Fire alarm system

Abstract

To simplify the assignment of addresses to terminal devices in fire alarm systems. [Solution] A fire alarm system according to one embodiment includes a plurality of terminal devices installed in a monitored space and a receiver 10 that communicates wirelessly with the plurality of terminal devices. The receiver 10 has an addressing means 204 that assigns an address to each of the plurality of terminal devices based on the wireless communication strength at each of the plurality of terminal devices. Each of the plurality of terminal devices may have a barometric pressure sensor. The addressing means 204 assigns an address to each of the plurality of terminal devices based on the detected value of the barometric pressure sensor and the wireless communication strength at each of the plurality of terminal devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a technology for identifying the location where a terminal device is installed.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a technology for identifying the location where a terminal device is installed has been known. Patent Document 1 describes a technology for confirming the correspondence relationship between the terminal device shown in a plan view and the actually installed terminal device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] With the technology described in Patent Document 1, it was not possible to easily assign addresses to terminal devices in fire alarm equipment.

[0005] The present invention provides a technology for more easily assigning addresses to terminal devices in fire alarm equipment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure provides a fire alarm device having a plurality of terminal devices installed in a monitored space and a receiver that wirelessly communicates with the plurality of terminal devices, the receiver having an assigning means for assigning an address to each of the plurality of terminal devices based on the wireless communication strength at each of the plurality of terminal devices.

[0007] Each of the plurality of terminal devices may have a barometric pressure sensor, and the assigning means may assign the terminal device address based on the detection value of the barometric pressure sensor and the wireless communication strength at each of the plurality of terminal devices.

[0008] The receiver includes an acquisition means for acquiring drawing information of the space to be monitored, an output means for outputting a transmission signal at different wireless communication strengths, a receiving means for receiving detection values ​​from the barometric pressure sensor and responses from the terminal devices to the transmission signal from each of the plurality of terminal devices, a hierarchical information indicating the hierarchical level on which each of the plurality of terminal devices is installed based on the detection values, and a identifying means for identifying the distance of each of the plurality of terminal devices from the receiver based on the response, and the assigning means may assign the address based on the drawing information, the hierarchical information, and the distance.

[0009] The receiver may have a pressure sensor, and the assigning means may assign an address to the terminal device based on the detected value of the receiver's pressure sensor, the detected value of the pressure sensors in each of the plurality of terminal devices, and the wireless communication strength.

[0010] The identification means may identify the hierarchical level of each of the multiple terminal devices based on the detected value, and for terminal devices identified as being located on the same hierarchical level, its position within that hierarchical level may be identified based on the distance and the drawing information.

[0011] If the receiver and the plurality of terminal devices communicate via wired connection and it is determined that only one terminal device of the same type is located on a certain hierarchical level, the assignment means may assign an address to the terminal device using the information obtained via the wired connection.

[0012] The aforementioned plurality of terminal devices may include terminal devices of multiple types, and the assignment means may assign addresses in order from those with fewer terminal devices of the same type.

[0013] The address assignment means may assign addresses to terminal devices in order from those installed on the same level as the receiver.

[0014] The system may have control means to control other terminal devices that are assigned an address and are closer in distance to the terminal device that cannot receive the aforementioned response, so that the other terminal devices cannot receive the response and output a signal from that terminal device.

[0015] If the number of terminal devices installed at each level based on the aforementioned drawing information does not match the number of terminal devices at each level to which addresses have been assigned by the assignment means, the system may have a notification means for notifying of an anomaly.

[0016] The plurality of terminal devices each have a storage means for storing identification information that uniquely identifies them, and if the location of two or more terminal devices cannot be determined by the response, the output means may transmit a second response signal to each of the two or more terminal devices to send a response based on its own identification information, and the identification means may determine the location of each of the two or more terminal devices based on the second response signal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to more easily assign addresses to terminal devices in a fire alarm system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the configuration of a fire alarm system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a receiver. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a receiver according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a terminal device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating the operation of the address assignment process. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating the operation of the address assignment process. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating the operation of the address assignment process. [Figure 8]A diagram illustrating a building floor plan before address assignment. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating a terminal device database. [Figure 10] A diagram illustrating the process of address assignment. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating a building floor plan. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating a building floor plan. [Figure 13] A diagram illustrating an anomaly notification screen. [Figure 14] A diagram illustrating a building floor plan. [Figure 15] A diagram illustrating a building floor plan after address assignment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] 1. Configuration FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a fire alarm facility F according to an embodiment. The fire alarm facility F is a facility for monitoring a monitored space. The monitored space is, for example, a building having a plurality of floors or levels. The fire alarm facility F is composed of a receiver 10 and a plurality of terminal devices 30-1, 30-2, ···, 30-n (hereinafter collectively referred to as terminal devices 30). The receiver 10 and the terminal devices 30 are collectively referred to as devices. The terminal device 30 is a device for monitoring a monitored space and is, for example, a fire detector or a transmitter. The fire detector is, for example, a smoke detector or a heat detector. The receiver 10 is a device for receiving signals from the terminal device 30. The receiver 10 is, for example, a fire receiver. In this example, the receiver 10 is connected to the terminal device 30 by wireless communication and wired communication.

[0020] Terminal devices 30 are placed on each floor of the monitored space. To enable the fire alarm system F, each terminal device 30 is assigned an address. The receiver 10 manages information related to the terminal devices 30 using these addresses. Assigning an address means associating the physical terminal device 30 with its address. In conventional fire alarm systems, the receiver user had to manually assign an address to each terminal device, which was cumbersome. To address this problem, the present invention automatically assigns addresses to the terminal devices 30.

[0021] Figure 2 illustrates the functional configuration of the receiver 10. The receiver 10 includes an acquisition means 201, a receiving means 202, an identification means 203, an assignment means 204, an output means 205, a control means 206, a notification means 207, and a storage means 208.

[0022] The storage means 208 stores various information, including drawing information of the monitored space and the terminal equipment database 900. The acquisition means 201 acquires the drawing information of the monitored space from the storage means 208. The receiving means 202 acquires atmospheric pressure data from each device. The identification means 203 identifies hierarchical information indicating the hierarchical level on which each of the terminal devices 30 is installed, based on the atmospheric pressure value. The assignment means 204 assigns an address to the terminal device 30. The output means 205 outputs a transmission signal to the terminal device 30 via wireless communication. The control means 206 instructs the terminal device 30 that has already been assigned an address to send a transmission signal via wireless communication to the terminal device 30 closest to the terminal device 30 that has not yet been assigned an address. The notification means 207 notifies that there is an abnormality in the address assignment.

[0023] Figure 3 illustrates the hardware configuration of a receiver 10 according to one embodiment. The receiver 10 is a computer device having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, memory 102, storage 103, communication IF (Interface) 104, a pressure sensor 105, an input unit 106, and an output unit 107. The CPU 101 is a control device that executes programs, performs various calculations, and controls other hardware elements of the receiver 10. The memory 102 is a main memory that functions as a work area when the CPU 101 executes programs. The storage 103 is a non-volatile auxiliary storage device that stores various programs and data. The communication IF 104 is a communication device that communicates with other devices according to a predetermined communication standard (e.g., Ethernet®). In this example, the communication IF 104 supports both wired and wireless communication with the terminal device 30. The pressure sensor 105 is a sensor that detects atmospheric pressure. The input unit 106 is an operation unit consisting of a keyboard, mouse, or touch panel, which inputs various information according to user instructions. The output unit 107 outputs various types of information. The output unit 107 is, for example, a display or a speaker.

[0024] In this example, storage 103 stores a program (hereinafter referred to as the "receiver program") that causes the computer device to function as a receiver 10 in the fire alarm system F. The CPU 101 executes the receiver program, thereby implementing the functions shown in Figure 2 in the computer device. When the CPU 101 is executing the receiver program, at least one of memory 102 and storage 103 is an example of storage means 208, and the CPU 101 is an example of acquisition means 201, output means 205, receiving means 202, control means 206, identification means 203, assignment means 204, and notification means 207.

[0025] Figure 4 illustrates the hardware configuration of a terminal device 30 according to one embodiment. Figure 4 shows only the configuration relating to the present invention, and other configurations are omitted from the description. The terminal device 30 includes a sensing unit 301, a control unit 302, a communication unit 303, a storage unit 304, and a pressure sensor 305. The sensing unit 301 detects a physical phenomenon caused by a fire and determines that it is abnormal. If the terminal device 30 is a fire detector, the sensing unit 301 is, for example, a sensor that detects smoke or heat. If the terminal device 30 is a transmitter, the sensing unit 301 detects the occurrence of a fire, for example, when a button on the transmitter is pressed by a person. The control unit 302 controls each part of the terminal device 30. The communication unit 303 is an interface for communicating with the receiver 10 or other terminal devices 30. In this example, the communication unit 303 supports both wired and wireless communication. The storage unit 304 stores a program for realizing the functions of the terminal device 30. Furthermore, the memory unit 304 stores the address assigned by the receiver 10. The pressure sensor 305 is a sensor that detects atmospheric pressure.

[0026] In this example, the receiver 10 and all terminal devices 30 are connected by wires, and wired communication is possible. Wired communication lines (or circuits) are laid, for example, on each floor or in each area within a floor, and multiple terminal devices 30 may be connected to a single communication line. When the receiver 10 sends a signal to a specific terminal device 30, the signal includes the address of the destination terminal device 30. Each terminal device 30 that receives a signal from the receiver 10 compares the address of the destination device included in the signal with its own address. If the two match, the terminal device 30 determines that the signal is addressed to it. A signal that is not addressed to a specific terminal device 30, for example a signal addressed to all terminal devices 30, includes information indicating that all terminal devices 30 are the destination instead of the address of a specific terminal device 30. In the fire alarm system F, terminal devices connected to the receiver 10 include various types of devices other than fire detectors and transmitters, such as alarm bells and smoke vents, but in this specification, fire detectors and transmitters are described as examples of terminal devices 30.

[0027] 2.Operation Figures 5 to 7 are flowcharts illustrating the operation of the address assignment process. In this embodiment, the receiver 10 assigns an address to each of the terminal devices 30. Based on the atmospheric pressure detected by the receiver 10's pressure sensor 105 and the atmospheric pressure detected by the terminal device 30's pressure sensor 305, the receiver 10 determines which floor each of the terminal devices 30 is installed on. The receiver 10 also performs wireless communication with each of the terminal devices 30 on each floor and assigns a unique address to each of the terminal devices 30 based on the strength of the wireless communication.

[0028] In step S501, the receiver 10 obtains drawing information of the monitored space from the storage 103. The drawing information of the monitored space includes a building floor plan 800 of the monitored space before addressing, and information relating to the location of the equipment. The information relating to the location of the equipment includes, for example, information that identifies the floor and information that indicates the location within the floor. The building floor plan 800 is a drawing created in advance by the user who manages the fire alarm system F, using the user's PC or the like, and is stored in the storage means 208. The information relating to the location of the equipment includes information indicating where and what type of terminal equipment 30 is installed in the building floor plan, but does not include information indicating the address of the terminal equipment 30.

[0029] Figure 8 illustrates a building floor plan 800 before addressing. In this example, the monitored space is a three-story building. Fire detectors and transmitters are used as terminal equipment 30. Figure 8 consists of three floor plans: a first-floor plan 810, a second-floor plan 820, and a third-floor plan 830. The first-floor plan 810 includes a transmitter icon 811, a detector icon 812, and a receiver icon 813. The transmitter icon 811 indicates the location where the transmitter is located. The detector icon 812 indicates the location where the detector is located. The receiver icon 813 indicates the location where the receiver 10 is located. In the building floor plan 800 before addressing, the transmitter icon 811 is represented as a black rectangle, the detector icon 812 as a white rectangle, and the receiver icon 813 as a hatched rectangle. By using different icons for each type of device, users can easily understand which type of device is located where.

[0030] Refer to Figure 5 again. In step S502, the receiver 10 receives atmospheric pressure data from each device. The atmospheric pressure data to be received is the value detected by the pressure sensor 105 (i.e., atmospheric pressure in the device itself) and the value detected by the pressure sensor 305 (i.e., atmospheric pressure in the other devices). It is not necessary for both to be received simultaneously, but since atmospheric pressure fluctuates with changes in climate, it is preferable for both to be received at as close a time as possible. This atmospheric pressure data is an example of information indicating the floor level on which the terminal device 30 is installed.

[0031] In step S503, the receiver 10 identifies hierarchical information indicating the floor on which each terminal device 30 is installed, based on the detection values ​​received in step S502. The hierarchical information indicates which floor each terminal device 30 is located on. The receiver 10 identifies terminal devices 30 whose detection values ​​from the pressure sensor 305 fall within a predetermined range (for example, from a value 49 Pa less than the reference value to a value 50 Pa greater than the reference value) based on the detection value from the pressure sensor 105 (hereinafter referred to as the reference value) as terminal devices 30 installed on the same floor as the receiver 10. For example, if the reference value is 101100 Pa, the receiver 10 identifies each terminal device 30 whose detection value is between 101051 Pa and 101150 Pa as being installed on the same floor as the receiver 10 (for example, the 1st floor). The receiver 10 identifies the range of detection values ​​corresponding to each floor and identifies the floor on which the terminal device 30 is installed based on which range the detection value belongs to. For example, receiver 10 identifies that each terminal device 30 whose detected value is between 101151 Pa and 101250 Pa is installed on the same floor. Also, for example, receiver 10 identifies that each terminal device 30 whose detected value is between 101251 Pa and 101350 Pa is installed on the same floor. When receiver 10 groups all devices together based on which devices are installed on the same floor, it identifies the floor corresponding to each group. First, the group containing the device with the smallest detected value from pressure sensor 105 or pressure sensor 305 is identified as the 1st floor. Using the 1st floor as a reference, the group with the detection value range one level above the 1st floor is the 2nd floor, the group with the detection value range one level above the 2nd floor is the 3rd floor, and so on, and the floor of each group is identified. For example, if the baseline value is 101100 Pa, the smallest detected value is 101098 Pa, and the largest detected value is 101302 Pa, then it is determined that the equipment showing detected values ​​between 101051 Pa and 101150 Pa is located on the first floor, the equipment showing detected values ​​between 101151 Pa and 101250 Pa is located on the second floor, and the equipment showing detected values ​​between 101251 Pa and 1011350 Pa is located on the third floor. The identified hierarchical information is stored in the terminal equipment database 90.

[0032] Figure 9 illustrates the terminal device database 900. The terminal device database 900 stores information related to the terminal devices 30. The terminal device database 900 contains multiple records. Each record contains, for each terminal device 30, a location number 901, an address 902, a type 903, a hierarchy 904, a location 905, and a device malfunction flag 906. The location number 901 is identification information used to associate each terminal device 30 with a location on the building floor plan 800. The address 902 is a number used by the receiver 10 to identify the terminal device 30. The address 902 is an address assigned by the receiver 10. However, for terminal devices 30 with no address assigned (hereinafter referred to as "unassigned terminal devices"), "unassigned" is stored in the address 902. In the example in Figure 9, the terminal device 30 with location number 901 "00012" is an unassigned terminal device. For example, terminal device 30 whose location number 901 is "00001" or "00011" is a terminal device 30 with a pre-configured address (hereinafter referred to as a pre-configured terminal device). Type 903 is the type of terminal device 30. In this example, terminal device 30 includes multiple types of terminal devices. Type 903 is, for example, a transmitter or a sensor.

[0033] The hierarchy 904 indicates the floor or level where the terminal device 30 is located. The location 905 indicates the location within the floor where the terminal device 30 is installed. The device malfunction flag 906 is a flag that indicates that there is some kind of malfunction in the terminal device 30. The device malfunction flag 906 stores either "ON" or "OFF". A terminal device 30 with the device malfunction flag 906 set to "ON" is a terminal device 30 that was determined to be malfunctioning in steps S508 and S509 described later. A terminal device 30 that was determined to be normal in steps S508 and S509 has the device malfunction flag 906 set to "OFF". For example, a terminal device 30 with location number 901 set to "00001" is a terminal device 30 of a type that only has one unit, and it is a terminal device 30 that has been determined to be malfunctioning. Prior to the start of the address assignment process, the terminal device database 900 stores, through user operation, the location number 901 is the number assigned along with the drawing information, the type 903 is the type of each terminal device 30, the address 902 is "Not set", and the hierarchy 904 is "Not set". Prior to the start of the address assignment process, the device abnormality flag 906 in the terminal device database 900 is initially recorded as "OFF".

[0034] Refer to Figure 5 again. In step S504, the receiver 10 identifies the hierarchy to which address setting (i.e., address assignment) will be performed (hereinafter referred to as the setting target hierarchy). If the hierarchy on which the receiver 10 is installed is one where address setting is not yet complete, the hierarchy on which the receiver 10 is installed is identified as the setting target hierarchy. If the hierarchy on which the receiver 10 is installed is one where address setting is already complete, the lowest level among the hierarchies where address setting is not yet complete is identified as the setting target hierarchy. For example, if the hierarchy on which the receiver 10 is installed is the 1st floor, and address setting is complete on the 1st floor, and the hierarchies where address setting is not yet complete are the 2nd and 3rd floors, then the hierarchy identified in step S504 is the 2nd floor.

[0035] In step S505, the receiver 10 notifies each of the terminal devices 30 included in the configuration target hierarchy that the address assignment process has started. The notification to the terminal devices 30 includes an instruction to respond to the receiver 10 via communication when it detects the signal transmitted by the receiver 10.

[0036] In step S506, the receiver 10 determines whether there is an unconfigured terminal device in the configuration target hierarchy that is the only terminal device of its type. This determination is made, for example, by referring to the terminal device database 900. If there is an unconfigured terminal device in the configuration target hierarchy that is the only terminal device of its type, the process proceeds to step S508. If there is no unconfigured terminal device in the configuration target hierarchy that is the only terminal device of its type, the process proceeds to step S507.

[0037] In step S508, the receiver 10 assigns an address to the target terminal device using wired communication. The target terminal device is one terminal device 30 that is not yet configured and is the one to which an address will be assigned. In this case, the target terminal device is an unconfigured terminal device for which there is only one other terminal device of the same type in the configuration target hierarchy. In this example, the target terminal device is a transmitter for which there is only one other terminal device of the same type on the first floor. Here, since there is only one terminal device 30 of that type in the configuration target hierarchy in the terminal device database 900, specifying the type identifies the target terminal device as one. Specifically, it is a "transmitter", and the receiver 10 instructs the target terminal device to write the address via wired communication. In this example, communication lines are laid on each floor, and the receiver 10 outputs a signal to the communication line of the configuration target hierarchy instructing the writing of the address. This instruction includes identification information that specifies the type of terminal device as the destination. The terminal device 30 that receives this signal determines whether the type of terminal device indicated as the destination by this signal matches its own type. If the two match, terminal device 30 determines that the signal is addressed to it. In this case, since there is only one terminal device 30 of type "transmitter" in the configuration target hierarchy, only one terminal device 30 will respond to this signal. Upon receiving a signal addressed to it, terminal device 30 writes the address specified by the signal to its own memory unit 304. In other words, terminal device 30 sets its own address upon receiving a signal addressed to it. Once the address setting is complete, terminal device 30 sends a response to receiver 10 indicating that the address setting is complete. This response includes the address set for itself (i.e., the address of terminal device 30, the source of the response).

[0038] Furthermore, the receiver 10 writes the newly assigned address to address 902 of the record corresponding to the target terminal device in the terminal device database 900. That is, address 902 is rewritten from "Not set" to the assigned address. Note that the logic for assigning addresses in this invention is predetermined by the user. For example, addresses are assigned to each of the terminal devices 30 in the order of 1, 2, 3, ..., n. Also, in step S507, the receiver 10 assigns addresses using wired communication, but addresses may be assigned using wireless communication instead of wired communication.

[0039] In step S509, the receiver 10 determines whether transmission with the target terminal device has been established. Specifically, the receiver 10 determines whether it has received a response from the target terminal device indicating that the address setting has been completed. If transmission with the target terminal device is established, the process proceeds to step S510. If transmission with the target terminal device is not established, the process proceeds to step S511.

[0040] In step S510, the receiver 10 confirms the address assigned in step S508. At this time, the receiver 10 stores "OFF" as the value of the device malfunction flag 906 for the target terminal device in the terminal device database 900. Once this process is complete, the process proceeds to step S506.

[0041] If it is determined in step S509 that transmission is not possible, there is a possibility that the target terminal device is malfunctioning. In step S511, the output unit 107 of the receiver 10 notifies the user that there is a malfunction in the target terminal device. The notification method may be, for example, a display on the receiver 10's display or an alarm emitted from the receiver 10's speaker. The receiver 10 also stores "ON" as the value of the device malfunction flag 906 for the target terminal device in the terminal device database 900. Once this process is complete, the process proceeds to step S507.

[0042] In step S507, the receiver 10 determines whether there are any unconfigured terminal devices in the configuration target hierarchy. If there are unconfigured terminal devices in the configuration target hierarchy, the process proceeds to step S512. If there are no unconfigured terminal devices in the configuration target hierarchy, the process proceeds to step S522.

[0043] Refer to Figure 6. In step S512, the receiver 10 outputs a transmission signal wirelessly from the radio source to an unconfigured terminal device in the target hierarchy. Here, there is no unconfigured terminal device of a single type (S506: NO), meaning that the terminal device cannot be narrowed down to one based on the terminal device type (i.e., the target terminal device cannot be identified). Therefore, in steps S512 to S517, an attempt is made to narrow down the terminal device to one based on the radio wave range. Since the radio wave range correlates with the distance from the radio wave source, in one example, the receiver 10 initially identifies the terminal device 30 that is closest to the receiver 10 in the drawing information (i.e., the plan view) as the target terminal device. The radio wave source is the receiver 10 itself or a specific terminal device 30 designated by the receiver 10. Initially, the radio wave source is the receiver 10 itself. The process of designating terminal device 30 as the radio wave source will be explained in step S520, which will be described later. If the radio wave source is terminal device 30, the receiver 10 instructs terminal device 30 to output a transmission signal via wireless communication.

[0044] The wireless communication strength that can be output by the radio source is determined by the device configuration of the radio source. For example, three strength patterns are defined: low strength, medium strength, and high strength. In step S512, the radio source initially outputs a transmission signal using low-intensity wireless communication. From the second time onward, the radio source outputs a transmission signal at the wireless communication strength specified in step S517, which will be described later. The transmission signal includes information relating to an instruction to respond to the receiver 10 via wired connection, and identification information for the transmission signal. The transmission signal may also include information for narrowing down the terminal equipment that will respond to the transmission signal (for example, information specifying the type of terminal equipment). For example, the receiver 10 may initially narrow down the target of the response to smoke detectors, then to heat detectors, and so on, sequentially narrowing down the target according to the type of terminal equipment. In this case, as shown in the example above, the receiver 10 does not need to initially identify the terminal equipment 30 that is closest to the receiver 10 in the drawing information (i.e., the plan view) as the target terminal equipment. For example, the receiver 10 may identify a smoke detector that has received a low-intensity wireless communication transmitted from the receiver 10 to the smoke detector as the first target terminal device. In this case, since it is more efficient to set up the system if there are as few terminal devices 30 of the same type as possible in the range where the radio wave strength is the same, the addresses of terminal devices 30 of a type that are installed in small numbers on the same floor may be given priority in setting. Also, since the target terminal devices are identified by changing the strength of the wireless communication, the further apart the terminal devices 30 are, the easier it is to identify the target terminal devices. Therefore, the addresses of terminal devices 30 that are farther apart may be given priority in setting. Thus, the receiver 10 may decide which terminal device 30's address to prioritize based on drawing information or a database.

[0045] If the terminal device 30 that receives the outgoing signal is the target of a response and its own address is not set, the terminal device 30 responds to the outgoing signal. If its own address is already set, the storage unit 304 of the terminal device 30 stores its own address. If its own address is not set, the storage unit 304 of the terminal device 30 does not store its own address. Therefore, the terminal device 30 determines whether its own address is set or not based on whether its own address is stored in the storage unit 304. As identification information for the outgoing signal, for example, the location number of the target terminal device (terminal device database 900) can be used.

[0046] In step S513, the receiver 10 determines whether it has received a wired response from the terminal device 30. The response signal received from the terminal device 30 includes identification information of the transmitted signal. This response signal may also include identification information (e.g., serial number) of the terminal device 30 that is the source of the response signal, in order to distinguish response signals from multiple terminal devices 30. If a response is received from the terminal device 30, the process proceeds to step S514. If no response is received from the terminal device 30, the process proceeds to step S516.

[0047] In step S514, the receiver 10 determines whether the received response is from a single terminal device 30. That is, the receiver 10 determines whether only one terminal device 30 has responded to a given transmission signal within a predetermined period after the signal was transmitted. If the received response is from a single terminal device 30, the process proceeds to step S515. If the received response is not from a single terminal device 30, that is, if responses have been received from multiple terminal devices 30 for that transmission signal, the process proceeds to step S516.

[0048] In step S515, the receiver 10 assigns an address to the terminal device 30 that responded. In this case, since only one terminal device 30 responded, the receiver 10 can identify the responding terminal device 30 as the target terminal device. Specifically, first, the receiver 10 assigns an address to address 902 of the record corresponding to the target terminal device in the terminal device database 900. That is, the receiver 10 rewrites address 902 in the terminal device database 900 with the assigned address. Once address 902 is rewritten, the receiver 10 instructs the terminal device 30 corresponding to the rewritten address 902 to store the assigned address. This instruction is given, for example, via wireless communication. The wireless communication strength at this time is the strength set in step S512. Alternatively, the address assignment may be done via wired communication. In this case, the receiver instructs the responding terminal device 30 to store the address. The terminal device 30 that receives the instruction (in this case, only one) stores the instructed address in the storage unit 304. Once the address setting is complete, the terminal device 30 sends a response to the receiver 10 indicating that the address setting is complete. After this, the receiver 10 may perform the process corresponding to step S509. Once the process in step S515 is completed, the process proceeds to step S507.

[0049] In step S516, the receiver 10 determines whether the output strength of the wireless communication from the radio source can be changed. For example, it determines whether the radio source supports wireless communication at an output strength one level weaker than the previous wireless communication output strength. This is because at this point, multiple terminal devices 30 are responding, and it is not possible to physically identify which terminal device 30 is the target terminal device. The purpose is to narrow the range of the wireless communication and narrow down the terminal devices 30 that respond to the transmitted signal. If the output strength of the wireless communication can be changed, the process proceeds to step S517. If the output strength of the wireless communication cannot be changed, the process proceeds to step S518.

[0050] In step S517, the receiver 10 changes the output strength from the previous wireless communication output strength. For example, the receiver 10 sets it to output a transmission signal with an output strength one level weaker than the previous wireless communication output strength. If the device outputting the wireless signal is the terminal device 30 that was instructed to output in step S520 described later, the receiver 10 instructs the terminal device 30 to output a transmission signal via wireless communication again with the changed output strength from the previous wireless communication output strength. Once the wireless communication strength setting is updated, the process proceeds to step S512.

[0051] Figure 10 illustrates the address assignment process. Figure 10 shows a building floor plan with the first boundary line 1001, the second boundary line 1002, and the third boundary line 1003 (hereinafter collectively referred to as boundary line 1000) superimposed. The positions of boundary line 1000 correspond to the output strength (i.e., radio wave strength) of the wireless communication output by receiver 10. The area on the receiver 10 side of boundary line 1000 is the range that the wireless communication output by receiver 10 can reach. The higher the output strength of the wireless communication output by receiver 10, the further boundary line 1000 is located from receiver 10. That is, the first boundary line 1001 corresponds to lower-intensity wireless communication, and the third boundary line 1003 corresponds to higher-intensity wireless communication. When receiver 10 performs wireless communication at, for example, the output strength corresponding to the second boundary line 1002, two terminal devices 30, terminal device 1004 and terminal device 1005, receive the transmission signal and respond to receiver 10. Since terminal device 1006 has already completed address setting in step S515, it does not provide a wired response even when it receives a transmission signal from receiver 10. On the other hand, when receiver 10 performs wireless communication with an output strength corresponding to the first boundary line 1001, only terminal device 1004 receives the transmission signal and responds to receiver 10. Thus, when the output strength of wireless communication is changed, the number of terminal devices 30 that send response signals to receiver 10 may increase or decrease. In other words, the number of terminal devices 30 that respond in step S513 may also increase or decrease.

[0052] Refer to Figure 6 again. In step S518, the receiver 10 determines whether there is a terminal device in the target hierarchy that has not yet output a signal to a specific unconfigured terminal device. Here, "a terminal device that has not yet output a signal to a specific unconfigured terminal device" refers to a configured terminal device that has not yet output a signal to that specific unconfigured terminal device. This terminal device may also be a terminal device that has output a signal once or multiple times to other unconfigured terminal devices (which should subsequently become configured terminal devices). First, the receiver 10 uses the drawing information (i.e., floor plan) of the target hierarchy and the database 900 to determine whether there is an unconfigured terminal device in the target hierarchy. If it is determined that there is an unconfigured terminal device in the target hierarchy, the receiver 10 identifies one unconfigured terminal device from the drawing information (i.e., floor plan). The receiver 10 determines whether there is a configured terminal device in the target configuration layer that has not yet output a transmission signal to the unconfigured terminal device, that is, a configured terminal device that has not yet become a radio source. If there is a configured terminal device in the target configuration layer that has not yet output a transmission signal to one of the one or more unconfigured terminal devices selected from among the one or more unconfigured terminal devices identified in step S507, that configured terminal device may be able to assign an address to the unconfigured terminal device by performing wireless communication with the unconfigured terminal device on behalf of the receiver 10. If there is a configured terminal device in the target configuration layer that has not output a transmission signal to that unconfigured terminal device, the process proceeds to step S519. If there is no configured terminal device in the target configuration layer that has not output a transmission signal to that unconfigured terminal device, the process proceeds to step S521.

[0053] In step S519, the receiver 10 identifies a configured terminal device that has not yet output a transmission signal to the unconfigured terminal device, and which will output a transmission signal via wireless communication in the subsequent step S512. Specifically, among the configured terminal devices that have not yet output a transmission signal to the unconfigured terminal device, the configured terminal device that is closest to any of the unconfigured terminal devices is identified as the configured terminal device that will output a transmission signal via wireless communication. The distance from the unconfigured terminal device to the configured terminal device is determined from the drawing information, i.e., the plan view. If there are multiple unconfigured terminal devices, the receiver 10 determines the configured terminal device closest to each unconfigured terminal device and calculates that distance. Of the calculated distances, the configured terminal device corresponding to the shortest distance is identified as the configured terminal device that will output a transmission signal via wireless communication.

[0054] In step S520, the receiver 10 instructs the configured terminal device identified in step S519 to become a radio source. In step S507, it is determined that there is an unconfigured terminal device, but in step S513 there is no wired response from terminal device 30, and in step S516 the output strength of the wireless communication from the radio source cannot be changed, which means that there is a terminal device 30 that cannot be reached by wireless communication. Also, in step S507, it is determined that there is an unconfigured terminal device, but in step S514 there are responses from multiple terminal devices 30, and in step S516 the output strength of the wireless communication from the radio source cannot be changed, which means that by changing the radio wave strength of the wireless communication from the previous radio source (for example, the receiver 10), it is not possible to identify a single terminal device 30. Therefore, in step S520, one of the configured terminal devices 30 is set as a new radio source. This is an attempt to search for a new terminal device 30.

[0055] Figure 11 is an example of a building floor plan 1100. The configured terminal device closest to the unconfigured terminal device 1102 is the configured terminal device 1101. The receiver 10 determines the configured terminal device (e.g., configured terminal device 1101) closest to the unconfigured terminal device (i.e., unconfigured terminal device 1102) as a new radio wave source. The receiver 10 sends the identification information of the target terminal device (i.e., unconfigured terminal device 1102) to the new radio wave source (i.e., configured terminal device 1101). The identification information of the target terminal device is, for example, the location number (see terminal device database 900). The configured terminal device closest to the unconfigured terminal device is determined by the receiver 10 reading the drawing information of the monitored space. When the processing in step S520 is completed, the process proceeds to step S512. The configured terminal device 1101, newly designated as a radio source, outputs a transmission signal via wireless communication to unconfigured terminal devices installed in the target layer (step S512). The processing of the terminal device 30 that receives the transmission signal is as previously described.

[0056] In step S521, the receiver 10 notifies the user of the location of the unconfigured terminal based on the diagram information of the monitored space. Upon receiving this notification, the user can go to the site where the unconfigured terminal is installed and manually confirm and change the address of the terminal device 30. In this example, in addition to notifying the user of the location of the unconfigured terminal, the receiver 10 also assigns a provisional address to these unconfigured terminals. The serial number of the terminal device is used to assign a provisional address. Specifically, the receiver 10 instructs the unconfigured terminal devices installed in the configuration target layer to respond based on the return timing determined by the serial number (equivalent to transmitting a second response signal). In step S519, it was determined that there were no configured terminal devices that were not outputting a transmission signal to that unconfigured terminal device, which means that it is not possible to search for any new radio sources. Therefore, a provisional address is assigned to the terminal device 30 based on information specific to the terminal device (serial number). Specifically, the receiver 10 queries unconfigured terminal devices located in the target hierarchy, specifying a predetermined digit (for example, the largest digit) for the bitified location number 901, and asking them to return a response if the value of that digit is a predetermined value (for example, "1"). This query is transmitted via wire. The receiver 10 assigns addresses to the terminal devices 30 in order of those that respond. That is, the receiver 10 assigns addresses to the unconfigured terminal devices in order of the number of the serial number, starting with the terminal devices 30 with the largest serial number. If the terminal devices 30 are at a distance less than the resolution of the wireless communication output strength, it is difficult for the receiver 10 to distinguish between them based on the wireless communication output strength. The process in step S521 is a process in which the receiver 10 conveniently assigns addresses to terminal devices 30 that it could not distinguish based on the wireless communication output strength, based on the location number 901. Therefore, the addresses assigned in step S521 do not necessarily correspond to the distance from the receiver 10.

[0057] Refer to Figure 7. In step S522, the receiver 10 determines whether there are any layers for which address configuration is incomplete. If there are layers for which address configuration is incomplete, the process returns to step S504, as it starts the address assignment process for terminal devices 30 located in layers different from the currently configured layer. If there are no layers for which address configuration is incomplete, the process proceeds to step S523.

[0058] In step S523, the receiver 10 determines whether the number of terminal devices 30 stored in the terminal device database 900 matches the number of terminal devices 30 indicated in the drawing information for each floor. If the number stored in the terminal device database 900 matches the number indicated in the drawing information, the process proceeds to step S525. If the number stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information, the process proceeds to step S524.

[0059] In step S524, the receiver 10 determines whether there is an address assigned based on the serial number in step S521. If there is an address assigned based on the serial number, the process proceeds to step S525. If there is no address assigned based on the serial number, the process proceeds to step S526.

[0060] In step S525, the receiver 10 notifies that there is an abnormality in the address setting. An abnormality in the address setting means, for example, that there are terminal devices to which addresses have been assigned based on the serial number (i.e., the addresses for these terminal devices have been provisionally assigned and are not yet finalized), or that the number of devices stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information. The display of the receiver 10 (not shown) displays the abnormality notification screen shown in Figure 12 or Figure 13.

[0061] Figure 12 illustrates a building floor plan 1200. Message 1201 is superimposed on the building floor plan 1200. Message 1201 indicates that an address assigned based on the serial number exists. Terminal device icons 1202 and 1203 indicate the location of terminal devices 30 to which addresses have been assigned based on the serial number. Terminal device icons 1202 and 1203 each have a black star mark in the upper left corner. In this way, because the icon appearance of terminal devices 30 to which addresses have been assigned based on the serial number differs from that of terminal devices 30 to which addresses have been assigned based on wireless communication output strength, users can easily identify terminal devices 30 to which addresses have been assigned based on the serial number. Users can go to the site where these two terminal devices 30 are installed and manually check and change the addresses of the terminal devices 30.

[0062] Figure 13 illustrates an example of an anomaly notification screen 1300. The anomaly notification screen consists of a message 1301, an instruction button 1302, and a confirmation button 1303. Message 1301 indicates that the number stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information, and provides an example of the reason for the mismatch. The instruction button 1302 is a button that accepts an instruction to change the boundary of the hierarchical information. The confirmation button 1303 is a button that accepts confirmation of the relevant location where the anomaly is located.

[0063] If the number of items stored in the terminal equipment database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information, there may be an error in the atmospheric pressure delimiter that constitutes the hierarchical information identified in step S503. When the instruction button 1302 is selected through user operation, the receiver 10 changes the delimiter of the hierarchical information. For example, the receiver 10 refers to the terminal equipment database 900, which stores various data in the processing up to step S524, and the information related to the location of the equipment included in the drawing information, and modifies the item of hierarchy 904 in the terminal equipment database 900 so that the number of items stored in the terminal equipment database 900 matches the number indicated in the drawing information.

[0064] Furthermore, if the number of terminal devices stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information, it is possible that terminal devices 30 not included in the drawing information are installed, or that some or all of the terminal devices 30 listed in the drawing information are not installed. When the confirmation button 1303 is selected through user operation, the receiver 10 displays the plan view 1400 shown in Figure 14.

[0065] Figure 14 is an example of a building floor plan 1400. Message 1401 is superimposed on the building floor plan 1400. Message 1401 indicates that an address has not been assigned to the terminal device 30 depicted at the end of the arrow. The terminal device icon 1402 has a question mark in the upper left corner. In this way, the icon indicates that the number of devices stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information, allowing the user to easily identify the relevant location. Furthermore, by having the receiver 10 display a screen indicating that the number of devices stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number indicated in the drawing information, the user can easily identify the locations where the installation status of the terminal devices 30 needs to be checked.

[0066] In step S526, the receiver 10 generates a building floor plan 1500 (hereinafter referred to as the building floor plan after address assignment) that reflects the address assigned in the process up to step S524, as shown in Figure 14. The generated building floor plan is stored in the storage unit 304.

[0067] Figure 15 is an example of a building floor plan 1500 after address assignment processing. The building floor plan 1500 after address assignment processing includes a receiver icon 813, a transmitter icon 1511, and a sensor icon 1512. The transmitter icon 1511, like the transmitter icon 811, indicates the location of the transmitter among the terminal equipment 30. Unlike the transmitter icon 811, the address 902 is superimposed on the transmitter icon 1511. The sensor icon 1512, like the sensor icon 812, indicates the location of the sensor among the terminal equipment 30. Unlike the sensor icon 812, the address 902 is superimposed on the sensor icon 1512. In the address assignment processing of this embodiment, the receiver 10 is not assigned an address, so the icon indicating the location of the receiver 10 is the same in appearance in the building floor plan 800 before address assignment processing and in the building floor plan 1500 after address assignment processing. In this way, by displaying the address superimposed on an icon indicating the location of the terminal device 30, the user can easily understand which terminal device 30 with which address is located at which location.

[0068] 3. Variant The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. Several modifications are described below. Two or more of the modifications described below may be used in combination.

[0069] Generally, one receiver 10 is installed in each building, the location of the receiver 10 is clear, and the receiver 10 is not subject to address assignment in the first place. Therefore, the receiver 10 is not necessarily limited to having a pressure sensor 105, and may not have a pressure sensor 105. In that case, the smallest detected value among the pressure sensor 305 detected values ​​received in step S502 may be used as the reference value, and the processing from step S503 onwards may be executed.

[0070] When installing a fire alarm system in a building where it is not necessary to specify a floor, for example, a single-story building or a multi-story building where the fire alarm system is installed only on a specific single floor, each terminal device 30 does not need to have a pressure sensor 305.

[0071] In step S508, the receiver 10 assigns an address using wired communication, but it may also assign an address using wireless communication instead of wired communication.

[0072] In step S521, the receiver 10 is not limited to assigning an address to an unconfigured terminal device that cannot be assigned an address based on the transmitted signal, based on a response timing based on the serial number. The receiver 10 may, for example, notify the user to prompt them to manually set the address.

[0073] The processing in step S523 is not limited to being performed after step S522, but may be performed after, for example, step S502. If step S523 is performed after step S502, and for each floor the number of terminal devices 30 stored in the terminal device database 900 does not match the number of terminal devices 30 indicated by the drawing information, the output unit 107 may notify the user of the abnormality.

[0074] The location number 901 and address 902 of the terminal device database 900 are not limited to being composed of numbers. For example, the location number 901 and address 902 may be composed of letters or symbols. Also, if address 902 is not set, it is not limited to storing "Not set" in address 902; for example, address 902 may be blank or a null value.

[0075] In the terminal device database 900, the address assigned to the terminal device 30 may be used as location information. That is, an address may be assigned to each terminal device 30 in advance in the drawing information, and the receiver 10 may assign this address to the terminal device 30. In this case, location number 901 is not necessary in the terminal device database 900.

[0076] The map information may include a radio wave intensity map with the receiver 10 as the radio wave source. This radio wave intensity map is generated by a simulation that takes into account the radio wave shielding effect of structures such as walls. The boundary line 1000 illustrated in Figure 10 may be defined based on this radio wave intensity map.

[0077] The transmission signal output from the receiver 10 or terminal device 30 is not limited to including information relating to the instruction to respond and identification information of the transmission signal, but may also include identification information of the source of the transmission signal (e.g., serial number).

[0078] Address assignment is not limited to being performed floor by floor; for example, it may be performed on multiple floors at once, such as the first and second floors.

[0079] The icons used in the building floor plan are not limited to those shown in Figures 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, or 15, but may be in other forms. For example, a transmitter may be represented by a black triangle, and a sensor by a white triangle.

[0080] The method for displaying the address on the receiver 10 is not limited to the example shown in Figure 15. For example, the address may be superimposed on the building floor plan by user operation, where the cursor hovers over the icon indicating the location of the terminal device 30.

[0081] Before the address assignment process begins, it is not limited that address 902 is stored as "unassigned". For example, through user actions, some addresses 902 may already be stored with addresses desired by the user.

[0082] The correspondence between functional elements and hardware elements in the receiver 10 is not limited to those illustrated in the embodiments. For example, some of the functions described as those of the receiver 10 in the embodiments may be implemented in another server. Alternatively, some of the functions described as those of the receiver 10 in the embodiments may be implemented in other devices on the network. Furthermore, the hardware configuration of the receiver 10 is not limited to the examples described in the embodiments. The receiver 10 may have any configuration as long as it can implement the required functions.

[0083] The operation of receiver 10 is not limited to the examples described above. The processing steps of receiver 10 may be rearranged as long as they do not contradict each other. In addition, some of the processing steps of receiver 10 may be omitted.

[0084] The various programs exemplified in the embodiments may be provided by download via a network such as the Internet, or they may be provided recorded on a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium such as a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory). [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10...Receiver, 30...Terminal device, 101...CPU, 102...Memory, 103...Storage, 104...Communication IF, 105...Barometric pressure sensor, 106...Input unit, 107...Output unit, 201...Acquisition means, 202...Reception means, 203...Identification means, 204...Assignment means, 205...Output means, 206...Control means, 207...Notification means, 208...Storage means, 301...Sensing unit, 302...Control unit, 303...Communication unit, 304...Storage unit, 305...Barometric pressure sensor, 900...Terminal device database

Claims

1. Multiple terminal devices installed in the monitored space, A receiver that wirelessly communicates with the aforementioned plurality of terminal devices It has, The receiver has an addressing means for assigning an address to each of the plurality of terminal devices based on the wireless communication strength at each of the terminal devices. Fire alarm system.

2. Each of the aforementioned multiple terminal devices has a pressure sensor, The assigning means assigns an address to each of the plurality of terminal devices based on the detected value of the barometric pressure sensor and the wireless communication strength. The fire alarm system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned receiver An acquisition means for acquiring drawing information of the monitored space, Output means that outputs a transmission signal at different wireless communication strengths, Receiving means for receiving the detected value of the pressure sensor and the response from the terminal device to the transmission signal from each of the plurality of terminal devices, Based on the detected value, hierarchical information indicating the hierarchical level in which each of the plurality of terminal devices is installed, and identification means for determining the distance of each of the plurality of terminal devices from the receiver based on the response, It has, The assignment means assigns the address based on the drawing information, the hierarchical information, and the distance. The fire alarm system according to claim 2.

4. The receiver has a pressure sensor, The assigning means assigns an address to the terminal device based on the detected value of the receiver's pressure sensor, the detected value of the pressure sensors in each of the plurality of terminal devices, and the wireless communication strength. The fire alarm system according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned specifying means is, Based on the detected values, the hierarchy of each of the multiple terminal devices is identified. For terminal devices identified as being located on the same floor, their location within that floor is determined based on the distance and the drawing information. The fire alarm system according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The receiver and the plurality of terminal devices communicate via wired connection. If it is determined that only one terminal device of the same type is located on a certain hierarchical level, the assignment means assigns an address to the terminal device using the information obtained via the wired communication. The fire alarm system according to claim 3 or 4.

7. The aforementioned multiple terminal devices include multiple types of terminal devices, The aforementioned assignment means assigns addresses to devices of the same type in order from those with fewer devices to those with fewer devices. A fire alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The address assignment means assigns addresses to terminal devices in order, starting from those installed on the floor closest to the floor where the receiver is installed. A fire alarm system according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

9. Control means for controlling other terminal devices to output a transmission signal from a terminal device that is closer to the terminal device that cannot receive a response to the aforementioned wireless communication, in the case of a terminal device that cannot receive a response to the aforementioned wireless communication. A fire alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having the following:

10. If the number of terminal devices installed at each level based on the aforementioned drawing information does not match the number of terminal devices at each level to which addresses have been assigned by the assignment means, a notification means will notify of the abnormality. A fire alarm system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, having the following:

11. The aforementioned multiple terminal devices have storage means for storing identification information that uniquely identifies them, If the location of two or more terminal devices cannot be identified by the above response, the output means transmits a second response signal to each of the two or more terminal devices to send a response based on its own identification information. The identification means identifies the arrangement of each of the two or more terminal devices based on the second response signal. The fire alarm system according to claim 3 or 4.

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