Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – With particular coupling link
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-01
2001-11-13
Pope, Daryl (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
With particular coupling link
C340S506000, C340S531000, C340S533000, C340S288000, C340S870030, C340S870030, C340S870030, C340S870030, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317042
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to emergency announcement systems for occupied buildings, and in particular, to an emergency announcement system that displays an escape route for occupants of a building.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When an emergency situation occurs in an occupied building, the people present may not know the best way to avoid danger. For example, a hotel guest sleeping at night may be startled at the sound of a fire alarm. Following the alarm, the guest needs to determine the best route for escape, with the fire escape sign on the back of the hotel door providing the only guidance. Generally, the guest requires more information about the emergency to increase the odds of escaping successfully and to prevent the loss of life.
Current emergency systems do not tell people in a building the best way to escape when an emergency situation occurs. Standard emergency systems only sound a loud alarm, which may cause people to panic because of the lack of information about their situation. Additionally, the best escape route may vary for different locations in the building and the site of the emergency situation. Current emergency systems do not account for this possibility.
The current state of the art for an emergency system for a building consists of two components: detection of an emergency and notification that an emergency exists. A smoke detector demonstrates the two-step approach: the sensor on the detector senses a fire and then the detector's alarm sounds. The information provided by the alarm does not convey enough information to people on how to escape the emergency.
Therefore, a need exists for a system that can quickly inform people about the best escape route in a simple fashion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method is provided for alerting building occupants of an emergency situation and an escape route. The method includes the steps of sensing an emergency, alerting the occupants in the building about the emergency, determining the best escape route for an occupant's location, and displaying the escape route.
An apparatus is provided for alerting building occupants of an emergency situation and the appropriate escape route. The apparatus includes a sensor for sensing an emergency; an alarm system for notifying building occupants about the emergency; an emergency server for determining an emergency route based upon an occupant's location and the location of the emergency; and a display device for displaying the escape route.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4389639 (1983-06-01), Torii et al.
patent: 4673920 (1987-06-01), Ferguson et al.
patent: 5189394 (1993-02-01), Walter et al.
patent: 5252775 (1993-10-01), Urano et al.
patent: 5654690 (1997-08-01), Ishikawa et al.
Engelhorn Sandi LaVonne
Lee Chinmei Chen
Wang Zhibi
Hill Reginald J.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Pope Daryl
R. J. Hill & Associates
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