System and method for detecting and mapping progression of a fire event

• US 10,255,780 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2018
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wittenberg, David
• Original Assignee: Wittenberg, David
• Inventors: Wittenberg, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Jack K
• Application Number:
  US15/991,354
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 340521
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/33 Multimode operation in different systems which transmit time stamped messages, e.g. GPS/GLONASS
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A system and method for mapping progression of a fire event within a structure distributing fire event detectors throughout the structure, detecting an ambient air condition indicative of a fire event using the fire event detectors, sounding an alarm in a respective fire event detector if an ambient air condition proximate a respective fire event detector detects a fire event, determining a geographical position of each of the plurality of fire event detectors associated with the structure, determining a clock time indicative of a respective fire sensor detecting a fire event, an emergency response module remote from the plurality of fire event detectors receiving a notification from a respective fire event detector that an ambient air condition indicative of a fire event condition has been detected at a specific time and specific position, and mapping to a display the specific time and the specific detector and position of the notification.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and mapping progression of a fire event within a structure having a plurality of fire detection positions, said system comprising:

a plurality of fire event detectors distributed throughout the structure, each fire event detector including a primary housing having a plurality of walls that define an interior area;

wherein each fire event detector comprises;

a power source positioned in said interior area;

a memory that is non-volatile configured to store programming and data structures;

a processor situated in said interior area and in data communication with said memory and electrically connected to said power source, said processor being operable to execute said programming;

a fire event sensor in electrical communication with said power source and operable to detect an ambient air condition indicative of a fire event;

an alarm electrically connected to said power source and positioned in said interior area;

a position indicator saved in a respective data structure of said memory that is associated with a respective fire event detector and indicative of the respective fire detection position where said respective fire event detector is installed in the structure;

programming in said memory that, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to determine if said fire event sensor has detected the fire event and, if so, to energize said alarm;

a time indicator saved in a respective data structure of said memory that is indicative of a date and time stamp when said fire event sensor associated with said respective fire event detector indicated a fire event;

wherein said time indicator is a time stamp generated by a global position satellite (“

GPS”

) in data communication with said processor and said plurality of fire event detectors;

wherein said position indicator is generated by said GPS in data communication with said processor and said plurality of fire event sensors;

wherein said notification includes said position indicator and said time indicator;

an emergency response module remote from said plurality of fire event detectors that is operative to receive a notification from respective fire sensors that detect an ambient air condition indicative of a fire event;

wherein;

said emergency response module is an auxiliary storage device (“

black box”

) having an auxiliary memory that includes auxiliary programming and auxiliary data structures;

said auxiliary storage device is one of fireproof or fire retardant;

said auxiliary storage device is positioned proximate said plurality of fire event detectors inside the structure.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein said time indicator includes a time stamp generated by a cellular telephone in communication with said processor.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein said emergency response module is one of a police station, a fire station, a fire truck, an ambulance, or an emergency first responder.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein

said auxiliary storage device is positioned remote from the structure.

5. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a software application in data communication with said emergency response module that is operable to map respective position indicators and respective time indicators associated with respective fire sensors associated with said plurality of fire event detectors;

wherein said software application is operable to generate a graphical map indicative of the structure and said position indicators of each of said plurality of fire sensors;

wherein said software application is operable to display said time indicators of each of said plurality of fire sensors according to a time each of said plurality of fire sensors determined an air condition is indicative of a fire event.

6. A method for detecting and mapping progression of a fire event within a structure having a plurality of fire detection positions, said method comprising:

distributing a plurality of fire event detectors throughout the structure, each fire event detector including a primary housing having a plurality of walls that define an interior area;

detecting, using said plurality of fire event detectors, an ambient air condition indicative of a fire event;

sounding an alarm in a respective fire event detector if an ambient air condition proximate said respective fire event detector is indicative of a fire event;

determining a geographical position of each of said plurality of fire event detectors associated with the structure and generating a position indicator associated with said determined geographical position;

determining a time indicator that includes a clock time indicative of a respective fire sensor detecting a fire event, said clock time including a time stamp generated by a global position satellite;

(“

GPS”

) in data communication with said plurality of fire event detectors;

wherein said geographical position is determined by said GPS;

generating a graphical map of a layout of the structure and of respective position indicators and respective time indicators associated with respective fire sensors associated with said plurality of fire event detectors;

wherein said graphical map includes a representation of a clock time associated with each of said plurality of fire sensors according to a time each of said plurality of fire sensors determined an air condition to be indicative of a fire event;

an emergency response module remote from said plurality of fire event detectors receiving a notification from a respective fire event detector that an ambient air condition indicative of a fire event condition has been detected at a specific time and specific position;

transmitting said graphical map to said emergency response module;

mapping said specific time and said specific position of said notification;

wherein;

said emergency response module is a fire truck operable to receive said transmitted graphic map and to display said layout of the structure and respective position indicators and respective time indicators associated with respective fire sensors associated with said plurality of fire event detectors;

an auxiliary storage device (“

black box”

) having an auxiliary memory that includes auxiliary programming and auxiliary data structures;

said auxiliary storage device is one of fireproof or fire retardant;

said auxiliary storage device is positioned inside the structure.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein said time indicator includes a time stamp generated by a cellular telephone in data communication with said plurality of fire event detectors.

8. The method as in claim 6, wherein said notification includes said position indicator and said time indicator.

9. The method as in claim 6, wherein:

said auxiliary storage device is positioned remote from the structure.