Patent Description:
Typically, building fire alarm systems and smoke detectors inform a local controller to trigger an alarm as well as suppression (i.e. water sprinkles) and egress systems (visual and audible signals) in order to stop fire from spreading and aid building occupants evacuation. Some building systems also report the event of fire to a remote central station. This central station can interrogate one or more building systems and combine the received information to provide a more detailed report when contacting emergency services. Given this architecture, if the network gateway or the paths that lead to the gateway become inaccessible, due to fire damage, then the whole system becomes no longer useful. A system that is able to work in both distributed and centralized modes offers an advantage in terms of reliability, as the lifetime of the system can be extended once the panel is not reachable.

<CIT> discloses a battery powered, illuminated, color-coded, evacuation signaling system embodying symbols and text messages in a network of floor laid display units for guiding evacuees during an emergency.

<CIT> discloses an escape route system comprising signs that indicate the various directions for escape routes and are controlled from a central control room and wherein the danger location is ascertained by automatic sensors.

<CIT> discloses a lighting system comprising a plurality of light sources along a pathway for guiding a human to a reference location.

<CIT> discloses an evacuation method and system in which evacuation routes are determined based at least in part on occupancy information.

<CIT> discloses a method and system for calculating exit routes from populated areas.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a system for directing an emergency evacuation within a building composed of a plurality of rooms separated by entryways is provided as defined by claim <NUM>.

Optionally, the system may include where the evacuation route does not pass through a room where a fire has been detected.

Optionally, the system may include where each room includes a sign at each entryway.

Optionally, the system may include where the evacuation information includes a fire symbol when a fire is detected along the evacuation route.

Optionally, the system may include where the evacuation information includes a warning if a route is not the shortest evacuation route.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room and a second room connected to the first room by at least one entryway, the second room having no exit other than an entryway towards the first room; and the plurality of signs comprises a first sign in the first room located at an entryway towards the second room, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a do not enter warning.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room and a second room connected to the first room by at least one entryway, a fire being detected in the second room; and the plurality of signs comprises a first sign in the first room located at an entryway towards the second room, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a fire symbol.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room and a second room connected to the first room by at least one entryway, a fire being detected in the second room; and the plurality of signs comprises a first sign in the first room located at an entryway towards the second room, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a fire symbol when there is no exit located between the first room and the second room.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room and a second room connected to the first room by at least one entryway, a fire being detected in the second room and a human being detected in a room between the first room and the second room; and the plurality of signs comprises a first sign in the first room located at an entryway towards the second room, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a human symbol when there is no exit located between the first room and the second room.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room and a second room connected to the first room by at least one entryway, a fire being detected in the second room and a human being detected in the second room; and the plurality of signs comprises a first sign in the first room located at an entryway towards the second room, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a human symbol when there is no exit located between the first room and the second room.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room, a second room connected to the first room by first entryway, and a third room connected to the first room by a second entryway, a fire being detected in the second room; and the plurality of signs comprises: a first sign in the first room located at the first entryway, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a fire symbol; and a second sign in the first room at the second entryway, the second sign displaying evacuation information including a number of rooms between the second sign and an exit located nearest the second sign.

Optionally, the system may include where the plurality of rooms comprises a first room, a second room connected to the first room by first entryway, and a third room connected to the first room by a second entryway, the third room being closer to an exit than the second room; and the plurality of signs comprises: a first sign in the first room located at the first entryway, the first sign displaying evacuation information including a do not enter symbol; and a second sign in the first room at the second entryway, the second sign displaying evacuation information including a number of rooms between the second sign and an exit located nearest the second sign.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of directing an emergency evacuation within a building composed of a plurality of rooms separated by entryways is provided as defined by claim <NUM>.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a computer program product tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium is provided as defined by claim <NUM>.

Technical effects of embodiments of the present invention include a visual egress system that can help direct evacuees to the nearest exit.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated. <FIG> shows a system <NUM> for directing an emergency evacuation within a building <NUM> composed of a plurality of rooms <NUM> separated by entryways <NUM>. The entryway <NUM> may be a door or an opening. <FIG> shows different evacuation information that may be displayed on signs <NUM> located in each room <NUM> of <FIG>.

As seen in <FIG>, the building <NUM> includes a plurality of fire detectors <NUM> configured to detect a fire <NUM> in each room <NUM>. Further, the plurality of fire detectors <NUM> are also configured to identify the room containing the fire <NUM>. Each room <NUM> may have a fire detector <NUM> located within the room <NUM>. Each fire detector <NUM> may be in communication with each other fire detector <NUM>. The building <NUM> also includes a plurality of human presence detectors <NUM> configured to detect a human being <NUM> in each room <NUM>. Further, the plurality of human presence detectors <NUM> are also configured to identify the room where a human being <NUM> was detected. Each room <NUM> may have a human presence detectors <NUM> located within the room <NUM>. Each human presence detector <NUM> may be in communication with each other human presence detector <NUM>. The human presence detector <NUM> may use a variety of ranging sensors and/or presence detection devices to detect human beings such as, for example, a visual detection device, a laser detection device, a thermal image detection device, a depth detection device, a motion detection device, an odor detection device, RADAR, and ultrasonic sensor.

The building <NUM> also includes a plurality of signs <NUM> configured to display evacuation information <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> may each be in communication with each of the fire detectors <NUM> and the human presence detectors <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> may also be in communication with each other. The communication may be wired and/or wireless. Each sign <NUM> may be a back lit translucent sign, an edge lit sign, a computer monitor, television, or any other similar sign known to one of skill in the art. As seen in <FIG>, the evacuation information <NUM> includes a number of rooms 122a to a nearest exit <NUM> and may include but is not limited to a do not enter symbol 122b, a fire symbol 122c, and a human being symbol 122d. The number of rooms 122a to a nearest exit <NUM> indicates the number of rooms <NUM> one may have to travel through in order to make it to the nearest exit <NUM> when traveling in a direction towards the sign <NUM> displaying the number of rooms 122a to a nearest exit <NUM> as evacuation information <NUM>. The do not enter symbol 122b may indicate a route in the direction of the sign <NUM> displaying the do not enter symbol 122b does not have an exit <NUM> and/or that the route is not the shortest route to an exit <NUM>. The fire symbol 122c may indicate that a fire <NUM> is located in a room <NUM> ahead, when traveling in a direction towards the sign <NUM> displaying the fire symbol 122c as evacuation information <NUM>. The human being symbol 122d indicates that a human being <NUM> is located in a room <NUM> ahead, when traveling in a direction towards the sign <NUM> displaying the human being symbol 122d as evacuation information <NUM>.

The signs <NUM> are configured to determine an evacuation route to an exit <NUM> located nearest to each sign <NUM>. The signs <NUM> may be linked to a central controller that determines the evacuation route or the signs <NUM> may be configured to make the determination independently or in conjunction with other devices such as human presence detectors <NUM>, fire detectors <NUM>, and/or signs <NUM>. The central controller, detectors, and/or each sign may include a processor and an associated memory. The processor may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.

<FIG> shows multiple evacuation routes 160a-160d but only two routes 160a, 160b are viable evacuation routes because they do not travel through a room where fire <NUM> has been detected and/or a dead end <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, route 160c leads to a dead end <NUM> where a fire <NUM> is located and the signs <NUM> in the direction of route 160c display the fire symbol 120c to warn evacuees. The route 160d leads to an exit <NUM> but the route 160d is blocked by fire <NUM>, thus the signs <NUM> heading in the direction of route 160d display the fire symbol 122c to warn evacuees. Further, one or more human presence detectors <NUM> detect a human being <NUM> along route 160d, thus the signs <NUM> heading in the direction of route 160d display a human being symbol 122d. Advantageously, the human being symbol <NUM> may help direct fire fighters and/or other rescue personnel to help locate stranded human beings. When traveling in the opposite direction of routes 160c, 160d, the signs <NUM> will display the number of rooms 122a to a nearest exit <NUM> as the evacuation information <NUM> to help guide evacuees out and away from the fire <NUM>.

Further, as seen in <FIG>, routes 160a, 160b lead to exits <NUM>, thus the signs <NUM> in the directions of the routes 160a, 160b each display the number of rooms 122a to a nearest exit <NUM>. Advantageously, by displaying the number of rooms 122a to a nearest exit <NUM>, the evacuee may pick a viable evacuation route that may help the evacuee reach an exit the fastest. In various other embodiments, other measurable quantities may also be displayed such as, for example, distance to the nearest exit <NUM> and/or time to the nearest exit <NUM>. When traveling in a direction opposite of routes 160a, 160b the signs <NUM> display the do not enter symbol 122b to help instruct evacuees that they are travelling in the wrong directions and the route they are currently on is not the shortest evacuation route.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operation of the system <NUM> in a first example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a and a second room 104b connected to the first room 104a by at least one entryway <NUM>. The second room 104b has no exit other than an entryway <NUM> towards the first room 104a (i.e. the second room 104b has a dead end <NUM>). The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at an entryway <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The first sign 120a displaying evacuation information <NUM> including a do not enter warning 122c.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operations of the system <NUM> in a second example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a and a second room 104b connected to the first room 104a by at least one entryway <NUM>. The second room 104b has no exit other than an entryway <NUM> towards the first room 104a (i.e. the second room 104b has a dead end <NUM>). A fire <NUM> is detected in the second room 104b by a fire detector <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at an entryway <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The first sign 120a displays evacuation information <NUM> including a fire symbol 122c.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operations of the system <NUM> in a third example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a and a second room 104b connected to the first room by at least one entryway <NUM>. There may be rooms 104c, 104d in between the first room 104a and the second room 104b. A fire <NUM> is detected in the second room 104b by a fire detector <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at an entryway <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The plurality of signs <NUM> may also include a second sign 120b in the third room 104c located at an entry way <NUM> towards the fourth room 104d and a third sign 120c in the fourth room 104d located at an entry way <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The signs 120a, 120b, 120c display evacuation information <NUM> including a fire symbol 122c.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operations of the system <NUM> in a fourth example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a and a second room 104b connected to the first room 104a by at least one entryway <NUM>. There may be rooms 104c, 104d in between the first room 104a and the second room 104b. A fire <NUM> is detected in the second room 104b using a fire detector <NUM> and a human being <NUM> is detected in a fourth room 104d between the first room 104a and the second room 104b using a human presence detector <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at an entryway <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The plurality of signs <NUM> may also include a second sign 120b in the third room 104c located at an entry way <NUM> towards the fourth room 104d and a third sign 120c in the fourth room 104d located at an entry way <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The signs 120a, 120b, 120c may display a fire symbol 122c since a fire <NUM> has been detected in the second room 104b. The first sign 120a and second sign 120b display a human symbol 122d since a person is detected ahead on the path to the second room 104b.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operations of the system <NUM> in a fifth example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a and a second room 104b connected to the first room 104a by at least one entryway <NUM>. There may be rooms 104c, 104d in between the first room 104a and the second room 104b. A fire <NUM> is detected in the second room 104b using a fire detector <NUM> and a human being <NUM> is detected in the second room 104b using a human presence detector <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at an entryway <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The plurality of signs <NUM> may also include a second sign 120b in the third room 104c located at an entry way <NUM> towards the fourth room 104d and a third sign 120c in the fourth room 104d located at an entry way <NUM> towards the second room 104b. The signs 120a, 120b, 120c display evacuation information <NUM> including a human symbol 122d when there is no exit <NUM> located between the first room 104a and the second room 104b and also a human located between the first room 104a and the second room 104b. The signs 120a, 120b, 120c may also display a fire symbol 122c since a fire <NUM> has been detected in the second room 104b.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operations of the system <NUM> in a sixth example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a, a second room connected to the first room 104a by a first entryway 108a, and a third room 104c connected to the first room 104a by a second entryway 108b. A fire <NUM> is detected in the second room 104b using a fire detector <NUM>. The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at the first entryway 108a. The first sign 120a displaying evacuation information <NUM> including a fire symbol 122c. The plurality of signs <NUM> also comprises a second sign 120b in the first room 104a at the second entryway 108b. The second sign 120b displaying evacuation information <NUM> including a number of rooms 122a between the second sign 120b and an exit <NUM> located nearest the second sign 120b. The third room 104c may also include a fire detector <NUM> to ensure that the evacuation route to the exit <NUM> through the third room 104c is safe.

Referring now to <FIG>, while continuing to reference <FIG>. <FIG> illustrates the operations of the system <NUM> in a seventh example. In the example of <FIG>, the plurality of rooms <NUM> comprise a first room 104a, a second room 104b connected to the first room 104a by first entryway 108a, and a third room 104c connected to the first room 104a by a second entryway 108b. The third room 104c is closer to an exit <NUM> than the second room 104b. No fire <NUM> is detected by any fire detector <NUM> in any of the three rooms 104a-104c, thus multiple viable evacuation routes to exits <NUM> exist but one is shorter than the other. The plurality of signs <NUM> comprises a first sign 120a in the first room 104a located at the first entryway 108a. The first sign 120a displaying evacuation information <NUM> including a do not enter symbol 122b. The plurality of signs <NUM> also comprises a second sign 120b in the first room <NUM> at the second entryway 108b. The second sign 120b displaying evacuation information <NUM> including a number of rooms 122a between the second sign 120b and an exit <NUM> located nearest the second sign 120a.

Turning now to <FIG> while continuing to reference <FIG>, <FIG> shows a flow diagram illustrating a method <NUM> of directing an emergency evacuation within a building <NUM> composed of a plurality of rooms <NUM> separated by entryways <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. At block <NUM>, a fire <NUM> is detected in at least one of the plurality of rooms <NUM> using a plurality of fire detectors <NUM>. At block <NUM> an evacuation route to an exit <NUM> located nearest to each sign <NUM> is determined. The evacuation route includes rooms <NUM> where a fire <NUM> has not been detected. At block <NUM>, evacuation information <NUM> is displayed using a plurality of signs <NUM>. Each of the signs <NUM> being in communication with each of the fire detectors <NUM>. The evacuation information <NUM> includes a number of rooms 122a along the evacuation route between the sign <NUM> displaying the evacuation information <NUM> and the exit <NUM> located nearest to the sign displaying the evacuation information.

Embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the embodiments. Embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes an device for practicing the exemplary embodiments.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) for directing an emergency evacuation within a building (<NUM>) composed of a plurality of rooms (<NUM>) separated by entryways (<NUM>), the system comprising:
a plurality of fire detectors (<NUM>) configured to detect a fire (<NUM>) in each room (<NUM>);
a plurality of signs (<NUM>) configured to display evacuation information (<NUM>), each of the signs (<NUM>) being in communication with each of the fire detectors (<NUM>) and configured to determine an evacuation route to an exit (<NUM>) located nearest to each sign (<NUM>); and characterized by
a plurality of human presence detectors (<NUM>) configured to detect a human being (<NUM>) in each room, each human presence detectors (<NUM>) being in communication with each sign (<NUM>), and
wherein the evacuation information (<NUM>) includes a human being symbol (122d) when a human being (<NUM>) is detected in a room (<NUM>) along the evacuation route for the purposes of assisting in search and rescue, and
the evacuation information (<NUM>) includes a number of rooms (<NUM>) between the sign (<NUM>) displaying the evacuation information and the exit (<NUM>) located nearest to the sign (<NUM>) displaying the evacuation information (<NUM>).