Apparatus, system and methods for providing security crisis locations and notifications

• US 9,514,633 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BluePoint Alert Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: BluePoint Alert Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: McNutt, John, Volkening, Ken, Shales, John, Stirn, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI T
• Application Number:
  US14/864,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20160086481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/541, 340/506, 340/521, 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/287, 438/143, 438/152, 438/153, 438/154
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/12 Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and methods for notifying first responders of the general or specific location of a security crisis or threat in a building or public location, and the type of threat or crisis that has occurred, while notifying building occupants or others in the public location of the crisis and how to respond. The crisis notification system alarm system can provide critical information to the first responders, including location of crisis and whether the crisis location is changing, audio and video of the crisis arena, communications with designated occupants in the crisis arena, and other information. The crisis notification system can be scaled to allow the effective use in facilities of differing sizes and layouts. The system is also flexible, enabling the system to integrate with currently existing systems or to operate with new devices.

Claims

1. A security threat alarm system for notifying building occupants of, and first responders of a location of, a security threat, comprising:

a plurality of alarm actuation devices, said plurality of alarm actuation devices located in a same building, said plurality of alarm actuation devices comprising at least one pull down device, wherein said at least one pull down device is manually actuated upon an existence of a security threat, and upon actuation, said at least one pull down device transmits a location signal indicating a location in the same building of the at least one pull down device that has been actuated;

said at least one pull down device, comprising a pull handle, a backup battery holder, a reset switch, and a tamper switch;

at least one notification device, said at least one notification device located in the same building, wherein when said at least one pull down device is actuated, said at least one notification device notifies a building occupant that one of said plurality of alarm actuation devices has been actuated;

a controller, said controller coupled to said at least one pull down device and coupled to said at least one notification device, said controller for receiving said location signal from said at least one pull down device upon actuation and for determining the location of the one or more of said at least one pull down device that has been actuated, said controller controlling said at least one notification device to notify said building occupant that one of said at least one pull down device has been actuated;

a transmitter, said transmitter coupled to said controller, said transmitter for transmitting said location signal received from said controller upon actuation of said at least one pull down device;

wherein upon actuation of said at least one pull down device, a location signal is transmitted to said controller, said controller determines the building location of said at least one pull down device that has been actuated, and said controller instructs the transmitter to transmit a notification of the location of said at least one pull down device that has been actuated to at least one first responders, thereby informing said at least one first responder of the location in the same building of said at least one pull down device that has been actuated;

wherein upon actuation of said at least one pull down device, said at least one notification device notifies a building occupant that one of said plurality of alarm actuation devices has been actuated.

2. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein, said backup battery holder securely retains a backup battery.

3. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein said reset switch resets said at least one pull down device after being actuated.

4. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein said tamper switch provides protection from tampering with said pull down device.

5. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein said at least one notification device is a speaker.

6. The security threat alarm system of claim 5, wherein said speaker notifies said building occupant through a pre-recorded message.

7. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein said at least one notification device is a siren.

8. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein said at least one notification device is an electronic message.

9. The security threat alarm system of claim 8, wherein said electronic message is one of an electronic mail, a text message or a social media notification.

10. The security threat alarm system of claim 1, wherein said at least one notification device notifies said building occupant through an Internet communication.

11. A method of using a security threat alarm system for notifying a building occupant of, and first responder of the location of, a security threat, comprising in a same building, at least one pull down device, said at least one pull down device providing a location signal upon actuation, a controller, a transmitter, and at least one notification device for notifying a building occupant of said actuation, comprising the steps of:

a) installing at least one pull down device, in a same building, said at least one pull down device comprising a pull handle, a backup battery holder, a reset switch, and a tamper switch;

b) installing at least one notification device, in said same building;

c) monitoring said at least one pull down device to determine if said at least one pull down device has been actuated;

d) upon actuation, receiving a location signal from said at least one pull down device that was actuated,

e) determining a location in the same building that said at least one pull down device has been actuated;

f) transmitting a notification of said location to a first responder;

g) using said at least one notification device to notify a building occupant of said actuation of said at least one pull down device; and

h) providing for communication between said first responder and said building occupant.

12. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein, said backup battery holder securely retains a backup battery.

13. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein said reset switch resets said at least one pull down device after being actuated.

14. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein said tamper switch provides protection from tampering with said at least one pull down device.

15. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein said at least one notification device is a speaker.

16. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 15, wherein said speaker notifies said building occupant through a pre-recorded message.

17. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein said at least one notification device is a siren.

18. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein said at least one notification device is an electronic message.

19. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 18, wherein said electronic message is one of an electronic mail, a text message or a social media notification.

20. The method of using a security threat alarm system of claim 11, wherein said at least one notification device notifies said building occupant through an Internet communication.