Abstract: A system and method for monitoring usage and predicting failure of visual notification appliances are disclosed. The visual notification appliances may be strobe lights, which can be provided with an internal counter circuit that obtains a cumulative tally of the number of times the strobe has flashed. Since strobe service life is directly proportional to the number of flashes, monitoring the number of flashes enables proactive repair or replacement of the strobe prior to failure. Flash counts can be stored in the appliance and periodically transmitted to a remote location such as a fire panel or remote monitoring center. Flash counts can also be locally displayed, or can be readable by a user with a handheld device. Alarms or other indications may automatically be generated to alert building or service personnel when an end of life condition is approaching for one or more strobes. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: In accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, an alarm system is provided. The alarm system includes a system controller coupled to at least one initiation device. At least one textual notification device such as for example a signboard is coupled to the system controller. In one embodiment, the textual notification device is a multi-line signboard having an alarm input and a secondary input. The textual notification device is supervised, controlled, and powered integrally with the system controller. In an additional embodiment, an audible generator can be provided that provides an audible message in conjunction with the visual message on the textual notification devices.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a NAC (Notification Appliance Circuit) is provided. The monitoring system includes a system controller, and a NAC comprised of one or more notification appliances that may be in a series. The NAC and its appliances may be operatively coupled to the system controller. The system controller is operable to determine whether a notification appliance has sufficient voltage at a low voltage operation. The system controller may control the voltage to the NAC in order to provide power to simulate operation of the NAC using battery power. A voltage may be measured during the simulation (such as at one end of the NAC). The measured voltage may be compared with a predetermined minimum operating voltage for the notification appliance. Based on the comparison, it may be determined whether the one or more appliances on the NAC may operate properly when the NAC is operated using battery power.

Abstract: A pull station for an alarm includes a housing having an actuator mounted for movement with respect thereto. The actuator has a standby (i.e., normal) position and an alarm position. The actuator has a contoured actuation surface configured such that downward pressure on the actuation surface moves the actuator from the standby position to the alarm position. The actuator may be rotatably or slidably coupled to the housing. The actuation surface may extend beyond the front face of the housing when in the standby position. In some embodiments, the actuation surface is cup-shaped. In other embodiments, the actuation surface is v-shaped, with first and second angled portions forming oblique angles with respect to a lateral axis of the housing. Thus arranged, the actuator can be operated by a disabled who may not have complete hand or finger dexterity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: An alarm system notification device that comprises a single strobe, an input selector, and a controller is disclosed. The single strobe may be configured to operate at a first wavelength band in a first configuration and at a second wavelength band in a second configuration, the first wavelength band being different from the second wavelength band. The configuration of the single strobe (either in the first or second configuration) is determined based on a command that is input by the input selector. In response to receiving the command, the controller may control the single strobe so that the single strobe is configured to operate at one of the first wavelength band in the first configuration or the second wavelength band in the second configuration as indicated in the command.

Abstract: An improved system and method are disclosed for providing test functionality for fire and security system monitoring networks. An operator at a workstation node can place points into a “test-mode” while those points remain “live” (i.e., the system remains operational). For points placed in test-mode, if/when such points transition into a non-normal state (e.g., an alarm state), no flashing or other indication requiring a manual acknowledgement from the operator of the workstation node will occur. In addition, for systems employing banners, active lists, automatic printouts or graphics icons that indicate events, no such indications will occur at the workstation node. The disclosed system and method can also generate documentation verifying completion of system testing in accordance with local jurisdictional requirements. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A system for securing and releasing doors includes at least two electromagnetic latches and a controller. Each of the electromagnetic latches includes a coil configured to be energized by a power signal to create a magnetic field. The controller switches the power signal between the electromagnetic latches so that the power signal is supplied to the electromagnetic latches one at a time. The electromagnetic latches may be electromagnetic door holders, electromagnetic door locks, or any combination of the two.

Abstract: A self-testing notification appliance includes a notification emitter, a verification circuit, and a controller. The notification emitter is operable to output light or light and sound based on a control signal. The verification circuit includes a notification sensor to detect the light or light and sound and generate a verification signal. The controller sends the control signal to the notification emitter and receives information based on the verification signal from the verification circuit. The self-testing notification appliance may be part of a network including a fire control panel and a plurality of additional self-testing notification appliances. The self-testing notification appliances may be assigned addresses on the network.

Abstract: A system and apparatus to reduce current peaking in notification appliances are described. The apparatus may include a current peaking compensation circuit comprising two or more transistors and one or more capacitors configured to reduce a start-up frequency of a pulse-width modulated signal during a first time period and to add a time constant decaying voltage across a resistor divider network to increase a reference voltage during the first time period. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A device and method that automatically corrects the color of a dome light display device. An dome light display device may include one or more colored light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a row, a photodetector disposed with the one or more LEDs in the row and a measurement circuit is configured to receive an electrical signal from the photodetector and compare the electrical signal to a reference signal associated with an intensity of light for a particular color of light and adjust the intensity of light emitted from the one or more LEDs based on the reference value.

Abstract: A detector comprises a detector base and a sensor, first and second resistors connected in series, a DC voltage source (Vref) connected to the resistors, and means for monitoring the voltage at the midpoint of a potential divider constituted by the series-connected resistors. The first and second resistors are rated so that the midpoint voltage is indicative of the date of manufacture of the sensor.

Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to a system and method for providing emergency override of informational displays in an emergency notification system. An embodiment may include an emergency detection module coupled to a display override module. The display override module may be coupled to a third-party display driver. When an emergency condition is detected, the emergency detection module may use the display override module to override any display messages from the third-party display module in order to display an emergency display message. In an embodiment, the display override module may be a switch box. In another embodiment, the display override module may be a RSS feed subscribed to by the third-party display driver. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A detector comprises a detector base (1) and first and second detector elements (2 & 3) each having a respective electronic interface (2a, 3a). The detector base (1) has electronic interfaces (1a) to the electronic interface (2a, 3a) of each of the detector elements (2, 3), wherein at least one of the detector elements is constructed as a replaceable module (11).

Abstract: A fire alarm network fiber optic multiplex modem includes plural local interfaces, a fiber optic interface, a multiplexor, a fiber optic modem, and a demultiplexor. The multiplexor combines data received at the local interfaces into an outgoing data stream. The fiber optic modem transmits, at a first wavelength, the outgoing data stream to the fiber optic interface and receives, at a second wavelength, an incoming data stream via the fiber optic interface. The demultiplexor separates the incoming data stream into separate data streams, and forwards each of the separate data streams to its corresponding local interface.

Abstract: A device and method may include, in a display device, emitting visible light in a humanly imperceptible manner and sensing said light to verify operation of the display device.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method including an event notification appliance including first and second light sources configured to indicate an event, including a fire and/or alert.

Abstract: A VOX interface is provided that interfaces with at least two communication paths to two separate devices. One communication path may be to a first electronic device, such as a central monitoring station remote from the VOX interface, and another communication path may be to one or more remote devices, such as to one or more patient devices remote from the VOX interface. The VOX interface may determine which of the communication paths is sending a signal (such as an audio signal), and configure the VOX interface (via one or more switches) to pass the signal through. Specifically, the VOX interface may sense signals indicating the presence of audio from a central station audio bus and the patient station bus, may do some background noise filtering on the signals, and may pass these filtered values through a differentiator circuit to determine which bus presented the audio.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a NAC (Notification Appliance Circuit) is provided. The monitoring system includes a system controller, and a NAC comprised of one or more notification appliances that may be in a series. The NAC and its appliances may be operatively coupled to the system controller. The system controller is operable to determine whether a notification appliance has sufficient voltage at a low voltage operation. The system controller may control the voltage to the NAC in order to provide power to simulate operation of the NAC using battery power. A voltage may be measured during the simulation (such as at one end of the NAC). The measured voltage may be compared with a predetermined minimum operating voltage for the notification appliance. Based on the comparison, it may be determined whether the one or more appliances on the NAC may operate properly when the NAC is operated using battery power.