Emergency ingress/egress monitoring system

• US 7,990,279 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Safety Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Don L. Bouressa
• Inventors: Bouressa, Don L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/290,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/539.32, 340/691.1
• US Class Current: 340/691.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A system to monitor the entry and exit of individuals from a facility and to identify individuals who safely evacuated the facility and those who have entered, but apparently have not safely evacuated it and indicated safe evacuation by use of a card reader or similar device at an emergency reporting area. The system also indicates the most likely area of a facility in which an individual may be found. Such census information is made available to emergency workers and is of significant value in rescue efforts following facility evacuations. A modification of the systems allows an attendant to monitor the entry, exit, and re-entry of individuals traveling in two or more vehicles following stops. Finally, the system includes a head count census of individuals entering large facilities in which individual identity is effectively impossible to follow and a head count census of individuals evacuating the facility identified by specific parts of the facility.

Claims

1. An ingress/emergency egress monitoring system comprising:

a first function carried out by a first functional unit, wherein said first functional unit produces two initial functionalities;

a second function, wherein said second function depends on at least one of said two initial functionalities, and wherein said second function generates at least one product functionality;

a third function wherein said third function comprises transferring the functionality of said third function from one or more fixed locations to said second function, and

a fourth function, wherein said fourth function comprises transmitting the functionality of said fourth function from one or more mobile locations to said second function;

wherein said two initial functionalities comprise collecting ingress information and transmitting said ingress information to a base computer wherein said base computer generates a current occupancy census and wherein said base computer transmits said current occupancy census to a second computer, and wherein under normal, non-emergency conditions said base computer continuously transmits to said second computer a normal operations signal;

when said second computer fails to receive said normal operations signal from said base computer, said second computer initiates emergency operation functions;

further, wherein under emergency operations functions, said third function transmits to said second function emergency egress information entered at said static readers located at one or more fixed locations wherein said second function generates and maintains a continuous emergency egress census of the facility; and

wherein under emergency operation conditions, said fourth function transmits to said second function emergency egress information entered at readers at none or more mobile locations wherein said second function generates and maintains a continuous emergency egress census of said facility, and wherein said emergency egress census comprises said egress information entered at said static readers located at said one or more fixed locations and said emergency egress census also comprises information entered at said readers at said one or more mobile locations, and wherein said emergency egress census is variously displayed as the final functionality of the second function.

2. The ingress/emergency egress monitoring system of claim 1 wherein:

the first functional unit comprises a plurality of identification reader devices and a base computer, the second functional unit comprises a second computer;

the third functional unit comprises static identification readers; and

the fourth functional unit comprises mobile identification reader devices;

more specifically, wherein, said plurality of identification reader devices are located at points of ingress to a facility wherein each of said plurality of identification reader devices are is functionally connected said base computer; and

wherein each of said plurality of identification reader devices continuously scores and collects individual, ingress identification information and communications said ingress information to said base computer and further wherein, under non-emergency conditions, each of said plurality of identification reader devices continuously scores individual egress information and communicates said egress information to said base computer;

and further, wherein said base computer generates a continuous facility occupancy census, adjusted for non-emergency egress from said facility, and transmits said occupancy census to said second computer, and further, wherein, under normal, non-emergency conditions, said base computer transmits a periodic normal operation signal to said second computer;

said second computer communicates through said system interface with said base computer and said first computer transmits said current facility occupancy census to said second computer, and said second maintains said current facility occupancy census;

said second computer, initiates emergency response functions if said second computer fails to receive said periodic normal operations signal transmitted by said first computer;

said static identification reader devices are in functional communication with said second computer wherein said static identification reader devices register emergency egress information and transmit said egress information to said second computer;

said mobile identification reader devices are in functional communication with said second computer, wherein said mobile reader identification devices register and transmit emergency egress information to said second computer; and

wherein said second computer continuously adjusts said facility occupancy census in response to egress information received from said static information reader devices and from said mobile information reader devices and displays said current facility occupancy census by hard copy and visual means.

3. An ingress/emergency egress monitoring system comprising:

head counting devices wherein said head counting devices are positioned at designated, normal entry point to a facility;

a computer wherein said computer is in both wireless and wired communication with each of said head counting devices, wherein, during normal ingress to a facility, each of said head counting devices counts individuals passing a point and periodically transmits to said computer said cumulative number of counts;

wherein, said computer accumulates counts for each of said head counting device and periodically generates and displays a count census for each head counting device and said computer further generates a total head count census from data transmitted by all of said head counting devices;

an emergency evacuation head counting devices wherein said emergency evacuation head counting devices are positioned at designated, normal, exit points from said facility and further wherein said emergency evacuation head counting devices are positioned at designated emergency exits and still further wherein said emergency evacuation head counting devices are positioned at service and employee entry/exit locations; and

wherein said computer is in wireless and wired communication with each of said emergency evacuation head counting devices positioned at said designated regular exits, at said designated emergency exits, and at said employee entry/exit locations; and

finally, wherein egress counts, identified by location of said emergency evacuation counting device are transmitted to said computer wherein, during emergency conditions, said computer transmits a signal to activate all emergency evacuation head counting devices;

each of said emergency evacuation head counting devices continuously counts the number of individuals passing through a specified egress point and periodically each of said emergency evacuation head counting devices transmits to said computer the cumulative number of individuals counted;

wherein said computer accumulates said cumulative number from each of said emergency evacuation head counting devices and said computer periodically generates an egress census report for each of said emergency evacuation head counting devices and for total egress; and

said computer also generates a period egress census comparing maximum ingress and current egress number to estimate the number of individuals remaining in said facility; and

wherein, said ingress/emergency egress monitoring system further comprises at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices wherein the first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices is located and positioned in along a designated evacuation hall, passageway or corridor, and wherein the second member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices is located and positioned at a point along the same hall, passageway, or corridor as said first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices at a distance from said first member of said pair of at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices, wherein said point at which said second member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices is located is relatively closer to a point of final egress from said facility than the location of said first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices; and

further wherein each member of said at least one designated pair of emergency egress head counting devices is in wireless and wired communication with said computer;

further wherein under emergency conditions said first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices counts the number of individuals passing a first point during a given duration of time and said first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices transmits said number to said computer, and wherein said second member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices for the same duration of time as said first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices counts the number of individuals passing a second point at a time after said first member of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices has transmitted count data to said computer, wherein said computer generates and displays rate of egress along the hall, pathway, or corridor wherein said members of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices are positioned;

said ingress/emergency egress monitoring system further comprises at least one video cameras mounted in proximity to said both members said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices in said evacuation hall passageway or corridor wherein both members of said at least one designated pair of emergency evacuation head counting devices are positioned;

said ingress/emergency egress monitoring system further comprises a two-way voice communication device, wherein said two-way voice communication device is positioned with each of said at least one video cameras, and further wherein said at least one video camera and said voice communication device are in functional and operational wireless and wired communication with said computer;

wherein under emergency conditions, said computer transmits an activation signal to said video camera and an activation signal to said two-way voice communication device, wherein said video camera transmits real-time images to a display screen, and wherein said two-way radio communication device establishes voice communications with said computer.

4. The ingress/emergency egress monitoring system of claim 3 wherein said counting devices recognize physiognomic traits and transmit physiognomic trait information to said computer wherein said computer maintains an ingress census of individuals base on physiognomic information and wherein in under emergency egress, said counting devices recognize physiognomic traits and transmit physiognomic information to said computer, wherein said computer generates a current census of emergency egress base of physiognomic information and further wherein said computer generates a comparative census of ingress versus egress based on physiognomic information to generate a census of based on physiognomic information of individuals safely egressed from said facility and of individuals not identified as safely egressed from the facility.

5. The ingress/emergency egress monitoring system of claim 4, wherein individual, physiognomic identification information is entered into a base file in said computer, such that ingress and emergency egress of identified individuals can be followed.