Abstract:
An ambient condition detector incorporates a control switch which can be actuatable by one of a plurality of circumstances. In a response to an actuated switch, control circuitry of the detector selects at least one predetermined function or process to carry out. The control circuitry can include a programmed processor and a storage unit. A plurality of processes or functions can be stored in the storage unit. One or more of the processes can be selected for execution in response to signals received from the control switch. The switch can be closed in response to manual actuation, a magnetic field, or incident electromagnetic radiation such as RF signals or a beam of light.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to controllable electrical units. More particularly, the invention pertains to ambient condition detectors responsive to various control signals generated by external actions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Remotely activated test systems for use with ambient condition detectors have been disclosed in Bellavia et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,244, entitled Test Initiation Apparatus With Continuous or Pulse Input. Such systems have been used to remotely activate a switch to initiate a self-test of the respective detector or to temporarily silence a detector. Such systems, while useful, have been intended to carry out a predetermined unchangeable function. 
     It would be desirable to be able to reconfigure a selected process to be carried out by a detector in response to a predetermined input. Preferably such flexibility could be incorporated without substantially increasing the manufacturing cost or complexity of the respective detector. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An electrical unit incorporates control circuitry coupled to a control switch. The control switch defines a selected identifier, when closed, which could be detected by the control circuitry and used to identify a process to be executed. The identified process can be stored in a memory unit coupled to the control circuitry. 
     The contents of the memory unit can be loaded from a data stream received from a remote source. The received data stream can be stored in selected locations of the memory unit. A closure of a control switch can in turn cause the control circuitry to carry out the downloaded and stored process in the memory unit. 
     The control switch can be implemented as a normally open mechanical switch. The switch can be closed in response to manual operation. Alternately, a reed relay or switch could be used which could be closed or opened in response to an adjacent magnetic field. The switch can also be responsive to incident electromagnetic energy such as from a source of RF signals or a beam of incident light. 
     In one embodiment, closure of the switch can be used to select one of a plurality of prestored processes based on one or more existing conditions. For example, the state of various control signals of the control circuitry in combination with the switch closure can determine which process from the plurality is selected. In this way, different functions or different processes can be carried out depending on the circumstances. 
     In one aspect the unit can include an ambient condition sensor and interface circuitry for purposes of communicating with a remote control device. The control circuitry can be implemented with a local programmed processor. Process sequences to be executed can be downloaded to the processor from the control device. 
     The actuatable control switch can be used to cause different functions to be carried out when closed. These functions include: 
     1. initiating a self-test of some or all of the unit, such as an ambient condition sensor; 
     2. transmitting a predetermined message, previously programmed via the downloaded information; 
     3. initiating an indication of a parameter value such as sensitivity, or address or any other parameter specified via the downloaded information; 
     4. silencing the unit locally. 
     In yet another aspect, a plurality of functions can be downloaded to the unit. Activating or closing the switch for a time interval less than a preset amount can be used to select one member of the plurality of functions. Activating the switch for a longer time interval can be used to select another member of the plurality. Similarly, switch closures can be coded to generate a binary sequence over a predetermined period of time to specify yet another process or processes from the plurality. 
     In a further aspect, where the control circuitry has been implemented with a programmed processor, processes to be carried out or executed can be stored in non-volatile memory coupled to the processor. In response to a switch closure(s), the processor can access a predetermined register. The contents of the register can specify the process to be executed. The contents of the register, along with the members of the plurality of processes can be downloaded to the unit from a remote, common control device. 
     A plurality of units can be coupled by wireless or wired media to the control device. The control device can, in turn, download a plurality of functions, or processes, specifying identifiers to respective units. One or more sets of executable instructions, which define the various functions or processes, can also be downloaded to respective units. 
     Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one form of an electrical unit usable with the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another form of an electrical unit usable with the system of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a plurality of different supplemental processes executable by the units of FIG.  2  and FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawing and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a system  10  which can be used for monitoring a plurality of conditions in one or more regions to be supervised. The system  10  includes a common control device  12  which could be implemented as one or more interconnected programmed processors and associated, prestored instructions. 
     The device  12  includes an interface for coupling, for example, to a communications medium  14 , illustrated in FIG. 1 for exemplary purposes as an optical or electrical cable. Alternately, the system  10  can communicate wirelessly, such as by RF or infrared, via transceiver  16 , illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1, and antenna  16   a.    
     Coupled to medium  14  is a plurality of ambient condition detectors  18  and a plurality of control or function units  20 . It will be understood that the relative arrangement of the members of the pluralities  18  and  20  relative to the medium  14  is not a limitation of the present invention. 
     The members of the plurality  18  can include intrusion sensors, position sensors, gas sensors, fire sensors such as smoke sensors, thermal sensors or the like, and gas sensors, all without limitation. The members of the plurality  20  can include solenoid actuated control or function implementing units, display devices, printers or the like. 
     Where system  10  incorporates a wireless communications medium, a plurality  22  of wireless units could be in bidirectional communication with transceiver  16 . The plurality  22  can include, without limitation, ambient condition detectors, as noted above as well as control or function implementation devices without limitation. 
     Also coupled to the control unit  12  via a medium  24 , illustrated for example as a pair of electrical cables, is a plurality  26  of output devices. These could include audible or visible output devices without limitation, speech output devices and the like. The devices  26  are intended to broadcast a human discernable message, which might indicate alarm condition, in one or more predetermined regions. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary member  18   n  of the plurality  18 . The member  18   n , an ambient condition detector includes a sensor  30 , which could include without limitation ambient condition sensors such as smoke sensors, thermal sensors, gas sensors, position sensors, movement sensors and the like. 
     Sensor  30  is in turn coupled to control element  32  which could be implemented as a programmed processor. A visual output device  32   a , such as a light emitting diode, is coupled to processor  32 . Output device  32   a  can be energized by processor  32  to provide visual feedback to an individual in the vicinity of unit  18   n . Audible output devices, coupled to processor  32 , could also be used to provide local feedback. 
     Processor  32  is in bidirectional communication with storage element  34 . The element  34  could include read only as well as volatile and non-volatile read/write memory cells. Storage unit  34  could be used to store control programs to be executed by the detector  18   n  as well as to store operating constants or other information. 
     Storage unit  34  can include a primary control program to be executed by processor  32 . For example, the primary program, in combination with sensor  30 , implement an ambient condition detector. 
     Input/output circuitry  36  coupled to control circuitry  32  provides bidirectional communication via medium  14  with other members of the plurality  18  as well as common control device  12 . The unit  18   n  can be energized by a local power supply  38  which receives electrical energy via the medium  14 . Control programs or supplemental processors can be downloaded to unit  18   n  as discussed below. 
     The unit  18   n  also includes a switch SW 1  coupled to control circuitry  32 . The switch SW 1  can be closed by an external event such as an adjacent magnetic field, incident radiant energy such as infrared or visible light, incident RF signals or mechanical movement of a switch lever. 
     Closure of the switch SW 1  couples a voltage from supply  38  to control circuitry  32 . In response, control circuitry  32  could, on an interrupt or poling basis, read the contents of a register which could be stored within the control circuitry  32  or could correspond to a location in storage unit  34 . The contents of the register that has been read could be an address or a pointer to one of a plurality of supplemental processes to be carried out by the unit  18   n  in response to closure switch SW 1 . 
     As those of skill in the art will understand, switch SW 1  could be implemented as a bit pattern in a memory location. In this embodiment, a bit pattern could be downloaded from another processor in the system. The downloaded pattern could be read on an interrupt driven basis or in response to another condition. The pattern can specify a function defining memory location or sequence. Alternatively, it could correspond to an entry into a function specifying or defining table. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a plurality of supplemental processes P 1 , P 2  . . . Pn which can be preloaded into storage unit  34 . Processes P 1 , P 2  . . . Pn which could include sequences of executable instructions could be downloaded from control device  12  or from other members of the pluralities  18  or  20 . 
     Closure of the switch SW 1  in turn results in control circuitry of processor  32  extracting an address or a pointer from a register. For example, address 001, 002, 00n correspond to an entry point for each of the respective processes P 1 , P 2  . . . Pn. The process which is identified or pointed to is then executed by processor or control circuitry  32 . 
     Where the unit  18   n  corresponds to an ambient condition detector, some of the supplemental processes or functions which can be defined include: 
     1. initiating self-test of the respective sensor  30 ; 
     2. transmitting a pre-stored message which had been previously received as downloaded information from control device  12 ; 
     3. communicating an indication of sensitivity address or any other parameter as defined through previously downloaded information; 
     4. silencing the device locally if it has for some reason gone into an alarm state. 
     Additional and expanded examples of functions or supplemental processes which can be carried out by processor or control circuitry  32  in response to closure of SW 1  include: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Identifier 
                 Function 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 0000 0001 
                 Initiate a self-test of the sensor and transmit a normal 
               
               
                   
                 signal if OK 
               
               
                 0000 0010 
                 Initiate a self-test of the sensor and transmit an alarm 
               
               
                   
                 message if OK 
               
               
                 0000 0100 
                 Transmit a “walk test” message 
               
               
                 0000 1000 
                 Transmit a “guard report” message 
               
               
                 0001 0000 
                 Blink the visible LED (or other method) to indicate 
               
               
                   
                 the sensitivity value 
               
               
                 0010 0000 
                 Blink the visible LED(or other method) to indicate 
               
               
                   
                 the address 
               
               
                 0100 0000 
                 Transmit the address of the device 
               
               
                 1000 0000 
                 Transmit the serial number of the device. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Additional codes can be used for more functions. A message to download information into the device from the control unit in the system may have the following structure: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 BYTE 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 1 
                 Priority for communication access 
               
               
                   
                 2 
                 Download style message defined 
               
               
                   
                 3 
                 Address of unit to receive message 
               
               
                   
                 4 
                 Register location to download information into 
               
               
                   
                 5 
                 Information/function or process (code) to be 
               
               
                   
                   
                 downloaded 
               
               
                   
                 6 
                 Check sum of message for error detection 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The code may be changed at any time by the control device  12  in anticipation of local operation of the switch SW 1 . The initial switch function to be downloaded corresponds to identifier 0000 0001 so that any activation of the switch SW 1  will not cause alarms within the alarm system  10 . If the fire alarm system is to be tested to make sure that the operation is proper, then the switch function is downloaded as 0000 0010 which will cause the unit  18   n  to transmit an alarm message to the system  10 . If it is required to check the address of installed units in actual locations without removing the respective unit, the switch function is downloaded as 0010 0000 and the address presented as pulses on visible LED  32   a  can be observed. 
     The switch SW 1  may be a mechanical switch (close contact or open contact by manual operation), reed relay or switch (close contact or open contact by magnetic field), or an electronic switch (photo receiver operated by light or electromagnetic energy). Other means of implementing a switch are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additional circuitry may also be used between the switch and the microcontroller to provide appropriate signals for the microcontroller. 
     It will also be understood that switch SW 1  can be closed and opened to form a command pattern to identify one of a plurality of supplemental processes or functions to be executed. For example, control circuitry  32  could recognize that the switch SW 1  has been closed for less than a predetermined period of time, for example, two to three seconds or longer than that time period. In response to a shorter or longer closure, one or another register can be accessed, each of which could contain an identifier or a pointer to one of the supplemental processes or functions of FIG.  4 . 
     Alternately, control circuitry  32  could recognize a coded binary sequence of ones and zeros, corresponding to switch closures and openings in some predefined period of time. This binary combination could in turn be used to define a register or a pointer specifying one of the plurality of supplemental processes or functions. Other variations are also possible. For example, two switches can be provided which could be opened and closed independently for the purpose of identifying one or more of the supplemental processes to be executed. 
     It will also be understood that while the switch SW 1  has been illustrated in FIG. 2 as part of an ambient condition detector  18   n  that this is not a limitation of the present invention. The switch SW 1  could, for example, be incorporated into one of the control units or modules of the plurality  20 . In such an instance, the supplemental processes or functions would be defined and structured in accordance with the purpose and capability of the respective member of the plurality  20 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary member  22   i  of the plurality of wirelessly coupled units  22 . The unit  22   i  includes an ambient condition sensor  30 ′ which is in turn coupled to a local programmed processor or other control circuitry  32 ′ of the type described above. 
     Storage unit  34 ′ is in turn coupled to control circuitry  32 ′ and can be used for the purpose of storing instructions, operating constants, and the like, as would be understood by those of skill in the art. Storage unit  34  can be downloaded with a primary control program and a plurality of supplemental processes or functions, FIG.  4 . 
     A visual indicator such as a light emitting diode  32 ′ a  is also coupled to the processor  32 ′. Processor  32 ′ in turn via interface circuitry  36 ′ is in bidirectional communication with wireless transceiver  40  which could transmit and/or receive RF signals via antenna  40   a  to/from control device  12 . 
     The unit  22   i  also includes closable switch SW 2  similar to the switch SW 1  previously described. The switch SW 2  can be closed by an external event or code as described previously with respect to the unit  18   n . This will in turn cause control circuitry or processor  32 ′ to execute one of the plurality of supplemental processes or functions, as illustrated in FIG.  4 . 
     It will also be understood that the members of the wirelessly coupled plurality  22  could include, in addition to ambient condition detectors, other types of control or function modules for locking or unlocking doors, energizing or de-energizing lights or other types of devices to be controlled. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.