System and method for charging supplemental power units for alarm notification devices
AssigneeJohnson Controls Fire Protection LP
InventorsMark P. Barrieau, Andreas Brenner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for providing supplemental power to a notification unit of a device in a fire alarm system. The notification unit generates alert signals for indicating an alarm. The device includes a power unit for providing the supplemental power to the notification unit and a device controller for charging the power unit. The device controller charges the power unit in response to receiving a charging synchronization signal from a system controller of the system.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a notification unit for generating alert signals that indicate an alarm;
- a power conditioning circuit for providing conditioned electrical power;
- a power unit for providing supplemental power to the notification unit;
- and
- a device controller for charging the power unit in response to receiving a charging synchronization signal from a system controller;
- a transceiver for communicating with the system controller;
- and
- a power switch, wherein the device controller directs the power switch to shift between a communication mode in which the power unit is disconnected from the power conditioning circuit and the notification unit, a charging mode in which the power unit is connected to the power conditioning circuit based on the charging synchronization signal, and an activation mode in which the notification unit is connected to the power unit.
An alarm system, comprising:
- a device for generating alert signals that indicate an alarm, wherein the device comprises a power conditioning circuit for providing conditioned electrical power, a power switch, a power unit for providing supplemental power to a notification unit and a device controller for charging the power unit;
- and
- a system controller for controlling the device;
- a transceiver for communicating with the system controller
- wherein the device controller charges the power unit in response to receiving a charging synchronization signal from the system controller and controls the power switch to shift between a communication mode in which the power unit is disconnected from the power conditioning circuit and the notification unit, a charging mode in which the power unit is connected to the power conditioning circuit, and an activation mode in which the notification unit is connected to the power unit.
A method for providing supplemental power to a notification unit of a device, comprising:
- a system controller sending a charging synchronization signal to the device;
- a device controller of the device charging a power unit in response to the device receiving the charging synchronization signal;
- the system controller sending an alarm synchronization signal to the device;
- and
- the power unit providing supplemental power to the notification unit in response to the device receiving the alarm synchronization signal,
- wherein when the system controller polls a group of devices for a status change and at least one device of the group of devices has the status change;
- then
- the system controller polls a byte group of devices from the group of devices;
- the system controller polls a nyble group of devices from the byte group of devices that responded to the byte group polling;
- the system controller polls a two bit pair of devices from the nyble group of devices that responded to the nyble group polling;
- and
- the system controller polls a device of the two bit pair of devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.