System for reducing disaster damage
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for controlling utility services at a site, the apparatus comprising:
- an interface port operable to receive signals from at least one sensor operable to sense a condition at the site and operable to produce a control signal for controlling a utility service control device at the site; and
a control unit in communication with said interface port, said control unit being operable to cause a control signal to be produced at said interface port in response to signals received at said interface port from said at least one sensor, to control the flow of utility services to the site in response to conditions sensed at the site and for controlling said utility service control device to selectively restore the utility service to the site when said condition changes.
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Abstract
A system monitors and controls external utilities interacting with a site to mitigate hazards during disaster or other emergency situations. Upon the occurrence of a disaster or other emergency event, the system disconnects the external utilities from the site to drive the site into a simplified safe state. With the site thus stabilized, the system then carefully attempts to reconnect any utility that does not threaten the site.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling utility services at a site, the apparatus comprising:
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an interface port operable to receive signals from at least one sensor operable to sense a condition at the site and operable to produce a control signal for controlling a utility service control device at the site; and
a control unit in communication with said interface port, said control unit being operable to cause a control signal to be produced at said interface port in response to signals received at said interface port from said at least one sensor, to control the flow of utility services to the site in response to conditions sensed at the site and for controlling said utility service control device to selectively restore the utility service to the site when said condition changes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for controlling utility services at a site, the system comprising a plurality of condition sensors and utility control devices at the site and electrically connected to cause at least one of said utility control devices to shut off the supply of utility services to the site in response to an adverse condition sensed by said condition sensors and to automatically selectively control said utility control devices to restore the supply of said utility services when said adverse condition is no longer present.
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11. A system for controlling utility services to a site, comprising:
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means for disconnecting the utility services in response to detection of a condition at the site; and
means for automatically selectively restoring the utility services to the site in response to a change in said condition.
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12. A method of controlling utility services to a site, comprising:
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disconnecting the utility services in response to detection of a condition at the site; and
automatically selectively restoring the utility services to the site in response to a change in said condition.
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13. A system for affecting the interaction of a set of member utilities at a site, each member of the set of member utilities being created externally from the site and being conducted into the site through a respective input port having at least one access state wherein the input port facilitates access to the site and at least one restriction state wherein the input port restricts access to the site and being conducted out of the site through a respective output port having at least one egress state wherein the output port facilitates egress from the site and at least one restriction state wherein the output port restricts egress from the site, the system comprising:
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means for generating a first fault signal in response to a condition that threatens to degrade the environment of the site;
means for ensuring that the input port for each member of the set of utilities is placed in a predetermined safe state in response to said first fault signal, said safe state being either an access state or a restriction state; and
means for selectively restoring the input port for certain members of the set of member utilities to predetermined operating states in response to a change in said first fault signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for affecting the interaction of a set of member utilities at a site, each member of the set of member utilities being created externally from the site and being conducted into the site through a respective input port having at least one access state wherein the input port facilitates access to the site and at least one restriction state wherein the input port restricts access to the site and being conducted out of the site through a respective output port having at least one egress state wherein the output port facilitates egress from the site and at least one restriction state wherein the output port restricts egress from the site, the system comprising:
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means for generating a first fault signal in response to a single or compound condition that threatens to degrade the environment of the site;
means for predicting consequences of said single or compound condition in response to said first fault signal or a change in said first fault signal; and
means for automatically selectively restoring the input ports of certain members of the set of utilities to predetermined operating states in response to consequences predicted by said means for predicting.
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Specification