System and method for monitoring usage and predicting failure of visual notification appliances

A visual notification appliance, comprising:

• a light source;
• an interface for receiving a command to flash the light source;
• an electronic counter that stores a value indicative of a number of times the light source has flashed during a time interval;
• and
• means for reporting a message representative of the stored number of times the light source has flashed,
• wherein the means for reporting transmits the stored number of times the light source has flashed to a remote device over a network connection using a unique address corresponding to the visual notification appliance.

A method for monitoring usage of a visual notification appliance, comprising:

• registering a count each time an associated light source flashes;
• obtaining cumulative count information for said light source based on said registered counts;
• comparing said cumulative count information to a predetermined count limit;
• sending said cumulative count information from said visual notification appliance to a remote device over a network via a network connection;
• and
• providing an alert when said cumulative count information exceeds the predetermined count limit,
• wherein said visual notification appliance contains a unique address on the network.

A system for monitoring usage of a visual notification appliance, comprising:

• a visual notification appliance configured to register a count each time an associated light source flashes, and to obtain cumulative count information based on said registered counts;
• and
• a receiver configured to compare said cumulative count information to a predetermined count limit and provide an alert when said cumulative count information exceeds the predetermined count limit,
• wherein the visual notification appliance is configured to transmit said cumulative count information to a remote device over a network via a network connection,
• wherein said visual notification appliance contains a unique address on the network.