Alarm device and alarm system

Abstract

To provide an alarm and an alarm system allowing a person present in a place where the alarm is installed to easily hear an abnormality alarm by voice.SOLUTION: The fire alarm 10 includes a fire detection part 12 for detecting a fire, a voice output part 13 for outputting a fire alarm by voice when the fire detection part 12 detects a fire, and a person detection part 15 for detecting a person, and the voice output part 13 outputs the fire alarm with a first sound pressure when the person is not detected by the person detection part 15, and outputs the fire alarm with a second sound pressure larger than the first sound pressure when the person is detected by the person detection part 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an alarm device that detects an abnormality and outputs an abnormality alarm, and an alarm system that includes the alarm device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, residential fire alarms have been proposed that have a human body detection unit and, when the fire detection unit detects a cause of fire, change the output mode of the alarm sound depending on whether or not the human body detection unit detects the presence of a person (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The residential fire alarm described in Patent Document 1 outputs an audio message at a normal volume when it detects a person, and outputs an audio message at maximum volume when it does not detect a person. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-235780 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Multiple residential fire alarms such as those described in Patent Document 1 may be installed in a single building, such as a dwelling unit. In this case, when a fire is detected, multiple residential fire alarms may simultaneously output voice messages, but the voice messages are output at normal volume in areas where people are present and at maximum volume in areas where no one is present. This makes it difficult for people present to hear the normal volume voice messages, as they are blocked by the maximum volume voice messages output by residential fire alarms in areas where no one is present.

[0005] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an alarm device and alarm system that makes it easy for people in the area where the alarm device is installed to hear audio abnormality warnings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The alarm device of the present invention comprises an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities, an alarm output unit that outputs an abnormality alarm by voice when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality, and a human detection unit that detects people, and the alarm output unit outputs the abnormality alarm at a first sound pressure when no person is detected by the human detection unit, and outputs the abnormality alarm at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure when a person is detected by the human detection unit.

[0007] The alarm system according to the present invention is an alarm system comprising a plurality of alarm devices that communicate with each other, each of which comprises an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities, a communication unit that receives an interlocking signal, an alarm output unit that outputs an abnormality alarm by voice when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality, and that outputs the interlocking alarm by voice when the communication unit receives the interlocking signal, and a human detection unit that detects people, and when outputting the abnormality alarm, the alarm output unit of each of the alarm devices is configured to output the abnormality alarm at a first sound pressure if no person has been detected by the human detection unit, and to output the abnormality alarm at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure if a person has been detected by the human detection unit, and when none of the alarm devices that received the interlocking signal have detected a person, all of the plurality of alarm devices output the interlocking alarm at the second sound pressure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an alarm device and alarm system that makes the audio abnormality alarm easy to hear for people in the location where the alarm device is installed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fire alarm 10 according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fire alarm device 10 according to the first embodiment in relation to a fire alarm. [Figure 3]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fire alarm system 1 according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fire alarm 10A according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fire alarm device 10A according to the second embodiment with respect to a fire alarm and linked alarm. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarms of the fire alarm system 1 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarms of the fire alarm system 1 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fire alarm and linked alarm of the fire alarm device 10A according to the third embodiment. [Figure 9] 11 is a flowchart showing a human detection result collection process according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarms of the fire alarm system 1 according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] 11 is a flowchart showing a human detection result collection process according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarms of the fire alarm system 1 according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, the alarm device of the present invention will be described as a fire alarm device. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention includes all possible combinations of the configurations shown in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the device shown in the drawings is an example of the device of the present invention, and the device of the present invention is not limited to the device shown in the drawings. Furthermore, in each drawing, parts with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent, and this is common throughout the entire specification.

[0011] Embodiment 1 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fire alarm 10 according to embodiment 1. The fire alarm 10 is a device that is installed in a room of a building to monitor for fires and output an alarm when a fire is detected. The fire alarm 10 has a control unit 11, a fire detection unit 12, an audio output unit 13, a display unit 14, a human detection unit 15, an operation unit 16, a memory unit 17, and a power supply unit 18.

[0012] The control unit 11 is composed of a dedicated hardware circuit or a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program stored in memory. The control unit 11 controls the audio output unit 13 and the display unit 14 based on signals input from the fire detection unit 12, the human detection unit 15, and the operation unit 16. The control unit 11 also reads information from the memory unit 17 and writes information to the memory unit 17. When the fire detection unit 12 detects a fire, the control unit 11 causes the audio output unit 13 to output an audio alarm at a sound pressure corresponding to the result of human detection by the human detection unit 15.

[0013] The fire detection unit 12 is an example of an abnormality detection unit that detects abnormalities. The fire detection unit 12 of this embodiment detects a fire by detecting smoke, heat, gas, flames, etc. that are generated in association with a fire. When the fire detection unit 12 detects smoke, it has a photoelectric smoke sensor that emits light toward a smoke detection space formed in the housing and detects smoke by receiving scattered light generated by smoke present in the smoke detection space. When the fire detection unit 12 detects heat, it has a thermal sensor such as a differential or constant temperature sensor that detects heat generated by a fire. When the fire detection unit 12 detects gas, it has a gas sensor that detects gas that is generated in association with a fire. When the fire detection unit 12 detects flames, it has either an ultraviolet sensor or an infrared sensor, or both.

[0014] The audio output unit 13 is a device that outputs audio, which is either or both of an alarm sound and an alarm message, and is, for example, a speaker. For example, the alarm sound is a sound without linguistic meaning, such as "beep, whistle" or "beep, whistle," and the audio message is a message with linguistic meaning, such as "There's a fire! There's a fire!" or "There's a fire at XX (a location, a phrase specifying the fire alarm 10, etc.)." The audio output unit 13 of this embodiment outputs one of a plurality of audio sounds pre-stored in the memory unit 17 at a sound pressure based on an instruction from the control unit 11. In this embodiment, the audio output unit 13 functions as an alarm output unit that outputs an alarm by audio.

[0015] The display unit 14 is a device that visually notifies people, and is, for example, a light-emitting body such as a light-emitting diode. The display unit 14 is controlled by the control unit 11 to display in a variety of modes, such as continuous lighting or blinking. The display unit 14 may also be controlled by the control unit 11 to emit light in a variety of colors.

[0016] The human detection unit 15 detects a person and outputs a signal indicating that a person has been detected to the control unit 11. The human detection unit 15 may be, for example, an infrared sensor that detects infrared rays generated from a person's body temperature. Alternatively, the human detection unit 15 may be an ultrasonic sensor that emits ultrasonic waves and detects a person using the reflected waves. Alternatively, the human detection unit 15 may have a camera and detect the presence or absence of a person by detecting a human face by performing a known face detection process on image data captured by the camera.

[0017] The operation unit 16 is a button or switch operated by a person. The operation unit 16 may be a mechanical button or switch, or may be, for example, a touch switch. The operation unit 16 may be operated by a pull string. The number of operation units 16 may be set according to the operations to be input. Furthermore, the operation unit 16 may accept different types of operations such as a long press, a short press, or a continuous press, and input a signal according to the operation to the control unit 11.

[0018] The storage unit 17 stores various data used for control by the control unit 11. The storage unit 17 also stores audio data output by the audio output unit 13. The storage unit 17 is, for example, a non-volatile or volatile memory such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, an EPROM, or an EEPROM.

[0019] The power supply unit 18 supplies power to the control unit 11, the fire detection unit 12, the audio output unit 13, the display unit 14, the human detection unit 15, and the memory unit 17. The power supply unit 18 has a battery, a voltage adjustment circuit that adjusts the battery voltage, and the like, and supplies power of the required voltage to each unit. Note that the power supply unit 18 may also supply power from a commercial power source to each unit.

[0020] The fire alarm 10 configured as described above is installed on the ceiling or wall of a room, etc., and monitors for fires in the location where it is installed. When the fire detection unit 12 detects a fire, the audio output unit 13 outputs an audio fire alarm based on audio data stored in the memory unit 17. Furthermore, when the fire detection unit 12 detects a fire, the display unit 14 emits light in a predetermined color to output a fire alarm indicating the source of the fire. When a person who notices the fire alarm operates the operation unit 16, the audio output unit 13 and the display unit 14 stop the fire alarm.

[0021] Here, when fire alarm devices 10 are installed in multiple locations in a building, if multiple fire alarm devices 10 simultaneously output a fire alarm, it becomes difficult for people to hear the fire alarm. For example, if the fire alarm sound includes a voice message, and multiple fire alarm devices 10 simultaneously output the voice messages asynchronously, the voice messages will interfere with each other, making it difficult for people to understand. Also, if the fire alarm sound includes an alarm sound, and the fire alarm 10 at the source of the fire and the other fire alarm devices 10 output different alarm sounds, the alarm sounds will interfere with each other, making it difficult for people to distinguish between the alarm sounds. Furthermore, if the fire alarm sound includes both an alarm sound and a voice message, the alarm sound and the voice message, which are simultaneously output asynchronously from multiple fire alarm devices 10, will interfere with each other, making it particularly difficult for people to hear the fire alarm. For this reason, the fire alarm 10 of this embodiment operates as described in FIG. 2.

[0022] 2 is a flowchart showing the operation related to a fire alarm of the fire alarm device 10 according to embodiment 1. The fire alarm device 10 determines whether or not a fire has been detected (step S1), and if a fire has not been detected (step S1: NO), the process returns to step S1, and if a fire has been detected (step S1: YES), the process proceeds to step S2.

[0023] In step S2, the fire alarm 10 determines whether or not a person has been detected. The detection of a person is performed by the person detection unit 15. If a person has not been detected (step S2: NO), the audio output unit 13 outputs a fire alarm at a first sound pressure (step S3), and if a person has been detected (step S2: YES), the audio output unit 13 outputs a fire alarm at a second sound pressure (step S4). Here, the first sound pressure is smaller than the second sound pressure (first sound pressure<second sound pressure). In other words, when a person has been detected, the audio output unit 13 outputs a fire alarm at a higher sound pressure than when a person has not been detected. In addition to outputting the fire alarm by sound in steps S3 and S4, the display unit 14 outputs a fire alarm by display.

[0024] If the operation unit 16 has not received a fire alarm stop operation (step S5: NO), the output of the fire alarm continues, and if the operation unit 16 receives a fire alarm stop operation (step S5: YES), the process ends.

[0025] In this way, the fire alarm 10 of this embodiment outputs a fire alarm at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure when a person is detected by the person detection unit 15. Therefore, even if multiple fire alarms 10 output alarms at the same time, the fire alarm can be made easier to hear for people in the same location as the fire alarm 10 that detected the fire.

[0026] Embodiment 2 In this embodiment, a fire alarm system 1 including a plurality of fire alarm devices 10A that communicate with each other to issue linked alarms will be described. In this embodiment, differences from embodiment 1 will be mainly described, and descriptions of matters common to embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0027] (System Configuration) FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fire alarm system 1 according to embodiment 2. The fire alarm system 1 is a system that is installed in a building 100, for example, a dwelling, to monitor for fires and to issue an alarm when a fire is detected. The fire alarm system 1 comprises a plurality of fire alarm devices 10A. One or more fire alarm devices 10A can be installed in each of a plurality of rooms 101 in the building 100. The plurality of fire alarm devices 10A are installed in positions where they can communicate with each other wirelessly.

[0028] (Configuration of Fire Alarm 10A) FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fire alarm 10A according to embodiment 2. In addition to the configuration of the fire alarm 10 described in embodiment 1, the fire alarm 10A has a communication unit 19. The communication unit 19 is an antenna and communication circuit that performs wireless communication with other fire alarms 10A, and operates by receiving power from the power supply unit 18. The communication unit 19 transmits signals generated in the communication circuit via the antenna, and receives and processes signals acquired via the antenna in the communication circuit. The signals transmitted by the communication unit 19 are input from the control unit 11. Furthermore, the signals received by the communication unit 19 are input to the control unit 11. The communication unit 19 transmits a first interlocking signal and a second interlocking signal, which will be described later, as interlocking signals for causing other fire alarms 10A to output interlocked alarms.

[0029] The control unit 11 controls the operations of the audio output unit 13, the display unit 14, and the communication unit 19 based on signals input from the fire detection unit 12, the human detection unit 15, the operation unit 16, and the communication unit 19. In this embodiment, when the fire detection unit 12 of the device detects a fire, the control unit 11 causes the communication unit 19 to send a first interlocking signal if the human detection unit 15 of the device does not detect a person, and causes the communication unit 19 to send a second interlocking signal if the human detection unit 15 detects a person.

[0030] Here, the first interlocking signal is an interlocking signal that instructs the interlocked fire alarm 10A to output a linked alarm at a sound pressure that corresponds to the result of human detection by that fire alarm 10A. Also, the second interlocking signal is an interlocking signal that instructs the interlocked fire alarm 10A to output a linked alarm at a predetermined sound pressure by that fire alarm 10A. When the communication unit 19 receives the first interlocking signal, the control unit 11 causes the audio output unit 13 to output a linked alarm at a first sound pressure if no human is detected by the human detection unit 15, and causes the audio output unit 13 to output a linked alarm at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure if a human is detected by the human detection unit 15.

[0031] (Operations in the event of a fire) When a fire breaks out, as explained in the first embodiment, the fire alarm 10A detects the fire using the fire detection unit 12, and outputs a fire alarm indicating the source of the fire using the audio output unit 13 and the display unit 14.

[0032] Furthermore, the fire alarm 10A outputs a linked alarm when another fire alarm 10A detects a fire. Specifically, when a fire alarm 10A detects a fire, the fire alarm 10A transmits a first or second linked signal to the other fire alarms 10A to instruct them to output a linked alarm. The fire alarm 10A that receives the first or second linked signal outputs a linked alarm from the audio output unit 13 and the display unit 14. When a person who notices the linked alarm operates the operation unit 16, the audio output unit 13 and the display unit 14 stop the linked alarm.

[0033] 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fire alarm and linked alarm of the fire alarm device 10A according to embodiment 2. The fire alarm device 10A determines whether or not a fire has been detected (step S10), and if a fire has been detected (step S10: YES), proceeds to step S11, and if a fire has not been detected, proceeds to step S16.

[0034] In step S11, the fire alarm device 10A determines whether or not a person has been detected. If a person has not been detected (step S11: NO), the fire alarm device 10A outputs a fire alarm at a first sound pressure (step S12) and transmits a first interlocking signal (step S13). If a person has been detected (step S11: YES), the fire alarm device 10A outputs a fire alarm at a second sound pressure (step S14) and transmits a second interlocking signal (step S15). Note that the order of the processes in steps S12 and S13 may be reversed, and similarly, the order of the processes in steps S14 and S15 may be reversed.

[0035] Here, the first sound pressure is smaller than the second sound pressure (first sound pressure<second sound pressure). That is, when a person is detected, the audio output unit 13 outputs a fire alarm at a higher sound pressure than when no person is detected. In addition to outputting the fire alarm by sound in steps S12 and S14, the display unit 14 outputs the fire alarm by display. Then, if the operation unit 16 has not received a fire alarm stop operation (step S21: NO), the output of the fire alarm continues, and if a fire alarm stop operation is received (step S21: YES), the processing ends.

[0036] The first interlocking signal transmitted in step S13 and the second interlocking signal transmitted in step S15 are interlocking signals for instructing the other fire alarm devices 10A to output interlocking alarms. The first interlocking signal is a signal for instructing the other fire alarm devices 10A to output interlocking alarms at a sound pressure according to the human detection result of their own human detection unit 15. The fire alarm device 10A transmits the first interlocking signal to the other fire alarm devices 10A when it detects a fire but does not detect a human. The second interlocking signal is a signal for instructing the other fire alarm devices 10A to output interlocking alarms at a predetermined sound pressure, regardless of the human detection result of the human detection unit 15 of the other fire alarm devices 10A. The fire alarm device 10A transmits the second interlocking signal when it detects a fire and a human.

[0037] If no fire is detected, the fire alarm device 10A determines whether or not it has received an interlocking signal transmitted from another fire alarm device 10A (step S16). If it has not received an interlocking signal (step S16: NO), it returns to step S10. Also, if it has received a first interlocking signal in step S16, it proceeds to step S17, and if it has received a second interlocking signal, it proceeds to step S20.

[0038] In step S17, the fire alarm device 10A determines whether or not a person has been detected. If a person has not been detected (step S17: NO), the linked alarm is output at a first sound pressure (step S18). Note that in step S18, the linked alarm may be output at a third sound pressure. If a person has been detected (step S17: YES), the linked alarm is output at a second sound pressure (step S19). In this way, upon receiving the first linked signal, the audio output unit 13 of the fire alarm 10A outputs a linked alarm at a higher sound pressure when a person has been detected than when no person has been detected.

[0039] In step S20, the fire alarm device 10A outputs a linked alarm at the first sound pressure or the third sound pressure. Here, the third sound pressure is lower than the first sound pressure and the second sound pressure (third sound pressure<first sound pressure<second sound pressure). In other words, the fire alarm device 10A that has received the second linked signal outputs a linked alarm at a sound pressure that is lower than the fire alarm output at the second sound pressure by the fire alarm device 10A that has detected a fire and a person at the source of the fire.

[0040] After outputting the linked alarm (steps S18, S19, S20), if the operation unit 16 does not accept a fire alarm stop operation (step S21: NO), it continues to output the linked alarm, and if it accepts a fire alarm stop operation (step S21: YES), it terminates the processing.

[0041] Next, an example of the operation of the plurality of fire alarm devices 10A will be described. Fig. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of outputting a fire alarm and linked alarms in the fire alarm system 1 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 6 shows an example of the operation of the fire alarm device 10A that is the source of the fire and has detected a fire and a person, and two linked fire alarm devices 10A.

[0042] The fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire detects a fire (step SA1) and also detects a person (step SA2), and outputs a fire alarm at a second sound pressure (step SA3) and transmits a second linkage signal to the other fire alarms 10A (step SA4).

[0043] The fire alarm device 10A that has received the second interlocking signal outputs an interlocking alarm at the first sound pressure or the third sound pressure without performing human detection processing (step SA5).

[0044] Thus, in this embodiment, a fire alarm 10A that detects both a fire and a person outputs a fire alarm at a louder sound pressure than a linked fire alarm 10A. Of the fire alarms 10A that make up the fire alarm system 1, a fire alarm 10A that detects both a fire and a person outputs an alarm at a louder sound pressure, so even if a fire alarm and a linked alarm are output simultaneously, the alarm content can be more easily heard by people near the fire.

[0045] Fig. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarm in the fire alarm system 1 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 7 shows an example of the operation of a fire alarm 10A that is the source of the fire and detects a fire but does not detect a person, and two linked fire alarms 10A.

[0046] The fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire detects a fire (step SB1) but does not detect a person (step SB2), so it outputs a fire alarm at a first sound pressure (step SB3) and transmits a first linkage signal to the other fire alarms 10A (step SB4).

[0047] When the fire alarm 10A receives the first interlocking signal and detects a person (step SB5), it outputs a linked alarm at the second sound pressure (step SB6).Furthermore, when the fire alarm 10A receives the first interlocking signal and does not detect a person (step SB7), it outputs a linked alarm at the first or third sound pressure (step SB8).

[0048] Thus, in this embodiment, a fire alarm 10A that detects a fire but does not detect a person outputs a fire alarm at a lower sound pressure than an interlocked fire alarm 10A that detects a person. In other words, an interlocked fire alarm 10A that detects a person outputs a linked alarm at a higher sound pressure than fire alarms 10A that are fire sources and interlocked but do not detect a person. For this reason, even if a fire alarm and a linked alarm are output simultaneously, the fire alarm 10A that is closest to a person outputs the alarm at a higher sound pressure, making it easier for people to hear the alarm content.

[0049] Note that when the fire alarm device 10A receives multiple interlocking signals from multiple other fire alarm devices 10A, and there is at least one second interlocking signal, the fire alarm device 10A may output an interlocking alarm at the first sound pressure or the third sound pressure, even if there is a first interlocking signal. Specifically, in step S16 of Fig. 5, when an interlocking signal is received, the information of the received interlocking signal (first interlocking signal or second interlocking signal) is stored, and the next time an interlocking signal is received, if there is a stored second interlocking signal, the process proceeds to step S20 regardless of the received interlocking signal. In this way, when multiple fire alarms 10A transmit interlocking signals, i.e., when multiple fire alarms 10A detect a fire, the alarm sound can be made easier to hear for the person who detected the fire by the fire alarm 10A.

[0050] Embodiment 3 This embodiment describes a mode in which an alarm is made easier to hear for people outside the building when none of the multiple fire alarms 10A constituting the fire alarm system 1 detects a person. This embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from embodiment 2.

[0051] In this embodiment, the memory unit 17 of each fire alarm 10A stores a device ID that identifies the fire alarm itself, and device IDs that identify each of the other fire alarms 10A that make up the fire alarm system 1. The control unit 11 causes the communication unit 19 to transmit a first interlocking signal, to which information indicating the device ID has been added. Furthermore, when the communication unit 19 receives the first interlocking signal, the control unit 11 causes the communication unit 19 to transmit a human detection result signal that indicates the result of human detection by the human detection unit 15. The destination of the human detection result signal is the fire alarm 10A that detected the fire, which is the source of the first interlocking signal, and the destination can be identified by the device ID included in the first interlocking signal.

[0052] Furthermore, when the communication unit 19 receives a human detection result signal transmitted from another fire alarm device 10A, the control unit 11 performs a human detection result collection process, which will be described later, based on the received human detection result signal.

[0053] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fire alarm 10A according to embodiment 3 relating to the fire alarm and linked alarm. Steps S10 to S21 are the same as those explained in Figure 5. After steps S18 and S19, the fire alarm 10A according to this embodiment transmits a human detection result signal indicating the human detection result to the fire alarm 10A that detected the fire (step S23). The fire alarm 10A that detected the fire is the fire alarm 10A that transmitted the first linked signal.

[0054] Furthermore, after transmitting the first interlocking signal in step S13, the fire alarm device 10A calls the human detection result collection process (step S24).

[0055] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the human detection result collection process according to embodiment 3. The human detection result collection process is a process executed by the fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire after step S13 in Fig. 8. First, the fire alarm 10A receives human detection result signals from all the other fire alarms 10A (step S241). The human detection result signals include information that can identify whether or not a person has been detected. Next, the fire alarm 10A determines whether or not all the other fire alarms 10A have detected a person, based on the received human detection result signals (step S242).

[0056] If none of the other fire alarm devices 10A have detected a person (step S242: YES), the device transmits a sound pressure instruction signal to the other fire alarm devices 10A instructing them to output an alarm at the second sound pressure (step S243), sets the sound pressure of its own alarm output to the second sound pressure (step S244), and then returns. Also, if any of the other fire alarm devices 10A has detected a person (step S242: NO), the device returns without transmitting a sound pressure instruction signal.

[0057] Continuing the explanation, returning to Figure 8. When the fire alarm device 10A receives a sound pressure instruction signal while outputting a fire alarm or linked alarm (step S25: YES), it changes the sound pressure based on the sound pressure instruction signal (step S26) and continues to output the alarm. When it has not received a sound pressure instruction signal (step S25: NO), it continues to output the alarm while maintaining the sound pressure.

[0058] With this configuration of the fire alarm 10A, in the fire alarm system 1 of this embodiment, if a certain fire alarm 10A detects a fire but does not detect a person, and none of the linked fire alarms 10A detect a person, the linked fire alarm 10A outputs a linked alarm at the second sound pressure instead of the first sound pressure.

[0059] An example of the operation of the multiple fire alarm devices 10A that make up the fire alarm system 1 of this embodiment will be described below. Fig. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarm in the fire alarm system 1 according to embodiment 3. Fig. 10 shows an example of the operation when none of the fire alarm devices 10A detects a person.

[0060] The fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire detects a fire (step SC1) but does not detect a person (step SC2), outputs a fire alarm at a first sound pressure (step SC3), and transmits a first linkage signal to other fire alarms 10A (step SC4).

[0061] The fire alarm 10A that receives the first interlocking signal does not detect a person (step SC5), outputs an interlocking alarm at the first sound pressure (step SC6), and transmits a person detection result signal to the fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire (step SC7).

[0062] The fire alarm 10A of the source fire has received human detection result signals from all of the interlocked fire alarms 10A indicating that no human has been detected, and so it sends a sound pressure instruction signal to the interlocked fire alarms 10A to set the sound pressure of the alarm to the second sound pressure (step SC8). The fire alarm 10A of the source fire also changes the sound pressure from the first sound pressure to the second sound pressure and outputs a fire alarm (step SC9). The interlocked fire alarms 10A that have received the sound pressure instruction signal output an interlocked alarm at the second sound pressure (step SC10).

[0063] Thus, in this embodiment, if none of the fire alarm devices 10A constituting the fire alarm system 1 detects a person, all of the fire alarm devices 10A output a fire alarm or linked alarm at the second sound pressure. By outputting an alarm at the higher second sound pressure, it is possible to make it easier for people in the vicinity of the building in which the fire alarm system 1 is installed to become aware of a fire when there is no one in the building.

[0064] Embodiment 4 In this embodiment, an aspect will be described in which the output sound pressure of the linked alarm is adjusted according to the priority of the linked fire alarm device 10A. In this embodiment, the differences from embodiment 3 will be mainly described.

[0065] In the fire alarm system 1 of this embodiment, when multiple linked fire alarms 10A detect a person, the fire alarms 10A with higher priority output a linked alarm at the second sound pressure, and the fire alarms 10A with lower priority output a linked alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure.

[0066] The memory unit 17 of each fire alarm 10A stores the priorities of all fire alarms 10A constituting the fire alarm system 1. That is, each fire alarm 10A stores its own priority and the priorities of each of the other fire alarms 10A. The priority is information for identifying the fire alarm 10A for which the sound pressure of the linked alarm should be increased preferentially. In this embodiment, the priority is set in two stages: high priority and low priority, which is lower than high priority. The priority is set in advance by an administrator of the fire alarm system 1 or the like based on, for example, the characteristics of the location where the fire alarm 10A is installed and the characteristics of the people in that location, and is stored in the memory unit 17. Examples of location characteristics include the distance from an emergency staircase, whether the location is a common evacuation route (for example, whether the location is a corridor or staircase connecting multiple rooms), etc. A high priority can be set for fire alarms 10A installed in locations far from emergency staircases or along common evacuation routes such as corridors or staircases, as these require faster evacuation. Furthermore, human characteristics include, for example, difficulty in hearing, taking time to move evacuate, etc. A high priority can be set for the fire alarm 10A that is installed in a location where there are people who have difficulty in hearing and are less likely to notice the alarm, or people who take time to move evacuate.

[0067] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing the human detection result collection process according to embodiment 4. The human detection result collection process is a process that the fire alarm device 10A at the source of the fire executes after step S13 in Fig. 8, and steps S241 to S244 are as described in Fig. 9.

[0068] In this embodiment, if, in step S242, there is a fire alarm 10A that has detected a person among all the other fire alarms 10A (step S242: NO), it is determined whether the number of fire alarms 10A that have detected a person is equal to or greater than a threshold value (step S245). This threshold value is stored in the memory unit 17 of the fire alarm 10A. The threshold value may be a variable value that can be set for each fire alarm system 1.

[0069] If the number of fire alarms 10A that have detected a person is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S245: YES), a sound pressure instruction signal is transmitted to the fire alarms 10A with the lowest priority among the fire alarms 10A that have detected a person, instructing them to output an alarm at the first sound pressure (step S246).If the number of fire alarms 10A that have detected a person is less than the threshold value (step S245: NO), the process returns without transmitting a sound pressure instruction signal.

[0070] An example of the operation of the plurality of fire alarm devices 10A that make up the fire alarm system 1 of this embodiment will be described below. Fig. 12 is a sequence diagram showing the output operation of a fire alarm and linked alarm in the fire alarm system 1 according to embodiment 4.

[0071] The fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire detects a fire (step SD1) but does not detect a person (step SD2), outputs a fire alarm at a first sound pressure (step SD3), and transmits a first linkage signal to other fire alarms 10A (step SD4).

[0072] The fire alarm 10A that receives the first interlocking signal detects a person (step SD5), outputs an interlocking alarm at the second sound pressure (step SD6), and transmits a person detection result signal to the fire alarm 10A at the source of the fire (step SD7).

[0073] The fire alarm 10A that is the source of the fire receives human detection result signals indicating that a human has been detected from all of the interlocked fire alarms 10A, and determines that a number of fire alarms 10A equal to or greater than the threshold have detected a human (step SD8). The fire alarm 10A that is the source of the fire then transmits a sound pressure instruction signal to the fire alarms 10A with lower priority to set the sound pressure to a level lower than the second sound pressure (step SD9). The sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure may be the same as or different from the first sound pressure or the third sound pressure. The fire alarm 10A that has received the sound pressure instruction signal outputs an interlocked alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure (step SD10).

[0074] As described above, in the fire alarm system 1 of this embodiment, when a number of interlocked fire alarms 10A equal to or greater than the threshold value detect a person, the high-priority fire alarms 10A output the interlocked alarm at the second sound pressure, and the low-priority fire alarms 10A output the interlocked alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure. In other words, when multiple fire alarms 10A installed in a location where people are present output the interlocked alarm, the high-priority fire alarms 10A output the interlocked alarm at a higher sound pressure. This makes it easier for people in locations where high-priority fire alarms 10A are installed to hear the interlocked alarm. In this way, it is possible to output the interlocked alarm at a sound pressure that corresponds to the characteristics of the building in which the fire alarm system 1 is installed or the people in that building, thereby realizing a more effective warning to people.

[0075] In the present embodiment, an example in which there are two levels of priority has been described, but there may be three or more levels of priority. In this case, the sound pressure may be varied in stages so that the higher the priority, the greater the sound pressure.

[0076] (Variation) In the first to fourth embodiments, the fire alarm 10 that detects fires has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to an alarm that detects abnormalities other than fires, such as gas leaks, and outputs an abnormality alarm.

[0077] Furthermore, the multiple fire alarm devices 10A constituting the fire alarm system 1 described in embodiments 2 to 4 may be grouped into groups of multiple devices. Then, linked alarm operation is performed for each group, and the alarm sound pressure control described in embodiments 2 to 4 is performed. Furthermore, linked alarm operation and alarm sound pressure control may be performed in the same manner between multiple groups.

[0078] Furthermore, in the fire alarm system 1 of embodiments 2 to 4, it has been explained that the fire alarm 10A that detects a fire transmits a first interlocking signal, a second interlocking signal, and a sound pressure instruction signal to all of the other fire alarms 10A. Alternatively, a specific one of the multiple fire alarms 10A, that is, a master unit, may relay the transmission of signals to the other fire alarms 10A. The master unit may also execute the human detection result collection process described in embodiments 3 and 4. For example, in embodiment 3, the fire alarm 10A that is the linked slave unit transmits a human detection result signal to the master unit, and the master unit performs the human detection result collection process and transmits a sound pressure instruction signal to the slave unit. Even in this case, as described in embodiment 3, it is possible to achieve the operation whereby all of the multiple fire alarms 10A output an interlocked alarm at the second sound pressure if all of the fire alarms 10A that received the first interlocking signal do not detect a person. Also in embodiment 4, the fire alarm device 10A that is the linked slave device transmits a human detection result signal to the master device, and the master device performs human detection result collection processing and transmits a sound pressure instruction signal based on a priority determination. Even in this way, as explained in embodiment 4, if a number of fire alarms 10A that have received the first linkage signal equal to or greater than the threshold value have detected a person, it is possible to realize the operation in which, among the fire alarms 10A that have detected a person, those with a high priority output a linked alarm at the second sound pressure, and those with a low priority output a linked alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure instead of the second sound pressure.

[0079] Furthermore, in the third and fourth embodiments, it has been explained that all of the fire alarms 10A that receive the first interlocking signal transmit a human detection result signal. However, only the fire alarms 10A that detect a human transmit a human detection result signal, and the fire alarms 10A that execute the human detection result collection process may use the number of received human detection result signals as the number of fire alarms 10A that detected a human. Alternatively, only the fire alarms 10A that do not detect a human transmit a human detection result signal, and the fire alarms 10A that execute the human detection result collection process may use the number obtained by subtracting the number of received human detection result signals from the total number of pre-stored fire alarms 10A. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1 Fire alarm system, 10 Fire alarm, 10A Fire alarm, 11 Control unit, 12 Fire detection unit, 13 Audio output unit, 14 Display unit, 15 Person detection unit, 16 Operation unit, 17 Memory unit, 18 Power supply unit, 19 Communication unit, 100 Building, 101 Room.

Claims

1. an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality; an alarm output unit that outputs an abnormality alarm by voice when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality; a human detection unit that detects a human, The alarm output unit When the human detection unit does not detect a human, the abnormality alarm is output at a first sound pressure, and when the human detection unit detects a human, the abnormality alarm is output at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure. alarm.

2. a communication unit that communicates with the other alarm devices, When the abnormality detection unit detects the abnormality, When the human detection unit does not detect a human, the alarm output unit outputs the abnormality alarm at the first sound pressure, and the communication unit transmits a first linkage signal to the other alarm devices instructing them to output a linked alarm at a sound pressure according to the result of human detection, When the human detection unit detects a human, the alarm output section outputs the abnormality alarm at the second sound pressure, and the communication section transmits a second linkage signal to the other alarm devices, instructing them to output the linked alarm, When the communication unit receives the first interlocking signal, When the human detection unit detects a human, the alarm output unit outputs the linked alarm at the second sound pressure. The alarm of claim 1.

3. When the communication unit receives the second interlocking signal, the alarm output unit outputs the interlocking alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure.

3. The alarm according to claim 2.

4. When the communication unit receives the first interlocking signal, it transmits a human detection result signal indicating the result of human detection by the human detection unit to the alarm device that transmitted the first interlocking signal, When the communication unit receives the human detection result signal, and it is determined based on the received human detection result signal that none of the other alarm devices have detected a human, the alarm output unit outputs the abnormality alarm at the second sound pressure; The communication section transmits a sound pressure instruction signal to the other alarm devices, instructing them to output the linked alarm at the second sound pressure.

4. An alarm device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. a storage unit that stores the priority of each of the other alarm devices, When the communication unit receives the first interlocking signal, it transmits a human detection result signal indicating the result of human detection by the human detection unit to the alarm device that transmitted the first interlocking signal, The communication unit receives the human detection result signal, and when it is determined based on the received human detection result signal that a number of the alarm devices equal to or greater than a threshold have detected a person, the communication unit transmits a sound pressure instruction signal to the other alarm devices that have a relatively low priority, instructing them to output the linked alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure, instead of the second sound pressure.

4. An alarm device according to claim 2 or 3.

6. An alarm system comprising a plurality of alarms in communication with each other, Each of the alarms an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality; a communication unit that receives an interlocking signal; an alarm output unit that outputs an abnormality alarm by voice when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality, and outputs a linked alarm by voice when the communication unit receives the linked signal; a human detection unit that detects a human, When outputting the abnormality alarm, the alarm output section of each of the alarm devices When no person is detected by the human detection unit, the abnormality alarm is output at a first sound pressure, and when a person is detected by the human detection unit, the abnormality alarm is output at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure, If none of the alarm devices that received the linking signal detected a person, all of the plurality of alarm devices output the linking alarm at the second sound pressure. Alarm system.

7. An alarm system comprising a plurality of alarms in communication with each other, Each of the alarms an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality; a communication unit that receives an interlocking signal; an alarm output unit that outputs an abnormality alarm by voice when the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality, and outputs a linked alarm by voice when the communication unit receives the linked signal; a human detection unit that detects a human, When outputting the abnormality alarm, the alarm output section of each of the alarm devices When no person is detected by the human detection unit, the abnormality alarm is output at a first sound pressure, and when a person is detected by the human detection unit, the abnormality alarm is output at a second sound pressure that is greater than the first sound pressure, When a number of the alarm devices that receive the linkage signal equal to or greater than the threshold value detect a person, of the alarm devices that detected a person, those with a predetermined high priority output the linkage alarm at the second sound pressure, and the alarm devices with a predetermined low priority output the linkage alarm at a sound pressure lower than the second sound pressure instead of the second sound pressure. Alarm system.

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