Segregated Operating Software for Premises Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional security systems face complexity in installation and operation due to the segregation of life safety and lifestyle features, requiring separate controllers and protocols, which can lead to resource interference and increased installation time.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus and method that centrally manages both life safety and lifestyle functions using a single processor, with resource management to prevent interference, including shutting down lifestyle functions when resource thresholds are exceeded, and supporting multiple wireless communication protocols to manage power and interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If life safety and life style systems are integrated into a single controller, then device complexity is reduced and installation time is shortened, but resource interference may occur where life style functions consume processing resources needed for life safety operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the controller into separate virtual machines: a first virtual machine dedicated to life safety operations and a second virtual machine for life style operations. This segmentation allows both systems to run concurrently on a single controller while preventing resource interference, as each virtual machine operates independently with guaranteed resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
A hypervisor acts as an intermediary layer between the life safety and life style virtual machines and the physical hardware resources. The hypervisor manages and allocates processing resources dynamically, ensuring that life safety critical operations receive guaranteed resources while allowing life style functions to utilize available resources without interfering with safety operations.
2Reliability
If separate controllers are used for life safety and life style features, then reliability is maintained by preventing resource interference, but installation complexity increases and installation time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges life safety and life style control functions into a single physical controller while maintaining operational separation through virtualization. This consolidation reduces installation complexity by eliminating the need to physically mount and configure multiple separate controllers, while the virtual machine architecture ensures that reliability is maintained through isolated resource management.
Solution Approach 2:
The single controller is designed with universal functionality to handle both life safety critical operations and life style convenience features. By implementing multiple virtual machines within one controller, the system achieves multi-functionality without sacrificing the reliability needed for safety operations or the versatility expected from integrated life style features.
3Adaptability or versatility
If life style functions consume available processing resources, then system versatility is enhanced, but life safety operations may be interrupted due to lack of processing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The hypervisor implements dynamic resource allocation that adjusts processing resource distribution between life safety and life style virtual machines in real-time. Life safety virtual machines receive guaranteed baseline resources to ensure continuous operation, while life style virtual machines can dynamically utilize available resources during periods of low system load, achieving both versatility and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the hypervisor continuously monitors resource usage and system state, adjusting resource allocation between virtual machines based on current conditions. When life safety operations require additional resources, the system automatically reallocates resources from life style functions, ensuring safety operations are never interrupted while still allowing life style features to operate when resources are available.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control apparatus, having software environment 24, for a premises based system, having at least one premises network, is provided. The control apparatus has an improved memory and processor configuration for separate operation of life safety code 82, providing life safety functionality, and life style code 78, providing life style functionality, so that the operation of the life style code 78 may be changed without changing the operation of the life safety code 82, such as through the use of a virtual machine 73 or code running at a single operating system layer. The memory may store life safety code in a first partition and life style code in a second partition. The life style code may be updated while life safety code continues to run. If the resource usage for life style functions is determined to exceed a predefined threshold, at least one life style function may be shut down. Moreover, at least one life style function and its corresponding wireless communication protocol radio may be shut down in response to a determined failure of the premises power supply. Also, an alert may be generated if the amount of interference between life style wireless communication radios and life safety wireless communication radios exceeds a predefined interference threshold.