Model-based egress support system

• US 9,109,896 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UTC Fire & Security Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Banaszuk, Andrzej, Shishkin, Sergey, Narayanan, Satish, Tomastik, Robert N., LaBarre, Robert E., Hariharan, Nathan S., Detriche, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US12/733,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20120276517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,889 Days
• Field of Search: 434/365
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes

Abstract

A model-based egress support system (10) employs models to generate an optimal egress route for occupants in a region. The system includes an egress controller (16) that is connected to receive detection data. The egress controller (16) executes an optimization algorithm (22) to select an egress route based on model-based egress estimates generated by an egress prediction model (18) in response to the detection data.

Claims

1. An egress support system comprising:

an input operably connected to receive a first occupant detection data, a second occupant detection data from an occupant detection device, and threat location data from an threat detection device;

a threat propagation estimator operably connected to the input, the threat propagation estimator executes a threat propagation algorithm that generates a threat propagation estimate based on the received threat location data and a model-based threat propagation estimate generated by a threat propagation model;

an egress controller operably connected to the input and including an optimization algorithm and a prediction model, wherein the threat propagation estimate is provided to the egress controller, and wherein the egress controller executes the optimization algorithm to select an optimal egress route based on model-based estimates generated by the prediction model in response to the first occupant detection data and the threat propagation estimate, and an alternate route based on model-based estimates generated by the prediction model in response to the second occupant detection data and the threat propagation estimate; and

an output operably connected to communicate the optimal egress route and the alternate route selected by the optimization algorithm,

wherein the output is operably connected to provide control instructions generated by the egress controller based on the selected optimal egress route to occupant-based egress instructional devices that direct first occupants along the selected optimized egress route, and wherein the output is operably connected to provide control instructions generated by the egress controller based on the selected alternate egress route to occupant-based egress instructional devices that direct second occupants along the selected alternate egress route.

2. The egress support system of claim 1, wherein the prediction model is an egress prediction model that generates model-based egress estimates predicting occupant egress based on the occupant location data and a plurality of potential egress routes.

3. The egress support model of claim 2, wherein the optimization algorithm selects the optimal egress route based on the model-based egress estimate that minimizes a time required to evacuate all occupants.

4. The egress support system of claim 1, further including:

an occupancy estimator operably connected to the input,

the occupancy estimator executes an occupancy estimation algorithm that generates an occupancy estimate based on the received occupant location data and a model-based occupancy estimate generated by an occupant traffic model, wherein the occupancy estimate is provided to the egress controller.

5. The egress support system of claim 4, wherein the occupant traffic model is dynamically modified by the egress controller based on the optimal egress route selected by the optimization algorithm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the occupant-based egress instructional devices include visual signs, auditory devices, or a combination of both.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the output is operably connected to provide the optimal egress route, the occupant location data, and the threat location data to a first responder device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the output is operably connected to communicate building controller instructions generated by the egress controller in response to the threat detection data and the optimal egress route to a building controller.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the building controller controls the operation of elevators located within the region based on the building controller instructions provided by the egress controller.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the building controller controls the operation of heating, venting, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems located within the region based on the building controller instructions provided by the egress controller.

11. A method of providing egress support to a first region and a second region, the method comprising:

acquiring detection data from one or more occupant detection devices, wherein the detection data is first occupant detection data and second occupant data;

acquiring threat location data and threat detection data from one or more threat detection devices;

generating a model-based estimate based on a predictive model, the first occupant detection data, the second occupant detection data, the threat detection data and the threat location data;

selecting an optimal egress route for first occupants within the first region based on the model-based estimate;

selecting an alternate egress route for second occupants within the second region based on the model-based estimate;

controlling one or more egress instructional devices based on the selected optimal egress route to instruct the movement of occupants within the first region; and

controlling one or more egress instructional devices based on the selected alternate egress route to instruct the movement of occupants within the second region,

wherein generating the model-based estimate further includes generating model-based threat prediction estimates based on a threat prediction model, the threat detection data, and the threat location data,

wherein selecting an optimal egress route includes selecting an egress route that minimizes first occupant exposure to a detected threat based on the model-based threat prediction estimates, and

wherein selecting an alternate egress route includes selecting an egress route different from the first egress route that minimizes second occupant exposure to a detected threat based on the model-based threat prediction estimates.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the model-based estimate includes

generating model-based egress estimates based on an egress prediction model, a plurality of possible egress routes, the first occupant detection data, and the second occupant detection data, and wherein each model-based egress estimate includes an estimated time to evacuate occupants based on one of the plurality of possible egress routes,

wherein selecting an optimal egress route further includes selecting one of the plurality of possible egress routes based on the model-based egress estimate that minimizes the estimated time to evacuate the first occupants.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling one or more egress instructional devices includes controlling auditory devices and visual devices to communicate the selected optimized egress route to first occupants and to communicate the selected alternate egress route to second occupants.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with a machine-readable computer program code for selecting an optimal egress route for a first region and an alternate egress route for a second region, the computer readable storage medium including instructions for causing a controller to implement a method comprising:

acquiring detection data from one or more occupant detection devices, wherein the detection data is first occupant detection data and second occupant data;

acquiring threat location data and threat detection data from one or more threat detection devices;

generating model-based estimates based on a prediction model, the first occupant detection data, the second occupant detection data, the threat detection data and the threat location data;

selecting an optimal egress route for first occupants within the first region based on the model-based estimates;

selecting an alternate egress route for second occupants within the second region based on the model-based estimate;

controlling one or more egress instructional devices based on the selected optimal egress route to instruct the movement of occupants within the first region; and

controlling one or more egress instructional devices based on the selected alternate egress route to instruct the movement of occupants within the second region,

wherein generating the model-based estimate includes generating model-based threat prediction estimates based on a threat prediction model, the threat detection data, and the threat location data,

wherein selecting an optimal egress route includes selecting an egress route that minimizes first occupant exposure to a detected threat based on the model-based threat prediction estimate, and

wherein selecting an alternate egress route includes selecting an egress route different from the first egress route that minimizes second occupant exposure to a detected threat based on the model-based threat prediction estimate.