Use of visual building alarm system to display public information to building visitors

• US 6,208,261 B1
• Filed: 05/13/2000
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Olstead
• Original Assignee: John Olstead
• Inventors: Olstead, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/569,930
• Time in Patent Office: 318 Days
• Field of Search: 340/691.6, 340/693.5, 340/691.5, 340/541, 444/6
• US Class Current: 340/691.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A public building alarm system for displaying information relating to potential alarm conditions within or about a public building area, employs an alarm condition display screen for informing a fireman, for example, of the nature and location of a possible fire. For the vast majority of the time, in the absence of an alarm condition, display control circuitry causes the alarm display screen to display information of general interest to the public, in high traffic areas of the building frequented by persons visiting the building. This is in contrast with alarm conditions of no interest to the general public. Such information can include advertising, enabling the building owner to collect advertising revenues to help offset the cost of the alarm system. Upon the occurrence of an alarm condition, the alarm condition display is immediately substituted for the information of general interest display. A fireman or building operator can also produce this substitution by means of a prominent “system test” button adjacent the display.

Claims

1. A building alarm system for displaying information of general interest in addition to alarm conditions comprising:

(a) alarm condition detection means for producing an alarm condition signal upon the occurrence of a building system alarm condition;

(b) display means for displaying said information of general interest in areas of said building frequented by persons within said building;

(c) display format means for producing a display formatted alarm condition signal for display by said display means; and

(d) display control means for causing said display means to display said formatted alarm condition signal in response to the production of said alarm condition signal by said alarm condition detection means.

2. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said display means includes a display screen and said display control means includes means for filling at least a substantial portion of said display screen with said formatted alarm condition signal in response to the production of said alarm condition signal.

3. The alarm system of claim 2 wherein said building is an office building, and said display means displays information including current building tenants or advertising.

4. The alarm system of claim 2 wherein said building is a shopping mall and said display means displays information relating to the location of mall tenants or current sales information.

5. The alarm system of claim 2 wherein said general interest information is selected from the group consisting essentially of news, advertising, stock market conditions, weather, tenant information, sales information and advertising.

6. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said building is an office building, and said display means displays information including advertising.

7. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said building is a shopping mall and said display means displays information relating to the location of mall tenants or current sales information.

8. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said information of general interest is selected from the group consisting essentially of news, advertising, stock market conditions, weather, tenant information, current sales information and advertising.

9. A building alarm system for displaying information relating to potential alarm conditions within a building area comprising:

(a) alarm condition display means for displaying information relating to alarm conditions within said building;

(b) general information source means coupled to said alarm condition display means for causing said alarm condition display means to display information of general interest, in the absence of an alarm condition, in areas of said building frequented by persons within said building;

(c) alarm condition detection means for producing an alarm detection signal upon the occurrence of a building system alarm condition; and

(d) display control means coupled to said alarm condition display means for producing an alarm condition display thereon upon the production of said alarm detection signal.

10. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said display means includes a display screen and said display control means includes means for filling at least a substantial portion of said display screen with said alarm condition display in response to the production of said alarm detection signal.

11. The alarm system of claim 10 wherein said building is an office building, and said display means displays information including news or advertising.

12. The alarm system of claim 10 wherein said building is an office building, and said display means displays information relating to current building tenants.

13. The alarm system of claim 10 wherein said building is a shopping mall and said display means displays information relating to the location of mall tenants or current sales being conducted.

14. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said building is an office building, and said display means displays information including news or advertising.

15. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said building is an office building, and said display means displays information relating to current building tenants.

16. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said building is a shopping mall and said display means displays information relating to the location of mall tenants or current sales being conducted.

17. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said alarm condition display means is positioned within a kiosk.

18. The alarm system of claim 9 wherein said information of general interest is selected from the group consisting essentially of news, advertising, stock market conditions, weather, tenant information, current sales information and advertising.

19. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a building alarm system for producing a visual alarm condition display upon an alarm display screen, in response to the production of an alarm condition within said building;

(b) positioning said alarm display screen within a high traffic area of said building;

(c) causing said alarm display screen to display general interest information of interest to persons passing through said high traffic area; and

(d) replacing at least a major portion of information of general interest being displayed upon said screen with alarm condition information upon the production of said alarm condition.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said general interest information is selected from the group consisting essentially of news, advertising, stock market conditions, weather, tenant information, sales information and advertising.