Flame Detector Field of View Adjustment via Camera Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flame detectors often install non-visual devices, making it difficult to determine and adjust their field of view, leading to potential obstructions and false alarms due to undetected heat sources within their field of view.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a camera and a mobile device, where the camera provides a visual representation of the flame detector's field of view, allowing for adjustments via a mobile application, and motors for repositioning the camera and flame detector relative to a mounting device, enabling precise alignment and avoidance of false alarm sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If flame detectors are installed without visual output capability, then the device structure remains simple and cost-effective, but it becomes difficult to determine and adjust the field of view, leading to potential obstructions and false alarms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidfield of view adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A camera is introduced as an intermediary device mounted on the flame detector housing. The camera captures images of the environment and transmits them to a mobile device, allowing users to visually see what the flame detector is detecting. This intermediary visual system enables field of view adjustment without modifying the flame detector's core sensing functionality, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera creates a visual copy or representation of the flame detector's field of view. By capturing and displaying images through the mobile application, users can see a replicated view of what the flame detector senses, enabling easy adjustment and verification of the field of view without adding visual output capabilities to the flame detector itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If flame detectors detect all heat sources within their field of view, then detection coverage is maximized, but false alarms increase due to non-hazardous heat sources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection coverageVSAvoidfalse alarms
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile application provides visual feedback by displaying images captured by the camera alongside flame detection data. Users can correlate visual information with detection signals to identify whether detected heat sources represent actual fire hazards or non-hazardous sources. This feedback mechanism enables users to adjust the field of view to exclude non-hazardous heat sources while maintaining detection of genuine threats, resolving the contradiction between detection coverage and false alarm reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3363003B1Method and system for adjusting the field of view of a flame detector
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP3363003B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3363003B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3363003B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A device comprises a flame detector, a camera, a mounting device, and a network connection device. The camera has a first field of view that overlaps a second field of view of the flame detector. The mounting device comprises one or more motors to change the first field of view and the second field of view, and the network connection device is configured to provide communication between an output of the flame detector, an output of the camera, and a remote device.