Fire control panel interface generation

Methods, devices, and systems for fire control panel interface generation are described herein. In some examples, one or more embodiments include a fire control panel comprising a memory and a processor to execute instructions stored in the memory to determine, from a plurality of geographic regions, a geographic region for the control panel, determine a set of standards corresponding to the determined geographic region, and generate a fire control panel interface using the determined set of standards, and a user interface to display the fire control panel interface.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, and systems for fire control panel interface generation.

BACKGROUND

Facilities, such as commercial facilities, office buildings, hospitals, and the like, may have control systems that can be used during an emergency situation, such as, for instance, a fire, to manage the emergency situation in and/or around the facility. Such control systems may rely on fire hardware devices such as smoke detectors, heat detectors, carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, among other types of fire hardware devices, to detect an emergency event. Upon detection of an emergency event, other fire hardware devices may activate, such as audible alarms, visual alarms, pre-programmed messages on a display, etc.

Fire control panels can control components of a fire control system in a facility. For example, a fire control panel can monitor and/or control fire hardware devices in the facility. For example, in the case of an emergency event such as a fire, a fire control panel can receive signals from a fire hardware device such as a sensor, and/or control other fire hardware devices to perform fire control operations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Methods, devices, and systems for fire control panel interface generation are described herein. In some examples, one or more embodiments include a fire control panel comprising a memory and a processor to execute instructions stored in the memory to determine, from a plurality of geographic regions, a geographic region for the control panel, determine a set of standards corresponding to the determined geographic region, and generate a fire control panel interface using the determined set of standards, and a user interface to display the fire control panel interface.

Fire control panels can be utilized in a facility to manage fire hardware devices in the facility. As used herein, the term “fire control panel” refers to a controlling component of a fire control system. For example, a fire control panel can receive information from fire hardware devices in the facility, monitor operational integrity of fire hardware devices in the facility, control fire hardware devices in the facility, and/or transmit information about fire hardware devices in the facility, among other operations. As an example, a fire control panel can receive information from, monitor, control, and/or transmit information about sensors in the facility. As used herein, the term “sensor” refers to a device designed to detect and/or report fires.

Fire control panels may be installed in facilities in many different geographic regions. For example, fire control panels may be installed in the United State (country), Europe (group of countries/continent), Australia (country/continent), etc.

Fire control panels installed in different geographic regions may be subject to varying regulatory standards, depending on the geographic region in which it is installed. For example, a fire control panel installed in the United States may be subject to regulatory standards that may not be the same as those regulatory standards in Europe, Australia, etc. A fire control panel installed in the United States may be subject to using certain terminology to describe events (e.g., determined via information received from fire hardware devices in a facility), may be subject to prioritizing those events in a certain way, etc. that may be different from the terminology and/or prioritization schemes mandated by regulatory standards in Europe, Australia, and/or other geographic regions. Additionally, fire control panels installed in some geographic regions may be subject to multiple different regulatory standards.

As a result of such differing regulatory standards, a user such as a commissioning engineer may have to be aware of the geographic region in which the fire control panel is being installed, what regulatory standards the fire control panel is designed with, etc. This may be difficult or confusing for the user, especially for fire control panels installed in a geographic region subject to multiple different regulatory standards.

Fire control panel interface generation, in accordance with the present disclosure, can allow for a fire control panel to include multiple sets of standards such that a fire control panel interface can be generated according to a set of standards based on the geographic region in which the fire control panel is located. In such a manner, the user can more easily and quickly commission and install a fire control panel according to the geographic location of the fire control panel as compared with previous approaches.

The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the first digit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and the remaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different figures may be identified by the use of similar digits. For example,102may reference element “02” inFIG. 1, and a similar element may be referenced as202inFIG. 2.

As used herein, “a”, “an”, or “a number of” something can refer to one or more such things, while “a plurality of” something can refer to more than one such things. For example, “a number of components” can refer to one or more components, while “a plurality of components” can refer to more than one component. Additionally, the designators “M” and “N”, as used herein particularly with respect to reference numerals in the drawings, indicates that a number of the particular feature so designated can be included with a number of embodiments of the present disclosure. This number may be the same or different between designations.

FIG. 1is an example of an illustration of a fire control panel interface100for fire control panel interface generation, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fire control panel interface100can be displayed on a user interface of a fire control panel, as will be further described herein (e.g., in connection withFIG. 4).

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the fire control panel interface100can include events102-1,102-2,102-3,102-N (e.g., referred to collectively herein as events102), icons104-1,104-2,104-3,104-N (e.g., referred to collectively herein as icons104), navigation menu105, terminology106-1,106-2,106-3,106-N (e.g., referred to collectively herein as terminology106), event amount107-1,107-2,107-3,107-N (e.g., referred to collectively herein as event amounts107), and event information108-1,108-M (e.g., referred to collectively herein as event information108). Examples of the events102, icons104, terminology106, event amounts107, and event information108will be further described herein

A fire control panel (e.g., fire control panel420, further described in connection withFIG. 4) can be utilized to generate a fire control panel interface according to a determined set of standards. As used herein, the term “standards” refers to rules specifying requirements and tests for components of a fire control system. For example, a set of standards can govern construction, installation, control, and/or operation of devices (e.g., fire control panels) included in a fire control system, among other attributes of a fire control system. Sets of standards governing fire control systems may vary based on geographic regions in which such fire control systems are located. As such, the fire control panel interface can be generated based on a determined set of standards that correspond to a particular geographic region in which the fire control panel is located, as is further described herein.

The fire control panel can determine, from a plurality of geographic regions, a geographic region for the fire control panel. Each geographic region can have a different corresponding set of standards associated therewith. For example, in the United States (US), a first set of standards can govern fire control panels, in the European Union (EU), a second set of standards can govern fire control panels, in Australia, a third set of standards can govern fire control panels, etc. Each of the set of standards (e.g., in the US, EU, and/or Australia, among other examples of geographic regions) can be different from each other. In other words, the construction, installation, control, and/or operation of fire control panels included in a fire control system may be governed by differing standards in the US, EU, Australia, and/or other geographic regions.

The fire control panel can determine the geographic region in response to a user input received via the user interface of the fire control panel. The fire control panel can include an input mechanism such as a touchscreen display, mouse and/or keyboard, etc. Utilizing the input mechanism, a user can select (e.g., from a list of geographic regions), the geographic region in which the fire control panel is located. For example, a user can select, via a touchscreen display of the fire control panel, the US in an instance in which the fire control panel is located in the US. Although a user input to the fire control panel is described above as being received via a touchscreen display, mouse and/or keyboard, etc., embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. For example, the fire control panel can receive a selection via any other type of input mechanism.

The fire control panel can determine a set of standards corresponding to the determined geographic region. For example, as a result of the selection of the US via a user input, the fire control panel can determine a set of standards corresponding to the US.

The determined set of standards can include pre-determined icons104for a number of events. As used herein, the term “event” refers to an occurrence relating to a fire control system of a facility. For example, an event can include a fire event (e.g., fire detection, smoke detection, alarm activation, etc.), supervisory event (e.g., an alarm is suppressed), trouble event (e.g., a fire hardware device experiences operational troubles), fault event (e.g., a fire hardware device experiences operational troubles), test event (e.g., testing of a fire hardware device), disablement event (e.g., disabling of a fire hardware device or devices so that the devices can be maintained and/or repaired without affecting other portions of the fire control system), among other examples of events. Events can be detected via fire hardware devices, sensors, and/or other hardware in the facility.

Each of the events can include an associated pre-determined icon. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 1, event102-1can be a fire having an icon104-1indicating fire (e.g., an icon in the shape of fire), event102-2can be a supervisory event having an icon104-2indicating a supervisory action taken for an alarm (e.g., an icon in the shape of an alarm emitting sound), event102-3can be a trouble event having an icon104-3indicating trouble with a fire hardware device (e.g., an icon in the shape of an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle), and event102-N can be a disablement event having an icon104-N indicating a fire hardware device being disabled (e.g., an icon in the shape of a fire hardware device with a line therethrough).

The determined set of standards can include character limits for different labels for a number of events. For example, a fire event can include a label as well as a description of the fire event. The label and description of the fire event on a fire control panel in the US may include character limits that are different than character limits for the label and description of a fire event in the EU.

The fire control panel can generate the fire control panel interface100using the determined set of standards. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 1, the fire control panel can generate the fire control panel interface100using a set of standards for the US because the determined geographic region for the fire control panel is the US.

Generating the fire control panel interface100can include prioritizing a plurality of events102received by the fire control panel according to the determined set of standards. For example, the set of standards for the US may dictate prioritizing a fire event102-1ahead of a supervisory event102-2, trouble event102-3, and a disablement event102-N, prioritizing a supervisory event102-2ahead of a trouble event102-3and a disablement event102-N but behind a fire event102-1, etc. The events can be included (e.g., displayed) in their prioritized order in the interface100, as illustrated inFIG. 1.

Generating the fire control panel interface100can include color coding the prioritized events according to the determined set of standards. For example, although not illustrated inFIG. 1, the fire event102-1can be color coded red, the supervisory event102-2and the trouble event102-3can be color coded yellow, and the disablement event102-N can be color coded orange. In some examples, color coding can indicate to a user an importance of a particular event relative to other events according to the standards. For example, a fire event102-1(e.g., color coded red) can be a more important (e.g., more severe) event than a trouble event102-3(e.g., color coded yellow), among other examples.

In some examples, color coding the prioritized events according to the determined set of standards can include sizing an event on the fire control panel interface100according to an event type, health state of the fire control system, and/or importance. For example, although not illustrated inFIG. 1for clarity, a fire event can be sized such that the event takes up 80% of the fire control panel interface100and can be color coded red to indicate to a user, who may be located a distance away from the fire control panel interface100, the state of the fire control system and/or the facility is under threat (e.g., from a fire). As another example, a supervisory event may be sized such that the event takes up 20% of the fire control panel interface100and can be color coded yellow.

Generating the fire control panel interface100can include utilizing terminology106in the interface corresponding to the determined set of standards for each of the events102. As used herein, the term “terminology” refers to a system of terms belonging to a particular set of standards. For example, based on the determined set of standards for the US for the fire control panel, the fire control panel can use the term106-1“FIRE” for the fire event102-1, the term106-2“SUP” for supervisory event102-2, the term106-3“TRBL” for trouble event102-3, and the term106-N “DIS” for disablement event102-N, as illustrated inFIG. 1. Standards for other geographic regions may utilize different terms for similar event types.

Generating the fire control panel interface100can include determining an amount107of events102of a same event type received by the fire control panel. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 1, the fire control panel has received an amount107-1of three fire events102-1, an amount107-2of four supervisory events102-2, an amount107-3of thirty-five trouble events102-3, and an amount107-N of ten disablement events102-N. These amounts can be included in the interface100adjacent to their respective event, as illustrated inFIG. 1.

In some examples, the fire control panel interface100can display event information108for a particular event of the events102in response to a selection of the particular event. For example, a user may select (e.g., via a touchscreen of the fire control panel or by other input mechanisms) fire event102-1. In response, the fire control panel interface100can display event information108-1and/or108-M regarding the fire event102-1.

Event information can include a description of the event, a location of the event, and/or an amount of devices associated with the event. For instance, fire event102-1may include event information108-1including four devices in a fire event located in Zone 1 “Reception” which occurred on 12 Mar. 2017 at 14:14 and event information108-M including two devices in a fire event located in Zone 2 “West Wing Area” which occurred on 12 Mar. 2017 at 14:16, etc. Although the event information108is illustrated inFIG. 1as showing information regarding fire event102-1, embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. For example, event information108can show information regarding supervisory event102-2, trouble event102-3, disablement event102-N, and/or any other event.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the fire control panel interface100can include navigation menu105. As used herein, the term “navigation menu” refers to a list of options or commands to move from one portion of an interface to another portion of an interface. For example, the navigation menu105can allow a user to navigate between event types, devices, system states, menu options (e.g., menu options314, described in connection withFIG. 3), administrative options (e.g., user management, firmware updates, fire control panel configuration, etc.), among other portions of the fire control panel interface100.

FIG. 2is an example of an illustration of a fire control panel interface210showing prioritized events212for different for different sets of standards, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fire control panel interface210can be displayed on a user interface of a fire control panel, as will be further described herein (e.g., in connection withFIG. 4).

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the fire control panel interface210can include prioritized events212-1,212-2, and212-3. The prioritized events212-1can include events202-1,202-4, icons204-1,204-4, and terminology206-1,206-4. The prioritized events212-2can include events202-2,202-5, icons204-2,204-5, and terminology206-2,206-5. The prioritized events212-3can include events202-3,202-6, icons204-3,204-6, and terminology206-3,206-6.

As previously described in connection withFIG. 1, a fire control panel can be subject to different sets of standards based on a geographic region where the fire control panel is located. Accordingly, the fire control panel can include sets of standards for a plurality of geographic regions, where each of the different plurality of geographic regions can include a different corresponding set of standards associated therewith. For example, the fire control panel can include a set of standards for the US, a set of standards for the EU, a set of standards for Australia, etc. As previously described in connection withFIG. 1, the fire control panel interface can be generated based on a determined set of standards that correspond to a particular geographic region in which the fire control panel is located.

Generating the fire control panel interface can include prioritizing events202according to the determined set of standards. For example, prioritized events212-1can be prioritized according to a set of standards for the US such that the fire event202-1is prioritized ahead of the supervisory event, trouble event202-4, and the disablement event. Additionally, prioritized events212-2can be prioritized according to a set of standards for the EU such that fire event202-2is prioritized ahead of fault event202-5, the disablement event, and the test event. Further, prioritized events212-3can be prioritized according to a set of standards for Australia such that fire event202-3is prioritized ahead of fault event202-6, the supervisory event, the disablement event, and the test/other event. In other words, the order of the prioritized events can be different according to the determined set of standards. That is, the prioritization order of events may be different between different geographic regions (e.g., the US, the EU, Australia, etc.).

Generating the fire control panel interface can include color coding events202according to the determined set of standards. For example, although not illustrated inFIG. 2, prioritized events212-1can be color coded according to a set of standards for the US such that the fire event202-1is color coded red, whereas trouble event202-4is color coded yellow, etc. Additionally, prioritized events212-2can be color coded according to a set of standards for the EU such that fire event202-2is color coded red, fault event202-5is color coded yellow, etc. Further, prioritized events212-3can be color coded according to a set of standards for Australia such that fire event202-3is color coded red, fault event202-6is color coded yellow, etc. In other words, the color coding of the events can be different according to the determined set of standards. That is, the color coding of events may be different between different geographic regions (e.g., the US, the EU, Australia, etc.).

As previously described in connection withFIG. 1, each set of standards can include pre-determined icons204. For example, prioritized events212-1can include a fire event202-1having an icon204-1indicating fire (e.g., an icon in the shape of fire), a trouble event202-4having an icon204-4indicating trouble with a fire hardware device (e.g., an icon in the shape of an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle), etc. Additionally, prioritized events212-2can include a fire event202-2having an icon204-2indicating fire (e.g., an icon in the shape of fire), a fault event202-5having an icon204-5indicating a fault with a fire hardware device (e.g., an icon in the shape of an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle), etc. Further, prioritized events212-3can include a fire event202-3having an icon204-3indicating fire (e.g., an icon in the shape of fire), a fault event202-6having an icon204-6indicating a fault with a fire hardware device (e.g., an icon in the shape of an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle), etc.

In some examples, events of a same event type can include a same corresponding icon in different sets of standards. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 2, event202-4(e.g., a trouble event) having an icon in the shape of an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle can be a same event type as event202-5(e.g., a fault event) also having an icon in the shape of an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle. In other words, the trouble event202-4and the fault event202-5can both be an event indicating a problem with a fire hardware device and as such, can include a same corresponding icon even though the trouble event202-4is associated with a set of standards for the US and the fault event202-5is associated with a set of standards for the EU.

FIG. 3is an example of an illustration of a fire control panel interface313showing menu options314, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fire control panel interface210can be displayed on a user interface of a fire control panel, as will be further described herein (e.g., in connection withFIG. 4).

Menu options314can include a subset316of the menu options314. Generating the fire control panel interface can include generating menu options314for the fire control panel. As illustrated inFIG. 3, menu options can include “Manage” for management of devices (e.g., viewing, enabling, disabling devices, zones, etc.), “Maintenance” for maintenance of devices (e.g., Run test, voltage, alarm count, fire control panel information, etc.), “Event Log” (e.g., viewing an event log), “Quick Settings” (e.g., setting a clock, detection modes, etc.), “Commissioning” (e.g., commissioning the fire control panel including input/output devices, zones, logic, etc.), and/or “Administration” (e.g., user management, firmware/software updates for the fire control panel, etc.).

Although the menu options314are described above as being management, maintenance, viewing an event log, quick settings, commissioning, and/or administration, embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. For example, the menu options314can include any other menu options for a fire control panel.

The menu options314can be generated based on user permissions corresponding to an identity of a user accessing the fire control panel. For example, an administrator for the fire control panel may include administrative user permissions which allow the administrator access to all of the menu options314.

In some examples, a user such as an engineer may include user permissions which give access to less than all of the menu options314, as is further described herein. For example, a subset316of the generated menu options314may be disabled based on the user permissions corresponding to the identity of the user. For example, the engineer may not have access to the subset316of the menu options314due to the user permissions of the engineer. In other words, the engineer may have access disabled to the commissioning and administration menu options.

Fire control panel interface generation, in accordance with the present disclosure, can allow for a fire control panel to generate different fire control panel interfaces based on a set of standards corresponding to a geographic region in which the fire control panel is located. Allowing a user to select the geographic region and allowing the fire control panel to generate a fire control panel interface based on the selected geographic region can allow for easier and quicker commissioning of a fire control panel, as compared with previous approaches.

FIG. 4is an example of a fire control panel420for fire control panel interface generation, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Fire control panel420can include a processor422, memory424, and user interface426.

The memory424can be any type of storage medium that can be accessed by the processor422to perform various examples of the present disclosure. For example, the memory424can be a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions (e.g., computer program instructions) stored thereon that are executable by the processor422for fire control panel interface generation in accordance with the present disclosure.

The memory424can be volatile or nonvolatile memory. The memory424can also be removable (e.g., portable) memory, or non-removable (e.g., internal) memory. For example, the memory424can be random access memory (RAM) (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and/or phase change random access memory (PCRAM)), read-only memory (ROM) (e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and/or compact-disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), flash memory, a laser disc, a digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical storage, and/or a magnetic medium such as magnetic cassettes, tapes, or disks, among other types of memory.

Further, although memory424is illustrated as being located within fire control panel420, embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. For example, memory424can also be located internal to another computing resource (e.g., enabling computer readable instructions to be downloaded over the Internet or another wired or wireless connection).

As illustrated inFIG. 4, fire control panel420can include a user interface426. For example, the user interface426can display a fire control panel interface generated in accordance with the present disclosure (e.g., as previously described in connection withFIGS. 1-3).

A user (e.g., operator) of fire control panel420can interact with fire control panel420via user interface426. For example, user interface426can provide (e.g., display and/or present) information to the user of fire control panel420, and/or receive information from (e.g., input by) the user of fire control panel420. For instance, in some embodiments, user interface426can be a graphical user interface (GUI) that can provide and/or receive information to and/or from the user of fire control panel420. The user interface426can be, for instance, a touchscreen (e.g., the GUI can include touchscreen capabilities). Alternatively, the user interface426can be a television, computer monitor, mobile device screen, other type of display device, or any combination thereof, connected to fire control panel420and configured to receive a video signal output from the fire control panel420.

As an additional example, user interface426can include a keyboard and/or mouse the user can use to input information into computing device636. Embodiments of the present disclosure, however, are not limited to a particular type(s) of user interface.

User interface426can be localized to any language. For example, user interface426can display the aircraft stand management in any language, such as English, Spanish, German, French, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, Hindi, etc.