Portable occupancy detection unit

• US 8,253,553 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: oneEvent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: oneEvent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wedig, Kurt Joseph, Parent, Daniel Ralph, Wedig, Tammy Michelle, Sutter-Parent, Kristin Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T.
• Application Number:
  US12/389,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.26, 340/545.1, 340/545.6, 340/545.9, 340/547, 340/521, 340/522, 340/686.1, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.7, 701/45, 702/189, 703/2, 703/6, 280/735
• US Class Current: 340/522
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1645 using ultrasonic detection means and other detection means, e.g. microwave or infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

A method includes receiving, with a portable occupancy unit, a first signal using a first detector, where the first signal is indicative of an occupant in a structure. A second signal is received with the portable occupancy unit using a second detector. The second signal is indicative of the occupant in the structure. The first signal and the second signal are processed to determine whether the occupant is present in the structure. If it is determined that the occupant is present in the structure, an output is provided to convey that the occupant has been detected.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, with a portable occupancy unit, a first signal using a first detector, wherein the first signal is indicative of an occupant in a structure;

receiving, with the portable occupancy unit, a second signal using a second detector, wherein the second signal is indicative of the occupant in the structure;

processing the first signal and the second signal to determine a likelihood of whether the occupant is present in the structure; and

providing, if it is determined that the occupant is present in the structure based on the likelihood, an output to convey that the occupant has been detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the output includes the likelihood that the occupant is present.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the output includes a number of occupants detected.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first detector comprises one of a gas detector, a microphone detector, an infrared detector, a scent detector, or an ultrasonic detector.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving occupancy information from a node located in an area of the structure; and

processing the occupancy information to determine whether the occupant is present in the structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the occupancy information includes occupancy pattern information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the output includes one or more of a visual output or an audible output.

8. A portable occupancy unit comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a first signal, wherein the first signal is indicative of an occupant in a structure;

a second detector configured to detect a second signal, wherein the second signal is indicative of the occupant in the structure;

a processor configured to process the first signal and the second signal to determine a likelihood of whether the occupant is present in the structure; and

an output interface configured to convey an output if, based on the likelihood, it is determined that the occupant is present in the structure.

9. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, wherein the output interface includes one or more of a display or a speaker.

10. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) unit configured to provide directions to a known location of the occupant.

11. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) unit configured to identify a location of the portable occupancy unit; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the location of the portable occupancy unit to an emergency responder.

12. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, further comprising a transceiver configured to receive occupancy information from a node located in an area of the structure, wherein the processor is further configured to process the occupancy information to determine whether the occupant is present in the structure.

13. The portable occupancy unit of claim 12, wherein the occupancy information comprises one or more of a known location of the occupant or occupancy pattern information.

14. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, wherein the second detector comprises one of a gas detector, a microphone detector, an infrared detector, a scent detector, or an ultrasonic detector.

15. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, wherein the output includes at least one of the likelihood that the occupant is present in the structure or a number of occupants present in the structure.

16. The portable occupancy unit of claim 8, wherein the output includes an indication of whether the occupant is alive.

17. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a portable occupancy unit, cause the portable occupancy unit to perform a method comprising:

receiving a first signal using a first detector, wherein the first signal is indicative of an occupant in a structure;

receiving a second signal using a second detector, wherein the second signal is indicative of the occupant in the structure;

processing the first signal and the second signal to determine a likelihood of whether the occupant is present in the structure; and

providing, if it is determined that the occupant is present in the structure based on the likelihood, an output to convey that the occupant has been detected.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first signal is received via a first acquisition circuit, and further wherein the second signal is received via a second acquisition circuit.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first signal is processed via a first algorithm corresponding to the first detector, and further wherein the second signal is processed via a second algorithm corresponding to the second detector.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving occupancy pattern information based at least in part on a time of day; and

processing the occupancy pattern information to determine whether the occupant is present in the structure.