Intelligent fire safety system

• US 4,531,114 A
• Filed: 05/06/1982
• Issued: 07/23/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safety Intelligence Systems
• Original Assignee: Safety Intelligence Systems
• Inventors: Slater, Michael, Topol, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/375,422
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/505, 340/506, 340/531, 340/533, 340/628, 340/525, 340/526, 340/825.06, 340/825.36, 340/825.54, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/332, 340/519 , 340/521, 340/692, 340/693, 340/286 R, 340/286 M, 179/5 R
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 3/00 Devices or single parts for facilitating escape from buildings or the like, e.g. protection shields, protection screens; Portable devices for preventing smoke penetrating into distinct parts of buildings A62B1/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

An intelligent alarm system includes exit sign units having couplings to a smoke sensor and heat sensor for input information, a speech synthesizer and a strobe light to provide output information and a communication unit to provide communication coupling between exit sign units on a single floor and between interfloor interfaces and a central monitoring unit. The exit sign units provide at least two indications to the occupants. First a strobe light to flash at exits with sufficient intensity to draw attention to the exit and to penetrate smoke in a smoke filled hallway. Second, a speech synthesizer which provides verbal instructions to floor occupants according to the emergency situation. Each exit sign unit is operative independently of the central monitoring unit to set off a local alarm. The system is operative so that the central console unit must respond with a cancel command within a predetermined period of time to prevent the interfloor interface from communicating to all exit sign units under its supervision to set off a general floor alarm. Precise instructions may be formulated and verbalized through the speech synthesizers.

Claims

1. A fire alarm system comprising:

a plurality of exit sign units, each exit sign unit including a microprocessor and means including a synthesized voice output device coupled to the microprocessor for delivering a plurality of verbal messages to the vicinity of the corresponding exit sign in response to a preselected pattern of activating input signals;

at least one interface processor means, each said interface processor means including means for receiving and responding to a plurality of condition signals from different locations indicating at least the existence or non-existence of alarm conditions, said interface processor means being operative to couple together at least certain of the exit sign units to thereby cause a general alarm to be indicated in the vicinities of said certain exit sign units;

means for communicating condition signals and activating signals between said interface processor means and said exit sign units;

central monitoring means for manually overriding an alarm condition; and

means for communicating among said interface processor means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for communicating between said interface processor means and said exit sign units comprise wireless transmitters and receivers.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said means for communicating between said interface processor means comprises fiber optic cabling.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said interface processor means includes a microprocessor.