Abstract:
A system and method that helps evacuees exit a building in the event of an emergency such as a smoke event, a fire, an earthquake, a security breach, and/or the presence of unsafe levels of hazardous gasses, using linear illuminators parallel to and near the floor of an interior room or hallway to provide floor-level identification and illumination of the exit route to be used in the event of such an emergency, with some linear illuminators having directional aspects along hallways to lead evacuees toward an exit, and other illuminators outlining the perimeter of windows or doors that are safe to exit through, the illuminators normally being hardly noticeable but having controllers and energizers linked to the alarm and security systems of hospitals, hotels, residences and other occupied building structures to light up the planned exit route when emergency conditions are detected.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application relates and claims priority to the prior co-pending U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/201,603, entitled “EMERGENCY EXIT ROUTE ILLUMINATION SYSTEM AND METHODS,” filed Dec. 12, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates in general to systems that provide lighting and/or information to building occupants in the event of an emergency such as a smoke event, a fire, an earthquake, a security breach, and/or the presence of unsafe levels of hazardous gasses. The invention, more particularly, relates to systems and methods providing floor-level identification and illumination of the exit route to be used in the event of an emergency, especially as integrated with the alarm and security systems of hospitals, hotels, multi-family residences and other high occupancy building structures. The invention also relates to the materials, articles and processes used in such systems and methods, as well as to how and when to use the same. 
     2. Background Art 
     People tend to become overly confused and disoriented when they are in a building that is experiencing an emergency such as catching on fire, particularly in buildings such as hotels, hospitals or other institutions where the occupants stay in the buildings for such short periods of time that they are not very familiar with the best way to exit the building. During an emergency event, alarms are blaring, sprinklers are often spraying, the main lighting is often turned off, and hallways can be obliterated with smoke in just a few minutes. To top off the confusion factors, once smoke gets in a person&#39;s eyes and lungs, they are physically impaired, and they start panicking as their oxygen supply drops and disorientation sets in quickly as a result. 
     It helps that fire codes typically require low-voltage, DC-powered, lighted exit signs to help guide people to safety even when the building&#39;s main power is shut off so that firefighters or other emergency responders can safely cut through walls without risk of electrocution. It is even better when exit lighting systems are linked to smoke detectors or other nearby or remote fire alarm systems so that they are powered together and are automatically actuated in the event of a fire. Such signs and alarms, however, tend to be positioned relatively high—either hanging down from the ceiling or mounted high on a wall above the frame of the exit door. Unfortunately, the air near the ceiling is the first to fill with smoke. People trying to escape a structure fire tend to crouch low and even crawl on hands and knees to avoid the heat and find air near the floor while feeling their way down a smoke-filled hall. Hence, panicked people in a fire may have little chance of seeing the exit lights that are intended to guide them toward safety. 
     As a result, the occupants of a building or structure such as office buildings, night clubs, hotels, hospitals, and even simple residences, and the firefighters entering such structures to render aid, are at serious risk of quickly becoming confused and disoriented and then asphyxiated in smoke-filled hallways, even when code-compliant exit lighting systems are installed and fully functioning. Over 2,970 civilians died in structure fires in 2007 (one death every 153 minutes), many as a result of their inability to locate a safe exit from the structure in a timely manner. Horrifically, even the trained firefighters who enter a burning building to render aid are at risk. Indeed, more than a dozen firefighter lives are lost every year in the US because they become lost or disoriented in the burning structure and run out of air. Too many civilians&#39; and firefighters&#39; bodies are found within just a few feet of what could have been a safe exit or escape. Most victims of fire are found near a window or within a fifteen feet of an exterior door. 
     Analogous challenges are presented in virtually any type of disaster or emergency situation that requires immediate evacuation of a building structure, whether due to fire, flood or earthquake, or whether due to human threat such as a security breach, hazardous gas release, terrorist attack, bomb threat or the like. 
     Some have tried to overcome such challenges and problems by designing creative exit lighting systems, but their attempts have fallen far short of the ideal. Among those are the inventors of the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,794,373, 5,130,909, 5,343,375, 5,612,665, 5,755,016, 5,815,068, 6,025,773, 6,237,266, 6,646,545, 7,114,826, and 7,255,454. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a fundamental object of the present invention to overcome the obstacles and challenges of the prior art in a way that helps save lives and avoid injury by helping to orient occupants of a building in the event of an emergency, and guiding such occupants toward exits through the use of illumination with directionality. 
     Embodiments of the invention exploit circuitry and systems in existing buildings and common new construction designs such that alarms automatically energize an illumination system that highlights both exit doors and the base of the hallways leading to those doors. With an assortment of approaches for also conveying directionality to the occupant, the embodiments are capable of leading occupants through successive doors and halls leading to major exits. 
     The inventions are generally defined in the appended claims, as they may be supplemented or amended from time to time. However, those of skill in the art will recognize many other aspects of our inventions from the following descriptions, considered in light of the prior art. It must be understood that many other aspects of our inventions and many other alternatives, variations, substitutions and modifications will also fall within the scope of the inventions, both those inventions that are now claimed and those inventions that are described but not yet claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a general floor plan of an upper floor of a multi-story building  100 , to be used as reference for describing a preferred variation of exit route illumination subsystem  40  installed in building  100 . 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic box diagram of the preferred exit route illumination subsystem  40  in relation to the general Alarm Control System  15  of building  100 . 
         FIG. 2B  is a pictorial illustration of the control box  40 ′ housing the controller  41  and energizers  48  for at least one alternative embodiment of the illumination subsystem  40  depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the internal portion of hallway  105  of building  100 , showing an embodiment for the placement of a linear illuminator  20  that is characteristic of numerous embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of wall  106  of the hallway  105  within which linear illuminator  20  is installed in a pre-formed groove  165  of cove base  160 , as is one preferred way of associating illuminator  20  with wall  106  at a height adjacent to the floor  95 . For reference, the approximate vantage point for  FIG. 4  is designated as vantage plane  4 - 4  in the lower right portion of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4A  is very similar to  FIG. 4 , except that  FIG. 4A  illustrates an embodiment of illuminator  20  (numbered  20 ′) with an integral lengthwise flange  320  to enable mounting of illuminator  20 ′ behind baseboard  160 , for many of the embodiments without a pre-formed groove  165  in baseboard  160 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view much like  FIG. 4 , except that the vantage point for  FIG. 5  is expanded to allow illustration of a preferred placement of illuminator  20  in association with the baseboard  160  of hallway  105  while also outlining the door frame molding  150  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) within room  110 . For reference, the approximate vantage point for  FIG. 5  is designated as vantage plane  5 - 5  in the lower left region of wall  149  in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view from within room  110  of building  100 , showing amongst other things a preferred placement of illuminator  20  highlighting the outline of door  130 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the internal portion of hallway  105  much like that of  FIG. 3 , except with a closer perspective of exit door  103 , illustrating more detail on the placement of opposite courses  21  and  22  of linear illuminator  20  relative to that exit door  103 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view from within a stairwell such as North Stair  103  of  FIGS. 1-7 , to illustrate another and/or an expanded embodiment of an exit route illumination subsystem  40  according to teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view that includes an orthogonal cross-section of a preferred EL-wire embodiment of illuminator  20  of various embodiments. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view very much like the view of  FIG. 9 , except that  FIG. 10  shows an alternative embodiment having a jacket or casing  14 ′ that preferably includes segments  14   b  and  14   d  that display visible arrow shaped features  331  and  332  along the length of illuminator  20 , as well as a lengthwise mounting flange  320  as described with reference to  FIG. 4A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A good understanding of the broader inventions can be gleaned from consideration of a few presently preferred embodiments that are depicted in  FIGS. 1-9  of the drawings, where like numerals are used for like elements in the various embodiments. Occasional paragraph or section headings have been used for ease of reference, but such headings generally should not be read as affecting the meaning of the descriptions included in those paragraphs/sections. 
     E MERGENCY  S YSTEMS  C ONTEXT . For reference,  FIG. 1  shows a general floor plan of an upper floor of a multi-story building  100 . In the illustrated embodiment, building  100  is a multi-story hotel building, but many aspects of the present invention can also be appreciated in virtually any occupied building structure within which occupants and/or emergency personnel may need assistance finding the exit during an emergency. Hence, in alternative embodiments, building  100  may be commercial, residential or industrial. Referring to the preferred embodiment installed in building  100  as a hotel, the floor of building  100  depicted in  FIG. 1  has two exit stairwells, a North Stair  101  and a Central Stair  102 , a central corridor or hallway  105 , and nineteen guest rooms  110 - 128 . Because they lead to the exit stairs  101  &amp;  102 , respectively, doors  103  and  104  have been predetermined to be the safest ways to leave hallway  105  and are therefore referred to as hallway exit doors  103  &amp;  104 . 
     With cross-reference to  FIG. 2 , building  100  also has an emergency system  15  adapted with a monitoring subsystem  22 , an alarm subsystem  23  (into which the exit route illumination subsystem  40  is connected), and an emergency response subsystem  24 . In the embodiments of  FIG. 2 , the controller  21  for emergency system  15  is centralized for the entire building  100 , although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand how alternative embodiments can be installed with either power or a triggering signal received from a local smoke detector or other alarm that is not networked to a larger system. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, alternative embodiments of the present invention would be adapted to illuminate appropriate exit routes in the event of an emergency, be it a smoke or fire disaster, a security breach, a noxious fumes hazard, or some other form of emergency. 
     M ONITORING  S UBSYSTEM . In any case, monitoring subsystem  22  is a system for monitoring the conditions in and/or around the building  100  to detect potential dangers. Preferably, the monitoring subsystem  22  of system  15  includes one or more fire detectors, either in the form of smoke detectors (such as fire detector  73  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 7 , which is a conventional smoke detector), heat detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, or some combination of those. Such fire detectors preferably include a combination of photoelectric sensors and thermocouples to detect either or both smoke and heat. Alternative embodiments also (or instead) include sensors for detecting dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide or other gasses, explosimeters, radon gas detectors, tornado proximity detectors, glass-break sensors, door or window-opening sensors, and any other desired type of hazard detectors in the monitoring subsystem  22  along with (or instead of) the fire detector(s)  73 . 
     For embodiments monitoring security breaches, monitoring subsystem  22  includes detectors for monitoring glass break or door/window opening alarm switches, motion detectors and/or panic buttons. For embodiments monitoring for a noxious fumes hazard, the monitoring subsystem would include sensors for detecting excessive concentrations of CO or other potentially dangerous gasses (such as radon) in or around the structure, and the response subsystem would preferably be linked with a security alarm system to flash and sound special alarms in the event such excessive concentrations are detected. In an industrial manufacturing or processing setting, comparable systems may be employed to alert workers of noxious fumes within confined spaces. 
     R ESPONSE  S UBSYSTEM . When dangerous conditions are detected, controller  21  not only activates alarm subsystem  23  but, preferably, also initiates remedial measures through an emergency response subsystem  24 . Such remedial measures are intended to mitigate the detected dangerous conditions, either in response to dangerous detections by the monitoring subsystem  22  or in response to manual or remote actuation of an alarm switch. In the preferred embodiment of an emergency system  15  for monitoring and responding to fire conditions, the response subsystem  24  is embodied to include a fire suppression system that may include sprinklers, halogen systems or analogous systems for other types of emergencies. The response subsystem  24  includes other types of actuators either in addition to or instead of the fire suppression system in other embodiments. Actuators for alerting law enforcement and security agencies, for instance, as well as visual and audible alarms  72 , are included in embodiments adapted to monitor security breaches. 
     A LARM  S UBSYSTEM . Perhaps most central to the functions of emergency system  15  is its function performed by controller  21  to alert occupants when monitoring subsystem  22  detects dangerous conditions. Controller  21  alerts such occupants by controlling alarm subsystem  23  to present both audible and visual alarms. In the preferred  FIG. 2  embodiments, alarm subsystem  23  includes a DC-powered, combined audible alarm and flashing light alarm  72  mounted directly beneath the EXIT light  71  of  FIGS. 3 and 7 . In addition, the alarm subsystem  23  is also connected to an exit route illumination subsystem  40  that illuminates exit doors and/or hallways whenever alarm  72  is activated. 
     I LLUMINATION  S UBSYSTEM . The preferred exit route illumination subsystem  40  of the present invention is networked with emergency system  15  to be activated together with the alarm  72 . For simplicity of installation, exit route illumination subsystem  40  is preferably capable of operating on low-voltage DC power the same as alarm  72 . The low-voltage power supply may be either battery or inverter powered, preferably at voltages that match the voltage of the existing monitoring and alarm subsystems  22  and  23 . Note that, as an alternative to low voltage battery power, other embodiments are adapted to be powered by AC power in one of two modes—either by converting the AC power to DC through an inverter or the like, or by stepping-down the AC power to safe levels and directing the stepped-down AC power directly into the illuminator  20 . The power supply line  45  for subsystem  40  can be spliced into the low-voltage power supply line  74  that actuates the alarm  72 , such that illumination subsystem  40  is automatically activated when the alarm  72  is activated. As an alternative, subsystem  40  taps into a power connection within alarm  72 , as illustrated by phantom lines  45 ′ in  FIG. 2 . The functional concept is the same whether connected upstream (line  45 ) or downstream (line  45 ′) of alarm  72 . Either way, exit route illumination subsystem  40  receives its operative power whenever alarm  72  receives power through line  74 , in response to detection of an alarm condition by controller  21 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the exit route illumination subsystem  40  itself includes a controller  41  and one or more energizers  48  that operate to activate and control the illumination of at least two courses  25 ,  26  of a linear illuminators  20 . In operation, when power is supplied to illumination subsystem  40  through lead  45 , the controller  41  controls energizers  48  to energize courses  25 ,  26  such that they emit a bright, readily visible light. Preferably, this is achieved by embodying the linear illuminators  20  of courses  25  and  26  in the form of electroluminescent (EL) wire, although various alternatives approximate some but not all of the benefits of using EL wire, as will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art, particularly from further reading of this detailed description in light of the prior art. 
     I LLUMINATOR  F UNCTIONS . In the  FIG. 2  embodiment, the essence of subsystem  40  is the exit route illumination subsystem  40 , which is adapted to energize courses of linear illuminators in response to one or more emergency conditions. Preferably, when not energized, the linear illuminators are hardly noticeable to a passer by in the space where they are installed (such as in hallway  105 ). However, when activated by energizers  48 , the linear illuminators (numbered as linear illuminators  20 ,  20 ′ and  420  in various illustrated embodiments) help occupants exit the building  100  by (i) illuminating one or more exit doors (the “door illumination” function), and/or (ii) illuminating the base of the walls around the space leading toward the exit door(s) (the “hall illumination” function). 
     In the context of hallway  105 , subsystem  40  preferably performs door illumination of doors  103 - 104  by illuminating the sides of doors  103 - 104  that face the hallway  105 , which we therefore refer to as the “hallward” sides of doors  103  and  104 . Partly because of the linear nature of illuminator  20 , and in part due to the various preferred courses of its installation on or around the frames for doors  103  and  104  (rather than on the actual door itself), the door illumination for doors  103 - 104  also outlines the exit doors  103 - 104  to highlight doors  103  &amp;  104 . In the same context of hallway  105 , subsystem  40  also performs hall illumination by illuminating the base of walls  106 - 107 , preferably along lines at the base of the walls  106 - 107 . Hence, hall illumination along the base of walls  106  and  107  outlines the way toward the exit door(s)  103 - 104 . The inherent low height of the baseboards  160 , where the illuminators  20  are installed and hall illumination is at its brightest, provides the benefit of being most readily visible to a person in hallway  105  even when hallway  105  is filled with smoke, such as in a fire. 
     C OURSES OF THE  L INEAR  I LLUMINATORS . Linear illuminators  20  are preferably installed such that two courses  25 - 26  run from the energizers  48  under a concealed span  49  to two terminal points  23 - 24  (respectively, shown in  FIG. 7 ) above the exit door  103 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , span  49  (shown in dashed line) is preferably concealed in the sense that no light is able to be seen emitting from that span  49  by any person in the hallway  105  even when both courses  25  and  26  are energized; such concealment being achieved either by enclosing the span  49  in an opaque sleeve or by feeding it to points  23  and  24  through the enclosed space within wall  107 . 
     As will also be described further herein, the remainder of courses  25 - 26  (i.e., beyond span  49 ) are positioned to extend left and right from points  23  and  24 , to outline the left and right halves of exit door  103 , respectively, and thereafter to illuminate the base of the walls of hallway  105  along the baseboards  160  adjacent the floor  95 . Preferably, similar installations of exit route illumination systems are made relative to exit doors  103 ,  104  &amp;  404  (shown in  FIG. 8 ) and every other exit door for the entire building  100 . 
       FIGS. 3-7  will allow the reader to better understand the light giving portions  21  &amp;  22  of the courses  25  &amp;  26  of the linear illuminator  20 , at least as they would relate to the preferred embodiments illustrated therein.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the internal portion of hallway  105  of building  100 , showing the placement of the linear illuminator  20  according to various aspects of this invention.  FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the internal portion of hallway  105  much like that of  FIG. 3 , except with a closer perspective of exit door  103 , illustrating more detail on the placement of linear illuminator  20  relative to that exit door  103 . 
     Beyond the terminal points  23 ,  24 , other than variations due to door and corner spacing in hallway  105 , illuminator courses  25  and  26  are similar to each other in basic characteristics. From the terminal points  23  and  24  above exit door  103 , the left course  25  outlines the left side of door frame molding  97 , and the right course  26  outlines the right side of door frame molding  97 . As is evident in  FIG. 7 , points  23  and  24  mark the start of the illuminated portions  21  and  22  of the two courses  25  and  26 . The illuminated portions  21  and  22  are placed to course in opposite directions around the illuminated exit door  103  and beyond. Course  21  proceeds from terminal point  23  to the left in  FIG. 7 ; whereas course  22  proceeds from terminal point  24  to the right in  FIG. 7 . Points  23  and  24  are generally on the center line of the doorway of door  103 , positioned adjacent each other beneath sign  71 . The courses  21  and  22  of illuminator  20  respectively outline the left and right halves of door  103 , preferably being adhered or tacked in place along the outside edge of frame molding  97  of door  103  until the courses meet the top edge of baseboard  160  at corners  18  and  19 , respectively. For exit door  103 , corners  18  &amp;  19  mark the end of the door-outlining portions of courses  21  and  22 , respectively. When operatively energized, such door-outlining portions of illuminator  20  not only achieve door illumination of door  103 , but also serve to dramatically highlight the shape of exit door  103  to anyone standing in hallway  105 . For further highlighting of exit door  103 , the illuminators in this outline of exit door  103  are preferably sheathed in a transparent red sleeve to color the door-outlining portions red for viewers in the hallway  105 . 
     To achieve hallway illumination, the linear illuminators  20  are operatively installed along the base of walls  106 - 7 , along where walls  106 - 7  meet the floor  95  of hallway  105 . Aside from the above-described door-outlining portions of illuminator  20  for each exit door  103 - 104 , from the vantage point of one standing in hallway  105 , essentially all other portions of illuminator  20  in the preferred embodiment are positioned along the base of walls  106 - 7 , which preferably includes baseboard  160 . With such positioning of linear illuminator  20  lengthwise along the lower portions of the side walls  106  of hallway  105 , preferably along baseboards  160 , illuminator  20  is positioned to hall illumination as well as to designate the route (or path) toward exit doors  103  and  104 . When operatively energized, illuminator  20  illuminates each side of the hallway  105  along the baseboard  160 , adjacent to floor  95 . Because of the proximity of illuminator  20  to the floor  95 , much of the floor  95  itself is also illuminated to help light the way for occupants to exit building  100 . Because of such positioning, these portions of illuminator  20  along baseboards  160  are referred to for reference as the “hall-defining portions” of illuminator  20 . 
     In some embodiments, placement along baseboards  160  is achieved by adhering or tacking illuminator  20  along the baseboard, much as the door-frame-outlining portions are adhered or tacked along the outer edge of the door frame  97  of door  103 . 
     I LLUMINATOR  P LACEMENT IN  B ASEBOARD  G ROOVE . As one preferred alternative, though, a groove  165  that is preformed, extruded or cut into baseboard  160  secures the hall-defining portions of linear illuminator  20  in place relative to baseboards  160 . As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , baseboards  160  are preferably embodied as elastomeric vinyl cove base material that is adhered to the lower edge of walls  106  with mastic or other conventional construction adhesives. Groove  165  is preferably pre-formed in the cove base material, being formed during the process of manufacturing (i.e., extruding) the cove base material  160 . As illustrated the groove  165  is a continuous groove along the top edge  160   a  of cove base baseboard  160 , although the groove  165  may alternatively be positioned either at the bottom edge  160   d , at the bend  160   c , or anywhere midway on the vertical face  160   b  of the baseboard  160 . The groove  165  allows not only for convenient and secure placement of illuminator  20 , but also provides a smaller protrusion (profile) for illuminator  20  such that it is not highly noticeable until and unless it is illuminated. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of wall  106  of the hallway  105  within which linear illuminator  20  is installed in a pre-formed groove  165  of cove base  160 , as is one preferred way of associating illuminator  20  with wall  106  at its base height adjacent to the floor  95 . In addition to the minimal diameter (preferably less than 3.5 mm) of linear illuminator  20 , the preferred embodiment of illuminator  20  includes a clear, flexible, sleeve-like casing or jacket  14  (shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 9 ). Jacket  14  is preferably a flexible, clear PVC coating or a clear LSZH (low smoke zero halogen) jacket. The relatively small diameter and clear properties of jacket  14  help provide relative inconspicuousness (i.e., virtual invisibility to the casual observer in hallway  105 ) of illuminator  20  along baseboard  160 . This configuration allows the hall-defining portions of linear illuminator  20  to follow the course of the hallway  105  while also being relatively invisible when not illuminated, due in part to its subdued placement on the lines of cove base  160  and its minimal profile protruding therefrom. 
     F LANGED  A LTERNATIVE  I LLUMINATOR .  FIG. 4A  is very similar to  FIG. 4 , except that  FIG. 4A  illustrates an alternative embodiment of illuminator  20 , namely illuminator  20 ′ that has an integral lengthwise flange (or “tail”)  320 . As is also depicted in  FIG. 10 , flange  320  is preferably formed integral with the jacket  14  of illuminator  20 . The lengthwise flange  320  (or its equivalent) is preferably formed from the same material as the outer sheath or casing  14  of illuminator  20 . Flange  320  accordingly has a flexible elastomeric composition. Flange  320  also has a thin cross-section that preferably slightly tapers toward its distal end (as shown in  FIG. 10 ), in order to give it a balance of flexibility and support. The structure of flange  320  enables mounting of flange  320  (with nails, staples, adhesive or the like) behind baseboard  160  as shown in  FIG. 4A . Such mounting of flange  320  behind baseboard  160  (i.e., in the crack between baseboard  160  and wall  106 ) positions the remainder of illuminator  20  (i.e., its bulk that has a generally circular cross section in  FIG. 10 ) such that it appears to rest along the top edge  160   a  of baseboard  160 . Hence, variations of illuminator  20  that include a flange  320  are particularly well suited for embodiments in which baseboard  160  is not adapted with a groove  165 . 
     A DAPTATIONS FOR  N ON -E XIT  D OORS . While outlining and illuminating the exit doors in a corridor is characteristic of many embodiments of the present invention, it is preferred that other doors in the same corridor (i.e., “upstream” or “non-exit” doors that lead the wrong way . . . away from the ideal exits) not be outlined or illuminated, to minimize confusion. Hence, as viewed from within hallway  105 , the hallward sides of exit doors  103  and  104  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) are outlined and illuminated, but the hallward side of doors  130 - 148  are preferably not outlined or illuminated. Such selective illumination of doors in the same hallway  105 —i.e., illuminating exit doors  103  &amp;  104  without illuminating the other doors  130 - 148 —darkens the hallward sides of upstream (or non-exit) doors  130 - 148  relative to the exit doors  103 - 104  for hallway  105 . 
     Preferably, relative darkening of the hallward sides of upstream doors  130 - 148  while also illuminating the baseboards  160  of hallway  105 , is achieved in one of two alternate ways—either by bypassing the hallward side of the upstream doors  130 - 148 , or by sheathing the illuminator  20  with an opaque sheath around the hallward side of those upstream doors  130 - 148 . Although not explicitly shown in any of the drawings, elevator doors and other doors that should not be opened for exiting purposes are treated the same, or much the same, as upstream doors that are not illuminated (i.e., relatively darkened) when illuminators  20  are energized. 
     Bypassing the hallward sides of upstream doors  130 - 148  is itself preferably accomplished by one of two techniques—either by routing the illuminator under the door jam for the upstream doors  130 - 148  such that it is not visible in that span (while also not presenting a tripping hazard), or by illuminating the opposite side (i.e., the roomward side) of such doors  130 - 148 . 
     O UTLINING THE  R OOMWARD  S IDE OF  D OORS . With reference to  FIG. 5 , one can appreciate the preferred positioning and the related installation technique for bypassing the hallward side by illuminating the roomward side of doors  130 - 148 . Cross-referencing  FIG. 3 , the hall-defining portions of illuminator  20  proceed from the hallway&#39;s exit door  103  to the proximal edge  108   a  of the molding  108  around the door  130  for room  110 . Then, to minimize confusion of an occupant in hallway  105 , illuminator  20  preferably does not outline door  130  on the hallward side facing hallway  105  (visible in  FIG. 3 ). Rather, from that point where illuminator  20  meets the proximal edge  108   a  of door frame molding  108 , the course of illuminator  20  penetrates through the wall  106  and outlines the door  130  on its roomward side, which is on the inside of room  110  (as visible in  FIG. 6 ). Then, after coursing around the perimeter  151  of the frame  150  of door  130  on its roomward side, the course of illuminator  20  is directed back through wall  106  into hallway  105 . 
     The installation of illuminator  20  on the roomward side of door  130  can be more particularly seen by cross-referencing  FIGS. 5 and 6 . As illuminator  20  is being installed, its course proceeding away from exit door  103  first enters room  110  through a hole drilled from wall  106  through wall  149 , entering room  110  at the junction point  149   a  where baseboard  152  abuts the roomward frame  150  of door  130 . The course of illuminator  20  is then directed up and around the perimeter  151  of doorframe  150  to produce a door-illuminating portion  20 ″ of illuminator  20 , for illuminating and/or outlining the roomward side of door  130  inside room  110 . The door-illuminating portion  20 ″ in room  110  then terminates at the junction point  149   b  where the perimeter  151  of frame  150  again intersects with the baseboard  152  in room  110 . At junction point  149   b , the course of illuminator  20  penetrates wall  149  and wall  106  to leave room  110  and re-enter hallway  105 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , it should be recognized that wall  149  and wall  106  are actually the sheetrock faces of opposite sides of the same wall. So, for the course of illuminator  20  to penetrate the wall from room  110  to hallway  105  (or, by analogy, the opposite way from hallway  105  to one of the rooms  110 - 128 ), it passes through both layers of sheetrock and everything in between. This can be accomplished by drilling or otherwise providing a hole  149   b ′ at the point  149   b  on wall  149 , preferably aligned with a comparable hole  106   a  in wall  106 . The hole  106   a  is positioned on the hallward side of wall  106  close to the corner where the top edge  160   a  of cove base  160  abuts the edge  108   b  of frame molding  108 . The linear illuminator is then fed from room  110  through holes  149   b ′ and  106   a . Back within hallway  105 , the illuminator  20  can then be re-secured along cove base  160  to re-convene the hall-defining course in the manner previously described. 
     In similar fashion, each of the upstream doors for a particular space, such as each of doors  130 - 148  for hallway  105 , are preferably bypassed on their hallward sides and illuminated instead on their roomward (or upstream) sides. In addition to the illumination provided in hallway  105 , the outlining and/or illumination of the roomward sides of doors  130 - 148  enables occupants within rooms  110 - 128  to visually identify the way to safety in the event of an emergency condition detected by system  15 . 
     S UCCESSIVELY- I LLUMINATED  E XIT  D OORS . So, in use, when illumination is energized from a single circuit of linear illuminators  20  from a given exit door (such as exit door  103 ), the illuminated circuit guides an occupant in an upstream room through successive doors leading to safety. For the illuminator circuit based at exit door  103 , for instance, if a guest in the hotel of building  100  is asleep in bed  110 ′ of room  110  when system  15  detects a fire or other emergency, the system  15  controls its subsystems  23  and  40  to bring the guest progressively toward a safe exit from building  100 . Such a progression begins with sounding of the audible alarm from alarm  72 , waking and alerting the guest. When alert, the guest notices that the roomward side of door  130  is highlighted with a brightly-illuminated outline, which prompts the guest to get out of bed  110 ′ and leave the room  110  into hallway  105  through door  130 . Once in hallway  105 , hallway illumination along baseboard  160  indicates and highlights the path for the guest to move toward exit door  103 . 
     Plus, the room-exit process that the guest just experienced in exiting room  110  through an illuminated door  130  has trained the guest to exit through successive illuminated doors. The door illumination of illuminator  20 , therefore, draws the guest to exit through door  103  as the guest sees its illumination while other upstream doors (for example, doors  132  and  133 ) are relatively darkened on their sides facing hallway  105 . To reinforce the clarity of this learned exit behavior, the illumination system is preferably installed such that the appearance of the door illumination within rooms  110 - 128  is substantially the same as the appearance of door  103  in hallway  105 . Hence, if the door-outlining portions of illuminator  20  that outline door  103  are adapted to illuminate in the red color as is preferred (or in any other unique manner), the door illuminating portion  20 ″ in the individual rooms are preferably also adapted with sleeves, coatings or the like to illuminate red in the same way as with door  103 . 
     Much the same is true for occupants in any of the rooms  110 - 128  in building  100 . When the illumination subsystem  40  is energized, each of the doorways  130 - 148  are illuminated as seen from inside rooms  110 - 128  that connect to the main corridor of hallway  105 . Yet, from the perspective of an occupant already in hallway  105  outside the rooms  110 - 128 , the hallward sides of the same doorways  130 - 148  are relatively darkened. 
     M ORE  P ROGRESSION IN  S TAIRWELLS .  FIG. 8  is a perspective view from within a stairwell such as North Stair  101  of  FIG. 1 , to illustrate another and/or an expanded embodiment of an exit route illumination subsystem  40  according to teachings of the present invention. In  FIG. 8 , linear illuminator  420  and its controller  440  and other related components are like illuminator  20  of  FIGS. 1-7 , except that illuminator  420  is installed in a stairwell. In the illustrated stairwell  101 , there are two doors  103  and  403 . From inside the stairwell  101 , door  403  is the one that leads to safety while door  103  leads back to hallway  105 , which makes door  403  the one that occupants should proceed through in the event of an emergency. 
     As in the  FIG. 1-7  embodiments, the origin terminal ends of illuminator  420  are above the exit door  403  that occupants of the stairwell  101  should exit in an emergency. From those origin terminal ends, opposing courses  421 - 422  of illuminator  420  outline door frame molding  497  and then follow baseboard  460  laterally on wall  407  and then along baseboard  460  at the bottom of side wall  406 , along the length of the pathway in the stairwell and up or down the stairs away from the exit door  403  (downward on wall  406  in  FIG. 8 ). Hence, once a guest at the hotel has exited hallway  105  into stairwell  101 , there is a further progression of path illumination and door illumination to continue leading the guest to safety. 
     As an alternative embodiment of stairwell illuminator  420 , its course can be adjusted to highlight the stair-step profile of stairs  496 , along the base of wall  406 , to help further orient an occupant in stairwell  101 . This alternative presents the linear illuminator  20  following the exact step-profile shape of the stairs  496 . The controller and energizers are similar to that depicted in other figures including  FIG. 8 , with the exception of the stair-step appearance of illuminator  420  between the two doors. 
     A LTERNATIVES  W ITHIN  U PSTREAM  R OOMS . As will be evident to those of skill in the art, there are many variations on the themes of system  15  and subsystems  22 - 24  and  40 . For example, with reference to the perspective view of  FIG. 6 , accommodations can be made to add linear illuminators along all the baseboards within a room such as room  110 , preferably with adaptations to not just illuminate, but also to indicate the direction for an occupant to move in order to get closer to door  130 . 
     As will also be evident, similar successions of exit door illumination may also extend further upstream into still further halls, rooms and the like, whether they be sleeping quarters, dining rooms, banquet halls, restrooms, ballrooms or any other type of room that can exit into and through hallway  105 . From such upstream rooms and halls, additional illuminator subsystems like subsystem  40  may be deployed to direct the occupants toward hallway  105 , where the system illustrated in  FIG. 1  then leads them to exit doors  103 - 104 , thereby leading the occupant progressively to an eventual exit from the building  100 . 
     EL-W IRE  E MBODIMENTS . As described previously, some preferred embodiments embody the linear illuminator  20  as EL wire, which is capable of providing bright illumination with minimal power consumption. Indeed, currently available variations of EL wire consume only about 0.15 amps per linear foot with a 0.9 mm diameter EL wire (available from Lytech of Israel and other manufacturers in China). On a single readily-available 12-Volt battery, eight hundred to a thousand feet of EL wire can be easily illuminated in some preferred embodiments. 
     The preferred EL wire embodiment uses commercially-available “High Bright” EL wire, which has a clear outer casing  14  and appears fairly pale when not energized, but illuminates as bright aqua blue. Applicant has found that the “high bright” variations provide highly visible illumination. With reference to  FIG. 2B , knob  38  is provided on controller console  40 ′ to adjust the power levels being supplied to the courses  25 - 26  of linear illuminator  20 , to thereby adjust the brightness of illuminator  20  when energized. Each illuminator  20  is preferably constructed of at least one strand of EL wire, although multiple strands of EL wire (or other form of illuminator) are used for enhanced features in some embodiments (as described further herein). 
     B ENDS . As will be evident, the type of technology used for illuminator  20  is such that illuminator  20  preferably can continue illuminating effectively despite being bent (or junctioned) to course through 90-degree turns such as at the points  18 ,  19 ,  149   a  and  149   b  shown in various illustrations or as otherwise needed for outlining doorframes and for the transitions between doors and baseboards, etc. The EL-wire embodiments of the present invention are preferred in part for this reason—because EL wire illuminators can readily be bent at or beyond the 90-degree angles. Despite such sharp bends, EL wire does not easily crack or break and will continue to transmit light. 
     D IRECTIONALITY . “Directionality” in this context refers to the quality of an illumination system or an individual illuminator to indicate to an occupant in building  100  which way to go toward an exit. Hall illumination alone does not indicate directionality, unless the individual sections of the illuminators are specially adapted for directionality as taught herein. However, door illumination does provide directionality because it designates a door through which an occupant can exit. Likewise, an overall illumination subsystem  40  provides directionality by combining hall illumination with exit door illumination, illumination of the exit doors  103 - 104  communicating to occupants that they are the ways out of the hallway  105 , and hall illumination of hallway  105  outlining and illuminating the way to those exit doors  103 - 104 . As described elsewhere herein, the directionality achieved with exit door illumination is further enhanced by coloring the door illumination of exit doors  103 - 104 , preferably to be red in color, thereby highlighting the exit doors  103 - 104  and further distinguishing them from other portions of hallway  105  that are not so colored. 
     In addition, individual sections of linear illuminator  20  are specially adapted in certain embodiments to provide directionality even if the occupant is not able to see the exit door illumination or is unable to notice the different colors or the like. The alternatives for providing this type of directionality to illuminator  20  preferably achieve such directionality with one or more of three approaches: (1) adapting and controlling the illuminator to create the illusion that light emitted from illuminator  20  is moving in a particular direction along the length of the linear illuminator  20 , preferably toward the exit  103 , thereby producing a wave-like motion (for reference, a “wave” or “pulse” effect); (2) providing arrow-shaped images (either dark or light images, through masking) on or in conjunction with the linear illuminator  20  to point in the direction toward an exit  103 ; and (3) varying the color of illuminator  20  along different sections of wall  106  so that illuminator  20  appears progressively more like the color of exit doors  103 - 104  for wall sections that are closer to exit doors  103 - 104 , preferably varying from lighter colors to redder colors. Some preferred embodiments combine two of these approaches for hall illumination directionality, while other preferred embodiments just use one of these approaches for hall illumination directionality. Irrespective of the particular type of directionality, illuminator  20  preferably not only illuminates the route to exit doors  103  and  102  (and exit door  203  in  FIG. 8 ), but is also adapted to indicate direction. Hence, someone looking at illuminator  20  in a hall (such as hallway  105 ) can tell which way to go in order to reach an exit. 
     M ULTI- S TRAND  I LLUMINATORS . The illuminator  20  in  FIG. 9 , for instance, is a preferred embodiment that combines three discrete illuminator strands  11 - 13  that can be energized in successive cycles to produce a pulse effect. While each strand  11 - 13  is preferably less than a millimeter in diameter (to still enable relative invisibility), each strand  11 - 13  has the composition of a linear illuminator in and of itself. Using EL wire technology as the linear illuminator of each strand  11 - 13 , for instance, each strand includes a central conductor  11   a - 13   a  coated with a phosphorous-based illumination layer  11   b - 13   b  as is characteristic of EL wire, and the other components (not shown) as are necessary for EL wire technology. To produce a wave effect with such multi-strand construction, each strand is operatively energized in a controlled fashion such that the brightness of its illumination varies in a wave-like manner, and the energizing cycles are timed such that each strand  11 - 13  is illuminated at the same frequency but out of phase with each other, such that the combined multi-strand illuminator  20  produces the illusion of successive pulses moving along the length of illuminator  20 . 
     Operatively connected to an appropriate control console  40 ′, as depicted in  FIG. 2B , when illumination controller  41  receives operative power through line  45 , the two opposing courses  25 - 26  that extend from exit door  103  are controlled to create the illusion of pulses moving toward door  103  all along the baseboards  160  as far as the length of the opposite courses  25 - 26  allow hall illumination to reach. From door  103 , for instance, the length of course  25  (including visible portion  21  in  FIG. 7 ) is sufficient to allow installation of hall illumination past doors  132 - 135 . On the opposite side of hallway  105 , the length of course  26  (including visible portion  22  in  FIG. 7 ) is sufficient to allow installation of hall illumination past doors  130  and  131 . Together, the two courses  25 - 26  provide an operative pair of illuminator circuits based around exit door  103 . Similar pairs of illuminator circuits are preferably installed for each major exit door  103 - 104  in building  100 , although variations will naturally be made depending on the geometry of the hallway  105  around the corresponding exit door  103 - 104 . As will be understood, additional illuminator circuits (i.e., more than a pair) and/or supplemental controllers  41  or supplemental power supplies and energizers  48  may be added when necessary for more complicated hall geometries. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2B , a flash selector toggle switch  37  is provided to enable the pulse effect when desired. If the pulse effect is not enabled, the entirety of courses  25 - 26  are illuminated steadily, without producing the pulse effect. Control console  40 ′ also has a knob  39  for adjusting the speed that the pulse appears to travel along either course  25 - 26  of the linear illuminator  20 , by adjusting the frequency at which each of strands  11 - 13  is illuminated. 
     It is also noted that alternative multi-strand embodiments of linear illuminator  20  may include other numbers of strands  11 - 13  (two or more) with varying benefits. Still other alternative multi-strand embodiments combine the plurality of strands  11 - 13  in a manner that is different than a simple twist (as in  FIG. 9 ) while still enabling directionality, by braiding or weaving the strands together or into a supporting substrate. 
     A RROW- S HAPED  D IRECTIONALITY  F EATURES . Directionality of illuminators  20  can also be achieved by the inclusion of directionally-shaped images on illuminator  20  when energized, either alone or in combination with other directionality features.  FIG. 10  shows illuminator  20 ′, for example, as an alternative embodiment of illuminator  20 . Strands  11 - 13  of illuminator  20 ′ are the same as strands  11 - 13  of illuminator  20 . The directionality difference in  FIG. 10  is that the circumferential casing  14 ′ of illuminator  20 ′ includes arrow-shaped features  331  and  332 . Due to such features  331 - 332 , when illuminator  20 ′ is operatively installed relative to baseboards  160  and energized, the features present arrow-shaped images that point along the length of illuminator  20  in the general direction back toward the origin terminal points above the corresponding exit door  103 , to indicate directionality to a viewer. 
     Preferably, the arrow shaped features  331 - 332  are clear, arrow-shaped windows on darkened bands  14   b  and  14   d  of the casing  14 ′ of illuminator  20 ′. Creation of such windows can be achieved in many ways that will be evident, such as by painting, printing or the like, or by the addition of a separable plastic or metal clip that has the arrow-shaped window pre-made in it. The remainder of casing  14 ′ (i.e., the segments  14   a ,  14   c  and  14   e ) are preferably clear, to allow maximum illumination in those segments  14   a ,  14   c  and  14   e . As alternatives to the head-and-tail arrow shapes shown for features  331 - 332  in  FIG. 10 , other arrow shapes may be used as alternatives, such as triangles, deltas, or carrot-shaped images (i.e., greater-than/less-than symbols) either alone or as multiple images grouped in series. As will be evident, darkened arrow-shaped features against an illuminated background can be fabricated as an alternative to the clear windows against a darkened band as in  FIG. 10 . 
     By also incorporating the mounting flange  320  (described elsewhere herein with reference to  FIG. 4A ) in the construction of illuminator  20 ′, the position of arrow-shaped features  331  and  332  is pre-determined relative to the likely vantage point of a person viewing it after it has been operatively installed and illuminated during operation. More particularly, in the cross-sectional orientation shown in  FIG. 10  with the cross-section of casing  14 ′ considered as a clock-face for reference, such that flange  320  is positioned vertically at 6:00 (six o′clock), the position of the center of arrow-shaped features  331 - 332  is shown at two o′clock (2:00, or 60° offset from the vertical flange  320 ) and preferably is positioned either at 12:00 (twelve o′clock) or within the range of 1:00 to 2:30 (one o′clock to two-thirty). For reference, each of such positions is referred to as being on a surface of illuminator  20 ′ opposite flange  320 , and any positions in the range of 1:00 to 2:30 are referred to as positions having an “obtuse off-set from the vertical.” Although not visible in  FIG. 10 , a similar arrow-shaped feature is included on the back side of illuminator  20 ′ at a mirror-image orientation relative to the centerline of flange  320 , to allow illuminator  20 ′ to be installed in a reverse orientation. As will be understood, with embodiments where the arrow-shaped features  331 - 332  are positioned at twelve o′clock, no such mirror image is included because the mirror image would be at the same location as the primary image. All such orientations of arrow-shaped images  331 - 332  are positions that enable viewing of the same by an occupant in hallway  105 . 
     In alternative embodiments, arrow-like shapes are illuminated (or masked) adjacent (or across the face of) groove  165  to indicate the appropriate direction to a fire exit, to be illuminated by the proximity of the arrow-like shapes to the linear illuminator  20 . 
     C OLOR  C ODING . Another feature of preferred variations of linear illuminator  20  is the use of color to indicate directionality and aid occupants in more readily locating the Exit doorways  102 - 103 . As mentioned earlier, a distinctive color (preferably red) can be rendered onto the linear illuminator  20  in those portions that surround (or are near, in some embodiments) the exit doors  102  and  103  to provide a very basic level of color directionality for the illumination subsystem  40 . Most preferably, color differentiation differentiates exit door illumination from hall illumination, but in some embodiments it may also differentiate door illumination of an exit door  103  from door illumination of an upstream door. Such color is applied to the illuminator  20  either with a thin layer of transparent red paint, stain or the like, or by applying a transparent colored jacket, preferably made from fire retardant materials. The use of a fire-retardant spray can further enhance the fire retardant nature of illuminator  20 . 
     Alternative embodiments also employ other uses of color-coding in addition to the red highlighting of exit doors. In such embodiments, generally in addition to the colored door illumination, the color of the hall illumination changes progressively for portions of the illuminator that are further away from the exit door  103 . Preferably, the color progression begins at points  18 - 19  as the same color as illuminator  20  around door  103 , and becomes more and more distinct from the color of the door illumination as it progresses away from door  103 . So, with door illumination at exit door  103  preferably red, beginning at the base of either side of the exit door (at points  18 - 19  in  FIG. 7 ), the color of linear illuminator  20  emits increasingly pale (less red) light along the bottom of wall  106  until it displays as a white band of light (no red at all) in the area furthest from the exit door  103 . Baseboard linear illuminator  20  leading from upstream or non-exit doors towards the closest (or perhaps the safest) exit stairwell or exit door will likewise preferably display light that progresses from white to increasing redness as the stairwell or exit door are approached. 
     As will be evident, rather than a continuously gradual color progression for the hall illumination, the progression of color may be achieved in steps, where every so many feet of hall illumination is the same color, and the next so many feet is slightly lighter in color, etc. Many other ways of progressively changing the color will be evident to those of skill in the arts. Some alternative patterns for color progression used to indicate directionality and aid in navigating to doorways and in particular the exit doors  102 - 103 : white gradually turning red hall illumination closer to exit doors  102 - 103 ; red around frame of exit door; white around frame of hallward side of internal upstream door; alternating red-white-red around frame of exit doorway. 
     Still other alternatives use differing colors on the upstream side of a door versus the downstream side of a door. Referring back to  FIG. 6 , for example, preferred embodiments include red color in the portion of linear illuminator  20  that surrounds the upstream side of door  130 , illuminator  20  being fastened to outline the door frame molding  150  of the door  130  leading to the hallway  105  beyond. In contrast, the hallward side of the same door  130  is preferably relatively dark or, in alternative embodiments, the hallward side is illuminated the same color as the adjacent hall illumination. Hence, occupants in the rooms  110 - 128  and hall  105  can also understand the right direction to proceed based on color directionality, following the baseboard  160  linear illuminator  20  in the direction of increasing redness until the red exit door  103  is reached. 
     S TATIC  D OOR  I LLUMINATION  C OMBINED  W ITH  P ULSED  H ALL  I LLUMINATION . In one particularly preferred embodiment, connectors, colors, arrows and pulsation are all combined to provide an overall illumination circuit with beneficial characteristics, among which are the combination of static door illumination with pulsed hall illumination. 
     Preferably, the static/pulsed combination is accomplished by splicing together and installing an individual circuit of two different types of multi-strand illuminators  20  arranged in alternating succession. One of the alternating types is constructed with twisted wire to produce the pulse effect when energized (as in  FIG. 9 ), while the other is not. The other type (for “static” sections), which illuminates without a pulse effect, is constructed instead of parallel (i.e., non-twisted) strands  11 - 13  such that a pulse does not appear to travel down its length. Both for simplicity of keeping static sections differentiated from the others during installation, and for the purpose of highlighting doors with a different color, the static sections of illuminator  20  are preferably delivered to the building  100  of installation with a transparent red color already incorporated in their outer casing  14 . The static sections are also prepared in advance in lengths that match the distance needed for sections  20 ″ (numbered in  FIG. 6 ) that fit around the perimeter of the standard sized doors for building  100 . 
     As will be understood, rather than splicing together two different types of illuminator  20 , the static/pulsed combination can also be fabricated from continuous strands  11 - 13 —either sheathed in casing  14  at the site of installation, or produced and sheathed at the factory based on measurements of the needed dimensions and arrangements for each type of multi-strand illuminator  20  given the spacing of the doors in a given hall. 
     One particularly preferred way of achieving directionality is achieved by embodying each illuminator is constructed as a twisted combination of two, three or more EL wires (or other illuminators) contained in a clear jacket, sleeve or casing, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . With such twisted (or alternatively, braided) combinations of multi-strand illuminators are then controlled in a sequentially flashing manner to simulate visual motion to indicate direction toward the nearest or best choice of the appropriate exit doors  203  or  204 .  FIG. 2B  is a pictorial illustration of the control box  40 ′ for at least one alternative embodiment of the illumination subsystem  40  depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
     O THER  T YPES OF  L INEAR  I LLUMINATORS . Although some aspects of the present invention directly relate to use of electroluminescent wire, other aspects can be appreciated in alternative embodiments with the use of other linear lighting technology, even including illuminators that are technically non-linear but that become linear illuminators through combinations of multiple non-linear illuminators. Several of the possible linear illuminators would fall into the LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting family. Particularly, LED light sources that would lend themselves to different embodiments of the present invention include:
         Low-voltage LED Rope/Wire lighting: [Rope Light is made of highly durable flexible linear solid transparent or colored PVC tube with a series/parallel arrangement of sub-miniature LED light bulbs],   LED Ribbon Lighting: [LED FLEX RIBBON STRIP is a low voltage LED lighting in a flexible thin strip incased in a plastic weather resistance coating.]   LED Flexible Neon lighting [LED NEON-FLEX is made of an inner plastic extrusion that houses a flexible linear series of individual low voltage LED lights and has an outer transparent plastic jacket to further protects the inner tube of lights. LED NEON-FLEX is comprised of solid-state Light Emitting Diodes (LED&#39;s) in series housed by an inner plastic extrusion core and a UV stable outer plastic jacket further protects the inner core and is available in a vast array of colors.]       

     In most embodiments of the present invention, these LED lighting components would preferably be sized in the 0.15 mm to 5 mm sizes and the flexible nature of these light sources enable one to attach it to any flat or curved surface in installation. The LED lights are covered by silicon coating or a PVC jacket which makes the lighting source able to withstand great strain, pressure and stress without tearing or breaking and they are weather resistant and water proof. 
     Laser-illuminated fiber optic filaments such as side-light and end-light plastic optical fiber (often called “POF” or “fiber”) which is an optical fiber made out of plastic. Traditionally PMMA (acrylic) is the core material, and fluorinated polymers are the cladding material. These plastic optical fibers are designed for flexible and controlled light transfer of light from one point to another and along the sides of the cable/fiber no matter the visible color of the light source. The light can be transferred over long distances without much visible changing of the input color. In some instances, a careful mechanical treatment of the fiber surface could produce a side glow line of visible light. Many fiber optic cables are composed of several individual strands of PMMA acrylic fibers (also referred to as plastic fiber optic cable) covered by a clear PVC coating. All fiber optic lighting utilizes an illuminator is often referred to as the light engine, light pump, light source and even transformer which is affixed to one end of the cable that pumps the light through the length of the cable. The illuminator houses the lamp that provides the light for the fiber optic cable. The fiber is connected to the illuminator via a fiber head. One fiber optic preferred embodiment is multimode, multi-strand, OFNP cable. 
     Any of the aforementioned alternatives can provide numerous advantages that may substitute for EL wire benefits. LED systems can also be adapted to approximate a linear illuminator and, indeed, provide alternate ways of achieving sequencing of the illumination in order to indicate directionality. It should also be understood that illumination may also be achieved by using still other technologies that have not been mentioned in this description. Among such other options would be organic LED (OLED) technologies, LCD technologies, or excitable inert gasses such as neon or halogen lighting. 
     To the extent achievable with the technology utilized for linear illuminators  20  that form the courses  25  and  26 , controller  41  (referenced in  FIG. 2 ) is preferably adapted to control illumination of courses  25 ,  26  to be illuminated either continuously or in a sequencing manner by use of toggle switch  37  (referenced in  FIG. 2B ). The sequencing manner refers to any manner that achieves the pulse effect as has been described previously herein, or the equivalent, in order to indicate directionality to the hall illumination, thereby communicating the direction that someone should move in order to reach an exit. 
     Certain uses or installation circumstances present opportunities for alternative embodiments to utilize forms of conspicuous linear illuminators, which have dimensions much larger in diameter than the preferred range for inconspicuous illuminators  20  referenced previously. While the inconspicuous variations have diameters of 3.5 mm or less, the conspicuous embodiments have diameters greater than 3.5 mm but preferably less than 15 mm. Although such conspicuous embodiments compromise on some aspects of the inconspicuous embodiments, the conspicuous embodiments are still suitable for applications where inconspicuousness is not a concern. Such applications may be in industrial and commercial settings where aesthetics are of little relative importance. Moreover, the conspicuous embodiments generally produce brighter illumination when energized, given the increased size of the illuminator. 
     It should also be understood that still other alternative embodiments may incorporate features outside of the ranges described as “preferred” while still enjoying the benefit of remaining aspects of the invention. Some embodiments, for example, involve combining multiple sizes and colorations of differing types of illuminator components, not only differing in diameter sizes, but also differing in the color of light that is used for illumination. Indeed, certain alternative embodiments employ multi-wavelength illuminators to transmit both visible and infrared light to enhance visibility for firefighters using infrared vision. Such multi-wavelength illuminators have been found particularly beneficial with fiber optic laser illuminators that produce a dual beam in the same fiber-optic cable. 
     As described in part, still other embodiments use different types of technology for achieving illumination. Embodiments of aspects of the invention that are not limited in the type of technology may also combine more than one type of illumination technology, such as by combining EL Wire together with LED components or Fiber Optic Laser Fiber(s), or vice versa, all interconnected in the same system in a given building  100  or portion of that building. Indeed, such differential combinations enable an installer to provide the benefits of using EL wire for long halls, together with the benefits of fiber optic illumination for exit doors, all in combination with sequenced LED illuminators in sections where more variable directionality is desired. 
     Although some aspects of the present invention directly relate to use of electroluminescent wire, other aspects can be appreciated in alternative embodiments with the use of other linear lighting technology Feasible alternatives for certain aspects of the invention utilize low-voltage LED wire or flexible LED strips, such as the 0.15 mm super thin BTgreen LED strip available from Betop Electronics Company, Ltd. Laser-illuminated fiber optic filaments also provide numerous advantages that may substitute for EL wire benefits. LED systems can also be adapted to approximate a linear illuminator and, indeed, provide alternate ways of achieving sequencing of the illumination in order to indicate directionality. Non-linear lighting technologies can be implemented in still other ways that either approximate a linear illuminator or achieve an equivalent result. 
     Irrespective of the particular type of technology used for illuminator  20 , illuminator  20  preferably optimizes illumination, uses minimal power and simple transceiver equipment, is lightweight yet wide and/or brilliant enough to be highly visible when energized, and is cost-effective. 
     C ASING  M ATERIAL  A LTERNATIVES  The materials incorporated in and/or encasing illuminator  20  are preferably fire-resistant and/or fire-retardant. Several options are available commercially in EL-wire and fiber optic cable, and it is expected that similar fire resistency and retardency characteristics could be made in other variations of illuminator  20  through substitution of materials or the addition of fire retardant coatings or casings. When not inherently fire retardant, illuminator  20  is preferably encased in transparent, specially-treated, fire-retardant casings or jackets  14  such as “Low Smoke Zero Halogen” (LSZH) jackets or as is commercially available under the “Plenum” designation. Flame Seal Products, Inc. also offers an Intumescent Fire Barrier Coating that may be used to provide an invisible coating that reportedly can be sprayed onto the linear illuminator  20  as a thin 18-mil coating to render the illuminator fire retardant. As an alternative, such materials can be applied onto the illuminator  20  and associated components and assemblies after they have been operatively installed in building  100 . 
     Preferably, for any illuminator alternatives that are not fire resistant or fire retardant in and of themselves, either a “Plenum” jacket or a LSZH jacket is used as the outer casing  14  of the illuminator to provide fire resistancy in compliance with regulatory guidelines. Either of such jacket types provides a fire retardant jacket  14  that is slow-burning and emits little smoke during combustion. Using Plenum-rated jacketing helps to ensure the safety of personnel by reducing the spread of dangerous gases in the event of a fire. 
     W IRELESS  S ENSORS AND  R ELATED  A PPLICATIONS . In still other alternative embodiments, remote wireless actuators can be used in any of the referenced configurations to trigger activation of the illumination subsystem  40  or variations of that system. While using such wireless actuators is beneficial for numerous applications of the invention, particular benefits can be appreciated in residential or post-construction security applications, particularly where the monitoring subsystem is installed in a pre-existing structure. RF (Radio Frequency) transmitter/receiver triggering mechanisms allow installation of strips of the product under windows, in corridors, etc., where AC power is either not available or is economically unfeasible. RF capacity would operate on a frequency(ies) designed for same that would turn on the remote battery pack(s) associated with the controllers  41  installed in remote areas of the building structure. Such signal would be triggered by a signal transmitter switch mechanism triggered by the emergency response subsystem  24 . 
     Q UICK- R ELEASE . As will be evident to those of skill in the art, in most embodiments, each of the entire courses of illuminator  20  may either be one continuous linear illuminator, or it may be composed of various segments that are spliced together using a suitable connector that transfers the necessary illuminating energy over the discontinuity in the linear illuminator. Such splicing of discontinuities in linear illuminator  20  preferably involves cutting, preparing the terminal ends (sanding or otherwise), approximating the opposed ends adjacent each other, and then applying an appropriate connector. Similar illuminator adaptation mechanisms can also be used for connecting the illuminator cables to the alarm system control module. When the distances to be illuminated are particularly lengthy, repeater units or supplemental power steps will also be included as needed. The extent of hallway  105  to be illuminated preferably is such that the illuminator from one door extends as far down the hall as designers want occupants to be directed toward the subject exit door, presumably to the center of the hall. 
     Whether now known or later discovered, there are countless other alternatives, variations and modifications of the many features of the various described and illustrated embodiments, both in construction and in operation, that will be evident to those of skill in the art after careful and discerning review of the foregoing descriptions, particularly if they are also able to review all of various systems and methods that have been tried in the public domain or otherwise described in the prior art. All such alternatives, variations and modifications are contemplated to fall within the scope of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing preferred and alternate embodiments, this description has been provided by way of explanation of examples only and is not to be construed as a limitation of the invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims of any related patent applications and any amendments thereto.