Abstract: A system includes a wireless communication device that joins a wireless communication network. Specifically, the wireless communication device measures a quality metric of the wireless communication network in response to a trigger to join the wireless communication network. The wireless communication device determines whether the quality metric indicates a high quality environment or a low quality environment for communicating signals. In response to the quality metric indicating the high quality environment, the wireless communication device selects a first pathway with an optimum transmission time between the wireless communication device and a central controller of the wireless communication network. In response to the quality metric indicating a low quality environment, the wireless communication device selects a second pathway comprising an optimum quality link between the wireless communication device and another wireless communication device in the wireless communication network.

Abstract: A service management system facilitates and validates service on building management systems installed in a building with an access control system. A service workflow module receives device events from control panels of the building management systems and combines them with local service data from mobile computing devices of technicians performing the service, generating service events. A validation module receives the service events and retrieves access control events from an access control system controller of the access control system and determines whether they are coherent. The service workflow module also infers the location of the technician based on the access control events and sends service eligible devices to be displayed on the mobile computing devices of the technicians. In an alternative embodiment, device events from a building automation system such as a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system are further used to validate the service events.

Abstract: A service management system facilitates and validates service on building management systems. A service workflow module receives device events from control panels of the building management systems and combines them with local service data from mobile computing devices of technicians performing the service, generating service events. The service workflow module receives ambient radiofrequency (RF) signal data detected from the location of serviced devices. A validation module stores the ambient RF signal data and generates and a device fingerprint based on the ambient RF signal data. After device fingerprints based on the ambient RF signal data have been accumulated, the validation module determines whether current service events and ambient RF signal data are coherent with the device fingerprints and previous ambient RF signal data. The service workflow module also infers the location of the technician based on the ambient RF signal data and sends navigation information to the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A backup battery charging system for a building management system is disclosed. Components of the charging system include an analog power converter, a voltage feedback loop and a current feedback loop. The feedback loops each include at least one digital resistor. The system panel, in turn, includes at least one microcontroller that controls the building management system and also controls the charging system. The charging system is “software defined,” in that the microcontroller controls the charging system by updating the digital resistors in the feedback loops to control the analog power converter. In one example, the building management system is a fire alarm system controlled by a fire control panel as the system panel.

Abstract: An addressing device and method for addressing an addressed device configured to be removeably engaged with the addressing device. The addressing device includes a series of addressing device contacts that are individually and selectively configured to move from a first contact position to a second non-contact position via a respective switch. In the first contact position, an addressing device contact forms an electrical connection with a respective addressed device contact when the addressing device and the addressed device are in the engaged position. In the second non-contact position the addressing device contact does not form an electrical connection with a respective contact of the addressed device. The sequence of continuity provided to the addressed device by the selective contact or non-contact of the addressing device contacts is used to set an address of the addressed device.

Abstract: The system includes an active unit, such as a detector unit, which has a processor, a network port for connection to a central control unit, and an optical data input port. The processor is arranged to enable the optical data input port on receipt of an enable signal received by the active unit from the central control unit via a network.

Abstract: A gateway system is used to establish secure connections between building management system control panels and connected services system servers. This enables status monitoring of the panels and maintenance of the panels and the building management systems.

Abstract: Techniques for conducting, with a single human inspector, a walktest of a fire alarm system having a fire alarm control panel that does not include an RS232 interface are provided. A fire alarm control panel is coupled to a plurality of field devices. The fire alarm control panel provides an output signal identifying a zone of a field device when the field device is activated. A walktest decoder is coupled to the fire alarm control panel and is coupled to a computing device. The walktest decoder converts the output signal from the panel to a format for reception and processing by the computing device. A mobile computing device is wirelessly coupled to the computing device. The mobile computing device receives a wireless signal from the computing device indicating the identified zone. The mobile computing device is used by the inspector to determine if the correct zone was identified.

Abstract: The detector has a first optical smoke detector having a first smoke detector light source arranged for emitting a first beam of light and a first scattered light sensor positioned to detect light from the first beam which is scattered by smoke present within a detection zone; a second optical smoke detector having a second smoke detector light source arranged for emitting a second beam of light and a second scattered light sensor positioned to detect light from the second beam which is scattered by smoke present within the detection zone; and an object proximity detector to detect an object in the detection zone.

Abstract: Monitoring and mass notification systems, such as fire alarm systems, for use in occupied structures, and more particularly to wireless monitoring and mass notification systems include wireless base units that can be modular in design. This allows horns, mini horns, strobes, and audio messaging modules (e.g., speakers) to be physically plugged into the wireless base unit creating a unit with the appearance of a single physical unit. Preferably standardized plugs are used. In some cases, visual and audio modules (i.e., notification devices) have their own battery pack or external power interface. Each wireless base unit can optionally function as a repeater if it has dual transceivers (master transceiver and slave transceiver).

Abstract: Monitoring and mass notification systems, such as fire alarm systems, for use in occupied structures, and more particularly to wireless monitoring and mass notification systems include wireless base units that can be modular in design. This allows horns, mini horns, strobes, and audio messaging modules (e.g., speakers) to be physically plugged into the wireless base unit creating a unit with the appearance of a single physical unit. Preferably standardized plugs are used. In some cases, visual and audio modules (i.e., notification devices) have their own battery pack or external power interface. Each wireless base unit can optionally function as a repeater if it has dual transceivers (master transceiver and slave transceiver).

Abstract: A wireless fire alarm notification system uses wireless repeater devices to annunciate an alarm to slave devices from the control panel. A notification device provides a local synchronization signal via wire to a secondary notification device. A method enables the activation or deactivation of child device without the child device having to query their parent repeater. A circuit to test the integrity of an active battery charger, a battery, and an isolation circuit is also shown. A method for qualifying that an RF signal meets a specified minimum acceptable level is described. A method for wirelessly sending events to avoid RF link overload is provided. A programming checksum method confirms that an annunciator has latest programming information. A method to automatically process messages from new devices without having to hardcode repeaters to support these new devices is also described.

Abstract: In a fire alert system energy is harvested from a wire line pair (408) used to provide primary electrical power from a fire panel central monitoring station to a plurality of remote devices (406). The fire panel central monitoring station begins communications with a remote device by modulating the voltage on the wire line pair so as to communicate a first message (502) to one of the plurality of remote devices. Thereafter, one of the remote devices will respond to the first message with a second message (504) by modulating the voltage on the line pair. Energy is selectively harvested from the wire line pair at one or more of the remote devices in accordance with the remote device address specified in the first message.

Abstract: A method and system for assigning working addresses to slave units in a vehicle fire system. Slave units responding to a default address are identified along with available working addresses. Individual slave units are isolated at the default address by instructing the slaves to compare their serial numbers to a broadcast serial number until only a single slave responds, wherein bits in the serial numbers are reversed to create a more sparse distribution of the serial numbers of the slave units, and assigning the slave units, which responded to the default address, to the available working addresses.

Abstract: A system for facilitating smoke detector performance analysis including a server configured to receive operational data from an alarm panel and to perform analytics using the operational data, wherein the operational data is associated with at least one smoke detector that is operatively connected to the alarm panel.