Abstract:
A public address system installed in a building or other region being monitored can communicate with a regional fire detection system. Responsive to information received from the fire detection system as to developing dangerous conditions, a control unit for the public address system can adaptively create one or more evacuation routes for a region associated with a developing condition. One or more loud speakers in the region can be used to communicate a preferred evacuation route to individuals in the region. The route can be dynamically altered as the condition varies over time.

Description:
FIELD 
     The invention pertains to systems and methods of providing audio evacuation information from a region in the event of a dangerous condition. More particularly, the invention pertains to such systems and methods where addressable loudspeakers might be installed throughout a region being monitored. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Oftentimes during an emergency evacuation of a building, occupants must make their own assessment of the relative safety of possible escape or evacuation routes. One must be chosen that is perceived to be safe, and the occupant(s) must find a way to an exit. 
     Under the stress of such emergency conditions and uncertainty occupants&#39; assessments and choices of safe exit routes may not be the best. Even where the occupant makes a good choice of a route, smoke or darkness may make it difficult to stay on track. 
     Broadband, directional sound has emerged as an effective means to highlight emergency exit doors and stairwells. It is known to deliver directional sound by using individual sounder devices placed at emergency exit doors and along evacuation routes. Unfortunately, it is still necessary to get the occupants to focus on the existence of an emergency condition and to provide the exit route information. 
     There is a continuing need to be able to cost effectively get the attention of occupants in a region where an emergency condition is developing or has developed. There is also a continuing need to be able to provide exit information to occupants in the region. 
     It would also be desirable to be able inject verbal communications into the region of interest. Finally, it would be desirable to make available an output path that reflects conditions in the region as they develop over time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is top plan view of an exemplary region of interest illustrating results of the method if  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an addressable speaker system in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a speaker system in accordance with the invention with a first type of connection; and 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a speaker system in accordance with the invention with a second type of connection. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While embodiments of this invention can take many different forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention, as well as the best mode of practicing same, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated. 
     Methods which embody the invention utilize addressable public address speakers which are installed throughout a region being monitored such as one or more floors of a building. Such addressable speakers can be used, in accordance with a disclosed embodiment to deliver not only general emergency messages but also localized messages that take into account the location of one or more of such speakers relative to a developing dangerous condition. 
     In another aspect of the invention, such addressable speakers can be used to deliver directional sound and by staggering activation thereof provide route guidance information. For example, speakers can be activated in any pattern deemed effective for communication of an exit route. One exemplary type of activation is sequential. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to sequential-type activation. Further, the high density of public address-type speakers in buildings provides possibilities for extensive and flexible exit routes. Such routes could be different on different floors. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates aspects of a method  100  in accordance with the present invention. Method  100  includes a planning or route development sequence  102  and an execution sequence  104  wherein a plurality of speakers can be sequentially driven to provide information relative to a preferred exit route. 
     It will be understood that the invention is not limited to sequentially driving the output devices. Other patterns deemed effective for communicating an exit route come within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, it will also be understood that different patterns, and or different exit routes can be presented in different regions being monitored. For example, in a multi-story building, one floor might be exhibiting one exit sequence while another floor might be exhibiting a different sequence. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a region R, which might be monitored by a fire detecting system. Region R includes a plurality S of addressable loudspeakers, in accordance herewith, a, b, c, d . . . j. A public address or speaker control unit  10  is coupled by a wired and/or wireless medium  12  to members of the plurality S. Control unit  10  can include one or more programmable processors  10   a , and associated executable control software  10   b  which can implement the method  100  discussed above. 
     Software  10   b  can be in the form of a product stored on a computer readable medium such as an optical or magnetic disk which can then be loaded into system  10 , stored on a computer readable medium therein and then executed by processor  10   a . Additionally, software  10   b  can be downloaded to system  10  from a displaced source, stored therein on a computer readable medium, such as a disk drive and then executed. 
     A fire detection system  10 - 1  can be coupled by a wired or wireless medium  10 - 2  to a plurality of gas, smoke or fire detectors  14 . Detectors  14 , such as  14   a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h  and  i  provide feedback signals to system  10 - 1  indicative of developing fire or other dangerous conditions. Units  10 ,  10 - 1  can also be coupled together and communicate via a wired or wireless medium  10 - 3 . 
     Control unit  10  can also include a microphone  10   c  by which an operator can direct verbal instructions into the region R via members of the plurality S. Manually operable input devices, as well as an associated display device, both indicated generally at  10   d  can be used by the operator in selecting members of the plurality S for activation to provide local verbal outputs for the region R. Alternately, the software  10   b , in implementing the method  100  can automatically select one or more members of the plurality S for activation. Either verbal outputs or broadband audio signals can be output from members of the plurality S under control of software  10   b.    
       FIG. 2  also illustrates a developing fire condition F, adjacent an unsafe exit E 1  as well as a relatively safe exit E 2  across the floor. In response to sensing the condition F, perhaps with the detectors, such as  14   i  of the fire detection system  10 - 1 , unit  10  can be directed to carry out method  100  to audibly provide a relative safe output route to exit E 2 . 
     With respect to  FIG. 1 , in development sequence  102 , a location(s) of a dangerous condition, such as the fire F is first determined, as at  110  for example based on information from detectors  14 . One or more safe exit routes can be established as at  112 . A pattern of speaker activation can be established as at  114 . 
     In the execution sequence  104  the first speaker or speakers, such as e and g, are activated. Time for the next activation is checked as at  122 ,  124 . The next speaker or speakers in the pattern such as f, a, are activated as at  126 . 
     When the last speaker, such as speaker c has been activated as at  128 , the sequence can be repeated as at  130 . The preferred time sequential speaker activation pattern  150  is illustrated on  FIG. 2 . It will be understood that in implementing the sequential pattern  150  software  10   b , can dynamically vary same in realtime in response to information from system  10 - 1  as to developing fire conditions, or any other dangerous condition in the region R. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an addressable speaker configuration in accordance with the present invention installed in a region R  1 . A plurality of speakers S′ coupled via a computer network  12   a , which might be implemented as a local area network or an Internet, to a speaker control unit such as the speaker control unit  10 . The members of the plurality S′ can be coupled to the unit  10  through the computer network  12   a  and local communications path  12   b . The path  12   b  could be either wired or wireless. 
     The unit  10 , as described above, can implement the method  100  in responsive to information from fire detection system  10 - 1  and its associated plurality of detectors  14 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the region R 1  where the members of a plurality S′ are coupled via a shared addressable communication medium  12   c  to the speaker control unit  10 . In the configuration of  FIG. 4 , each of the speakers such as the speaker Si can be addressed by the unit  10  by using the medium  12   c  as appropriate in carrying out the method  100 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the region R 1  with the members of the plurality S′ coupled to the control unit  10  by a plurality of wired connections  12   d . Each speaker such as speaker Si is coupled to the unit  10  by an individual wired connection such as connection  16   i.    
     It will be understood that the addressable speakers, such as a speaker Si can include a loud speaker or other type of audio output transducer, control circuitry which can include address detection circuitry to detect when the respective speaker Si is being addressed by the control unit  10  as well as circuitry for coupling audio or other messages from the unit  10  to the loud speaker or associated output transducer. Those of skill in the art will understand that such addressable speakers could be implemented in a variety of hardware and circuit configurations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.