Pyro Limited. 2009.

This device provides an extension of capabilities to the digital firing system - FireOne. The new FireOne Firing Module Extension encompasses both hardware and software that act as a plugin to the existing FireOne technology in order to provide further capabilities and enhancements to the original product owned and distributed by Pyrotechnics Management Inc. The hardware includes a sturdy aluminium case with six centronic connectors (one input - five outputs), a digital display with respective control switches, a continuity tester with respective LEDs, a CPU and two terminals for the power supply. One centronic connector acts as a bridge between the FireOne 2- Wire Firing Module and the Firing Module Extension described. The other five centronic connectors serve as output and send electric pulses to the rails. The software converts the firing data generated by the FireOne suite of products (ScriptMaker Visual, CueMaker Visual and FireOne 2000) to talk with the firing module extension and thus resulting in adding the firing functionality of a FireOne 2-Wire Firing Module from 32 cues to 155 cues.

The module extension utilizes the existing FireOne technology to increase the number of firing cues from 32 to 155 for a standard 2-Wire Firing Module. This means that for a basic system made up of 20 Single 2-Wire Firing Modules with a total of 640 cues, the invention increases the number of cues to 3100, i.e. 4.8 times as much!

Pyro Limited. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.
382 Mons Mikiel Azzopardi Street, Siggiewi, Malta.
+356 79010677  info@fireonemalta.com

FireOne ® is a product of Pyrotechnics Management, Inc.
863 Benner Pike, Suite 100, State College, PA 16801

FireOne Flames ® and FireOne Module Extension ® are products of Pyro Limited - FireOne Malta.

The firing module extension takes its power from any of the two possible types of FireOne Master Control Panels that are used to drive the FireOne hardware. This means that the 2- Wire Firing Modules and the firing module extension can be ‘daisy chained’ together without experiencing any conflicts between the two. Moreover, similar to the 2-WireTM Firing Modules, the Firing Module Extension does not need any splitter boxes or boosters to operate - running over 500 meters of wire from the operator to the display area (Master Module to Firing Modules and Firing Module Extensions) using small, light, inexpensive two conductor "lamp cord" wire is possible without experiencing any loss of power problems.

Each cue can fire up from 15 to 20 electric matches wired in series. Therefore, each Firing Module with the Firing Module Extension attached with it, is capable of firing from 155 to 3100 electric matches! Since the firing potential is generated inside each Firing Module, the ability to fire electric matches is not limited by the length of the cable from the control panel to the firing modules. Regardless of the distance; 3 meters or 500 meters, the Firing Modules together with the Firing Module Extension will operate correctly with a full compliment of electric matches connected. There are never any "booster" boxes or additional hardware required to run long distances. The FireOne System together with the Firing Module Extension is the only firing system in existence that can make this claim!

FireOne's Firing Modules with the Firing Module Extensions attached to them can address and fire multiple modules and multiple firing events (cues) absolutely simultaneously with zero time between shots. This means that all 31 cues on any one Firing Module Extension can be fired absolutely simultaneously. Any 8 Firing Module Extensions with any of the 31 cues on each of those modules can be fired absolutely simultaneously. Conservatively, 2480 electric matches can be fired absolutely simultaneously (8 Firing Modules x 31 cues per Firing Module x 10 electric matches per cue). In 0.012 seconds, another 2480 electric matches can be fired absolutely simultaneously. Experience shows one can fire up to 8 of these groups of 2480 shots (19840 shots in less than .096 seconds); well before the average person can perceive any dispersion of the firings.

Each Firing Module Extension is individually addressable via front panel push buttons to set the extension module's unique address. A unique address, or number, allows the FireOne system to verify and communicate with each Firing Module Extension. Due to the fact that each Firing Module Extension can be programmed separately to communicate independently with the FireOne Firing Module, the device gives the possibility for the user to decide from which of the five extension outputs is the module extension expected to start its firing. This can be programmed to start by default from any of the five extension outputs just by pressing and holding the front panel push buttons on the desired number. When the ‘FirePower’ is activated, the Firing Module Extension configuration is automatically locked and no form of external intervention, changes and/or adjustments are permitted.

If the FireOne Module Extension gets powered down between displays, the system is intelligent enough to remember the last firing channel and resumes its activity on this channel. The FireOne Module Extension is sensible for the powering down from the main controller and saves the last channel number in memory until power is sent back to the Firing Module Extension. This means that an operator can liberally switch off the ‘Fire Power’ and ‘Power’ completely from the main controller between displays and than resume without having the need to go close to the Firing Module Extensions and reprogram the active channel.

Each Firing Module Extension has the capability to split the communications and power signal to other Firing Modules and Firing Module Extensions. Furthermore, all Firing Module Extensions plug directly into many different style slats, rails and electric match connectors provided by FireOne, FireOne Malta or other third party manufacturers.

The FireOne Module Extension Software acts as a bridge between the FireOne 2000 existing software and the invention. The software provided with the Firing Module Extension makes it possible to adjust the firing chronology and signaling to let the software communicate with the hardware and thus, fire the display from a laptop computer without any missed fires and according to the desired choreography. The FireOne Module Extension software supports three firing modes:

normal mode of operation for most shows.

firings that can fire a sequence of cues within a single event. Semi-Automated mode fires an event when requested and then stops waiting for the next user intervention. Another sequence of pre-programmed events can be selected and fired when requested. Highly useful for indoor events, concerts, sporting events, music group tours, etc.

The operator pushes a button to fire each cue.

Potentially dangerous product can be assigned a "Priority Lockout" number allowing them to be "removed" from the firing list for the display while the display is firing.

Any Firing Module can be removed from the active firing list without interruption of other firings in the display. If this is the case, this will automatically deactivate the assigned firing module extension and will result in having all 155 cues not responding to the pulses sent by the FireOne control panel.

All four modes of time synchronization that are supported by the FireOne hardware are also fully supported by the FireOne Module Extension. The four modes are: FireOne's time code (FSK), SMPTE, Local Automatic, and Local Manual.

The FireOne Module Extension together with the FireOne Firing Module provide six levels of testing during or after the assembly of a fireworks display:

The FireOne Firing Module Extension does not interfere with the six mentioned tests. Moreover, the Firing Module Extension gives also the possibility to perform an E-match test on each and every individual Firing Module Extension manually without requiring any computer programs or firing modules to run the E-match test. This means that once all the 155 cues (or less) are plugged/connected into the rails, the user can perform a continuity test on all the E-matches residing on that particular FireOne Module Extension directly from the FireOne Firing Module Extension itself. Such functionality makes it possible to test the E-matches directly on site and without need of any additional software/hardware. E-matches that have continuity in the circuit will light a number related LED on the display. If an E-Match is defective or does not provide a continuity in the circuit, than the respective LED will not light – thus indicating a fault and requesting for manual intervention from the user to fix the failure.

The FireOne Module Extension supports also last minute editing that might be done from over the FireOne ‘field editor’. However, caution should be made when performing field edits to be sure that all the required changes in the firing sequence are performed and saved.

Apart from the traditional FireOne software, the FireOne Firing Module Extension has stand-alone software which installs separately on the choreographer’s computer. This software makes it possible for the choreographer to edit the fireworks display choreography automatically and adapt it to the extension module without the need of any manual intervention. This means that the FireOne Module Extension software creates the necessary .fir file or .sem file independently from any other FireOne traditional software. This file generated by the extension module software will than be loaded in the FireOne 2000 software for the execution of the display. The software is very user friendly and guides the choreographer through the necessary stages to have a successful launch of the fireworks display. The software, while keeping all the existing FireOne functionality, improves the performance of the new Firing Module Extension by giving the possibility to the user to set its sensitivity. This sensitivity, calculated in milliseconds, assigns the time interval for the gadget to switch automatically from one rail to the other within the same extension module. This functionality means that the user can switch between different cues in a random way, not only within the existing firing rail of the FireOne Module extension, but one can also switch to any cue within the same set of five rails. By default, this sensitivity is set to 80 milliseconds (0.08 seconds). Having said that, the switching and firing to the next channel is performed in zero time. This means that FireOne Module Extension switches to the next channel and fires the next cue at zero seconds delay. It is only the switching of the next immediate and successive channles that takes 0.08 seconds for switching. Thus in order for the gadget to go from channel 1 to channel 5 at one go, it takes: 0.08s + 0.08s + 0.08s + 0.08s + 0s = 0.32s in all.

The hardware includes:

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The Firing Module Extension Features include:

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Download FireOne Firing Module Extension Brochure

Close-Up of the Cue Tester LED Display