DETECTION SYSTEM

Abstract

A detection system (10) for hazard detection is provided. The detection system (10) includes a control loop (16); an addressable base unit (18) connected to the control loop (16), the base unit (18) including a first near-field communication module (22) storing a unit address; and a mounting unit (20) removably coupled to the base unit (18), the mounting unit (20) including a second near-field communication module (24) operable to read the unit address from the first near-field communication module (22) and store the unit address so that the mounting unit (20) is thereby addressable via the control loop (16).

Claims

1. A detection system for hazard detection, comprising a control loop; an addressable base unit connected to the control loop, the base unit comprising a first near-field communication module storing a unit address; and a mounting unit removably coupled to the base unit, the mounting unit comprising a second near-field communication module operable to read the unit address from the first near-field communication module and store the unit address so that the mounting unit is thereby addressable via the control loop.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first near-field communication module is removably attached to the rest of the base unit.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second near-field communication module is integral to the mounting unit.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second near-field communication module is operable to write to the first near-field communication module.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a third near-field communication module operable to write to the second near-field communication module and thereby configure the mounting unit for use.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of near-field communication modules each storing a different unit address, wherein at least one of the plurality of near-field communication modules is unattached to any other part of the system.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting unit is configured to be powered wirelessly via the second near-field communication module and the first near-field communication module of the base unit.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of a sensor, a processor, a memory, an audible indicator, or a visual indicator of the mounting unit is configured to be powered wirelessly via the second near-field communication module and the first near-field communication module of the base unit.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base unit does not comprise electrical terminals for contact with the mounting unit.

10. A method of operating a detection system for hazard detection, the system comprising: a control loop; an addressable base unit connected to the control loop, the base unit comprising a first near-field communication module storing a unit address; and a mounting unit removably coupled to the base unit, the mounting unit comprising a second near-field communication module; the method comprising reading the unit address from the first near-field communication module using the second near-field communication module; and storing the unit address in the mounting unit so that the mounting unit is thereby addressable via the control loop.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising selecting the first near-field communication module from a plurality of available near-field communication modules, each of the plurality of available near-field communication modules having stored therein a respective unit address.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising using a mobile device comprising a third near-field communication module to read the unit address from the mounting unit and/or the base unit while the mounting unit is coupled to the base unit.

13. A method as claimed in any of claim 12, comprising configuring the plurality of near-field communication modules remotely using the mobile device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mounting unit is a first mounting unit, the method comprising uncoupling the first mounting unit from the base unit, coupling a second mounting unit comprising a respective near-field communication module to the base unit, reading the unit address from the first near-field communication module using the respective near-field communication module of the second mounting unit; and storing the unit address in the second mounting unit so that the second mounting unit is thereby addressable via the control loop.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising powering the mounting unit wirelessly via the first near-field communication module and the second near-field communication module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] Certain embodiments of the disclosure will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0058] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a detection system; and

[0059] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a base unit and mounting unit of the detection system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0060] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a detection system 10. The detection system 10 comprises a control panel 12 connected to a plurality of units 14 via a control loop 16. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the control loop 16 may be a closed loop starting and ending at the control panel 12. The control loop 16 may be a wire, and the units 14 and control panel 12 may be hard-wired to the control loop 16. The detection system 10 may be a fire detection system, and the control panel 12 may be a fire control panel. The units 14 may be detector units and/or alarm units. For example, the units 14 may comprise one or more of smoke detectors, heat detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors. Additionally or alternatively, the units 14 may comprise an audible and/or visual device for alerting a user of an alarm condition, such as by sounding an alarm and/or flashing a light. The detection system 10 may be located in a building, and the units 14 may be distributed throughout the building. Alternatively, the detection system 10 may be located in any suitable structure such as a trailer, a container, a ship, train, truck or the like. The detection system 10 may be located in a hazardous or corrosive environment, which may contain flammable cargo or house a flammable environment, or may have high humidity (e.g. near salt-water).

[0061] The control panel 12 may communicate with the units 14 by transmitting communication signals through the control loop 16. The control panel 12 may modulate the voltage in the control loop 16 in order to communicate with the units 14. The communication signals transmitted by the control panel 14 may travel through the entirety of the control loop 16. The communication signals may be interrogation signals, for example, for requesting information from the units 14. The control panel 12 may request alarm information, unit configuration information, and/or unit health information. The alarm information may indicate whether or not the unit 14 is in an alarm condition. The alarm information may further comprise a warning level of the alarm, such as a “high”, “medium”, or “low” warning level indicating the severity of the alarm situation. The units 14 may therefore respond to the control panel 12 by transmitting a response signal through the control loop 16. The units 14 may modulate the current in the control loop 16 in order to respond to the control panel 12.

[0062] The communication signals transmitted by the control panel 12 may be intended for all of the units 14, or only a subset of the units 14, or only for a single one of the units 14. Each unit 14 may have a unique unit address, which may correspond to the position of the unit 14 within the control loop 16. As such, the control panel 12 may encode one or more unit addresses within the communication signals. The units 14 may be configured to decode the communication signals they receive, for example using a decoder. If the decoded address matches the unit address of the unit 14, then the unit 14 will respond to the received signal. If the decoded address does not match the unit address of the unit 14, then then unit 14 will ignore the received signal and will not respond. The units 14 may also encode any signals they transmit with their unit address, thus allowing the control panel 12 to identify which unit 14 a received signal has originated from.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a more detailed view of one unit 14 of the detection system 10. The unit 14 comprises a base unit 18 and a mounting unit 20. The base unit 18 may be wired to the control loop 16, and thus may remain in a fixed position within the control loop 16. For example, the base unit 18 may be hard wired to the control loop 16. The base unit 18 may be fixedly connected to a surface (such as a ceiling of the building or trailer that the detection system 10 is installed in). The mounting unit 20 may be removably connected to the base unit 18, for example through a mechanical connection. The mechanical connection may comprise nuts and bolts, a mechanical coupling, and/or may be a threaded connection. The mounting unit 20 may be removably attached to the base unit 18 in such a way that neither unit 18, 20 is damaged when the mounting unit 20 is removed from the base unit 18. As such, the mounting unit 20 may be replaceable, and may be movable around the control loop 16. The mounting unit 20 may be a detector unit and/or an alarm unit. The base unit 18 may act as a communication gateway between the control loop 16 and the mounting unit 20. As such, signals sent through the control loop 16 may pass through the base unit 18 before reaching the mounting unit 20, and vice versa.

[0064] It is typical for the mounting unit 20 to be replaced, removed, or relocated within the control loop 16. For example, a first mounting unit 20 may be coupled to a first base unit 18 with a first unit address, and a second mounting unit 20 may be coupled to a second base unit 18 with a second unit address. As such, the first mounting unit 20 may respond to any communications it receives that are encoded with the first unit address, whilst the second mounting unit 20 may respond to any communications it receives that are encoded with the second unit address. The first mounting unit 20 may perform a different function to the second mounting unit 20; for example, the first mounting unit may be a carbon monoxide detector and the second mounting unit may be a smoke detector. A user may wish to switch the positions of the first mounting unit and the second mounting unit, and thus may decouple the first mounting unit and the second mounting unit from the first base unit and the second base unit, respectively. The user may then re-couple the first mounting unit and the second mounting unit with the second base unit and the first base unit, respectively i.e. swap their positions. In this case, the mounting units 20 must know their updated unit address in order to be correctly addressed by the control panel 12. Typically, in conventional systems the mounting units 20 learn their unit address through a wired communication with the base unit 18 they are coupled to. Alternatively, a user may have to manually input the unit address into the mounting unit 20 via a mechanical switch.

[0065] However, the base unit 18 and mounting unit 20 of FIG. 2 are not electrically connected to one another. Instead, the base unit 18 comprises a first NFC module 22 and the mounting unit 20 comprises a second NFC module 24. The first NFC module 22 stores the unit address of the base unit 18. The second NFC module 24 is configured to wirelessly read the unit address from the first NFC module 22. For example, the second NFC module 24 may interrogate the first NFC module 22 for the unit address. The second NFC module 24 may then store the unit address, for example in a memory. Once the unit address is stored in the second NFC module 24, the mounting unit 20 may be able to correctly respond to communications from the control panel 12.

[0066] The first NFC module 22 may be removable from the base unit 18. That is, the first NFC module 22 may be removably connected to the base unit 18. For example, the first NFC module 22 may be attached to the base unit 20 using a removable and/or peelable adhesive. Alternatively, the first NFC module 22 may be installed within a socket of the base unit 18, similarly to a SIM card installed in a mobile telephone, or a memory card installed in a digital camera. As such, the first NFC module 22 may be removed from the base unit 18 without damaging the base unit 18. The detection system 10 may comprise a plurality of NFC modules each storing a respective unit address. The NFC modules may be manufactured en masse e.g. by perforating the NFC modules onto a sheet of adhesive material. For example, an NFC module may be manufactured for each unit address in the control loop 16. The information within the NFC modules may be encoded onto the NFC modules remotely from the system 10. The NFC modules may then be stuck by a user onto each base unit 18 connected to the control loop 16, or installed in a socket of the base unit 18 as required. As the NFC modules are removably attached to the base units 18, they may be exchanged, removed, or replaced with ease, and the system may therefore be simply configurable.

[0067] The base unit 18 may comprise a base unit housing. As shown in FIG. 2, the first NFC module 22 may be attached to the base unit housing, for example to an outer or external surface of the base unit housing. The remaining components of the base unit 18 may be housed within the base unit housing, such that they are not exposed to the surrounding environment. For example, any electrical components or contacts of the base unit 18 other than the first NFC module 22 may be physically isolated or shielded from the surrounding environment by the base unit housing. This may be advantageous for hazardous environments. For example, this may be advantageous for environments containing flammable cargo, as it is important to ensure any sparks from electrical components or contacts do not interact with the flammable material. This may also be advantageous for environments that have high humidity levels and/or are close to the sea, as exposure to the external environment in these conditions can cause electrical contacts to corrode and/or rust.

[0068] Where the first NFC module 22 is installable within a socket of the base unit 18, base unit housing may be arranged to protect the first NFC module 22 as well, or the base unit 18 may comprise a cover or flap in the base unit housing for enabling access to the socket and installation and removal of the first NFC module 22 therein.

[0069] The second NFC module 24 may be integral to the mounting unit 20. That is, the second NFC module 24 may be built into the mounting unit 20 during manufacture of the mounting unit 20. Of course, any suitable integration of the second NFC module 24 to the mounting unit 20 may be possible.

[0070] The first NFC module 22 and the second NFC module 24 are near-field communication modules, which utilise an NFC communication protocol to communicate with one another. For example, the first NFC module 22 may be a passive NFC tag, and the second NFC module 24 may be an active NFC reader/writer. When the NFC modules 22, 24 are within close proximity to one another, such as within 10 cm of one another, a communication pathway may form between the modules 22, 24. The second NFC module 24 of the mounting unit 20 may therefore be within 10 cm of first NFC module 22 of the base unit 18 when the mounting unit 20 is coupled to the base unit 18. When the second NFC module 24 is an active NFC module, it may comprise a power supply, which it may use to create a magnetic carrier field. The NFC modules 22, 24 may communicate with one another by modulating the carrier field generated by the second NFC module 24. The first NFC module 22 may not comprise a power supply, and may be powered by the magnetic field generated by the second NFC module 24. Alternatively, the first NFC module 22 may be an active NFC reader, and may comprise its own power supply. In this case, the NFC modules 22, 24 may communicate with one another by alternately generating a magnetic field.

[0071] The second NFC module 24 may be configured to read information other than the unit address from the first NFC module 22. This information may include a location of the base unit 22 e.g. relative to the structure or building, and/or configuration instructions. The configuration instructions may be instructions for configuring the mounting unit 20. For example, the mounting unit 20 may have smoke, carbon monoxide, and/or heat detecting capabilities. A user may wish for the mounting unit 20 of a given base unit 18 to disable its smoke detecting capabilities, for example if the base unit 18 is located in an environment where smoke is not a concern e.g. a kitchen. The first NFC module 22 may therefore store configuration instructions which, when executed, configure the mounting unit 20 to disable e.g. its smoke detecting capabilities. When the mounting unit 20 is coupled to the base unit 18, it may read the configuration instructions from the first NFC module 22 and may store the configuration instructions. A processor of the second NFC module 24 or the mounting unit 20 may then execute the instructions, and thus the mounting unit 20 may be configured for use in accordance with the configuration instructions.

[0072] The second NFC module 24 may be configured to write to the first NFC module 22 with information stored on the second NFC module 24. This information may include unit health information, unit configuration information, unit profile information, sensor data, and/or alarm information. The first NFC module 22 may store the information, and/or may transmit the information to the control panel 12 via the control loop 16. The second NFC module 24 may be configured to write this information to the first NFC module 22 automatically when the monitoring unit 20 is coupled to the base unit 18. Additionally or alternatively, the second NFC module 24 may be configured to write alarm information to the first NFC module 22 when the mounting unit 20 enters an alarm condition.

[0073] The first NFC module 22 may be configured to interrogate the second NFC module 24 for information. The first NFC module 22 may interrogate the second NFC module 24 through interrogation signals received from the control panel 12. This information may include unit health information, unit configuration information, unit profile information, sensor data, and/or alarm information. Hence, information may be shared in both directions between the first NFC module 22 and the second NFC module 24.

[0074] The system 10 may further comprise a mobile device 26, which may be a personal user device such as a smartphone, a tablet, a diagnostic tool, or the like. The mobile device 26 may comprise a third NFC module 28. The third NFC module 28 may be an active NFC reader. The third NFC module 28 may be configured to read information from the first NFC module 22 and/or the second NFC module 24, and may be configured to display the information to a user. This information may include the unit address, unit health information, unit configuration information, alarm information, and so on. The third NFC module 28 may be configured to write information to the first NFC module 22 and/or the second NFC module 24. For example, the third NFC module 28 may be configured to write configuration instructions to the first NFC module 22 and/or the second NFC module 24. In this way, a user may be able to wirelessly configure the unit 14. The third NFC module 28 may be used to write information onto the first NFC module 22 at a remote location from the system 10, and the first NFC module 22 may then be attached to the base unit 18.

[0075] The base unit 18 may be configured to supply power to the mounting unit 20 via the first NFC module 22 and the second NFC module 24. The base unit 18 may be powered through the control loop 16, for example by the control panel 12. The power from the control loop 16 may be transferred from the first NFC module 22 to the second NFC module 24, and then may be provided to other components of the mounting unit 20. In this way, power may be wirelessly provided to the mounting unit 20 by the base unit 18. Prior art systems 10 typically rely on electrical contacts in the base unit 18 to pass power from the base unit 18 to the mounting unit 20. The base and mounting units 18, 20 of FIG. 2 do not require any such electrical contacts, as both power and communication between the two units is achieved wirelessly through the first and second NFC modules 22, 24. Thus, the mounting unit 20 is powered wirelessly via the NFC modules, receiving all power thereby. In this way, wear and tear resulting from contact friction between the two units 18, 20 may be prevented and/or reduced. In addition, the absence of electrical contacts reduces the chances of sparks occurring within the unit, thus improving the overall safety of the system 10. Further, corrosion and other degradation of exposed contacts by the environment is avoided.

[0076] Hence, the base unit 18 and mounting unit 20 of the present invention provide a simple and reliable mechanism for both supplying power to the mounting unit 20 and configuring the mounting unit 20. In particular, the unit address can be simply assigned to the mounting unit 20 and power can be supplied to the mounting unit 20 without the need for electrical connections between the two units 18, 20. The system 10 is therefore particularly suitable for hazardous, corrosive, and/or flammable environments.