Abstract:
A flexible audio output device includes control circuits couplable to a communications system and an audio announcement system. The communications system can transmit function specifying parameters to the device. Various forms of directional audio, or verbal messages can be emitted in accordance with received parameters.

Description:
FIELD 
   The invention pertains to evacuation or exit route indicating devices. More particularly, the invention pertains to such devices which would be activated in the event of a sensed emergency condition, such as a fire, where parametric information for the devices could be provided, and, or altered on a device by device basis during an evacuation. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Evacuation is an important aspect of an emergency situation such as fire, gas leak, chemical spill, etc. Locating devices aid in this process by emitting sound patterns that enable occupants of a premise to locate the origin of the sound. Because said sounders are installed near points of egress, an occupant can find the exits more easily. One such system has been disclosed and claimed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/447,376 filed Jun. 6, 2006 entitled “Methods and Systems for Controlling Directional Sounders for Route Guidance”. The &#39;376 application has been assigned to the assignee hereof and is incorporated herein by reference. 
   If during an evacuation, the path to the point of egress becomes hazardous, it would be best if the output of the locating devices marking the point of egress could be altered. Because there may be multiple locating devices marking a long path of egress, it would be advantageous to be able to set parameters of each one individually in a system with many installed. Egress paths can be then adaptively created based on the locating device configurations. 
   There thus continues to be need for more flexible audible output devices, and systems of same than have previously been available. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a region R where a system which embodies the invention has been installed; and 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an output device in accordance with the invention. 
   

   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. 
   Embodiments of the invention combine an interface to a communications channel with a directional audio emitting output or evacuation route specifying output device. Command and control information can be transmitted to the output device. Provisioning of the unit would then be automatically performed based on received information. The unit would then be able to be proactively provisioned during an evacuation condition in order to help occupants find the safest egress path possible. Provisionable features could include turning the unit on and off, changing the sound pattern, changing a voice message and bypassing the unit completely so that the voice evacuation system could use the sounder&#39;s transducer (or speaker) as an output. 
   In accordance with the invention, a communications interface can include a transceiver and a protocol controller. Electrical isolation can be provided, if needed, between the communications interface and route indicating sound generator. A voice evacuation system interface includes an electrical isolator and multiplexer to connect the input of an amplifier to the voice evacuation system signal. 
   In another aspect, control circuits can control the sound generation and provisioning. A digital-to-analog converter recreates the desired analog signal from digital samples generated by the control circuits. An amplifier can be provided to drive a transducer or speaker. 
   The protocol controller can provide command and control signals to the sound generating control circuits. The sound generating control circuits determine the appropriate action to take based on the commands received. 
     FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a region R where a system  10  which embodies the invention has been installed. The region R includes two Exits E 1 , E 2 , which are spaced apart from one another as well as a plurality of ambient condition detectors  30 . 
   The members of the plurality, such as  30   i  can be installed throughout the region R in an arbitrary fashion. Representative types of detectors include smoke detectors, gas detectors, fire detectors and the like all without limitation. 
   The members of the plurality  30  can be in wired or wireless communication with a fire alarm monitoring control unit indicated generally at  36 . The unit  36  is in the vicinity of the region R. A public address system  36 - 1  can provide verbal condition indicating information throughout region R using a plurality of verbal output transducers. The system  36 - 1  could be coupled to or part of the monitoring system  36 . 
   One form of a directional sounder is marketed by the System Sensor Division of Honeywell International under the brand name “Exitpoint”. Other broadband directional sounders are also available in the market place. When activated members of groups of such devices operate in a non-synchronized fashion to help identify evacuation or output paths. 
   It will be understood that the region R of  FIG. 1  is merely representative and illustrative. A system such as a system  10  can be installed in a single floor of facilities or buildings, as well as multi-floor buildings or facilities, or, underground regions such as mines, all without limitation. 
   The fire alarm monitoring control unit  36  is of a type which would generally be known to those of skill in the art. It might include one or more programmable processors  36   a  which execute control or monitoring software  36   b.  Additionally, the communications between the members of the plurality  30  and the control unit  36  would also be of a type generally known to those of skill in the art and need not be discussed further. The public address system  30 - 1  can, in conjunction with the control unit  36 , inject live, synthetic, or recorded verbal messages into the region R. 
   A plurality of directional sounders, indicated generally at  40  is also installed in the region R. It will be understood that the directional sounders, such as sounder  40   i , might be the same as or comparable to the EXITPOINT directional sounders noted above marketed by System Sensor Division of Honeywell International Inc. The members of plurality  40 , for example, member  40   i  can be energized by and operated under the control of the unit  36  in conjunction with the public address system  36 - 1 . Control can be affected wired or wirelessly all without limitation and all such configurations come within the scope of the invention. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the region R includes a generally L shaped wall W which extends through portions thereof. Some of the members of the plurality  30  are on one side of the wall W and others are on a different side of the wall W. Some members of the plurality of directional sounders  40  are on one side, some are on the other side of the wall W. 
   The system  10  responds to a circumstance where a fire F has been detected by one or more members of the plurality  30  generally in a vicinity of the exit door E 1 . As described in more detail subsequently, while the individuals I 1  and I 2  in the region R are actually physically closer to the Exit E 1 , safer and more appropriate exit routes for them from the region R are via the exit door E 2 . 
   In accordance with the present method and system  10 , controllable audio output devices, such as the group  40  of devices including  40 - 1 , - 2  . . . - 6  can be energized, as discussed in more detail subsequently, to define an audible escape path P 1  for the individual I 1  toward the exit E 2 . Alternately, a different path P 2  can be audibly presented to the individual  12  by activating the devices  40 - 10 ,  12 ,  14 ,  16  and device  40 - 6  to lead the individual  12  audibly toward the exit E 2 . As explained below, verbal messages could also be selectively broadcast into the region R using system  36 - 1  and the output devices  40 . 
     FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrative of the members of the plurality of devices  40 -I. The devices such as  40 - i  include a communications interface  42  which receives data and control information from and which can transmit data to a communication system coupled to unit  36  via a wired or wireless channel  44 . Representative communication systems include wire line communications systems which are connected to the control unit  36  for purposes of providing audible evacuation route indicating information. Details of such systems would be known to those of skill in the art and need not be discussed further. 
   Electrical signals from interface  42  or to interface  42  can be coupled via a bidirectional optical isolation element  44  to and from control circuitry  46 . The control circuitry  46  could be implemented with a variety of technologies including one or more programmable processors and local control software indicated at  46 - 1  and  46 - 2 . A local storage unit  46 - 3  can be provided for storage of control information and parameters received at the unit  46  via the communications interface  42 . Alternately, the control circuits  46  can be implement solely or in part of special purpose circuitry and could include a CODEC-type sound pattern generator  46 - 4 . 
   The unit  46  then can receive parametric information via communications interface  42  which has been transmitted from a representative control system such as control system or control unit  36 . Control parameters which can be transmitted to the unit  40 - i  can include, without limitation, turning the unit on and off, changing an output sound pattern, changing a voice message, providing a locally prestored message, or by passing the unit  40 - i  and coupling voice messages from the public address system  36 - 1  directly to one or more audio output transducers of the unit  40 - i.    
   Digital or output message information can be coupled to a digital-to-analog converter  48 . Output audio signals can be coupled to an input port of a multiplexer  50 . Audio signals coupled to the input port  50 - 1 , from the digital-to-analog converter  48 , can in turn be amplified in amplifier  52  and then coupled to an audio output transducer  54 . 
   Audio output transducer  54  can provide directional audio outputs as discussed above to identify and lead individuals in a region R along a preferred evacuation path. Alternately, the transducer  54  can broadcast verbal messages locally into the region R. 
   The unit  40 - i  can also be coupled via a signal path  60 , which could be a wired connection, to the public address system  36 - 1 . Public address system signals received via the channel  60  can be isolated in a transformer  62  and such audio output signals can then be coupled to a second input port  50 - 2  of multiplexer  50 . The control unit  46  in response to receive parametric information can select a source of output audio for the transducer  54  using the multiplexer  50 . 
   Electrical energy for the unit  40 - i  can be provided by a source of external energy indicated generally at  56  which is locally regulated at a regulator  58 . 
   It will be understood in accordance with the method and system  10  that the exact spacing of the members of the plurality  40  in the region R would be known to those in skill of art and would not represent a limitation of the present invention. The exact number of the members of the plurality  40  would also not represent a limitation 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.