Driver Review: 1.03

Document Revision: 0

FieldServer Driver - Serial

FS-8700-93

Edwards Systems Technology - QuickStart

Description

The QuickStart Serial driver allows the FieldServer to record data from Edwards System Technology QS1-2/4-8 and QSC Fire Panels over the RS-232 printer port.  The FieldServer acts as a Passive Client receiving messages and updating its internal data arrays which records the status of devices connected to the QuickStart fire alarm control panel.   The QuickStart panels currently do not support duplexed communications; therefore, this driver has only been designed to listen for messages passively and not to respond or to generate polls.

The main purpose of this driver is to record the status of Fire Alarm System points in bit oriented data arrays.   It is limited by the information that the QuickStart control panels broadcasts in the form of text messages through its RS-232 printer port.

The types of EST messages supported by this driver are listed later in this fact sheet and in the FieldServer Driver Manual.   Device status to the data array mapping is also provided.   Since there are a variety of optional cards that can be selected for each QuickStart installation, each FieldServer application must be specifically configured before use.   FieldServer data storage arrays for panel status will be allocated according to the number and type of cards implemented.   Message information will also be stored according to card and panel addressing.

This driver is connection oriented; therefore, only one EST Panel may be connected to any single RS-232 FieldServer port.

The driver currently accommodates European and American English Conventional/Intelligent panels using the American English protocol with provisions for using the British English protocol at a later date.

FieldServer Synchronization

To synchronize the FieldServer's data arrays with the QuickStart control panel's status, the panel must have no active or disabled points on FieldServer startup.   Alternatively, a panel can be hard/soft restarted to clear all point status, and then re-annunciate any active devices after the FieldServer has been started.   This should only be undertaken by qualified technicians.

Should the panel be soft restarted unexpectedly, the FieldServer will recognize the "restart" command and clear all internal data arrays.   There will be no need for FieldServer restart; however, for a hard restart, the FieldServer data arrays should be manually cleared by changing a bit in the CLEAR_FLAG data array through RUINET, then soft restarting the panel again to ensure that status of all points is re-annunciated and recorded by the FieldServer.

Device States

Each addressable device (real or pseudo) can have multiple states: alarm supervisory, monitor, other (security), and troubles.   These states are not exclusive; therefore, a single addressable point may occupy multiple states at the same time.

Although there may be several trouble states for each device, there can only be a single alarm, supervisory, monitor and other (security) state per address.   Therefore any restoring messages for these four states indicate that the device is clear of any active problems for these types of conditions.

However, there may be several trouble states for a single addressable port.   These trouble states will be recorded in a separate trouble array of 2 byte elements.   Each array element will correspond to a device address and each bit within the element will correspond to a trouble type.   The mapping of message trouble types to element bit configuration is given below.   For modeling simplicity and flexibility, it is assumed that all addressable points (real or pseudo) can exist in all states.

Formal Driver Type

Serial

Passive Client

Compatibility Matrix

Connection Information

Devices tested

Connection configurations

The FieldServer is connected to the EST QuickStart power supply card as shown below.   Configure the EST QuickStart panel according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Connection Notes

The QuickStart panels must be pre-configured using their own proprietary configuration tool to send messages to the RS-232 printer port.   Ensure that this is done before attempting to connect to the FieldServer and verify that messages are being sent using a utility like Hyperterminal.

Bit Map of Trouble States for 2 Byte Array Elements

TBL OPEN RSTT0TROUBLE SHRT

TBL SHRT RSTT1LCL TROUBLE

LCL TRBL RSTT2DIRTY HEAD

DTY HEAD RSTT3COMMN FAULT

COMM FLT RSTT4GROUND FAULT

GND FLT RSTT5INTERNAL TBL

INTR TRBL RST6BAD TYPE

BAD TYPE RSTT7BAD PRSONATY

BAD PRSTY RST8UNEPECT DEV

UNEC DEV RSTT9TROUBLE

TROUBLE RSTT10TEST

TEST RSTT11DEV COMPATBL

DEV COMP RSTT12SERVICE GRP

SERVICE G RST13DISABLED

DISABLED RSTT14DISAB SOUND

DISSOUND RSTT15

Device Addressing

The following table defines the address space expected by the driver for each type of card.   The table includes both physical and pseudo points used by the QuickStart systems.

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

1

1

1

1

1

10

17

18

19

20

21

22

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

01-07

01-07

01-13

01-13

01-13

14

150-18 (49)

0-480 (499)

0-64 (99)

0-64 (99)

0-128 (199)

0-32 (49)

0-250 (499)

0-32 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-33 (49)

0-341 (499)

0-275 (499)

0-19 (49)

0-11 (49)

0-11 (49)

0-16 (49)

0-24 (49)pseudo points

zone

AND group

matrix group

service group

time control

output group

CPU (reserved)

annunciator

annunciator

annunciator

annunciator

annunciator

annunciator

annunciator

annunciator

ADC

SLIC

Class B (ZA16-8)

Class A (ZA8-2)

Relay       (ZR-8)

Dialer         (DLD)

Power       (PS6)

Data Array Memory Allocation

Each QuickStart card (real and pseudo) is configured with BIT and UINT16 or Packed Bit data arrays.   The following states are recorded in the BIT array.

1. Alarms

2. Supervisory

3. Monitor

4. Other (security)

Alarms will be stored in the first quarter of the array; Supervisory conditions will be stored in the second quarter etc. according to the above ordering.

Troubles are recorded in a separate array of UINT16 or packed bit elements.   Each element represents a uniquely addressable point, and each bit within the element represents a different type of trouble condition which is described by the specific trouble message.

The following two tables list the BIT and UINT16/Packed_Bit data array sizes that should be configured for every panel by default, and arrays for each optionally installed card.   The data arrays configured for all QuickStart panels are for cards (real and pseudo) which always have fixed card addresses.   Not all of these default data arrays will be utilized for every installation.   Optionally installed cards can have variable card ID numbers depending on the sequence the cards are installed.

Data arrays are referenced relatively according to their declared size.   Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that the array sizes are configured as noted in the tables.

Data Storage Requirements for Every Panel

Data Storage Requirements for Optional Cards

Message Types Supported

The primary purpose of this driver is to record the status of devices connected to the QuickStart Fire Control Panel by interpreting the text messages sent to its printer port.   Not all messages will be interpreted, as many messages and reports do not directly affect device status.   The following set of events and messages will be recognized and recorded in the data arrays.

QUIE RST  Not ImplementedALARM ACTIVE

ALARM RSTA  PULL STATION

PULL STA RSTA  HEAT ALARM

HEAT ALM RSA  WATERFLOW

WATERFLOW RSA  STAGE ONE

STAGE ONE RSA  SUPERVISORY

SUP RSTS  TAMPER

TAMPER RSTS  SECURITY

SECURITY RSTO  FIREPHONE

PHONE RSTM  MONITOR

MONITOR RSTM  LATCH SUPV

LAT SUPV RSTS  LATCH TAMPER

LAT TAMP RSTS  UNKNOWN

UNKNOWN RSTO  ALARM VERIFY

ALM VFY RSTM  PREALARM

PREALARM RSTM  TROUBLE OPEN

TBL OPEN RSTT  TROUBLE SHRT

TBL SHRT RSTT  LCL TROUBLE

LCL TRBL RSTT  MAINT ALERT

MAT ALERT RSM  DIRTY HEAD

DTY HEAD RSTT  COMMN FAULT

COMM FLT RSTT  GROUND FAULT

GND FLT RSTT  INTERNAL TBL

INTR TRBL RST  BAD TYPE

BAD TYPE RSTT  BAD PRSONATY

BAD PRSTY RST  UNEPECT DEV

UNEC DEV RSTT  TROUBLE

TROUBLE RSTT  RELAY CONFIR

RLY CFRM RSTM  LCL MONITOR

LCL MNTR RSTM  SWITCH

SWITCH RSTM  TEST

TEST RSTT  DEV COMPATBL

DEV COMP RSTT  AND GROUP

AND GRP RSTA  MATRIX GROUP

MATRIX G RSTA  SERVICE GRP

SERVICE G RST  TIME CONTROL

TIME CNTL RSM  ACK

ACK RSTM  DISABLED

DISABLED RSTT  DISAB SOUND

DISSOUND RSTT  OBJECT RUN

OBJETRUN RSTM  ZONE ALARM

ZONE ALM RSTA  ZONE SUPER

ZONE SUP RSTS  ZONE MONITOR

ZONE MON RSTM  OUTPUT GROUP

OUTPUT G RSTM  AUDIBLE

AUDIBLE RSTM  VISUAL

VISUAL RSTM  SUPER OUTPUT

SUPER OUT RTM  NONSUPER OUT

NONSUP OUT RM  COMM ALM OUT

COMMALOUTRSTM  LED OUTPUT

LEDOUTPU RSTM  

FieldServer Limitations & Exclusions

• · Only one QuickStart panel may be connected to any given RS-232 port at once.
• · QuickStart and FieldServer synchronization requires some manual steps. This is described in the section of this fact sheet called “FieldServer Synchronization”.
• · This driver cannot poll for data, thus if a message sent by the panel is lost or corrupted the status reported by the FieldServer will not correctly reflect the status of the panel until the panel is synchronized again or until the FieldServer receives a new message reporting the status of the lost message’s point.
• · Because of the message structure for the QuickStart protocol, it was intended to be the only protocol assigned to any single port.