R&D Division

Fire Panel Systems Engineering & Firmware R&D

Developing next-generation embedded systems, custom firmware, and real-time operating systems for addressable fire indicator panels and multi-panel network architectures.

Research Overview

The Fire Panel Systems Engineering division focuses on the fundamental hardware and software architecture of fire indicator panels (FIPs) — the central nervous system of any fire detection and alarm installation. Our research encompasses custom firmware development for AS 7240-compliant addressable panels, loop card architecture design with advanced signal processing, and cause-and-effect matrix programming for complex multi-zone buildings.

We develop multi-panel networking solutions spanning peer-to-peer, master/slave, and mesh topologies to enable seamless coordination across campus-wide fire system deployments. Our SLC (Signalling Line Circuit) optimisation research pushes the boundaries of addressable device density while maintaining robust noise immunity.

At the firmware level, we build real-time operating systems (RTOS) specifically engineered for fire controllers, with deterministic scheduling guarantees that ensure life-safety response times are never compromised — even under extreme system load or partial hardware failure conditions.

Technical Methodology

From architecture specification through type certification.

01

Requirements & Architecture Specification

Detailed hardware and software requirements analysis for addressable fire indicator panels, including loop card density, network topology, and AS 7240 compliance mapping.

02

Firmware & RTOS Development

Real-time operating system kernel development with deterministic interrupt handling, ensuring fire panel responses meet the strict timing requirements of life-safety systems.

03

SLC Signal Processing & Optimisation

Signalling Line Circuit protocol development and optimisation to maximise addressable device counts while maintaining signal integrity and noise immunity across long cable runs.

04

Cause-and-Effect Matrix Programming

Complex multi-zone cause-and-effect matrix development for buildings with intricate fire compartmentation, staged evacuation, and HVAC interlock requirements.

05

Integration Testing & Type Certification

Exhaustive functional testing of panel firmware under simulated fault conditions, followed by third-party type certification to AS 7240 and AS 4428.

Key Research Outcomes

Core capabilities developed through our fire panel engineering programme.

Custom Firmware Development

Bespoke embedded firmware for addressable fire indicator panels with modular architecture supporting custom loop card configurations and protocol stacks.

Multi-Panel Networking

Peer-to-peer, master/slave, and mesh topology networking solutions enabling campus-wide fire system coordination across hundreds of interconnected panels.

RTOS Fire Controllers

Deterministic real-time operating systems designed for fire controllers with guaranteed worst-case execution times and failover redundancy.

Loop Card Architecture

Signal processing hardware and firmware design for loop cards supporting multiple communication protocols and advanced device diagnostics.

Standards & Publications Referenced

Regulatory and technical standards underpinning our panel engineering research.

  • AS 7240 — Fire detection and alarm systems
  • AS 4428 — Fire detection, warning, control and intercom systems (control and indicating equipment)
  • AS 1670.1 — Fire detection system design, installation and commissioning
  • IEC 62368-1 — Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment safety
  • EN 54-2 — Fire detection and fire alarm systems: control and indicating equipment
  • NFPA 72 — National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code

Learn About Our Panel R&D

Looking to develop custom fire panel firmware or need multi-panel networking solutions for complex installations? Connect with our embedded systems team.

Learn About Our Panel R&D