CONTROL UNIT FOR A HAZARD ALERT CENTER, HAZARD ALERT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A HAZARD ALERT CENTER

Abstract

The invention relates to a control unit for a hazard alert center, for example a break-in, fire alarm and/or fire extinguisher control center, to a hazard alert system, preferably a fire alarm system, and to a method for operating a hazard alert center, for example a break-in, fire alarm and/or fire extinguisher control center. In particular, the invention relates to a control unit for a hazard alert center, for example a break-in, fire alarm and/or fire extinguisher control center, the control unit being designed to receive, from a hazard detector for detecting a hazardous situation, a first signal characterizing the hazardous situation, and the control unit comprising a user interface having a display means, which is designed to show a standard display and/or an alert display, in the case of which an oldest alert and a latest alert are displayed and additional alerts between the oldest alert and the latest alert can be displayed, preferably scrollably, and a first event display, which shows a first event in a main portion.

Claims

1. A control unit for a hazard alert center, wherein the control unit is configured to receive, from a hazard detector for detecting a hazardous situation, a first signal characterizing the hazardous situation, comprises a user interface having a display means which is configured to present a standard display and/or a message display, wherein an oldest message and a latest message are displayed and further messages can be displayed between the oldest message and the latest message, and a first event display which displays a first event in a main section, wherein the oldest message and the latest message are displayed in a first edge section, and is configured, upon receiving the first signal, to control the display means in such a manner that the first event display is displayed instead of the standard display and/or the message display.

2. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface is in the form of a touch-sensitive input and output screen.

3. The control unit as claimed in claim 2, comprising a message actuation means, wherein, when the message actuation means is actuated, the display means is controlled by the control unit in such a manner that the message display is displayed instead of the first event display, wherein the message actuation means is arranged on a main section of the input and output screen.

4. The control unit as claimed in claim 2, comprising a first action means, wherein the control unit is configured to generate and transmit an alarm signal, in particular for alerting a fire department, when the first action means is actuated, and/or a second action means, wherein the control unit is configured to extend a predetermined waiting time by a predetermined investigation time when the second action means is actuated, and/or a third action means, wherein the control unit is configured to prevent an alarm signal from being generated and/or transmitted when the third action means is actuated.

5. The control unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first action means, the second action means and/or the third action means is/are arranged on a second edge section of the input and output screen.

6. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to receive an all-clear signal and, upon receiving the all-clear signal, to control the display means in such a manner that the standard display and/or the message display is/are displayed instead of the first event display.

7. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display means is configured to present a second event display, which displays a second event in the main section, and/or to present a third event display, which displays a third event in the main section, wherein the oldest message and the latest message are displayed in the first edge section, and the control unit is configured to receive and/or generate a second signal characterizing a fault, and upon receiving the second signal, to control the display means in such a manner that the second event display is displayed instead of the standard display and/or the message display, and/or to receive and/or generate a third signal characterizing an alarm, and upon receiving the third signal, to control the display means in such a manner that the third event display is displayed instead of the standard display and/or the message display.

8. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oldest message and/or the latest message and/or the further messages have a bar-shaped presentation, wherein the bar-shaped presentation extends from a left-hand edge of the display means to a right-hand edge of the display means.

9. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display means has a display region and the main section occupies more than 60% of the size of the display region.

10. The control unit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first edge section is arranged in a lower section of the display region and adjoins a lower edge of the display region and occupies less than 30% of a height of the display region, and/or a second edge section is arranged in a left-hand section of the display region and adjoins a left-hand edge of the display region and occupies less than 30% of a width of the display region.

11. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to display the standard display on the display means after a predefined inactivity time.

12. A hazard alert center comprising a control unit as claimed in claim 1.

13. A hazard alert system having a hazard alert center, the hazard alert system comprising: hazard detector for detecting a hazardous situation, a control unit which is coupled to the hazard detector using signaling and is configured to receive a first signal characterizing the hazardous situation from the hazard detector, wherein the control unit comprises a user interface having a display means, wherein the display means is configured to present: a standard display and/or a message display, wherein an oldest message and a latest message are displayed and further messages can be displayed between the oldest message and the latest message in a scrollable manner, or a first event display which displays a first event in a main section, wherein the oldest message and the latest message are displayed in a first edge section, wherein the control unit is configured, upon receiving the first signal, to control the display means in such a manner that the first event display is displayed instead of the standard display and/or the message display.

14. A method for operating a hazard alert center, comprising the steps of: displaying a standard display and/or a message display by a display means, wherein an oldest message and a latest message are displayed and further messages can be displayed between the oldest message and the latest message; detecting a hazardous situation and generating a first signal characterizing the hazardous situation; receiving the first signal; and displaying a first event in a main section of the display means and the oldest message and the latest message in a first edge section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Preferred exemplary embodiments are explained, by way of example, on the basis of the accompanying figures, in which

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a hazard alert system;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a first event display;

[0047] FIG. 3 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a second event display;

[0048] FIG. 4 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a third event display;

[0049] FIG. 5 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a message presentation; and

[0050] FIG. 6 shows a schematic method for operating a hazard alert center.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0051] In the figures, identical or substantially functionally identical or similar elements are denoted using the same reference signs.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a hazard alert system. The hazard alert system comprises a hazard alert center 1 having a control unit 10 and a hazard detector 40. The hazard detector 40 may be, for example, a combustion gas or smoke gas detector, a heat detector, a smoke detector, a flame detector or a spark detector. The hazard detector 40 is arranged in a monitoring region 30. The monitoring region 30 is preferably locally separate from the location at which the control unit 10 is arranged.

[0053] The control unit 10 is part of the hazard alert center 1 which is preferably in the form of a break-in, fire detector and/or extinguishing control center. The control unit 10 comprises a display means 20. The display means 20 is designed to display information. The display means 20 may be in the form of a touch-sensitive input and output screen, for example.

[0054] The display means 20 may present a wide variety of information, for example the standard display 100 shown in FIG. 1. The standard display 100 may be a screensaver, for example. In particular, the standard display 100 is displayed by the display means 20 if there has been no interaction with an operator of the hazard alert center 1 and/or the control unit 10 for a predetermined period.

[0055] The hazard detector 40 is designed to detect a hazardous situation. The control unit is configured to receive a first signal characterizing the hazardous situation from the hazard detector 40. For this purpose, the hazard alert system has a coupling interface 12. The coupling interface 12 couples the hazard detector 40 to the control unit 10.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a first event display 200. In this state shown here, the hazard detector 40 detected a hazardous situation and a first signal characterizing this hazardous situation was received by the control unit 10. The control unit 10 is configured, upon receiving this first signal, to control the display means 20 in such a manner that the first event display 200 is displayed instead of the standard display 100. The same applies if the message display explained in yet more detail below is displayed on the display means 20. The first event display 200 displays a first event in a main section 210. The first event display also displays an oldest message 222 and a latest message 224 in a first edge section 220.

[0057] The main section 210 is preferably the largest region displayed on the display means 20. The first edge section 220 is arranged in a region which adjoins a lower edge and a right-hand edge of the display means 20.

[0058] The first event display 200 also comprises a second edge section 230. The second edge section 230 is arranged adjacent to a left-hand edge of the display means 20. The second edge section 230 comprises a first action means 232, a second action means 234 and a third action means 236. When the first action means 232 is actuated, an alarm signal is generated and transmitted, wherein the alarm signal can be designed to alert a fire department. When the second action means 234 is actuated by an operator, a predetermined waiting time is extended by a predetermined investigation time. The waiting time is, for example, the time which elapses between the receipt of the first signal at the control unit 10 and the transmission of an alarm signal, for example to a fire department. This time may be 30 seconds, for example. The predetermined investigation time then extends this waiting time so that an operator, for example, can verify the detected hazardous situation.

[0059] The third action means 236 preferably prevents an alarm signal from being generated and/or transmitted. The third action means can be used, for example, by an operator in the event of a false alarm in order to prevent a fire department from being alerted.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a second event display 300. The hazard alert system shown comprises the hazard alert center 1 having a control unit 10 and a coupling interface 12, wherein the coupling interface 12 couples the control unit 10 to the hazard detector 40, wherein the hazard detector 40 can monitor the monitoring region 30 and can detect hazardous situations.

[0061] A second event display 300 is shown on the display means 20 of the control unit 10. The second event display 300 likewise comprises a main section 310 and a first edge section 320, but no second edge section described above. The display means 20 here shows a second event display 300 which displays a second event the main section 310 and a latest message 324 and an oldest message 322 in the first edge section 320. In the present case, the second event is a fault.

[0062] FIG. 4 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a third event display 400. The display means 20 is configured here to present the third event display 400 which displays a third event, an alarm in the present case, in the main section 410. A latest message 424 and an oldest message 422 are displayed in the first edge section 420.

[0063] Alternatively, only the latest messages 224, 324 and 424 may also be displayed in the respective first edge section 220, 320, 420 of the first event display 200, of the second event display 300 and/or of the third event display 400.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows the hazard alert system from FIG. 1 with a message presentation 500. The display means 20 of the control unit 10 here displays the message display 500. The message display 500 displays a plurality of messages in a manner filling the screen. The message display 500 can be called up by an operator, for example, if the operator taps on the main section 210, 310, 410 of the event displays 200, 300, 400. In addition, the message display 500 can be called up by an operator if the operator taps on the screen or on the display means 20 when the standard display 100 is displayed. The message display 500 displays a number of messages.

[0065] FIG. 6 shows a schematic method for operating a hazard alert center. In step 1001, the standard display 100 and/or the message display 500 is/are displayed by means of the display means 20, wherein an oldest message 222 and a latest message 224 are displayed and further messages can be displayed between the oldest message 222 and the latest message 224. It is preferred for the messages which are arranged between the oldest message 222 and the latest message 224 to be arranged in a scrollable manner. This means that it is possible to display a multiplicity of messages by means of a suitable scrolling means on the control unit 10. Alternatively, a standard display 100 can be displayed in step 1001.

[0066] In step 1002, a hazardous situation is detected, wherein this hazardous situation is preferably detected by a hazard detector 40. In addition, in step 1002, a first signal characterizing this hazardous situation is generated. This first signal is preferably generated by the hazard detector 40.

[0067] In step 1003, this first signal is received. It is preferred for the first signal to be received by the control unit 10. A coupling interface 12 may also be arranged between the control unit 10 and the hazard detector 40.

[0068] In step 1004, a first event is displayed in the first main section 210 of the display means 20, and the oldest message 222 and the latest message 224 are displayed in a first edge section 220.

[0069] The present invention makes it possible to reduce the response time in the case of events. The display of the first event display 200 in the main section 210 and the shifting of the messages 222, 224 into the first edge section 220 make it possible for the type of event to be immediately identified by an operator. The operator can therefore initiate the necessary steps in a considerably faster manner and can therefore avoid or at least reduce personal injury and/or material damage.

LIST OF UTILIZED REFERENCE SIGNS

[0070] 1 Hazard alert center [0071] 10 Control unit [0072] 12 Coupling interface [0073] 20 Display means [0074] 30 Monitoring region [0075] 40 Hazard detector [0076] 100 Standard display [0077] 200 First event display [0078] 210 Main section [0079] 220 First edge section [0080] 222 Oldest message [0081] 224 Latest message [0082] 230 Second edge section [0083] 232 First action means [0084] 234 Second action means [0085] 236 Third action means [0086] 300 Second event display [0087] 310 Main section [0088] 320 First edge section [0089] 322 Oldest message [0090] 324 Latest message [0091] 400 Third event display [0092] 410 Main section [0093] 420 First edge section [0094] 422 Latest message [0095] 500 Message display