Patents Assigned to SimplexGrinnell LP
  • Publication number: 20150124807
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to network controllers coordinating operation of alarm panels, and to an alarm network incorporating multiple alarm panels that each incorporate such a network controller and aspects of the coupling and interactions of those alarm panel components enabled by interactions among those network controllers. An alarm panel includes an alarm controller configured to monitor one or more points for an indication of an alarm condition and a network controller. The network controller includes a proxy server configured to present multiple proxies on an internal network and to receive multiple unicast packets, each proxy of the multiple proxies associated with an alarm panel of multiple alarm panels and each unicast packet of the multiple unicast packets directed to one of the proxies of the multiple proxies; and a multicast component to combine the multiple unicast packets received within a specified interval of time into a multicast packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Timothy Martin, Joseph Piccolo, III
  • Publication number: 20150096351
    Abstract: A device and method for facilitating convenient measurement of airflow in a duct detector. The device may include a detector assembly and an airflow sensor mounted within the detector assembly. The airflow sensor may be coupled to a remote control device, such as via control circuitry. A method for testing airflow in the duct detector may be performed by measuring airflow in the detector assembly, generating a signal that corresponds to the measured airflow in the detector assembly, and determining whether the generated signal exceeds a predetermined threshold signal level. If the generated signal does not exceed the threshold signal level, alarms may be activated and/or blowers in a ventilation system may be deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Todd F. Orsini, Donald D. Brighenti, Anthony J. Capowski
  • Publication number: 20140340215
    Abstract: A method for self-testing notification appliances in an alarm system, including the steps of measuring ambient noise at a notification appliance, comparing the measured ambient noise to a threshold ambient noise level, and performing a self-test of the notification appliance if the measured ambient noise does not exceed the threshold ambient noise level. The method may further include the step of recording a fail result for the notification appliance if the measured ambient noise exceeds the threshold ambient noise level. Performing the self-test of the notification appliance may include the steps of activating a notification feature of the notification appliance, measuring output of the notification feature, comparing the measured output to a predefined value, recording a pass result for the notification appliance if the measured output exceeds the predefined value, and recording a fail result for the notification appliance if the measured output does not exceed the predefined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Joseph Piccolo, III, David Dahlstrom
  • Publication number: 20140332525
    Abstract: A notification appliance enclosure is disclosed that facilitates convenient attachment and removal of a cover thereof The enclosure may include a housing having at least one retaining catch extending from a first side thereof and at least one pivot catch extending from a second side thereof. The enclosure may further include a cover adapted to fit over the housing, the cover having at least one retaining catch recess and at least one pivot catch recess formed therein and adapted to receive the retaining catch and the pivot catch, respectively, to secure the cover against movement away from the housing when the cover and the housing are connected to one another. The cover may further include a catch release pocket adapted to receive the tip of a tool or implement for allowing the retaining catch and the retaining catch recess to be forcibly moved out of engagement with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: James T. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20140333430
    Abstract: An alarm system is disclosed for transmitting data over a data network at a monitored site. The alarm system may include at least two alarm panels operatively connected to the data network and connected to one another by an alternate data path. The alarm panels may be configured to communicate with one another via the data network if the data network is able to facilitate such communication. The alarm panels may further be configured to communicate with one another via the alternate data path if the data network is not able to facilitate such communication. A method of operating the disclosed system is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Joseph Piccolo, III
  • Publication number: 20140242835
    Abstract: A bracket is disclosed for managing the entry of one or more wires into an opening of an electronic equipment chassis. The bracket includes mounting holes configured to accept fasteners for engaging the bracket to the chassis. The bracket also includes a wire support portion having openings for receiving ends of a cable tie to secure one or more wires to the bracket. A faceplate portion of the bracket is positionable to overlie the portion of the chassis opening that is not occupied by the wire(s) to prevent access to the interior of the chassis. A plurality of brackets can be provided for electronic equipment chassis that have multiple openings. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: MICHELE MORAN, Joseph D. Farley
  • Patent number: 8730019
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Steven T. Varieur
  • Publication number: 20140070678
    Abstract: A notification appliance enclosure that facilitates convenient attachment and removal of a housing. The enclosure may include a mounting plate having a catch lip and a retaining wedge projecting from a surface thereof. The catch lip and the retaining wedge may be spaced apart to define a retaining pocket therebetween, and the catch lip may have a latch release aperture formed therethrough. A housing may fit over the mounting plate and may have a latch tongue extending from a surface thereof fits within the retaining pocket. A release latch may extend from a surface of latch tongue and may fit within the latch release aperture. The engagement between the release latch and the latch release aperture prevents the housing from being pulled away from the mounting plate. The retaining wedge resists movement of the latch tongue and thereby resists disengagement of the release latch from the latch release aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Alexander S. Andrews, Erick Russell, James T. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20140062491
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Joseph D. Farley
  • Patent number: 8624754
    Abstract: A method and system for determining at least one property of a strobe cover are disclosed. The determined property of the strobe cover may then be analyzed to determine whether it is the proper property for the strobe device. The property of the strobe cover may include the color of the strobe cover (such as clear, blue, amber, etc.), the shape of the strobe cover (such as a strobe cover with a lens or a strobe cover without a lens), the material of the strobe cover, etc. The method and system may include determining the property of the strobe cover and checking whether the determined property is the expected property of the strobe cover (such as the expected color of the strobe cover). The strobe cover may include one or more property indicators. The one or more property indicators may interface with a circuit, such as mechanically interface with the circuit, in order for the circuit to determine the property of the strobe cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Savage, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8614550
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Joseph D. Farley
  • Patent number: 8601700
    Abstract: A sprinkler drop ruler is provided for measuring the sprinkler drop from a roughed-in outlet. The sprinkler drop ruler includes a rigid frame having an opening, a handle connected to the rigid frame and in fixed relation to the rigid frame, and a ruler with an end shaped to seat in the opening and configured to move inside or along a side of the handle in order to measure a sprinkler drop. The sprinklerfitter may thus use the sprinkler drop ruler in order to measure the sprinkler drop. In this way, the sprinklerfitter does not need to climb a ladder to measure the sprinkler drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Matthew Scavone
  • Patent number: 8558711
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a NAC (Notification Appliance Circuit) is provided. The monitoring system includes a system controller, and a NAC comprised of 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Savage, Jr., Anthony J. Capowski, Mark P. Barrieau
  • Patent number: 8558472
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Berj Redjebian
  • Patent number: 8511630
    Abstract: A mounting bracket for attaching an plurality of alarm notification devices to an electrical box. The mounting bracket includes a first mounting section to receive a first alarm notification device and a second mounting section to receive a second alarm notification device. The second mounting section defines an enclosure which houses the electrical wires connected between the alarm notification devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Steven T. Varieur
  • Patent number: 8508359
    Abstract: A method and system for configured one or more fire alarm system devices in a fire alarm system are disclosed. The fire alarm system includes the fire alarm system devices, a fire alarm panel, and a wireless handheld device. The fire alarm system devices communicate with the fire alarm panel via a first communications interface (such as a wired communications interface), and the wireless handheld device communicates with the fire alarm panel via a second communications interface (such as a wireless communications interface). In operation, the fire alarm control panel receives an indication from one of the fire alarm system devices of a user input. In response, the fire alarm panel sends a communication (such as a form) to the wireless handheld device. In response to the communication, the wireless handheld device sends a response to the fire alarm control panel (such as including information in the form).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Joseph Piccolo, III
  • Patent number: 8503491
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Joseph D. Farley, Gary W. Vincent, Brian A. Rusiecki, Kenneth E. Savage, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130128724
    Abstract: A system and method for providing backup communications using Power over Ethernet (PoE) are disclosed. A backup communication system (BCS) is provided as part of a networked (TCP/IP) hospital communication system. The BCS is coupled to a power line used to provide power to a PoE switch. When TCP/IP communications are interrupted, the BCS receives patient call signals from patient room terminals over a secondary communication mode of the power line, and transmits those call signals to a nurses' station. The call signals can be generated by coupling a pulse-coded AC signal onto the PoE wires, or by sending voltage coded data in one direction and current-coded data in the other direction. Different signals or signal levels can be used to distinguish normal patient calls, patient emergency calls, and code calls. Thus, basic communications can be achieved when TCP/IP are unavailable. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicants: Total Walther Gmbh, Feuerschutz und Sicherheit, SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Joseph D. Farley, Werner Schuhmann, Heinrich Zettler
  • Patent number: 8432266
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Steven T. Varieur
  • Patent number: 8383967
    Abstract: An input device that may work in combination with an electronic device is provided. The input device is configured to input one or more adjustable parameters to the electronic device. The input device uses a plurality of concentric rotary dials to input the one or more adjustable parameters. The concentric rotary dials are co-planar with one another, and share a common center, axis or origin with one inside the other. The concentric rotary dials may have different radii from one another. Further, the concentric rotary dials have a plurality of indicia on one surface of the concentric rotary dials (such as the upper surface). Or, the indicia may be on a surface adjacent to the concentric rotary dials (such as on a non-movable faceplate). A user may move the concentric rotary dials to one or more settings in order to select one of the plurality of indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventor: Janardhan Kindikeri