Method for testing notification appliances in alarm systems
View Patent ↗A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system and creating a record of such testing including the steps of placing an alarm system in a test mode, actuating an input device of a notification appliance in the alarm system a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period, and automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period. The method may further include actuating the input device of the notification appliance a second time during the waiting period, whereby a pass signal is transmitted from the notification appliance, and creating a record of the pass signal. The method may further include transmitting a fail signal from the notification appliance after expiration of the waiting period if the input device of the notification appliance was not actuated during the waiting period and creating a record of the fail signal.
1. A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system, the method comprising:
actuating an input device on a notification appliance a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period;
automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period; and
activating a waiting mode indicium on the notification appliance during the waiting period.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising actuating the input device on the notification appliance a second time during the waiting period, whereby a pass signal is transmitted from the notification appliance.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising deactivating the waiting mode indicium.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising creating a record of the pass signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the pass signal was received.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the record further includes an identifier associated with a key that was used to actuate the input device.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a fail signal from the notification appliance after expiration of the waiting period if the input device was not actuated a second time during the waiting period.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising deactivating the waiting mode indicium after expiration of the waiting period.
9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising creating a record of the fail signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the fail signal was received.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the record further includes an identifier associated with a key that was used to actuate the input device.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing the alarm system in a test mode before actuating the input device on the notification appliance a first time.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein placing the alarm system in the test mode comprises selecting a corresponding test mode option.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the steps of actuating an input device and automatically entering a waiting period for every other notification appliance in the alarm system.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of actuating the input device comprises disposing a magnet in close proximity to a magnetic switch in the notification appliance.
16. A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system, the method comprising:
actuating an input device on the notification appliance a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period;
automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period;
actuating the input device on the notification appliance a second time during the waiting period, whereby a pass signal is transmitted from the notification appliance; and
creating a record of the pass signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the pass signal was received.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.
18. A method for testing notification appliances in an alarm system, the method comprising:
actuating an input device on the notification appliance a first time, whereby a notification feature of the notification appliance is activated for a test period;
automatically entering a waiting period after expiration of the test period;
transmitting a fail signal from the notification appliance after expiration of the waiting period; and
creating a record of the fail signal, such record including an address of the notification appliance and a time and date when the fail signal was received.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising storing the record and making the record available for subsequent review.