Fire Panel Firmware Validation Using Operational Test Cases

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fire panels lack the intelligence to predict how new firmware will perform in actual facility environments, leading to unsuitable upgrades and a lack of upfront feedback on suitability, often requiring manual testing that does not reflect real configurations.

Innovation Solution

The fire panel collects operational data, determines test cases based on this data, and executes them with new firmware to predict suitability, providing feedback on performance discrepancies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If firmware is upgraded without predictive testing, then device functionality is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to unsuitable upgrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefirmware upgrade capabilityVSAvoidfirmware suitability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary testing of new firmware versions by executing operational test cases derived from collected operational data before actual deployment. This advance validation ensures firmware suitability is assessed upfront, preventing unreliable upgrades while maintaining upgrade capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If manual testing is performed, then some validation is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates because it does not reflect real facility configurations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetesting processVSAvoidperformance prediction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates virtual copies of real facility operational patterns by collecting and analyzing actual operational data from multiple facilities. These copied operational patterns are then used to generate test cases that accurately simulate real-world conditions, providing precise performance predictions without requiring physical manual testing in each facility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback loop where operational data from real facilities is continuously collected, used to refine test cases and performance predictions, and then validated against actual firmware performance. This feedback mechanism progressively improves measurement precision by aligning test conditions more closely with real facility configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If firmware upgrades are deployed without predictive analysis, then productivity is improved through rapid deployment, but loss of information increases due to lack of upfront suitability feedback

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefirmware deployment speedVSAvoidsuitability feedback
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary predictive analysis of firmware performance using operational data and test case execution results before deployment decisions are made. This advance information provision maintains rapid deployment capability while preventing information loss about firmware suitability, as installers receive predictive performance data upfront.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4216185B1Upgrading fire panel firmware using machine learning
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP4216185B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4216185B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4216185B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Devices, systems, and methods for upgrading fire panel firmware using machine learning are described herein. In some examples, one or more embodiments include a fire panel comprising a processor and a memory having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to collect operational data associated with a fire system controlled by the fire panel device over a period of time while the fire panel device utilizes a first firmware version, determine a plurality of test cases based on the operational data, execute the plurality of test cases while the fire panel device utilizes a second firmware version, and provide results of each of the plurality of executed test cases via an interface.