AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant(s): FlameSniffer Inc Invention Title: Fire Detection The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: - 1 FIRE DETECTION This invention relates to fire detection and in particular relates to a sensor unit for use in detecting fire and a 5 communication system that incorporates a plurality of sensor units. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wildfires (Bushfires) are an increasing threat throughout 10 all areas around the globe having devastating effects including loss of human lives, wildlife, structure loss and are costing billions of dollars each year to contain, extinguish and rebuild the lost property as well as psychological effects to those directly affected by such fires. 15 The entire world, specifically the United States, Australia, Italy, France, China, Russia, Israel, and Greece experience major wildfires, so a cost effective solution must be sought to prevent the major increase in wildfires throughout 20 the decades. Current methods of detection are through visual means and only alert emergency services once the fire has consumed a vast parcel of land. Once the fire is underway, information about 25 the fire front, including exact location, size of the front, direction and speed becomes hampered by smoke and poor visibility and cannot be viewed by air. Fire command posts have to rely on information provided at the fire front, which is limited to a particular area with fire personnel forwarding 30 information via radio to the command post whilst continuing to fight the fire front. Aerial surveillance of the overall wildfire area is often covered by dense smoke, limited visibility and provides insufficient information regarding the actual position of the fire front. 35 CURRENT DETECTION METHODS Current fire detection methods are largely performed through visual sightings. Such sightings are limited to daylight hours and involve a sighting of smoke from an aircraft 40 or land-based person. Other methods of detection are through satellite images of an area that shows a heat signature in a particular area. However due to the fact that satellites are constantly moving, 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 2 detection is limited because a satellite passing over a specific area can be as infrequent as twice per day. A further method is the use of visual cameras mounted atop 5 mountain ridges to view a vast area awaiting the signs of smoke coming from a particular area. The limitations of camera systems is that they are only useful during the daylight hours, require human intervention to determine the image and fail to provide the exact location of the fire source as they have a 10 limited ability to pin point the location with a 5 mile radius. Another method of detection is through manned and unmanned aircraft that possess infrared technology to view heat sources on the ground and identify the heat source. The limitations 15 using this type of system of detection is that aircraft rarely operate at night, flight times and manpower is expensive and limited to one area at a time - only the area currently being covered by the aircraft. 20 It is these issues that have brought about the present invention which relates to a solution to these issues, that is a cost effective, ground based system that incorporates multiple sensor units that form a network that can cover a specific area with the ability to detect the onset of a fire 25 and send, real time data to pin point the source as well as provide climatic conditions such as wind speed and direction to provide a continual stream of information about the ignition source, where it is traveling to, and at what speed to enable emergency services to deploy resources to the most effective 30 point to rapidly contain and extinguish the fire. Fire fighters, command centers and mobile command posts can continually view this stream of vital information that is ground based, located at the fire front itself to enable continued strategic decisions to be made. 35 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invent ion provides a sensor unit comrprising a heat res: istatnt shell, the shell having a pluralit-v of viewing: windows M mounted in the sides of the shell and spaced 40 circumferentially around the shell exterior to provide a360 degree view around the sensor unit, each viewing window being optically coupled to a sensor within the shell that optically senses fire, the interior of t-he shell defining a chamber contairtinq at least one smoke det-ector, and a temperature 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 -3 sensor mounted on Or in the unit, the shell housing a radio transmitter artrangedJ to transmit signals actuated by one or more of the fire sensor, smoke detector or temperature sensor. 5 The invention also provides a sensor unit compri sing a heat resistant sh el, the shell having a pluraliv of viewing windows spaced around the shell exterior to define a 360 view around the unit, each viewing window being optically coupled to an infrared pyroelectri C sensor and an nfrared thermopile 10 sensor, t1e interior of the shell defining a chamber containing at least two different smoke detecto s, t e shell having vent ilai on holes commu ni cat ing with th e chamber and temperature sensors mounted on the unit, the shell housing at least one printed circuit board coupled to the sensors and 15 detectors and supporting a Computer and radio transmitter, and a rechargeab le power source powering the pr int ed circuit board. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sensor unit in 20 accordance with one embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sensor unit from the underside, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the unit with the internal components shown in dotted profile, 25 Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the internal components of the sensor unit, Figure 5 is a block diagram of a system that issues electronic warning messages of a wild fire using the sensor units of the kind illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, 30 Figure 6 is a block diagram of the system treating a home defence system, Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating the association of a plurality of detectors in the sensor unit, Figure 8 is a block diagram of a controller in the system, 35 Figure 9 is a block diagram of the process for warning a home owner, a command centre and a fire fighting department, Figure 10 is a diagram representing a plurality of sensor units diploid in a community to form a network, Figure 11 is a block diagram of the process for warning a 40 plurality of home owners in a community and a fire fighting department by the command centre in the community network, and Figure 12 is a block diagram illustrating the association of the sensors and a radio frequency engine. 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The sensor unit 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings is manufactured in heat resistant plastics and 5 essentially comprises an outer shell 11 with a cylindrical main body 12 and domed head 13. The shell 11 sits on top of a base structure 20 that comprises a base plate 21 that supports a platform 22 half way up the sensor unit 10 on three equally spaced pillars 23. The base plate 21 and platform 22 are 10 designed to support the componentry that makes up the sensor unit 10. The sensor 10 has been designed to have at least 12 different individual sensors which are described hereunder. 15 Four infrared pyroelectric viewing sensors 25, 26, 27, 28 and four infrared thermopile sensors 30, 31, 32, 33 are housed within similarly shaped central housings 40 that are supported on a vertical column 41 with each pyroelectric sensor 25-28 being positioned above the thermopile sensor 30-34. The 20 outward extremity of each housing is covered by a Fresnel lens 42. The column 41 comprises an L-shaped member that is a sliding fit on a foot structure 43 mounted on the upper platform 22 allowing the L-shaped member 41 to move inwardly and outwardly of the platform 42 thereby providing ready 25 adjustment of the position of the sensors 25, 30. Four columns 41 are provided each carrying a pyroelectric sensor and a thermopile sensor and the axes of these sensors are 900 apart so that the sensors view 3600 around the sensor unit 10. 30 The external body 12 of the shell 11 is provided with plastics covered viewing windows 16, 17 that are axially aligned with the Fresnel lens 42 of each sensor. A radio antenna 50 is position in the centre of the upper platform 22 to extend upwardly thereto in the space behind the columns. 35 The same space also supports a printed circuit board 36 that is coupled to the infrared pyroelectric sensors 25-28 and a printed circuit board 37 that is coupled to the infrared thermopile sensors 30-33. The sensors and the printed circuit boards 36, 37 are powered by a rechargeable battery 38 which is 40 in turn powered by a solar cell (not shown) that is attached to the exterior shell 11. The self contained power source eliminates hard wiring which would limit the positioning and location of the sensor unit. 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 5 The space between the platform 22 and the base 21 of the unit 10 defines a sensing chamber 46 containing an ionization smoke detector 70 and a photoelectric smoke detector 71. The 5 space also provides location of the battery unit 38 and two further printed circuit boards namely, a first board 48 that carries the basic electronics of the unit and includes a small computer and a radio transmitter and a second pyroelectric sensor unit 49. The printed circuit boards 48, 49 are coupled 10 to the pillar 23 that support the upper platform 22. As shown in Figure 2 the base 21 of the unit is provided with a series of ventilation holes 53 and has two spaced external heat sensors 51, 52. The ventilation holes 53 enable the entry and ventilation of smoke so that the smoke detectors 70 and 71 can 15 operate. The sensor unit 10 as shown in Figures 1 to 3 also incorporates an ultrasonic wind, speed and direction sensor 60 that is attached to the domed top 13 of the unit but has its 20 wiring extending through a conduit down the centre and to be coupled to a printed circuit board 36 or 37. The whole sensor unit 10 is very compact with the diameter of the shell 11 being approximately 6 inches and the total 25 height of the unit being no more than 12 inches. The base 21 of the unit has a circumferential collar 55 coupled to a connecting arm 56 which allows the unit to be bolted to a suitable support post. The solar cell (not shown) is secured to that arm 56. The heat resistant plastics ensure that the 30 sensor unit can withstand temperatures up to 520'F. INFRARED PYROELECTRIC VIEWING SENSORS Each sensor unit 10 contains four infrared vroelectric sensors 25-28 view the co2 sign-ature of fire flame and 35 embers. Each infrared pyroelectric sensor incorporates a Fresnel lens 4') to provide distance and maqnification of the fire image and direct that image to the center o thE irare detector. Each sensor also incorporates a germanim len that is coated on both sides o provide a specific band pass of 430n 40 nanometers. This band pass is Specific to view the flame and ember signature. The Firs co eating elminates the 0 -42 00 band idt.h transmiLs S 1i that includes sunl ht , whi ch wi eliminate any falsE ala~rms triggered through sun and cloud cover. The second coating eliminates transmLssion from 4500- 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 6 7000 to eliminate false alarms triggered through motion of any type. INFRARED THERMOPILE SENSORS 5 Each sensor unit 10 contains four Infrared Thermopile Sensors 30-33 that detect a heat source over 180 degrees Fahrenheit to detect the heat from a fire. Each infrared thermopile also incorporates a Fresnel lens 42 to provide distance and magnification of the heat signature provided by 10 the fire. Each Infrared thermopile incorporates a three film coatings to eliminate false alarms from the heat emitted from the sun. IONIZATION SMOKE 15 Each sensor unit 10 incorporates the ionization smoke chamber 46 to detect the presence of smoke in the air. An ionization smoke detector (not shown) 70 uses a small amount of radioactive material to ionize air in the sensing chamber. As a result, the air chamber becomes conductive permitting current 20 to flow between two charged electrodes. When products of combustion enter the chamber, the conductivity of the chamber air decreases. When this reduction in conductivity is reduced to a predetermined level, the alarm is set off. The ionization smoke detector is located in the lower half of the unit 10, 25 which is vented for superior airflow through the unit. The incorporation of an ionization smoke detector is to detect smoke given off from faster flaming fires and will react quickly to this type of smoke source. 30 PHOTOELECTRIC SMOKE DETECTOR Each sensor unit 10 incorporates a Photoelectric Smoke Detector 71 to detect the presence of smoke produced from smoldering fires such as campsites that have not been properly extinguished. The photoelectric smoke detector 71 consists of a 35 light emitting diode and a light sensitive sensor in the sensing chamber 46. The presence of suspended products of combustion in the chamber scatters the light beam. This scattered light is detected and sets off the alarm. 40 The use of two different types of smoke detectors is incorporated in each unit 10 as they operate on different principles and therefore may respond differently to varying fire sources and conditions. The incorporation of the two provides a fail safe and instant detection of the presence of 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 -7 smoke from any fire source. HEAT SENSORS Each sensor unit 10 incorporates two temperature sensors 5 51, 52 to detect abnormally high temperatures surrounding the unit. These temperature sensors are located on the base face '21 of the unit 10 and are exposed to the environment surrounding the unit. Each sensor 51, 52 being located on the bottom face of the unit and is not affected by continual heat from 10 sunlight. WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION Throughout. a network of sensors, wind speed and direction anemom-ters 60 are placed on top of the unit to detect the 15 cont.nual wind speed and direction at any part i cular location. The installed anemometer 60 is aHn ultrasonic unit with no movLnqg parts that can be obstructed by debris ad create operational failure. Wind speed and direction sensol'ors are only placed on a handful of units 10 within a prescribed network or 20 area to reduce the cost of the overall network for an area. CO MNICATION Each sensor unit 10 contains a specia ly designed circuit board 48 that incorporates a small computer and Radio Frequency 25 engine. All sensors are attached to the board 48, which contains software specific to coordinate the signals povided by each sensor unit. Once the information has been collec'ed wh'i ch is performed iL n 5, 4 , 3, 2, or 1 -rmi nut e invas (depending on customer requirements), the software details the 30 operation of each sensor and transmits the information via the radio frequency engine to other sensors units as well as several hub/gateway units located within a prescribed network. Each individual unit has the ability to transmit and receive data from other units for transmission throughout a network, 35 effectively "bouncing" real time data around the network to the multiple hub s/ gateways. HUBS/ GATEWAYS Hubs or gateways are communications units that receive the 40 data from multiple sensor units and transmit the data via remote cellular modems to a designated server located anywhere throughout the globe. The installation of multiple hubs / gateways en su res that data is provided to the server from several sources should a hub / gat-eway he Ist to a fire or 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 eperience modem communication problems. Hubs / Gateways can be installed remotely with their own power source or at existing powered infrastructure sites. 5 SERVER All data frwarded to the server from multiple sources is collected, and processed through a web based software which displays the status of each set of sensors contained in the each sensor unit, as well as the GPS coordinates of the unit, 10 power level and if applicable the current wind speed and direction at the unit itself. Each unit in real time provides this information, every 5, 4, 3, 2, or I minutess, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. 15 This constant stream of data allows the ability to continually monitor an area to ensure proper operation of each unit and reduces maintenance costs associated with continuous manual s ti 20 NETWORKS As each sensor unit has the ability to transmit and receive data, units can be placed into groups of various sizes to instant ly form an enti re network. This -plug and pl ay ability allows networks the ability to grow over time as units are 25 added at various stages increasing the coverage within a particular region. Units can also be placed in different areas .orm individual networks, all of which can be viewed separately to provide informat ion to registered reciLp'entc s in one area and restrict them from viewing another areas. 30 ABILITY TO VIEW STATUS The information provi ded by the server allows registered recipient s, through pas sword protected login , to view t-he status of the units! network at any time from. smart device or 35 computer, anywhere in the world. Notification of alarms can be sent to emails or sm-!art devices once a threat has been detected. HOME DEFENCE SYSTEM OPERATION 40 Sensor un-its 10 can operate an exterior fire protection sprinkler system by triggering the system to operate once the sensors in the unit have been triggered. This allows occupants of the property to evacuate the property with t-he know ledge and comf:: ort that. the exterior sprier system wi be engaged via 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 9 the sensor units, effectively protecting the property without any huma intervention. The sensor units are also key integers in a comrunication 5 system described hereunder. FIG 5 illustrates a residential system 500 of stand-alone sensor units 10 for monitoring and detecting a wildfire, signaling a warning message to a controller 200 that 10 electronically warns a homeowner and a command center 300 of a threat. The controller 200 transmits the warning message electronically in real time via an email 20, a text message to a smartphone 30, a website 1, or a special desktop application, which are non-limiting examples of electronic message formats. 15 The homeowner and command center 300 can access and receive the warning by any device capable of receiving the electronic message, such as, for example, a smartphone 30, a desktop computer, a laptop computer 40, or other electronic devices. The types of receiving electronic devices can of course be 20 varied, and substituted with other technologies both presently available and subsequently available, while adhering to the principles of the present invention. In one embodiment, the controller 200 sends the warning message directly to a firefighting department 50. In another embodiment, the command 25 center 300 sends the warning message to the firefighting department 50. A plurality of sensor units 10 are distributed around a home and monitor for smoke, temperature, and two types of 30 infra-red conditions that signal an ember or wildfire attack. It is understood that while this discussion relates generally to monitoring and reporting conditions associated with a wildfire, the system monitors and detects a fire threat to the home or the property regardless of the source of ignition, such 35 as, for example, but not limited to, arson, lightning, and downed power lines. A sensor unit 10 can transmit the warning signal 110 to the controller wirelessly or through a wired connection 110W. The controller 200 can optionally transmit a command to activate a defence system 400, such as, for example, 40 a dowsing system that sprays water and fire-retardant on a combustible structure. When a neighborhood 600 has a plurality of homes 510 and properties, each having the residential system installed and 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 10 operational around a perimeter, a distributed system for a community is created to provide a warning network. A neighborhood is defined as a plurality of homes and properties in a small geographic area. FIG 10 illustrates how a community 5 network 600 is formed. Each residential system becomes a node 500N on the network and transmits a warning signal 110 to the command center as described hereinabove. When more than one node 50ON signals a wildfire warning, the command center pinpoints the exact location of the fire, tracks the direction 10 and speed of the wildfire and issues an early warning over the Internet by electronic message to a plurality of members in the community network. The command center transmits the information to the firefighting department to enhance their visual tracking of the wildfire and aid in the firefighting effort. Optionally, 15 additional sensor units 10 can be installed in undeveloped areas, such as on local open wild-land 620 and on hillsides 610 surrounding the neighborhood. Optional placement of the additional sensor units 10 increases the ability of the system to provide an early warning to the community because wildfires 20 typically track along hillsides and open spaces. The sensors are capable of detecting a 4ft ember and wildfire conditions up to around 1,000 feet, although further distances can be achieved through the increasing of gain to the 25 infra red detectors. The sensor unit 10 has a timer 124 that activates the sentry for a short period of time at a set interval by using a hold circuit 125. In a non-limiting example in the 30 illustration, the sensor unit 10 is activated for three seconds at five-minute intervals. The sensor unit 10 continues to operate at the set interval until it is turned off at a power switch 126. Each sensor 150 sends a status signal to a code generator 130 during the active period. Additionally, a test 35 code is generated by a test code generator 132. If the sensor unit 10 does not transmit a test code within an interval slightly longer than the activation interval, for example, seven minutes, the controller will send a failure signal to the command centre to notify that the sensor unit has failed and 40 requires inspection to determine the cause of the failure. The generated codes are sent to a code sequencer 134 and then to a transmitter 136. The transmitter 136 sends the sequenced codes to an antenna 140 of the controller via radio waves. In one embodiment, the sensor unit has a wired connection with the 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 11 controller. FIG 7A illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensor unit. FIG 8 illustrates the modules of the controller. The controller has a microprocessor with a storage module 220 and 5 an input/output module 230. The storage module 220 stores a plurality of program modules such as, for example, but not limited to, an operating system module 222, a fire protection functions module 224, a web client module 226, a web server module 228 and a web page elements module 229. The input/out 10 module 230 has an interface 232 for input from the sensor unit 10, an output interface 234 to activate an optional defence system 400 and output interface 236 to the Internet and electronic messaging media. The controller 200 has a radio receiver 202 to receive a wireless signal 110 from the sensor 15 unit 10 and a wired sensor interface 204 with a signal conditioning circuit to receive a signal 110W from sensor unit 10 optionally wired to the controller. FIG 6 demonstrates the system when it is optionally linked 20 with the defence system 400. The controller receives a signal from one of more of the sensor unit 10 in the system. The controller tracks the direction of the fire and activates the defence system 400. When the controller 200 determines that an ember or wildfire is present, it activates a pump 410. The 25 pump 410 and the controller 200 are powered by a power source 420 that has a power line with a backup battery/inverter system. The pump 410 begins to pump water from a water supply 430, which may be a tank, a swimming pool, or a water line. The pump pumps the water into a sprinkler system 440 that the 30 home 510 or property with water and fire retardant. The sentries 100 continue to monitor. When additional sensors detect embers or wildfire, the controller signals the defense system 400 to douse the home 510 at an optimal time to protect the house with an amount of fire retardant and water that will 35 remain effective during the duration of the threat. The controller 200 alerts the homeowner and the command center 300 that the defence system has been activated and provides continuing updates in real time. In one embodiment, the homeowner communicates electronically with the controller 200 40 to manually turn on or off the home defense system 400. The process is described by way of a block diagram in FIG 9. A sensor unit 10 detects smoke, spots embers, spots fire and/or senses heat, indicating fire 600. The sensor unit 10 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16 - 12 signals a warning to the controller 610 that indicates that embers and advancing wildfire are present within the range of the sensors. The controller communicates with the homeowner, command center and firefighting department, directly or 5 indirectly, of the potential danger by electronic messages 620. If the optional defence system is installed 625, the controller activates the defence system at a preliminary spraying level 630. The controller continues to monitor the condition and operation of the sensor unit 10 and sends electronic message 10 635 and the controller updates the homeowner, central command and firefighters by electronic messages 650. When the control receives warning signals from multiple sensor unit's 640, signaling advancing wildfire, it calculates the optimal time to fully activate the optional defense system to douse the home 15 645. The controller continues to monitor the condition and operation of the defence system and sensor units and sends electronic messages updating the homeowner, central command and firefighters 650. If the optional defence system is not installed, the controller continues monitoring 635 and updating 20 the homeowner, command center and firefighters by electronic messages 650. FIG 11 describes the process in a block diagram of a community network system. A sensor unit signals presence of 25 embers and wildfire by detecting smoke, spotting embers, spotting fire and/or sensing heat and signals a warning to the controller 710. The controller signals the command center 720. When one sensor unit signals a warning, the command center notifies the firefighting department and continues to monitor 30 the network 725. When multiple sensor units signal a warning 730, the command center pinpoints the fire, calculates the speed and direction of the fire 740. The command center notifies the firefighting department and warns residents to evacuate, giving an early warning and allowing more time for 35 evacuation 750. Thus there is provided a distributed system that monitors for evidence of an approaching wildfire through a plurality of sensor unit's and sends an electronic message to a homeowner 40 and command center of the danger of fire. A plurality of the distributed systems forms a community network that warns the members of the network of an approaching wildfire. 7382162_1 (GHMatters) P86601.AU 4/02/16