SYSTEM, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EMERGENCY PRESENCE DETECTION

• US 20110163872A1
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Delnoij, Roger Peter Anna, Pasveer, Willem Franke
• Application Number:
  US13/062,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A detection device and method includes a transducer array (20) located at a designated area and configured to perform an ultrasonic sweep of the area in response to a trigger event. The transducer array is capable of determining a presence of a live being (16) in the area in accordance with the ultrasonic sweep. A power supply (21) is coupled to the transducer array to provide power to the transducer array and to enable the ultrasonic sweep in a power failure. A transmitter is configured to transmit a result of the ultrasonic sweep to provide a determination of the presence of a live being and the live being'"'"'s location in the area to personnel responding to an event.

Claims

1. A detection device, comprising:

a transducer array (20) located at a designated area and configured to perform an ultrasonic sweep of the area in response to a trigger event, the transducer array being capable of determining a presence of a live being (16) in the area in accordance with the ultrasonic sweep;

a power supply (21) coupled to the transducer array to provide power to the transducer array and to enable the ultrasonic sweep in a power failure; and

a transmitter (23) configured to transmit a result of the ultrasonic sweep to provide a determination of the presence of a live being and the live being'"'"'s location in the area to personnel responding to an event.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the transducer array (20) includes a thin-film piezoelectric membrane transducer array.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the transducer array (20) includes a plurality of transducers configured in an array having a pitch (320) between transducers such that operating frequencies are between about 50 KHz and about 450 KHz.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein the pitch (320) is between about 200 micrometers and about 4000 micrometers.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the power supply includes at least one of an emergency lighting system (12), and a battery (21).

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein transmitter (23) transmits to a portable device (30) configured to wirelessly receive the results of the sweep.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the portable device (30) is operated by emergency personnel and includes a channel (34) set to receive the results of the sweep to determine whether people or pets are present in a building.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitter (23) transmits to a central station (22) configured to collect the results of the sweep and report the results to the personnel responding to the event.

9. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the event is an emergency event and includes at least one of a fire, a break-in and a medical emergency.

10. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device includes an in-home smoke detector.

11. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the transducer array (20) is configured to perform the scan when triggered by the event.

12. A detection system, comprising:

an alarm device (14) disposed in area to detect an alarm event;

a transducer array (20) coupled to the alarm device and configured to perform an ultrasonic sweep of an area in response to the alarm event, the transducer array being capable of determining a presence of a live being in the area as a result of the ultrasonic sweep, the alarm device including an emergency power supply (12) coupled to the transducer array to provide power to the transducer array even during power failure conditions; and

an output device (22, 30) linked to the transducer array, the output device being configured to receive a result of the ultrasonic sweep to provide a determination of the presence of a live being and the live being'"'"'s location in the area to personnel responding to an event.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the transducer array (20) includes a thin-film piezoelectric membrane transducer array.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the transducer array (20) includes a plurality of transducers having a pitch (320) between transducers such that operating frequencies are between about 50 KHz and about 450 KHz.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the pitch (320) is between about 200 micrometers and about 4000 micrometers.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the emergency power supply (12) includes one of an emergency lighting system (12) and a battery (21).

17. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the output device includes a portable device (30) configured to wirelessly receive the results of the sweep.

18. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the output device is operated by emergency personnel and includes a channel (34) set to receive the results of the sweep to determine whether people or pets are present in a building.

19. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the output device includes a central station (22) configured to collect the results of the sweep and report the results to the personnel responding to the event.

20. A method for detecting presence of a living being in emergency conditions, comprising:

detecting (502) an alarm condition in a monitored area;

triggering (506) an ultrasonic transducer array to scan at least the monitored area to determine a status of the at least monitored area as including a living being in accordance with the alarm condition; and

reporting (510) a status that the at least monitored area includes the living being and a location of the living being to personnel responding to the alarm condition.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the transducer operates at frequencies between about 50 KHz and about 450 KHz.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein reporting (510) includes reporting the status on a portable device (30) to alert responding personnel of the presence and location of a living being remaining in a building.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein reporting (510) includes reporting the status to a central station (22) configured to collect the results of the sweep.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising providing the status to emergency personnel upon their arrival at the monitored area.