Security and first-responder emergency lighting system

• US 10,242,541 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2018
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Networked Emergency Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Networked Emergency Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Thornton, Barry, Cohen, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie B
• Application Number:
  US15/933,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20180276960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 369 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A network system in a building complex linking different locations together and facilitating information and data exchange and access, includes ‘N’ number of autonomous nodes for receiving, processing, and storing sensory data collected by one or more sensors relating to an environment in ‘N’ number of regions within the building complex. The nodes are configured to communicate and share sensory data among the ‘N’ number of nodes and to generate a dynamic virtual map of the building complex environment that is accessible by users having access to the network.

Claims

1. A node for use in a building network emergency system, comprising:

a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors configured to collect a plurality of types of building environment data;

an emergency light system, comprising illumination lighting and alert lighting;

an audio loudspeaker;

one or more media inputs, wherein one or more media inputs comprise a camera and a positioning system for the camera;

one or more media outputs;

a wireless local network transceiver adapted and configured for communicating with one or more other nodes of the building network emergency system;

a computer operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the emergency light system, the audio loudspeaker, the one or more media inputs, the one or more media outputs, and the wireless local network transceiver, the computer comprising a processor operatively coupled to a memory,

wherein the memory comprises instructions which when performed by the processor cause the node;

to store building data in the memory as local building data, wherein building data comprises at least one of building environment data collected by the plurality of sensors and media input data acquired by the one or more media inputs;

to transmit the local building data and local node identification data to at least one neighbor node via the wireless local network transceiver;

to evaluate severity of an emergency detected by the building network emergency system;

wherein the emergency is fire and the instructions further cause the node to generate a heat map of a building; and

wherein the instructions further cause the node to pinpoint a current location of the fire at an exit location of the building.

2. The node of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the node to track a history of the fire through the building.

6. The node of claim 1, wherein the building network emergency system is configured to interface with a building automation and control network of a building,

wherein the building network emergency system provides data to controllers of the building automation and control network, and

wherein the building network emergency system checks for consistency in measurements of the building automation and control network relevant to the emergency detected by the building network emergency system.

7. The node of claim 1, wherein signal strength among node units is used as a guide to determine a relative distance between the node units.

8. The node of claim 7, wherein a strongest link between the node units is selected for a connection between the node units.

9. The node of claim 1, wherein if the node has more than three connections, then the node prioritizes the first three connections in order of signal strength.

12. The node of claim 1, wherein the building network emergency system quantifies a general threat level for the node.

13. The node of claim 1, wherein the node is configured to manage a constant flow of data between nodes based on installation preferences.

14. The node of claim 1, wherein the node is configured to offer web-pages from a memory system.

15. The node of claim 1, wherein the node is configured to coordinate all operational features in a closed ad-hoc network.

3. A node for use in a building network emergency system, comprising:

a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors configured to collect a plurality of types of building environment data;

an emergency light system, comprising illumination lighting and alert lighting;

an audio loudspeaker;

one or more media inputs, wherein one or more media inputs comprise a camera and a positioning system for the camera;

one or more media outputs;

a wireless local network transceiver adapted and configured for communicating with one or more other nodes of the building network emergency system;

a computer operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the emergency light system, the audio loudspeaker, the one or more media inputs, the one or more media outputs, and the wireless local network transceiver, the computer comprising a processor operatively coupled to a memory,

wherein the memory comprises instructions which when performed by the processor cause the node;

to store building data in the memory as local building data, wherein building data comprises at least one of building environment data collected by the plurality of sensors and media input data acquired by the one or more media inputs;

to transmit the local building data and local node identification data to at least one neighbor node via the wireless local network transceiver;

to evaluate severity of an emergency detected by the building network emergency system;

wherein the emergency is fire and the instructions further cause the node to generate a heat map of a building and, wherein the instructions further cause the node to determine whether any evacuation route that includes a near exit location is unsafe, and identify closest exit locations that are safe.

4. The node of claim 3, wherein the determination of the evacuation routes is performed by comparing the heat map to a local copy of a building evacuation map.

5. The node of claim 3, wherein the node instructs building occupants to make a selection between exit door locations to avoid and to use.

10. A node for use in a building network emergency system, comprising:

a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors configured to collect a plurality of types of building environment data;

an emergency light system, comprising illumination lighting and alert lighting;

an audio loudspeaker;

one or more media inputs, wherein one or more media inputs comprise a camera and a positioning system for the camera;

one or more media outputs;

a wireless local network transceiver adapted and configured for communicating with one or more other nodes of the building network emergency system;

a computer operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, the emergency light system, the audio loudspeaker, the one or more media inputs, the one or more media outputs, and the wireless local network transceiver, the computer comprising a processor operatively coupled to a memory,

wherein the memory comprises instructions which when performed by the processor cause the node;

to store building data in the memory as local building data, wherein building data comprises at least one of building environment data collected by the plurality of sensors and media input data acquired by the one or more media inputs;

to transmit the local building data and local node identification data to at least one neighbor node via the wireless local network transceiver;

to evaluate severity of an emergency detected by the building network emergency system, wherein if a node becomes inoperative so as to drop out of the building network emergency system, a detecting node broadcasts a drop-out notification to other nodes in the building network emergency system.

11. The node of claim 10, wherein a node unit that establishes contact with the missing node unit will return a missing-found notice to the building network emergency system.