TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention is directed to a home security surveillance system, and more
particularly to such a system in which a service provider implements a home security
service to individual customer's homes respectively equipped with in-house alarm network.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] There has been proposed a hazard alarm system, for example, as disclosed in
WO 2008/088079 that is designed to operate solely in a user's home for giving a fire alarm in a
multiplicity of rooms or locations when any one of the locations is detected to see
a fire occurrence. For this purpose, the prior alarm system utilizes a master detector
and a plurality of slave detectors, which are disposed in different locations and
are communicated with each other through an in-house network. Each of the detectors
incorporates a detector for detection of a hazard or fire condition as well as an
alarm unit which issues an alarm upon the detector generating a hazard signal indicative
of the occurrence of the hazard condition. The master detector is specifically designed
to receive the hazard signal from anyone of the slave detectors and to generate an
interlocking hazard signal and transmit the same to all the other detectors for simultaneous
alarm at every detectors or rooms. While on the other hand, the slave terminal is
designed to transmit the hazard signal to the master detector and optionally to the
other slave detectors, but not to relay the hazard signal to the others. Thus, only
the master detector acts as a repeater to relay the hazard signal to all the other
detectors in order to successfully issue the alarms from all of the detectors for
enhancing system integrity against possible failure of issuing the alarm in any one
of the rooms.
[0003] In recent years, there is a growing demand of expanding the above individual in-house
alarm networks to an integrated network service or system with the use of a widely-available
computer network, e.g. the Internet, in order to add an assistant service of dealing
with the hazard condition by a third party other than the individual users. When implementing
such integrated network service, it is required to employ a computer-based server
on the side of a service provider, and a gateway in each of the users' homes as an
interface between the in-house alarm network and the server so as to collect the hazard
signal transmitted within the in-house alarm network. The server can be designed to
communicate through the public computer network with the gateway so as to acknowledge
hazard condition detected in the in-house alarm network for providing the assistance
service upon receiving of the hazard condition detected in the in-house alarm network.
[0004] From
US 2006/0132301 A1 is known a communications network for a security network. The communications network
including at least one master base unit and at least two slave base units, or portable
parts, is configured such that each of the master base units is capable of communicating
with each of the slave base units, and each of the slave base units is capable of
communicating with each of the master base units. The network is also configured such
that each of the master base units and each of the network slave base units is capable
of communicating with an outside telecommunications network.
[0005] In order to take advantage of the matured in-house network or subsystem utilizing
the master detector as distinguished in its repeater function from the slave detectors,
the system is required to identify the master detector and the slave detectors at
an initialization of the system, i.e., at the time of installing the detectors in
the individual users' home. When the master detector and the slave detector are provided
as differently designed ones, no particular difficulty is seen at the initialization.
However, when the detector of a universal design is provided to operate selectively
as the master and slave for the sake of reducing complexity and manufacturing cost
of the detectors, it is rather cumbersome for the user to set particular ones of the
detectors respectively as the master and the slave, since most users are assumed to
be unfamiliar with how to designate the master as distinguished from the slave. This
is also true when the master or slave becomes defective and has to be replaced with
a fresh detector. In fact, it becomes more cumbersome to reestablish the in-house
network while correctly designating which one of the remaining terminals or the replacing
terminal is set as the master or slave.
[0006] Accordingly, when implementing the above integrated network service in combination
with the well-established in-house network, a special coordination is required to
eliminate difficulty in setting the master and slave for easy installation and maintenance
of the in-house network.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the above issues, the present invention has been achieved to provide a
home security surveillance system which is capable of easy installation and maintenance,
while taking the advantage of using the master and the slave detectors in the in-house
alarm network for assuring an integrated service of providing assistance by the third
party to the individual customers each equipped with the in-house alarm network.
[0008] The home security surveillance system in accordance with the present invention includes
a plurality of detection terminals arranged to detect a hazardous condition in a customer's
home and generate a hazard signal, a computer-based server having a terminal enrollment
table arranged to store an enrollment record for each of the detection terminals,
and an input device adapted to communicate with the server through a public computer
network to enter and update the enrollment record in the server. Each detection terminal
includes a radio transceiver for transmitting the hazard signal to the other detection
terminal through a first communication network and a switch power. The server has
a processor which is arranged to receive an aid-requesting signal originating from
at least one of the detection terminals, and also includes an alert means which is
configured to provide an alert report in response to receiving the aid-requesting
signal. The enrollment record includes a terminal code predetermined to designate
each of the detection terminals. Also included in the system is a gateway unit which
is adapted to be installed in each of the customer's homes, and includes a communication
means arranged to communicate with the server through the public computer network,
and also to communicate with the detection terminals through a second communication
network.
[0009] Each detection terminal includes an alarm unit which provides an alarm upon generating
the hazard signal or receiving a linking hazard signal from one of the other detection
terminals. Each detection terminal is also designed to function selectively as a master
and a slave. The master is defined to provide the linking hazard signal when receiving
the hazard signal from any one of the other detection terminal, while the slave is
defined to transmit the hazard signal to the master through the first communication
network. Further, each detection terminal is arranged to generate and transmit the
air-requesting signal to the gateway unit through the second communication network
upon generating the hazard signal.
[0010] The gateway unit is arranged to relay the aid-requesting signal to the server upon
receiving the aid-requesting signal. The gateway unit includes an assigning means
which is arranged to assign the master to one of the detection terminals energized
upon the switch power being turned on to first establish the communication with the
gateway unit, and the slave to the other detection terminal energized upon the switch
power being turned on to later establish the communication with the gateway unit.
The gateway unit further includes a terminal status table which stores a master/slave
index indicative of whether each of the detection terminals is assigned as said master
or slave, in addition to the enrollment record for each of said detection terminals.
In this connection, the terminal enrollment table of the server is configured to store
the master/slave index for each detection terminal.
[0011] The server is programmed to update the master/slave index in the terminal enrollment
table in response to the assigning means of the gateway unit operating to assign the
master or the slave to the corresponding one of the detection terminals. The gateway
unit is programmed to update the terminal status table to reflect a change in the
enrollment record of the terminal enrollment table. In this connection, each detection
terminal is designed to have a terminal registration table for registration of the
terminal code, the master/slave index, and a node number which discriminates each
one of the detection terminals from the other.
[0012] The detection terminal is configured to register in its terminal registration table,
when assigned as the master, the terminal code, the master/slave index and the node
number for all of the detection terminals. When, on the other hand, assigned as the
slave, the detection terminal registers, in its terminal registration table, the terminal
code, the master/slave index, and the node number of its own, in addition to the terminal
code, the master/slave index, and the node number of the master.
[0013] Each detection terminal is provided with a configuration means and a set button which,
upon being manipulated, activates the configuration means to send a configuration
demand to the gateway unit and receive therefrom a configuration instruction by which
the detection terminal is assigned as the master and the slave. The gateway unit is
arranged to receive the configuration demand and read the master/slave index in the
terminal status table so as to prepare the configuration instruction which assigns
the master to the detection terminal transmitting the configuration demand only when
the terminal status table has a record of the detection terminal transmitting the
configuration demand, and has no record of any detection terminal already assigned
as the master, and which assign the slave to the other detection terminal transmitting
the configuration demand after the master is assigned to one of the detection terminals.
[0014] With this feature, the system can easily be self-adjusted in conformity with addition
and/or replacement of the detection terminal for maintaining system integrity, only
at an additional work of manipulating the set button on the side of the customer,
and without requiring the customer to resort to difficult setting works. Also, when
the master becomes defective and is replaced with a new detection terminal, the gateway
unit can assign the newly added detection terminal as the replacement master.
[0015] Preferably, each detection terminal is arranged to send to the gateway unit a configuration
demand accompanied with its own terminal code, either when it is energized to first
establish communication with the gateway unit or when the set button is manipulated.
In this connection, the gateway unit is programmed to check whether the terminal status
tables shows a record of the detection terminal sending the configuration demand,
and permits the assigning means to issue the configuration instruction of assigning
the master or slave to the detection terminal when the terminal status table shows
the record of such detection terminal sending the configuration demand. The assigning
means is configured to send a registration instruction to the detection terminal when
the terminal status table shows a record of such detection terminal to be assigned
as the slave or when the terminal status tables shows a change of the master. Each
detection terminal is programmed to make, in response to the registration instruction,
a terminal registration which executes steps of:
- 1) requesting the master to receive a permission from the gateway unit that the terminal
status table has a record of the terminal code corresponding to the requesting detection
terminal;
- 2) requesting the master, upon reception of the permission, to allocate the node number
to the requesting detection terminal and to send thus allocated node number to the
gateway unit;
- 3) requesting the master to enter thus allocated node number in associate with the
terminal code and the master/slave index of the requesting detection terminal in the
terminal registration table of the master; and
- 4) storing thus obtained node number in association with the terminal code and the
master/slave index of the requesting detection terminal, in addition to the terminal
code and a predetermined node number of the master, in the terminal registration table
of the requesting detection terminal.
[0016] According to the above features, the detection terminal assigned as the slave, i.e.,
one that is first to communicate with the gateway unit after the gateway unit has
assigned the master to preceding detection terminal, is successfully registered in
the terminal registration table of the master as belonging to the master for establishing
a relation between the master and the slave. All such registration steps can be done
solely by collaboration between the gateway unit and the detection terminal, without
requiring a cumbersome registration work on the side of the customer.
[0017] Further, each detection terminal may be arranged to transmit the configuration demand
either when it is energized to communicate with the gateway unit or when the set button
is manipulated, and receive the configuration instruction and the registration instruction
from the gateway unit when the detection terminal is recorded in the terminal status
table as a newly added detection terminal. Thus, the registration of the newly added
detection terminal can be made also by using the set button.
[0018] Further, when the master becomes defective and is removed in the established system,
the gateway unit operates to select one of the remaining detection terminals as a
replacing master when such detection terminal comes first to communicate with the
gateway unit after removal of the defective master. In order to enable such promotion
of the existing slave to the new master, the gateway unit is configured to check whether
a condition is satisfied in which the terminal status table shows no record of the
detection terminal assigned as the master and shows a record of at least one remaining
detection terminal, and to execute, when such condition is satisfied, a reconfiguration
routine in response to receiving the configuration demand from any one of the remaining
detection terminal of which record is read from the terminal status table. The reconfiguration
routine comprises steps of:
- 1) deleting the master/slave index and the node number for all the remaining detection
terminals from the terminal status table;
- 2) assigning the master to one of the remaining detection terminals which comes into
communication with the gateway unit first after having its set button manipulated,
and sending the configuration instruction as well as the registration instruction
to the other ones of the remaining detection terminals in response to the detection
terminal being activated by manipulation of the set button.
[0019] In this manner, the restructuring of the master and the slave as well as reregistration
of the relation between the master and the slave can be easily completed under the
control of the gateway unit, while only requiring the user to manipulate the set button.
[0020] Preferably, the gateway unit is programmed to update its terminal status table in
match with the terminal status table in match with the terminal enrollment of said
server, in response to the change in the enrollment record in said terminal enrollment
table for immediate reflection of the change of the enrollment record.
[0021] Further, the detection terminal assigned as the slave may be programmed to transmit
the hazard signal as the aid-requesting signal first to the gateway unit upon generating
the hazard signal, and subsequently transmit the hazard signal to the master. Thus,
the gateway can promptly transmit the aid-requesting signal to the server for immediate
acknowledgement of the hazard condition on the side of the server.
[0022] In a preferred version of the system, the configuration means of the detection means
is programmed to transmit the configuration demand at regular intervals to the gateway
unit, thereby enabling the gateway unit to make the above reconfiguration routine
without waiting the manipulation of the set button
[0023] Further, it is preferred that the first communication network and the second communication
networks are arranged to have individual communication protocols different from each
other. Thus, the system can be easily adapted to the integrated service network, while
avoiding possible interference between the two networks.
[0024] These and still other advantageous features of the present invention will become
more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with
the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0025]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a home security surveillance system in accordance with
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating terminal registration tables and a terminal
status table respectively prepared in detection terminals and a gateway unit constituting
the above system, in addition to a terminal enrollment table of a server;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the server;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the detection terminal;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the gateway unit;
FIG. 6 is a timing chart illustrating how the detection terminals are assigned as
a master and a slave;
FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case when
one of the slave is removed from the system;
FIG. 8 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case when
the master is removed from the system;
FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case one of
the slaves is replaced with a new detection terminal;
FIG. 10 is a timing chart illustrating how the system is reconfigured in case the
master is replaced with a new detection terminal; and
FIG. 11 is a timing chart illustrating an operation sequence upon detection of hazardous
condition at one of the detection terminals.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0026] Now referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a home security surveillance system which
employs a hazard detection subsystem in accordance with the present invention. The
home security surveillance system is provided by a service provider and includes a
computer-based server
30 installed on the side of a service provider for collecting hazard information such
as fire occurrence from an in-house alarm network in each of customers' homes and
providing an assistance, for instance, dispatching qualified personnel to the customers
home and/or informing an urgent prompt to a customer out of ones' home. The in-house
network is realized by the subsystem which is developed in each of the customers'
homes and includes a plurality of detecting terminals
50 such as smoke detectors, and a gateway unit
10 which acts as an interface between the detecting terminals and the server
30. The server
30 is equipped or linked with an alert device
38 which generates an alert report when receiving the hazard information in the form
of an aid-requesting signal from any one of the detection terminals
50 through the gateway unit
10. As will be discussed later in details, each of the detection terminals is configured
to communicate with each other through a first communication network, and also communicate
with the gateway unit
10 through a second communication network.
[0027] The system further includes an input device
100, for instance, a personal computer or the like which belongs to each customer and
is configured to communicate with the server
30 through a public computer network, e.g., the Internet for enrolling the detection
terminals
50 in the server
30. For this purpose, the server
30 is provided with a terminal enrollment table
37, which is configured, as shown in FIG. 2, to store a record of terminal code, for
instance, manufacture's serial number entered by the customer by use of the input
device
100. No other entry is required on the side of the customer. The customer is only required
to insert the record of the terminal code or delete such record in advance of developing
the in-house alarm network of the subsystem.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the server
30 includes, in addition to a memory constituting the terminal enrollment table
37, a communication module
32 for communication with the input device
100 as well as the gateway unit
10 through the public network, and a processor constituting an enrolling module
34 and a hazard event module
36. The enrolling module
34 is programmed to insert, delete, and update the enrollment record in the terminal
enrollment table
37 in response to the customer's input at the input device
100. The hazard event module
36 is programmed to activate an alert device
38 for providing the alert report in response to the aid-requesting signal transmitted
by way of the gateway unit
10 and received at the communication module
32. The alert device
38 may be a display, a speaker, or the like providing information to the personnel of
the service provide.
[0029] The detection terminals
50 employed in the present invention are of the same configuration which enables each
of the detection terminal to function selectively as a master and a slave. The detection
terminal
50 is powered by an incorporated battery (not shown), and includes, as shown in FIG.
4, a power switch
52, a smoke sensor
56, an alarm unit
58, a radio transceiver
68, a processor, and a memory. The smoke sensor
56 is designed to detect a smoke density in an atmosphere and output a density signal
indicative of the detected smoke density to a hazard event module
64 realized in the processor. When the smoke density exceeds a predetermined threshold,
the hazard even module
64 generate a hazard signal indicative of possible fire and output the signal to the
alarm unit
58, which responds to give an alarm sound. The hazard signal is transmitted by means
of the radio transceiver
68 to the other detection terminals
50 forming the in-house alarm network through the first communication network, and is
also transmitted as the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit
10 through the second communication network. To this end, the hazard event module
64 is configured to generate the hazard signal in compliance with a first communication
protocol specific to the first communication network, and the aid-requesting signal
in compliance with a second communication protocol, which is different from the first
communication protocol, specific to the second communication network.
[0030] The master is defined to provide a linking hazard signal when receiving the hazard
signal from any one of the other detection terminals, while the slave is defined to
transmit the hazard signal to the master through the first communication network,
and to give the alarm upon receiving the linking hazard signal from the master. The
linking hazard signal is prepared in accordance with the first communication protocol
and is transmitted from the master to all of the slaves forming the in-house alarm
network for providing the alarm at every detection terminals simultaneously. The master
is also configured to generate and transmit the aid-requesting signal to the gateway
unit
10 when receiving the hazard signal from any one of the slaves or when generating the
hazard signal by its own. In this sense, the master acts as a repeater to transmit
the aid-requesting signal to the gateway unit in parallel with the aid requesting
signal transmitted from the slave directly to the gateway unit
10. In addition, the slave is configured to transmit the hazard signal also to the other
slave or slaves, when detecting the hazard configuration or fire occurrence. In order
to make interrelated operations between the master and the slaves, the detection terminal
has a terminal registration table
67 which is realized in the memory to store, as shown in FIG. 2, a record of a master/slave
index indicative of the master or slave, and a node number discriminating each one
of the detection terminals from the other within the in-house alarm network. Further,
the record of the terminal registration table
67 includes the terminal code. When the detection terminal is assigned as the master,
as will be discussed later, it is made to store the master/slave index and the node
numbers for all of the detection terminals. When, on the other hand, the detection
terminal is assigned as the slave, it is made to store the master/slave index and
the node number of itself and the master.
[0031] The processor also realizes a configuration/registration module
62 which is programmed to interact with the gateway unit
10 to complete a terminal configuration of assigning the maser and slave, and a terminal
registration of determining the node number in association with the master/slave index.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, the gate unit
10 includes a radio transceiver
11 for communication with the server
30 as well as with the detection terminals
50 through the second communication network, which is distinguished from the first communication
network of interconnecting the detection terminals
50 due to the use of a specific communication protocol different from that of the first
communication network. The gateway unit
10 also includes a memory constituting a terminal status table
17 which has a configuration identical to the terminal enrollment table
37 and is updated to reflect a change in the enrollment record of the terminal enrollment
table
37. Further, the gateway unit
10 has a processor constituting a hazard event module
12, an authentication module
14, and an assigning module
16. The hazard event module
12 is programmed to relay the aid-requesting signal to the server
30, in response to receiving it from any one of the detection terminals
50. The authentication module
14 is programmed to authenticate the detection module, i.e., check whether or not the
detection terminal
50 making a configuration demand is recorded in the terminal status table
17, and permits the entry of such detection terminal
50 into the in-house alarm network when it is so recorded in the terminal status table
17. The assigning module
16 is programmed to assign the master to one of the authenticated detection terminals
50 and the slave to the other authenticated detection terminals
50. The result of such assignment is recorded in the terminal status table
17, as well as in the terminal registration table
67 of each detection terminals.
[0033] Now referring to FIG. 6, the terminal configuration and the terminal registration
are explained in details. After the customer enters the terminal code for each of
the detection terminals
50 to be installed in one's home in the terminal enrollment table
37 of the server, the gateway unit
10 responds to record the terminal code in the terminal status table
17 when communicating first with the server. Thus, the gateway unit
10 becomes ready for making the terminal configuration. When one of the first detection
terminals is energized with its power switch turned on, it transmits to the gateway
unit
10 the configuration demand including the terminal code. When the gateway unit authenticates
the detection terminal transmitting the configuration demand as being recorded in
the terminal status table
17, the gateway unit
10, i.e., the assigning module
16 acknowledges that the detection terminal is the first one that establishes the communication
with the gateway unit
10, and returns a configuration request to the detection terminal, requesting the detection
terminal to transmit a configuration response of a specific encryption key to the
gateway unit
10. When the gateway unit
10 verifies the configuration response as valid, it transmits a configuration instruction
a configuration instruction to the detection terminal in order to assign the master
thereto, and at the same time, updates the record of the terminal status table
17 with respect to the detection terminal by setting the master/slave index of "1" and
the node number of "00", both indicating the master. The configuration request and
the configuration response are provided only for exchanging the encryption key between
the detection terminal and the gateway unit for an encrypted communication, and may
be optional. That is, the gateway unit
10 may be configured to transmit the configuration instruction in direct response to
the configuration demand from the detection terminal of which terminal code is authenticated.
[0034] Upon receiving the configuration instruction at the detection terminal
50, the configuration/registration module
62 responds to write the master/slave index of "1" and the node number of "00" in association
with the terminal code of its own in the terminal registration table
67. Thus, the detection terminal
50 (hereinafter also referred to as "DT-master") becomes ready for registration of the
other detection terminals (hereinafter also referred to as "DT-slave") which constitute
the in-house alarm network with the DT-master.
[0035] Subsequently, when one of the other detection terminals
50 (DT-slave) is energized by manipulation of the power switch
52, the detection terminal
50 (DT-slave) goes into a stage 1 sequence (i.e., a slave configuration sequence) of
transmitting the configuration demand with its terminal code, and optionally receiving
the configuration request from the gateway unit
10, and transmitting back the configuration response to the gateway unit
10. When the terminal code is recorded in the terminal status table
17, the gateway unit
10 assigns the slave to the detection terminal
50 (DT-slave) by transmitting to the DT-slave the configuration instruction by which
the configuration/registration module
62 of the DT-slave responds to write the master/slave index of "0" as associated with
its own terminal code in the terminal registration table
67. When sending the configuration instruction to the DT-slave which establishes the
communication with the gateway unit
10 later than the preceding one of the detection terminals, i.e., the DT-master, the
gateway unit
10 includes a registration instruction in the configuration instruction. That is, the
assigning module
16 generates the registration instruction to be added with the configuration instruction.
When receiving such configuration instruction, the DT-slave goes into a stage 2 sequence
(i.e., a slave registration sequence) starting from waking up the DT-master by sending
a registration demand to the DT-master.
[0036] Upon receiving the registration demand, the DT-master responds to return a demand
acknowledgement to the DT-slave, and a registration inquiry to the gateway unit
10. Subsequently, the gateway unit
10 returns a slave registration permission which is prepared by the assigning module
16 to include the node number of "01" to be given to the DT-slave. Then, the DT-master
responds to transmit a registration order to the DT-slave with the node number of
"01" indicative of that the DT-terminal is the first slave recognized by the DT-master,
in addition to the master/slave index, and the node number of about the DT-master
so that the configuration/registration module
62 of the DT-slave updates the record of its own to have the node number of "01", and
adds the record of the DT-master in the terminal registration table
67, as shown in FIG. 2. After completion of updating the terminal registration table
67, the DT-slave returns a registration response to the DT-master which responds to add
the record of the DT-slave in its terminal registration table
67. Upon receiving the registration response from the DT-slave, the DT-master sends a
slave registration request to the gateway unit
10 so that the gateway unit updates the record of the DT-master and the newly added
DT-slave in the terminal status table
17 with regard to the master/slave index and the node number in relation to the terminal
code. After updating the terminal status table
17, the gateway unit
10 issues a registration completion response to the DT-slave, completing the slave registration
sequence, i.e., the stage 2 sequence.
[0037] If the registration completion response is not received within 2500 ms from the configuration
demand, the above slave configuration sequence followed by the slave registration
sequence is repeated. With the completion of the above registration for all of the
other DT-terminals, the DT-master acknowledges each of the DT-slaves and the vice
versa as constituting the in-house alarm network such that the each DT-slave can transmit
the hazard signal to the DT-master and the other DT-slave through the first communication
network, i.e., the in-house alarm network, and the DT-master can transmit the aid-requesting
signal to the gateway unit
10 through the second communication network upon receiving the hazard signal from any
one of the DT-slaves, in addition to that each of the DT-slave can transmit the aid-requesting
signal directly to the gateway unit
10 through the second communication network.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a time chart illustrating how the system works
when one of the DT-slaves is removed from the system. When the DT-slave, for instance,
one having the node number of "01" becomes defective and is powered off, the customer
utilizes the input device
100 to delete the record of the defective DT-slave from the terminal enrollment table
37 in the server
30. The change of the record is reflected in the terminal status table
17 of the gateway unit
100 when it communicates with the server
30. That is, the terminal status table
17 is updated to give a delete flag to the record of the defective DT-slave, indicating
that such recorded is to be deleted. In this situation, the DT-master functions to
make a status check sequence whether or not the registered DT-slaves are currently
available in the system. The status check sequence is initiated by manipulation of
a set button
54 on the side of the DT-master. Upon manipulation of the set button
54, the configuration/registration module
62 responds to generate a status check request for all of the existing or registered
DT-slaves, interrogating whether or not each of the DT-slaves registered in the terminal
registration table
67 is recorded as a valid one in the terminal status table
17 of the gateway unit
10. When returning a status request acknowledgement to the DT-master, the gateway unit
10 provides a slave remove instruction for deleting the defective DT-slave from the
terminal registration table
67, i.e., the record of the defective DT-slave which is marked with the delete flag in
the terminals status table. In response to the slave remove instruction, the DT-master
deletes such record from its terminal registration table
67, and returns a slave remove confirmation to the gateway unit, such that the gateway
unit updates its terminal status table 17 by actually deleting the record with the
delete flag. When the other non-defective DT-slave, for example, having the node number
of "02" has its set button
54 pressed, the DT-slave transmits a like status check request whether or not the DT-slave
"02" is recorded in the terminal status table
17 of the gateway unit and receives therefrom the status request acknowledgement, which
necessitates no change in the terminal registration table
67 of the DT-slave "02".
[0039] It is noted in this connection that the status check sequence is initiated by pressing
the set button
54 for a short period, for example, less than 4 seconds. When, on the other hand, the
set button
54 is pressed for a long period more than 4 seconds, the DT-master or DT-slave makes
the above status check followed by a manual test routine which generates a pseudo
hazard signal for checking whether the in-house alarm system reacts to issue the alarm
from the individual detection terminal. In this case, after sending the status check
request and receiving the status request acknowledgement, the DT-master or the DT-slave
issues a test request to the gateway unit which responds to return a test request
acknowledgement. Upon receiving the test request acknowledgement, the DT-master or
the DT-slave is allowed to enter a manual test mode of giving the pseudo hazard signal
to generate the alarm within the in-house alarm network, while the gateway unit can
acknowledge that the resulting alarm is false one and simply as a result of the test.
[0040] In addition, as will be discussed later with reference to FIG. 11, the set button,
when long-pressed, issues a stop alarm signal provided that that there is the hazardous
condition detected in the in-house alarm network.
[0041] Further, it is also noted in this connection that the each of the DT-master and the
DT-slaves is activated intermittently or comes into an intermittent operation mode
of checking whether or not the hazardous condition is detected, and wakes-up to transmit
the hazard signal as well as the aid-requesting signal immediately upon detection
of the hazardous condition. In the figures, such intermittent operation mode of the
terminal is denoted by the term "intermittent operation". Also, each of the DT-master
and the DT-slave is configured to issue the status check request to the gateway unit
at regular intervals for checking whether or not the second communication network
operates successfully.
[0042] FIG. 8 illustrates a time chart how the system works when the DT-master is removed.
As a result of that the DT-master becomes defective and is removed from the system,
the customer is required to delete the record of the defective DT-master from the
terminal enrollment table
37 in the server
30 such that the gateway unit
10 updates its terminal status table
17 to reflect the deletion. In this situation, when one of the DT-slaves, in this instance,
DT-slave having the node number of "01" has its set button
54 pressed for the short period, this DT-slave makes the status check sequence by transmitting
the status check request to the gateway unit
10. However, the gateway unit
10 fails to successfully return the status request acknowledgement to the DT-slave,
because of that the gateway unit acknowledges no DT-master in its terminal status
table
17. After repeating to transmit the status check request for a predetermined number within
a predetermined period after the short-pressing of the set button
54, the DT-slave is allowed to make the configuration sequence to the gateway unit
10. Upon receiving the configuration demand from the DT-slave, the gateway unit
10 makes a reconfiguration routine for reestablishing the in-house alarm network. The
reconfiguration routine continues by the gateway unit
10 returning the configuration instruction by which the receiving DT-slave is assigned
as a new master and rewrites its terminal registration table
67 to have the master/slave index of "1". That is, upon receiving the configuration
demand, as explained with reference to FIG. 6, from the detection terminal establishing
the communication with the gateway unit, the gateway unit refers to its terminal status
table and permits the assigning module
16 to assign the master to the detection terminal transmitting the configuration demand,
only when the terminal status table shows a record of the detection terminal transmitting
the configuration demand, and shows no record of any detection terminal already assigned
as the master.
[0043] At this time, the gateway unit
10 updates the terminal status table
17 to rewrite the master/slave index of the new DT-master. Thereafter, the DT-master
transmits the status check request to the gateway unit
10 which returns the status request acknowledgement to the DT-master. Whereby, the DT-master
responds to clear the records of the remaining DT-slaves with regard to the node number,
and the gateway unit
10 clears the records of the remaining DT-slaves with regard to the node number. Then,
the gateway unit
10 becomes ready for completing the reconfiguration routine in combination with the
DT-master. That is, upon receiving the configuration demand from each of the remaining
DT-slaves, in this instance, DT-slave having the node number of "02", the gateway
unit
10 generates the configuration instruction designating a new node number of "01" and
the master/slave index of "0", and transmits the same to the DT-slave, which responds
to update its own terminal registration table
67 correspondingly, thereby completing the stage 1 sequence (slave configuration sequence).
At this time, the gateway unit
10 has its terminal status table
17 updated to reflect the change made to the DT-slave. The configuration instruction
generated in the gateway unit
10 includes the registration instruction by which the DT-slave comes into the stage
2 sequence (i.e., the slave registration sequence), which starts from waking up the
new DT-master by sensing the registration demand and complete by receiving the registration
completion response from the gateway unit
10, as explained in details with reference to FIG. 6. Similarly, any of the remaining
DT-slaves completes the above reconfiguration routine simply by pressing the set button
54 for the short time period. Upon completion of the reconfiguration of the all the
existing DT-slaves, the new DT-master has its terminal registration table
67 updated to acknowledge the DT-slaves by their node numbers for communication within
the in-house alarm network, in addition to that the DT-master as well as the DT-slaves
can communicate with the gateway unit
10 with the use of individual node numbers.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown another time chart illustrating how the system
works when replacing the DT-slave with a new one. As a result of that one registered
DT-slave (one having the node number "01", in this instance) becomes defective and
has to be replaced with the new detection terminal, the customer uses the input device
100 to remove the record of the defective DT-slave from the terminal enrollment table
37 in the server
30 and insert a record of the newly added detection terminal in the terminal enrollment
table
37. The change of the record is reflected in the terminal status table
17 of the gateway unit
100 when it communicates with the server
30. In this situation, upon being energized to communicate with the gateway unit
10, the new DT-slave interacts with the gateway unit
10 to complete the stage 1 sequence and the stage 2 sequence as explained herein above
so as to be given the master/slave index of "0" and a new node number, whereby the
new DT-slave is recognized by the gateway unit
10 and also by the DT-master for successful communication therebetween. Subsequently,
in response to the short-pressing of the set button
54, the DT-master makes the status check sequence whether or not the DT-slaves recorded
in its terminal registration table are currently available in the system. That is,
the DT-master generates and transmits the status check request to the gateway unit
10, interrogating whether or not each of the DT-slaves recorded in the terminal registration
table
67 is also recorded as valid one in the terminal status table
17 of the gateway unit
10. When returning a status request acknowledgement to the DT-master, the gateway unit
10 provides the slave remove instruction for deleting from the terminal registration
table
67 the record of the terminal which is marked with the delete flag in the terminal status
table
17. In response to the slave remove instruction, the DT-master deletes such record from
its terminal registration table
67, and returns the slave remove confirmation to the gateway unit for completely deleting
such record also from the terminal status table. Thereafter, when the DT-slave has
its set button short-pressed, it transmits the status check request to the gateway
unit
10 which returns the status request acknowledgement indicative of that no change is
necessary for the terminal registration table
67 of the requesting DT-slave.
[0045] When the DT-master becomes defective and is replaced with a new one, the system operates
as shown in FIG. 10. In this situation, the user updates the terminal enrollment table
37 of the server
30 by deleting the record of the defective DT-master and inserting the terminal code
of a new detection terminal. The resulting change is reflected in the terminal status
table
17 of the gateway unit
10. In response to the new detection terminal being energized to establish the communication
with the gateway unit
10 by sending the configuration demand, the gateway unit
10 checks whether or not there is the record of the detection terminal assigned as the
master in the terminal status table
17, and complete the stage 1 sequence by sending the configuration instruction, which
assigns the master to the new detection terminal when the terminal status table shows
no record of the detection terminal assigned as the master. Thus, the newly added
detection terminal is acknowledged as the new DT-master. Thereafter, the new DT master
transmits the status check request to the gateway unit
10 and receives therefrom the status request acknowledgement for confirmation of that
the DT-master is recorded in the terminal status table. At this time, the DT-master
does not acknowledge the associated DT-slaves, since no record of the DT-slaves are
entered in its terminal registration table
67. Also, the gateway unit
10 clears the node number of each DT-slave from its terminal status table, such that
it fails to return the status acknowledgement to each DT-slave, even when each DT-slave
has its set button short-pressed in an attempt to interact with the gateway unit.
[0046] Subsequently, upon short-pressing of the set button, the DT-master sends the status
check request, requesting the gateway unit
10 to accept the configuration demand followed by the status check request from each
DT-slave. After that, the DT-slave is allowed to make the configuration sequence to
the gateway unit and receives the configuration instruction to complete the stage
1 sequence and the stage 2 sequence in a manner as described in the above, whereby
the DT-slave is redefined as the slave with the node number given from the gateway
unit, and is recorded in the terminal registration table of the DT-master. In this
manner, all of the existing DT-slaves are redefined and acknowledged by the DT-master
and the gateway unit.
[0047] FIG. 11 illustrates how the system works upon detection of the hazardous condition
at one of the DT-slaves. In this instance, DT-slave having the node number of "01"
(herein after referred to as detecting DT-slave) detects the hazardous condition and
is caused to wake-up to issue the alarm and to transmit the aid-requesting signal
to the gateway unit
10. Then, the gateway unit responds to relay the aid-requesting signal to the server
30 to notify the hazardous condition, and return an aid-request acknowledgement to the
detecting DT-slave. Immediately subsequently, the detecting DT-slave transmits the
hazard signal, waking up the DT-master as well as the other DT-slave (hereinafter
referred to as non-detecting DT-slave). In response to the hazard signal, the non-detecting
DT-slave issues the alarm, while the DT-master generates and transmits the linking
hazard signal to the detecting and non-detecting DT-slaves such that each DT-slave
issues the alarm. If the non-detecting DT-slave should have failed to wake-up due
to some temporary communication error, it is caused to wake-up by the interconnecting
hazard signal and issue the alarm. The detective DT-slave and the non-detective DT-slave,
when waking-up, return a linking alarm response back to the DT-master, which in turn
comes into an interlocked mode of transmitting the aid-requesting signal repeatedly
to the gateway unit, and at the same time transmitting the linking hazard signal repeatedly
to the detective and non-detective DT-slaves.
[0048] Upon the set button being pressed in this situation where the linking hazard signal
is repeatedly transmitted, the DT-master transmits an alarm stop order to the detecting
and non-detecting DT-slaves, and at the same time transmits an alarm status signal
to the gateway unit, indicating that the DT-master is requesting the DT-slaves to
stop the alarm. The alarm stop order and the alarm status signal are transmitted repeatedly
within a predetermined time period of 90 seconds, for example. After the elapse of
the time period, the DT-master transmits an alarm stop confirmation, requesting the
detective and non-detective DT-slaves to return an alarm stop response indicative
of that the alarm stop order is accepted at the DT-slave. However, while the detecting
DT-slave is still detecting the hazardous condition, the detecting DT-slave returns
the alarm stop response indicative of the hazardous condition such that the DT-master
responds to continue transmitting the linking hazard signal until the hazardous condition
is cleared, and continues transmitting to the gateway unit the aid-request signal
including information that the hazardous condition is still being detected at the
detecting DT-slave after the DT-master transmits the alarm stop order.
[0049] When the hazardous condition is cleared, the detecting DT-slave transmits a stop
alarm demand to the DT-master, while stopping its own alarm. Then, the DT-master responds
to transmit a stop alarm confirmation order to all the DT-slaves, requesting them
to return a stop alarm response including information whether or not the DT-slave
is ready for stopping the alarm. Upon acknowledgement of the stop alarm response,
the DT-master transmits a stop alarm order to the DT-slaves for stopping the alarm
at the individual DT-slaves. When the alarm is stopped, each DT-slave returns the
stop alarm response indicative of the alarm status to the DT-master, and comes into
the intermittent reception mode. Likewise, the DT-master comes into the intermittent
reception mode upon receiving the stop alarm response from the DT-slaves. Further,
after receiving the stop alarm demand and until receiving the stop alarm response,
the DT-master functions to transmit the alarm status signal to the gateway unit with
information that the DT-master receives the stop alarm demand from the detecting DT-slave.
[0050] It is noted that the detection terminal is designed to issue the alarm as a sound-voice
"whiz whiz warning smoke alarm" when the hazardous condition is detected by its own,
and to issue the alarm as a sound-voice "whiz whiz warning smoke in another room "when
the hazardous condition is detected by the other detection terminal.
[0051] While the detection terminal is in the intermittent operation mode, it transmits
the status check request at regular intervals of 33 hours, for instance, to the gateway
unit with information about a battery condition or some parameters indicative whether
or not the detection terminal is in good order.
1. Heimüberwachungssystem mit:
- mehreren Detektionsgeräten (50), die ausgebildet sind, um eine gefährliche Bedingung
in einem Haus eines Nutzers zu detektieren und ein Gefahrensignal zu erzeugen, wobei
jedes der Detektionsgeräte einen Funksender/Empfangsgerät (68) zum Übertragen des
Gefahrensignals an die anderen Detektionsgeräte über ein erstes Kommunikationsnetzwerk
und einen Netzschalter (52) umfasst,
- einem Computer-basierten Server (30) mit einer Geräteanmeldetabelle (37), die ausgebildet
ist, um eine Anmeldeaufzeichnung für jedes der mehreren Detektionsgeräte zu speichern,
wobei der Server einen Prozessor aufweist, der ausgebildet ist, um ein Hilfe-Anfragesignal,
welches von zumindest einem der Detektionsgeräte stammt, zu empfangen, wobei der Server
Wammittel (38) aufweist, die ausgebildet sind, um einen Warnbericht in Antwort auf
das Erhalten des Hilfeanfragesignals bereitzustellen, wobei die Anmeldeaufzeichnung
einen Geräte-Code umfasst, der vorbestimmt jedes der Detektionsgeräte bezeichnet;
- einem Eingabegerät (100), welches ausgebildet ist, um mit dem Server über ein öffentliches
Computernetzwerk zu kommunizieren, um die Anmeldeaufzeichnungen in den Server einzugeben
und zu erneuern; und
- einer Gateway-Einheit (10), die ausgebildet ist, um in jedem der Häuser der Nutzer
installiert zu werden, und Kommunikationsmittel (11) umfasst, die ausgebildet sind,
um mit dem Server über das öffentliche Computemetzwerk zu kommunizieren und ebenfalls
mit den Detektionsgeräten über ein zweites Kommunikationsnetzwerk zu kommunizieren,
wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte eine Alarmeinheit (58) umfasst, die ein Alarm auslöst,
wenn solch ein Detektionsgerät das Gefahrensignal erzeugt oder ein verbundenes Gefahrensignal
von einem der anderen Detektionsgeräte empfängt,
wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte ausgebildet ist, um selektiv als ein Master oder
ein Folgegerät zu fungieren, wobei der Master definiert ist, um das verbundene Gefahrensignal
bereitzustellen, wenn das Gefahrensignal von einem der anderen Detektionsgeräte empfangen
wird, und das Folgegerät definiert ist, um das Gefahrensignal an den Master über das
erste Kommunikationsnetzwerk zu übertragen,
wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte ausgebildet ist, um das Hilfe-Anfragesignal zu erzeugen
und an die Gateway-Einheit über das zweite Kommunikationsnetzwerk auf das Erzeugen
des Gefahrensignals zu übertragen;
wobei die Gateway-Einheit ausgebildet ist, um das Hilfe-Anfragesignal an den Server
auf das Erhalten des Hilfeanfragesignals weiterzuleiten,
wobei die Gateway-Einheit Zuweisungsmittel (16) aufweist, die ausgebildet sind, um
als Master einen von den Detektionsgeräten zu bestimmen, das durch ein Betätigen des
Netzschalters mit Energie versorgt wird, um zuerst eine Kommunikationsverbindung mit
der Gateway-Einheit herzustellen und als Folgegerät die anderen Detektionsgeräte zu
bestimmen, die durch ein Betätigen des Netzschalters mit Energie versorgt werden,
um später eine Kommunikationsverbindung mit der Gateway-Einheit herzustellen,
wobei die Gateway-Einheit eine Gerätestatus-Tabelle (17) umfasst, die einen Master-/Folgegerätindex
speichert, der darauf hinweist, ob jedes der Detektionsgeräte als der Master oder
das Folgegerät bestimmt ist, und zwar zusätzlich zu der Anmeldeaufzeichnung für jedes
der Detektionsgeräte,
wobei die Geräteanmeldetabelle des Servers ausgebildet ist, um den Master-/Folgegerätindex
für jedes der Detektionsgeräte zu speichern,
wobei der Server programmiert ist, um den Master-/Folgegerätindex in der Geräteanmeldetabelle
in Antwort darauf zu speichern, dass die Zuweisungsmittel der Gateway-Einheit bewirken,
dass der Master oder das Folgegerät als das entsprechende eine Detektionsgerät bestimmt
wird,
wobei die Gateway-Einheit programmiert ist zum Erneuern der Gerätestatustabelle, um
eine Änderung in der Anmeldeaufzeichnung der Geräteanmeldetabelle wiederzugeben,
wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte eine Geräte-Registrierungstabelle (67) umfasst, die
ausgebildet ist zum Registrieren des Geräte-Codes, des Master-/Folgegerätindexes und
einer Knotenzahl, die jedes der Detektionsgeräte voneinander unterscheidet,
wobei das Detektionsgerät ausgebildet ist zum Registrieren in der Geräte-Registrierungstabelle,
wenn es als Master bestimmt wurde, eines Geräte-Codes, des Master-/Folgegerätindexes
und der Knotenzahl für alle der Detektionsgeräte,
wobei das Detektionsgerät ausgebildet ist zum Registrieren in seiner Geräteregistrierungstabelle,
wenn es als Folgegerät bestimmt wurde, seines Geräte-Codes, seines Master-/Folgegerätindexes
und seiner Knotenzahl, zusätzlich zu dem Geräte-Code, dem Master-/Folgegerätindex
und der Knotenzahl des Masters,
wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte bereitgestellt ist mit Konfigurationsmitteln und
einem Einstellknopf, der auf seine Betätigung die Konfigurationsmittel aktiviert,
um eine Konfigurationsnachfrage an die Gateway-Einheit zu übertragen und um von dort
Konfigurationsinstruktionen zu erhalten, durch welche das Detektionsgerät als Master
oder als Folgegerät bestimmt ist,
wobei die Gateway-Einheit ausgebildet ist zum Erhalten der Konfigurationsnachfrage
von dem Detektionsgerät und um den Master-/Folgegerätindex in der Gerätestatustabelle
zu lesen, um so die Konfigurationsinstruktion vorzubereiten, die das Detektionsgerät,
welches die Konfigurationsanfrage übertragen hat, als Master nur dann zu bestimmen,
wenn die Gerätestatustabelle einen Eintrag des Detektionsgerätes, welches die Konfigurationsnachfrage
gesandt hat, aufweist, und ebenfalls keinen Eintrag von irgendeinem anderen Detektionsgerät,
welches bereits als Master bestimmt wurde, aufweist, und welches als Folgegerät die
anderen Detektionsgeräte bestimmt, die die Konfigurationsnachfrage übertragen, nachdem
als Master eines der Detektionsgeräte bestimmt wurde.
2. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte ausgebildet
ist zum Senden an die Gateway-Einheit einer Konfigurationsnachfrage zusammen mit seinem
eigenen Geräte-Code, entweder wenn es angeschaltet wird, um zuerst eine Kommunikationsverbindung
mit der Gateway-Einheit herzustellen, oder wenn der Schaltknopf betätigt wird,
wobei die Gateway-Einheit programmiert ist zum Prüfen, ob die Gerätestatustabelle
einen Eintrag für das Detektionsgerät, welches die Konfigurationsnachfrage gesandt
hat, aufweist, und zum Erlauben, dass die Zuweisungsmittel die Konfigurationsinstruktion
zum Bestimmen als Masters oder als Folgegerätes an das Detektionsgerät herausgibt,
wenn die Gerätestatustabelle den Eintrag eines solchen Detektionsgerätes, welches
die Konfigurationsnachfrage gesandt hat, zeigt,
wobei die Zuweisungsmittel ausgebildet sind zum Senden einer Registrierungsinstruktion
an das Detektionsgerät, wenn die Gerätestatustabelle einen Eintrag eines solchen Detektionsgerätes,
welches als das Folgegerät bestimmt ist, oder wenn die Gerätestatustabelle eine Wechsel
des Masters anzeigt,
wobei jedes der Detektionsgeräte programmiert ist, in Antwort auf die Registrierungsinstruktion,
eine Geräteregistrierung auszuführen, die folgende Schritte ausführt:
- Anfragen beim Master zum Erhalt einer Genehmigung von der Gateway-Einheit, dass
die Gerätestatustabelle einen Eintrag eines Geräte-Codes aufweist, der dem des anfragenden
Detektionsgerätes entspricht;
- Anfragen beim Master, auf dem Erhalt der Erlaubnis, zum Reservieren der Knotenzahl
für das anfragende Detektionsgerät und zum Senden der so reservierten Knotenzahl an
die Gateway-Einheit;
- Anfragen beim Master zum Eintragen der so reservierten Knotenzahl als Verknüpfung
mit dem Geräte-Code und des Master-/Folgegerätindexes des anfragenden Detektionsgerätes
in die Geräteregistrierungstabelle des Masters; und
- Speichern der so erhaltenen Knotenzahl als Verknüpfung mit dem Geräte-Code und des
Master-/Folgegerätindexes des anfragenden Detektionsgerätes, zusätzlich zu dem Geräte-Code
und einer vorbestimmten Knotenzahl des Masters, in der Geräteregistrierungstabelle
des anfragenden Detektionsgerätes.
3. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 2, wobei
jedes der Detektionsgeräte ausgebildet ist zum Übertragen der Konfigurationsanfrage,
entweder wenn es angeschaltet wird zum Kommunizieren mit der Gateway-Einheit oder
wenn der Einstellknopf betätigt wird, und zum Erhalten der Konfigurationsinstruktion
und der Registrierungsinstruktion von der Gateway-Einheit, wenn das Detektionsgerät
einen Eintrag in der Gerätestatustabelle als ein neu hinzugefügtes Detektionsgerät
aufweist.
4. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 2, wobei
die Gateway-Einheit ausgebildet ist zum Überprüfen, ob eine Bedingung erfüllt ist,
in welcher die Gerätestatustabelle keinen Eintrag für das Detektionsgerät, welches
als Master bestimmt ist, zeigt und einen Eintrag von zumindest einem verbleibenden
Detektionsgerät zeigt, und zum Ausführen, wenn solch eine Bedingung erfüllt ist, einer
Re-Konfigurationsroutine in Antwort auf einen Erhalt einer Konfigurationsnachfrage
von irgendeinem der verbleibenden Detektionsgeräte, für welche ein Eintrag von der
Gerätestatustabelle gelesen wurde,
wobei die Re-Konfigurationsroutine folgende Schritte umfasst:
a) Löschen des Master/Folgegerätindexes und der Knotenzahl für alle der verbleibenden
Detektionsgeräte von der Gerätestatustabelle;
b) Bestimmen als Masters eines der verbleibenden Detektionsgeräte, die mit der Gateway-Einheit
zuerst, nachdem der Einstellknopf betätigt wurde, in Kommunikation gelangt sind, und
Senden einer Konfigurationsinstruktion und der Registrierungsinstruktion zu den anderen
der verbleibenden Detektionsgeräte in Antwort darauf, dass das Detektionsgerät durch
Betätigen des Einstellknopfes aktiviert wurde.
5. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, wobei
die Gateway-Einheit programmiert ist zum Erneuern seiner Gerätestatustabelle in Abstimmung
mit der Geräteanmeldetabelle des Servers, in Antwort auf die Änderung des Anmeldeeintrages
in der Geräteanmeldetabelle.
6. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, wobei
das Folgegerät programmiert ist zum Übertragen des Gefahrensignals als das Hilfe-anfragesignal
zunächst an die Gateway-Einheit auf das Erzeugen des Gefahrensignals, und danach zum
Übertragen des Gefahrensignals an den Master,
wobei die Gateway-Einheit programmiert ist zum Übertragen des Hilfeanfragesignals
an den Server auf das Erhalten des Hilfeanfragesignals von dem Master oder einem der
Folgegeräte.
7. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, wobei
die Konfigurationsmittel für jeden der Detektionsgeräte programmiert sind zum Übertragen
der Konfigurationsnachfrage in regulären Zeitintervallen an die Gateway-Einheit.
8. Heimüberwachungssystem nach Anspruch 1, wobei das erste Kommunikationsnetzwerk und
das zweite Kommunikationsnetzwerk ausgebildet sind, individuelle Kommunikationsprotokolle,
die sich voneinander unterscheiden, aufzuweisen.
1. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile, comprenant :
- une pluralité de bornes de détection (50) agencées de manière à détecter une situation
dangereuse au domicile d'un client et à générer un signal de danger, chacune desdites
bornes de détection incluant un émetteur-récepteur radio (68) destiné à transmettre
ledit signal de danger à l'autre borne de détection à travers un premier réseau de
communication et un commutateur d'alimentation (52) ;
- un serveur basé sur un ordinateur (30), présentant une table d'inscription de bornes
(37) agencée de manière à stocker un dossier d'inscription pour chacune de ladite
pluralité de bornes de détection, ledit serveur présentant un processeur qui est agencé
de manière à recevoir un signal de demande d'assistance issu d'au moins l'une desdites
bornes de détection, ledit serveur présentant un moyen d'alerte (38) configuré de
manière à fournir un rapport d'alerte en réponse à la réception dudit signal de demande
d'assistance, ledit dossier d'inscription incluant un code de borne prédéterminé destiné
à désigner chacune desdites bornes de détection ;
- un dispositif d'entrée (100) apte à communiquer avec ledit serveur, par le biais
d'un réseau informatique public, afin d'entrer et de mettre à jour ledit dossier d'inscription
dans ledit serveur ; et
- une unité de passerelle (10) apte à être installée au domicile de chacun desdits
clients, et incluant un moyen de communication (11) agencé de manière à communiquer
avec ledit serveur par l'intermédiaire dudit réseau informatique public, et en outre
à communiquer avec lesdites bornes de détection par le biais d'un second réseau de
communication ;
dans lequel chacune desdites bornes de détection inclut une unité d'alarme (58) qui
émet une alarme dès lors qu'une telle borne de détection génère ledit signal de danger
ou reçoit un signal de danger de liaison en provenance de l'une des autres bornes
de détection ;
chacune desdites bornes de détection étant agencée de manière à fonctionner de façon
sélective en qualité de maître et d'esclave, ledit maître étant défini de manière
à fournir ledit signal de danger de liaison lors de la réception dudit signal de danger
en provenance de l'une quelconque des autres bornes de détection, et ledit esclave
étant défini de manière à transmettre ledit signal de danger audit maître par l'intermédiaire
dudit premier réseau de communication,
chacune desdites bornes de détection étant agencée de manière à générer et à transmettre
ledit signal de demande d'assistance, à ladite unité de passerelle, à travers ledit
second réseau de communication, lors de la génération dudit signal de danger ;
ladite unité de passerelle étant agencée de manière à relayer ledit signal de demande
d'assistance audit serveur lors de la réception dudit signal de demande d'assistance
;
ladite unité de passerelle incluant un moyen d'affectation (16) agencé de manière
à affecter, en tant que ledit maître, l'une desdites bornes de détection, mise sous
tension par la manipulation du commutateur d'alimentation en vue d'établir, dans un
premier temps, une communication avec ladite unité de passerelle, et à affecter, en
tant que ledit esclave, l'autre borne de détection mise sous tension par la manipulation
du commutateur d'alimentation en vue d'établir, ultérieurement, une communication
avec ladite unité de passerelle ;
ladite unité de passerelle incluant une table d'états de bornes (17) stockant un index
de maître / esclave indiquant si chacune desdites bornes de détection est affectée
en tant que ledit maître ou en tant que ledit esclave, outre ledit dossier d'inscription
pour chacune desdites bornes de détection ;
ladite table d'inscription de bornes dudit serveur étant agencée de manière à stocker
ledit index de maître / esclave pour chacune desdites bornes de détection ;
ledit serveur étant programmé de manière à mettre à jour ledit index de maître / esclave
dans ladite table d'inscription de bornes en réponse au fait que ledit moyen d'affectation
de ladite unité de passerelle opère pour affecter ledit maître ou ledit esclave à
celle correspondante desdites bornes de détection ;
ladite unité de passerelle étant programmée de manière à mettre à jour ladite table
d'états de bornes en vue de refléter une modification apportée au dossier d'inscription
de ladite table d'inscription de bornes ;
chacune desdites bornes de détection incluant une table d'enregistrement de bornes
(67) configurée de manière à enregistrer ledit code de borne, ledit index de maître
/ esclave, et un numéro de noeud qui distingue mutuellement chacune desdites bornes
de détection ;
ladite borne de détection étant configurée de manière à enregistrer dans ladite table
d'enregistrement de bornes, lorsque ladite borne de détection est affectée en tant
que ledit maître, ledit code de borne, ledit index de maître / esclave et ledit numéro
de noeud pour la totalité desdites bornes de détection ;
ladite borne de détection étant configurée de manière à enregistrer, dans sa propre
table d'enregistrement de bornes, lorsqu'elle est affectée en tant que ledit esclave,
ledit code de borne, ledit index de maître / esclave, et ledit numéro de noeud qui
lui est propre, outre ledit code de borne, ledit index de maître / esclave, et ledit
numéro de noeud dudit maître ;
chacune desdites bornes de détection étant dotée d'un moyen de configuration et d'un
bouton de réglage qui, lorsqu'il est manipulé, active ledit moyen de configuration
de manière à transmettre une demande de configuration à ladite unité de passerelle
et à recevoir de celle-ci une instruction de configuration selon laquelle ladite borne
de détection est affectée en tant que ledit maître ou en tant que ledit esclave ;
ladite unité de passerelle étant agencée de manière à recevoir ladite demande de configuration
en provenance de ladite borne de détection, et à lire ledit index de maître / esclave
dans ladite table d'états de bornes, afin de préparer ladite instruction de configuration,
qui affecte, en tant que ledit maître, la borne de détection transmettant ladite demande
de configuration, uniquement lorsque ladite table d'états de bornes contient un dossier
de la borne de détection transmettant ladite demande de configuration, et lorsqu'elle
ne contient en outre aucun dossier d'une quelconque borne de détection déjà affectée
en tant que ledit maître, et qui affecte, en tant que ledit esclave, l'autre borne
de détection transmettant la demande de configuration, après que le maître est affecté
à l'une des bornes de détection.
2. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 1, dans
lequel
chacune desdites bornes de détection est agencée de manière à envoyer, à ladite unité
de passerelle, une demande de configuration accompagnée de son propre code de borne,
soit lorsqu'elle est mise sous tension en vue d'établir la communication dans un premier
temps avec ladite première unité de passerelle, soit lorsque ledit bouton de réglage
est manipulé ;
ladite unité de passerelle étant programmée de manière à vérifier si ladite table
d'états de bornes contient un dossier indiquant que la borne de détection envoie ladite
demande de configuration, et à permettre audit moyen d'affectation d'émettre ladite
instruction de configuration visant à affecter ledit maître ou ledit esclave à ladite
borne de détection lorsque ladite table d'états de bornes contient le dossier indiquant
que ladite borne de détection envoie ladite demande de configuration ;
ledit moyen d'affectation étant agencé de manière à envoyer une instruction d'enregistrement
à ladite borne de détection lorsque ladite table d'états de bornes contient un dossier
indiquant qu'une telle borne de détection est affectée en tant que ledit esclave,
ou lorsque ladite table d'états de bornes indique une modification dudit maître ;
chacune desdites bornes de détection étant programmée de manière à mettre en oeuvre,
en réponse à ladite instruction d'enregistrement, un enregistrement de borne qui exécute
les étapes ci-dessous consistant à :
- inviter ledit maître à recevoir une permission, en provenance de ladite unité de
passerelle, étant donné que ladite table d'états de bornes contient un dossier du
code de borne correspondant à ladite borne de détection demanderesse ;
- demander audit maître, suite à la réception de ladite permission, d'affecter ledit
numéro de noeud à ladite borne de détection demanderesse, et d'envoyer ledit numéro
de noeud ainsi affecté, à ladite unité de passerelle ;
- demander audit maître de saisir le numéro de noeud ainsi affecté, conjointement
avec le code de borne et ledit index de maître / esclave de la borne de détection
demanderesse, dans ladite table d'enregistrement de bornes dudit maître ; et
- stocker le numéro de noeud ainsi obtenu, conjointement avec ledit code de borne
et ledit index de maître / esclave de la borne de détection demanderesse, outre le
code de borne et un numéro de noeud prédéterminé dudit maître, dans ladite table d'enregistrement
de bornes de la borne de détection demanderesse.
3. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 2, dans
lequel
chacune desdites bornes de détection est agencée de manière à transmettre ladite demande
de configuration, soit lorsqu'elle est mise sous tension en vue de communiquer avec
l'unité de passerelle, soit lorsque ledit bouton de réglage est manipulé, et à recevoir
ladite instruction de configuration et ladite instruction d'enregistrement en provenance
de ladite unité de passerelle, lorsque ladite borne de détection est enregistrée dans
ladite table d'états de bornes en tant qu'une borne de détection nouvellement ajoutée.
4. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 2, dans
lequel
ladite unité de passerelle est configurée de manière à vérifier si une condition est
satisfaite, dans laquelle ladite table d'états de bornes ne contient aucun dossier
de la borne de détection affectée en tant que ledit maître, et contient un dossier
d'au moins une borne de détection restante, et de manière à exécuter, lorsque cette
condition est satisfaite, une routine de reconfiguration en réponse à la réception
de ladite demande de configuration à partir de l'une quelconque des bornes de détection
restantes dont le dossier est lu à partir de ladite table d'états de bornes,
ladite routine de reconfiguration comprenant les étapes ci-dessous consistant à :
a) supprimer, de ladite table d'états de bornes, ledit index de maître / esclave et
ledit numéro de noeud pour la totalité des bornes de détection restantes ;
b) affecter ledit maître à l'une desdites bornes de détection restantes qui entre
en communication avec ladite unité de passerelle dans un premier temps, après que
son bouton de réglage a été manipulé, et envoyer ladite instruction de configuration
et ladite instruction d'enregistrement à l'autre desdites bornes de détection restantes,
en réponse à l'activation, au moyen de la manipulation dudit bouton de réglage, de
ladite borne de détection.
5. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 1, dans
lequel
ladite unité de passerelle est programmée de manière à mettre à jour sa table d'états
de bornes en correspondance avec ladite table d'inscription de bornes dudit serveur,
en réponse à la modification dudit dossier d'inscription dans ladite table d'inscription
de bornes.
6. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 1, dans
lequel
ledit esclave est programmé de manière à transmettre ledit signal de danger sous la
forme dudit signal de demande d'assistance dans un premier temps, à ladite unité de
passerelle, suite à la génération dudit signal de danger, et à transmettre ensuite
ledit signal de danger audit maître ;
ladite unité de passerelle est programmée de manière à transmettre ledit signal de
demande d'assistance audit serveur, suite à la réception dudit signal de demande d'assistance
à partir de l'un quelconque dudit maître et dudit esclave.
7. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 1, dans
lequel
ledit moyen de configuration de chacune desdites bornes de détection est programmé
de manière à transmettre ladite demande de configuration à des intervalles de temps
réguliers à ladite unité de passerelle.
8. Système de surveillance pour la sécurité à domicile selon la revendication 1, dans
lequel
ledit premier réseau de communication et ledit second réseau de communication sont
agencés de manière à présenter des protocoles de communication individuels mutuellement
distincts.