Building emergency simulator

• US 5,977,872 A
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas George Guertin
• Original Assignee: Thomas George Guertin
• Inventors: Guertin, Thomas George
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/005,227
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 340/515, 340/500, 340/525, 340/286, 340/286.13, 340/691.6, 340/692, 379/37, 379/38, 434/118, 364/146, 364/188-190
• US Class Current: 340/515
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0081 Training methods or equipment for fire-fighting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

There is provided a building emergency simulator which can graphically and operationally reproduce various building fire alarm/voice communication/smoke control and other systems and provide means for training personnel to successfully operate systems and manage emergency situations. The emergency simulator includes a computer, screen and projection unit for viewing images received from the computer, software for creating an image of various building emergency systems and programmable for creating a simulation of a response of the building emergency systems to a desired emergency situation, microphone and handset and a trackball pointing device for interacting with the software program.

Claims

1. A system for use in training personnel in building emergency procedures and the use of building emergency systems, said training system comprising:

a computer having a storage medium;

a viewing device for displaying images output from said computer;

input means including a first pointing device for controlling the position of pointer on said viewing device and an audio system having a loudspeaker;

a second pointing device for use by one or more trainees and connected to said computer for controlling the position of a pointer on said viewing device for selecting simulated controls displayed thereon; and

an emergency procedure training program in said computer comprising;

a first configuration system for use by an instructor in specifying building, video, and audio parameters and for storing first configuration data in said storage medium;

a second configuration system for use by said instructor for specifying one or more emergency events and for storing second configuration data in said storage medium; and

a main system for use during training sessions for;

displaying images of an emergency system control panel on said display screen in accordance with parameters in said first configuration data and responsive to one or more trainees'"'"' inputs via said second pointing device for updating said control panel images, and

operating said audio system in accordance with parameters in said first and second configuration data.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said emergency training program further includes:

a first communication system for simulating telephone communications between

an emergency control center and emergency telephones located in a building for use by an instructor and one or more trainees; and

a second communication system for simulating a public address system and for use in practicing broadcasting building emergency voice messages during emergency situations, said second communication system including a press-to-talk microphone.

3. A system as defined in claim 2, said main system being operable to display images containing an alarm control/annunciation module, a paging module, an emergency telephone control module and fan/damper control module and being responsive to predetermined inputs for initiating said emergency events based on said second configuration data.

4. A system as defined in claim 3, said main system being further operable to display a floor layout of a building according to said first configuration data and display emergency system control modules including a fire alarm module, a voice communications module and a smoke control system module for selectively displaying each of said modules.

5. A system as defined in claim 2, said first configuration system being operable to receive input respecting building parameters including the type of building to be simulated, the number of floors, stairwells,and elevators in said simulated building, the type of building emergency system in said simulated building, the content of the display images and parameters respecting said audio system during operation of said main system.

6. A system as defined in claim 2, said first communication system including:

a headset for use by the instructor in simulating emergency telephones located in a building and having a microphone, an ear phone, and electrical circuitry associated with said headset microphone and ear phone for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals; and

a telephone handset and associated electrical circuitry for use by one or more of said trainees for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals to and from said headset, said telephone handset simulating a telephone located at an emergency control center of a building for enabling one or more of said trainees to practice predetermined telephone communication procedures during emergency situations.

7. A system as defined in claim 2, said second configuration system being responsive to a predetermined input for accepting an alpha-numeric code representative of one of a plurality of alarm conditions, one of a plurality of trouble conditions, one of a plurality of supervisory device trouble conditions, one of a plurality of emergency general locations, and one of a plurality of emergency specific locations and for storing one or more of second configuration data.

8. A system as defined in claim 6, said electrical circuitry including a full duplex VHF system.

9. A system as defined in claim 2, said second communication system including a logic controlled relay, a voice-over/paging unit, a microphone pre-amplifier associated with said microphone, and a computer serial port adapter for connection to said computer, said main system being responsive to a predetermined input from said adapter for interrupting sounds generated by said system.

10. A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the full duplex VHF system is attached to a control console.

11. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the second communication system is attached to a control console.

12. A system for use in training personnel in building emergency procedures and the use of building emergency systems, said training system comprising:

a computer having a storage medium;

input means including a first pointing device for controlling the position of a pointer on a viewing device and an audio system having a loudspeaker;

a viewing device for displaying images output from said computer;

a first communication system for simulating telephone communications between an emergency control center and emergency telephones located in a building for use by an instructor and one or more trainees;

a second communication system for simulating a public address system and for use in practicing broadcasting building emergency voice messages during emergency situations, said second communication system including a press-to-talk microphone;

a second pointing device for use by one or more of said trainees and connected to said computer for controlling the position of a pointer on said viewing device for selecting simulated controls displayed thereon; and

an emergency procedure training program in said computer comprising;

a first configuration system for use by said instructor in specifying building, video and audio parameters and for storing first configuration data in said storage medium;

a second configuration system for use by said instructor for specifying one or more emergency events and for storing second configuration data in said storage medium; and

a main system for use during training sessions for;

displaying images of an emergency system control panel on said display screen in accordance with parameters in said first configuration data and responsive to trainee inputs via said second pointing device for updating said images, and

operating said audio system in accordance with parameters in said first and second configuration data.

13. A system for use in training personnel with respect to building emergency procedures and the use of building emergency systems, said training system comprising:

a computer having storage medium, a keyboard, a first display monitor, a first pointing device for controlling the position of a pointer, and an audio system having a loudspeaker;

a second display screen;

a communication console for simulating an emergency system control console having an inclined top surface;

a first communication system for simulating telephone communications between an emergency control center and emergency telephones located in a building, said first communication system including;

a headset for use by an instructor and having a microphone and ear phone and a full duplex VHF system electrical circuitry associated with said headset microphone and ear phone for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals, said headset simulating emergency telephones in a building; and

a telephone handset and an associated full duplex VHF system mounted on said communications console for transmitting and receiving wireless communication signals to and from said headset, said telephone handset simulating a telephone located at an emergency control center of a building for enabling trainees to practice predetermined telephone communication procedures during emergency situations;

a second communication system for simulating a public address system and for use by said trainees in practicing broadcasting building emergency voice messages during said emergency situations, said second communication system including a press-to-talk microphone mounted on said communications console, and electrical circuitry having a logic controlled relay, a voice-over/paging unit, a microphone pre-amplifier and a computer serial port adapter for connection to a serial input in said computer;

a second pointing device, mounted on said communications console and connected to said computer for controlling the position of a pointer displayed on said display screen for use in selecting simulated controls displayed on said display screen; and

an emergency procedure training program in said computer comprising;

a first configuration system operable to receive input respecting building parameters including the type of building to be simulated, the number of floors, stairwells and elevators in the building and the type of building emergency system in said simulated building, the content of the display images during normal operation, and parameters respecting said audio system;

a second configuration system responsive to a predetermined input for accepting a six character alpha-numeric code representative of one of a plurality of event types, one of a plurality of device types, one of a plurality of locations and one of a plurality of directions, and for storing one or more of second configuration data; and

a main system for use during training sessions for;

(1) operating said audio system by emitting sounds prescribed by said first configuration data and by interrupting said sounds in response to the use of said press-to-talk microphone said first;

(2) responding to predetermined inputs for initiating said emergency events in accordance with said second configuration data; and

(3) displaying images of an emergency system control panel in accordance with parameters in said first configuration data and responsive to trainee inputs via said second pointing device for updating said images, said images including an Alarm Control/Annunciation Module, a Paging Module, an Emergency Telephone Control Module and Fan/Damper Control Module, floor layout of a building according to said first configuration data and to emergency system control modules including a fire alarms module, a voice communications module and a smoke control systems module and controls for selectively displaying each said modules.