Fire Alarm Multihop Network Route Cost Derivation

Solution Overview

Problem

The communication quality of a multihop network of fire alarms can be deteriorated if the alarms are positioned aimlessly, leading to inefficiencies in communication.

Innovation Solution

Each fire alarm in the network derives a cost for relay routes by exchanging information on link quality with other alarms and selects the optimal route based on this information, transmitting this data to an external appliance for further processing and display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If fire alarms are positioned aimlessly to build a multihop network, then the network can be formed quickly, but the communication quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary routing calculations and cost derivations before actual communication occurs. Each fire alarm pre-calculates the cost for relay routes by exchanging link quality information with neighboring alarms, selecting optimal routes in advance based on derived costs, which ensures communication quality is maintained from the start of network operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If fire alarms exchange link quality information to derive routing costs, then communication quality improves, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements partial routing information exchange where each fire alarm derives costs only for routes through immediate neighboring alarms rather than exchanging complete routing tables with all network nodes. This partial action reduces the volume of communication data and associated power consumption while still enabling optimal route selection based on link quality metrics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If optimal relay routes are selected based on derived costs, then communication efficiency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each fire alarm autonomously derives routing costs and selects optimal relay routes independently based on locally exchanged link quality information with neighboring alarms. The system distributes the routing computation task across all individual fire alarms rather than requiring a centralized controller, enabling communication efficiency through local optimization while avoiding the complexity of centralized route management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4191556B1Alarm system, external appliance, display method, program

Publication Date: 2025.01.01

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AI summary

A technology of providing information for determining the position where the alarm should be constructed to build a multihop network. An n+lth fire alarm 600n+1, an n+2th fire alarm 600n+2, and an n+3 fire alarm 600n+3 form a multihop network extending from a relay device 700. The n+lth fire alarm 600n+1, the n+2th fire alarm 600n+2, and the n+3 fire alarm 600n+3 derive, by exchanging information on quality of link with other fire alarms around, a cost for a relay route for communicating with the relay device 700 via the other alarms around and then selects a relay route based on the cost. The n+lth fire alarm 600n+1, the n+2th fire alarm 600n+2, and the n+3 fire alarm 600n+3 transmit information relating to the relay route to an external appliance 900.