Method, system and device for signaling, guiding and alerting

• US 8,717,162 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MariMils Oy (MariCap Oy)
• Original Assignee: MariMils Oy (MariCap Oy)
• Inventors: Sundholm, Gran
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THAI N
• Application Number:
  US12/999,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20110089869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 315/120, 315/132, 315/185.R, 315/186, 315/193, 315/200.A, 315/32, 340/332, 340/286.05, 340/524, 340/577, 340/628, 340/693.6
• US Class Current: 340/524
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 3/00 Devices or single parts for facilitating escape from buildings or the like, e.g. protection shields, protection screens; Portable devices for preventing smoke penetrating into distinct parts of buildings A62B1/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01225 control of expansion volume
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01552 detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters

Abstract

A method for controlling guiding, signal or alert lights, particularly signal lights for an emergency escape route in a fire situation, in which method there are controlled sequentially arranged light sources, such as LED light sources. In the method, in the first step the sequentially arranged light sources (40), which are most advantageously arranged as a light source string (4) or at least as part thereof, are activated, on the basis of a signal received from a fire detector (3), to be switched to a first mode, in which first mode the sequentially arranged light sources are used for indicating the direction of an escape route, and/or to a second mode, where the light sources (40) are switched to emit continuous light. The invention also relates to a system and a device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling guiding, signal or alert lights in a structure having multiple escape routes, each of the escape routes leading to a corresponding exit of the structure,

each of the escape routes having a light source string having multiple light sources showing a way to the corresponding exit,

the method comprising:

sending a fire detection signal from one or more fire detectors to a control device,

transmitting a first signal from the control device to the light source string, thereby enabling the light sources sequentially arranged on at least a portion of the light source string to operate in a first mode, and

transmitting a second signal from the control device to the light source string, thereby enabling the light sources sequentially arranged on the at least a portion of the light source string to operate in a second mode,

the first mode being a dynamic mode indicating a guiding direction of movement by switching on a next one of the light sources sequentially arranged on the at least a portion of the light source string, and by switching off a preceding one of the light sources, and thereafter by repeating the on and off switching of the next and the preceding pairs of light sources along a length of the at least a portion of the light source string,

the second mode being a static mode indicating that the guiding direction of movement is away from the at least a portion of the light source string by switching each of the light sources thereon to a state of emitting continuous light,

the method further comprising;

transmitting the first signal from the control device to the light source string of each of the multiple escape routes,

switching the light sources in the light source string of each of the multiple escape routes to the first mode, and

providing in the structure an indication of a specific one of the multiple escape routes that leads to the corresponding exit.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

switching each of the light sources to the second mode based on detecting heat or receiving a flame detection signal from the one or more fire detectors.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

switching each of the light sources to the first mode based on detecting at least two fire detection signals from two separate ones of the fire detectors, by detecting two smoke detection signals from the two separate fire detectors, or by detecting both a smoke detection signal and a heat or a flame detection signal from one of the two separate fire detectors.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

switching each of the light sources to the second mode based on detecting a fire detection signal received from the one or more fire detectors.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

providing the one or more fire detectors in a corridor space, and

receiving at least one fire detection signal from the one or more fire detectors in the corridor space.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

switching the at least a portion of the light source string from the first mode to the second mode based on receiving a fire detection signal from the one or more fire detectors,

wherein the one or more fire detectors are arranged together with the light source string, the light source string being located in a corridor space or in a vicinity thereof.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing the light source string with first and second portions which are adjacent to each other,

switching both of the first and second portions to the first mode, and

when the second portion receives the second signal from the control device, switching the second portion to the second mode, and thereafter

the first portion remaining in the first mode and pointing away from the second portion which has been switched to the second mode.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

switching the light source string or the at least a portion thereof to receive a control signal from the one or more fire detectors.

9. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing LED light sources as the light sources.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

changing a color emitted by the light sources of the light source string when the light source string is changed between the first mode and the second mode.

11. A signaling, guiding or alert light system in a structure having multiple escape routes, each of the escape routes leading to a corresponding exit of the structure, the system comprising:

a control device,

light sources sequentially arranged in at least a portion of a light source string in each of the escape routes, and

one or more fire detectors adapted to send a fire detection signal to the control device,

the control device being adapted to transmit a first signal to the light source string to enable the light sources sequentially arranged on at least a portion of the light source string to operate in a first mode, and to transmit a second signal from the control device to the light source string to enable the light sources sequentially arranged on the at least a portion of the light source string to operate in a second mode,

the first mode being a dynamic mode indicating a guiding direction of movement by switching on a next one of the light sources sequentially arranged on the at least a portion of the light source string, and by switching off a preceding one of the light sources, and thereafter by repeating the on and off switching of the next and the preceding pairs of light sources along a length of the at least a portion of the light source string,

the second mode being a static mode indicating that the guiding direction of movement is away from the at least a portion of the light source string by switching each of the light sources thereon to a state of emitting continuous light,

wherein the control device is adapted to transmit the first signal to the light source string of each of the multiple escape routes, in order to switch the light sources in the light source string of each of the multiple escape routes to the first mode, and to provide in the structure an indication of a specific one of the multiple escape routes that leads to the corresponding exit.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

two separate ones of the fire detectors, each being adapted to send a smoke detection signal, and a heat or a flame detection signal to the control device, in order to switch each of the light sources to the first mode based on signals from either of both of the two separate fire detectors.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the one or more fire detectors are arranged adjacent to the light source string, and

the control device is adapted to switch the light source string from the dynamic mode to the static mode based on a heat or a flame detection signal received from the one or more fire detectors.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein each of the light sources is adapted to be switched to the second mode based on the fire detection signal received from the one or more fire detectors.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the control device is adapted to switch the at least a portion of the light source string from the first mode to the second mode upon receiving the fire detection signal from the one or more fire detectors,

wherein the one or more fire detectors are arranged together with the light source string, the light source string being located in a corridor space, or in a in the vicinity thereof.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more fire detectors are located in a corridor space of the structure.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more fire detectors includes means for giving a smoke detection signal, and/or a heat detection signal, and/or a flame detection signal.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the structure in which the system is arranged include hotels, office buildings, residential buildings and passenger ships.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein a length of the portion of the light source string corresponds to a distance between two of the fire detectors in a corridor space.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more fire detectors includes both a smoke detector and a heat detector, which are connected directly to the light source string.

21. The system according to claim 11, wherein the system is adapted to change a color emitted by the light sources of the light source string when the light source string is changed between the first mode and the second mode.