EMERGENCY RESOURCE LOCATION AND STATUS

• US 20130053063A1
• Filed: 08/25/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, Brendan T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,541,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Augmented reality techniques are employed to improve emergency response and related tasks based upon data gathered from wireless monitoring of emergency equipment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a computer, receiving an indication of an emergency state with respect to a building;

identifying an image of the interior of the building from a camera in a client device;

identifying a location and orientation of the camera based on the image;

identifying sensory data from sensors in the building;

determining a route satisfying constraints determined from the sensory data;

causing the client device to display the route on the client device overlaid on a live image obtained from the camera.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the client device is a smart phone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a location of the camera includes determining the location using a GPS system of the client device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying an orientation of the camera includes determining the orientation using one or more inertial sensors of the client device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the route is an emergency exit route from the building.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the route is the fastest emergency exit route.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the route is the safest emergency exit route.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying an overlay on the live image identifying one or more items of emergency equipment in the live image.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising displaying metadata for the one or more items of emergency equipment.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the metadata includes a status of at least one of the one or more items of emergency equipment.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the metadata includes data gathered by a central station for the building.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the route is a route to an item of emergency equipment.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the route is pushed to the client device from a central station.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the route directs emergency response personnel to a location requiring attention.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensory data includes status information for emergency response equipment.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the status information includes a pressure of a fire extinguisher.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the status information includes a deployment status of the emergency response equipment.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensory data includes data from a smoke alarm.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensory data includes obstruction data for an emergency exit.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensory data includes temperature data.