Fire alarm system

Abstract

Obtain a fire alarm system that allows for the replacement of pre-configured addresses. [Solution] The fire alarm system 100 comprises a plurality of detectors 20, each having a rewritable address area 231 that stores a unique address, and a receiver 10 that is communicably connected to the plurality of detectors 20 based on their addresses. The receiver 10 performs an address change process, instructing each of the detectors 20 that are to be changed to change its own address to the address of the other target detector 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fire alarm system including disaster prevention terminals and a receiver that communicate with each other.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a fire alarm system that communicates between a plurality of disaster prevention terminals such as fire detectors and a fire receiver. Each of the plurality of disaster prevention terminals is set with a unique address, and the fire receiver communicates with the disaster prevention terminal using that address. When laying a fire alarm system in a building, the address to be set for each disaster prevention terminal is defined in advance in an equipment diagram showing the installation locations of the disaster prevention terminals, and a dedicated address setter or the like is used to set a unique address for each disaster prevention terminal. Then, the constructor installs the disaster prevention terminal with the set address at the position defined in the equipment diagram.

[0003] However, when installing a disaster prevention terminal, there is a case where a disaster prevention terminal set with an address different from the address defined in the equipment diagram is mistakenly installed. Then, it becomes necessary to remove the mistakenly installed disaster prevention terminal and reinstall it at the correct position. For example, in Patent Document 1, a system is proposed in which a simulator that simulates a fire receiver is connected to a sensor transmission line to which a sensor is connected, and the addresses set for each sensor can be confirmed by the simulator. The simulator of Patent Document 1 causes the sensor to rewrite the address by transmitting an address rewrite command signal to the sensor that requires address correction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the simulator described in Patent Document 1, if an attempt is made to set an address already set for one sensor to another sensor, an error message is displayed stating, "The specified address is already in use. Please specify a different address," preventing the address from being reset. However, there is a need to swap addresses if the addresses of one sensor and another are mistakenly assigned. However, the simulator proposed in Patent Document 1 does not allow for such address swapping, so it is necessary to reset the address for each sensor using a dedicated address setting device, which is time-consuming.

[0006] This invention addresses the above-mentioned problems and provides a fire alarm system that allows for the replacement of pre-configured addresses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The fire alarm system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of disaster prevention terminals having a rewritable address storage unit that stores a unique address, and a receiver that is communicably connected to the plurality of disaster prevention terminals based on the addresses, wherein the receiver performs an address change process that instructs each of the plurality of target disaster prevention terminals that are subject to address change to change its own address to the address of another target disaster prevention terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, in a fire alarm system in which multiple disaster prevention terminals and a receiver are communicated together, the addresses set on the multiple disaster prevention terminals can be swapped based on instructions from the receiver. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example configuration of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2]This figure shows an example of an incorrect address setting for the detector 20 of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a sequence chart showing the address change process of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This is a sequence chart showing the address change process of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example configuration of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 6] This is a sequence chart showing the address change process of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a state collection frame according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a selecting frame according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 9] This is a sequence chart of the communication processing of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In these 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 can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention includes all possible combinations of the configurations shown in each of the following embodiments. In addition, the devices shown in the drawings are examples of devices of the present invention and the devices shown in the drawings do not limit the devices of the present invention. Furthermore, in each drawing, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent components, and this is common throughout the entire specification.

[0011] Embodiment 1. (Configuration of the fire alarm system) Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. The fire alarm system 100 comprises a receiver 10 and detectors 20 that are communicatively connected to the receiver 10 via a detector line 30. The number of detector lines 30 shown is just an example, and the number is not limited to those shown. In addition, the receiver 10 may be connected to fire doors or smoke control equipment such as smoke exhaust devices, or to sound devices such as bells or speakers via a transmission line, or to emergency broadcasting equipment. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the receiver 10 is a P-type fire alarm receiver that uses a voltage change, which is a signal common to each detector 20, as the alarm signal, but the receiver 10 may be an R-type fire alarm receiver.

[0012] The detector 20 is an example of a fire prevention terminal, and is, for example, a heat detector, smoke detector, or flame detector. The detector 20 detects physical quantities such as the concentration or temperature of smoke generated by a fire, and when the physical quantity exceeds the fire threshold, it changes the open / closed state of a contact connected to the detector circuit 30, thereby changing the voltage of the detector circuit 30. The receiver 10 monitors the voltage of the detector circuit 30 and acquires (receives) the voltage change caused by the change in the open / closed state of the contact of the detector 20 as a fire alarm signal.

[0013] Each of the multiple detectors 20 is assigned a unique address, and the receiver 10 can specify the address and send a communication signal to each detector 20. The receiver 10 can also send a communication signal to all of the multiple detectors 20 simultaneously. In a fire alarm system 100 in which multiple detectors 20 are grouped (segmented), the receiver 10 can also send a communication signal to the detectors 20 on a group basis.

[0014] (Receiver configuration) The receiver 10 includes an operation unit 11, a display unit 12, an audio output unit 13, a storage unit 14, a control unit 24, and a transmission circuit 16.

[0015] The operation unit 11 includes hardware buttons or hardware switches provided on the housing of the receiver 10. The operation unit 11 may include a touch panel provided overlapping the display of the display unit 12. The operation unit 11 receives operations from the user and sends a signal corresponding to the operation to the control unit 24.

[0016] The display unit 12 displays the detector line 30 or the detector 20 where the alarm signal has occurred, displays that the transmission signal has been received, and also displays that a communication abnormality has been detected when such is detected. The display unit 12 includes a light-emitting element such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) provided on the housing of the receiver 10 and a nameplate associated with the light-emitting element. Note that the display unit 12 may include a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0017] When the voice output unit 13 receives an alarm signal from the detector 20 and when a fire has been confirmed, it notifies of the occurrence of the fire by voice. Further, when an abnormality of the detector 20 has been confirmed, the voice output unit 13 outputs that fact by voice. The voice output unit 13 includes either or both of a buzzer and a speaker.

[0018] The storage unit 14 stores data used for the control of each unit by the control unit 24. Further, the addresses of each detector 20 are stored in the storage unit 14. The storage unit 14 is an internal storage memory, an external storage medium such as a memory card, or a combination thereof. For example, it is a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.

[0019] When the control unit 24 receives an alarm signal from a fire detector 20 via the transmission circuit 16, it issues a fire detection notification using either the display unit 12 or the audio output unit 13, or both. When the fire detection notification is issued, the administrator of the receiver 10 goes to the fire location based on the fire alarm and visually confirms whether a fire has occurred. After confirming that a fire has occurred, the administrator presses a push button on a transmitter (not shown) connected to the detector line 30, and the receiver 10 determines that a fire has occurred upon receiving the fire signal from the transmitter. Alternatively, the occurrence of a fire may be determined when alarm signals are transmitted from multiple detectors 20 to a single detector line 30. Furthermore, the control unit 24 in this embodiment has an address change function that changes the unique addresses set for multiple detectors 20. The address change function will be described later.

[0020] The control unit 24 consists of a dedicated control circuit, a processor such as a CPU that executes programs stored in the memory unit 14, or a combination thereof. When the control unit 24 is a processor, each function performed by the control unit 24 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.

[0021] The transmission circuit 16 is a circuit to which the detector line 30, to which the detectors 20 are connected, is connected. The transmission circuit 16 receives the alarm signal from the detector line 30 and the fire signal from the transmitter (not shown), and sends the received signals to the control unit 24. In this embodiment, a transmission circuit 16 is provided for each detector line 30.

[0022] (Configuration of the detector) The sensor 20 includes an abnormality detection unit 21, a communication circuit 22, a storage unit 23, and a control unit 24.

[0023] The abnormality detection unit 21 detects a fire by detecting smoke, heat, gas, flames, etc., generated in conjunction with the fire. The abnormality detection unit 21 may also detect abnormalities other than fire, such as gas leaks. When the abnormality detection unit 21 detects smoke, it has a photoelectric smoke sensor that emits light towards a smoke detection space formed inside the housing and detects smoke by receiving scattered light generated by smoke present in the smoke detection space. When the abnormality detection unit 21 detects heat, it has a thermal sensor such as a differential or fixed-temperature type that detects heat generated by a fire. When the abnormality detection unit 21 detects gas, it has a gas sensor that detects gas generated in conjunction with a fire. When the abnormality detection unit 21 detects flames, it has either an ultraviolet sensor or an infrared sensor, or both.

[0024] The communication circuit 22 is a circuit that sends and receives signals with the transmission circuit 16 of the receiver 10. The communication circuit 22 receives communication signals sent from the receiver 10 to the sensor line 30, and if the communication signal is addressed to itself, it acquires it and outputs it to the control unit 24. The communication circuit 22 also sends communication signals addressed to the receiver 10 to the sensor line 30 based on instructions from the control unit 24.

[0025] The memory unit 23 stores data used for controlling each part by the control unit 24. The memory unit 23 also stores information detected by the abnormality detection unit 21. Furthermore, the memory unit 23 in this embodiment has an address area 231 and a temporary storage area 232. The address area 231 is an address storage unit that stores addresses unique to the machine. The temporary storage area 232 temporarily stores the destination address during address change processing. The address area 231 and the temporary storage area 232 are rewritable storage areas. The memory unit 23 is an internal memory, an external storage medium such as a memory card, or a combination thereof. For example, it is a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, or EEPROM.

[0026] The control unit 24 consists of a dedicated hardware circuit, a processor such as a CPU that executes a program stored in memory, or a combination thereof. Based on signals input from the anomaly detection unit 21 and the communication circuit 22, the control unit 24 controls communication by the communication circuit 22 and also performs address change processing. The control unit 24 also reads information from the storage unit 23 and writes information to the storage unit 23.

[0027] (Setting the address of the detector) In a fire alarm system 100 that communicates between a receiver 10 and multiple detectors 20, the receiver 10 uses an address uniquely assigned to each detector 20 as the destination in order to send a communication signal to a specific detector 20. The addresses to be assigned to each of the multiple detectors 20 are generally specified in the equipment diagrams created for each building in which the fire alarm system 100 is installed, with the installation location of the detectors 20 and their corresponding addresses being specified. During the installation of the fire alarm system 100, workers install the detectors 20 in the locations specified in the equipment diagrams. Then, using a dedicated address setter or a computer with address setting software installed, they set the address for each detector 20 according to the equipment diagrams.

[0028] However, sometimes a different address than that specified in the equipment diagram is mistakenly set to the detector 20. Figure 2 shows an example of an incorrect address setting for the detector 20 of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. In Figure 2, the individual detectors 20 are indicated by the symbols 20A, 20B, 20C, and 20D to distinguish them. When it is not necessary to distinguish each detector, they are collectively referred to as detector 20. As illustrated in Figure 2, according to the equipment diagram, addresses 01 to 04 should be set for detectors 20A to 20D, respectively, but in reality, addresses 03, 01, 04, and 02 are mistakenly set. In such cases, the detector 20 with the incorrect address is removed and reinstalled in the location where the detector 20 with that address should be installed. However, detectors 20 are often installed at high places, and removing and reinstalling the detector 20 incurs significant costs, including the erection of scaffolding. Alternatively, the addresses of the incorrectly configured sensors 20 could be changed individually without altering their installation location. However, this would require resetting the address of each sensor 20 one by one, which would be time-consuming. It is also conceivable to change the addresses of the sensors 20 using communication signals from the receiver 10, and this might be possible if all addresses do not overlap before and after the address change. However, if an incorrectly configured address for one sensor 20 is attempted to be set for another sensor 20, the same address will be temporarily set for both sensors 20, resulting in an address conflict, making it impossible to swap addresses.

[0029] Therefore, in this embodiment, we will describe a technique that enables address change processing, including address swapping of the sensor 20, through communication from the receiver 10.

[0030] Figure 3 is a sequence chart showing the address change process of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 1. Here, the operation of the receiver 10 and detectors 20A to 20D will be explained using the example of changing the addresses actually set for detectors 20A to 20D to conform to the specifications in the equipment diagram, as shown in Figure 2.

[0031] In Figure 3, the addresses 03, 01, 04, and 02 listed below the sensors 20A to 20D at the top of the page represent addresses that have been incorrectly set. Upon recognizing the incorrect settings, an administrator or other person performs an address change operation on the control unit 11 of the receiver 10 to change the addresses (step S1). In response, the receiver 10 sends an address retention command 03→01 to the sensor line 30 (step S2).

[0032] Here, when an address retention command is written as XX→YY, XX before the arrow indicates the address of the destination sensor 20, and YY after the arrow indicates the address that the destination sensor 20 should retain. In other words, the address retention command 03→01 is a command to sensor 20A, which has address 03 set, to retain address 01. All sensors 20A to 20D receive the address retention command from the receiver 10, and the sensor 20 designated as the destination among sensors 20A to 20D retains its address according to the address retention command.

[0033] The address retention command sent in step S2 is a command to sensor 20A at address 03 to retain address 01. Therefore, sensor 20A stores address 01 in the temporary storage area 232 (see Figure 1) in accordance with the address retention command (step S3).

[0034] Next, the receiver 10 sends address retention commands 01→03 to the sensor line 30 (step S4), and sensor 20B, which has address 01 set, stores address 03 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S5). At this point, sensor 20A, which has address 03 set, retains address 01, and sensor 20B, which has address 01 set, retains address 03.

[0035] Next, the receiver 10 sends an address rewrite command to the sensor line 30 (step S6). As a result, all sensors 20A to 20D receive the address rewrite command, and sensor 20, which has an address in the temporary storage area 232, executes the address rewrite process. Here, since sensors 20A and 20B have addresses in the temporary storage area 232, the address rewrite process executed by sensors 20A and 20B is the process of rewriting the current address of the sensor stored in the address area 231 to the address stored in the temporary storage area 232. Sensor 20A rewrites address 03 to address 01 in the address rewrite process (step S7), and sensor 20B rewrites address 01 to address 03 (step S8). Sensors 20A and 20B will swap addresses with each other, but since the address rewriting process for both is triggered by a single address rewriting command from receiver 10, problems such as command delivery failures due to address conflicts will not occur. After rewriting their addresses, sensors 20A and 20B erase the addresses stored in the temporary storage area 232.

[0036] Next, receiver 10 sends address retention command 03→04 (step S9), and sensor 20B, which has address 03 set, holds address 04 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S10). Then, receiver 10 sends address retention command 04→03 (step S11), and sensor 20C, which has address 04 set, holds address 03 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S12). Next, receiver 10 sends address rewrite command (step S13), and sensors 20B and 20C, which have addresses in the temporary retention area 232, each rewrite their current self-address stored in address area 231 to the address stored in the temporary retention area 232 (steps S14, S15). After rewriting their addresses, sensors 20B and 20C erase the addresses stored in the temporary retention area 232.

[0037] Next, receiver 10 sends address retention command 02→04 (step S16), and sensor 20D, which has address 02 set, holds address 04 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S17). Then, receiver 10 sends address retention command 04→02 (step S18), and sensor 20B, which has address 04 set, holds address 02 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S19). Next, receiver 10 sends address rewrite command (step S20), and sensors 20B and 20D, which have addresses in the temporary retention area 232, each rewrite their current self-address stored in address area 231 to the address stored in temporary retention area 232 (steps S21, S22). After rewriting their addresses, sensors 20B and 20D erase the addresses stored in temporary retention area 232.

[0038] By having these two sensors 20 synchronize and perform the process of rewriting their addresses, the addresses that were incorrectly set on sensors 20A to 20D are set to addresses 01 to 04, respectively, as shown in the equipment diagram (see Figure 2).

[0039] As described above, according to this embodiment, the receiver 10 performs an address change process by communicating with each of the multiple sensors 20 that are subject to address change, instructing them to change their own address to the address set in the other sensors 20.

[0040] Specifically, in the address change process, the receiver 10 sequentially sends an address retention command, including the changed address, to the current address of each of the multiple sensors 20 that are the target disaster prevention terminals for the address change. Upon receiving the address retention command, each of the multiple sensors 20 stores its changed address in the temporary storage area 232. Then, the multiple sensors 20 synchronously write the changed addresses stored in their temporary storage area 232 to the address area 231.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple sensors 20 can synchronously rewrite their addresses with the following configuration. Specifically, the receiver 10 sequentially transmits address retention commands that include the changed addresses, and then transmits address rewrite commands to the multiple target sensors 20. The multiple sensors 20, triggered by receiving the address rewrite command, write the changed addresses held in the temporary retention area 232 to the address area 231.

[0042] Thus, according to this embodiment, the addresses set on multiple sensors 20 can be swapped based on instructions from the receiver 10. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove sensors 20 that are installed at high places and change their installation location, or to reconfigure the addresses of each sensor 20 using an address setting device, thus reducing the burden associated with address changes compared to conventional methods.

[0043] The addresses of the series of address retention commands output by the receiver 10 may be set by input to the operation unit 11 by an administrator or the like during the address change operation in step S1. Alternatively, a series of address retention commands set by another computer may be stored in the storage unit 14, and the stored address retention commands may be read out sequentially and output. Furthermore, the control unit 15 or another computer may automatically generate the addresses of the series of address retention commands by taking the actual settings shown in Figure 2 and the specifications in the equipment diagram as input.

[0044] Furthermore, if the receiver 10 receives a fire signal after sending an address retention command but before sending an address rewrite command, it will issue a fire alarm without sending an address rewrite command. The detector 20 has a timer that measures the elapsed time since receiving the address retention command, and if the elapsed time exceeds a threshold and an address rewrite command is not received, it will not perform the address rewrite process and will erase the address stored in the temporary storage area 232. In this way, by prioritizing the fire alarm over address rewriting when a fire signal is received, a fire alarm can be issued quickly.

[0045] Embodiment 2. In Embodiment 1, an example of operation was described in which two sensors 20 whose addresses are swapped are treated as a pair, and the addresses are changed for each pair. In this Embodiment, an example of operation in which the addresses of three or more sensors 20 are rewritten synchronously is described. The system configuration of this Embodiment is the same as in Figure 1, and this Embodiment will mainly describe the differences from Embodiment 1.

[0046] Figure 4 is a sequence chart showing the address change process of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 2. Here, the operation of the receiver 10 and detectors 20A to 20D will be explained using the example of changing the addresses actually set on detectors 20A to 20D to conform to the specifications in the equipment diagram, as shown in Figure 2. In Figure 4, the addresses 03, 01, 04, and 02 written below detectors 20A to 20D at the top of the page indicate addresses that have been incorrectly set.

[0047] An administrator or other person performs an address change operation on the control unit 11 of the receiver 10 to change the address (step S30). Then, the receiver 10 sends an address hold command 03→01 to the sensor line 30 (step S31), and the sensor 20A, which has address 03 set, holds address 01 in the temporary hold area 232 (step S32).

[0048] Next, the receiver 10 sends address retention commands 01→02 to the sensor line 30 (step S33), and the sensor 20B, which has address 01 set, retains address 02 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S34).

[0049] Next, the receiver 10 sends an address retention command 04→03 to the sensor line 30 (step S35), and the sensor 20C, which has address 04 set, retains address 03 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S36).

[0050] Next, the receiver 10 sends an address retention command 02→04 to the sensor line 30 (step S37), and the sensor 20D, which has address 02 set, retains address 04 in the temporary retention area 232 (step S38).

[0051] Having sent address retention commands to all sensors 20A to 20D whose addresses are to be rewritten, receiver 10 sends an address rewrite command to sensor line 30 (step S39). Then, sensors 20A to 20D, which in this case have addresses held in the temporary retention area 232, execute the address rewrite process. Specifically, sensor 20A rewrites its current address 03 to address 01 (step S40), sensor 20B rewrites address 01 to address 02 (step S41), sensor 20C rewrites address 04 to address 03 (step S42), and sensor 20D rewrites address 02 to address 04 (step S43). As a result, the addresses that were incorrectly set for sensors 20A to 20D are set to addresses 01 to 04, respectively, as shown in the equipment diagram (see Figure 2). Furthermore, after rewriting the address, sensors 20A to 20D erase the address stored in the temporary storage area 232.

[0052] In this embodiment as well, the address rewriting process in each of the detectors 20A to 20D is triggered by a single address rewriting command from the receiver 10, so that problems such as command delivery failure due to address conflicts do not occur. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the addresses set in multiple detectors 20 can be swapped by instructions from the receiver 10. In this embodiment as well, as in the first embodiment, if the receiver 10 receives a fire signal before sending an address rewriting command, it will prioritize the fire alarm over address rewriting. If the detector 20 does not receive an address rewriting command even after a predetermined time has elapsed, it will not perform the address rewriting process and will erase the address stored in the temporary storage area 232.

[0053] Embodiment 3. In Embodiments 1 and 2, it was explained that multiple sensors 20 synchronously execute address rewriting processing triggered by an address rewriting command from the receiver 10. However, in this embodiment, an example of address rewriting processing different from Embodiments 1 and 2 will be described. This embodiment will focus on explaining the differences from Embodiments 1 and 2.

[0054] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of a fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 3. The control unit 24 of the detector 20 in this embodiment includes a counter 241. The counter 241 counts the number of address retention commands received.

[0055] In this embodiment, the address retention command output by the receiver 10 includes the total number of address retention commands output in a series. When the control unit 24 receives an address retention command sent from the receiver 10 to the sensor line 30, it increments the counter 241 by one. When the number of address retention commands in the counter 241 matches the number of commands included in the address retention command, it executes the address rewriting process.

[0056] Figure 6 is a sequence chart showing the address change process of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 3. Here, the operation of the receiver 10 and detectors 20A to 20D will be explained using the example of changing the addresses actually set on detectors 20A to 20D to conform to the specifications in the equipment diagram, as shown in Figure 2. In Figure 6, the addresses 03, 01, 04, and 02 written below detectors 20A to 20D at the top of the page represent addresses that have been incorrectly set. Also, it is assumed that the value of the counter 241 of detectors 20A to 20D is initialized to 0 in the initial state.

[0057] An administrator or other person performs an address change operation on the control unit 11 of the receiver 10 to change the address (step S50). The receiver 10 then sends an address hold command 03→01 to the sensor line 30 (step S51). This address hold command contains the information that the number of commands is 4. Then, sensor 20A, which has address 03 set, holds address 01 in the temporary hold area 232 (step S52). Also, all sensors 20A to 20D that received the address hold command sent in step S51 add the count of the address hold command using the counter 241 to make it 1 (step S53). The number of commands included in the address hold command is 4, but the number of address hold commands counted is 1, which does not match the number of commands, so sensors 20A to 20D do not perform the address rewrite process.

[0058] Next, receiver 10 sends address hold command 01→02 containing information for command count 4 to sensor line 30 (step S54), and sensor 20B, which has address 01 set, holds address 02 in temporary hold area 232 (step S55). Also, all sensors 20A~20D add up the address hold command count to 2 (step S56).

[0059] Next, receiver 10 sends an address hold command 04→03 containing information for command count 4 to sensor line 30 (step S57), and sensor 20C, which has address 04 set, holds address 03 in temporary hold area 232 (step S58). Also, all sensors 20A to 20D add up the address hold command count to 3 (step S59).

[0060] Next, receiver 10 sends address hold command 02→04 containing information for command count 4 to sensor line 30 (step S60), and sensor 20D, which has address 02 set, holds address 04 in temporary hold area 232 (step S61). Also, all sensors 20A~20D add up the address hold command count to 4 (step S62).

[0061] As a result, the number of instructions (4) included in the address retention instruction matches the number of address retention instructions (4) that were counted. This match triggers each of the sensors 20A to 20D to perform an address rewrite process (steps S63 to S66). The address rewrite process sets each of the sensors 20A to 20D with the address that was held in the temporary retention area 232 of the unit. After performing the address rewrite process, sensors 20A to 20D initialize the value of the counter 241.

[0062] Thus, the address retention command in this embodiment includes, in addition to the changed address, a command number indicating the number of address retention commands in the address change process. Each of the multiple sensors 20 writes the changed address to its own address storage unit as a trigger when it receives the number of address retention commands indicated by the command number. As a result, the address rewriting process in the multiple sensors 20 is executed synchronously, so problems such as command delivery failures due to address conflicts do not occur. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the addresses set in multiple sensors 20 can be swapped by instructions using communication from the receiver 10, and the load related to address changes can be reduced compared to conventional methods.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the receiver 10 does not need to output an address rewrite command, so the number of commands output by the receiver 10 can be reduced compared to embodiments 1 and 2. Therefore, the processing load of the receiver 10 and the amount of communication in the sensor line 30 can be reduced.

[0064] Embodiment 4. This embodiment describes an example in which a state collection process and an address change process performed by the fire alarm system 100 are combined and executed. This embodiment can be combined with embodiments 1 to 3.

[0065] In the fire alarm system 100, the receiver 10 performs a status collection process to collect status information of all detectors 20. The status information of the detectors 20 includes, for example, the results of the unit's automatic test and information detected by the abnormality detection unit 21 during normal operation. The automatic test checks the status of the abnormality detection unit 21 and communication circuit 22 of the detector 20. For example, if the detector 20 is a smoke detector, by comparing the output of the smoke concentration during normal operation when no fire is occurring with a standard value, the operating status of the light-emitting element, light-receiving element, and labyrinth related to smoke detection, as well as the presence or absence of dirt, can be detected.

[0066] The receiver 10 periodically and repeatedly collects status information from all of the multiple sensors 20, and if the status information includes information indicating an abnormality, it outputs an abnormality alarm via the display unit 12 and the audio output unit 13, etc.

[0067] In this embodiment, communication for a state collection process that is performed repeatedly at regular intervals and communication related to an address change process are made compatible. In the fire alarm system 100, the timing of communication between the receiver 10 and the multiple detectors 20 is synchronized by using a predetermined communication frame.

[0068] Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of a state collection frame according to Embodiment 4. The state collection frame is used in the state information collection process. In this embodiment, the state collection frame is configured to collect state information from multiple sensors 20 in groups. The state collection frame has a request field, a data field, and a processing field.

[0069] The request field is the field in which the receiver 10 transmits a request signal to the sensor 20. When collecting status information for the sensor 20 of group 1, the receiver 10 sends a request signal in the request field, specifying the sensor 20 of group 1 as the destination and requesting a reply with status information.

[0070] The data field is the field in which each sensor 20 transmits a response signal, which is a reply to a request signal. The data field consists of multiple slots, with one sensor 20 assigned to each slot, and each sensor 20 transmits a response signal containing status information in the slot assigned to it.

[0071] The processing field is the field in which the sensor 20 performs processing. The sensor 20 executes the processing that should be performed in response to the request signal in the processing field. The sensor 20 may also execute the processing that should be performed at a timing other than the slot assigned to it in the data field, or it may execute the processing in the processing field if it could not be completed in the data field.

[0072] Figure 8 shows an example of the configuration of a selecting frame according to Embodiment 4. The selecting frame is used when the receiver 10 requests a response from one sensor 20. The selecting field comprises a request field, a data field, and a processing field, and the function of each field is the same as the function of each field in the state acquisition frame described in Figure 7. Note that the data field of the selecting frame is not divided into slots, and is configured so that one sensor 20 transmits a response signal. Communication related to address change processing is performed using the selecting frame.

[0073] Figure 9 is a sequence chart of the communication processing of the fire alarm system 100 according to Embodiment 4. Here, an example of operation when the status collection process is combined with the address change process shown in Embodiment 3 will be explained.

[0074] The receiver 10 first performs state acquisition processing for the group 1 sensors 20 using a state acquisition frame. Specifically, the receiver 10 sends a request signal in the request field to the group 1 sensors 20 requesting state information, and the group 1 sensors 20 that receive the request signal send a response signal in the slot assigned to them in the data field. State acquisition processing for the group 2 sensors 20 is performed in the same manner.

[0075] When an address change operation is performed on receiver 10 (see step S50 in Figure 6), receiver 10 starts the address change process. If communication using a status collection frame was performed when the address change operation was performed, receiver 10 starts the address change process after the status collection for the currently running group is completed. In the request field of the selecting frame, receiver 10 sends an address retention command 03→01, including command count 4, to address 03. Detectors 20 with address 03 set retain address 01 in their data field or processing field (see step S52 in Figure 6). Detectors 20 with address 03 set may also send a response signal in their data field indicating that they received the address retention command. In addition, all detectors 20 connected to detector line 30 increment the address retention command count in their data field or processing field (see step S53 in Figure 6).

[0076] Similarly, the communications related to address retention commands 01→02, 04→03, and 02→04 are executed using a selecting frame. Then, in the processing field of the final address retention command 02→04, the sensor 20, which has its address stored in the temporary storage area 232, rewrites its own address and erases the address stored in the temporary storage area 232, triggered by the reception of the four address retention commands.

[0077] Subsequently, the receiver 10 performs state acquisition processing for the sensors 20 of group 3 using a state acquisition frame.

[0078] Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to perform both a state collection process and an address change process, which are repeatedly executed in the fire alarm system 100. When the state collection process is combined with the address change process shown in Embodiment 1, the receiver 10 executes the communication related to the address retention command using a selecting frame, and executes the communication related to the address rewrite command with the destination in group units. Furthermore, when the state collection process is combined with the address change process of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2, the state collection process may be executed between the time the address retention command is sent and the time the address rewrite command is sent.

[0079] In embodiments 1 to 4, a detector 20 was shown as an example of a disaster prevention terminal, but the disaster prevention terminal is not limited to a detector 20 as long as it communicates with the receiver 10 using a unique address. For example, the disaster prevention terminal may be fireproof doors or smoke exhaust devices, sound devices such as bells or speakers, visual alarm devices such as flashlights, transmitters, or displays. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 10 Receiver, 11 Operation Unit, 12 Display Unit, 13 Audio Output Unit, 14 Memory Unit, 15 Control Unit, 16 Transmission Circuit, 20 Detector, 20A Detector, 20B Detector, 20C Detector, 20D Detector, 21 Anomaly Detection Unit, 22 Communication Circuit, 23 Memory Unit, 24 Control Unit, 30 Detector Line, 100 Fire Alarm System, 231 Address Area, 232 Temporary Holding Area, 241 Counter.

Claims

1. Multiple disaster prevention terminals having rewritable address memory units that store unique addresses, A fire alarm system comprising the aforementioned plurality of disaster prevention terminals and a receiver that is communicably connected based on the address, The receiver executes an address change process in which it instructs each of the target disaster prevention terminals among the plurality of disaster prevention terminals that are subject to address change to change its own address to the address of the other target disaster prevention terminal. Fire alarm system.

2. In the address change process described above, The aforementioned receiver is The address retention command, including the changed address, is sequentially sent to the aforementioned multiple target disaster prevention terminals. Upon receiving the address retention command, the multiple target disaster prevention terminals retain the modified address of their respective machines, and the multiple target disaster prevention terminals synchronously write the retained modified address to the address storage unit of their respective machines. The fire alarm system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned receiver is After sequentially sending the address retention command, an address rewrite command is sent to the multiple target disaster prevention terminals. The aforementioned multiple target disaster prevention terminals, upon receiving the address rewrite command, trigger themselves to write the modified address they have stored to their own address storage unit. The fire alarm system according to claim 2.

4. The address retention instruction includes, in addition to the modified address, a number of instructions indicating the number of address retention instructions in the address modification process. Each of the aforementioned multiple target disaster prevention terminals, upon receiving the aforementioned number of address retention commands, triggers itself to write the modified address to its own address storage unit. The fire alarm system according to claim 2.

5. If the receiver obtains a fire signal after transmitting the address retention command but before transmitting the address rewrite command, it will not transmit the address rewrite command. If the multiple target disaster prevention terminals that have received the address retention command do not receive the address rewrite command even after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the address retention command, they shall delete the modified address they have been holding. The fire alarm system according to claim 3.

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