US-12620294-B2 - Sensing system for fire event detection

US12620294B2US 12620294 B2US12620294 B2US 12620294B2US-12620294-B2

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices of providing a sensing system for fire event detection in a space within a facility are described herein. One method, includes activating a physical sensor of a physical alarm system detector device to monitor a space of a facility for a fire event to occur, defining a virtual voxel structure mapped in at least three dimensions to a virtual monitored space created to represent the space of the facility being monitored, and locating a virtual object within the virtual voxel structure by mapping a virtual object location based on sensing a location of a physical object with the physical sensor within the space.

Inventors

Kemal Ajay
Deepakumar Subbian
Ronald Knox

Assignees

HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230628

Claims (13)

1 . A method, comprising: activating a first physical sensor of a physical alarm system master detector device to monitor a space of a facility for a fire event to occur from a first angle, wherein the first physical sensor is a light detection and ranging technology (LiDAR) system component configured to detect back-scatter from smoke; activating a second physical sensor of another physical alarm system detector device to monitor the space of the facility for the fire event to occur from a second angle, wherein the second physical sensor is a receiving video sensor configured to detect smoke plumes or flames; activating a third physical sensor of either of the master detector device or the other physical alarm system detector device, wherein the third physical sensor includes a gated video sensor component having a pulsed illuminator with an optical shutter; activating a fourth physical sensor of either of the master detector device or the other physical alarm system detector device, wherein the fourth physical sensor includes a thermography component configured to detect a temperature of a physical object; defining a virtual voxel structure mapped in at least three dimensions to a virtual monitored space created to represent the space of the facility being monitored based on inputs received from both of the master detector device and the other physical alarm system detector device, wherein the virtual voxel structure includes a plurality of adjacent cube-shaped voxels; locating a virtual object and identifying at least one of the plurality of voxels affected by the virtual object within the virtual voxel structure by mapping a virtual object location based on sensing a location of the physical object with the first physical sensor, the second physical sensor, the third physical sensor, and the fourth physical sensor within the space; and transmitting the virtual voxel structure and the virtual object location as a voxel array data set to a monitoring station of a separate alarm system for interpretation.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes monitoring the space over time and adjusting the location of the virtual object based on a sensed change in the location of the physical object.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each voxel is described by its location in three dimensions as well as having a dimension of time.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the time dimension is quantified by a time at which voxel data for a particular voxel is sensed by the first physical sensor.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further includes coordinating a pulse light round trip time from the pulsed illuminator with an activation of the optical shutter in the gated video sensor component.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving data from a structured light triangulation system component that detects back-scatter from smoke.
7 . An alarm system, comprising: a number of physical alarm system detector devices having a number of sensors configured to detect an event within a facility, including a first physical sensor of a first physical alarm detector device at a first angle with respect to the facility, a second physical sensor of a second physical alarm detector device at a second angle with respect to the facility, a third physical sensor and a fourth physical sensor of either the first or second physical alarm device, wherein: the first physical sensor is a light detection and ranging technology (LiDAR) system component configured to detect back-scatter from smoke; the second physical sensor is a receiving video sensor configured to detect smoke plumes or flames; the third physical sensor includes a gated video sensor component having a pulsed illuminator with an optical shutter; the fourth physical sensor includes a thermography component configured to detect a temperature of a physical object; and an alarm system control panel including a first processor and a first memory, the first memory having instructions executable by the first processor stored therein, wherein the instructions are executable to receive information about the event or alarm system detector devices and transmit the information to a computing device; wherein the computing device includes a second processor and a second memory, the second memory having instructions executable by the second processor stored therein, wherein the instructions are executable to: activate the first, second, third, and fourth physical sensors to monitor a space of a facility for a fire event to occur; define a virtual voxel structure mapped in at least three dimensions to a virtual monitored space created to represent the space of the facility being monitored based on inputs received from both of the first and second physical alarm detector devices, wherein the virtual voxel structure includes a plurality of adjacent cube-shaped voxels; locate a virtual object and identify at least one of the plurality of voxels affected by the virtual object within the virtual voxel structure by mapping a virtual object location based on sensing a location of the physical object with the first physical sensor, the second physical sensor, the third physical sensor, and the fourth physical sensor within the space; and transmit the virtual voxel structure and the virtual object location as a voxel array data set to a monitoring station of a separate alarm system for interpretation.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the LiDAR system component measures a distance from the LiDAR system component to the object.
9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the system includes a pulsed illuminator and wherein the pulsed illuminator is used in conjunction with the gated video sensor component so that a coordination of a pulse light round trip time with an activation of an optical shutter in a receiving video sensor is accomplished.
10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the system includes a pulsed illuminator.
11 . An alarm system computing device, comprising: a processor and memory, the memory having instructions executable by the processor stored therein, wherein the instructions are executable to: receive monitoring data from an activated first physical sensor of a first physical alarm system detector device to monitor a space of a facility for a fire event to occur from a first angle; receive monitoring data from an activated second physical sensor of a second physical alarm system detector device to monitor the space of the facility for the fire event to occur from a second angle; receive monitoring data from an activated third physical sensor of either of the first physical alarm system detector device or the second physical alarm system detector device, wherein the third physical sensor includes a gated video sensor component having a pulsed illuminator with an optical shutter; receive monitoring data from an activated fourth physical sensor of either of the first physical alarm system detector device or the second physical alarm system detector device, wherein the fourth physical sensor includes a thermography component configured to detect a temperature of a physical object; define a virtual voxel structure mapped in at least three dimensions to a virtual monitored space created to represent the space of the facility being monitored based on inputs received from both of the first physical alarm system detector device and the second physical alarm system detector device, wherein the virtual voxel structure includes a plurality of adjacent cube-shaped voxels; locate a virtual object and identify at least one of the plurality of voxels affected by the virtual object within the virtual voxel structure by mapping a virtual object location based on sensing a location of the physical object with the first physical sensor, the second physical sensor, the third physical sensor, and the fourth physical sensor within the space; and transmit the virtual voxel structure and the virtual object location as a voxel array data set to a monitoring station of a separate alarm system for interpretation.
12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the executable instructions include instructions to reduce a size of an occluded area associated with a particular object in the space by utilizing sensor data from multiple sensors place in at least two locations that are different with respect to the object.
13 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the monitoring data includes a background surface that contrasts with the object in a foreground of the background surface.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and devices of providing a sensing system for fire event detection. BACKGROUND Facilities equipped with fire alarm systems allow for early detection of a fire event, such as a fire within a building. Typically, such facilities are large and can be complex (e.g., large building, multiple floors, facilities with multiple buildings) and such alarm systems allow for firefighting personnel to arrive more quickly. The systems utilize specialized fire/smoke sensing devices (e.g., fire detectors that detect heat and/or smoke detectors that detect smoke particles to detect fires) spread throughout the facility that can detect when a fire may be occurring. These alarm system devices communicate sensor information to an on premise alarm system control panel that collects and analyzes the data to determine whether a fire event is occurring, and contacts emergency personnel to come to the facility to deal with the fire. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an example of a fire/smoke alarm system detector device accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional voxel visualization in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an example of a single detector of a fire alarm system in a space within a building having an object obscuring the sensing field in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an example of multiple detectors of a fire alarm system in a space within a building having an object obscuring the sensing field in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is an example of system input and output devices of a fire alarm system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a view of smoke sensing device sensing a light colored smoke plume against a dark colored background in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a view of smoke sensing device sensing a light colored smoke plume against a patterned background in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a view of smoke sensing device sensing a light colored smoke plume against a patterned background using a time gated video sensor and pulsed illuminator in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the present disclosure provide multi-dimensional information that can be used, for example, to provide location and distance to smoke and thermal events. Some embodiments combine aspects of three-dimensional (3D) range sensing, 3D smoke detection using LiDAR (light detection and ranging technology), thermography, and object detection. The embodiments of the present disclosure provide rich situational awareness data to enable rapid, focused response to threats such as smoke, fire, and intrusion. Further, by combining data types (e.g., 3D voxel location, smoke intensity, temperature) the system can support optimum decision making to minimize the chance of loss of life or damage to assets. Some embodiments include a LIDAR-based system component for measuring and/or mapping an environment in 3D. An enhanced LiDAR system can, for example, be capable of detecting back-scatter from smoke. A thermography system component can be used to cover at least some of the same physical environment. A thermography sensor can, for example, identify the temperature of an object or if an object is hot, but not yet creating smoke. For example, a room may have an electric motor driving a piece of equipment and the motor gets hot during operation. A thermography sensor can determine the temperature of and identify such an object. Additionally, or alternatively, a video camera (video imaging sensor) can be used to cover at least some of the same environment, for example, the video camera can be an enhanced video camera system component which is, for example, capable of detecting smoke plumes. Further, the LiDAR component may be replaced by a ‘structured light’ triangulation system in some embodiments to provide the functionality provided by the LiDAR component (e.g., detect back-scatter from smoke). In some embodiments, the LiDAR may, for example, be a mechanically scanned beam or, in other embodiments, may be replaced by the time-gated (time-of-flight) camera. In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof. The drawings show by way of illustration how one or more embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice one or more embodiments of this disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical, and/or structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure