| SimplexGrinnell LP Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20130094622 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZATION OF NETWORKED FIRE ALARM PANELS - A system and method for synchronizing a plurality of networked fire alarm panels is disclosed. A plurality of fire panels (i.e., nodes) are arranged on a peer-to-peer network, such as a token ring network. One node is designated as a SyncHost, and the remaining nodes are periodically reset to the clock time associated with the SyncHost to ensure all nodes remain substantially synchronized to a single time. Upon alarm, the visual notification devices (i.e., strobe lights) of all the fire panels (nodes) will flash at substantially the same time. To accomplish the synchronization, the SyncHost sends periodic attendance polls around the network, noting the transit times of the polls. The nodes also note times associated with the polls. The SyncHost sends a sync message to the nodes, and each of the nodes resets its clock according to the sync message and internal compensations. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130093346 | COMPENSATION CIRCUIT FOR CURRENT PEAKING REDUCTION IN NOTIFICATION APPLIANCES - A system and apparatus to reduce current peaking in notification appliances are described. The apparatus may include a current peaking compensation circuit comprising two or more transistors and one or more capacitors configured to reduce a start-up frequency of a pulse-width modulated signal during a first time period and to add a time constant decaying voltage across a resistor divider network to increase a reference voltage during the first time period. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130082839 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESS HEAT DETECTION - A system for wireless heat detection is disclosed. The system includes one or more heat sensors that convert sensed heat energy into electrical power for transmitting an alarm signals. A remote system may trigger an alarm based on the received alarm signals. The heat sensors may be placed at discrete locations within an interior of a building to monitor a condition of the infrastructure of the building. The remote system can include a communications module for receiving the signal and transmitting an alarm signal to an associated fire panel. The fire panel may analyze the signal, as well as signals generated from adjacent sensors, to determine whether a fire condition exists within a building. Appropriate notification devices may then be activated based on the determination. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 04-04-2013 |
| 20130041646 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EMERGENCY MESSAGE PREVIEW AND TRANSMISSION - In accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, a system and method for enabling preview, editing, and transmission of emergency notification messages is provided. The system includes a controller, a microphone, and a speech-to-text engine for receiving an audio message input to the microphone and for convert the audio message to a text message. The resulting text message is displayed on a local display, where a user can edit the message via a text editor. Text and/or audio notification devices are provided for displaying the edited text data as a text message. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20120249311 | PULL STATION - A pull station for an alarm includes a housing having an actuator mounted for movement with respect thereto. The actuator has a standby (i.e., normal) position and an alarm position. The actuator has a contoured actuation surface configured such that downward pressure on the actuation surface moves the actuator from the standby position to the alarm position. The actuator may be rotatably or slidably coupled to the housing. The actuation surface may extend beyond the front face of the housing when in the standby position. In some embodiments, the actuation surface is cup-shaped. In other embodiments, the actuation surface is v-shaped, with first and second angled portions forming oblique angles with respect to a lateral axis of the housing. Thus arranged, the actuator can be operated by a disabled who may not have complete hand or finger dexterity. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120229269 | INTEGRATED TEST-MODE FOR MONITORING OF FIRE AND SECURITY SYSTEM NETWORKS - An improved system and method are disclosed for providing test functionality for fire and security system monitoring networks. An operator at a workstation node can place points into a “test-mode” while those points remain “live” (i.e., the system remains operational). For points placed in test-mode, if/when such points transition into a non-normal state (e.g., an alarm state), no flashing or other indication requiring a manual acknowledgement from the operator of the workstation node will occur. In addition, for systems employing banners, active lists, automatic printouts or graphics icons that indicate events, no such indications will occur at the workstation node. The disclosed system and method can also generate documentation verifying completion of system testing in accordance with local jurisdictional requirements. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120181942 | COMPENSATION CIRCUIT FOR CURRENT PEAKING REDUCTION IN NOTIFICATION APPLIANCES - A system and apparatus to reduce current peaking in notification appliances are described. The apparatus may include a current peaking compensation circuit comprising two or more transistors and one or more capacitors configured to reduce a start-up frequency of a pulse-width modulated signal during a first time period and to add a time constant decaying voltage across a resistor divider network to increase a reference voltage during the first time period. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120153839 | AUTOMATIC COLOR CORRECTION FOR A DOME LIGHT DISPLAY DEVICE - A device and method that automatically corrects the color of a dome light display device. An dome light display device may include one or more colored light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a row, a photodetector disposed with the one or more LEDs in the row and a measurement circuit is configured to receive an electrical signal from the photodetector and compare the electrical signal to a reference signal associated with an intensity of light for a particular color of light and adjust the intensity of light emitted from the one or more LEDs based on the reference value. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120119921 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY OVERRIDE OF INFORMATIONAL DISPLAYS - Various embodiments are generally directed to a system and method for providing emergency override of informational displays in an emergency notification system. An embodiment may include an emergency detection module coupled to a display override module. The display override module may be coupled to a third-party display driver. When an emergency condition is detected, the emergency detection module may use the display override module to override any display messages from the third-party display module in order to display an emergency display message. In an embodiment, the display override module may be a switch box. In another embodiment, the display override module may be a RSS feed subscribed to by the third-party display driver. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120068607 | SUPERVISION FOR A LIGHT DISPLAY DEVICE - A device and method may include, in a display device, emitting visible light in a humanly imperceptible manner and sensing said light to verify operation of the display device. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20110257940 | VISUAL NOTIFICATION TOOL - Techniques for visual notification appliance selection are described. A set of dimensions for a structure are received by a processor and stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The processor calculates a maximum distance between a mounting location for a visual notification appliance and a location within the structure based upon the received dimensions. The processor also estimates an illuminance value for each of a plurality of angular paths within the structure. A visual notification appliance is selected that has an illumination rating that produces a minimum illuminance value at the maximum distance and at each of the plurality of angular paths. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110242688 | ADJUSTABLE STROBE REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY - A strobe reflector that includes a reflective material and a support structure is provided. The support structure may be adjusted or moved into at least two distinct positions to provide two distinct shapes for the reflective material. The first position of the support structure shapes the reflective material in a first configuration (such as a half-hemisphere) and a second position of the support structure shapes the reflective material in a second configuration (such as a full hemisphere). The different shapes of the reflective material may be used for different mountings of the strobe device, such as for a ceiling mount or a wall mount. In this way, a single strobe reflector may be configured for different installations (whether to the wall or ceiling). | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110080280 | CONFIGURABLE NOTIFICATION DEVICE - A notification device includes a processing module configured to determine a communication mode capability of an alarm panel. The processing module communicates with the control using the determined communication mode. The notification device also includes an output module that is in electrical communication with the processing module. The output module is configured to produce an output signal in response to a signal communicated by the alarm panel. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110025341 | GROUND FAULT DETECTION - A ground fault detection system detects an earth fault or ground fault in a network device. The network device may be used in a fire alarm network. The ground fault detection system includes a power device that electrically isolates the ground fault detection system. A controller sequences a series of switches or relays to charge an energy storing element, such as a capacitor, with the isolated power supply. The capacitor is placed in communication with each port of the network device one at a time. If the connected port includes an inadvertent connection to ground, a detection circuit will detect the bias on the earth ground. The detection circuit may then output an indication of the inadvertent connection to ground to either a workstation or a fire alarm control panel. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20100281933 | MAGNETIC RELEASING AND SECURING DEVICE - A system for securing and releasing doors includes at least two electromagnetic latches and a controller. Each of the electromagnetic latches includes a coil configured to be energized by a power signal to create a magnetic field. The controller switches the power signal between the electromagnetic latches so that the power signal is supplied to the electromagnetic latches one at a time. The electromagnetic latches may be electromagnetic door holders, electromagnetic door locks, or any combination of the two. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100207777 | COMBINATION FIRE ALARM NOTIFICATION/EMERGENCY LIGHTING APPLIANCE - A notification appliance includes one or more high-brightness light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a control module configured to receive commands from an external source, and in response to a first command, flash the at least one LED, and in response to a second command, turn the at least one LED on in a steady state. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100188234 | Multiple Event Notification Appliance - An apparatus, system and method including an event notification appliance including first and second light sources configured to indicate an event, including a fire and/or alert. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100085200 | DETECTOR - A detector comprises a detector base ( | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100026480 | FIRE GAS DETECTOR-CODING - A detector comprises a detector base and a sensor, first and second resistors connected in series, a DC voltage source (Vref) connected to the resistors, and means for monitoring the voltage at the midpoint of a potential divider constituted by the series-connected resistors. The first and second resistors are rated so that the midpoint voltage is indicative of the date of manufacture of the sensor. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20090091466 | Non-addressable dual notification appliance - The present invention provides a non-addressable notification appliance having multiple (e.g., dual) visual alarms such as strobes for notifying individuals of different types of detected events. For example, the notification appliance of the present invention could have a first strobe for indicating a fire, and a second strobe for providing mass notification of a different emergency such as a terrorist threat or attack. In one embodiment, the visual alarms could be colored differently from one another (e.g., clear and amber). In a typical embodiment, the dual notification appliance could be one of many non-addressable dual notification appliances utilized in a single alarm system that are controlled by a system controller. | 04-09-2009 |
