Fire detection system with distributed file system
A distributed file system for a vehicle fire system leverages unused memory in slave modules. Such a system comprises file metadata stored on the master module, which includes information about specific files and the location of used and unused memory throughout the system, including memory on the master module and installed slave units. By maintaining the file metadata and sending instructions to slave units to save or read files at certain addresses, the master module can avail itself of unused memory throughout the entire system. This allows the master module to store more information on the system than there is available memory on the master itself.
1. A method for storing files in a fire system, the fire system being one of a fire detection system, a fire suppression system, or a combination fire detection and suppression system, the method comprising:
determining, by a master module, available memory on slave units of the fire system, wherein the slave units perform tasks related to fire detection or fire suppression;
instructing the slave units, by the master module, to store new files to the available memory; and
reading, by the master module, the files stored to the slave units,
wherein the available memory on the slave units is memory that is unused by the slave units and is designated by the master module as available in file metadata, and the master module uses the available memory on the slave units as a distributed file system to store images of firmware for each type of slave unit installed on the system, and the master module stores firmware images for one type of slave unit to the available memory of slave units of a different type than the one type of slave unit.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the master module determines the available memory by accessing metadata specifying available memory in the slave units.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising comparing, by the master module, versions of the new files to versions of files previously stored by the master module and only storing the new files if the version of the new files are more recent than the versions of the files previously stored.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising updating, by the master module, metadata identifying the slave units on which the new files are stored.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising deleting, by the master module, older versions corresponding to the new files that were previously stored by the master module.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the master module stores file verification information that is used to verify the integrity of the files stored on the slave units.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the master module file verification information is checksum information.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the slave units includes nonvolatile memory which contains the available memory, a controller for executing firmware instructions stored in the nonvolatile memory, and transceivers for communicating with the master module on a common bus.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each of the slave units further comprises a slave element for performing tasks of the fire system related to fire detection, notification, and/or suppression.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the slave units receive instructions from the master module and send information to the master module via the transceivers and the common bus based on the slave elements of the slave units.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the information sent from the slave units to the master module includes information about an environment detected by the slave units via the slave elements, including heat, infrared radiation, and/or presence of fire, and the instructions received from the slave units from the master module includes instructions to perform a fire suppression function and/or display an alert via the slave elements.
12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the slave units include a power supply for the fire system, and the master module stores the new files to available memory of the power supply and reads the files stored to the power supply.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the files stored to the available memory of the power supply and read from the power supply include firmware images of firmware for the slave units.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the firmware images stored to the available memory of the power supply includes firmware images for slave units of different types than the power supply.
15. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the master module uses a common address space to communicate with the slave units via the common bus.
16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slave units include a power supply for the fire system, and the master module stores the new files to available memory of the power supply and reads the files stored to the power supply.
17. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the images of the firmware for each type of slave unit are used to update the firmware of the slave units if their current firmware is corrupted or outdated, or if a new slave unit is installed.
18. A system for storing files in a fire system, the fire system being one of a fire detection system, a fire suppression system, or a combination fire detection and suppression system, the system comprising:
slave units of the fire system for performing tasks related to fire detection or fire suppression;
a master module determining available memory on the slave units, storing new files to the available memory, and reading the files stored to the slave units,
wherein the available memory on the slave units is memory that is unused by the slave units and is designated by the master module as available in file metadata, and the master module uses the available memory on the slave units as a distributed file system to store images of firmware for each type of slave unit installed on the system, and the master module stores firmware images for one type of slave unit to the available memory of slave units of a different type than the one type of slave unit.
19. The system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the master module determines the available memory by accessing metadata specifying available memory in the slave units.
20. The system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the master module compares versions of the new files to versions of files previously stored by the master module and only stores the new files if the version of the new files are more recent than the versions of the files previously stored.
21. The system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the master module updates metadata identifying the slave units on which the new files are stored.
22. The system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the master module deletes older versions corresponding to the new files that were previously stored by the master module.
23. The system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the master module stores file verification information that is used to verify the integrity of the files stored on the slave units.
24. The system as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the master module file verification information is checksum information.