Addressable smart speaker

1. A notification appliance for use in a fire alarm system, the notification appliance comprising:

a network interface which connects to and receives messages over a network;

means for assigning an address to the notification appliance;

a speaker

plural taps for selecting audio power for the speaker;

a first selector which selects at least one of said plural taps to select a particular audio power for the speaker as directed by a received network command addressed to said notification appliance;

a visual indicator;

plural settings for selecting intensity for the visual indicator;

a second selector which selects at least one of the plural settings to select a particular intensity for the visual indicator as directed by a received network command addressed to the notification appliance;

mode selector for selecting modes of the notification appliance as directed by a received network command addressed to the notification appliance, the modes comprising speaker operation only, visual indicator operation only, and speaker and visual indicator operation.

2. The notification appliance of claim 1 , further comprising non-volatile storage for storing information about the last-selected audio power setting.

3. The notification appliance of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a strobe.

4. A notification appliance for use in a fire alarm system, the notification appliance comprising:

a network interface which connects to and receives messages over a network;

a speaker;

a visual indicator;

a mode selector for selecting modes of the notification appliance, the modes comprising speaker operation only, visual indicator operation only, and speaker and visual indicator operation

a controller for implementing a received network command, the command comprising an address addressed to said notification appliance and a message for the controlling the speaker, the visual indicator, or the mode selector.

5. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the command is a command to set a transformer tap.

6. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the command is a command to select a voltage type.

7. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the notification appliance is responsive to a group address.

8. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein the command is one of an activation and a de-activation command.

9. The notification appliance of claim 4 , further comprising non-volatile storage for storing command information.

10. The notification appliance of claim 4 wherein said notification appliance in conjunction with similar notification appliances are controlled as a virtual notification appliance circuit.

11. The notification appliance of claim 1 , wherein at least two said notification appliances are on different networks.

12. The notification appliance of claim 4 , the network interlace further transmitting a response generated by the controller over the network.

13. The notification appliance of claim 4 , further comprising:

a tone generator which generates an ultrasonic tone; and

a detector for detecting the ultrasonic tone, the notification appliance transmitting a trouble message over the network if the ultrasonic tone is not detected, the message providing a notification appliance identification.

14. The notification appliance of claim 4 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a strobe.

15. A method for communication in a fire alarm system, comprising:

sending a message addressed to an addressable notification appliance, the message including an address and a command to control one or both of a speaker and a visual indicator in the notification appliance or indicative of a mode setting, the mode setting for speaker operation only, visual indicator operation only, and speaker and visual indicator operation; and

at said addressable notification appliance, implementing said command.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is a command to set a transformer tap.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is a command to select a voltage type.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the notification appliance is responsive to a group address.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the command is one of an activation and a de-activation command.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

storing command information in non-volatile storage.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

controlling said notification appliance in conjunction with similar notification appliances as a virtual notification appliance circuit.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least two said notification appliances are on different networks.

23. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

transmitting a response to the received command over the network.

24. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

generating an ultrasonic tone;

detecting the ultrasonic tone; and

transmitting a trouble message over the network if the ultrasonic tone is not detected, the message providing a notification appliance identification.

25. A notification appliance for use in a fire alarm system, comprising:

means for assigning an address to the notification appliance;

speaker means;

means for selecting audio power for the speaker means;

first selector means for selecting a particular audio power;

visual indicator means;

means for selecting intensity for the visual indicator means;

second selector means for selecting a particular intensity for the visual indicator means;

mode selector means for selecting modes of the notification appliance, the modes comprising speaker means operation only, visual indicator means operation only, and speaker means and visual indicator means operation;

communications means for receiving a message addressed to said notification appliance, the message including an address and a command; and

means for implementing said command.

26. The notification appliance of claim 25 , wherein the visual indicator means comprises a strobe means.