Emergency exit indicator and emergency exit indicating system

• US 8,183,989 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2009
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Investment Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: GE Investment Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tsai, Wen-Kuei
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/507,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 340/628, 340/326, 340/332, 340/815.69, 340/691.8, 340/506, 405/70, 404/88, 404/91
• US Class Current: 340/330
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

An emergency exit indicator includes a light source, a visual indicator and a power line communication unit, wherein the visual indicator is disposed within the illumination scope of the light source, and the power line communication unit is electrically connected to the light source. The emergency exit indicator is capable of altering the displayed escape information. The present invention further provides an emergency exit indicating system using the above-mentioned emergency exit indicator and can more precisely display the escape information.

Claims

1. An emergency exit indicating system, comprising:

a sub-system of power supply, comprising;

a first power;

a second power;

a switch board, electrically connected to the first power;

a relay device, electrically connected to the first power, the second power and the switch board; and

a control device, comprising;

a control unit, electrically connected to the second power;

a first power line communication unit, electrically connected between the relay device and the second power line communication unit, and electrically connected to the control unit; and

a second power line communication unit, electrically connected to the control unit;

a monitoring center, electrically connected to the control unit; and

a plurality of emergency exit indicators, electrically connected to the switch board, wherein each of the emergency exit indicators comprises;

a light source;

a visual indicator, disposed within an illumination scope of the light source; and

a third power line communication unit, electrically connected to the light source, the visual indicator and the second power line communication unit.

2. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the second power comprises:

a solar panel; and

a rectifier, electrically connected to the solar panel, the second solid relay and the first power line communication unit.

3. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 2, wherein the second power further comprises:

a storage battery, electrically connected to the solar panel and the rectifier.

4. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the relay device comprises:

a fourth power line communication unit, electrically connected to the first power line communication unit;

a first solid relay, electrically connected to the first power and the switch board;

a second solid relay, electrically connected to the second power and the switch board; and

a switching unit, electrically connected to the fourth power line communication unit, the first solid relay and the second solid relay.

5. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the relay device comprises:

a fourth power line communication unit, electrically connected to the first power line communication unit; and

a programmable logic controller unit (PLC unit), electrically connected to the fourth power line communication unit, the first power, the second power and the switch board.

6. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the switch board comprises:

a plurality of first control switches, electrically connected to the first power; and

a plurality of second control switches, electrically connected to the relay device and the emergency exit indicators.

7. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sub-system of wireless communication network, comprising;

a host electrically connected to the control unit; and

a plurality of nodes connected to the host.

8. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 7, wherein the sub-system of wireless communication network is a mesh network.

9. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 8, wherein the sub-system of wireless communication network is an IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee wireless communication system, a ZigBee-Pro wireless communication system or a Z-Wave wireless communication system.

10. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 7, wherein the nodes are disposed within the emergency exit indicators.

11. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 7, wherein the host has an independent power supply.

12. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 7, wherein each of the nodes has an independent power supply.

13. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of illumination devices electrically connected to the switch board.

14. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 13, wherein each of the illumination devices is an emergency illumination device.

15. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a direction-indicating sign.

16. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency exit indicator further comprises a speaker electrically connected to the power line communication unit.

17. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency exit indicator further comprises a sensor electrically connected to the power line communication unit.

18. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency exit indicator further comprises a video camera electrically connected to the power line communication unit.

19. The emergency exit indicating system according to claim 1, wherein the emergency exit indicator further comprises an independent power supply electrically connected to the light source, the power line communication unit and the visual indicator.