associated preset address element 116-1, 116-2, 116-3 ... 116-N, respectively.
• Each address element 116 may establish a device address for its associated device 112 and may provide a visual indication of the device address.
• the system controller 104 may communicate with the addressable devices 112 through the communication channels 108 using a variety of known communications protocols including, for example, but not limited to, TCP/IP, or proprietary communications protocols.
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an exemplary preset address element 116 and an associated mating connector 113 on an addressable device 112 consistent with the present invention.
• the mating connector 113 may be configured, for example, as single in-line connector mounted on the addressable device 112. In addition to providing a mechanical connection, the mating connector 113 provides electrical communication between the preset address element 116 and associated address circuitry 114 on the addressable device 112.
• the preset address element 116 may include a plurality of fused conductors 118 assembled on a frame assembly 130 constructed from electrically insulating material including, for example, but not limited to, nylon, polyester, and plastic.
• the number and configuration of the fused connectors 118 may determine the range of addresses available for the preset address element 116.
• a cap 140 may be attached to the frame assembly 130 by, for example, latches 142A-D engaged with the frame assembly 130. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other methods of permanently or removably securing the cap 140 to the frame assembly 130 may be used.
• the cap 140 may display a base-10 numeral 144, as an example, the numeral two hundred fifty (250), corresponding to an address preset into the preset address element 116.
• the cap 140 may provide a visual indication of the address of an addressable device 112 allowing easy identification of the device by service or emergency personnel.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a fused conductor 118.
• each fused conductor 118 may include a first end 119 forming a contact pin 120 for making electrical connection with an associated contact on the matting connector 113, a reduced section forming a fused portion 121, and a second end 122 for forming a common electrical connection among the plurality of fused conductors 118.
• a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other types of fused conductors may be formed.
• fused conductors may be formed by varying wire gauges or conductively loaded insulating materials.
• Each fused conductor 118 may be "opened” by passing an electrical current higher than the normal operating current through the fused conductor 118.
• the electrical current must be of sufficient magnitude to overheat the fused portion 121 of the fused conductor 118, thereby causing the fused portion 121 to melt, or "blow,” resulting in an open electrical circuit from one end of the conductor to an opposite end of the conductor.
• a code corresponding to an address may be preset in the preset address element 116.
• the address associated with the address element 116 may be read by the addressable device 112 and established as the device address of the addressable device 112, e.g. upon installation of the address element in the device or upon power-up of the device.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing one exemplary electrical configuration of the fused conductors 118 in the preset address element 116. As shown, a source of voltage or current 150 provided by the addressable device 112 may be connected to a common conductor 123 coupled to each of the fused conductors.
• the common conductor may be a separate conductor or may be one of the fused conductors. Opposite ends of the fused conductors may be coupled to the address circuitry 114 of the addressable device, which may interpret current through, or voltage on, each of the fused conductors as representative of an address associated with the address element 116 and establish that address as the address of the device 112.
• FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary preset address element 116 configured with a preset address.
• an address of twenty-one (21) may be set by blowing the fused portions 121 of all the fused conductors 118 as described above, except the first, third, and fifth fused conductors 118, as shown.
• the address circuitry 114 on the addressable device 112 may supply a source of voltage or current to the common fused conductor 123.
• the circuitry on the addressable device 112 may then read a binary address of 1010100 equal to a base- 10 address of 21.
• the cap 140 may provide a visual indication of the base-10 address of 21.
• an address may be encoded on a preset address element 116a using analog circuit techniques.
• a conductive network 150 including conductive traces 154 and electrical elements 152 including, for example, but not limited to, resistors, capacitors, and/or inductors may be disposed on the frame assembly 130 of the preset address element 116.
• a measured electrical parameter including, for example, but not limited to, resistance, capacitance, and/or inductance, of the conductive network 150 disposed on the preset address element 116 may be translated as an address for the addressable device 112.
• the conductive network 150 may be formed using processes or techniques including, for example, but not limited to, printed circuit technologies, thick film process, thin film processes, and/or discrete device technology.
• a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other means may be used to encode an address on the preset address element, and for the addressable device to read and store the address from the preset address element.
• Other means may include, but are not limited to, a Wigand wire disposed to form an address code that may be read by electrical circuitry disposed on the addressable device, Hall-effect sensors disposed in the addressable device that may read an address code formed by magnets disposed in the preset address element, and optical encoding techniques.
• the preset address elements 116 may be packaged on packaging "sticks" 160 as shown in FIG. 7, with a plurality of preset address elements 116, for example, ten (10) unique preset address elements 116 attached to each packaging stick 160.
• the packaging sticks 160 may be fabricated as part of the frame assemblies 130 or as part of the caps 140.
• the preset address element 116 may be removed from the packaging stick 160 and inserted into the mating connector 113 on the addressable device 112.
• address circuitry 114 disposed on the addressable device 112 may read and store the address of the preset address element 116, thereby assigning the encoded address of the preset address element 116 as the device address of the addressable device 112.
• each preset address element 116 may be preset to a unique address starting at one (1) and ending at two hundred fifty (250).
• Associated caps 140 displaying base- 10 address numerals 144 starting at one (1) and ending at two hundred fifty (250) may be provided.
• the address numerals on each cap may thus correspond to a preset address on an associated element 116.
• the cap associated with each address element 116 may be installed on the associated frame assembly 130. Since each series of preset address elements 116 contains two hundred fifty (250) unique preset addresses, and each addressable device 112 obtains an address from a preset address element 116, each addressable device 112 is guaranteed its own unique address, thereby eliminating the possibility of duplicate address assignments. Further, the address of the addressable device 112 is easily visually identifiable from the base-10 numeral 144 on the cap 140 after the preset address element 116 is installed.
• FIGS. 8-10 illustrate another embodiment of a preset address element 116b consistent with the present invention.
• the address element 116b may include a printed side 208 and an adhesive side 212, and may be constructed from an insulating material including, for example, but not limited to, a plastic.
• the printed side 208 of the address element 116b may display a base-10 numeral 210 corresponding to a preset address of the preset address element 116b.
• the adhesive side 212 of the address element may include an adhesive 216, e.g. a pressure sensitive adhesive and conductive traces 220.
• the conductive traces may be fabricated using thick film or thin film process technology, or by other suitable printed circuit technologies.
• the pressure sensitive adhesive 216 may be disposed on the adhesive side 212 of the address element 116b in the areas not occupied by electrical circuitry, e.g. the conductive traces 220.
• the conductive traces may be configured to provide electrical communication with an addressable device 112 when the adhesive side 212 of the address element is affixed to the addressable device 112, e.g. as shown in FIG. 14.
• the number and configuration of the conductive traces 220 may establish an address for the addressable device. For example, a unique address may be encoded for a device by removing, interrupting or modifying one or more of the conductive traces 220.
• the adhesive side may be provided in a variety of configurations for establishing a preset address for the address element 116b.
• the electrical components 224 may include, resistors, capacitors and/or inductors, and may be fabricated using thick film or thin film process technology, or by other suitable printed circuit technologies. Alternatively, the electrical components 224 may be discrete devices including, for example, but not limited to, surface mount devices. When using electrical components 224, one or more of the conductive traces 220 may be modified, e.g. interrupted, to provide locations on the adhesive side for receiving the electrical components 224.
• conductive trace configurations and/or combinations of electrical components 224 may be used to produce unique address codes for the preset address elements 116b.
• FIG. 12 shows and exemplary embodiment 212b of an address element adhesive side including conductive networks 240.
• the conductive networks include conductive traces 220 and electrical components 242 including, for example, but not limited to resistors, capacitors, and inductors.
• a measured electrical parameter including, for example, but not limited to, resistance, capacitance, or inductance, of the conductive networks 240 may be translated as an address for the addressable device 112.
• the conductive networks 240 may be formed using processes or techniques including, for example, but not limited to, printed circuit technologies, thick film process, thin film processes, and/or discrete device technology.
• electrically conductive contacts 254 may be disposed on a surface of an addressable device 112a to provide an interface to the address circuitry 114 disposed therein.
• electrically conductive traces 220 on a preset address element 116b maybe aligned with corresponding electrical contacts 254, as shown for example in FIG. 14, to provide electrical communication between the conductive traces 220 and the addressable device 250.
• the address circuitry 114 may interpret the configuration of the conductive traces 220 to establish the preset address of the address element as the address for the addressable device.
• the numeral 210 on the printed side 208 of the address element may provide a visual indication of the address established for the device 212a by the address element 116b.
• a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other means may be used to encode an address on the preset address element, and for the addressable device to read and store the address from the preset address element.
• Other means may include, but are not limited to, Wigand wire disposed to form a magnetic address code that may be read by electrical circuitry disposed on the addressable device, Hall-effect sensors disposed in the addressable device that may read an address code formed by magnets disposed in the preset address element, and optical encoding techniques.
• two hundred fifty (250) unique addresses (1 through 250) may be encoded on preset address elements 116b.
• a plurality of preset address elements 116b each configured for establishing a different address for an addressable device, may be disposed on a release sheet 300.
• the illustrated exemplary release sheet 300 holds twenty-five (25) preset address elements 116b.
• the individual address elements 116b may be separated on the release sheet by, for example, perforations 302, allowing the address elements to be removed from the sheet for application to an associated addressable device.
• each address element 116b establishes a unique address for the addressable device and provides a visual indication of the address allowing easy identification of the device by service or emergency personnel.
• FIG. 16 is a flow chart outlining an embodiment 400 of a system consistent with the present invention.
• a preset address element may be obtained 402 for a system that may include a system controller and at least one addressable device.
• the preset address element may be removed 404 from a packaging stick and inserted 406 into a mating connector on the addressable device to establish electrical communication between the addressable device and the preset address element and to provide a visual indication of the device address.
• the preset address element may be removed 408 from a release sheet and adhesively affixed 410 to the addressable device, aligning electrical contacts on the preset address element with electrical contacts on the addressable device to establish electrical communication between the preset address element and the addressable device and to provide a visual indication of the device address.
• the addressable device may be powered-up 414 to enable the addressabb device to read and store the unique address encoded on the preset address element, thereby assigning the unique address of the preset address element as the address of the addressable device.
• Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus, system and method for quickly and simply providing non-duplicative addresses, and visual indications of the addresses, for addressable devices on a communications channel or network.
• the system contains at least one system controller communicating with a plurality of addressable devices on at least one communications channel or network.
• Preset address elements configured in a mating connector arrangement or as an adhesive label provide unique addresses to each of the addressable devices.
• the preset address elements may use digital or analog circuit techniques to encode unique addresses that are subsequently read and stored by the addressable devices after the address elements are installed.
• the preset address elements may also provide visual indications of the device addresses.
• the present invention can also be viewed as providing methods for supplying non- duplicative addresses and visual indications of the addresses for addressable devices.
• One embodiment of such a method can be broadly summarized as: installing a system having a system controller and addressable devices; obtaining preset address elements; installing one preset address element in each addressable device; and powering-up the system to enable the addressable devices to read and store the unique addresses encoded on the preset address elements.

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• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Small-Scale Networks (AREA)

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• 2004
  • 2004-10-29 EP EP04796855A patent/EP1805854A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-10-29 WO PCT/US2004/036221 patent/WO2006049614A1/en active Application Filing

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