Transmission of data to emergency response personnel

• US 8,350,693 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, John J. Sr., McSheffrey, John J. Jr., McSheffrey, Brendan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/356,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20120119917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.05, 340/606, 340/517, 340/521, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/539.22, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/76 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

A system includes a fire extinguisher station having a number of sensors to detect various predetermined conditions that can be communicated in alarms to a central station. The central station receives alarms from the fire extinguisher and determines whether to contact emergency personnel and/or building maintenance personnel. Other items of emergency equipment can be included in the system for improved detection and response to emergency conditions.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information to emergency response personnel comprising:

a fire extinguisher station that includes a fire extinguisher, first sensor capable of detecting an out-of-range pressure condition for a tank of the fire extinguisher, a second sensor capable of detecting a removal of the fire extinguisher from an installed position, a third sensor capable of detecting an obstruction to access to the fire extinguisher, and communications circuitry;

a central station located remotely from the fire extinguisher station and in communication with the communications circuitry of the fire extinguisher station equipment station, the central station configured to receive an alarm from the fire extinguisher station, and further configured to create a notification to at least one of the emergency response personnel and building management personnel according to a type of the alarm; and

an emergency lighting station coupled in a communicating relationship with the central station and configured to generate the alarm to the central station under one or more predetermined conditions, wherein the one or more predetermined conditions includes an obstruction of illumination of an area intended to be illuminated by the emergency lighting station.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications circuitry includes wireless communications circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications circuitry includes wired communications circuitry.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a defibrillator coupled in a communication relationship with the central station and configured to generate the alarm to the central station under one or more predetermined conditions.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions includes a removal of the defibrillator from a defibrillator installed position.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions includes a low battery condition of the defibrillator.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions includes an obstruction to access to the defibrillator.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a smoke detector coupled in a communicating relationship with the central station and configured to generate the alarm to the central station under one or more predetermined conditions.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions includes a low battery condition of the smoke detector.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising an emergency egress station that provides illumination in the event of an emergency, the emergency egress station coupled in a communicating relationship with the central station and configured to generate the alarm to the central station under one or more predetermined conditions.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions includes an obstruction of an emergency exit way identified by the emergency egress station.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the emergency egress station is configured to receive a remote activation signal from the central station.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a fire alarm pull station coupled in a communicating relationship with the central station.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the alarm includes data correlated to a location of the fire extinguisher.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the fire extinguisher includes a Global Positioning System.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the Global Positioning System determines a geographic location of the fire extinguisher.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the fire extinguisher communicates the geographic location to the fire extinguisher station, and wherein the fire extinguisher station transmits the geographic location to the central station.

18. A system for communicating information to emergency response personnel comprising:

a fire extinguisher station that includes a fire extinguisher, first sensor capable of detecting an out-of-range pressure condition for a tank of the fire extinguisher, a second sensor capable of detecting a removal of the fire extinguisher from an installed position, a third sensor capable of detecting an obstruction to access to the fire extinguisher, and communications circuitry; and

a central station located remotely from the fire extinguisher station and in communication with the communications circuitry of the fire extinguisher station equipment station, the central station configured to receive an alarm from the fire extinguisher station, and further configured to create a notification to at least one of the emergency response personnel and building management personnel according to a type of the alarm, wherein the central station is configured to receive communications from a communications device associated with the emergency response personnel to open a lock box, thereby allowing access to a building that contains the fire extinguisher station.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the notification includes a notification to the emergency response personnel that an emergency system has been activated.

20. A system for communicating information to emergency response personnel comprising:

a fire extinguisher station that includes a fire extinguisher, first sensor capable of detecting an out-of-range pressure condition for a tank of the fire extinguisher, a second sensor capable of detecting a removal of the fire extinguisher from an installed position, a third sensor capable of detecting an obstruction to access to the fire extinguisher, and communications circuitry;

a central station located remotely from the fire extinguisher station and in communication with the communications circuitry of the fire extinguisher station equipment station, the central station configured to receive an alarm from the fire extinguisher station, and further configured to create a notification to at least one of the emergency response personnel and building management personnel according to a type of the alarm; and

an emergency egress station that provides illumination in the event of an emergency, the emergency egress station coupled in a communicating relationship with the central station and configured to generate the alarm to the central station under one or more predetermined conditions, wherein the emergency egress station is configured to receive a remote activation signal from the central station.