Sonic building rescue beacon

• US 7,839,290 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Welford Chidakel, Michael Ellsworth Beach, Paul A. Boduch, William Harris Groves, Jr.
• Original Assignee: David Welford Chidakel, Michael Ellsworth Beach, Paul A. Boduch, William Harris Groves, Jr.
• Inventors: Beach, Michael Ellsworth, Groves, William Harris Jr., Chidakel, David Welford, Boduch, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US11/687,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,346 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/545.5
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/183 Emergency, distress or locator beacons

Abstract

A safety device which emits sounds that guide rescuers to people trapped in collapsed structures.

Claims

1. A building mounted safety device, used to aid in the rescue of trapped survivors from beneath the rubble of a building collapse, comprising:

a. at least one sensor to detect a probable collapse of said building,

b. an enclosure such that said safety device is able to function and withstand the impact forces of a collapsed building,

c. a voice playback means to sound a predetermined voice prompt request from said device in order to elicit a response from said trapped survivor, after a probable building collapse has been detected by at least one of said sensor,

d. a sound recognition means to detect a predetermined response from said trapped survivor, said predetermined response selected from the group consisting of predetermined voice commands or a sequence of tapping sounds,

e. a logical decision means for establishing that at least one trapped survivor is in close proximity to said safety device, when said trapped survivor has responded to said voice prompts and has provided said safety device with said predetermined response,

f. a sound generating means to emit sounds to attract potential rescuers to the proximate location of said trapped survivor in response to said establishing of said predetermined response

whereby anyone who is uninjured and located near the collapsed building may be enlisted to become a potential rescuer and to immediately begin rescue of said trapped survivor, without said potential rescuer requiring the use of special training or special equipment, simply by following said sounds from said safety device to reach said trapped survivor.

2. A method used to aid in the rescue of a trapped survivor from beneath the rubble of a building collapse, comprising:

a. installing a plurality of safety devices throughout a building,

b. providing at least one sensor to detect a collapse of said building within at least one of said safety devices,

c. providing an enclosure for each of said safety devices so that they are able to function and withstand the impact forces of a collapsed building,

d. detecting that a probable building collapse has taken place by the response of at least one of said sensors,

e. sounding a predetermined voice prompt request from said devices in order to elicit a response from said trapped survivor upon the detection of a probable building collapse,

f. providing a decision controller which;

continues to sound a predetermined voice prompt request for a predetermined interval of time after the detection of a probable building collapse, until, after said predetermined interval of time, said safety device will remain silent, if no said predetermined response selected from the group consisting of voice commands or a sequence of tapping sounds is detected, and

establishes that at least one trapped survivor is in close proximity to said safety device, when said trapped survivor has responded to said voice prompt request and has provided said safety device with said predetermined response, thereby enabling said safety device to begin emitting sounds to attract potential rescuers to the proximate location of said trapped survivor who has responded to said safety device with said predetermined response, said sounds continuing to be emitted even if the trapped survivor later becomes unable to speak,;

whereby anyone who is uninjured and located near the collapsed building may be enlisted to immediately begin to rescue said trapped survivors, without the use of special training or special equipment, by following said sounds from said safety device to reach said trapped survivor who is in close proximity to said safety device.

3. A building mounted safety device that augments the efforts to obtain help for people who have become trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building, comprising:

a. at least one sensor to detect a probable collapse of said building,

b. an enclosure such that said safety device will be able to function and withstand the impact forces of a collapsed building,

c. a sound generating means to sound a predetermined voice prompt from said device in order to elicit a response from a trapped survivor,

d. a sound recognition means to detect a predetermined voice command response from said trapped survivor,

e. an electronic decision means to establish that at least one trapped survivor is in close proximity to said safety device when said trapped survivor has responded to said voice prompts and has provided said safety device with said voice command response,

f. a means to emit a series of sounds to attract potential rescuers to the proximate location of said trapped survivor who has responded to said safety device with said voice command response, said series of sounds being emitted even if the trapped survivor subsequently becomes unable to speak,

whereby anyone who is uninjured and located near the collapsed building may be enlisted to immediately begin to rescue said trapped survivor, without the use of special training or special equipment, by following the said series of sounds from said safety device to reach said trapped survivor, once said safety device begins emitting said series of sounds, even if said trapped survivor may subsequently become unable to speak.

4. A building mounted safety device that augments the calls for help of people who have become trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building, comprising:

a. at least one sensor to detect a probable collapse of said building,

b. an enclosure such that said safety device withstands the impact forces of a collapsed building,

c. a first means to sound a predetermined voice prompt request from said device, after said sensor detects a probable building collapse, in order to elicit a response from a trapped survivor, said predetermined voice prompt request sounding means comprising an audio speaker driven by an electronic amplifier, where the audio message content of said predetermined voice prompt request is selected from the group consisting, of a prerecorded message or a synthesized voice,

d. a second means to detect a predetermined voice command response from said trapped survivor, when said trapped survivor is located in close proximity to said safety device, consisting of a microphone and electronics to detect sounds and voice recognition capability to recognize when said predetermined voice command response is spoken by said trapped survivor,

e. a third means to establish that both a probable building collapse has taken place, by the response of at least one said sensor, and also that there is at least one responsive trapped survivor who is in close proximity to said safety device and who has responded to said voice prompt request with said voice command response,

f. a fourth means to emit a series of sounds to attract potential rescuers to the proximate location of said responsive trapped survivor who has responded to said safety device,

thereby anyone who is uninjured and located near the collapsed building may be enlisted to immediately begin to rescue said responsive trapped survivor, without the use of special training or special equipment, by following the said series of sounds from said safety device to reach the proximate location of said responsive trapped survivor,

whereby said safety device continues to emit said series of sounds to attract said potential rescuers, even if said responsive trapped survivor becomes unable to speak, once said safety device has become activated by the detection of said predetermined voice command response from said responsive trapped survivor, thus extending the call for help of said responsive trapped survivor beyond what they are capable of, and thus improving the chances of the rescue of said responsive trapped survivor.

5. A building mounted safety device used to aid the rescue of trapped survivors from beneath the rubble of a collapsed building, comprising:

a. at least one sensor to detect a probable collapse of said building, said sensor being selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer and a power mains sensor,

b. an enclosure to protect said safety device such that it will be able to function while withstanding the impact forces of a collapsed building,

c. a first means to sound a predetermined voice prompt request from said device, after said sensor detects a probable building collapse, in order to elicit a response from a trapped survivor, said predetermined voice prompt request sounding means comprising an audio speaker driven by an electronic amplifier, where the audio message content of said predetermined voice prompt request is selected from the group consisting of a prerecorded message or a synthesized voice,

d. a second means to detect a predetermined response from said trapped survivor, when said trapped survivor is located in close proximity to said safety device, said second means consisting of a microphone and electronics to detect sounds and sound recognition capability to recognize when said predetermined response is given by said trapped survivor, said predetermined response being selected from the group consisting of voice commands or a sequence of tapping sounds,

e. a third means to establish that both a probable building collapse has taken place, by the response of at least one said sensor, and also that there is at least one responsive trapped survivor who is in close proximity to said safety device and who has responded to said voice prompt request with said predetermined response,

f. a fourth means to emit a series of sounds to attract potential rescuers to the proximate location of said responsive trapped survivor who has responded to said safety device,;

g. thereby anyone who is uninjured and located near the collapsed building may be enlisted to immediately begin to rescue said responsive trapped survivor, without the use of special training or special equipment,;

by following the said series of sounds from said safety device to reach the proximate location of said responsive trapped survivor,

whereby said safety device continues to emit said series of sounds to attract said potential rescuers, even if said responsive trapped survivor becomes unable to speak, once said safety device has become activated by the detection of said predetermined response from said responsive trapped survivor, thus extending the call for help of said responsive trapped survivor beyond what they are capable of, and thus improving the chances of the rescue of said trapped survivor.