Safety system and device and methods of operating

• US 8,935,095 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Americas Corporation, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Hartman, Michael James, Hershey, John E., Mitchell, Robert J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/560,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 701/533, 701/420, 701/300, 348/211.3, 463/42, 709/219, 726/27, 726/3, 707/10, 340/905, 340/146.2, 340/286.14, 235/375
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/10 by using measurements of speed or acceleration G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

Various embodiments of a device, system and methods that promote safety and security within an organization. Sensor data from one or more installation sensors is collected, analyzed and used to create a map and/or directions that, when received by a wireless mobile device, facilitate a person'"'"'s possible egress around or from a detected event. The information provided to the person by the map and/or the directions may be individually crafted to be of maximum use to the specific recipient so the person can understand, plan and execute the most appropriate danger avoidance maneuvers in minimal time.

Claims

1. A handheld wireless mobile device, comprising:

a memory storing computer-readable instructions;

a display;

an accelerometer; and

a processor coupled with each of the memory and the display, wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to perform a method, the method including;

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, event data corresponding to an event detected by one or more installation sensing devices located within an installation and external to the handheld wireless mobile device;

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, situational factor data corresponding to the detected event;

determining a direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device based on input from the accelerometer;

displaying, on the display, a map of at least a portion of the installation, the map being oriented to the direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device, and including a representation of the handheld mobile wireless device, a representation of the detected event, representations of the one or more installation sensing devices, and a representation of a possible egress route.

2. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

displaying, on the display, a representation of a location of an impassable, exit point;

displaying, on the display, a representation of a location of an available exit point;

displaying, on the display, identification of a type of detected event; and

displaying, on the display, instructions specific to the detected event.

3. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more installation sensing devices is within a pre-defined spatial extent around the handheld wireless mobile device.

4. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker coupled with the processor and configured to play audio instructions specific to the detected event.

5. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 2, wherein the instructions specific to the detected event are one of text instructions and video instructions.

6. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver coupled with the processor and with the memory, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive the situational factor data from a server.

7. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 6, wherein the situational factor data includes sensor data from a sensor association module of the server that is indicative of one or more exit points and their operational status or accessibility.

8. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 6, wherein the situational factor data includes egress data indicative of the possible egress route.

9. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 6, wherein the situational factor data includes icon data required to display one or more situational icons on the map that appears on the display of the wireless mobile device.

10. The handheld wireless mobile device of claim 6, wherein the memory is configured to store orientation data, wherein the orientation data includes server data from the server, sensor data corresponding to the one or more installation sensors, and component data corresponding to one or more components of the handheld wireless mobile device configured to orient the map on the display of the handheld wireless mobile device with respect to a position of the handheld wireless mobile device, a most recent direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device, or a most recent geographical orientation of the handheld wireless mobile device.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a handheld mobile wireless device, event data corresponding to an event detected by one or more installation sensing devices located within an installation and external to the handheld wireless mobile device;

receiving, by the handheld mobile wireless device, situational factor data corresponding to the detected event;

determining a direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device based on input from an accelerometer included in the handheld wireless mobile device; and

displaying, on a display of the handheld mobile wireless device, a map of at least a portion of the installation, the map being oriented to the direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device, and including a representation of the handheld mobile wireless device, a representation of the detected event, representations of the one or more installation sensing devices, and a representation of a possible egress route.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, location data for the one or more installation sensors;

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, orientation data configured to orient the map with respect to a most recent direction of motion of the handheld wireless mobile device or most recent geographical orientation of the handheld wireless mobile device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, map data corresponding to an area of the installation proximate to a position of the handheld wireless mobile device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, an input selecting a spatial extent about the handheld wireless mobile device; and

transmitting, from the handheld wireless mobile device, to a server the selected spatial extent.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

playing, by the handheld wireless mobile device, audio instructions specific to the detected event.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

orienting, by the handheld wireless mobile device, the map shown on the display with respect to a location of the handheld wireless mobile device, and most recent orientation of the handheld wireless mobile device.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further including:

displaying, on the display, a representation of a location of an impassable exit point;

displaying, on the display, a representation of a location of an available exit point;

displaying, on the display, identification of a type of detected event; and

displaying, on the display, instructions specific to the detected event.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the instructions specific to the detected event are at least one of text instructions and video instructions.

19. A system, comprising:

one or more installation sensors configured to detect an event and to output sensor location data, situational factor data, and orientation data;

a handheld wireless mobile device operative to be in wireless communication with the one or more installation sensors; and

a server operative to be in wireless communication with the one or more installation sensors and the handheld wireless mobile device, wherein the server comprises;

a server memory storing server computer-readable instructions; and

a server processor coupled with the server memory, wherein the server processor is configured to execute the server computer-readable instructions to perform a server method, the server method including;

locating, by the server, the handheld wireless mobile device in an installation;

determining, by the server, whether location data, movement data corresponding to a most recent direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device, or orientation data corresponding to a most recent orientation of the handheld wireless mobile device has been received from the handheld wireless mobile device;

identifying, when the location data, the movement data or the orientation data are determined to have been received by the server, one or more installation sensing devices located within the installation and proximate to a position of the handheld wireless mobile device;

receiving, by the server, event data from the one or more installation sensing devices indicative of a type and a location of an event detected by the one or more installation sensing devices;

receiving, by the server, situational factor data from the one or more installation sensing devices; and

transmitting the received event data and the situational factor data to the handheld wireless mobile device; and

wherein the handheld wireless mobile device comprises;

a device memory storing device computer-readable instructions;

a display;

an on-board accelerometer; and

a device processor coupled with each of the device memory and the display, wherein the device processor is configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to perform a device method, the device method including;

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, event data corresponding to an event detected by one or more installation sensing devices located within an installation and external to the handheld wireless mobile device;

receiving, by the handheld wireless mobile device, situational factor data corresponding to the detected event;

determining a direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device based on input from the on-board accelerometer;

displaying, on the display, a map of at least a portion of the installation, the map being oriented to the direction of movement of the handheld wireless mobile device, and including a representation of the handheld mobile wireless device, a representation of the detected event, representations of the one or more installation sensing devices, and a representation of a possible egress route.