Event sensing device

Abstract

Devices, methods, and systems for an event sensing device are described herein. In one embodiment, a device includes a variable airflow device and a controller configured to activate the variable airflow device to increase airflow into an event sensing device in response to an event sensing device or a neighboring event sensing device detecting an unconfirmed fire, the increased airflow is used to detect whether a fire is occurring in response to activating the variable airflow device, and the confirmed fire is reported in response to detecting the occurring fire.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to devices, methods, and systems for sensing events. Background Art

[0002] Large facilities (e.g., buildings), such as commercial facilities, office buildings, hospitals, etc., may have fire alarm systems that can be triggered during an emergency (e.g., a fire) to warn occupants to evacuate. For example, a fire alarm system may include a fire control panel and multiple fire sensing devices (e.g., smoke detectors) throughout the facility (e.g., on different floors and / or in different rooms of the facility) that can sense a fire occurring in the facility and provide notification of the fire to occupants of the facility via an alarm.

[0003] Maintenance of fire alarm systems may include mandatory regular cleaning and testing of fire sensing devices in accordance with operating procedures in an attempt to ensure that the fire sensing devices are functioning properly. However, since testing can only be done periodically, there is a risk that a faulty fire sensing device may not be discovered quickly or that all fire sensing devices in the fire alarm system will not be tested.

[0004] Testing each fire sensing device can be time consuming, expensive, and disruptive to business. For example, maintenance engineers are often required to access fire sensing devices located in areas occupied by building users or in generally inaccessible parts of a building (e.g., elevator shafts, high ceilings, ceiling spaces, etc.). As a result, it may take several days and several visits for a maintenance engineer to complete testing of the fire sensing devices, especially in large locations. Additionally, there are often many fire sensing devices that are never tested due to access issues.

[0005] Over time, fire sensing devices may become dirty with dust and debris. A clogged fire sensing device may prevent air and / or particles from passing through the fire sensing device to the sensors in the fire sensing device, which may otherwise render the fire sensing device incapable of detecting smoke, fire, and / or carbon monoxide.

[0006] In some cases, fire sensing devices may mistake dust for smoke and trigger false alarms. False alarms may reduce trust in fire alarm systems and minimize the actions taken in the event of a real fire because people become accustomed to fire sensing devices that cause false alarms. False alarms may place an undue burden on maintenance engineers who must check the triggered fire sensing devices. Moreover, equipment (e.g., lifting platforms) used by maintenance engineers to check the triggered fire sensing devices may be subject to unnecessary wear and tear due to false alarms. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1A block diagram illustrating the dual smoke detection functionality of an event sensing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 2 A block diagram of an event system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0009] Figure 3 is a flow chart associated with confirming a fire by using a proximate event sensing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 4 is an illustration of a flow chart associated with confirming a fire through the use of a proximate event sensing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 5A is an illustration of a display provided on a user interface of a computing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 5B is an illustration of a display provided on a user interface of a computing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 5C is an illustration of a display provided on a user interface of a computing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 5D is an illustration of a display provided on a user interface of a computing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Devices, methods, and systems for event sensing devices are described herein. The event sensing device may be, but is not limited to, a fire sensing device. An event sensing device includes a variable airflow device and a controller. The controller may be configured to activate the variable airflow device to increase airflow into the event sensing device in response to the event sensing device or an adjacent event sensing device detecting an unconfirmed fire, use the increased airflow to detect whether a fire is occurring in response to activating the variable airflow device, and report a confirmed fire in response to detecting that a fire is occurring.

[0016] Compared to previous event sensing devices where personnel (e.g., maintenance engineers and / or operators) would have to manually verify a fire detected by the event sensing device, an event sensing device according to the present disclosure can utilize a variable airflow device of the event sensing device to more quickly incorporate surrounding conditions (e.g., gases and / or particles) to confirm a fire and / or utilize a variable airflow device of an adjacent event sensing device to more quickly incorporate surrounding conditions to confirm a fire. For example, by increasing the airflow, the number of air samples collected into the event sensing device and / or adjacent event sensing devices can be increased, thereby enabling faster detection of events such as fires.

[0017] The adjacent event sensing device may be an event sensing device that is closest to the event sensing device that detected the unconfirmed fire and / or an event sensing device that is in the same zone as the event sensing device that detected the unconfirmed fire. For example, a zone may be a room, a floor, and / or an area. The event sensing device and / or the adjacent event sensing device may utilize a variable airflow device such as a fan within the event sensing device and / or the adjacent event sensing device to increase the airflow into the event sensing device and / or the adjacent event sensing device, and use the increased airflow to detect whether a fire is occurring in response to activating the variable airflow device within the event sensing device and / or the adjacent event sensing device. Therefore, if the event sensing device according to the present disclosure detects a fire again and / or the adjacent event sensing device also detects a fire, the event sensing device according to the present disclosure may confirm the fire without the need for manual verification by an individual.

[0018] In the following Detailed Description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form part of the present Detailed Description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, the manner in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced.

[0019] These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and mechanical, electrical and / or process changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0020] It should be understood that the elements shown in the various embodiments herein may be added, exchanged, combined and / or eliminated to provide multiple additional embodiments of the present disclosure. The proportions and relative sizes of the elements provided in the drawings are intended to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be limiting.

[0021] The drawings herein follow the following numbering convention: one or more first digits correspond to the drawing number, and the remaining digits identify the element or component in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different drawings may be identified by using similar numerals. For example, 100 in FIG. Figure 1 can refer to component "00" in , while similar components are Figure 2 It can be represented by 200.

[0022] As used herein, "a" or "many" things may refer to one or more such things, and "many" things may refer to more than one such things. For example, "many event sensing devices" may refer to one or more event sensing devices, and "many event sensing devices" may refer to more than one event sensing device.

[0023] Figure 1 A block diagram of an event sensing device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The event sensing device 100 includes a controller (eg, microcontroller) 122, a thermal sensor 110, a gas sensor 114, a sounder 118, an optical scattering chamber 104, and / or a variable gas flow device 116.

[0024] The event sensing device 100 can sense an ongoing event and activate event response logic. For example, the event sensing device 100 can sense a fire occurring in a facility and trigger event response logic, which can include a fire response to provide notification of the fire to occupants of the facility. For example, the event response logic can trigger the sounder 118 to sound a visual alarm and / or an audio alarm. Although the sounder 118 is shown as being included in Figure 1 The event sensing device 100 in the embodiment of the present invention may be located in the event sensing device 100, but the sounder 118 may be located outside the event sensing device 100 and may be coupled to the event sensing device 100 by wire or wirelessly. The event response logic may also notify emergency services (e.g., fire department, police department, etc.). In some examples, multiple event sensing devices may be distributed throughout the facility (e.g., on different floors and / or in different rooms of the facility).

[0025] The controller 122 may include a memory 124 and a processor 126. The memory 124 may be any type of storage medium that can be accessed by the processor 126 to perform various examples of the present disclosure. For example, the memory 124 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions (e.g., computer program instructions) stored thereon, and the processor 126 is capable of executing these instructions to confirm a fire in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, the processor 126 may execute executable instructions stored in the memory 124 in response to the event sensing device 100 detecting an unconfirmed fire or in response to a neighboring event sensing device detecting an unconfirmed fire to activate the variable airflow device 116 to increase the airflow entering the event sensing device 100, use the increased airflow to detect whether a fire is occurring in response to activating the variable airflow device, and report a confirmed fire in response to detecting that a fire is occurring. The event sensing device 100 and the neighboring event sensing device may be located in the same room.

[0026] The controller 122 can detect whether a fire is occurring or an unconfirmed fire by measuring the amount of particles in the optical scattering chamber 104 and comparing the amount of particles to a baseline amount. For example, an unconfirmed fire can be triggered in response to the amount of particles, gas levels, and / or temperature reaching or exceeding a certain threshold (e.g., an early warning) or any one of the amount of particles, gas levels, and / or temperature being above a baseline. An unconfirmed fire can trigger an increase in airflow to more quickly incorporate external ambient conditions, thereby more quickly determining whether a fire is actually occurring.

[0027] In some examples, the controller 122 may report a false alarm in response to detecting that a fire is not occurring. For example, the controller 122 may determine that a fire is not occurring in response to a particle amount, gas level, and / or temperature being less than or equal to a baseline.

[0028] In many embodiments, the event sensing device 100 can receive information from an event detection system (e.g., Figure 2 The event detection system may be, but is not limited to, a fire alarm control panel. The event sensing device 100 may activate the variable airflow device 116 in response to the command. In some examples, the variable airflow device 116 may be a fan. The confirmed fire may be reported to the event detection system by the controller 122. The controller 122 may activate the sounder 118 in response to detecting that a fire is occurring.

[0029] The memory 124 may store a reference quantity and / or event response logic. In some examples, if, for example, the previously measured quantity is the first (eg, initial) measured quantity in the event sensing device 100, the previously measured quantity may be stored in the memory 124 as a reference quantity.

[0030] The variable airflow device 116 may control the airflow through the event sensing device 100 including the optical scattering chamber 104. For example, the variable airflow device 116 may move particles, gases, and / or aerosols from a first end of the event sensing device 100 to a second end of the event sensing device 100. The variable airflow device 116 may be activated in response to a command and may be stopped in response to a command and / or after a certain period of time.

[0031] In many embodiments, the controller 122 can detect whether a fire is occurring by measuring the gas level in the event sensing device 100 using the gas sensor 114 and comparing the gas level to a baseline gas level and / or measuring the temperature in the event sensing device 100 using the thermal sensor 110 and comparing the temperature to a baseline temperature. In many embodiments, the gas level and / or temperature can be measured after the variable airflow device 116 is activated.

[0032] The controller 122 may report an unconfirmed fire and / or a confirmed fire in response to a gas level being above a baseline gas level and / or a temperature being above a baseline temperature. For example, the controller 122 may trigger the variable airflow device 116 in response to an unconfirmed fire and / or activate event response logic in response to a confirmed fire.

[0033] In many embodiments, the controller 122 can report a false alarm in response to detecting that a fire is not occurring. For example, the controller 122 can determine that a fire is not occurring in response to a gas level being less than or equal to a baseline gas level and / or a temperature being less than or equal to a baseline temperature. In response to determining that a fire is not occurring, the controller 122 can designate the unconfirmed fire as a false alarm and return the event sensing device 100 to a normal state.

[0034] The memory 124 may store a baseline gas level and / or a baseline temperature. In some examples, if, for example, the previously measured gas level and / or temperature is the first (e.g., initial) measured gas level and / or temperature in the event sensing device 100, the previously measured gas level and / or temperature may be stored in the memory 124 as the baseline gas level and / or baseline temperature.

[0035] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an event system 230 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The event system 230 may include an event sensing device 200-1, an event sensing device 200-2, an event detection system 232, and a computing device 234. The event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2 may be, for example, a previously described Figure 1 An event sensing device 100 is described.

[0036] The event sensing device 200-1 may measure the amount of particles, gas levels, and / or temperature in the event sensing device 200-1. Reports of unconfirmed fires based on the amount of particles, gas levels, and / or temperature may be transmitted from the event sensing device 200-1 to the event detection system 232.

[0037] The event detection system 232 may be a fire control panel, a monitoring device, a fire detection control system, and / or a cloud computing device of the event system 230. The event detection system 232 may be configured to send commands to and / or receive reports from the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2 via a wired network or a wireless network. For example, the event detection system 232 may receive a report of an unconfirmed fire from the event sensing device 200-1, and in response to receiving the report of the unconfirmed fire, transmit a command to the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2 to activate a variable airflow device (e.g., a variable airflow device) of the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2. Figure 1 1 and / or 200-2 and indicates on user interface 236 that event sensing device 200-1 and / or event sensing device 200-2 is activated.

[0038] In some examples, the event sensing device 200-1 may activate a variable airflow device of the event sensing device 200-1 in response to smoldering smoke and / or an unconfirmed fire entering the event sensing device 200-1. After activating the variable airflow device of the event sensing device 200-1, the event sensing device 200-1 may also measure an amount of particles in an optical scattering chamber of the event sensing device 200-1, measure a gas level in the event sensing device 200-1, and / or measure a temperature in the event sensing device 200-1. The event sensing device 200-1 may compare the amount of particles measured by the event sensing device 200-1 with a baseline amount, compare the gas level measured by the event sensing device 200-1 with a baseline gas level, and / or compare the temperature measured by the event sensing device 200-1 with a baseline temperature, and transmit a report of a confirmed fire in response to the amount of particles being greater than the baseline amount, the gas level being greater than the baseline gas level, and / or the temperature being greater than the baseline temperature.

[0039] The event sensing device 200-2 may be a neighboring device of the event sensing device 200-1, and may measure the amount of particles in the optical scattering chamber of the event sensing device 200-2, measure the gas level in the event sensing device 200-2, and / or measure the temperature in the event sensing device 200-2 after activating the variable airflow device of the event sensing device 200-2 in response to receiving a command. The event sensing device 200-2 may compare the amount of particles measured by the event sensing device 200-2 with a reference amount, compare the gas level measured by the event sensing device 200-2 with a reference gas level, and / or compare the temperature measured by the event sensing device 200-2 with a reference temperature, and transmit a report of a confirmed fire in response to the amount of particles being greater than the reference amount, the gas level being higher than the reference gas level, and / or the temperature being higher than the reference temperature.

[0040] In many embodiments, the event detection system 232 may receive a report from the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2 after transmitting the command to the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2. In some examples, the report from the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2 may confirm the unconfirmed fire or may designate the unconfirmed fire as a false alarm. The event detection system 232 may activate event response logic in response to the report confirming the unconfirmed fire. The event detection system 232 may designate the unconfirmed fire as a false alarm and / or return the event detection system 232 to a normal state in response to the report designating the unconfirmed fire as a false alarm.

[0041] Event detection system 232 may receive reports from a number of event sensing devices similar to event sensing device 200-1 and event sensing device 200-2. For example, event detection system 232 may receive reports from each of a number of event sensing devices similar to event sensing device 200-1 and event sensing device 200-2, and transmit commands based on reports from each of the number of event sensing devices.

[0042] The user interface 236 may be a GUI that may provide information to and / or receive information from a user, event sensing device 200-1, and / or event sensing device 200-2. The user interface 236 may display messages and / or data received from the event sensing device 200-1 and / or event sensing device 200-2. For example, the user interface 236 may alert a user to an unconfirmed fire, a confirmed fire, and / or a false alarm reported by the event sensing device 200-1 and / or event sensing device 200-2.

[0043] The network described herein may be a network relationship through which event sensing device 200-1, event sensing device 200-2, and / or event detection system 232 can communicate with each other. Examples of such network relationships may include a distributed computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), a campus area network (CAN), or a metropolitan area network (MAN), as well as other types of network relationships. For example, a network may include many servers that receive information from event sensing device 200-1, event sensing device 200-2, and / or event detection system 232 and transmit information to them via a wired network or a wireless network.

[0044] As used herein, a "network" may provide a communication system that directly or indirectly links two or more computers and / or peripheral devices and allows, for example, event detection system 232 to access data and / or resources on event sensing device 200-1 and vice versa. A network may allow users to share resources on their own systems with other network users and access information on systems located in a central location or systems located in remote locations. For example, a network may connect multiple computing devices together to form a distributed control network (e.g., a cloud).

[0045] The network may provide connectivity to the Internet and / or to the networks of other entities (e.g., organizations, institutions, etc.). Users may interact with network-enabled software applications to make network requests, such as to obtain data. Applications may also communicate with network management software, which may interact with network hardware to transfer information between devices on the network.

[0046] In some examples, the network can be used by event sensing device 200-1, event sensing device 200-2, and / or event detection system 232 to communicate with computing device 234. Computing device 234 can be a personal laptop computer, a desktop computer, a mobile device such as a smart phone, a tablet computer, a wrist-worn device, and / or a redundant combination thereof, other types of computing devices. Computing device 234 can receive reports including reports of confirmed fires from many event sensing devices similar to event sensing device 200-1 and / or event sensing device 200-2 and / or many event detection systems similar to event detection system 232, and transmit commands based on reports arriving at one or more of the many event sensing devices and / or one or more of the many event detection systems.

[0047] The computing device 234 may include a user interface 238. The user interface 238 may be a GUI that may provide information to and / or receive information from a user, the event sensing device 200-1, the event sensing device 200-2, and / or the event detection system 232. The user interface 238 may display messages and / or data received from the event sensing device 200-1, the event sensing device 200-2, and / or the event detection system 232. For example, the user interface 238 may alert a user to an unconfirmed fire, a confirmed fire, and / or a false alarm reported by the event sensing device 200-1 and / or the event sensing device 200-2.

[0048] Figure 3 is a flow chart associated with confirming a fire using an event sensing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, Figure 3 The steps of the flowchart shown can be combined with the previous Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 At 340, the event sensing device may detect an early warning. The early warning may be triggered by detecting dust, insects, and / or smoke as particles by the event sensing device. For example, an optical scattering chamber (e.g., Figure 1 The optical scattering chamber 104 of the event sensing device can be configured to measure the amount of particles inside the optical scattering chamber. In various embodiments, the optical scattering chamber can include a transmitter light emitting diode (LED) and a receiver photodiode to measure the amount of particles inside the optical scattering chamber.

[0049] At 340, the event sensing device may send a signal to an event detection system (eg, Figure 2 The event sensing device may report an alert in response to the particle amount being greater than zero and / or greater than a baseline amount. The alert may be displayed in a user interface of the event detection system (e.g., Figure 2 The user interface 236) is displayed as a warning.

[0050] At 342, the event detection system may transmit a command to activate a variable airflow device (eg, Figure 1 The event detection system may transmit a command to the event sensing device in response to receiving a report of an early warning from the event sensing device.

[0051] At 342, the event sensing device may activate the variable airflow device to remove dust, insects and / or smoke in the optical scattering chamber. The variable airflow device may be activated for a specific time period in response to receiving a command. In many embodiments, the event sensing device may be reset internally. Resetting the event sensing device allows the event sensing device to detect particles again.

[0052] The event sensing device may determine the event detected at 344 by, for example, detecting particles again in response to resetting the event sensing device. The optical scattering chamber may continuously or periodically measure the amount of particles inside the event sensing device, and determine whether an event is detected at 344 and whether an alarm is triggered based on the measured amount of particles inside the event sensing device.

[0053] At 346, the event sensing device may determine that the system is normal. For example, the measured amount of particles inside the event sensing device may be zero or below a baseline amount at 346. After increasing the airflow to introduce additional air samples, if the optical scattering chamber does not detect particles, the event sensing device may determine at 346 that there is no smoke and that the event is a false alarm.

[0054] At 346, the false alarm may be dismissed and the event system (e.g., Figure 2 The event system 230 of the event detection system is set to normal. For example, the event sensing device may report a false alarm in response to the particle amount measured in response to activating the variable airflow device being less than or equal to the particle amount previously measured. In many embodiments, the user interface of the event detection system may alert the user to the false alarm reported by the event sensing device.

[0055] At 344, the event sensing device may determine whether an event is detected. For example, after increasing the airflow to introduce additional air samples, if smoke continues to enter the optical scattering chamber, the event sensing device may trigger a fire alarm.

[0056] The fire alarm may include reporting a confirmed fire in response to a particle amount measured in response to activation of a variable airflow device being greater than a baseline amount. A user interface of the event detection system may alert a user of a confirmed fire reported by an event sensing device.

[0057] At 348, the proximate event sensing device may activate the variable airflow device. In some examples, the proximate event sensing device may activate the variable airflow device in response to a command from the event detection system. The variable airflow device may be activated for a specific period of time in response to receiving the command.

[0058] At 350, the proximate event sensing device may determine whether a fire is detected by measuring the amount of particles in the optical scattering chamber and comparing the amount of particles to a reference amount. The proximate event sensing device may confirm a fire at 352 in response to the amount of particles being greater than the reference amount, or report a false alarm at 358 in response to the amount of particles being less than or equal to the reference amount.

[0059] At 354, event system logic may be activated in response to a nearby event sensing device confirming a fire. In many embodiments, a sounder (e.g., Figure 1The sounder 118 of the embodiment of the present invention can be activated in response to the amount of particles being greater than the reference amount. The sounder can be included in the event sensing device or can be separate from the event sensing device. In some examples, the sounder can be one of many output devices that are activated in response to the detection of smoke by a neighboring event sensing device. For example, other output devices can include relays to air vents, door closers, or relays to elevators.

[0060] The output device may be activated by a command from the event detection system and / or the event sensing device. In many embodiments, the event detection system may transmit a command to the output device to perform an output event in response to receiving a report of a confirmed fire. The output device may perform the output event in response to receiving a command from the event detection system and / or transmit a notification of the output device performing the output event to the event detection system in response to performing the output event.

[0061] At 360, the event system logic is not activated because it is a false alarm. In many embodiments, the sounder is not activated. At 356, necessary actions may be taken. For example, a nearby event sensing device may transmit a report of a false alarm in response to the particle amount being less than or equal to the baseline amount, or may evacuate personnel in response to the sounder and / or other output device being activated in the presence of a real fire.

[0062] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustration associated with confirming a fire by using a proximate event sensing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, Figure 4 The steps of the flowchart shown can be combined with the previous Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 At 470, the event sensing device "L1 / D25" may be in an alert state. The variable airflow device (e.g., Figure 1 Variable airflow device 116 in.

[0063] At 472, an unconfirmed fire alarm may be triggered at the event sensing device. Figure 2 The event detection system 232 in reports unconfirmed alarms.

[0064] At 474, the event detection system may transmit a command in response to receiving the report of the unconfirmed fire. The command may be transmitted to event sensing devices that are proximate to the event sensing device that reported the unconfirmed fire.

[0065] At 476 , adjacent event sensing devices may activate their variable airflow devices to increase the number of air samples collected into the adjacent event sensing devices to detect unconfirmed fires.

[0066] One or more proximate devices may detect a fire at 478. For example, event sensing device "L1 / D19" and event sensing device "L1 / D24" may detect a fire. One or more proximate devices may transmit a report to an event detection system in response to detecting a fire.

[0067] At 480, the event detection system may communicate a confirmed fire due to one or more nearby devices detecting the fire. The event detection system may communicate a confirmed fire via a user interface (e.g., Figure 2 The user interface 236 in the communication system communicates the confirmed fire

[0068] like Figure 4 As shown, none of the neighboring devices detected the fire at 482. At 484, since none of the neighboring devices detected the fire, the event detection system can communicate that the event system is normal.

[0069] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D is an illustration of a display provided on a user interface 538 of a computing device 534 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The user interface 538 may show an application for reporting the status of a number of event sensing devices. The application may be software / firmware included on an operating system of the computing device 534 and / or downloaded and / or installed on the computing device 534. In some examples, FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D The illustrated application may be displayed on user interface 538 in response to receiving a selection to open an application via user interface 538 .

[0070] like Figure 5A As shown, user interface 538 may present data representative of a plurality of event sensing devices 500-1, 500-2, 500-3, 500-4, 500-5, 500-6, 500-7, 500-8, 500-9, which may be respectively associated with Figure 1 and Figure 2 The event sensing device 100 and / or the event sensing device 200 of FIG. 500-5 may correspond to the event sensing device 100 and / or the event sensing device 200 of FIG. 500-5. The user may be notified of the warning by the icon 586 associated with the particular event sensing device 500-5. The icon 590 may also convey that the event sensing device 500-5 is in the warning state. The icon 588 may indicate that the variable airflow device of the event sensing device 500-5 is currently activated.

[0071] Figure 5BThe illustrated user interface 538 may notify the user of the report of a fire via an icon 598 at the event sensing device 500-5. The icon 592 may also convey that the event sensing device 500-5 is in an unconfirmed fire state.

[0072] like Figure 5C As shown, user interface 538 may notify the user of the fire under investigation via icon 594. Icon 598 may continue to show a report of the fire at event sensing device 500-5. Icons 588-1, 588-2, 588-3, 588-4, 588-5, 588-6, 588-7, 588-8 may notify the user that a number of adjacent event sensing devices have each activated their variable airflow devices.

[0073] Figure 5D The illustrated user interface 538 may notify the user of a confirmed fire via icon 596. Icons 598-1, 598-2, 598-3 may notify the user that a number of event sensing devices are reporting a fire.

[0074] Although specific implementations have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same technique may be substituted for the specific implementations shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all modifications or variations of various implementations of the present disclosure.

[0075] It should be understood that the above description is given in an illustrative rather than limiting manner.By reading the above description, combinations of the above embodiments, as well as other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0076] The scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure includes any other applications using the above-described structures and methods.The scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0077] In the above detailed description, various features are grouped together in the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the embodiments of the present disclosure require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.

[0078] Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

Claims

1. An event sensing device (100, 200-1), the event sensing device comprising: a variable airflow device (116); and A controller (122), the controller being configured to: activating the variable airflow device (116) to increase airflow into the event sensing device (100, 200-1) in response to the event sensing device (100, 200-1) or an adjacent event sensing device (100, 200-2) detecting an unconfirmed fire; using the increased airflow to detect whether a fire is occurring in response to activating the variable airflow device (116); as well as A confirmed fire is reported in response to detecting that the fire is occurring.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The controller (122) is configured to report a false alarm in response to detecting that the fire is not occurring.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The device (100, 200-1) comprises an optical scattering chamber (104); and The controller (122) is configured to detect whether the fire is occurring by: measuring the amount of particles in the optical scattering chamber (104); and The particle amount is compared to a reference amount.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The controller (122) is configured to report the confirmed fire to an event detection system (232).

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The event sensing device (100, 200-1) and the adjacent event sensing device (100, 200-2) are located in a zone.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The variable airflow device (116) is a fan.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The controller (122) is configured to activate event response logic in response to detecting that the fire is occurring.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The device (100, 200-1) includes a gas sensor (114); and The controller (122) is configured to detect whether the fire is occurring by: measuring a gas level in the device (100, 200-1) using the gas sensor (114); and The gas level is compared to a baseline gas level.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The device (100, 200-1) includes a thermal sensor (110); and The controller (122) is configured to detect whether the fire is occurring by: Measuring the temperature in the device (100-200-1) using the thermal sensor (110); as well as The temperature is compared to a reference temperature.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein: The controller (122) is configured to report the confirmed fire in response to the gas level being above the baseline gas level or the temperature being above the baseline temperature.

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