ES2235605B1 - SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR EARLY FIRE DETECTION. - Google Patents

Abstract

Surveillance system for early fire detection. The system is based on a series of surveillance posts (1), automated and interconnected, through a communications system (4), with an alarm management center (2), also comprising control and monitoring centers ( 3) connected, through the communications system or network (4), both with the surveillance posts (1) and with the alarm management center (2). Based on thermal sensors (5) provided in the surveillance posts (1), the smallest temperature changes are detected so that a detection unit (6) of each surveillance post (1) processes the radiometric images, analyzes them and classify to be subsequently interpreted and determine the type of alarm generated in each case, with the particularity that the alarm management center (2) receives and classifies the alarms, according to whether they should be represented or not in a system of Geographic information (9) established in the control and monitoring centers (3), all in order to provide data that allow to know whether or not there are sources of fire in the area covered by the system itself.

Description

Surveillance system for early detection of fires.

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a system of surveillance for early fire detection, whose obvious purpose is to detect possible sources of fire based on the detection of temperature changes produced or originated in the area where the system is implanted.

The system basically comprises one or several automated surveillance posts - where find the means of detecting thermal changes-, a central alarm management and one or more control posts, all these elements being interconnected by a system Communication.

The system is applicable as a means of surveillance and fire detection, both in forest environments, such as industrial, commercial, etc.

Background of the invention

The current fire detection systems are based on various technologies depending on their scope of application. For closed environments they have
Developed infrared barriers for flame detection and smoke detectors. The former require that the fire reach a certain height for detection and the latter require a large concentration of smoke. Both detect the fire when it is too late to extinguish it, although they constitute effective warning methods. The thermometric cameras allow the detection of heat sources in open environments. They are based on threshold detectors, presenting the typical problems related to them - the low probability of detection or high probability of false alarm, depending on the threshold level selected -, which entails the need for continuous supervision by an operator . For any type of environment there is also the thermal cable, whose principle of operation is based on its deterioration against high temperatures, which is its main drawback, being a single use.

Description of the invention

The system of the invention is based on a series of automated surveillance posts and interconnected with a central alarm management, through a system of communications; with the particularity that each one of those surveillance posts include: thermal sensors in the range of infrared wavelengths; a detection unit, and a  Surveillance unit as visual support by remote control.

The thermal sensors are strategically located to cover large areas of land, being planned to detect the smallest changes in temperature, whether or not it can be motorized, depending on the area to cover.

For its part, the detection unit is planned to process the radiometric images provided by thermal sensors, performing an analysis and classification of heat sources, for later interpretation by others means and thereby establishing the type of alarm to transmit in each case, allowing to discard false alarms generated by heat sources not likely to cause fires. The classification and processing in the position of surveillance is one of the most innovative aspects of system, since it allows to minimize the flow of data to be transmitted to the alarm management unit and, ultimately, to the posts of control. This translates into considerable savings in the cost of data transport

As for the surveillance unit, it is planned to allow observing the scene under study, both in the visible range and in the thermal range, from control and monitoring centers that are also part of the system. In this way it is possible to verify the alarms generated by the detection unit, from any of said control centers
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In relation to the alarm management center, it can be physically located next to a post of surveillance, or in one of the control centers and monitoring, or even be independent and be located in Any other location.

Such central alarm management performs the following functions:

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Reception and classification of alarms, according to whether they should be represented or not in the system of geographic information of the control centers and monitoring

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Geo-referencing, performing the projection of radiometric images on a digital mapping, obtaining the geographic coordinates of alarms that can be represented.

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Adequacy of data at the level of application, forming a powerful database to which they access the different control and monitoring centers to represent alarms in the geographic information system.

For its part, the communications system is planned to manage the transport of information between different blocks, through cable and / or radio frequency, that is between the positions of surveillance and the alarm management center, as well as between it and the control and monitoring centers, and between these and the surveillance posts, always providing two levels in the communication, using one or several network topologies existing, so that the first level may or may not adapt to the telecommunication infrastructures available in each area geographic (ISDN, WLAN, dedicated line, etc.), while the second level also called "security level" (currently GSM / GPRS) will assume the transport of information, in In case the first level fails.

Finally, the control centers and monitoring are planned to receive two data streams different, one that will be the information corresponding to the alarms to be represented on the screen, said information being sent by the alarm management center at the request of own control centers, while the other flow corresponds to Supporting visual information (thermal and visible video streams) that provide surveillance posts through the unit of surveillance they incorporate.

The system described is applicable in:

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Surveillance against forest fires in forests, natural parks and the like, covering large surfaces.

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Prevention and surveillance against fires in industrial environments, such as plants petrochemicals, pharmaceutical industries or commodity factories dangerous.

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Malfunction detection (in referring to the thermal range) of machinery and equipment industrial.

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Action in case of fire, being able to guide the fire brigades to the sources of the fires, as well as offering information on direction and speed of propagation.

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Laying Watch electrical

Among the advantages offered by the referred system The following may be cited as more important:

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Automated alarm management, providing the operator with information on possible sources of fire.

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Geo-referericiation and location of alarms on digital cartography.

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Be get several levels of detection, adjustable sensitivity remotely, identification and automatic discard of false alarms, adaptation to the environment, etc.

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Mobility character, allowing the alarm reception in mobile phone terminals or agendas personal digital.

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Remote, including the self-adjustment of the thermal sensors and the movement, speed of rotation and zoom of the motorized systems, as well as the establishment of surveillance positions pre-defined

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Remote Maintenance and Updates of FIRMWARE.

Description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being performing and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization of it, is accompanied as part member of this description, a single sheet of plans where with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, a scheme of the system of the invention where three positions are shown surveillance, a telecommunications network, a management center of independent alarms, and two control centers and monitoring

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

As you can see in the referred figure, a example of the system includes a series of surveillance posts (1), a central alarm management (2) and a series of centers control and monitoring (3), all interconnected by means of a telecommunication system (4).

The monitoring post (1) includes sensors thermal (5) strategically placed to cover large land extensions, which work in the range of infrared wavelengths, to detect the smallest temperature changes, sensors (5) that can be motorized or Not depending on the area to cover.

Each surveillance post (1) also includes a detection unit (6) that processes information from thermal sensors (5), analyze and classify heat sources which are subsequently interpreted by an expert system which determines the type of alarm to be transmitted in each case, allowing to discard false alarms generated by heat sources Not likely to cause fires. It also includes a unit of  communication (7) logically interconnected with the system or network of  telecommunication (4).

For its part, the central alarm management (2) includes the corresponding communication unit (7), provided also in the control and monitoring centers (3), as in the case of surveillance posts (1), so that in such central alarm management (2) reception takes place and alarm classification as well as the geo-referencing and data adequacy for form a database (8), accessed by the various control and monitoring centers (3), to represent the alarms in the corresponding geographic information system.

For their part, those control centers and monitoring (3) include the geographic information system and a monitoring unit (10), so that alarms are they represent in the geographic information system (9), allowing the operator to observe these alarms on a digital cartography of the area, incorporating a base into the system of data that allows you to track the historical alarm, as well as performing measurements and obtaining statistics

Additionally, the operator can see the area under study on a screen, using the remote surveillance unit (10), as if it were a closed circuit television, the operator can also tele-control and monitor the surveillance posts (1), to perform tasks of maintenance and updating of the FIRMWARE of said positions of surveillance (1) and central alarm management (2).

Claims (7)

1. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, which being applicable both to control large areas of land, such as forests, parks and industrial environments, as well as to detect possible outbreaks of fires, is characterized in that it comprises one or more surveillance posts automated (1) and an alarm management center (2) interconnected with each of the surveillance posts (1), through a communications system (4) that manages the transport of information through cables and / or radio frequency; further comprising control and monitoring centers (3) also interconnected, through the communications system (4), both with the alarm management center (2) and with the monitoring posts (1); having provided that each surveillance post (1) includes thermal sensors (5) that detect the smallest changes in temperature, as well as a detection unit (6) for the processing of radiometric images, which analyzes, processes and classifies the foci of heat to determine in each case the type of alarm generated; Each surveillance post (1) also comprises a surveillance unit as a means of visual support by remote control, allowing the scene to be observed both in the visible range and in the thermal range, from the control and monitoring centers (3). 2. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, according to claim 1, characterized in that the alarm management unit (2) is capable of being physically located in a surveillance post (1), or in some of the fire centers. control and monitoring (3), or form an independent physical unit located in any other location. 3. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermal sensors (5) of the surveillance posts (1) work in the infrared wavelength range and may or may not be motorized, depending on the area to cover. 4. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication system (4) provides two levels of communication, one that may or may not adapt to telecommunication infrastructures available in each geographical area, and another to assume the transport of information in case of failure of the previous one. 5. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the central alarm management unit (2) includes means for the reception and classification of alarms, as well as for the projection of radiometric images on a digital cartography and for the adaptation of data to form a database (8) to which the different control and monitoring centers access (3). 6. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the control and monitoring centers (3) receive the information corresponding to the alarms from the central alarm management unit (2), being said information represented on a screen. 7. Surveillance system for the early detection of fires, according to previous claims, characterized in that both the monitoring posts (1) and the alarm management center (2) and the control and monitoring centers (3), include a unit of communication (7).