WO2025093362A1 - Transmission of (raw) measured values detected continuously by a fire detector to a central fire alarm system via a common alarm line having further participants - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for real-time transmission of (raw) measured values (RAW) detected continuously by a fire detector (2) and relating to a significant fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) to a central fire alarm system (1) via a common alarm line (ML) having further participants (2, 3, 4). Data is transmitted in a cycle (CYC) with successive transmission frames (FRAME) for the participants, with in each case one data transmission block (DAT) that can be released by the central fire alarm system in a transmission frame being provided for a transmission of data from a participant to the central fire alarm system. The measured values detected continuously by a particular fire detector wishing to transmit are transmitted to the central fire alarm system by means of a plurality N of data transmission blocks provided for other participants within a cycle, said data transmission blocks having been released by the central fire alarm system, if a presently detected measured value of a fire parameter exceeds a specified first threshold value (OG, TG, COG) as an indication of a possible fire event, or if a send command (SEND) is signaled to the particular fire detector by the central fire alarm system.

Description

Description

Transmission of (raw) measured values continuously recorded by a fire detector to a fire alarm control panel via a common detector line with other participants

The invention relates to a method for transmitting measured values, in particular raw measured values, of at least one significant fire parameter continuously recorded by a fire detector to a fire alarm control panel. The fire alarm control panel is connected to a large number of participants, such as the fire detectors and optionally to other participants, via a common detector line for supplying power to the participants and for transmitting data to the participants. The other participants are in particular manual fire detectors and/or optical alarm devices and/or acoustic alarm devices. Data is transmitted between a respective participant and the fire alarm control panel in a circulation cycle with successive transmission frames for the participants. In this case, (exactly) one data transmission block, which can be released by the fire alarm control panel in a transmission frame, is provided for data transmission from a participant to the fire alarm control panel.

From US 4,688,183 A a fire and security system is known which has a hierarchical architecture with a central control unit (Central Control) which monitors each of a plurality of multi-detector occupancy temperature smoke sensors (MDOTS) which are installed in each of the monitored rooms of the building. The MDOTS sensors are each connected in a multi-drop manner to a sensor loop, which in turn is connected to a master control. Up to four such sensor loops can be connected to a master control. Similarly, up to four master controls can be connected via a spur line to the superior central control unit. Each master control monitors the sensor outputs of the MDOTS from one or more of multiple sensor loops and reports the alarm status of any sensor to the central control unit. The MDOTS sensors each include a signal processor with memory and clock, as well as an occupancy, temperature, and smoke sensor to provide discrete signals indicating occupancy and smoke within the room and the actual room temperature. The signal processor provides periodic samples of each sensor output in real time and stores the real-time samples in memory for retrieval by the main control processor.

In one embodiment therein, communication between a master of the main controller and the MDOTS of a sensor loop is based on a token ring protocol. A one-byte token message is transmitted from the master at intervals of approximately one second to the first MDOTS in each sensor loop. The master addresses the token to the first MDOTS sensor in the sensor loop, which, if no alarm condition is to be reported, changes the address and passes the token to the next sensor in the loop. The process continues, and if none of the sixteen sensors reports an alarm, the token is returned to the master. Each token cycle lasts approximately one hundred milliseconds if no alarm is reported. If an alarm is present, the MDOTS sensor "captures" the token to transmit an "alarm message" to the master. The sensor waits for an acknowledgment (AOK) from the master. Once the AOK is received, the alarmed sensor changes the token address and passes it on to the next sensor in the loop. After the token cycle is complete, the master determines which sensors were in alarm and then issues specific instructions to each sensor via the "Capture Token" method to transmit all relevant alarm data. Upon completion, the master passes the summarized alarm status to the central controller in the next token cycle.

«Raw measured values» are unprocessed measured values that an analog/digital converter converts from a measured converts analog fire characteristic into a digital measured value.

They can therefore also be referred to as raw data.

Fire parameters include, in particular, smoke density, temperature, and the concentration of combustion gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the vicinity of a fire detector. Smoke density is usually detected using an optical photosensor, such as a photodiode. The photosensor is typically arranged in a scattered light arrangement with a light transmitter (LED) and provides a corresponding optical scattered light signal on the output side. Alternatively, the photosensor can be arranged in a transmitted light arrangement with a light transmitter (LED). In this case, the photosensor provides a corresponding optical extinction signal on the output side. Two optical scattered light signals can also be detected, for example in a first wavelength range from 850 nm to 960 nm (infrared) and in a second wavelength range from 380 nm to 490 nm (blue or ultraviolet). Alternatively or additionally, two optical scattered light signals can be detected at different scattering angles, such as a forward and backward scattering angle.

The temperature is typically measured using a temperature sensor, preferably one or more NTC thermistors. The temperature sensor provides a corresponding (analog) temperature signal on the output side.

The concentration of fire gases, particularly carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), is detected by a CO or CO2 sensor and output as a CO or CO2 concentration value or as a CO or CO2 concentration level. CO concentration is typically detected using an electrolytic gas sensor. Alternatively, semiconductor sensors, such as GASFETs, can be used. Fire events are significant signal fluctuations or signal changes that indicate an impending false alarm, a real fire alarm, or even just a condition that deviates slightly from the "normal" state.

The invention further relates to a fire detector, in particular a smoke detector, which comprises at least one fire sensor for recording measured values, in particular raw measured values, of at least one significant fire parameter, a data memory and a (first) control unit connected to these, typically a microcontroller. The control unit is designed to continuously record the measured values of the at least one significant fire parameter. In addition, the fire detector is designed to operate on a common detector line with a fire alarm control panel and is further designed to supply electrical power to the fire detector, to issue a fire alarm in the event of a detected fire and to transmit data to the fire alarm control panel. For data transmission between the fire detector and the fire alarm control panel and between further participants and the fire alarm control panel, (exactly) one data transmission block is provided in each case, which can be released by the fire alarm control panel in a transmission frame, in a circulation cycle with successive transmission frames.

The fire sensor may comprise an optical fire sensor, in particular an optical measuring chamber based on the scattered light principle. Alternatively or additionally, the fire sensor may comprise a temperature sensor, in particular an NTC. Further alternatively or additionally, the fire sensor may comprise a CO and/or CCp gas sensor.

The other participants are in particular manual fire alarms and/or optical alarm devices and/or acoustic alarm devices.

Finally, the invention relates to a suitable fire alarm control panel and a suitable fire alarm system. Such methods and fire detectors are known, for example, from US 2015/084765A1, US 2015/097687 A1, or US 2017/257826 A1. However, the previously known fire detectors are interconnected in a wireless network.

The fire detector disclosed in US 2015/084765A1 and connected to a higher-level home network manager can have an event data recorder in the form of a fire-resistant flight data recorder. Such an event data recorder is designed and/or constructed to survive a fire. For example, the data and/or information stored in the event data recorder can be recovered from the event data recorder even if the fire detector is otherwise destroyed during the fire.

The fire detectors disclosed in US 2015/097687 A1 and US 2017/257826 A1 are connected to a central server or a cloud computing system or to a base unit.

The data transmission rate for transmitting measured values from a wireless fire detector to the server or cloud computing system is generally not a problem in order to evaluate the recorded measured values, for example in the cloud.

In contrast to the wireless fire detectors described above, the data transmission rate in safety-relevant wired fire alarm systems is drastically limited. This is particularly true for fire alarm systems that include a fire alarm control panel with one or more connected detector lines, each with a multitude of fire detectors, manual alarm devices, and optical and/or acoustic alarm devices. In addition, each device connected to the detector line must be supplied with electrical power via the fire alarm control panel.

For safety reasons, such a detector line is usually designed as a so-called detector loop with a series of An isolator is connected to a fire alarm control panel via an intermediate switch. The latter is used to supply power to the participants from the other side and to access data in the event of a fault, such as an open circuit, short circuit, or earth fault. For example, so that 250 participants can be operated on a low-voltage loop with a length of 2,500 m and a line resistance of 75-180 ohms, each participant may only consume < 1 mA of power to provide the detector function and for communication.

In contrast, DSL connections are purely point-to-point connections. For DSL or other broadband technologies, the higher the frequency, the more electrical driver power is required to modulate the transmission signals onto the DSL cable.

For energy and cost reasons, data is transmitted in fire alarm systems of this type in a baseband. The line attenuation, which acts like an RC low-pass filter with a maximum detector line length of 3300 meters, reflections from spur lines and the required functional integrity in the event of line faults on the detector line, limits the possible data or symbol rate. The high number of participants on the detector line, which often have isolating elements looped into the line for short-circuit limitation, causes a large number of impedance changes. The detector line often has to be a cable from a previous fire alarm system in the building with unknown electrical properties. The technical requirement is therefore often that the fire alarm system has to be able to cope with any detector line in the sense of "runs on any wire", i.e. with or without shielding and with or without twisting. Only the wire cross sections of the individual wires in the detector line must be in a range between 0 . 25 - 1 . 5 mm ² . While there are approaches to achieving a more homogeneous line impedance using adaptive termination elements in each device, this leads to unpredictable changes in the topology of the detector line in the event of a line fault, such as an open circuit, a ground fault, or a short circuit. The adaptation time required after such a fault is far too long for the detector line, and thus the fire alarm system, to function reliably and operationally again according to specifications.

In contrast, a DSL connection requires a longer “training phase” to adjust or equalize the line.

For these reasons and the fact that approximately 75% of the available transmission time is required to supply energy to the connected participants, the system only allows a data transmission rate of max. 1000 bit/s for both transmission directions.

Today's wired fire detectors make the entire "fire - no fire" decision based on an algorithm implemented in the fire detector itself.

In almost all fire alarm systems, only the value "fire - no fire" is transmitted to the fire alarm control panel. In some cases—as with the applicant's FS20 fire alarm system—intermediate values in the form of danger levels (DL 0, DL 1, DL 2, and DL 3) are also transmitted.

The reason for this is the previously mentioned, severely limited transmission bandwidth and low data transmission rate. Another reason is that, due to the very low electrical power available for a fire detector, there is not enough computing power available to perform additional computing-intensive evaluations within the required alarm time, in addition to the comparatively power-intensive metrological fire detection. In summary, online data transmission from fire detectors to the fire alarm control panel is not possible, especially for transmitting the measured values from the fire detectors to the fire alarm control panel via multiple channels. This would be desirable in order to be able to conduct a detailed analysis of fire development, particularly to gain more experience with real fire and false alarm situations, with the long-term goal of improving fire detection algorithms.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for transmitting continuously recorded measured values to a wired fire alarm control panel.

The object of the invention is achieved by the independent claims. Advantageous process variants and embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved fire detector of the type mentioned at the outset for operation in a wired fire alarm system.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a suitable fire alarm control panel and a suitable fire alarm system.

According to the invention, the measured values of at least one significant fire parameter continuously recorded by a fire detector are transmitted, in particular in real time, to a fire alarm control panel. The fire alarm control panel is connected to a plurality of participants, such as the fire detectors and, if necessary, to other participants, such as manual call points and/or optical alarm devices and/or acoustic alarm devices, via a common detector line for supplying power to the participants and for data transmission to the participants. The data transmission between a respective participant and the fire alarm control panel takes place in a circulation cycle with successive transmission frames for the subscribers. In each case (exactly) one data transmission block that can be released by the fire alarm control panel in a transmission frame is provided for data transmission from a subscriber to the fire alarm control panel. Furthermore, according to the invention, the measured values continuously recorded by a respective fire detector that is willing to transmit are transmitted to the fire alarm control panel via a plurality N of data transmission blocks released by the fire alarm control panel from other subscribers within a circulation cycle. This occurs when a currently recorded measured value of the at least one fire parameter exceeds a respectively predetermined first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event or when a transmission command is signaled to the respective fire detector by the fire alarm control panel.

The basic aim of the present invention is to record measured values or raw measured values from a fire detector and, in the event of a detected possible fire event, to then advantageously send these directly to a communications terminal, such as a smartphone or tablet, for an initial assessment and/or to advantageously transmit them to a database, e.g. the fire alarm control panel or to a cloud infrastructure connected to the fire alarm control panel and save them there until the fire detector is ultimately destroyed by the fire or the detector line is destroyed by, for example, collapsing parts of the building. This advantageously makes the entire development of a fire process available for later analysis.

If the database is stored in a so-called "cloud", for example, the computing power available there and the complex analysis tools based on "artificial intelligence" and "deep learning" make it possible to obtain detailed information on the origin and development of fires, as well as on the differentiation of disturbances such as dust and water vapor. This information can, in turn, be used advantageously for Improvement of fire detection algorithms in on-site fire detectors.

The duration of a transmission cycle depends essentially on the number of fire detectors operated on a detector line, as well as any additional manual alarm devices and visual and acoustic alarm devices. In the fire alarm system used by the applicant, the duration of a transmission frame is 250 ms. If, for example, 200 of the aforementioned detectors and alarm devices are operated on a common detector line, the duration of a transmission cycle is 200 x 250 ms = 50 seconds.

The term "the data transmission block that can be released by the fire alarm control panel in a transmission frame" means that, in response to a specific request from a particular fire detector, a connected fire alarm control panel is requested to provide transmission time for a data transmission block in this or one of the subsequent transmission frames - if possible - i.e., provided that the requested transmission time is not currently required by other, more important transmission services in the fire alarm system. A specific request from a particular fire detector can, for example, be a complete recording of an event data record by this fire detector.

By "in real time" we mean that the transmission of the measured values from the fire detector willing to transmit to the fire alarm control panel is delayed at most by the time duration of a few transmission frames of 250 ms. Assuming that data transmission takes place in every fourth data transmission frame, the maximum delay here is 1000 ms, i.e. 1 second. The further data transmission from the fire alarm control panel to a mobile communication device or via the detour via the cloud infrastructure using today's fast mobile radio connections can be neglected. In total, the maximum time delay "overall" can be estimated at 10 seconds, in particular 5 seconds and preferably 2 seconds. However, this is negligible in view of fires that typically develop slowly and last for tens of minutes.

As described at the beginning, the fire parameters are in particular the smoke density, the temperature and the concentration of fire gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the vicinity of a fire detector. The measured values for a smoke density to be recorded typically have a bit width in the range from 10 bits to 16 bits. In the case of 16-bit resolution, a recorded measured value therefore covers a value range of 2 to the power of 16 = 65536. A measured value can therefore assume numerical values from 0 to 65535 «counts» as the output value of an A/D converter. The sampling rate for recording a measured value from an optical scattered light signal originating from a photosensor is preferably in the range from 1 Hz to 4 Hz.

The measured values for a temperature to be recorded in the vicinity of a fire detector typically have a bit width in the range of 8 bits to 14 bits. With a 14-bit resolution, a recorded measured value covers a value range of 2 to the power of 14 = 16384. A measured value can therefore assume numerical values from 0 to 16383 counts. The sampling rate for recording a measured value from an analog temperature signal originating from an NTC as a temperature sensor is preferably in the range of 0.1 Hz to 1 Hz.

The measured value for a concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) to be detected typically has a bit width in the range of 8 bits to 10 bits. The sampling rate for recording a measured value from a CO concentration originating from a CO gas sensor is preferably in the range of 0.5 Hz to 2 Hz.

For example, if two optical scattered light signals with 14 bit resolution and one temperature signal with 10 bit resolution and a CO measurement signal with 10 bit resolution is recorded in a fire detector with a sampling rate of 1 Hz, the average data transmission rate for storing the corresponding digital measured values is = 2 x 14 bits + 10 bits + 10 bits = 48 bits per second = 48 bits/s. In the fire alarm systems used by the applicant, the duration of a transmission frame is 250 ms. If, for example, 200 fire detectors or other alarm devices are operated on a common detector line, the duration of a circulation cycle is 200 x 250 ms = 50 seconds. This means that a fire detector only has one data transmission block allocated to it every 50 seconds for data transmission between the fire detector and the fire alarm control panel, provided that such a data transmission block can be released by the fire alarm control panel due to other possibly prioritized data traffic. If such a data transmission block, for example, represents a fire detector with a data transmission time of 10 seconds, the average data transmission rate for storing the corresponding digital measured values is = 2 x 14 bits + 10 bits + 10 bits = 48 bits per second = 48 bits/s. If 32 bits are available for every 50 seconds, this corresponds to an average data transfer rate of 32 bits -e 50 seconds = 0. 64 bits/s.

A real-time transmission of the recorded, here exemplary four-channel measured values from a fire detector to the fire alarm control panel would therefore not be possible without the present invention. This is achieved through the inventive use of data transmission blocks from other, i.e., non-transmitting participants on the detector line.

In principle, it can be assumed that when a fire starts, initially only one fire detector in a detector line near the source of the fire will want to "transmit" because a current measured value of a fire parameter recorded there exceeds a predetermined first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event. This can, for example, be the exceeding of a first limit value for the optical smoke density signal. In this case, the measured values continuously recorded by the fire detector now ready to transmit are transmitted over a plurality N of released data transmission blocks that are otherwise assigned to other participants.

Preferably, the number N for a fire detector is limited, for example, to a value of 5 to 20 or to a value rounded to the nearest integer corresponding to a maximum of one-quarter or one-fifth of the number of all participants in the detector line. In this way, to avoid overloading the data transmission via the detector line, several fire detectors, but not all fire detectors willing to transmit, can transmit the recorded measured values to the fire alarm control panel, as is the case with a spreading fire.

In principle, the fire alarm control panel only releases as many data transmission blocks from other participants for data transmission to the fire detector that is ready to transmit as absolutely necessary. The fire alarm control panel preferably releases the data transmission blocks from other participants in such a way that they are distributed as evenly as possible in a circular cycle, for example, every four or five transmission frames. This results in more even data transmission, while measured values accumulating in the fire detector that is ready to transmit are then temporarily stored in the fire detector for a few transmission frames.

According to one variant of the process, the measured values are continuously recorded by the respective fire detector and stored in a circulating memory organized in the data memory of the respective fire detector. The measured values stored in the circulating memory are saved as historical measured values, i.e. as historical or past measured values, in the data memory of the respective fire detector. This occurs when at least one measured value of the at least one fire parameter exceeds the respectively specified first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event. The measured values of the at least one fire parameter are continuously recorded by the respective fire detector and in real time transmitted to the fire alarm control panel together with the historical measured values.

The memory for storing the measured values can be an internal read-only memory, such as a FRAM or EEPROM. For larger data volumes, the memory can also be a hard disk drive or a flash EPROM.

The measured values stored in the circulating memory remain temporarily stored as a temporally leading measured value portion in the data memory of the respective fire detector if at least one measured value of the at least one fire parameter exceeds a predetermined first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event. In addition, the measured values of the at least one fire parameter continue to be recorded and stored continuously by the respective fire detector, in particular continuously and seamlessly.

This has the great advantage that the past of a possible fire event is also available as a kind of history, so to speak, if at least one measured value of at least one fire parameter exceeds a predetermined first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event. The circulating memory can be designed in such a way that the recorded measured values for a past period of time in the range of 30 seconds to 15 minutes can be stored there. The oldest measured values are then overwritten by the most recently recorded measured values.

In another embodiment, the duration of a time window is adjustable. It is possible to specify different observation periods for the measured values recorded on the input and output sides.

The measurement recording periods can be set so that the actual triggering event is, for example, located in the middle of a viewing period or measurement window, so that the immediate past past and the continuation of the possible event can be documented.

Preferably, only a limited selection of the above-mentioned measurement recording periods is available, corresponding to one detector type from a large number of different detector types.

The history of a possible event can be saved in such a way that when it is detected, the circulating memory is stopped, further measured values are recorded for a set lag time and the measured values are written directly to the memory. The measured values already stored in the circulating memory before the triggering event are then "saved" in the memory. An electronic control unit organizes the storage of the measured values in such a way that the measured values recorded in the temporal vicinity of the triggering event, i.e. the measured values recorded with a lead time and a lag time to the event, can be reconstructed in their chronological sequence. The lead time and lag time together make up the duration of a measuring window. By appropriate selection, the ratio of lead time to lag time as well as the total duration of the measuring window and the sampling rates for a parameter to be monitored can be set.

According to another variant of the method, a priority block is provided for the majority of transmission frames, preferably in each transmission frame. A transmission request from a fire detector willing to transmit is signaled to the fire alarm control panel in a priority block of a current or, if possible, a directly following transmission frame. "Predominant number" refers to a proportion of more than 90% of the total number of transmission frames.

In particular, according to one variant of the method, a control block is also provided in the majority of transmission frames, preferably in each transmission frame. After the respective fire detector willing to transmit signals a transmission request, the fire alarm control panel signals a data transmission release to the respective fire detector willing to transmit in the control block of the current transmission frame or, if possible, a directly following transmission frame. The data transmission release indicates the released data transmission frames of the other participants within a circulation cycle. Here, the term "predominant number" also refers to a share of more than 90% of the total number of transmission frames.

The data transmission release can also contain information that no transmission can currently be released because, for example, all data transmission blocks are occupied or because a currently priority process must first be "processed" by the fire alarm control panel.

According to a further variant of the method, after receiving the data transmission release from the respective fire detector willing to transmit, a detector type and/or a detector ID are transmitted in advance, if applicable, and then the measured values continuously recorded by the respective fire detector, if applicable together with the historical measured values temporarily stored in the respective fire detector, are transmitted to the fire alarm control panel, preferably via the data transmission block assigned to the respective fire detector and via the released data transmission blocks of the other participants.

In addition to specifying the measurement acquisition periods described above, a detector type can encode further information on the number of recorded measurement data streams or measurement channels, their metrological resolution, and the sampling rate of a particular fire parameter. The respective possible encodings are stored in the fire alarm control panel.

According to another variant of the procedure, a minimal

Number M of data transfer blocks per round trip cycle for a respective fire detector willing to transmit is released by the fire alarm control panel in such a way that an average data acquisition rate DRM for the measured values and, if applicable, for the historical measured values by the respective fire detector willing to transmit is lower than a required average data transmission rate DRZ between the respective fire detector willing to transmit and the fire alarm control panel.

A data underflow on the part of the measured value acquisition can be indicated, for example, by the transmission of a specific measured value content, such as a zero value or a maximum value, in the sense of "currently no measured value available" or "please wait".

According to a further variant of the method, the maximum data transmission rate DRZ is 10 kbit/s, in particular 2 kbit/s, preferably 1 kbit/s. A data transmission block comprises a data volume in a range from 8 bits to 96 bits.

This comparatively low data transmission rate is, as described above, due to the uncertain condition of the installed electrical detector cable, with the large number of detectors and alarm devices that can be connected to it, and the lowest possible electrical power supply. The data transmission rate mentioned is, in particular, a net data transmission rate. Frequently, up to 75% of the available transmission time is used (exclusively) for energy transmission for the electrical supply of the connected fire detectors and alarm devices.

According to a further method variant, the measured values of at least one fire characteristic are recorded with a higher sampling rate and stored in the data memory of the respective fire detector when one of the respective predefined first limit values has been exceeded. This advantageously allows a possibly impending fire event to be recorded with a higher temporal resolution and later be analyzed in more detail. In this case, a fire detector willing to transmit can request additional data transmission blocks from the fire alarm control panel by means of an extended transmission request in the current priority block.

According to a further variant of the method, the continuous transmission of the measured values by the respective fire detector is terminated when an alarm, in particular a fire alarm, or an alarm level is generated by the respective fire detector. This occurs when a respectively predefined second limit value is exceeded which is greater than the assigned respective first limit value, or when the respective predefined first limit value is again undershot. The continuous transmission of the measured values can also be terminated by the respective fire detector when the respective fire detector receives a stop command assigned to it from the fire alarm control panel, in particular in the control block of the current transmission frame. In particular, the end of transmission is then signaled by the respective fire detector to the fire alarm control panel by an end signal, preferably in the priority block of the current transmission frame or, if possible, in a transmission frame which follows directly afterwards.

The end signal can also be the absence of measured values to be transmitted or expected or the reception of one or more measured values with a specific measured value content, such as a zero value or a maximum value, in the sense of "no measured value available".

According to one variant of the process, the measured values and any historical measured values transmitted are reduced in their data volume using a loss-free or a slightly lossy data reduction process.

By «minor» we mean that a data-reduced

The measured value changes by a maximum of 5 percent, in particular by a maximum of 3 percent, from the amount of an actual measured value.

In the case of lossless data reduction methods, entropy coding is preferably used, such as entropy coding using a Huffman code or arithmetic coding. In the case of lossy data reduction methods, a reduction in resolution when recording one of the fire parameters is possible. In this case, the number of bits for representing a measured value is reduced, for example from 12 bits to 10 bits or from 10 bits to 8 bits. Alternatively or additionally, the sampling rate can be reduced when recording one of the fire parameters, for example from 2 Hz to 1 Hz, from 1 Hz to 0.5 Hz or from 1 Hz to 0.1 Hz.

According to a further variant of the method, the measured values transmitted by the respective fire detectors to the fire alarm control panel, in particular in real time, as well as any historical measured values transmitted with them, are transmitted from the fire alarm control panel to a cloud infrastructure that is data-technically linked to the fire alarm control panel and stored in a database of the cloud infrastructure. Alternatively or additionally, the measured values transmitted to the cloud infrastructure, as well as any historical measured values transmitted with it, can be forwarded to a communications terminal that has a data connection to the cloud infrastructure or is accessible. This is particularly useful for the visual output of the measured values, which are preferably transmitted in real time, as well as any historical measured values transmitted with it, on a display of the communications terminal.

Alternatively, according to a further variant of the procedure, the measured values transmitted from the respective fire detectors to the fire alarm control panel, preferably in real time, and if necessary the historical measured values transmitted along with them, as well as at least one central-side additional information, are transmitted from the fire alarm control panel to the cloud infrastructure transmitted and stored in a database of the cloud infrastructure. Alternatively or additionally, the measured values transmitted to the cloud infrastructure, any historical measured values transmitted with it, and the at least one piece of additional information from the central station can be forwarded to a communication terminal that has a data connection to the cloud infrastructure or is accessible. This allows the visual output of the measured values, preferably transmitted in real time, and any historical measured values transmitted with it, together with the at least one piece of additional information from the central station, on a display of the communication terminal.

The at least one piece of additional information from the central station is temporally assigned to the transmitted measured values and the historical measured values. It includes, in particular, a system time of the fire alarm control panel and/or a fire alarm recorded by the central station and/or an alarm level recorded by the central station and/or a manual fire alarm and/or a user input regarding the presence of an actual fire or a false alarm.

The system time can come from a real-time clock in the fire alarm control panel. Alternatively, it can come from a real-time clock accessible via data transmission. The latter can, for example, be synchronized with an atomic clock via an active Internet connection.

Of particular interest here is when the fire alarm control panel receives additional fire alarms at approximately the same time from fire detectors or manual call points in close proximity to one another via the detector line, at a time coincident with a received event data record from a fire detector, particularly by evaluating its recording time (start time). It can then be assumed with greater probability that this is an actual fire alarm and not a false alarm. If the presence of an actual fire or a false alarm has been manually acknowledged at the fire alarm control panel, this user input is particularly meaningful and valuable as additional information for the control panel during a later analysis.

“Time coincidence” means that the fire alarms issued in relation to a fire event by a fire detector and by other fire detectors and manually triggered manual call points adjacent to the fire location that triggered the fire took place within a period of 10 minutes, in particular 5 minutes, preferably 3 minutes.

The communication terminal described above is, for example, a mobile communication terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a notebook. The communication terminal can also be a personal computer, e.g., a control center or a so-called management station.

According to a further variant of the method, the measured values assigned to the respective fire detectors, if applicable the historical measured values and if applicable the at least one central-side additional information are stored by means of a cloud service application in the database of the cloud infrastructure as an event data record in the sense of a recorded file for further possible, if applicable for partially automated, evaluation of the event data records by a user for the presence of an actual fire.

This allows the event data records stored there to be further processed using cloud-based, complex, and computationally intensive analysis tools, independent of the actual monitoring function of the fire alarm control panel. For this purpose, the fire alarm control panel can be connected to the cloud infrastructure via a wired (e.g., LAN) or wireless internet interface (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G, WLAN). An event data record is, in particular, a container file which, as a data structure, includes several “records” of measured values in the sense of a measured value data stream.

These enclosed recordings of measured values are preferably limited to specified formats. The multi-channel recordings together form a logical whole, summarized in a "container." Such a container file, which has the file extension .REC, for example, can later be advantageously processed for data analysis in a computer system, such as one based on a Linux, Windows, or iOS operating system.

In particular, the event data records include header data as the first data fields or start fields. The header data can include file organization data and/or a detector ID and/or a recording time. Alternatively or additionally, the header data can include a recording format or a detector type as data fields. The header data can further alternatively or additionally include additional detector-related information regarding a detector event as a data field. A detector event can be an alarm level generated independently by the respective fire detector, a fire alarm, or a pre-alarm.

The header data can also be referred to as a "header," which structures the recorded measured values and historical measured values to be transmitted in a respective event data record. The file organization data can include the storage capacity or file size of an event data record. Furthermore, the file organization data can include a table in the form of a "FAT" (File Allocation Table).

The header data can also include detector identification, such as a so-called detector ID, a current bus address, or a fire detector serial number. This allows a generated event data record to be unambiguously assigned to a fire detector on the detector line later. The recording time can, for example, include the start time in the sense of a timestamp, the end time and/or the duration of an event data record. The start time can, for example, come from a real-time clock integrated in the fire detector and includes in particular the date and the current time when the data transmission of the measured values to the fire alarm control panel starts. The start time can alternatively be determined from a real time, preferably transmitted regularly from the fire alarm control panel via the detector line, which synchronizes an internal detector clock, e.g. in the form of a counter. The start time can alternatively also be a time relative to a reference time. The reference time can, for example, relate to a specified date and time, such as 01/01/2023 / 00:00 or to the date and time when a fire detector was put into operation.

The recording format can, for example, contain a number of recorded measured value data streams, such as 3 in the case of recorded smoke density, temperature, and CO concentration. The recording format can further include the sampling rate and/or the measured value range of the respective recorded measured value data streams. Alternatively or additionally, the recording format with the respective recording parameters, such as the number of measured value data streams, sampling rate, etc., can already be assigned to a detector type, on the basis of which the receiving fire alarm control panel can then save the respective measured value data stream and/or forward it to a communications terminal.

Alternatively or additionally, the header data of an event data record can also include additional detector-related information about a detector event. Such a detector event can, for example, be an alarm level generated independently by the fire detector, such as a fire alarm or a so-called pre-alarm.

By enriching a recorded event data record with its recording time (date and time), with the detector identification or bus address of the fire detector as well as With the presence of a fire alarm or pre-alarm detected by the fire detector, it is advantageous to later carry out a more precise analysis as to whether it was an actual fire or fire alarm or a false alarm, in temporal coincidence with any further event data records received from other fire detectors.

“Time coincidence” means that the fire alarms issued in relation to a fire event by a fire detector and by other fire detectors and manually triggered manual call points adjacent to the fire location that triggered the fire took place within a period of 10 minutes, in particular 5 minutes, preferably 3 minutes.

To avoid repetition, reference is made to the explanations and additions in the respective previous corresponding process variants for the fire detector described below and the respective subsequent embodiments of the fire detector. The disclosure content of these also applies to the disclosure content of the following fire detector and its embodiments.

The object of the invention is further achieved with a fire detector. According to the invention, the (first) control unit is set up to request a number A of data transmission blocks per transmission frame for data transmission from the fire alarm control center and to then transmit the continuously recorded measured values to the fire alarm control center via a plurality N of data transmission blocks released by the fire alarm control center. This occurs if a currently recorded measured value of the at least one fire parameter exceeds a respectively predetermined first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event, or if a transmission command is signaled to the fire detector by the fire alarm control center. Typically, the number A of requested data frames corresponds to the number N of data frames released by the fire control panel.

The (electronic) control unit is preferably a microcontroller, which is usually present or required for the entire control of a fire detector "anyway". The microcontroller can also have one or more integrated A/D converters for the metrological recording of the previously described fire parameters such as smoke density, temperature or CO or CO2 concentration. It can also have analog and/or digital input and output units (I/O) as well as communication interfaces for issuing a fire alarm. The first and second limit values for the respective fire parameter can be stored in a non-volatile memory (EPROM) of the microcontroller. In addition, control units such as for the light transmitters (LEDs) and/or electronic components for the signal conditioning or signal processing of the previously mentioned fire parameters can already be integrated in the microcontroller.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the fire detector comprises a circulating memory organized in the data memory. The control unit is configured to temporarily store the continuously recorded measured values in the circulating memory. Furthermore, the control unit is configured to save the temporarily stored measured values as historical measured values, preferably in the data memory, if at least one respective measured value of the at least one fire parameter exceeds the respectively predetermined first limit value as an indication of a possible fire event. The control unit is configured to transmit the continuously recorded measured values of the at least one fire parameter in real time together with the historical measured values to the fire alarm control panel.

According to one embodiment, in the majority of transmission frames, preferably in each A priority block is provided for each transmission frame. The control unit of the fire detector is configured to transmit a transmission request to the fire alarm control panel for signaling a desired data transmission in the priority block of a current transmission frame or, if possible, a directly following transmission frame, in particular in a time slot of the priority block. The term "predominant number" refers to a proportion of more than 90% of the total number of transmission frames.

According to a further embodiment of the fire detector, a control block is provided for the majority of transmission frames, preferably in each transmission frame. The control unit is configured to start data transmission to the fire alarm control panel in released data transmission blocks after receiving a data transmission release in the control block, wherein the data transmission release specifies the released data transmission blocks of the other participants within a circulation cycle, such as the respective numbers of the transmission frames with the respective released data transmission block. The term "majority number" means a proportion of more than 90% of the total number of transmission frames.

In particular, according to a further embodiment, the control unit is configured to transmit continuously recorded measured values, possibly together with buffered historical measured values, distributed over the released data transmission blocks of the other participants to the fire alarm control panel after receiving the data transmission release. In particular, the continuously recorded measured values, possibly together with the buffered historical measured values, are also transmitted to the fire alarm control panel via the fire detector's assigned "own" data transmission block. Preferably, a detector type and/or the detector ID is transmitted to the Fire alarm control panel. In particular, a data transmission block comprises a data volume in a range from 8 bits to 96 bits, i.e. from 1 byte to 16 bytes.

According to a further embodiment, the control unit of the fire detector is set up to terminate the continuous transmission of the measured values and, if applicable, the temporarily stored historical values, if a fire alarm or an alarm level is detected by the control unit. The transmission is also terminated by the control unit if a respectively predefined second limit value is exceeded which is greater than the respectively assigned first limit value. Furthermore, the transmission is terminated by the control unit if the respectively predefined first limit value is again undershot. Finally, the transmission is also terminated by the control unit if a stop command is received, in particular in the control block of the current transmission frame.

If a second predefined limit is exceeded, it can be assumed that a fire has actually occurred. Recorded fire parameters with such high values will then no longer provide any significant additional information for subsequent analysis.

According to one embodiment, the control unit is then set up to signal the end of the data transmission of the fire alarm control panel by means of an end signal, preferably in the priority block of the current transmission frame or of a transmission frame which follows as directly as possible.

The end signal can also be the absence of measured values to be transmitted or expected or the reception of one or more measured values with a specific measured value content, such as a zero value or a maximum value, in the sense of "no measured value available". According to a further embodiment, the control unit is configured to record the measured values of the at least one fire characteristic after one of the respectively predetermined first limit values has been exceeded at a higher, in particular double or quadruple, sampling rate.

This makes it possible to advantageously record a potentially impending fire event with a higher temporal resolution and later analyze it in more detail.

According to a further embodiment, the control unit of the fire detector is designed to reduce the data volume of the recorded measured values of the at least one fire parameter by means of a computer program executed on the control unit for carrying out a loss-free or a slightly lossy data reduction process.

The object of the invention is further achieved by a fire alarm control panel having the features of the associated device claim. Advantageous embodiments of the fire alarm control panel are specified in the dependent claims.

The fire alarm control panel is designed for operation on a common detector line with a plurality of fire detectors according to the invention and, if necessary, additional devices such as manual fire alarms and/or optical alarm devices and/or acoustic alarm devices.

The fire alarm control panel comprises a (second) control unit which is designed to combine the current measured values received from the respective fire detectors according to the invention in several time-distributed data transmission blocks, if necessary together with the historical values temporarily stored in the fire detectors, into a respective measured value data stream in the sense of a streaming and to transmit the respective measured value data stream, if necessary with at least one central-side additional information, to a cloud infrastructure which is connected to the fire alarm control panel for data purposes. structure. This is done in order to store the respective measured value data stream, if necessary with the at least one central-side additional information, in a database of the cloud infrastructure and/or to forward the respective measured value data stream, if necessary with the at least one central-side additional information, to a communication terminal that is connected to or can be reached by a data connection with the cloud infrastructure for the visual output of the transmitted measured values, the historical measured values that may have been transmitted, and if necessary the at least one central-side additional information, on a display of the communication terminal.

Such a fire alarm control panel can also be referred to as a control center or a panel. The control unit of the fire alarm control panel is preferably an electronic processor-based control unit running a suitable software program.

Alternatively, the fire alarm control panel can be implemented almost entirely in the cloud. In this case, the fire alarm control panel's hardware is reduced to a so-called internet-capable "edge device" or "cloud gateway," which serves solely as an input and output unit for the connected detector line. All other processing, evaluation, and alarm steps are then performed by an appropriately programmed cloud service application running in the cloud infrastructure.

The communication terminal described above is, for example, a mobile communication terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a notebook. The communication terminal can also be a personal computer, e.g., a control center or a so-called management station.

To avoid repetition, the explanations and additions in the respective previous Reference is made to the corresponding process variants and to the device claims directed to a fire detector, to which the fire alarm control panel in question refers. The disclosure content of these also applies to the disclosure content of the preceding embodiments.

According to one embodiment, additional information from the central station comprises a system time of the fire alarm control panel and/or a fire alarm recorded by the central station and/or an alarm level recorded by the central station and/or a manual fire alarm and/or a user input regarding the presence of an actual fire or a false alarm.

Finally, the object of the invention is achieved by a fire alarm system which comprises at least one detector line connected to the fire alarm control panel, each with a plurality of fire detectors according to the invention connected thereto, as well as with manual fire call points and/or optical and/or acoustic alarm devices optionally connected thereto.

The fire alarm system can have a detector line, typically designed as a two-wire line. Such a detector line can be several hundred meters to a few kilometers long, for example in a range of 100 m to 3300 m, in particular in a range of 300 m to 500 m. Furthermore, such a detector line can have several spur lines. In total, up to 250 fire detectors, as well as optical and acoustic alarm devices and manual call points, can be connected along such a detector line.

The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more readily understood in connection with the following description of the embodiments, which are explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings. In this case, a schematic representation shows: FIG 1 - 3 exemplary curves of various fire parameters in the event of a fire,

FIG 4 shows an example of distributed transmission of raw measured values from fire detectors to a higher-level fire alarm control panel and further to a mobile communication terminal according to the invention,

FIG 5 another example of distributed transmission

Raw measured values from fire detectors to a higher-level fire alarm control center and further to a cloud infrastructure for storage there as event data records according to the invention,

FIG 6 shows an exemplary data telegram of a circulation cycle with successive transmission frames and with one data transmission block each,

FIG 7 shows an exemplary data structure of a measured value data stream with measured values according to the invention,

FIG 8 shows an exemplary alternative data structure of a measured value data stream with measured values and historical measured values according to the invention,

FIG 9 shows an exemplary data structure of an event data record in the sense of a recorded file of a transmitted measured value data stream according to the invention, and

FIG 10 shows an exemplary data structure of an event data record of a transmitted measured value data stream according to the invention, which is extended by central-side information.

FIG 1 shows an example of the course of various fire parameters OPT , TEMP, CO, i.e. a smoke density OPT , a temperature TEMP and a CO concentration, for a occurring fire event. The corresponding measured values MO, MT, MCO are plotted against time t in the form of «counts».

OG, TG, CG denote first limit values and OG2, TG2 and CG2 denote second limit values of the measured values MO, MT, MCO. It can be seen how the smoke density ORT, the temperature TEMP and the CO concentration CO increase over time. At time t1, one of the fire parameters, in this case the smoke density OPT, is the first to exceed its respective first limit value OG. From this time t1 onwards, according to the invention, the associated measured values MO, MT, MCO are transmitted to the fire alarm control panel, here for all three “measuring channels” shown as an example. At times t1 and t2, the temperature TEMP and the CO concentration CO exceed their respective first limit values TG, CG with, for example, the same count value. At time t2, furthermore, according to the invention, the transmission of measured values MO, MT, MCO to the fire alarm control panel is terminated after a predetermined time period T has elapsed.

FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary curve of a smoke density OPT, a temperature TEMP, and a CO concentration CO during a fire event. In this case, according to the invention, the transmission of measured values MO, MT, MCO to the fire alarm control panel is terminated after a second limit value OG2 is exceeded by a measured value MO at time t2.

FIG 3 shows a further exemplary profile of a smoke density OPT, a temperature TEMP and a CO concentration CO during a fire event. In this case, the associated measured values MO, MT, MCO are continuously recorded in a circulating memory with a circulation time UZ. At time t1, one of the fire parameters, here again the smoke density OPT, is the first to exceed its respective first limit value OG. According to the invention, the measured values MO, MT, MCO already recorded in the circulating memory are temporarily stored and thus saved, and the associated measured values MO, MT, MCO are continuously recorded seamlessly, i.e. without interruption. At time t2, according to the Invention the transmission of the measured values MOP, MT, MCO is terminated after a time period T after receipt of a fire alarm DL3 detected by the fire detector.

FIG 4 shows an example of distributed transmitted raw measured values RAW from fire detectors 2 to a higher-level fire alarm control center 1 and further to a mobile communication terminal MOB according to the invention.

By way of example, a plurality of fire detectors 2 according to the invention, an alarm device 4 and a manual fire call point 3 are connected to a common detector line ML at the fire alarm control panel 1. The fire detectors 2 shown each have a fire sensor BS with, for example, an optical measuring chamber, a temperature sensor or a CO sensor. The measured values RAW recorded according to the invention, in particular the raw measured values, can be temporarily stored in a respective data memory DS of a fire detector 2. In particular, the fire detectors 2 shown comprise a circulating memory organized in the respective data memory DS in order to temporarily store the continuously recorded measured values RAW in the circulating memory as historical measured values HIST and to then transmit these together with the currently recorded measured values RAW to the fire alarm control panel 1. In addition, the fire alarm control panel 1 is set up to receive preferably addressed fire alarms AL, pre-alarms DL or manual fire alarms MCP arriving from the detector line ML.

In addition, a control unit SE of the fire alarm control panel 1 is configured according to the invention to combine the current measured values RAW received from the respective fire detectors 2 in several time-distributed data transmission blocks DAT, if necessary together with the historical values HIST temporarily stored in the fire detectors 2, into a respective measured value data stream in the sense of a streaming. The control unit SE of the fire alarm control panel 1 is further configured to then transmit the respective measured value data stream together with a central-side additional information ZI to a to be transmitted to the cloud infrastructure CLOUD which is data-technically connected to the fire alarm control panel 1. In the present example, the additional information ZI on the control panel side can include a fire alarm ZAL recorded on the control panel side, for example from another detector line, a manually triggered fire alarm MCP, a respective system time ZTIME of the fire alarm control panel 1 at which such a fire alarm ZAL recorded on the control panel side occurred. The additional information ZI on the control panel side can also be a user input Y/N made at the fire alarm control panel 1, which can be entered by a user on site using, for example, two acknowledgment buttons NO, YES on the fire alarm control panel 1. It can be assumed that in the event of a false alarm, a user has pressed the acknowledgment button NO for "false alarm". Conversely, it can be assumed that in the event of an actual fire alarm, a user has pressed the acknowledgment button YES for "actual fire". PRG describes a software program that is executed by the control unit SE, typically by a microprocessor of the fire alarm control panel 1 as a processor-supported control unit.

In the left part of FIG 4, a cloud infrastructure CLOUD is symbolized by a cloud. This comprises, for example, a memory MEM or cloud storage and a cloud application CSA connected to the memory MEM. The cloud application CSA is intended to receive the respective measured value data streams streamed from the fire alarm control panel 1 via an IP communication connection IP1, IP and to store them in the cloud storage MEM. Alternatively or additionally, the cloud application CSA can be programmed to output the respective measured value data streams to a communication terminal MOB connected to the cloud infrastructure CLOUD via a second data connection IP2, IP, here via a mobile radio connection, in this case to a smartphone. The visual output of the transmitted measured values RAW and the transmitted historical measured values HIST together with the previously described control panel-side Additional information ZI is provided on a display or touchscreen HMI of the smartphone MOB.

Alternatively, the control unit SE of the fire alarm control panel 1 can be programmed to output the respective combined measured value data streams to a communication terminal MOB connected to a third data connection IP3, IP—here via another mobile radio connection—in this case, for example, to a smartphone. In this case, the fire alarm control panel 1 is a radio-based fire alarm control panel 1.

In the present example, the temporal progression of the exemplary fire parameters according to FIG 1 is in the sense of "live monitoring" or "online monitoring" together with an alarm or fire alarm as additional information recorded by the control center. The vertical, dashed line shows the time at which a fire alarm was triggered, recorded by the fire alarm control center 1. The measured values of the three exemplary fire parameters plotted to the left are historical measured values and the measured values plotted to the right are currently available measured values from the relevant fire detector 2. APP refers to an application that is loaded onto the communication terminal MOB and is executed by a microprocessor of the communication terminal MOB. The APP application comprises program steps to establish and operate a data connection IP2, IP3 with the cloud infrastructure CLOUD or the radio-supported fire alarm control panel 1, as well as to receive the measured values RAW, historical measured values HIST and additional information from the control panel ZI, AL sent by the cloud infrastructure CLOUD or the radio-supported fire alarm control panel 1 and to output them as respective measured value data streams on the HMI display.

S IG refers to the signaling of an event that is previously transmitted from the cloud application CSA or from the radio-based fire alarm control panel 1 to the communication terminal MOB in order to inform the user of the communication terminal MOB to signal that a significant event has occurred in the fire alarm system for the user to assess. The signaling can also be provided by an acoustic signal to the user of the communication terminal. This enables a user to carry out more detailed analyses of the received measured values and historical measured values based on deep learning or artificial intelligence methods, at least partially automatically, in order to obtain improved information about the occurrence of an actual fire or a false alarm. Alternatively or additionally, the communication terminal MOB can be set up to request an online transmission of measured values RAW from a selectable fire detector 2 on the detector line ML via the cloud infrastructure CLOUD and further via the fire alarm control panel 1 or directly via a radio-supported fire alarm control panel 1 by pressing a SEND button implemented as a BUT softkey on the touchscreen HMI.

FIG 5 shows a further example of distributed transmission of raw measured values RAW from fire detectors 2 to a higher-level fire alarm control panel 1 and further to a cloud infrastructure CLOUD for storage there as event data records REC, REC+ according to the invention.

In comparison to the previous FIG 4, the measured values RAW and historical measured values HIST transmitted from the fire alarm control panel 1 to the cloud infrastructure CLOUD in the form of measured value data streams are stored together with a header HEADER as event data records REC in a database DB of the cloud infrastructure CLOUD (see the following FIG 9). The data implementation is carried out by an appropriately programmed cloud service application CSA. The header data HEADER or . Header include as data fields file organization data FILE and/or a detector identification ID and/or a recording time TIME . Alternatively or additionally, the header data HEADER can include as data fields a recording format AF or a detector type TYPE . The Header data (HEADER) is also intended to structure the measured values (M RAW) and historical measured values (HIST) stored in a respective event data record (REC). The file organization data can include the storage capacity or the file size of an event data record (REC). Furthermore, the file organization data can include a table in the form of a "FAT" (File Allocation Table).

The header data HEADER can alternatively or additionally comprise additional detector-side information Z I relating to a detector event as a data field (see FIG 10). A detector event can be an alarm level DL generated independently by the respective fire detector, a fire alarm AL, a pre-alarm, a fire alarm MCP issued by a manual fire detector, or a user-side input Y/N as to whether a fire alarm is present or merely a false alarm. In this case, such an event data record is an extended event data record REC+.

The header data can also include a detector identifier, such as a so-called detector ID, a current bus address, or a serial number of the fire detector. This allows a recorded event data record REC or extended event data record REC to be uniquely assigned to a fire detector 2 on the detector line ML.

The recording time TIME can, for example, comprise the start time in the sense of a time stamp, the end time and/or the duration of an event data record REC, REC+. The start time can, for example, originate from a real-time clock integrated in the fire detector 2 and includes in particular the date and the current time of a recorded event data record REC, REC+. The start time can alternatively be determined from a real time, preferably regularly transmitted from the fire alarm control panel 1 via the detector line ML, which synchronizes a detector-internal clock, for example in the form of a counter. The start time can alternatively also be a relative time to a Reference time. The reference time can, for example, be related to a specified date and time, such as 01/01/2020 / 00:00, or to the date and time of commissioning of a fire detector 2.

The recording format AF can, for example, contain a number of recorded measured value data streams, such as the number 3 in the case of recorded smoke density, temperature, and CO concentration. The recording format AF can further include the sampling rate and/or the measured value range of the respective recorded measured value data streams. Alternatively or additionally, the recording format AF can already be assigned to a detector type with the respective recording parameters, such as the number of measured value data streams, sampling rate, etc.

The particular advantage of this is that each event data record REC, REC+ stored in the database DB of the cloud infrastructure CLOUD can later be further processed for data analysis in a computer system, such as one based on a Linux, Windows, or iOS operating system. Such a file can, for example, have the file extension .REC. However, the event data records REC, REC+ can also be transmitted to a mobile communications terminal MOB and evaluated there, as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows an example data telegram of a cyclic cycle CYC with consecutive transmission frames FRAME and each with a data transmission block DAT. CYC denotes a cyclic cycle. Assuming that a transmission frame FRAME assigned to a respective participant 2, 3, or 4 of the detector line ML has a transmission duration of 250 ms, the duration of a cyclic cycle is 2.5 seconds for 10 participants, 25 seconds for 100 participants, and 50 seconds for 200 participants.

PRIO is a priority block that includes a number of time slots. A user wishing to transmit can Fire detector 2 sends a transmission request REQ in an assigned time slot within the priority block PRIO, e.g. by setting or clearing a bit in the assigned time slot z .

CTRL denotes a control block, which also includes a plurality of time slots. OK denotes a data transmission release addressed by the fire alarm control panel 1 to the fire detector 2 that is ready to transmit. This can include the number of enabled transmission blocks DAT for data transmission from the fire detector 2 that is ready to transmit to the fire alarm control panel 1 and these correspond to the sequential numbering of the transmission frames FRAMEl-FRAMEn. SEND denotes a transmission command issued by a communication terminal MOB via the fire alarm control panel 1 to the addressed fire detector 2 to request the addressed fire detector 2 to transmit measured values RAW online. A stop command STOP in the control block CTRL indicates the end of the current transmission from a fire detector 2 willing to transmit to the fire alarm control panel 1, as requested by the fire alarm control panel 1. END in a priority block PRIO indicates an end signal with which the fire detector 2 currently transmitting announces the end of the transmission, e.g. when a respective second limit value of a recorded fire parameter is reached.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary data structure of a measured value data stream with measured values RAW according to the invention. In the left part of FIG. 7, the transmission of a detector type TYPE to the fire alarm control panel 1 initially takes place. This indicates to the fire alarm control panel 1 which and how many transmission channels a fire detector 2 wishing to transmit wishes to use, with which resolution and at which sampling rate. For example, a type list can be stored in the fire alarm control panel 1, which assigns a detector type number to a number of transmission types (e.g., temperature, smoke density, CO gas concentration), a metrological resolution (e.g., 8 bits, 10 bits, 16 bits), and a sampling frequency (e.g., 1 Hz, 2 Hz, 0.1 Hz). This is followed by, for example, a number X of measured values MOPi-MOP _x of the optical smoke density, a number Y of measured values MTx-MTyy of the temperature and a number Z of measured values MCOi-MCO _{z of} the CO gas concentration. These together form the raw measured values RAW. This is followed optionally by central information ZI with the data fields alarm level DL, manual fire alarm MCP, a fire alarm ZAL recorded elsewhere on the central side and a user input Y/N on the fire alarm control panel 1. The end of the data transmission on the part of the fire detector 2 is signalled by an end signal S IG.

FIG. 8 shows a measured value data stream with measured values RAW and historical measured values HIST according to the invention. In comparison to the previous FIG. 7, here a current measured value MOPi, MTy, MCOi and a first, already buffered, historical measured value HOPi, HT _Z , HCOi are transmitted alternately in a measured value data stream. This is followed by the transmission of the second measured values, the second historical measured values, etc.

When the transmitted measured values RAW and the historical measured values HIST arrive via the fire alarm control panel 1, if necessary further via the cloud infrastructure CLOUD, and then on to a mobile communication terminal MOB, the measuring window shown there on the display HMI is filled from the "left" with the historical measured values HIST and from the "middle" to the triggering event, e.g. a detected fire alarm, to the "right" with the current raw measured values RAW transmitted in real time, until finally a complete history of a respective fire parameter is available, as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG 9 shows an exemplary data structure of an event data record REC in the sense of a recorded file of a transmitted measured value data stream according to the invention.

The event data record REC shown consists of a

Header data part HEADER, in English technical terminology as The header is called the «header» and consists of a measured value section with the (raw) measured values RAW and the historical measured values HIST. The header data HEADER is used to structure the displayed event data record REC. The subsequent detector identification ID is used to uniquely assign the recorded event data record REC to a fire detector on the detector line ML. This is followed by a recording time TIME of the event data record REC with the date and start time in the sense of a timestamp as well as the end time of the recording. This is followed by further data on the recording format AF or the detector type. The recording format AF shows, for example, the number of measuring channels or measured value data streams with recorded measured values, their type (scattered light signal, temperature signal, CO concentration signal) as well as the respective sampling rate and/or measured value range of the recorded measuring channels or measured value data streams. Finally, additional information from the detector is an alarm level DL generated independently of the fire detector, i.e., whether a fire alarm has been detected by the respective fire detector or not. In the simplest case, this is a bit in the header data HEADER.

Finally, FIG 10 shows an exemplary data structure of an event data record REC+ of a transmitted measured value data stream according to the invention, which is extended by central-side information Z I.

Compared to the previous FIG 9, the original header data HEADER is extended by a central-side additional information ZI. This additional information ZI is itself extended or enriched after the event data record REC has been compiled by the fire alarm control panel 1 or by a cloud service application CSA of a cloud infrastructure CLOUD. The additional information ZI includes, for example, a current system time ZTIME of the fire alarm control panel, information about whether and which manual call point on the common detector line ML has triggered a fire alarm MCP in temporal coincidence with the received event data record REC. The additional information ZI also includes a central-side The fire alarm ZAL detected by other (automatic) fire detectors on the common detector line or on the common detector line ML also coincides in time with the received event data record REC. Finally, the additional information ZI includes a user input Y/N by pressing an acknowledgment button on the fire alarm control panel itself, indicating whether it was an actual fire alarm or a false alarm.

In summary, the invention relates to a method for the real-time transmission of (raw) measured values RAW) of a significant fire parameter OPT, TEMP, CO, continuously recorded by a fire detector 2, to a fire alarm control panel 1 via a common detector line ML together with other participants 2, 3, 4. The data transmission takes place in a circulation cycle CYC with successive transmission frames FRAME for the participants 2, 3, 4, whereby a data transmission block DAT, which can be released by the fire alarm control panel 1 in a transmission frame FRAME, is provided for data transmission from a participant 2, 3, 4 to the fire alarm control panel 1. The measured values RAW continuously recorded by a respective fire detector 2 willing to transmit are transmitted via a plurality N of data transmission blocks DAT released by the fire alarm control panel 1 from other participants 2, 3, 4 within a circulation cycle CYC to the fire alarm control panel 1 if a currently recorded measured value RAW of a fire parameter OPT, TEMP, CO exceeds a respectively predetermined first limit value OG, TG, COG as an indication of a possible fire event, or if a transmission command SEND is signaled to the respective fire detector 2 by the fire alarm control panel 1. Reference symbol list

1 fire alarm control panel, panel, BMZ

2 fire detectors, smoke detectors

3 manual call points, MCP

4 acoustic/optical alarm device

ADR address, bus address

AF recording format

AL fire alarm, main alarm

APP application

BS fire sensor, optical fire sensor, gas sensor

BUT button, softkey

CLOUD Cloud infrastructure

CO CO concentration, fire characteristic

CSA cloud service application

CTRL control block

CYC circulation cycle

STOP stop command

DAT data transfer block

DB database

DL Alert Level, Danger Level

DL3 fire alarm, fire alarm level

DS data storage, RAM, FLASH memory

END end signal

FILE File organization data

FRAME , FRAME1 transmission frame, frame

FRAME 2 , FRAME n

HEADER header data, header

HEADER+ extended header data, extended header

HIST historical measured values, historical measured values

HMI Human-Machine Interface, Touchscreen

ID detector identification, detector type

IP, IP1- IP3 communication connection, IP connection

MCO, HCO fire gas concentration measurement value, CO concentration value

MCP manual fire alarm

MEM storage, cloud storage

ML detector line, detector bus, detector line MO, HO Smoke concentration measured value MOB Communication terminal, smartphone, tablet, PC MOPi - MOPx, individual measured values for smoke concentration HOPi - HOPx MT _X - MT _Y , individual measured values for temperature HT _X - HT _Y MCOI - MCOz, individual measured values for CO concentration HCOi - HCOz MT, HT Temperature measured value NO Enter key / soft key for no decision OG, TG, CG first limit value 0G2, TG2, CG2 second limit value OK Data transmission release OPT Smoke concentration, fire parameter PRIO Priority block RAW Measured values, raw measured values REC Event data record, container file, data structure

REC+ extended event data record, container file REQ send request SE control unit, microprocessor SEND send command SIG signaling of an event STOP stop command T recording duration t time axis to, ti, _t2 , times til, tn TEMP temperature, fire characteristic TIME recording time TYPE detector type UZ cycle duration YES input key / soft key for yes decision Y/N user input ZAL central alarm ZI central addition in format! on ZTIME system time of the fire alarm control panel

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for transmitting measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) continuously recorded by a fire detector (2), in particular in real time, of at least one significant fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) to a fire alarm control panel (1), wherein the fire alarm control panel (1) is connected to a plurality of subscribers (2, 3, 4) such as the fire detectors (2) and optionally to further subscribers such as manual fire call points (3) and/or to optical and/or acoustic alarm devices (4) via a common detector line (ML) for supplying power to the subscribers (2, 3, 4) and for transmitting data to the subscribers (2, 3, 4), - wherein the data transmission between a respective subscriber (2, 3, 4) and the fire alarm control panel (1) takes place in a circulation cycle (CYC) with successive transmission frames (FRAME) for the subscribers (2, 3, 4), - wherein a data transmission block (DAT) which can be released by the fire alarm control panel (1) in a transmission frame (FRAME) is provided for data transmission from a subscriber (2, 3, 4) to the fire alarm control panel (1), and - wherein the measured values (RAW) continuously recorded by a respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit are transmitted to the fire alarm control panel (1) via a plurality N of data transmission blocks (DAT) released by the fire alarm control panel (1) from other subscribers (2, 3, 4) within a circulation cycle (CYC), - if a currently recorded measured value (RAW) of at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) exceeds a specified first limit value (OG, TG, COG) as an indication of a possible fire event, or - when a send command (SEND) is signaled to the respective fire detector (2) by the fire alarm control panel (1). 2. Method according to claim 1, - whereby the measured values (RAW) are continuously recorded by the respective fire detector (2) and stored in a data memory (DS) of the respective fire detector (2) organized circulating memory, - wherein the measured values (RAW) stored in the circulating memory are saved as historical measured values (HIST) in the data memory (DS) of the respective fire detector (2) if at least one respective measured value (RAW) of the at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) exceeds the respective predetermined first limit value (OG, TG, COG) as an indication of a possible fire event, and - wherein the measured values (RAW) of the at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) are continuously recorded by the respective fire detector (2) and are transmitted in particular in real time together with the historical measured values (HIST) to the fire alarm control panel (1). 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a priority block (PRIO) is provided for the majority of the transmission frames (FRAME), preferably in each transmission frame (FRAME), and wherein a transmission request (REQ) from a respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit is signaled to the fire alarm control panel (1) in a priority block (PRIO) of a current or, if possible, directly following transmission frame (FRAME). 4. Method according to claim 3, wherein in the majority of the transmission frames (FRAME), preferably in each transmission frame (FRAME), a control block (CTRL) is provided, wherein after signaling of a transmission request (REQ) by the respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit, a data transmission release (OK) is signaled by the fire alarm control panel (1) to the respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit in the control block (CTRL) of the current or, if possible, a directly following transmission frame (FRAME), wherein the data transmission release (OK) indicates the released data transmission blocks (DAT) of the respective other participants (2, 3, 4) within a circulation cycle (CYC). 5. Method according to claim 4, wherein after receipt of the data transmission release (OK) by the respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit, a detector type (TYPE) and/or a detector ID (ID) are transmitted in advance, if appropriate, and then the measured values (RAW) continuously recorded by the respective fire detector (2), if appropriate together with the historical measured values (HIST) temporarily stored in the respective fire detector (2), are transmitted to the fire alarm control panel (1) via the data transmission block (DAT) assigned to the respective fire detector (2) and via the released data transmission blocks (DAT) of the respective other participants (2, 3, 4). 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a minimum number M of data transmission blocks (DAT) per circulation cycle (CYC) for a respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit is released by the fire alarm control panel (1) in such a way that an average data acquisition rate DRM for the measured values (RAW) and optionally for the historical measured values (HIST) by the respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit is smaller than an average data transmission rate DRZ between the respective fire detector (2) willing to transmit and the fire alarm control panel (1). 7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the maximum data transmission rate DRZ 10 kbit/s, in particular 2 kbit/s, preferably 1 kbit/s, and wherein a data transmission block (DAT) comprises a data quantity in a range of 8 bits to 96 bits. 8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the continuous transmission of the measured values (RAW) is terminated by the respective fire detector (2), - if a fire alarm (AL) or an alarm level (DL) is generated by the respective fire detector (2), or - if a respective predefined second limit value (OG2, TG2, CG2 ) is exceeded, which is greater than the respective assigned first limit value (OG, TG, CG) , or - if the respective first limit value (OG, TG, CG) is again undershot, or - if the respective fire detector (2) receives a stop command (STOP) assigned to it from the fire alarm control panel (1), in particular in the control block (CTRL) of the current transmission frame (FRAME), wherein the end of transmission is signalled to the fire alarm control panel (1) by the respective fire detector (2) by an end signal (END), preferably in the priority block (PRIO) of the current transmission frame (FRAME) or of a transmission frame (FRAME) which follows as directly as possible. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measured values (RAW) and any historical measured values (HIST) transmitted with them are reduced in their data volume by means of a loss-free or a slightly lossy data reduction method. 10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the measured values (RAW) transmitted from the respective fire detectors (2) to the fire alarm control panel (1), in particular in real time, as well as any historical measured values (HIST) transmitted therewith, are transmitted from the fire alarm control panel (1) to a cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) connected to the fire alarm control panel (1) for data purposes, and are stored in a database (DB) of the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) and/or to a communication terminal that is connected to or can be reached by the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) in a data connection (MOB), in particular to a smartphone or tablet, for the visual output of the measured values (RAW) transmitted in real time, as well as any historical measured values (HIST) transmitted with it, on a display (HMI) of the communication terminal (MOB). 11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the measured values (RAW) transmitted by the respective fire detectors (2) to the fire alarm control panel (1), in particular in real time, and the historical measured values (HIST) transmitted with them, if applicable, and at least one central-side additional information item (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO) is transmitted from the fire alarm control panel (1) to the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) and stored in a database (DB) of the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) and/or from there forwarded to a communication terminal (MOB) that is connected to or accessible by data connection with the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD), in particular to a smartphone or tablet, for the visual output of the measured values (RAW) transmitted in particular in real time and the historical measured values (HIST) that may be transmitted, together with the at least one central-side additional information item (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO) on a display (HMI) of the communication terminal (MOB), wherein the at least one central-side additional information item (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO) corresponds to the transmitted measured values (RAW) and historical measured values (HIST) is assigned in time and comprises a system time (ZTIME) of the fire alarm control panel (1) and/or a fire alarm (AL) recorded on the control panel and/or an alarm level (DL) recorded on the control panel and/or a manual fire alarm (MCP) and/or a user input (Y/N) regarding the presence of an actual fire or a false alarm. 12. Method according to claim 10 or 11 in conjunction with claim 8, wherein the measured values (RAW) assigned to the respective fire detectors (2), optionally the historical measured values (HIST) and optionally the at least one central-side additional information (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO) are stored by means of a cloud service application (CSA) in the database (DB) of the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) as an event data record (REC, REC+) in the sense of a recorded file for further possible, optionally for partially automated evaluation of the event data records (REC, REC+) by a user for the presence of an actual fire. 13. Fire detector, comprising at least one fire sensor (BS) for recording measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO), in particular raw measured values, of at least one significant fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO), a data memory (DS) and a control unit connected thereto, - wherein the control unit is configured to continuously record the measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) of at least one significant fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO), - wherein the fire detector (1) is designed for operation on a common detector line (ML) with a fire alarm control panel (1) and is further designed for the electrical power supply of the fire detector (2), for issuing a fire alarm (AL) in the event of a detected fire and for data transmission with the fire alarm control panel (1), - wherein for the data transmission between the fire detector (2) and the fire alarm control panel (1) and between further subscribers (2, 3, 4) and the fire alarm control panel (1), a data transmission block (DAT) which can be released by the fire alarm control panel (1) in a transmission frame (FRAME) is provided in a circulation cycle (CYC) with successive transmission frames (FRAME), and - wherein the control unit is configured to request a number A of data transmission blocks (DAT) per transmission frame (FRAME) for data transmission from the fire alarm control panel (1) and then to transmit the continuously recorded measured values (RAW) to the fire alarm control panel (1) via a number M of data transmission blocks (DAT) released by the fire alarm control panel (1), - if a currently recorded measured value (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) of at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) exceeds a respective predefined first limit value (OG, TG, COG) as an indication of a possible fire event, or - if the fire detector (1) receives a send command (SEND) from the fire alarm control panel (1). 14. Fire detector according to claim 13, - wherein the fire detector (2) comprises a circulation memory organized in the data memory (DS), - wherein the control unit is configured to temporarily store the continuously recorded measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) in the circulating memory, - wherein the control unit is further configured to save the temporarily stored measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) as historical measured values (HIST), preferably in the data memory (DS), if at least one respective measured value (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) of the at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) exceeds the respective predetermined first limit value (OG, TG, COG) as an indication of a possible fire event, and - wherein the control unit is configured to transmit the continuously recorded measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) of the at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO), in particular in real time, together with the historical measured values (HIST) to the fire alarm control panel (1). 15. Fire detector according to claim 13 or 14, - wherein a priority block (PRIO) is provided for the majority of transmission frames (FRAME), preferably in each transmission frame (FRAME), and - wherein the control unit of the fire detector (2) is configured to send a transmission request (REQ) to signal a desired data transmission to the fire alarm control panel (1) in the priority block (PRIO) of a current or, if possible, directly following transmission frame (FRAME), in particular in a time slot of the priority block (PRIO), to the fire alarm control panel (1). 16. Fire detector according to claim 15, - wherein a control block (CTRL) is provided in the majority of the transmission frames (FRAME), preferably in each transmission frame (FRAME), and - wherein the control unit of the fire detector (2) is configured to start the data transmission to the fire alarm control panel (1) in released data transmission blocks (DAT) after receiving a data transmission release (OK) in the control block (CTRL), wherein the Data transmission release (OK) indicates the released data transmission blocks (DAT) of the other participants (2, 3, 4) within a circulation cycle (CYC). 17. Fire detector according to claim 16, wherein the control unit is set up, after receiving the data transmission release (OK), to transmit the detector type (TYPE) and/or the detector ID (ID) in advance, if necessary, and further continuously recorded measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO), if necessary together with temporarily stored historical measured values (HIST), distributed over the assigned data transmission block (DAT) and over the released data transmission blocks (DAT) of the further participants (2, 3, 4) to the fire alarm control panel (1), wherein a data transmission block (DAT) comprises a data volume in a range of 8 bits to 96 bits. 18. Fire detector according to one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the control unit is set up to end the continuous transmission of the measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) and optionally of the temporarily stored historical values (HIST) if a fire alarm (AL) or an alarm level (DL) is detected by the control unit, or if a respectively predetermined second limit value (0G2, TG2, CG2) is exceeded which is greater than the associated respective first limit value (OG, TG, CG), or if the respectively predetermined first limit value (OG, TG, CG) is again undershot, or if a stop command (STOP) is received, in particular in the control block (CTRL) of the current transmission frame (FRAME). 19. Fire detector according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is configured to signal the termination of the data transmission of the fire alarm control panel (1) by means of an end signal (END), preferably in the priority block (PRIO) of the current transmission frame (FRAME) or of a transmission frame (FRAME) which follows as directly as possible. 20. Fire detector according to one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the control unit is configured to record the measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) of the at least one fire parameter (OPT, TEMP, CO) after one of the respectively predetermined first limit values (OG, TG, COG) has been exceeded at a higher, in particular double or quadruple, sampling rate. 21. Fire alarm control panel for operation on a common detector line (ML) with a plurality of fire detectors (2) according to one of the preceding claims 13 to 20 and optionally further participants (3, 4) such as manual fire call points (3) and/or optical and/or acoustic alarm devices (4), wherein the fire alarm control panel (1) has a control unit (SE) which is set up to combine the current measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO) received from the respective fire detectors (2) in several time-distributed data transmission blocks (DAT), optionally together with the history values (HIST) temporarily stored in the fire detectors (2), into a respective measured value data stream in the sense of streaming and to transmit the respective measured value data stream, optionally with at least one central-side additional information item (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO), to a cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) which is connected to the fire alarm control panel (1) for data purposes, in order to to store the measured value data stream, if necessary with the at least one central-side additional information (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO), in a database (DB) of the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD) and/or to forward the respective measured value data stream, if necessary with the at least one central-side additional information (ZI; ZTIME, ZAL, MCP, YES, NO), to a communication terminal (MOB) that is connected to or can be reached by a data connection with the cloud infrastructure (CLOUD), in particular to a smartphone or tablet, for the visual output of the transmitted measured values (RAW; MOP, MT, MCO), the historical measured values (HIST) that may also be transmitted, and if necessary the at least one central-side additional information on a display (HMI) of the communication terminal (MOB). 22. Fire alarm control panel according to claim 21, wherein a central-side additional information (ZI) comprises a system time (ZTIME) of the fire alarm control panel (1) and/or a central-side detected fire alarm (AL) and/or a central-side detected alarm level and/or a manual fire alarm (MCP) and/or a user-side input about the presence of an actual fire or a false alarm. 23. Fire alarm system with a fire alarm control panel (1) according to claim 21 or 22, with at least one detector line (ML) connected to the fire alarm control panel (1), each with a plurality of fire detectors (2) according to one of claims 13 to 20 connected thereto, as well as with manual fire detectors (3) and/or optical and/or acoustic alarm devices (4) optionally connected thereto.