Abstract:
A system and a method identify the presence and actions of first responders in a region. Receivers can respond to radio frequency identifying tags affixed to people or building assets in the region. One of a plurality of regional cameras can be selected, based on at least one responding receiver, to provide at least one visual display.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention pertains to emergency related situational information systems and methods. Emergencies can include fires, hazardous material situations, accidents or the like. More particularly, the invention pertains to systems and methods that provide real-time feedback to situation responders as to locations and activities of personnel in a region of interest.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     When first responders arrive at the location of an incident, the circumstances or dangers to those persons already in the area or region are often unclear. Local responders have to make decisions based on incomplete, sometimes erroneous information. The responders may have to send their personnel into such regions to try to rescue people, often exposing themselves to dangerous circumstances.  
         [0003]     Communications between the emergency personnel in the region and outside of the region are often tenuous at best. There is a continuing need for systems and methods which might assist responders or other supervisory personnel in tracking the location and movement of emergency personnel in the region. Preferably, such systems and methods will not impose any operational burdens on the personnel in the region. It would also be desirable to be able to install and use such systems and methods in regions which might already have operating fire detection systems or the like. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a portion of a monitorable region in accordance with the invention; and  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a portion of a monitoring system in accordance with the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0006]     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 and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.  
         [0007]     Systems and methods which embody the invention enhance situation awareness of local responders by using live camera feeds, floor plan maps, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and sensors. With both live camera feeds and RFID tag feedback available more information can be provided to local responders in real-time.  
         [0008]     Displayable pre-stored maps or plans of the regions of interest can include camera and tag sensor locations. When a tag is sensed, the appropriate floor plan or region can be presented and a respective camera can be selected. Camera feed can be presented on or adjacent to the floor plan or regional display. First Responders thus have a live view of the situation and can ascertain which and how many personnel are in the displayed portion of the floor or region.  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary plan view of a floor or a portion F of a building or region being monitored. It will be understood that corresponding representations of other floors, F 1 , F 2  . . . Fn could also be illustrated in accordance with the invention.  
         [0010]     Portions of a monitoring system  10  are installed on the floor F. These include a plurality of video cameras, C 1 , C 2  . . . Cn scattered about the floor F in any convenient fashion depending on the configuration thereof. The cameras C 1  . . . Cn provide real time images of various aspects of the floor F, as discussed in more detail subsequently.  
         [0011]     System  10  also includes a plurality of radio frequency transmitter/receiver  14  such as  14 - 1 ,  14 - 2  . . .  14 - k . The transmitter/receiver units  14  are part of a radio frequency identification system which can be used with active or passive RFID tags of known types. As those of skill in the art will appreciate, the selected RFID tags can be used in combination with the transmitter/receiver  14  to provide location information as to first responders or other emergency personnel on the floor F.  
         [0012]     The responders or emergency personnel, such as individual I, can each be equipped with an RFID tag, illustrated generally at  20 . The tag  20  can be carried anywhere on the individual&#39;s uniform, helmet or other equipment as is convenient. When a tag, such as a tag  20  receives incident RF, such as RF signals RF-k from transmitter/receiver unit  14 - k , reply signals such as  22   a ,  22   b  can be transmitted by the respective tag and sensed by the receiver of the respective transmitter/receiver unit. Hence, as the individual I moves about the floor F, his/her location can be continuously tracked in real time.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of various components of system  10 . These include a video switch  30  which is coupled to each of the cameras, C 1 , C 2  . . . Cn on the floor F. The switch  30  is coupled to a control system  32  which could include a programmed processor  32   a  and an associated control program  32   b . The processor  32  could be in communication with a display processor  34  coupled to a display  40 , as well as a database  36 .  
         [0014]     Video switch  30  is also coupled to a display unit  40 . The video switch  30  can select video feed from one or more of the cameras such as C 1 , C 2  . . . Cn and couple same to the display unit  40  to provide real time images in the region F from the selected camera. It will be understood that the details of the display unit  40  are not limitations of the present invention.  
         [0015]     System  10  also receives signals from the plurality of receivers  14 - 1  . . . -k which feed back location information relative to the active RFID tags in the region being monitored, such as the tag  20 . In response thereto, processor  32  can select a floor plan(s) such as F, F 1  . . . Fn from database  36 , which might correspond to the plan view of the floor plan F in  FIG. 1 , and present same on a portion or all of the display unit  40 .  
         [0016]     It will be understood that the exact representation of the display on the unit  40  is not a limitation of the present invention. Alternate graphical presentations come within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, one portion of the display  40  can present a top plan view of the region such as F associated with feed back being received from the respective receiver, such as  14 - i  by processor  32 . In this instance, the processor  32  can present the respective floor plan, floor plan F for example, on a portion of the display  40 . Additionally, processor  32  can direct video switch  30  to select an appropriate one of the cameras, C 1  . . . Cn associated with an active one of the receivers  14 - i.    
         [0017]     The real time video from the selected camera can then also be presented on the display  40  to provide to any first responder equipped with a display, a view of that portion of the region where the active RFID tag has been sensed. The display on the unit  40  can provide to the first responder immediate feedback as to the circumstances and activities of the individual I whose RFID tag  20  has triggered the display.  
         [0018]     As the individual(s) I moves across the floor plan F, the RFID tag  20  will be activated by different transmitters and its reply sensed by different receivers. For example, initially the RFID tag of individual  20  would be sensed by a receiver in unit  14 - k . As the individual I moves across the floor plan F, and comes within range of transmitter/receiver unit  14 - i , the RFID tag  20  would transmit signals  22   b  to the associated receiver which would then be coupled to processor  32 . Processor  32  could in response thereto direct video switch  30  to switch from camera Cn to camera C 1  thereby providing real time video of the updated location and circumstances of the individual I.  
         [0019]     Those of skill in the art will recognize that the video on display  40  could overlay a plan view, such as the view of  FIG. 1 . Alternately, it could be presented adjacent to a plan view as illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 1  thus is a representation of an exemplary portion F of a region being monitored which illustrates various components of system  10 . It is also a representation of a image of region F which could be presented on display  40 .  
         [0020]     It will be understood that the image of  FIG. 1  is but one of a plurality of images corresponding to various aspects of a region such as floor F 1 , F 2  . . . Fn which could be stored in the database  36  and retrieved as need for presentation on the display  40 .  
         [0021]     The processor  32  could also be in communication with a regional monitoring system  50  which might be a local fire alarm system or any other building system. The system  50  could include a plurality of detectors  52  scattered throughout the floors F, F 1  . . . Fn of the region being monitored. Information could simultaneously be presented on display  40  as to members of the plurality  52  which have gone into alarm.  
         [0022]     It will be understood that the above description relating to RFID tags is exemplary only. Various types of RFID tags could be associated with first responders or other emergency personnel without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, regions can be saturated with RF from a common transmitter. In this embodiment, receivers are installed as in  FIG. 1  and respond to signals such as  22   a, b  from one or more activated RFID tags.  
         [0023]     It will also be understood that non-human assets such as livestock or equipment could also be tagged, tracked and displayed to assist first responders in finding or making determinations as to various assets. Further, displayable information from various cameras or pre-stored location views, from the database(s), illustrating the location or presence of activated tags can be provided not only to command personnel but also to responders in the field via portable displays.  
         [0024]     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.