Premise evacuation system

• US 20070030127A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Reed
• Original Assignee: David Reed
• Inventors: Reed, David
• Application Number:
  US11/410,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030127A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/286.50
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

An evacuation system using a combination of elements, such as an on-site weather station (2), a computer system (1) with proprietary software, sensors and other elements to determine a safe direction of evacuation from a premises (11) in case of a threat, use indicators to determine the direction of evacuation and notification of parties external to the premises (11) of evacuation.

Claims

1. An evacuation system comprising:

means for determining a safe direction of evacuation from a premises depending on a location of a threat or other condition; and

means for indicating to individuals the direction of evacuation.

2. The evacuation system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for notifying other parties external to the premises of the evacuation.

3. The evacuation system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a safe direction of evacuation comprises:

one or more sensors to indicate a threat, its type and its location.

4. The evacuation system of claim 3 wherein the sensors comprises one or more individuals who observe the threat.

5. The evacuation system of claim 3 wherein the one or more sensors includes one or more devices taken from a group of fire and smoke detectors, gas detectors and radioactive detectors.

6. The evacuation system of claim 1 wherein the means for indicating the direction of evacuation comprises audio indicators.

7. The evacuation system of claim 1 wherein the means for indicating the direction of evacuation comprises visual indicators.

8. The evacuation system of claim 1 wherein the means for indicating the direction of evacuation comprises both audio and visual indicators.

9. The evacuation system of claim 6 wherein the audio indicators include at least one from a group of indicators comprising a public address system and alarm.

10. The evacuation system of claim 7 wherein one or more visual indicators comprises visual indicators from the group comprising persons and lights.

11. The evacuation system of claim 8 wherein:

the audio indicators include at least one from a group of indicators comprising a public address system-and alarm; and

one or more visual indicators comprises visual-indicators from the group comprising persons and lights.

12. The evacuation system of claim 10 wherein the lights comprise a combination of a red and green lights wherein red indicates wrong direction of evacuation and green indicates correct direction of evacuation.

13. The evacuation system of claim 9 wherein the audio device submits a coded alarm to indicate the direction of evacuation.

14. The evacuation system of claim 9 wherein the audio device submits a vocal alarm to indicate direction of evacuation.

15. The evacuation system of claim 13 wherein the coded alarm comprises:

one beep to indicate evacuation through one of the predetermined exit site or to the North;

two beeps to indicate evacuation through one of the predetermined exit site or to the East;

three beeps to indicate evacuation through one of the predetermined exit site or to the South;

four beeps to indicate evacuation through one of the predetermined exit site or to the West; and

a steady beep to indicate to seek shelter inside premises.

16. The evacuation system of claim 13 wherein the coded alarm comprises a fading sound to indicate correct direction for evacuation.

17. The evacuation system of claim 2 wherein the means for notifying other parties comprises a telephone interface having automatic dialing capability having a predetermined plurality of numbers and playback recorded messages.

18. The evacuation system of claim 2 further includes at least one from a group consisting of a personal computer, e-mail, pagers, cellular phones, satellite and internet technology.

19. The evacuation system of claim 1 wherein the means for determining a safe direction includes an on-site weather station capable of providing at least wind speed and wind direction.

20. The evacuation system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of evacuation systems are linked together to provide for protection over a plurality of premises and an area.

21. The evacuation system of claim 20 wherein:

the linked evacuation systems use latitude and longitude coordinates;

each coordinate comprises a location of a connected node; and

the latitude and longitude coordinates are used to determine evacuation direction for that location.

22. A method of evacuating premises comprising the steps of:

a. ascertaining a safe direction of evacuation depending on a threat location, weather or other conditions; and

b. directing evacuation using audio and visual means.

23. The method claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step prior to step b of:

using a web interface to initiate the evacuation.