Fire alarm system with method of building occupant evacuation

• US 7,218,238 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Security Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Edwards Systems Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Right, Robert, Costa, Hilario
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/948,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 340/628
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A fire alarm system is provided including a controller having a signaling delay, a plurality of smoke and/or heat detectors, a plurality of audible devices which may include sirens, public announcement devices and the like, and a plurality of visible devices which may include strobes, fluorescent lighting and the like. The system provides a directional path to areas of safety for occupants in harms way.

Claims

1. A fire alarm system, comprising:

a controller;

a plurality of detectors, wherein each of the plurality of detectors is assigned an address;

a plurality of audible devices, wherein each of the plurality of audible devices is assigned a sequence number;

a plurality of visible devices, wherein each of the plurality of visible device is assigned a sequence number, wherein said controller is electrically connected to the detectors and controls the audible devices and the visible devices, wherein the plurality of visible devices and the plurality of audible devices are configured to sequentially activate based on the sequence numbers and a command signal generated by the controller to direct an egress from a location, wherein the command signal is based on a detected fire hazard location; and

assigning an address to each of a plurality of detectors, audible devices and visible devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a delay control.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of detectors comprise at least one of smoke detectors and heat detectors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of audible devices comprise sirens.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of visible devices comprise strobes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller compiles the command signal.

7. A method of controlling a fire alarm system, comprising:

detecting an alarm state for at least one of a plurality of detectors;

determining an address and physical location of the at least one of the plurality of detectors;

determining a location correlation of the at least one of the plurality of detectors in proximity to each of a plurality of audible devices and visible devices; and

assigning a sequence number to each of the plurality of audible devices and visible devices, wherein a sequence of the sequence numbers of each of the plurality of audible devices and visible devices defines at least one of a plurality of exit paths from a predetermined location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each detector is comprises at least one of a smoke detector and a heat detector.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising activating a general alarm using each of the plurality of audible devices and visible devices.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising activating each of the plurality of audible devices and visible devices according to their sequence number.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of audible devices comprises a siren and at least one of the plurality of visible devices comprises a strobe.

18. The method of claim 7, further comprising assigning an address to each of a plurality of detectors, audible devices and visible devices.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing the address of each of the plurality of detectors, audible devices, and visible devices.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising correlating each address to a physical location.

12. A fire alarm system, comprising:

means for detecting an alarm state for at least one of a plurality of detectors;

means for determining an address and physical location of the at least one of a plurality of detectors;

means for determining a location correlation of the at least one of a plurality of detectors in proximity to each of the plurality of audible devices and visible devices; and

means for assigning a sequence number to each audible device and each visible device, wherein the sequence numbers of each of the plurality of audible devices and visible devices define at least one of a plurality of exit paths from a predetermined location.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for assigning an address to each of a plurality of detectors, audible devices and visible devices;

means for storing said address of each detector, audible device and visible device; and

means for correlating each stored addresses to a physical location.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for assigning comprises an alarm controller.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for activating a general alarm on each audible device and each visible device;

means for determining correlation of activated detector in proximity to each audible device and each visible device; and

means for assigning a sequence number to each audible device and each visible device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for activating comprises a delay control.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for activating each audible device and each visible device according to their sequence number.