Patent Grant
9126066
Foam proportioning systems are often added to the existing fire extinguishing equipment on fire trucks. The foam proportioning systems include controllers that must communicate with the existing electronic control unit (ECU) of the fire truck. Conventionally, when a new foam proportioning system is installed on a fire truck, a system operator must manually install new software to operate the controller of the foam proportioning system in conjunction with, the existing ECU of the fire truck. The new controller of the foam proportioning system must be properly integrated with the ECU of the fire truck in order to guarantee safe and reliable operation of the fire extinguishing equipment. With conventional installation methods, trained system operators must thoroughly test the foam proportioning system once installed on the fire truck, which involves time-consuming debugging. As foam proportioning systems become more complex, system operators must be given more extensive training and it takes longer for the foam proportioning system to be installed on the fire truck, resulting in additional down-time before the fire truck can be put back into service.
Some embodiments of the invention provide a fire extinguishing system including fire extinguishing equipment, a foam proportioning system, and a smart connector. The fire extinguishing equipment includes an electronic control unit and a software library. The foam proportioning system includes a controller, and the smart connector includes a micro-controller. The micro-controller automatically initiates an authentication procedure when the controller of the foam proportioning system is connected to the electronic control unit of the fire extinguishing equipment. The micro-controller causes the electronic control unit to automatically unlock routines in the software library after the authentication procedure is complete.
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of installing a foam proportioning system in a fire extinguishing system using a smart connector. The method includes connecting the smart connector to an electronic control unit of the fire extinguishing system. The method can also include sending a query from the electronic control unit to the smart connector, and sending a response to the query from the smart connector to the electronic control unit including an authorization procedure and configuration data for the foam proportioning system. The method can further include identifying the foam proportioning system with the electronic control unit based on the response, and sending an unlock command from the electronic control unit to the smart connector if the response is valid. In addition, the method can include processing the unlock command with the smart connector, sending an unlock response and an unlock status from the smart connector to the electronic control unit, and unlocking at least a portion of the software library in the electronic control unit.
Yet additional embodiments of the invention provide a fire extinguishing system including an electronic control unit in communication with a software library, a foam proportioning system including foam proportioning equipment, and a smart connector. The smart connector includes a controller, and the smart connector is connected to the foam proportioning equipment. The controller automatically initiates an authentication procedure when the smart connector is connected to the electronic control unit. The controller causes the electronic control unit to automatically unlock one or more routines in the software library after the authentication procedure is complete to enable control of the foam proportioning equipment.
Embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which like elements bear like reference numerals.
The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures. The figures depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the invention.
The following description refers to elements or features being “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless expressly stated otherwise, “connected” means that one element/feature is directly or indirectly connected to another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Likewise, unless expressly stated otherwise, “coupled” means that one element/feature is directly or indirectly coupled to another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Thus, although the schematics shown in
The invention may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such block components may be realized by any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, an embodiment may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, etc., which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.
In accordance with the practices of persons skilled in the art of computer programming, the present disclosure may be described herein with reference to symbolic representations of operations that may be performed by the various computing components, modules, or devices. Such operations are sometimes referred to as being computer-executed, computerized, software-implemented, or computer-implemented. It will be appreciated that operations that are symbolically represented include the manipulation by the various microprocessor devices of electrical signals representing data bits at memory locations in the system memory, as well as other processing of signals. The memory locations where data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, optical, or organic properties corresponding to the data bits.
During an authentication procedure, the ECU 30 can communicate with the smart connector 10. The authentication procedure can be used to identify the equipment 20, 35 that is being installed and/or to authorize its use. Upon successful completion of the authentication procedure, the ECU 30 can configure any necessary control software (e.g., software libraries) 32 to unlock functionality to control the equipment 20, 35. With the authentication procedure complete, the smart connector 10 can provide a fully functional connection for data and/or signal transfer to control the equipment 20, 35. The use of the smart connector 10 to connect the equipment 20, 35 with the ECU 30 can make the use of a separate computer 40 to configure the ECU 30 unnecessary (as indicated by dashed line 50).
The smart connector 10 can include one or more indicators 34, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), to indicate status conditions. In one embodiment, the smart connector 10 can include a first LED to indicate if power is being supplied to the smart connector 10 and a second LED to indicate the status of the smart connector 10.
As shown in
The smart connector 10 can include or can be connected to a physical bus connector 602 including several power and communication lines, such as a voltage line 604, a system control language (SCL) line 606, a static data authentication (SDA) line 608, a ground line 610, and a device/equipment control line 612. The voltage line 604 can be connected in series to a diode D1 and a resistor RIN, which can be connected to a capacitor C1. The SCL line 606 can be connected in series to a resistor R1, which can be connected to the micro-controller 407. The SDA line 608 can be connected in series to a resistor R2, which can be connected to the micro-controller 407. The ground line 610 can be used to ground the smart connector 10. The device/equipment control line 612 can pass through the smart connector 10 and continue to the equipment 20, 35. In some embodiments, the device/equipment control line 612 provides a CANbus connection to the equipment 20, 35.
Some embodiments of the invention can be used to connect the foam proportioning system 36 to an ECU 30 of a fire truck or other fire extinguishing equipment. One example of a suitable foam proportioning system is disclosed in co-pending, commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/555,714; 12/555,698; and 12/555,705; the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. After the hardware of the foam proportioning system 36 is installed, the ECU 30 of the fire truck can be updated with a software library 32 (as disclosed in co-pending, commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/234,625, the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference). The updated software library can be used to control the new foam proportioning system. The smart connector 10 can be used to connect the controller 38 of the foam proportioning system 36 to the ECU of the fire truck to complete the installation process (see
In one embodiment, the authentication procedure can include an authorization process and an identification process. The authorization process can include information about the manufacturer, model, and serial number of the foam proportioning system. The identification process can include information about the configuration of the foam proportioning system, which can include the number of pumps, the number of supply tanks, what type of foam pumps are installed, etc. In general, the smart connector 10 can perform the following functions: recognize when new equipment is connected, verify authorization, identify the new equipment, and unlock software functionality of the software library to enable control of the new equipment.
In some embodiments, the software library 32 can include additional routines, that are not currently being used, but may be used later if the equipment configuration is upgraded or changed. When the equipment is upgraded, the software library does not need to be updated because the routines are already included in the software library that was originally installed in the ECU 30. For example, a foam portioning system may be initially installed with only one foamant supply tank on a fire truck. When the foam proportioning system is later upgraded to include two foamant supply tanks, the software library does not need to be updated. Rather, the smart connector 10 can communicate to the ECU 30 of the fire truck that two foamant supply tanks are now being used. The routines designed for a configuration with two foamant supply tanks (which were included in the software library that was originally installed in the ECU 30 of the fire truck) are automatically unlocked by using the smart connector 10. In this manner, the ECU 30 is able to properly control the new configuration of the foam proportioning system without having to manually upgrade and debug the software libraries of the fire truck's ECU 30.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the invention has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the invention is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each patent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference, as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference herein. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/322,091, filed Apr. 8, 2010, and entitled “Smart Connector for Integration of a Foam Proportioning System with Fire Extinguishing Equipment,” which is hereby incorporated by reference.
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