GB2307578A

GB2307578A - Disaster protection monitoring

Info

Publication number: GB2307578A
Application number: GB9623997A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven Scofield; Michael Edmans; Kiyoaki Koyama; Masamihi Kikuchi
Original assignee: Hochiki Corp
Current assignee: Hochiki Corp
Priority date: 1995-11-24
Filing date: 1996-11-19
Publication date: 1997-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-19
Also published as: GB9623997D0; JP3563847B2; DE19649990A1; GB2307578B; JPH09147270A

Abstract

A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus includes terminal units (4,5,6,7) connected to a central monitoring device (1) through a transmission path (3), each of the terminal units having a CPU for returning monitor information obtained by the terminal unit to the central monitoring device (1) when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto. The central monitoring device has a control unit (11) for sending a sleep command to all the terminal units for stopping their CPUs and changing the voltage of the transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent to release the stop state. This arrangement can greatly reduce power consumption in a power failure.

Description

DESCRIPTION DISASTER PROTECTION MONITORING CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE DISASTER MONITORING CONTROL APPARATUS The present invention relates to a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus, and more specifically, to a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus whose power consumption is reduced in a power failure and a method of controlling the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus.

In general, a typical disaster protection monitoring control apparatus employs a monitoring method referred to as a socalled polling method by which a central monitoring device monitors a state by collecting data from a plurality of terminal units such as relay units, analog sensors and the like. In this case, as shown in Fig.14 of the accompanying drawings, a receiver first supplies a sampling command for requesting each terminal unit to collect data. Each terminal unit collects analog data such as a temperature, smoke density and the like in response to the sampling command, converts the analog data into digital data and waits a call from the control panel. On the other hand, the control panel successively designates the address of each terminal unit following the sampling command and calls the terminal unit.The called terminal unit returns monitor information to the control panel in response to the call. First, the control panel collects monitor information from n sets of the terminal units by repeating the call n times. On the completion of the data collection from the n sets of the terminal units as described above, the control panel issues a sampling command again to call the n + 1 terminal unit and the terminal units following the n + 1 terminal unit and collects data therefrom. More specifically, unless information is supplied from the terminal units by interruption and control data is transmitted therefrom, the control panel successively carries out polling of the terminal units between A/D conversions. Data is collected from all the terminal units by repeating such an operation.Note, it takes about one second to collect data from the n sets of the terminal units after the sampling command is issued.

Incidentally, disaster protection monitoring control apparatuses, in particular fire alarm apparatuses are regulated to keep their function for a predetermined period of time by the regulation even if a power failure arises. Such a regulation is different in respective countries, and, for example, in Japan the fire alarm apparatuses must keep their function for one hour and in England they must keep their function for 72 hours. Consequently, the central monitoring device of the fire alarm apparatus must contain a battery as a back-up power source in a power failure. In particular, the central monitoring device used in the countries such as England, where the function of the fire alarm apparatus is requested to be kept for a long time, must contain a battery of a large capacity.

On the other hand, since analog sensors and relay units each serving as the terminal units have a CPU mounted thereon, the CPUs also consume a considerable amount of current. Consequently, a battery to be contained must have a larger capacity to cover the current consumed by these units in a power failure. Thus, a problem arises in that the size of the apparatus itself, as well as the cost of a system, is increased accordingly. Further, a problem also arises in that since the terminal units consume a large amount of current, the line resistence is restricted by the current and the line cannot be extended.

There is known an apparatus disclosed in U.S.P 4,816,808 which is filed based on Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No.

62-249299 (249299/1987) as an apparatus for solving the aforesaid problems. This apparatus is arranged such that when a polling address from a control panel is different from an address specific to a terminal unit, the CPU of the terminal unit is brought to a waiting state to reduce power consumption. In this method, an address signal and a command signal from the control panel are kept in a buffer circuit once and interruption is triggered to the CPU on receiving these signals so that the CPU is changed from the waiting state to a running state. Then, the CPU changed to the running state reads the address signal kept in the buffer circuit and confirms whether or not the address signal conforms with its address, and if not, the CPU is brought to the waiting state.

Nevertheless, such a conventional fire alarm apparatus has a problem that since an address signal and a command signal from a control panel must be kept once in a peripheral circuit such as a buffer circuit or the like, the arrangement of the CPU peripheral circuit is made complex and the cost is increased accordingly. Further, although the apparatus consumes a less amount of power as compared with a case in which the CPU is in a running state at all times, the effect of the current consumed by the peripheral circuit cannot be ignored when the number of terminal units is increased and an improvement of this problem has been desired.

An object of the present invention is to provide a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus capable of greatly reducing power consumption in a power failure by solving the above problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus including a central monitoring device and terminal units connected to the central monitoring device through a transmission path, each of the terminal units having a CPU for returning monitor information obtained by the each terminal unit to the central monitoring device when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto, wherein the central monitoring device has a control unit for sending a sleep command to all of the terminal units for stopping the CPUs of the terminal units and changing a voltage of the transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent, and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of the terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when a change of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.

In one embodiment, the central monitoring device has a control unit for sending a sleep command for stopping the CPUs of terminal units to all of the terminal units and decreasing a voltage of a transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and further increasing the voltage of the transmission path to the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased, and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of the terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when an increase of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus including a central monitoring device and terminal units connected to the central monitoring device through a transmission path, each of the terminal units having a CPU for returning monitor information obtained by the each terminal unit to the central monitoring device in a usual state when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto and for returning an abnormal state sensing information to the central monitoring device at a predetermined timing by interruption when an abnormal state arises, wherein the central monitoring device has a control unit for carrying out polling to which an interrupt signal receiving time is set each predetermined cycle, sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of the terminal units to a stop state after the polling is carried out to all of the terminal units and changing a voltage of the transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent, and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of the terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when a change of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.

In a further embodiment, the central monitoring device has a control unit for carrying out polling to which an interrupt signal receiving time is set each predetermined cycle, sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of terminal units to a stop state after the polling is carried out to all of the terminal units, decreasing a voltage of a transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and increasing the voltage of the transmission path to the voltage used when the signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased, and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of the terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when an increase of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.

Advantageously, the control unit of the central monitoring device issues the sleep command when a power failure is caused to the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus.

Preferably, the control unit of the central monitoring device has information collection carmand means for sending a data fetch signal for requiring all of the terminal units to fetch monitor information each predetermined time prior to polling, on receiving the data fetch signal, the CPUs of the terminal units fetch and keep the monitor information as well as usually return the monitor information to the central monitoring device when the terminal units receive a call signal addressed thereto and when an abnormal state is determined to be caused, the CPUs of the terminal units carry out an interruption processing and return the occurrence of the abnormal state to the central monitoring device.

In another embodiment, an interruption processing to be carried out by the terminal unit having sensed the occurrence of an abnormal state is executed in a response time of the terminal unit to polling and an interruption signal is composed of break data, On receiving an interruption signal from the terminal unit having sensed the occurrance of an abnormal state, the control unit of the central monitoring device can carry out a processing for specifying the terminal unit having sent the interruption signal.

The terminal units can be, for example analog sensors or relay units.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that terminal units having CPUs are called from a central monitoring device by polling through a transmission path and the terminal units having received a call signal addressed thereto return monitor information obtained thereby to the central monitoring device, wherein the central monitoring device sends a sleep command for setting the CPUs of the terminal units to a stop state to all of the terminal units and changes a voltage of the transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent, and the CPUs of the terminal units are set to the stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received, and the stop state is released when a change of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that a central monitoring device sends a sleep command for setting the CPUs of the terminal units to a stop state to all of the terminal units, decreases a voltage of the transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and increases the voltage of the transmission path to the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased, and the CPUs of the terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received and the stop state is released when an increase of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that terminal units are called from a central monitoring device by polling through a transmission path and the terminal units having received a call signal addressed thereto return monitor information obtained thereby to the central monitoring device in a usual state and when an abnormal state arises, the terminal units having sensed the occurrence of the abnormal state return an abnormal state sensing information to the central monitoring device at a predetermined timing by interruption, wherein the central monitoring device has a time for receiving an interruption signal each predetermined cycle, carries out polling the number of times for receiving the interruption signal, sends a sleep command for setting the CPUs of the terminal units to a sleep state to all of the terminal units after the polling is carried out, and changes a voltage of the transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent, and the CPUs of the terminal units are set to the stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received, and the stop state is released when a change of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that a central monitoring device has a time for receiving an interruption signal each predetermined cycle, carries out polling the number of times for receiving the interruption signal, sends a sleep command for setting the CPUs of the terminal units to a sleep state to all of the terminal units after the polling is carried out, and decreases a voltage of a transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and increases the voltage of the transmission path to the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased, and the CPUs of the terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received, and the stop state is released when an increase of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state.

The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall arrangement of a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a relay unit used in the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an analog sensor used in the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a time chart explaining a first embodiment of a polling operation according to the present invention;; FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the detail of the polling operation of the first embodiment according to the present invention; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the polling operation of the first embodiment according to the present invention; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing sequence in a sleep mode; FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing sequence when a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus to which the present invention is applied carries out a usual processing; FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing sequence when a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus to which the present invention is applied carries out a usual processing;; FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing sequence to be taken when a power failure arises in a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus to which the present invention is applied; FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing sequence to be taken by a control panel in a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus to which the present invention is applied; FIG. 12 is a time chart showing the detail of a polling operation of a second embodiment according to the present invention; FIG. 13 is a time chart showing the detail of a polling operation of a third embodiment according to the present invention; and FIG. 14 is a time chart showing the polling operation of a conventional disaster protection monitoring control apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system arrangement of a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The present invention relates to a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus for calling terminal units such as smoke sensors and the like by so-called polling and causes the terminal units to return monitor information obtained thereby to a control panel, wherein the central processing unit (hereinafter, abbreviated as CPU) of each terminal unit is stopped for a predetermined period of time by setting a sleep command for stopping the CPU when data is transmitted from the control panel to thereby reduce the current consueed by a system.

As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment is composed of a control panel 1 connected to terminal units 2 through a transmission path 3.

In this case, the terminal units 2 include relay units 4, an analog smoke sensor 5, an analog heat sensor 6 and a control relay unit 7. Then, sensor signal lines 31 are derived from the relay units 4 and connected to a manual call point 21 and ON/OFF sensors 22. Further, a controlling line 32 is derived from the control relay unit 7, and controlling loads, such as an avoiding and discharging unit, are connected to the controlling line 32.

The control panel 1 is provided with a control unit 11 composed of a CPU and the control unit 11 is further provided with a display unit 12, an operation unit 13, a sound unit 14 for outputting an alarm and audio message and a power supply unit 15. Further, the control unit 11 is provided with an information collection command means 16 for simultaneously commanding information collection to a plurality of the terminal units at a predetermined timing. Note, the power supply unit 15 receives power from a (not shown) camercial power source except at a time when a power failure arises and supplies the power of a predetermined voltage to the control panel as well as stores power with a battery as an emergency power source to be used in the occurrence of a power failure.

In this embodiment, so-called polling is carried out by the control unit 11 to make a call with a designated address of the terminal and to collect terminal information.

The polling in this embodiment is arranged such that the information collection command means 16 provided as a function of the control unit 11 issues a lump-sum information collection command to all of the terminal units at a predetermined cycle, for example, each one secondhand the terminal units collect and keep detected data substantially at the same time based on the information collection command.

Then, the polling is carried out to each terminal unit with the designated address thereof after the information is collected so that the monitor information held by the terminal unit is sent to the control panel 1. This altodiment sends a sleep command for stopping the CPU of each terminal unit to the each terminal unit each time such a polling processing is carried out once in the occurrence of a power failure to thereby reduce the current to be consumed.

On the other hand, although the terminal units 2 are composed of the relay units 4 and the like as described above, any of the terminal units has the same function as a relay unit for an information collection command, a call command, a CPU stop command and a CPU stop release command, and the like.

Therefore, when viewed from the control panel 1, a series of terminal unit addresses such as, for example, 127 addresses from 1 to 127 are set to the respective terminal units on the transmission path 3.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show the circuit arrangement of the relay unit 4 and the analog smoke sensor 5, respectively.

In FIG. 2, the relay unit 4 is provided with a control circuit 41. The control circuit 41 includes a CPU 42 as control means, a memory 43 using a RAM and the like, and further an A/D conversion unit 44. Further, the CPU 42 of the control circuit 41 is provided with a receiving/sending circuit 45 and an address setting circuit 46. The receiving/ sending circuit 45 receives a call signal from the control panel 1 in a voltage mode and supplies the call signal to the CPU 42 as well as supplies a response signal from the CPU 42 to the control panel 1 in a current mode. On the other hand, the CPU 42 includes a stop release signal input port 421 for receiving a stop release signal in addition to ports for sending and receiving the above signals so as to receive signals from the control panel 1 through the receiving/sending circuit 45.Note, an input to the stop release signal input port 421 is effective only when the CPU 42 is stopped and even if data is input to the stop release signal input port 421 when the CPU 42 is in operation, the input data does not affect the operation of the CPU 42 at all.

The address setting circuit 46 sets the predetermined addresses of the terminal units to the CPU 42 by means of address setting switches 81 using dip switches and the like. The address setting circuit 46 also sets group addresses to be set when a plurality of the relay units are grouped, in addition to the setting of specific selfaddresses.

The CPU 42 is provided with a function as information collection means and response means. The A/D conversion unit 44 provided with the control circuit 41 includes a plurality of input ports shown by numbers 1, 2, ...

n. ON/OFF sensors and manual call points, for example, may be externally connected as sensors as many as the number of the input ports 1 to n of the A/D conversion unit. FIG. 2 shows the two ON/OFF sensors of ON/OFF sensors 22 - 1, 22 - 2, 22 - (n - 1) and a manual call point 21 connected finally, the ON/OFF sensors 22 - 1 to 22 - (n - 1) correspond to the input ports 1, 2, ... (n - 1) of the A/D conversion unit 44, and the final manual call point 21 corresponds to the input port n.

On the other hand, a signal line terminal S, a sensor circuit terminal V, a confirmation response line terminal AA for the manual call point 21 and further a common terminal SC are provided with the transmission path to the control panel of the relay unit 4. Therefore, the relay unit 4 is connected to the control panel 1 through four circuits.

A diode D2 and a zener diode ZD2 are connected to the signal line S and the common terminal SC and further a constant voltage circuit 82 is connected thereto.

The constant voltage circuit 82 outputs a power source voltage, for example, +3.2 V to the control circuit 41.

A diode D1 and a zener diode ZD1 are connected to the sensor circuit terminal V and further a constant voltage circuit 83 is connected thereto. The constant voltage circuit 83 outputs a power source voltage, for example, 20 V required by the ON/OFF sensors 22 - 1 to 22 - (n - 1) and the manual call point 21 each connected externally. Breaking of wire due to fire sensing circuits 84 - 1 to 84 - n and test circuits 85 1 to 85 - n are individually provided following the constant voltage circuit 83 in correspondence with each of the ON/OFF sensors 22 - 1 to 22 - (n - 1) and the manual call point 21.

The breaking of wire due to fire sensing circuits 84 - 1 to 84 - n are supplied with an increased voltage, for example 35 V from a voltage increasing circuit 86. The voltage increasing circuit 86 is temporarily operated when the CPU 42 carries out a data sampling processing and supplies the voltage increased to 35 V which is higher than a usual power source voltage 20 V to the ON/OFF sensors 22 - 1 to 22 - (n 1) and the manual call point 21 as a sensing operation voltage through the breaking of wire due to fire sensing circuits 84 1 to 84 - n.

As shown in the ON/OFF sensor 22 - 1, each of the ON/OFF sensors 22 - 1 to 22 - (n - 1) is composed of a series circuit of an information issue display light 87 and a resistor R1 with a resister R2 connected to the series circuit in parallel and a sensing unit contact 88 is further connected to the series circuit. The sensing unit contact point 88 is composed of switching means such as a thyristor or the like to be triggered by the mechanical switch contact of a diaphragm type heat sensing unit and the fire sensing signal from a smoke sensing unit, a heat sensing unit and the like.

Further, a terminating unit 89 is connected to the terminals of the ON/OFF sensing unit 22 - 1. The terminating unit 89 is composed of a zener diode ZD2, a resistor RO and a zener diode ZD3 each connected in series. The zener diodes ZD2 and ZD3 are connected to the terminating resistor RO in a reverse direction so that any one of the zener diodes ZD2, ZD3 functions even if the connecting polarity thereof is replaced.

Since the zener diodes ZD2, ZD3 are arranged as a zener voltage, they are not conductive when supplied with a voltage 20 V which is output from the constant voltage circuit 86 at a usual time when data sampling is not carried out and they are conductive when supplied with a voltage, for example, 35 V which is output from the voltage increasing circuit 86 when data sampling is carried out.

On the other hand, the manual call point 21 corresponding to the input port n of the A/D conversion unit 44 includes a switch contact 90 which is turned ON by the operation of a push button and a switch contact 91 which is closed in association with the switch contact 90, and the switch contact 90 is connected to a sensing unit circuit extending from the breaking of wire due to fire sensing circuit 84 - n. Further, a signal line extending from the confirmation response terminal AA of the relay unit 4 is wired to the manual call point 21 and connected to the switch contact 91 through a confirmation lamp 92 and the resistors R3 and R4.

The control circuit 41 sends fire sensing information to the control panel 1 by interruption through the confirmation response terminal AA of the relay unit 4 based on a fire sensing signal of the manual call point 21. Then, on receiving the fire sensing information, the control panel 1 sends a confirmation signal to the confirmation response terminal AA. Specifically, a voltage is supplied and the confirmation lamp 92 is lit by the voltage.

Further, on receiving a test command by the operation of the test switch in the relay unit 4 or a call signal from the control panel 1, test circuits 85 - 1 to 85 n provided in correspondence with the ON/OFF sensing units 22 -1 to 22 - (n - 1) and the manual call point 21 are successively operated and short-circuit between the sensing unit circuits. With this operation, a virtual fire state similar to that in which the sensing unit contact point 88 or the manual call point switch contact 90 is operated can be created so that the test in the case of operating the ON/OFF sensing units can be carried out.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the analog smoke sensing unit 5. In FIG. 3, the analog smoke sensing unit is composed of a sensing unit main body Sa and a sensing unit base Sb. The sensing unit main body 5a is provided with a rectifier circuit 51 for making connection polarity to a non-polar state, a noise absorption circuit 52 and a transmission signal sensing circuit 53 from the base side thereof. The transmission signal sensing circuit 53 senses a call signal in a voltage mode from the control panel 1 and supplies the call signal to a transmission control circuit 54.Similar to the relay unit 4, the analog smoke sensing unit 5 is provided with a stop release signal input port 541 for receiving a stop release signal in addition to ports for sending and receiving a call signal and the like so that the analog smoke sensing unit 5 can receive signals from the control panel 1 through the transmission signal sensing circuit 53.

Address information and type information are supplied from an address/type setting circuit 55 to the transmission control circuit 54. The transmission control circuit 54 has the same function as that of the control circuit 41 of the relay unit 4 shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the transmission control circuit 54 returns sensing data stored in a memory in response to a call signal by a usual polling, and on receiving a data sampling command, the transmission control circuit 54 collects sensing data.

The analog smoke sensing unit 5 senses smoke by means of an LED drive circuit 56, an infrared LED 57, a light receiving circuit 58 and an amplifier circuit 59. Further, the analog smoke sensing unit 5 is also provided with a test LED 100 for a test operation. The LED drive circuit 56 receives a data sampling command from the control panel 1 through the transmission control circuit 54, then drives the infrared LED at a time when a specific period of time determined by the address of the terminal unit elapses. Then, a smoke sensing signal obtained through the light receiving circuit 58 and the amplifier circuit 59 is converted into digital sensing data by A/D conversion and stored in a memory.

Note, a light scattering type smoke sensing method is employed by the infrared LED 57 and the light receiving circuit 58.

A response signal is supplied to a response signal output circuit 101 from the transmission control circuit 54 which sends a signal to the control panel 1 in a current mode.

Note, the transmission control circuit 54 and the circuits following the transmission control circuit 54 are operated by receiving a constant voltage from a constant voltage circuit 50. Further, the sensing unit base 5b is provided with an information issue display lamp circuit 102 and lights information issue display lamps exposed to the outside when fire is sensed.

Further, when the transmission control circuit 54 determines that fire arises from analog information obtained in data sampling carried out based on a data sampling command from the control panel 1, the transmission control circuit 54 returns a response signal including fire sensing information to the control panel 1 by interruption.

Next, a specific operation of the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a time chart showing a first embodiment of a polling operation according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to the control of the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in a power failure, and in this embodiment, all of the terminal units 2 are set to an operating state in response to a signal sent from the control panel 1. Next, the respective terminal units 2 collect data and the terminal units 2 having an address 1 and an address 2 successively make a response based on a call signal. Thereafter, all of the terminal units 2 are set to a stop state (sleep state) for a while in response to a sleep command from the control panel 1. Then, all of the terminal units 2 are set to the operating state (waken-up state) in response to a signal sent from the control panel 1 again and the terminal units having an addresses 3 and 4 make a response this time.As described above, according to this embodiment, since the CPUs 42, 54 of the terminal units 2 are set to the stop state for a predetermined period of time when a power failure arises, power consumption is saved accordingly as compared with a case in which polling is continuously carried out.

Note, according to this embodiment, a longer period of time is required to carry out polling to all of the terminal units as compared with a case in which polling is continuously carried out because there is provided the CPU stop period of time. However, even if the terminal unit of the address number 3 is called, for example, when other terminal unit senses an abnormal state, interruption can take place at a predetermined timing and the control panel 1 can receive abnormal state sensing information. Thus, there is no problem in the monitoring of a disaster.

Further, since information other than fire information has a lower degree of emergency, polling may be carried out less frequently such as once or twice per second.

Consequently, the CPUs of the terminal units can be stopped while maintaining the reliability for obtaining fire information by executing the interruption processing as in this embodiment so that the present invention can be more effectively applied.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing in more detail the relationship between a signal sent from the control panel 1 and a response of the terminal units in the aforesaid case.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing sequence to be carried out in the above case.

As shown in FIG. 5, periods of time necessary for the transmission of various commands and the response from the terminal units 2 are allocated to a signal from the control panel 1. How the control panel 1 sends and receives a signal to and from the terminal units 2 will be described here also referring to FIG. 6. First, a voltage output from the control panel 1 goes to a high level (step 1, hereinafter, abbreviated as S1). Thereafter, a warming-up time of 40 ms is set as a period of time necessary for the apparatus to be stabilized (S2). Then, after the warming-up time is finished, an A/D conversion command is issued (53). The A/D conversion command is composed of a command data field (Cm), an address data field (Ad) and a check sum field (Cs) and has a period of time of 27 ms.In this embodiment, a command for requesting the terminals unit 2 to collect terminal unit data and convert the data into a digital signal is included in the command data field. Data for calling all of the terminal units 2 is included in the address data field. The check sum field is used to get a sum of both data to determine whether the two data are set correctly or not.

The terminal units 2 having received the AD conversion command collect terminal unit data and convert the collected data into a digital signal during a next terminal unit AD conversion time (80 ms) according to the instruction of the command (S4). After the terminal unit AD conversion time elapses, the control panel 1 calls each of the terminal units 2 (S5). As shown in FIG. 5, polling data composed of a command data field (Cm), an address data field (Ad) and a check sum field (Cs) is also sent here. In this case, the command data field includes a command that the called terminal unit 2 must make a response. Further, the address data field includes an address desired to be called (address n in this embodiment). The check sum field is used to determine whether data is correctly set or not, similarly to the aforesaid case.

Each terminal unit 2 having received the polling data compares its address with address data and when the former conforms with the latter, the terminal unit 2 returns terminal unit data (S6). As shown in FIG. 5, the return data is composed of a terminal unit data field (d) showing the presence or absence of the issue of information from the ON/OFF sensing units 22 and the measuring data of the smoke sensor 5 and the check sum field. The control panel 1 determines whether an abnormal state arises or not from the polling response. Note, a time of 54 ms is allocated to a polling processing of a single terminal unit.

Following the completion of the response of the terminal unit 2 having an address n, polling is carried out to the terminal unit 2 having an address number n + 1 (S7). Also in this case, polling data is sent from the control panel 1 and the terminal unit 2 having the address number n + 1 having received the polling data makes a response to the polling data, similarly to the case of the terminal unit 2 having the address number n (S8).

After the response is made to the two sets of the terminal units 2 by the polling processing, a sleep mode command of 27 ms is issued in this embodiment to stop the CPUs of the terminal units 2 (S9). The sleep mode command is also composed of a command data field (Cm), an address data field (Ad) and a check sum field (Cs). In this case, the command data field includes a command for stopping the CPUs. Further, the address data field includes data meaning that all of the terminal units 2 are used as objects. Consequently, the CPUs of all the terminal units 2 having received the sleep mode command are brought to a stop state.

When 10 ms elapse after the stop bit of the check sum field of the sleep mode command is sent (S10), the output voltage form the control panel 1 is brought to a low level to terminate a series of the polling processings (S11).

After the completion of a series of the polling processings, the control panel 1 maintains the low level for about 1.2 seconds. During this time, the CPUs of the terminal units 2 are kept in the stop state.

On the other hand, in 1.2 seconds the next polling processing starts. At this time, the control panel 1 raises the output voltage to a high level from a low level, and the voltage rising-up is received by the terminal units 2 through the stop release signal input ports 421, 541 so that the stop state of the CPUs is released. In this case, since the stop release signal input ports 421, 541 are ports whose input is effective only when the CPUs are stopped, the high level signal is effective and the stop state of the CPUs is released by the high level signal.

FIG. 7 conceptually shows processing sequences to be taken in the above case. As shown in FIG. 7, when a power failure is sensed and the sleep mode is started, a time X seconds is set to stop the CPUs of the terminal units 2 (S12).

Then, it is determined whether the time X seconds has elapsed or not (S13) and when the time has elapsed, a high level is output again and the CPUs are activated again (S14). The X seconds are set to 1.2 seconds in this embodiment.

Here, a polling response processing sequence in the terminal units 2 and an operation of the terminal units 2 in the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are flowcharts showing a processing sequence in a usual processing and FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing sequence in a power failure.

At a usual time, first, whether a signal is received from the control panel 1 or not is confirmed (S21). When it is confirmed that the signal is received, the process goes to step S22 and whether a received command field is a sampling command or not is checked.

When the received command field is not the sampling command, the process goes to step S23 and checks whether a calling address conforms with a self-address or not. When the former conforms with the latter, the process goes to step S24 and checks whether the received command field is a control command or not. Since sensing data is a response command in a usual polling, the process goes to step S26 and sends a response to the control panel 1 by reading the sensing data stored in the memory. On the other hand, when the received command field is a control command such as a test of the sensors, and the like, the process goes to step S25 where the process executes a control such as a designated test of the sensors and the like and sends a response at step S26.

When it is determined at step S22 that the sampling command is received, the process goes to step S27 shown in FIG. 9 and sets a wait time Tw depending upon an address and waits for the elapse of the set wait time at step S28. When the wait time Tw has elapsed at step S28, the process samples sensing signals in the order of the input ports 1 to n of the AD conversion unit 44 in the case of the relay unit 4 as shown in steps S29 to S31.

That is, in the case of FIG. 2, voltages sensed by the breaking of wire due to fire sensing circuits 84 - 1 to 84 - n are successively read from the ports 1 to n in the state that the voltage increasing circuit 86 is in operation, the sensed voltages are converted into digital sensing data by A/D conversion and stored in the memory 43. When the sampling for all the ports is completed, the process goes to step S32 and checks whether data of a fire sensing region is included in the sensing data stored in the memory 43 or not. When the data of the fire sensing region is included, a fire arises, thus the process goes to step S33 and sends fire sensing data to the control panel 1 by interruption.

When no fire arises, the process goes to step S34 and determines whether a sensing voltage is included in a breaking of wire sensing region or not. When a wire is broken, the process goes to step S35 where the process calls polling and sets the fault bit of a response data format.

A response signal is processed by the control panel 1 as follows. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing executed by the control panel 1. On receiving a response signal from the terminal unit 2, the control panel 1 determines whether the signal is break data or not (S41).

When the response signal is not break data, the control panel 1 determines whether the response signal is data indicating a fault or not (S42). When the signal is normal data, the process is ended.

When it is conformed at step S41 that the response signal is break data, the control panel 1 determines the interruption by fire detecting data, and the control panel 1 searches the terminal unit 2 by which the fault is sensed (S43). Then, the control panel 1 controls all the circuits of an object to be controlled which is found as a result of the search (S44) . Further, when a fault is sensed at step S42, the content of the fault is displayed (S45) and the process is ended.

Note, a method well known from Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 5-6492 (1993) and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 5-6493 (1993) is used for the interrupt processing to send and receive break data and for the search of the terminal unit by which a fault is sensed.

On the other hand, the terminal units 2 make a response as described below in a power failure.

First, after predetermined initialization (S51) is executed, the process is set to a temporary stop state mode (sleep mode) (S52). Then, it is determined whether a risingup signal from the low level to the high level of the output voltage from the control panel 1 is input to the stop release signal input ports 421, 541 of the CPUs (S53). When the rising-up signal is input, the stop state mode is released (S54) and a usual processing is carried out as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 (S55). After the usual processing is carried out, it is determined whether a signal from the control panel 1 contains a stop command (sleep mode command) or not (S56).

When the stop command is received, the process returns to step S52 and is set to the stop state again. Further, when the stop command is not received, the usual processing is repeated (S55).

Next, a second embodiment of the polling operation according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 12 shows a time chart in the second embodiment. This embodiment sends a sleep command mode each time one of the terminal units is called in contrast to the previous embodiment which sends the sleep command after two of the terminal units 2 are called and sets the CPUs of the terminal units 2 to the stop state. This embodiment also sets a warm-up time, sends an AD conversion command, carries out AD conversion on the terminal units 2 side based on the AD conversion command, executes polling and a response there for by designating an address and sends the sleep mode command similarly to that described above.

A series of the processings in this case are also carried out in the same sequence as the mentioned above.

FIG. 13 is a time chart showing a third embodiment of the polling operation. In this case, first one set of the terminal units is called and obtains a response thereof and then sends the sleep mode command and sets the CPU to the stop state. Next, two sets of the terminal units are successively called and then the sleep mode command is sent. That is, in this embodiment polling is carried out in such a manner that data is sent to and received from the terminal units 2 in the sequence of one set, two sets and one set thereof. Thus, the polling is carried out in such a manner that the CPU is stopped after one set of the terminal units is called, then the CPUs are stopped by successively calling two sets of them.

Although the three embodiments are shown above as the polling operation, a method of controlling the disaster protection monitoring control apparatus is not limited to the above three embodiments, but, needless to say, the number of the terminal units to be called may be arbitrarily changed so long as a method of sending the sleep mode command and stopping the CPUs of the terminal units is employed. Further, although the embodiments are arranged such that the CPUs are released from the stop state by sensing the rising-up of a high level signal from the control panel 1, the falling-down to a low level signal may be sensed. Further, the CPUs may be turned ON and OFF by sending the signal of a voltage higher than a usual high level or lower than a usual low level and sensing the signal.

As described above, according to the present invention of claim 1, since the CPUs of the terminal units are set to the stop state based on the sleep command on receiving the sleep command and the sleep state is released when a change of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the terminal units need not be called at all times and the terminal units need almost no peripheral circuit for receiving a stop release signal, so that there can be obtained an effect of reducing the amount of consumption of current in a power failure as compared with a conventional apparatus. As a result, the capacity of the battery and the power source can be reduced and the apparatus can be miniaturized and the cost thereof can be also lowered.Further, since the amount of a current to be consumed by the terminal units is reduced, the line resistance can be increased and the length thereof can be extended accordingly.

According to the present invention of claim 2, since the central monitoring device has the control unit for decreasing and increasing the voltage of the transmission path after the sleep command is sent, the CPUs of the terminal units are set to the stop state based on the sleep command on receiving the sleep command and the sleep state is released when an increase of the voltage of the transmission path is sensed in the stop state, there can be obtained an effect that a peripheral circuit for receiving a release signal is virtually uneeded and the amount of current to be consumed by a peripheral circuit other than the CPUs can be also reduced by setting the transmission line to the low level after the sleep command is sent.

According to the present invention of claim 3, since a fire signal is processed by interruption, the CPUs of the terminal units can be stopped by reducing the number of polling under the condition that fire information can be reliably obtained, there can be obtained the effect that the amount of consumption of current can be greatly reduced while securing reliability, in addition to the above effects.

According to the present invention of claim 4, since a fire signal is processed by interruption and the transmission line is set to the low level after the sleep command is sent, there can be obtained the effect that the amount of current to be consumed by a peripheral circuit other then the CPUs can be also reduced while reliably obtaining fire information, in addition to the above effects

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus including a central monitoring device and terminal units connected to the central monitoring device through a transmission path, each of the terminal units having a CPU for returning monitor information obtained by said each terminal unit to the central monitoring device when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto, wherein: said central monitoring device has a control unit for sending a sleep command to all of said terminal units for stopping the CPUs of said terminal units and changing the voltage of said transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent; and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of said terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when a change of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.
2. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus including a central monitoring device and terminal units connected to the central monitoring device through a transmission path, each of the terminal units having a CPU for returning monitor information obtained by said each terminal - unit to the central monitoring device when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto, wherein:: said central monitoring device has a control unit for sending a sleep command for stopping the CPUs of said terminal units to all of said terminal units and decreasing the voltage of said transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and further increasing the voltage of the transmission path to the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased; and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of said terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when an increase of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.
3. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus including a central monitoring device and terminal units connected to the central monitoring device through a transmission path, each of the terminal units having a CPU for returning monitor information obtained by said each terminal unit to the central monitoring device in a usual state when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto and for returning an abnormal state sensing information to said central monitoring device at a predetermined timing by interruption when an abnormal state arises, wherein:: said central monitoring device has a control unit for carrying out polling to which an interrupt signal receiving time is set each predetermined cycle, sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a stop state after the polling is carried out to all of said terminal units and changing a voltage of said transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent; and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of said terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when a change of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.
4. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus including a central monitoring device and terminal units connected to the central monitoring device through a transmission path, each of the terminal units having a CPU for usually returning monitor information obtained by said each terminal unit to the central monitoring device when the terminal unit receives a call signal addressed thereto and for returning an abnormal state sensing information to said central monitoring device at a predetermined timing by interruption when an abnormal state arises, wherein:: said central monitoring device has a control unit for carrying out polling to which an interrupt signal receiving time is set each predetermined cycle, sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a stop state after the polling is carried out to all of said terminal units, decreasing the voltage of said transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and increasing the voltage of said transmission path to the voltage used when the signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased; and on receiving the sleep command, the CPUs of said terminal units are set to a stop state based on the sleep command and when an increase of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state, the stop state is released.
5. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit of said central monitoring device issues the sleep command when a power failure is caused to said disaster protection monitoring control apparatus.
6. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: the control unit of said central monitoring device has information collection command means for sending a data fetch signal for requiring all of the terminal units to fetch monitor information each.predetermined time prior to polling; and on receiving said data fetch signal, the CPUs of said terminal units fetch and keep the monitor information as well as usually return the monitor information to the central monitoring device when said terminal units receive a call signal addressed thereto and when an abnormal state is determined to be caused, the CPUs of said terminal units carry out an interruption processing and return the occurrence of the abnormal state to said central monitoring device.
7. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to claims 3, 4 or 6, wherein an interruption processing to be carried out by said terminal unit having sensed the occurrence of an abnormal state is executed in a response time of said terminal unit to polling and an interruption signal is composed of break data.
8. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to claims 3, 4, 6 or 7, wherein on receiving an interruption signal from said terminal unit having sensed the occurrence of an abnormal state, the control unit of said central monitoring device carries out a processing for specifying said terminal unit having sent said interruption signal.
9. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8 wherein said terminal units are analog sensors or relay units.
10. A method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that terminal units having CPUs are called from a central monitoring device by polling through a transmission path and the terminal units having received a call signal addressed thereto return monitor information obtained thereby to said central monitoring device, comprising the steps of: sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a stop state to all of said terminal units from said central monitoring device and changing the voltage of said transmission path in a predetermined period of time by said central monitoring device after the sleep command is sent; and setting the CPUs of said terminal units to the stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received and releasing the stop state when a change of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state.
11. A method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that terminal units are called from a central monitoring device by polling through a transmission path and the terminal units having received a call signal addressed thereto return monitor information obtained thereby to said central monitoring device, comprising the steps of:: sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a stop state to all of said terminal units from said central monitoring device, decreasing the voltage of said transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and increasing the voltage of said transmission path to the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased; and setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received and releasing said stop state when an increase of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state.
12. A method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that terminal units are called from a central monitoring device by polling through a transmission path and the terminal units having received a call signal addressed thereto return monitor information obtained thereby to the central monitoring device in a usual state and when an abnormal state arises, the terminal units having sensed the occurrence of the abnormal state return an abnormal state sensing information to the central monitoring device at a predetermined timing by interruption, comprising the steps of:: carrying out polling the number of times for receiving an interruption signal, sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a sleep state to all of said terminal units after the polling is carried out and changing the voltage of said transmission path in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent, by said central monitoring device having a time for receiving the interruption signal each predetermined cycle; setting the CPUs of said terminal units to the stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received and releasing the stop state when a change of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state.
13. A method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus in such a manner that terminal units are called from a central monitoring device by polling through a transmission path and the terminal units having received a call signal addressed thereto return monitor information obtained thereby to the central monitoring device in a usual state and when an abnormal state arises, the terminal units having sensed the occurrence of the abnormal state return an abnormal state sensing information to the central monitoring device at a predetermined timing by interruption, comprising the steps of:: carrying out polling the number of times for receiving an interruption signal, sending a sleep command for setting the CPUs of said terminal units to a sleep state to all of said terminal units after the polling is carried out, decreasing the voltage of said transmission path to a predetermined voltage which is lower than a voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the sleep command is sent and increasing the voltage of said transmission path to the voltage used when a signal is usually sent in a predetermined period of time after the voltage is decreased; and setting the CPUs of said terminal units to the stop state based on the sleep command when the sleep command is received and releasing the stop state when an increase of the voltage of said transmission path is sensed in the stop state.
14. A disaster protection monitoring control apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1-13 of the accompanying drawings.
15. A method of controlling a disaster protection monitoring control apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.