Fire Control Panel Time-Stamped Detector Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire detection control panels lack the processing power to analyze detector values over time, leading to improper detector installations and frequent false alarms, as they are designed to minimize processing capacity to maintain system functionality and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A fire control panel with a processor that periodically samples and time-stamps detector values, storing them for graphical display on a user interface, allowing for intuitive analysis of system performance over time without requiring external computing devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If processing power is minimized to maintain cost-effectiveness and system functionality, then the control panel remains cost-effective and functional, but the ability to analyze detector values over time is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The processing functions are segmented between the control panel processor (which maintains minimal processing for core functionality) and the portable computing device (which performs intensive historical analysis). This allows each component to operate within its processing capabilities while achieving overall system analytical power.
Solution Approach 2:
A portable computing device serves as an intermediary between the control panel and the analysis requirements. It connects to the control panel via communication interface, retrieves historical detector values, and performs the intensive processing that the control panel's minimal processor cannot handle.
2Productivity
If processing power is increased to enable lengthy monitoring of detector values, then analysis capability improves, but the cost of the control panel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The portable computing device performs the intensive analysis work independently, using its own processing power and resources. It retrieves data from the control panel's storage but conducts all analytical processing itself, eliminating the need for the control panel to have expensive high-power processing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable computing device creates a copy of the historical detector values from the control panel's storage medium, then performs analysis on this copied data. This allows intensive processing without requiring the original control panel system to have high processing power.
3Productivity
If a portable computing device is attached to collect data over time, then analysis capability improves, but the difficulty of attachment increases due to inconvenient or non-secure locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system is configured in advance with the portable computing device connected to the control panel before extended monitoring begins. Once connected, the device can remain attached for prolonged periods to collect historical data, and the connection is established when access is still feasible.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable computing device serves multiple functions: it acts as a data collection interface, a historical storage medium, and an analysis processor. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated infrastructure and allows flexible deployment in various installation locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fire control panel (100) of a fire detection system. The fire control panel comprises: a processor (101); a storage medium (105); a user interface (110) having a graphical display; and a detector interface (102) arranged for connection to a plurality of fire detectors of the fire detection system, and which generate detector values indicative of a parameter detected by the detector. The processor includes a sampler (103) arranged to periodically sample the detector values received by the detector interface, and the processor is arranged to time stamp the sampled detector values, and to store the time-stamped detector values in the storage medium. The user interface is arranged to display the time-stamped detector values from a detector graphically on the graphical display.