Wireless fire alarm and detection system

Description

10 Wireless Fire Detection and Alarm System

[001] This invention patent refers to a wireless fire detection and alarm system, which pertains to the electronics industry, whose objective is to monitor, identify and alert about the presence of fires in a building where the device is installed, thus, the aforementioned system aims, above all, to protect lives, property and the environment, activating alert systems and allowing quick and coordinated actions in case of emergency.

[002] Fire alarms are crucial devices for fire detection and response, and in this sense, in the current market, there are several technologies and systems that stand out in fire detection and alarm: • Conventional Fire Alarms: These are simpler systems that divide detection points into circuits. When a detector is triggered, the control panel indicates the zone where the activation occurred. Used in smaller environments. • Addressable Fire Alarms: Unlike conventional systems, these systems provide a specific identification for each detector, allowing for greater precision in locating the fire. They are ideal for large buildings and complex installations. • Analog Fire Alarms: These utilize more advanced technology that allows for real-time smoke and heat detection, adjusting alarms according to signal intensity. This reduces false alarms. • Smoke Detectors: These include optical sensors (which detect smoke particles) and photoelectric sensors. They are common in residential and commercial applications. • Temperature Sensors: Monitor changes in ambient temperature and can be programmed to trigger an alarm under certain conditions. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 4 / 18 / 10 • Aspirating Fire Detection Systems: These use tubes to aspirate air and detect smoke at very low levels, allowing for a rapid response to incipient fires. • Fire Alarm Systems with Integrated Systems: Modern systems can be integrated with building automation technologies, allowing for centralized control and interconnection with sprinklers and other security systems. • Wireless Fire Alarms: Ideal for locations where wiring installation is impractical. They offer flexibility in device placement. • Alarms with IoT Connectivity: Some modern fire alarm systems are connected to the internet, allowing for remote monitoring and real-time notifications. • Emergency Notification Systems: In addition to alarms, sound amplification systems and visual panels are used to alert occupants to the emergency.

[003] The choice of the appropriate fire alarm system depends on the characteristics of the environment, the size of the installation and local regulations and, since technological innovation seeks to solve pre-existing problems, the aforementioned patent, observing some inconsistencies in the devices present on the market, aims to bring a practical, safe and reliable solution.

[004] Fire alarm devices, although essential for safety, face some problems and challenges today, namely: false alarms, poor maintenance, technological obsolescence, inefficient integration with other systems, inadequate installation, questionable reliability of power sources and connectivity, lack of awareness and training of technical personnel, high implementation cost and often non-compliance with local legislation.

[005] Considering these drawbacks, the present invention relates to a security system that does not require cables or wires to connect the sensors to the alarm control panel. Instead, the components are connected through channels of Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 5 / 18 / 10 radio or other wireless technologies, making installation easier and more flexible. They work in the same way as wired alarms, detecting smoke or heat and emitting an alarm to alert people to the presence of a fire; in addition, the system also offers additional features such as telephone notifications, among other functionalities.

[006] Some of the main benefits of using this system include: • Drastic reduction in infrastructure and installation up to 10x faster compared to wired systems; • Radio frequency modules with long-range range; • Integration with other systems and fire alarm control panels; • Extinguishing short circuits and ground faults; • Redundant systems with a “Class A” rating and a Mesh structure; • Simplified maintenance and remote user support; • Ability to generate comprehensive reports and reports for individual devices.

[007] The alarm system presented here is one of the most technologically advanced on the market today, featuring a wireless mesh network that ensures redundancy in its system, guaranteeing the necessary security and efficiency in case of emergency. Furthermore, the system is capable of operating in different types of environments and weather conditions, detecting fires in their initial stages, allowing measures to be taken to prevent further damage and save lives.

[008] The system uses a control panel developed with the “See by Yourself” concept, with its interface designed for better understanding of events occurring at the control panel, so that the operator can take quick action in case of emergency. The monitoring control panel uses a precise visual representation of each monitored zone, represented by a detailed floor plan of the location, FIGURE 1. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 6 / 18 / 10

[009] The sensors are positioned with exact correspondence to their respective locations in the image, allowing for instantaneous georeferenced location. When an alert is triggered, the operator can immediately view precise information on the control panel screen, including the exact location and specific nature of the event, such as smoke detection or activation of a thermovelocimetric sensor, FIGURE 2.

[0010] The devices that make the proposed system work are distributed throughout the establishment and it is necessary that they are on the same network and, according to the detailed plan, FIGURE 2, built by an FHT 15 central unit (1), which makes a mirrored connection with all devices installed in the physical locations shown in the plan, this FHT 15 central unit (1) being connected to Ethernet cables and which can be installed on a wall or placed on a surface that supports its weight.

[0011] The main external parts of the FHT15 central device (1) consist of a 2.4GHz main antenna, an auxiliary antenna output 1, an auxiliary antenna output 2, a central cover, a status indicator LED, a 15.6” Touchscreen LCD display, an access key and ventilation.

[0012] Through the FHT 15 (1) control panel, the user can view the exact location of the plant using “See By Yourself”. The control panel contains a Popup alert system, making it easy to show the exact location of the device on the plant. The user can also access the FHT 15 (1) control panel from anywhere in the world with ease and convenience, including with a smartphone.

[0013] As informed above, the other devices, connected to the same network, mirrored to the FHT 15 control panel (1), must be installed in a georeferenced location, connecting to a signal repeater with photovoltaic power supply (2), DC manual actuator with EX protection (3), actuator (4), signal repeater with siren and visual (5), a signal repeater (6), a smoke detector (7), a panic remote control (8) and a signal repeater with photovoltaic power supply (9).

[0014] The light emitter, located on the front of the device, serves as a General Status indicator for the Control Panel and can assume 4 states. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, p. 7 / 18 / 10 • LED off = control panel off • White LED = control panel operating normally • Yellow LED = control panel in fault condition • Red LED = control panel in alarm condition

[0015] It is important to emphasize that the correct interpretation of LED indications is crucial for effective management of the detection system. Therefore, it is recommended that operators are familiar with these states and know how to act in each situation.

[0016] The plant models are equipped with a microcontroller that has a determined memory capacity to support a maximum number of plants and devices. The following table presents the different models along with their respective capacities. CENTRAL Maximum Number of Plants FHT15-1* 20 FHT15-2* 80 FHT15-4* 200 FHT15-8* 400 FHT7* 80 Maximum Number of Devices 500 1000 5000 10000 1000

[0017] It is important to emphasize that when planning the installation of a control center, it is crucial to consider not only the total number of plants and devices, but also the distribution and complexity of the system. If future expansion is necessary, it is advisable to choose a model that can handle a capacity greater than the current demand, ensuring the scalability of the system.

[0018] The control panel has its own Linux operating system that is stored on an SD card inserted into the microcontroller. This operating system contains all the software necessary for the control panel to function. The following sections will explain the control panel's software in general.

[0019] The control center operates with three main software programs that function simultaneously and interdependently to ensure its full operation. In the following sections, Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 8 / 18 / 10 we will present each of these software programs and their function in the central system, as well as how they interact with each other.

[0020] The first software is the Back-End, where all information from network devices and the control panel itself is processed and manipulated. After processing, this information is sent to two other software programs known as Front-End and Bridge. The Front-End is the graphical interface that the operator uses to interact with the control panel. The Bridge is responsible for sending a summary of alerts from the devices and the control panel to a server, allowing the control panel to be monitored remotely.

[0021] The flowchart below shows the interaction between the different software programs in the control panel and which application communicates with which; for example, only the Back-End has direct access to the database. Another important point shown in the flowchart is that all information, whether from the device or the control panel, is received by the Back-End. When an action is performed on the control panel, this interaction occurs through the Front-End software; every action performed on the Front-End is sent to the Back-End to be processed, FIGURE 3.

[0022] The transfer of information from the Back-End to the Front-End and Bridge software is done using the MQTT protocol. This protocol involves the concepts of publishing and subscribing to topics. For example, the Back-End subscribes to the "logged-in user" topic, and a call center operator logs into the system via the Front-End. The Front-End publishes the credentials to the "logged-in user" topic.

[0023] The Back-End subscribed to this topic receives the publication with the message and validates the user credentials and password provided in the publication message. After validation, the Back-End publishes the result back to the Front-End. Most actions performed between the software follow this principle; any information that the software is interested in is subscribed to in the topic upon initialization. When an action occurs, one of the software programs will publish the information, and whoever is subscribed will receive the publication message and perform some operation, such as, in the example above, allowing the operator to log in to the control panel.

[0024] The “Central Information” related to the Back-End has the following relationship: each device connected to the network communicates with the Back-End periodically in a way Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 9 / 18 / 10 independently, the communication time for routers is 5 minutes and for end devices is 1 hour. When a change occurs in the device, such as the detection of an incident or failure, the device communicates immediately.

[0025] The “Central Information” sent to the Back-End includes hardware information from the central unit such as battery status, port status, network connection (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Mobile Data), CPU temperature, RAM usage, and disk space used. The Back-End monitors all this information and performs the appropriate actions. Some of this information is obtained through commands sent directly to the central unit's Operating System.

[0026] The Back-End receives information from devices connected to the network. This information is analyzed to determine the current status of the device, whether it is malfunctioning or detecting an incident. Other information received includes battery level and signal quality. All received information is stored in the control panel's database. The Back-End analyzes this data and extracts all the necessary information for display on the control panel, which is then sent to the Front-End.

[0027] In addition, the Back-End generates a comprehensive summary of all the data obtained, including statistics such as the number of devices with failures, under maintenance and with incidents, and the main hardware indicators of the control panel, such as memory usage and temperature. These summaries are forwarded to the Bridge.

[0028] In simplified terms, its main function is to analyze the status of the central unit's hardware, the information sent from the devices, and thus perform some action if necessary, storing this information in the database and sending the necessary and organized information to the Front-End and the Bridge.

[0029] This topic will detail some of the actions that the Back-End performs for "Group Activation". When analyzing the information sent by a device, it checks if it is detecting any incident. The Back-End verifies the configuration of the group to which that device belongs. If necessary, the Back-End performs a corresponding action, such as activating the group immediately or waiting for a pre-configured time to activate the group. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 10 / 18 / 10

[0030] In the “Current Device Alert List,” the control panel displays lists of all active alerts on its interface. The back-end receives information from the devices and organizes it into lists for each type of alert: fire, fault, low battery, supervision, and disabling. Whenever new information arrives from the devices, these lists are updated and sent to the front-end and the bridge.

[0031] The purpose of these lists is to facilitate the monitoring of device alerts, as they are displayed in chronological order indicating the current alert status, which can be: activated, silenced, and deactivated. The Back-End generates “Reports”. As all information is stored in the database, the Back-End performs a specific query according to the need, applying filters and ordering the information to be sent to the Front-End and thus present it clearly to the call center operator.

[0032] The Back-End is responsible for storing device information in the database; only the Back-End accesses the database directly. All information is processed and stored in the database. This allows for backups if there is a need to restore data on a new system.

[0033] This section will describe the Front-End. All interaction that the operator performs at the control center occurs through the Front-End software. Its central function is to provide an intuitive and easy-to-use experience, regardless of the action the control center operator is performing. The main Front-End window contains an image representing each of the zones; the zone displays icons for the installed devices. Therefore, when a device detects an incident, its location within the zone is highlighted, allowing the control center operator to take precise action.

[0034] Devices are displayed in the zone as a hexagon icon; the current status is identified by color. All these icons are static and do not show any animation except for the fire icon (red) if the alert is active. The icon displays a "pulsating" animation to highlight that the device needs attention. After the fire alert is silenced, the icon will become static. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 11 / 18 / 10

[0035] One of the most important functions of the Front-End is to clearly show the operator where the incident is occurring so that they can take action as quickly as possible. This is achieved by displaying a pop-up window informing the operator of the device's location within the zone, the type of incident detected (smoke, heat, gas, etc.), and a button below to open the list of groups if necessary to activate any specific group. In this way, the alarm and response can be faster and more effective.

[0036] The Front-End has a screen called 'About', where the call center operator can find information about the software versions, the database, and the call center ID. The website and phone number for contacting support are also available. Another important item on this screen is the Bridge status, which will be explained in the next section.

[0037] The Bridge's function is to send a summary of the control panel's information to the cloud server, enabling remote monitoring of the control panel. The Bridge's connection status with the server is sent to the Front-End. The Front-End displays this status on the 'About' screen to inform the control panel operator that it is connected to the server and that remote monitoring will be possible.

[0038] Mesh topology is characterized by redundancy and resilience, as each device connects to several others, creating multiple paths for data. If one path fails, the information is redirected through other paths. In addition, the topology features dynamic and adaptive routing, adjusting transmission paths in real time, improving reliability and reducing packet loss, as well as scalability and quality of service, since new devices can be added without compromising communication, as capacity is distributed, maintaining efficiency and quality.

[0039] Repeaters with siren (5) extend the coverage of the fire detection and alarm system and trigger evacuation alerts in case of fire. The repeaters have two versions, one of 120 dB, with two tones configurable by the control panel and one of 117 dB with infinite combinations of tones configurable by the control panel, both with a battery with autonomy of 36 hours. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, page 12 / 18 / 10

[0040] Repeaters (6) extend the coverage of the fire detection and alarm system, available in five versions, namely, Repeater, Repeater with Integration Module, Repeater with Inputs and Outputs, Repeater with Relays and Repeater with Gas Sense and Relay Output, with autonomy of 36 hours.

[0041] Photovoltaic repeaters (2) extend the coverage of the fire detection and alarm system without depending on the electrical grid structure, with two versions available, which are: Repeater and Repeater with Siren, with autonomy of 36 hours without sunlight.

[0042] The actuators (4) are designed to notify the control panel about events at the location where they are installed and are available in five versions: IP67 actuator, IP24 actuator, IP66 remote pump actuator, IP66 emergency actuator and EX actuator, with a four-year autonomy without changing the batteries.

[0043] The detectors are designed to detect the presence of smoke or a sudden increase in temperature, sending a notification to the control panel about possible fire outbreaks. They are available in Smoke and Rate-of-Rise and Smoke and Rate-of-Rise versions for Ceilings, with operating modes configurable via the control panel and a four-year battery life without needing to change batteries.

[0044] The panic button allows the user to notify the establishment's monitoring center about emergency situations, such as robberies, people feeling unwell, suspicious behavior, or any other situation that requires the intervention of a specialized team. Petition 870250089908, dated 02 / 10 / 2025, p. 13 / 18

Claims

1 / 2 CLAIMS 1. WIRELESS FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM, integrated with devices known in the market, characterized by consisting of: a) . an FHT 15 control panel (1), connected to Ethernet cables that makes a mirrored connection with all other devices installed in the physical locations shown in the plan through the “See By Yourself” and connected to the network; b) a signal repeater with photovoltaic power supply (2), a DC manual actuator with EX protection (3), an actuator (4), a signal repeater with siren and visual (5), a signal repeater (6), a smoke detector (7), a panic remote control (8) and a signal repeater with photovoltaic power supply (9), all installed in a georeferenced location according to the plan.

2. WIRELESS FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the FHT 15 control panel (1) allows visualization represented on the floor plan with precise information, with the exact location and detection of events and remote access to the FHT 15 control panel (1), instantly displaying a visual notification (Pop-Up) on the floor plan of the location, accurately highlighting the exact point of the event.

3. WIRELESS FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM, characterized by the fact that the FHT 15 (1) control panel is equipped with a microprocessor with memory capacity determined to support a maximum number of plants and devices, a touchscreen panel and has a Unix operating system recorded on an SD-Card inserted in the microcontroller.

4. WIRELESS FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM, according to claim 3, characterized by the FHT 15 plant suit (1) operating with Back-End, Front-End and Bridge Software, operating simultaneously and interdependently.

5. WIRELESS FIRE DETECTION AND ALARM SYSTEM, according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the FHT 15 plant (1) uses the mesh topology, enabling the connection of multiple devices and promoting redundancy and resilience to the system.

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