Fire detection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9248917-B2
Application number	US-201414208640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A fire detection system for an aircraft, freight transportation vehicle or freight storage facility comprises one or more RFID tags associated with one or more items of freight being transported or stored. The RFID tag is configured to detect a condition indicative of a fire in or in the vicinity the item of freight, for example a temperature rise or generation of smoke. One or more RFID readers are arranged to read the RFID tags. The RFID reader is connected to or forms part of a control system, the RFID reader or the control determining whether the RFID tag has detected a fire.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fire detection system for an aircraft, freight transportation vehicle or freight storage facility comprising:
one or more RFID tags associated with one or more items of freight being transported or stored, said RFID tag being configured to detect a condition indicative of a fire in or in the vicinity the item of freight;
one or more RFID readers arranged within the transportation vehicle or storage facility to read said one or more RFID tags;
said RFID reader being connected to or forming part of a control system, the RFID reader or the control system determining whether the RFID tag has detected a fire condition.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fire condition is a temperature condition.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the temperature condition is a predetermined temperature or a temperature rise.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fire condition is a smoke or gas production condition.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a warning is produced when a fire condition has been detected.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the warning is provided in or on the aircraft, freight transportation vehicle or storage facility and/or remotely therefrom.

7. The system of claim 6 , comprising communication means for communicating a warning to a remote location.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the warning includes data held by the RFID relating to the item of freight.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the data includes one or more of an indication of the type of freight, the quantity of freight and the location of the freight.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein prior to a fire condition being detected, only data relevant to fire detection is accessible, other data only becoming accessible after a fire condition has been detected.

11. The system claim 10 , wherein the data comprises ID data which is linked to a cargo manifest, which gives an indication of the location of the freight item.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the freight transportation vehicle or storage facility is additionally provided with a fixed fire detector system and the RFID tag detector system is integrated with the fixed fire detector system.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the detection of a fire condition by an RFID tag acts to increase the sensitivity of one or more the fixed fire detectors.

14. A method of detecting a fire in an aircraft, other freight transportation vehicle or freight storage facility comprising:
providing one or more items of freight with an RFID tag said RFID tag being configured to detect a condition indicative of a fire in or in the vicinity of the item of freight;
providing the transportation or storage facility with one or more RFID tag readers;
reading said RFID tag with said RFID tag reader; and
determining from that reading if a fire condition has been detected.

15. The method of 14 , wherein the fire condition is a smoke or gas production condition.

16. The method claim 15 wherein a warning is produced when a fire condition has been detected.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the warning is provided in or on the aircraft, freight transportation vehicle or storage facility and/or remotely therefrom.

18. A fire detection system for an aircraft, freight transportation vehicle or freight storage facility comprising:
one or more fixed fire detectors;
one or more RFID tags associated with one or more items of freight being transported or stored;
one or more RFID readers arranged within the transportation vehicle or storage facility for interrogating said one or more RFID tags in the event that said fire detector senses a fire for making data regarding the item of freight available to the fire detection system.

Assignees

• Kidde Tech Inc

Inventors

• Gastonides Josephine Gabrielle
• Rennie Paul Alan
• Smith Paul David

Classifications

• A62C3/08

  in aircraft {(A62C3/0207 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G08B7/066

  guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip · CPC title

• G06K19/0717 Primary

  the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure · CPC title

• G08B25/007

  Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols · CPC title

• A62C3/07

  in vehicles, e.g. in road vehicles · CPC title