In-situ silent fault detection for buzzers

A method performed by at least one processing device comprising hardware, the method comprising:

• disabling a buzzer driver of a detection system, the buzzer driver being connected with a buzzer via a plurality of output pins;
• performing a pretest reset process, the pretest reset process comprising connecting the plurality of output pins to ground;
• configuring the detection system for performance of a fault test process by:
• disconnecting a given output pin of the plurality of output pins from ground;
• and
• configuring a current generator of the detection system to generate a test current;
• performing the fault test process by:
• activating the current generator to generate the test current;
• deactivating the current generator after a predetermined amount of time;
• initiating analog-to-digital conversion by an analog-to-digital converter connected to the buzzer via the given output pin to generate count values;
• and
• storing the count values from the analog-to-digital conversion in a memory;
• comparing the stored count values to factory stored values corresponding to a prior performance of the fault test process;
• determining, based at least in part on the comparison, that a fault condition has occurred;
• and
• triggering an alert based at least in part on the determination that a fault condition has occurred.

An apparatus comprising at least one processing device comprising hardware, the at least one processing device being configured to:

• disable a buzzer driver of a detection system, the buzzer driver being connected with a buzzer via a plurality of output pins;
• perform a pretest reset process, the pretest reset process comprising connecting the plurality of output pins to ground;
• configure the detection system for performance of a fault test process by:
• disconnecting a given output pin of the plurality of output pins from ground;
• and
• configuring a current generator of the detection system to generate a test current;
• perform the fault test process by:
• activating the current generator to generate the test current;
• deactivating the current generator after a predetermined amount of time;
• initiating analog-to-digital conversion by an analog-to-digital converter connected to the buzzer via the given output pin to generate count values;
• and
• storing the count values from the analog-to-digital conversion in a memory;
• compare the stored count values to factory stored values corresponding to a prior performance of the fault test process;
• determine, based at least in part on the comparison, that a fault condition has occurred;
• and
• trigger an alert based at least in part on the determination that a fault condition has occurred.