A standardized communication interface adaptation device for heterogeneous fire fighting equipment

Abstract

This utility model discloses a standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire-fighting equipment, relating to the field of fire emergency communication technology. On the one hand, this utility model, through a highly integrated physical interface module and multi-protocol processing architecture, enables flexible hot-swappable access and standardized protocol output for various heterogeneous fire-fighting equipment, significantly reducing system integration and modification costs and enhancing equipment compatibility. On the other hand, it innovatively introduces a port hierarchy mechanism and a dedicated hardware detection circuit that operates completely independently of the core processing unit. This decentralized, purely hardware-based intervention mechanism can not only instantly capture conflicts and forcibly block the transmission of low-priority devices when bus levels are abnormal, providing an exclusive physical pass-through channel for emergency alarm data, but also frees up the computing resources of the main control chip, greatly improving the emergency response speed and data transmission reliability of the fire-fighting system in extreme conflict situations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of fire emergency communication technology, and specifically relates to a standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In typical fire protection scenarios such as large commercial complexes and chemical industrial parks, a wide variety of fire detectors, manual alarm buttons, linkage devices, and environmental sensors are typically deployed. These devices are usually manufactured by different companies, and their underlying physical interfaces cover various forms such as RS485, CAN, Ethernet, serial ports, and fire alarm dual-bus, while running complex communication protocols such as Modbus, MQTT, or vendor-defined protocols. In order to achieve real-time monitoring and centralized dispatch of on-site fire conditions and equipment status, the upper-level fire monitoring platform must be able to comprehensively collect and aggregate the operating parameters of all connected devices at the lower level. However, traditional fire communication adaptation solutions have significant limitations in processing such a large amount of heterogeneous data in actual industrial applications. On the one hand, conventional adaptation devices lack a scientific hardware priority partitioning architecture. When multiple devices communicate concurrently, conventional environmental monitoring data and emergency fire alarm triggering data are extremely prone to channel contention and level conflicts on the bus. On the other hand, existing anti-collision methods rely almost entirely on software polling and algorithm scheduling of the core processing device. This traditional pure software processing mechanism not only suffers from severe communication delays, greatly increasing the underlying computational load of the main control chip, but also easily causes queuing, blocking, or even loss of critical alarm signals under extreme conditions where a sudden fire causes a sudden surge in the amount of data across the entire network. It simply cannot meet the stringent requirements of modern fire emergency communication for high reliability and extreme real-time performance. Utility Model Content

[0003] In view of the deficiencies in the existing technology, this utility model provides a standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0004] A standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment includes the following components: a physical interface module for connecting the heterogeneous fire protection equipment, the physical interface module having a high-priority port and a low-priority port; an internal communication bus for transmitting data within the adapter; a level conversion and isolation circuit, the input of which is electrically connected to both the high-priority and low-priority ports, and the output of which is electrically connected to the internal communication bus; a core processing unit, the input of which is electrically connected to the internal communication bus; a multi-protocol processing module electrically connected to the core processing unit; a parameter configuration module electrically connected to the core processing unit; and a standardized output. The module has its input terminal electrically connected to the output terminal of the core processing unit, and its output terminal is used to electrically connect to an external fire monitoring platform; the hardware detection circuit has its input terminal connected to the internal communication bus, and its output terminal connected to the low-priority port; the hardware detection circuit is used to output a blocking control level to the low-priority port to forcibly block data transmission from the low-priority port through physical level; the hardware detection circuit has a level comparison unit inside, the input terminal of which is connected to the internal communication bus, and is used to collect the transmission level status of the internal communication bus and compare the transmission level status with a preset reference level.

[0005] Preferably, the adapter device is further provided with an isolation transmission circuit; the isolation transmission circuit is connected in series between the high-priority port and the internal communication bus, and the control terminal of the isolation transmission circuit is controlled by the hardware detection circuit; the isolation transmission circuit is used to maintain the unidirectional hardware conduction state from the high-priority port to the internal communication bus, and the hardware detection circuit is independently deployed on the periphery of the core processing unit.

[0006] Preferably, the adapter further includes a recovery circuit connected to the internal communication bus; the detection end of the recovery circuit is connected to the internal communication bus, and its control output end is connected to the low-priority port; the recovery circuit is equipped with a hardware timer.

[0007] Preferably, the physical interface module integrates at least one of the following: RS485 interface, CAN interface, Ethernet RJ45 interface, serial DB9 interface, and fire protection two-wire bus terminal; all interfaces of the physical interface module support hot-swappable structure.

[0008] Preferably, the level conversion and isolation circuit includes an optocoupler isolation circuit, and the data terminal of the physical interface module is connected to the internal communication bus through the optocoupler isolation circuit.

[0009] Preferably, the core processing unit is an MCU chip or an embedded processing device; the multi-protocol processing module is a physical module with a built-in hardware protocol conversion processing chip, which is configured to parse Modbus RTU / TCP protocol, custom fire protection protocol and general fire linkage protocol.

[0010] Preferably, the parameter configuration module includes a DIP switch unit for setting local physical parameters and a host computer configuration interface for external connections.

[0011] Preferably, the adapter further includes a status indicator module; the status indicator module is connected to the output pin of the core processing unit, and the status indicator module includes multiple LEDs, which are respectively configured as a power status indicator, a communication status indicator, a fault status indicator, and an online status indicator.

[0012] Preferably, the standardized output module is equipped with a communication interface chip; the communication interface chip is used to convert the data output by the core processing unit into level signals of standard MQTT protocol, Modbus TCP protocol or standard fire protection protocol for external output.

[0013] Preferably, in the physical interface module, the high-priority port is a terminal for connecting a manual alarm button or an emergency sensing device; the low-priority port is a terminal for connecting a conventional monitoring or data acquisition device.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: On the one hand, through a highly integrated physical interface module and multi-protocol processing architecture, this invention enables flexible hot-swappable access and standardized protocol output for various heterogeneous fire protection equipment, significantly reducing system integration and transformation costs and enhancing equipment compatibility. On the other hand, it innovatively introduces a port hierarchy mechanism and a dedicated hardware detection circuit that operates completely independently of the core processing unit. This decentralized, pure hardware intervention mechanism can not only instantly capture conflicts and forcibly block the transmission of low-priority devices when the bus level is abnormal, providing an exclusive physical transparent transmission channel for emergency alarm data, but also release the computing resources of the main control chip, greatly improving the emergency response speed and data transmission reliability of the fire protection system in extreme conflict situations. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This utility model provides a structural schematic diagram of a standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0017] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0018] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of this invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0019] The embodiments of the utility model will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, a standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment includes the following components: a physical interface module for connecting heterogeneous fire protection equipment, the physical interface module having a high-priority port and a low-priority port; an internal communication bus for transmitting data within the adapter; a level conversion and isolation circuit, the input of which is electrically connected to both the high-priority and low-priority ports, and the output of which is electrically connected to the internal communication bus; a core processing unit, the input of which is electrically connected to the internal communication bus; a multi-protocol processing module electrically connected to the core processing unit; and a parameter configuration module electrically connected to the core processing unit; and a standardized... An output module, whose input is electrically connected to the output of the core processing unit, and whose output is used to electrically connect to an external fire monitoring platform; a hardware detection circuit, whose input is connected to the internal communication bus, and whose output is connected to the low-priority port; the hardware detection circuit is used to output a blocking control level to the low-priority port to forcibly block data transmission from the low-priority port through physical level; the hardware detection circuit has a level comparison unit inside, whose input is connected to the internal communication bus, for collecting the transmission level status of the internal communication bus and comparing the transmission level status with a preset reference level.

[0021] In practical implementation, critical nodes such as fire alarms are connected to high-priority ports, while conventional nodes such as temperature and humidity sensors are connected to low-priority ports, all converging to the internal communication bus. The device incorporates an independently operating hardware detection circuit, including a high-precision level comparison unit. Its detection reference terminal inputs a set standard differential reference level, while the acquisition terminal continuously and synchronously monitors the real-time transmission level of the internal communication bus. When concurrent communication on the bus causes level distortion and the difference exceeds a threshold, the high-speed comparator inside the level comparison unit rapidly flips, directly outputting a blocking control level to the transmit enable terminal of the low-priority port, forcibly pulling down its transmit pin and silencing its channel. Compared to traditional communication architectures that rely on the core processing unit to execute polling scheduling and interrupt programs, the design principle of the above implementation is to use the instantaneous response characteristics of purely analog hardware circuits to replace the execution cycle of software algorithms, avoiding the risk of core processing unit overload and bus crash caused by a large influx of data during a sudden fire.

[0022] More specifically, the adapter device also includes an isolation transmission circuit; the isolation transmission circuit is connected in series between the high-priority port and the internal communication bus, and the control terminal of the isolation transmission circuit is controlled by the hardware detection circuit; the isolation transmission circuit is used to maintain the unidirectional hardware conduction state from the high-priority port to the internal communication bus, and the hardware detection circuit is independently deployed on the periphery of the core processing unit.

[0023] In practical implementation, the high-priority channel isolation transmission circuit uses a high-speed analog switch chip or hardware logic gate array, physically connected in series between the high-priority port data pin and the internal communication bus. The gating control pin of the isolation transmission circuit is directly connected to the output of the externally deployed hardware detection circuit. The design principle is to construct a purely physical transparent transmission link completely independent of the main control chip. When the hardware detection circuit detects a level conflict and applies a blocking control level, it synchronously triggers the isolation transmission circuit to conduct, locking the unidirectional hardware conduction state from the high-priority port to the internal communication bus, allowing emergency data to directly bypass the conflict node and enter the core network. This hardware topology, which operates independently of the core processing unit, eliminates the uncertainty and delay introduced by the software operating system's task scheduling. Compared to the existing technology's mechanism of relying on software caching and queuing forwarding, it eliminates the risk of losing critical alarms due to data overflow.

[0024] More specifically, the adapter also includes a recovery circuit connected to the internal communication bus; the detection end of the recovery circuit is connected to the internal communication bus, and its control output end is connected to the low-priority port; the recovery circuit is equipped with a hardware timer.

[0025] In practical implementation, the recovery circuit employs a resistor-capacitor charging-discharging network with a comparator input or a dedicated hardware timer chip. The probe continuously monitors the level fluctuations of the internal communication bus, while the control output is connected in reverse to the enable pin of the low-priority port. The hardware timer has an internal backoff time threshold ranging from tens to hundreds of milliseconds. Based on the channel idle determination rule, when high-priority data has completed unidirectional transmission and the internal communication bus voltage drops back to the static idle reference level and remains stable, the recovery circuit triggers the hardware timer to start a countdown. Once the count value reaches the preset backoff threshold, the recovery circuit immediately flips the output level state, removing the blocking control level applied to the low-priority port. This pure hardware closed-loop control architecture abandons the traditional software self-healing scheme that relies on the microcontroller to issue release commands. Compared to the complex software backoff algorithms in existing communication interface devices, it avoids the risk of system crashes caused by nested interrupts, achieves adaptive release and rapid reallocation of underlying channel resources, and balances the communication continuity of regular data and overall bus throughput efficiency while ensuring priority passage for emergency data.

[0026] More specifically, the physical interface module integrates at least one of the following: RS485 interface, CAN interface, Ethernet RJ45 interface, serial DB9 interface, and fire protection two-wire bus terminal; all interfaces of the physical interface module support hot-swappable structure.

[0027] In practical implementation, the physical interface module features a parallel array of RS485 transceivers, a CAN bus controller, an Ethernet RJ45 interface chip with magnetic isolation, a serial DB9 level conversion chip, and dedicated fire-fighting non-polarized two-wire transceiver terminals. Each interface pin is equipped with a hot-swappable protection topology including transient voltage suppression diodes, resettable fuses, and electrostatic discharge protection chips. The design principle is to construct a fully covered physical media conversion front-end, meeting the needs of direct physical plug-and-play connection of multi-source heterogeneous terminals in the field. Relying on the charge discharge and surge absorption mechanisms within the hot-swappable structure, the impact of voltage spikes and surge currents generated during hot-plugging of the interface on the internal communication bus is eliminated. Compared to the cumbersome operation of traditional single-interface adapters that require power-off wiring and multiple external converters, the integration of multi-protocol ports and hot-swappable features enables plug-and-play functionality and lossless expansion of field devices, significantly shortening the construction cycle of fire protection IoT upgrades.

[0028] More specifically, the level conversion and isolation circuit includes an optocoupler isolation circuit, and the data terminal of the physical interface module is connected to the internal communication bus through the optocoupler isolation circuit.

[0029] In practical implementation, the level conversion and isolation circuit uses high-speed optocoupler components. The data output terminals of each transceiver within the physical interface module are first connected to the LED side, converting the data into optical signals that pass through the isolation barrier. These signals are then received by a phototransistor on the other side and restored to a standard digital level before being sent to the internal communication bus. The design principle lies in using the physical isolation medium of opto-conversion to sever the electrical ground connection between external fire-fighting equipment and the internal core processing unit, eliminating grounding loop interference caused by potential differences between different equipment grounds. Compared to traditional non-isolated or capacitor-isolated interface devices, the optocoupler isolation circuit effectively blocks lightning surges, electrostatic discharge, and power frequency interference introduced by external cables from entering the internal precision digital circuits, preventing core processing unit crashes and chip breakdowns caused by common-mode voltage surges.

[0030] More specifically, the core processing unit is an MCU chip or an embedded processing device; the multi-protocol processing module is a physical module with a built-in hardware protocol conversion processing chip, which is configured to parse Modbus RTU / TCP protocol, custom fire protection protocol and general fire linkage protocol.

[0031] In practical implementation, a high-performance ARM architecture microcontroller or embedded application processing device is selected as the core processing unit. The multi-protocol processing module is configured as a physical application-specific integrated circuit with an embedded hardware protocol stack engine. Its internal ROM stores binary parsing instruction sets for Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, manufacturer-defined private fire protection protocols, and national standard fire linkage protocols. An asymmetric processing architecture is adopted, with the main control processor and a dedicated protocol coprocessor working in tandem. The cumbersome low-level data packet verification, frame header recognition, and format unpacking are handled by the protocol conversion processing chip, which executes the embedded instruction set at high speed at the hardware level. The core processing unit only needs to directly read the processed and extracted effective payload data. Compared to the existing technology where a single-chip microcontroller relies on pure software code to traverse and match a large protocol library, the dual-core hardware parsing architecture avoids the risks of memory fragmentation and stack overflow during software protocol stack execution.

[0032] More specifically, the parameter configuration module includes a DIP switch unit for setting local physical parameters and a host computer configuration interface for external connections.

[0033] In practical implementation, the parameter configuration module features an array of mechanical DIP switches on the hardware motherboard. Each output pin is connected to the general-purpose input / output ports of the core processing unit via a pull-up resistor network. Simultaneously, a serial host computer configuration interface is externally provided, connecting to a portable engineering terminal via a dedicated cable. For basic low-level parameters such as baud rate, device address, and parity, operators can directly set them intuitively by toggling the local physical DIP switches. Upon system power-up, the core processing unit immediately reads the pin levels to complete initialization. For complex custom protocol mapping tables and advanced network addressing configurations, firmware configuration packages are injected via the host computer configuration interface. Compared to traditional closed products that rely solely on button menus or require factory flashing, this implementation mode combining physical configuration and software injection significantly lowers the barrier to on-site installation and deployment, enabling on-site personnel to quickly complete the low-level bus handshake even without an external network connection.

[0034] More specifically, the adapter also includes a status indicator module; the status indicator module is connected to the output pin of the core processing unit, and the status indicator module includes multiple LEDs, which are respectively configured as a power status indicator, a communication status indicator, a fault status indicator, and an online status indicator.

[0035] In practical implementation, the status indicator module is configured with an array of high-brightness LEDs, each with a current-limiting resistor connected in series to its anode and then connected to a dedicated drive output pin of the core processing unit. The LED array is clearly divided into a constantly lit power status indicator, a communication status indicator that flashes with the frequency of bus data frame transmission and reception, a fault status indicator triggered by a hardware abnormal interruption, and an online status indicator that indicates successful handshake with the server. Utilizing the state machine logic and pin level toggling mechanism within the core processing unit, the hidden electrical operating states and protocol interaction results within the adapter device are transformed into visually perceptible changes in light signals. Compared to existing technologies that require dedicated instruments to capture packets or logging into a backend management interface to troubleshoot faults, the matrix-style light indicator structure can expose hidden fault nodes such as network outages, bus short circuits, or communication congestion to maintenance personnel on-site immediately, providing a low-cost and highly efficient physical layer link diagnostic method.

[0036] More specifically, the standardized output module is equipped with a communication interface chip; the communication interface chip is used to convert the data output by the core processing unit into level signals of standard MQTT protocol, Modbus TCP protocol or standard fire protection protocol for external output.

[0037] In practical implementation, the standardized output module uses a high-performance Ethernet communication interface chip or an IoT wireless baseband chip that integrates the physical layer and media access control layer. The core processing unit normalizes the heterogeneous sensing data via an internal bus and then sends it to the communication interface chip. The communication interface chip has built-in TCP / IP protocol hardware processing logic, which can automatically encapsulate the normalized data into standard MQTT protocol subject messages carrying authentication information, Modbus TCP industrial Ethernet frames, or dedicated fire protection data packets conforming to national engineering standards, and output them to the external network interface. The design principle is to break down the data silos caused by the private protocols of the underlying heterogeneous devices and use a dedicated communication interface engine to perform packet encryption calculations and network addressing actions of higher-level network protocols. Compared with the redundant architecture of traditional equipment that requires the central control host to be connected to various gateways for secondary software translation, the aforementioned direct-through standard level conversion output mode directly delivers highly available structured data to the cloud or platform, significantly reducing the difficulty of secondary development of the upper-level monitoring platform.

[0038] More specifically, in the physical interface module, the high-priority port is physically a terminal for connecting a manual alarm button or an emergency sensing device; the low-priority port is physically a terminal for connecting a conventional monitoring or data acquisition device.

[0039] In practical implementation, the high-priority ports of the adapter's physical interface module are designed as dedicated red access terminals with anti-detachment protection. The circuit layer directly connects to internal hardware anti-conflict logic, mandating that they be used only for directly connecting manual alarm buttons, fire smoke detectors, or combustible gas emergency sensing devices. Low-priority ports are designed as standard green terminals, used to connect non-emergency data acquisition devices such as ambient temperature and humidity monitoring instruments and water tank level gauges. The design principle is based on the hazard level classification of the fire protection system itself, implementing dual physical and electrical isolation between alarm-related life safety data and inspection-related maintenance data at the physical wiring harness access level during the installation phase. Compared to traditional networking schemes where all sensor nodes are mixed on the same bus and the platform cannot recognize the underlying link level, this implementation mode, with its strong binding of physical ports to service attributes, establishes the right of critical alarm facilities to compete for bus access from the source of wiring.

[0040] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and not to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this utility model.

Claims

1. A standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire-fighting equipment, characterized in that, The system includes the following components: a physical interface module for connecting heterogeneous fire protection equipment, the physical interface module having a high-priority port and a low-priority port; an internal communication bus for transmitting data within the adapter; a level conversion and isolation circuit, whose input is electrically connected to both the high-priority and low-priority ports, and whose output is electrically connected to the internal communication bus; a core processing unit, whose input is electrically connected to the internal communication bus; a multi-protocol processing module, electrically connected to the core processing unit; and a parameter configuration module, electrically connected to the core processing unit. A standardized output module has its input terminal electrically connected to the output terminal of the core processing unit, and its output terminal is used for electrical connection to an external fire monitoring platform. A hardware detection circuit has its input terminal connected to the internal communication bus and its output terminal connected to the low-priority port. The hardware detection circuit outputs a blocking control level to the low-priority port to forcibly block data transmission through physical level. The hardware detection circuit internally includes a level comparison unit, the input terminal of which is connected to the internal communication bus. This unit collects the transmission level status of the internal communication bus and compares the transmission level status with a preset reference level.

2. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter also includes an isolation transmission circuit; the isolation transmission circuit is connected in series between the high-priority port and the internal communication bus, and the control terminal of the isolation transmission circuit is controlled by the hardware detection circuit; the isolation transmission circuit is used to maintain the unidirectional hardware conduction state from the high-priority port to the internal communication bus, and the hardware detection circuit is independently deployed on the periphery of the core processing unit.

3. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adapter also includes a recovery circuit connected to the internal communication bus; the detection end of the recovery circuit is connected to the internal communication bus, and its control output end is connected to the low priority port; the recovery circuit is equipped with a hardware timer.

4. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The physical interface module integrates at least one of the following: RS485 interface, CAN interface, Ethernet RJ45 interface, serial DB9 interface, and fire protection two-wire bus terminal; all interfaces of the physical interface module support hot-swappable structure.

5. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The level conversion and isolation circuit includes an optocoupler isolation circuit, and the data terminal of the physical interface module is connected to the internal communication bus through the optocoupler isolation circuit.

6. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The core processing unit is an MCU chip or an embedded processing device; the multi-protocol processing module is a physical module with a built-in hardware protocol conversion processing chip, which is configured to parse Modbus RTU / TCP protocol, custom fire protection protocol and general fire linkage protocol.

7. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The parameter configuration module includes a DIP switch unit for setting local physical parameters and a host computer configuration interface for external connections.

8. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter also includes a status indicator module; the status indicator module is connected to the output pin of the core processing unit, and the status indicator module includes multiple LEDs, which are respectively configured as a power status indicator, a communication status indicator, a fault status indicator, and an online status indicator.

9. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The standardized output module is equipped with a communication interface chip; the communication interface chip is used to convert the data output by the core processing unit into level signals of standard MQTT protocol, Modbus TCP protocol or standard fire protection protocol for external output.

10. The standardized communication interface adapter for heterogeneous fire protection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the physical interface module, the high-priority port is physically a terminal for connecting a manual alarm button or an emergency sensing device; the low-priority port is physically a terminal for connecting a conventional monitoring or data acquisition device.

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