Supervising alarm notification devices

An apparatus for monitoring an electric circuit of an alarm system, the apparatus comprising:

• a supervisor module electrically coupled to two or more electric circuits, each electric circuit comprising a resistor and one or more notification devices in parallel;
• wherein the supervisor module is configured to:
• receive input electric power, the input electric power having a voltage in a range of 12 to 16 VDC;
• apply, to each electric circuit, first electric current in a first direction, wherein the voltage across the electric circuit is approximately 12 VDC when the first electric current is being applied;
• determine, based on electric current returning from each electric circuit, whether any of the electric circuits is damaged;
• receive a trigger signal indicative of an alarm event;
• and
• responsive to receiving the trigger signal, selectively apply, to a subset of the electric circuits, second electric current in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the voltage across the electric circuit is approximately 12 V when the second electric current is being applied,
• wherein the second electric current is a pulsating electrical current, wherein each notification device is configured to allow the second electric current to flow through the notification device when the second electric current is applied to the corresponding electric circuit, and wherein the flow of the second electric current causes the notification device to generate a pulsating notification.

A method of monitoring two or more electric circuits of an alarm system, the method comprising:

• receiving input electric power, the input electric power having a voltage in a range of 12 to 16 VDC;
• applying, to each electric circuit, first electric current in a first direction, wherein the voltage across the electric circuit is approximately 12 VDC when the first electric current is being applied;
• determining, based on electric current returning from each electric circuit, whether any of the electric circuits is damaged;
• receiving a trigger signal indicative of an alarm event;
• and
• responsive to receiving the trigger signal, selectively applying, to a subset of the electric circuits, second electric current in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the voltage across the electric circuit is approximately 12 V when the second electric current is being applied,
• wherein the second electric current is a pulsating electrical current, wherein each notification device is configured to allow the second electric current to flow through the notification device when the second electric current is applied to the corresponding electric circuit, and wherein the flow of the second electric current causes the notification device to generate a pulsating notification.