System and method of disabling an evacuation location device

• US 20050128066A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hawkinson, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,061,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

An exit path indicating device incorporates at least a first port for receiving an alarm indicating signal. In normal operation upon receipt of the alarm indicating signal, the device outputs a visual or an audible, or both, indicator of the presence of an exit or egress path for use in evacuating the region. A second port disables the operation of the device. The second port can be coupled to a local sensor which provides an indication of a hazardous or alarm condition adjacent to or on the exit or egress path. If the sensor is indicating the presence of a hazardous or alarm condition, the indicating device can be disabled.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a device that provides at least one output indicative of an outlet from a region, the device having an output disabling control port; and

an ambient condition detector, the detector having at least one alarm output indicative of the presence of a predetermined alarm condition, the alarm output is coupled to the control port to disable the device in the presence of the predetermined alarm condition.

2. A system as in claim 1 where the device provides at least one of an audible output or a visual output.

3. A system as in claim 1 where the detector comprises at least one of a smoke detector, a flame detector, a gas detector or a thermal detector.

4. A system as in claim 2 with the device including control circuitry coupled to the port responsive to a disabling signal received thereat.

5. An alarm system comprising:

a first plurality of ambient condition detectors coupled by a medium to first control circuits;

a second plurality of exit indicating output devices coupled by a second medium to second control circuits; and

a third plurality of ambient condition detectors, at least some of the detectors are coupled to respective ones of the output devices to disable operation thereof in response to a locally sensed predetermined condition.

6. A system as in claim 5 where at least some of the output devices each include a disable port and where respective outputs from the at least some of the detectors of the third plurality are coupled to respective disable ports.

7. A system as in claim 5 where the first and second control circuits are coupled together.

8. A system as in claim 7 where the first control circuits provide control signals to the second control circuits.

9. A system as in claim 5 where the output devices emit at least one of an audible indicator or a visual indicator.

10. A method comprising:

determining that a hazardous condition is present in a region;

providing indicia indicative of at least one exit path from the region; and

determining if a hazardous condition is present in the vicinity of a portion of the exit path, and, responsive thereto, terminating the indicia.

11. A method as in claim 10 where providing indicia comprises providing at least visual indicia indicative of the exit path.

12. A method as in claim 10 where determining the hazardous condition comprises determining that a fire is present in the region.

13. A method as in claim 10 where determining if the hazardous condition is present comprises determining if an indication of fire is present in the vicinity of the portion of the exit.

14. A method as in claim 10 which includes providing indicating indicia of a plurality of exits from the region.

15. A method as in claim 14 comprising:

determining for each of a plurality of exits if an indication of fire is present in the vicinity of the portion of the exit, and, responsive thereto, terminating the indicating indicia for the respective exit.

16. A method as in claim 13 where the determining if an indication of fire is present comprises at least one of sensing airborne indicators of combustion or sensing optical indicators of fire.

17. A method as in claim 13 where providing indicia comprises at least one of illuminating at least one exit path from the region, or, audibly designating at least one exit path from the region.

18. A method as in claim 17 where terminating the indicia comprises at least one of terminating illumination of or, terminating audible designation of at least one exit from the region.

19. A method comprising:

monitoring a region for the presence of a fire condition;

responsive to a fire condition, activating at least one of an audible or a visual fire indicator;

activating a plurality of fire exit indicators;

locally sensing fire indicia, in the vicinity of at least one of the fire exits, and determining the presence of fire related indicia sufficient to make the at least one exit unsuitable for use; and

responsive to the determined presence of fire related indicia, ceasing to activate at least selected fire exit indicators associated with the at least one fire exit.