Abstract: A global fire suppression system includes a primary controller, and a plurality of local fire suppression systems. Each local fire suppression system includes a secondary controller coupled to the primary controller, at least one detection device coupled to the secondary controller, and at least one release device coupled to the secondary controller. Each secondary controller is configured to act as the primary controller should the local fire suppression system become isolated from the primary controller.

Abstract: A distributed file system for a vehicle fire system leverages unused memory in slave modules. Such a system comprises file metadata stored on the master module, which includes information about specific files and the location of used and unused memory throughout the system, including memory on the master module and installed slave units. By maintaining the file metadata and sending instructions to slave units to save or read files at certain addresses, the master module can avail itself of unused memory throughout the entire system. This allows the master module to store more information on the system than there is available memory on the master itself.

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 and method for updating the firmware of slave units in a fire system detects whether a new slave unit has been installed and compares the version of the firmware in the newly-installed slave unit with that of previously-installed slave units of the same type (including any backup copies of firmware stored by the master module in a file system). If the newly-installed slave unit's firmware is more recent, any backup copies of the firmware stored by the master module are replaced with an image of the new version of the firmware. Additionally, slave units with older versions of the firmware are updated to the newest version.

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 distributed file system for a vehicle fire system leverages unused memory in slave modules. Such a system comprises file metadata stored on the master module, which includes information about specific files and the location of used and unused memory throughout the system, including memory on the master module and installed slave units. By maintaining the file metadata and sending instructions to slave units to save or read files at certain addresses, the master module can avail itself of unused memory throughout the entire system. This allows the master module to store more information on the system than there is available memory on the master itself.

Abstract: A hazard alarm includes: a detector for detecting a hazard parameter, trigger logic; and reset logic. The trigger logic triggers an alarm state when the measured parameter reaches a predetermined trigger threshold. The alarm state is maintained until a reset is successfully performed. The reset logic, upon a reset command, resets the alarm state if the measured parameter is below a predetermined reset threshold, and inhibits resetting of the alarm state if the measured parameter is above the predetermined reset threshold.

Abstract: A hazard alarm includes: a detector for detecting a hazard parameter; trigger logic; and reset logic. The trigger logic triggers an alarm state when the measured parameter reaches a predetermined trigger threshold. The alarm state is maintained until a reset is successfully performed. The reset logic, upon a reset command, resets the alarm state if the measured parameter is below a predetermined reset threshold, and inhibits resetting of the alarm state if the measured parameter is above the predetermined reset threshold.

Abstract: Methods for detecting an alarm condition includes repeatedly converting an ambient condition into voltage outputs in detector apparatus repeatedly converting the voltage outputs into a series of actual analog values, polling the series of actual analog values to determine an average analog value, repeatedly comparing the difference between the average analog value and the last actual analog value with a predetermined delta-threshold value and indicating an alarm condition when the difference between the average analog value and the last actual analog value exceeds the delta-threshold value. Methods for detecting an alarm condition further includes repeatedly comparing the average analog value with a maintenance threshold value and indicating a maintenance signal when the average analog value exceeds the maintenance threshold value.

Abstract: A monitor/control communication net with intelligent peripherals, that is, peripherals which are capable of monitoring and/or controlling various devices in accordance with messages received from a central panel cpu and which are also capable of reporting to the central panel the status of one or more devices monitored by the peripheral. Each peripheral is assigned a unique address by which it is polled by the central panel. All communication messages between the central panel and peripherals include a format code which indicates the nature of the message and the length of any data field in the message. Communication time is minimized by permitting the data field to vary in length from one peripheral to another, depending on the number and type of devices being monitored and/or controlled by the peripherals.