Systems and methods for downloading configuration data to fire alarm control panel devices and peripheral devices in a fire alarm system

1. A method comprising:

a master device in a connected system receiving an update to first configuration data of the connected system;

the master device determining whether the update to the first configuration data of the connected system includes a first change to second configuration data of the master device;

when the update to the first configuration data of the connected system includes the first change to the second configuration data of the master device, the master device updating the second configuration data of the master device to reflect the first change to the second configuration data of the master device;

the master device analyzing the update to the first configuration data of the connected system to identify portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system that are relevant to a first plurality of slave devices in the connected system, the first plurality of slave devices being slaves of the master device;

the master device broadcasting a configuration message to all of the first plurality of slave devices, the configuration message including only the portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system that are relevant to the first plurality of slave devices;

a first one of the first plurality of slave devices receiving the configuration message and, responsive thereto, determining whether the portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system include a second change to third configuration data of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices; and

when the portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system include the second change to the third configuration data of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices, the first one of the first plurality of slave devices updating the third configuration data of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices to reflect the second change to the third configuration data of the first one of the plurality of slave devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the connected system includes one of a fire alarm system, a gas detection system, an access control system, a security system, or a plurality of IoT devices.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the master device includes a control panel device, and wherein each of the first plurality of slave devices includes a peripheral device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the master device includes a first control panel device, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of slave devices includes a second control panel device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the master device receives the update to the first configuration data of the connected system via a cloud network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the master devices broadcasts the configuration message by pushing the configuration message to each of the first plurality of slave devices via the cloud network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the master devices reads the update to the first configuration data of the connected system from a USB device inserted into a USB port of the master device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a user interface device emitting an audible or visual notification message that identifies which of the master device and the first plurality of slave devices are updated in response to the master device receiving the update to the first configuration data of the connected system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising cascading the configuration message from the master device to each of the first plurality of slave devices.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the first one of the first plurality of slave devices broadcasting the configuration message to a second plurality of slave devices in the connected system, the second plurality of slave devices being slaves of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices.

11. A connected system comprising:

a master device; and

a first plurality of slave devices that are slave devices of the master device,

wherein the master device receives an update to first configuration data of the connected system,

wherein the master device determines whether the update to the first configuration data of the connected system includes a first change to second configuration data of the master device,

wherein, when the update to the first configuration data of the connected system includes the first change to the second configuration data of the master device, the master device updates the second configuration data of the master device to reflect the first change to the second configuration data of the master device,

wherein the master devices analyzes the update to the first configuration data of the connected system to identify portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system that are relevant to the first plurality of slave devices and broadcasts a configuration message to all of the first plurality of slave devices,

wherein the configuration message includes only the portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system that are relevant to the first plurality of slave devices, and

wherein a first one of the first plurality of slave devices receives the configuration message, responsive thereto, determines whether the portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system include a second change to third configuration data of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices, and when the portions of the update to the first configuration data of the connected system include the second change to the third configuration data of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices, updates the third configuration data of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices to reflect the second change to the third configuration data of the first one of the plurality of slave devices.

12. The connected system of claim 11 further comprising one of a fire alarm system, a gas detection system, an access control system, a security system, or a plurality of IoT devices.

13. The connected system of claim 12 wherein the master device includes a control panel device, and wherein each of the first plurality of slave devices includes a peripheral device.

14. The connected system of claim 12 wherein the master device includes a first control panel device, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of slave devices includes a second control panel device.

15. The connected system of claim 11 wherein the master device receives the update to the first configuration data of the connected system via a cloud network.

16. The connected system of claim 15 wherein the master device broadcasts the configuration message by pushing the configuration message to each of the first plurality of slave devices via the cloud network.

17. The connected system of claim 11 wherein the master device reads the update to the first configuration data of the connected system from a USB device inserted into a USB port of the master device.

18. The connected system of claim 11 further comprising:

a respective user interface device of each of the master device and the first plurality of slave devices,

wherein the respective user interface device of each of the master device and the first plurality of slave devices emits a respective audible or visual notification message that identifies when a respective one of the master device and the first plurality of slave devices is updated in response to the master device receiving the update to the first configuration data of the connected system.

19. The connected system of claim 11 wherein the master device and the first plurality of slave devices form a cascade.

20. The connected system of claim 11 wherein the first one of the first plurality of slave devices broadcasts the configuration message to a second plurality of slave devices that are slave devices of the first one of the first plurality of slave devices.