Systems and Methods for Delivering Directional Audio and Personalized Emergency Alerts Via Addressable Speakers

• US 20090092263A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Heimerdinger, Walter L., Berezowski, Andrew G., Plocher, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/82
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

A public address system installed in a building or other region being monitored can communicate with a regional fire detection system. Responsive to information received from the fire detection system as to developing dangerous conditions, a control unit for the public address system can adaptively create one or more evacuation routes for a region associated with a developing condition. One or more loud speakers in the region can be used to communicate a preferred evacuation route to individuals in the region. The route can be dynamically altered as the condition varies over time.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of addressable speakers organized as a public address system to inject verbal messages into a region of interest;

a control unit, coupled to the addressable speakers, the control unit including circuitry, responsive to a detected alarm condition, that evaluates a plurality of escape routes from the alarm condition, a selected route is audibly communicated via at least some members of the plurality.

2. A system as in claim 1 where the speakers along the selected route emit audible route indicating outputs in a pattern effective for route guidance.

3. A system as in claim 1 where the control unit includes a programmable processor and control software recorded on a computer readable medium.

4. A system as in claim 3 where the software responds to a developing hazardous condition by establishing at least one route leading away from the condition.

5. A system in claim 4 where the software sequentially activates speakers along the route thereby providing an audibly indicated exit route from the condition.

6. A system as in claim 1 which includes a communications port that receives information as to the detected alarm condition.

7. A system as in claim 6 where the control unit includes a programmable processor and control software recorded on a computer readable medium.

8. A system as in claim 7 where the software defines a plurality of time varying escape routes in response to received information.

9. A system as in claim 8 which includes an ambient condition detection system coupled to the communications port.

10. A method comprising:

establishing a plurality of spaced apart condition detecting locations in a region being monitored;

responsive to information received from at least some of the detecting locations, determining if a predetermined condition is present in the vicinity of at least once location;

responsive to the presence of the predetermined condition, automatically establishing at least one time varying egress route through the region and away from the at least one location.

11. A method as in claim 10 where establishing includes automatically establishing a plurality of different egress routes.

12. A method as in claim 10 which includes sequentially injecting audio indicia into the region to provide an audible designation of the at least one egress route.

13. A method as in claim 11 which includes injecting a time varying audio pattern into the region to provide an audible designation of the at least one egress route.

14. A method as in claim 13 where the audio pattern is injected one of sequentially, or, non-sequentially into the region, and, which includes automatically altering the at least one egress route over time responsive to variations, over time, of the predetermined condition.

15. A method as in claim 11 which which includes automatically altering the at least one egress route over time responsive to variations, over time, of the predetermined condition.

16. A method as in claim 12 where injecting includes sequentially emitting route specifying voice based indicia along the egress route.

17. A method as in claim 13 where injecting includes sequentially emitting route specifying voice based indicia along the egress route.

18. A method as in claim 16 which includes coupling real-time operator generated audio messages to a plurality of sites along the at least one egress route.

19. An apparatus including a recording medium, for recording in a computer readable fashion, software to perform the following when executed by a programmable processor:

receiving information as to the presence of a developing dangerous condition in a region;

responsive to that information, automatically establishing at least one egress route away from the condition; and

arranging for emission of identifying audio indicia sequentially along the route.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19 which includes:

automatically altering the at least one egress path, over time, responsive to additional information indicative of a changing condition.