Management server for managing maintenance of fire extinguishers and extinguisher management system including the same

An extinguisher management system includes a fire extinguisher, a management server and a maintenance server. The fire extinguisher transmits a notification signal when a measured pressure thereof is beyond a predetermined pressure range. The management server includes a wireless receiver for receiving the notification signal from the fire extinguisher, and a database storing an apparatus data set corresponding to the fire extinguisher. The management server outputs an apparatus information in the apparatus data set in response to receipt of the notification signal. The maintenance server is configured to update a to-be-maintained list according to the apparatus information received from the management server.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a management server for managing maintenance of fire extinguishers, and an extinguisher management system including the same.

BACKGROUND

Generally, a fire extinguisher is provided with a pressure gauge and a pressure indicator, and an inspector has to check the pressure indicator for confirming whether the fire extinguisher is normal. A building usually has a lot of fire extinguishers usually placed at multiple locations, and the fire extinguishers should be inspected periodically to ensure that they can function normally. Therefore, the inspector needs to directly check the pressure indicators of the extinguishers one by one by going through all the locations where the fire extinguishers are placed, and this may consume a lot of manpower.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide an extinguisher management system that can alleviate the drawback of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, the extinguisher management system includes at least one fire extinguisher, a management server and at least one maintenance server.

The at least one fire extinguisher each includes a canister for containing a fire extinguishing agent, a pressure gauge disposed on the canister for measuring a pressure therein, and a wireless transmitter coupled to the pressure gauge and configured to transmit a notification signal when the pressure measured by the pressure gauge is beyond a predetermined pressure range.

The management server includes a wireless receiver, a management database controller and a first communication module. The wireless receiver is configured to communicate wirelessly with the wireless transmitter for receiving the notification signal therefrom. The management database controller is electrically connected to the wireless receiver, and includes an apparatus database storing an apparatus data set. The apparatus data set corresponds to the at least one fire extinguisher, and includes apparatus information related to the at least one fire extinguisher. The first communication module is electrically connected to the management database controller and configured to access a network. The management server is configured to output the apparatus information through the first communication module in response to receipt of the notification signal.

The at least one maintenance server corresponds to the at least one fire extinguisher, and each includes a second communication module and a maintenance controller. The second communication module is configured to access the network for receiving the apparatus information related to the at least one fire extinguisher from the first communication module. The maintenance controller is electrically connected to the second communication module for receiving the apparatus information, and includes a to-be-maintained list. The maintenance controller is configured to update the to-be-maintained list according to the apparatus information.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a management server that can alleviate the drawback of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, the management server is for managing maintenance of a fire extinguisher, and includes a wireless receiver, a management database controller and a communication module.

The wireless receiver is configured to communicate wirelessly with the fire extinguisher for receiving a notification signal therefrom. The fire extinguisher transmits the notification signal when a pressure therein is beyond a predetermined pressure range.

The management database controller is electrically connected to the wireless receiver, and includes an apparatus database that stores an apparatus data set. The apparatus data set corresponds to the fire extinguisher, and includes apparatus information related to the fire extinguisher.

The communication module is electrically connected to the management database controller, and is configured to access a network. In response to receipt of the notification signal, the management server is configured to output the apparatus information through the first communication module to a maintenance server such that the maintenance server updates a to-be-maintained list stored therein according to the apparatus information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary embodiment of an extinguisher management system is shown. The extinguisher management system includes a plurality of fire extinguishers2, a management server4and a plurality of maintenance servers3. It should be noted that the extinguisher management system may include only one fire extinguisher2and one maintenance server3in another embodiment.

Each of the fire extinguishers2includes a canister21, a pressure gauge22and a wireless transmitter23. In this embodiment, each fire extinguisher2may be, but not limited to, a conventional fire extinguishers (e.g., a wheeled fire extinguisher). For example, the fire extinguishers2are placed at respective locations in a building.

The canister21is for containing a fire extinguishing agent. The fire extinguishing agent in the canister21maybe a powder agent, a chemical agent, a carbon-dioxide agent, etc. The pressure gauge22is disposed on the canister21for measuring a pressure therein.

The wireless transmitter23is coupled to the pressure gauge22, and is configured to transmit a notification signal when the pressure measured by the pressure gauge is beyond a predetermined pressure range. More particularly, the notification signal contains an identification (ID) code of the fire extinguisher2which includes the wireless transmitter23is included in. Furthermore, the wireless transmitter23is configured to transmit the notification signal indicating that the pressure in the canister21is abnormally high when the pressure measured by the pressure gauge22is higher than an upper limit of the predetermined pressure range. Similarly, the wireless transmitter23is configured to transmit the notification signal indicating that the pressure in the canister21is abnormally low when the pressure measured by the pressure gauge22is lower than a lower limit of the predetermined pressure range. For example, the wireless transmitter23maybe implemented by using an antenna (e.g., a Bluetooth antenna, a WiFi antenna, and or the like) and a microprocessor, and may be powered by a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable battery. It should be noted that the wireless transmitter23is not limited to the example described above.

Referring toFIG. 1, the management server4includes a wireless receiver41, a management database controller42and a first communication module43.

The wireless receiver41is configured to communicate wirelessly with the wireless transmitter23for receiving the notification signal therefrom. The management database controller42is electrically connected to the wireless receiver41, and includes an apparatus database44storing a plurality of apparatus data sets441. The apparatus data sets441correspond to the fire extinguishers2, respectively. Each of the apparatus data sets441includes apparatus information and a network address. The apparatus information includes the ID code and a physical location of the corresponding one of the fire extinguishers2. The network address is directed to one of the maintenance servers3. The first communication module43is electrically connected to the management database controller42and is configured to access a network.

For example, the management server4is a local server placed in the building where the fire extinguishers2are placed, the wireless receiver41is an antenna (e.g., a Bluetooth antenna, a WiFi antenna, or the like) compatible with the wireless transmitters23of the fire extinguishers2, the management database controller42includes a processor and a tangible storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive), and the first communication module43is a network interface controller (e.g., a network card).

In response to receipt of the notification signal from one of the fire extinguishers2through the wireless receiver41, the management database controller42fetches from the apparatus database44one of the apparatus data sets441that includes the apparatus information with the ID code matching the ID code contained in the notification signal, and outputs the apparatus information of the apparatus data set441fetched thereby to one of the maintenance server3through the first communication module43according to the network address included in the apparatus data set441fetched thereby. In some embodiments, the management database controller42is further configured to output a condition code along with the apparatus information to the one of the maintenance servers3through the first communication module43. The condition code is generated by the management database controller42according to the notification signal indicating that the pressure in the canister21is abnormally high or low. In this embodiment, for example, a code “1” may represent that the pressure is abnormally high, and a code “2” may represent that the pressure is abnormally low. It should be noted that the condition code is not limited to the examples described above.

The maintenance servers3each include a second communication module31and a maintenance controller32. Each of the maintenance servers3corresponds to a respective group of the fire extinguishers2. The respective group of the fire extinguishers2may be configured on user demand. In one embodiment, the fire extinguishers2that are inspected and maintained periodically by the same fire protection solution provider belong to one group, which corresponds to a respective one of the maintenance servers3. In one embodiment, the fire extinguishers2containing the same fire extinguishing agent belong to one group, which corresponds to a respective one of the maintenance servers3.

The second communication module31is configured to access the network for receiving the apparatus information and the condition code from the first communication module43. For example, the second communication module31is, but not limited to, a network interface controller.

The maintenance controller32is electrically connected to the second communication module31for receiving the apparatus information and the condition code, and stores a to-be-maintained list321corresponding to the respective group of the fire extinguishers2. The to-be-maintained list321includes, for example, the apparatus information (i.e., the ID code and the physical location) and a to-be-maintained item of each abnormal fire extinguisher. The to-be-maintained item indicates one of that the pressure in the abnormal fire extinguisher is abnormally low and the abnormal fire extinguisher requires boosting pressure and that the pressure in the abnormal fire extinguisher is abnormally high and the abnormal fire extinguisher requires discharging pressure. The maintenance controller32is configured to update the to-be-maintained list321according to the apparatus information and the condition code received from the second communication module31, by adding the apparatus information and the to-be-maintained item, which is determined based on the condition code, to the to-be-maintained list321. For example, the maintenance controller32includes a processor and a tangible storage device (e.g., a hard disk drive).

In use, when the pressure in the canister21of one of the fire extinguishers2is beyond the predetermined pressure range (i.e., said one of the fire extinguishers2is an abnormal fire extinguisher2), the wireless transmitter23of the abnormal fire extinguisher2transmits the notification signal to the management server4. The management database controller42of the management server4then receives the notification signal through the wireless receiver41. In response to the receipt of the notification signal, the management database controller42compares the ID code contained in the notification signal with the ID codes included in the apparatus data sets441, and fetches a matched one of the apparatus data sets441that has the ID code matching with the ID code in the notification signal, generates the condition code according to the notification signal, and sends both the apparatus information included in the matched one of the apparatus data sets441and the condition code to the corresponding one of the maintenance servers3according to the network address included in the matched one of the apparatus data sets441. The corresponding maintenance server3, in response to receipt of the apparatus information and the condition code from the management server4, adds the apparatus information and the to-be-maintained item that corresponds to the condition code into the to-be-maintained list321. The maintenance server3may include a display device to display the to-be-maintained list321. In addition, the maintenance server3may be operated by the fire protection solutions provider that is in charge of the maintenance of the respective group of the fire extinguishers2. Therefore, the fire protection solutions provider can be notified instantly of which fire extinguisher2should be maintained or replaced according to the to-be-maintained list321, and can dispatch an inspector to the physical location of the abnormal fire extinguisher2for maintaining the same.

In sum, the extinguisher management system according to this disclosure can instantly update the corresponding to-be-maintained list321when any of the fire extinguishers2of the extinguisher management system is abnormal and needs to be maintained or replaced. Therefore, the fire protection solutions provider can be notified, by the maintenance server3displaying the to-be-maintained list321, of the presence of any abnormal fire extinguisher2which the fire protection solutions provider is responsible for, perform timely maintenance/repair/replacement, and ensure that all the fire extinguishers2function normally. In addition, manpower and time consumption may also be reduced by using the extinguisher management system according to this disclosure since there is no need to send an inspector to inspect the fire extinguishers2one by one.