Multiple single-chip microcomputer approach to fire detection and monitoring system

A complete system for fire detection and alarm monitoring has been proposed for complex plants. The system uses multiple single chip architecture attached to a party line. The control algorithm is based on a two-level hierarchy of decision making, thus the complexity is distributed. A complete circuit diagram is given for the local and the central station with requirements for the software structure. The design is kept in general form such that it can be adapted to a multitude of plant configurations. It is particularly shown how new developments in technology, especially CMOS single chip devices, are incorporated in the system design to reduce the complexity of the overall hardware, e.g. by decomposing the system such that lower levels of hierarchy are able to have some autonomy in decision making, and thus a more complex decision is solved in a simple distributed method.