Object Tracking with emergency equipment

• US 8,981,927 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, Brendan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US12/371,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20090243836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.05, 340/506, 340/517, 340/524, 340/525, 340/531, 340/533, 34053916-53918, 340/539.2, 34053922-53923, 34053926-53927, 340/577, 340/628, 340/539.13, 340/573.4, 340/56.1, 340/572.18, 340/539.1, 169/60, 169/61
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/76 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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 29/26 by updating and storing reference thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

A system including a network of emergency equipment stations is described. The network includes at least one emergency equipment station. The emergency equipment station includes an emergency assistance device, a first sensor configured to detect an object within a vicinity of the emergency equipment station and a second sensor configured to sense at least one selectable predetermined internal condition. The system may further include a central station that is remotely located from the emergency equipment station. The central station is configured to communicate with the emergency equipment station as well as the network and receive data from the first and the second sensors.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information comprising:

a network of emergency equipment stations including at least one emergency equipment station, the emergency equipment station comprising;

an emergency assistance device,

a first sensor configured to detect an object within a vicinity of the emergency equipment station and to sense a movement of the object, wherein the object comprises an inanimate object,

a signaling device,

communication circuitry, and

a second sensor configured to sense at least one selectable predetermined internal condition;

a system to determine a geographic location of the emergency equipment station including a number of location coordinates for the emergency equipment station;

processing circuitry configured to receive data from the first sensor and to determine when the object obstructs access to the emergency assistance device;

a central station remotely located from the emergency equipment station and configured to communicate with the communication circuitry of the emergency equipment station and the network of emergency equipment stations, the central station also configured to receive data from the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein the central station is further configured to track movement of the object inside a building; and

at least one receiver and at least one transmitter, each remotely located from the central station, the receiver configured to receive information regarding a location of the object from at least one of the emergency equipment station and the central station, the receiver further configured to update the information based on sensed or received data, the transmitter configured to relay the updated information to at least one of the central station and another emergency equipment station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one receiver is deployed in at least one of a building, a vehicle, and a hand-held device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is configured to sense an ambient temperature.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the emergency assistance device comprises at least one of a fire extinguisher, a fire pull alarm, an emergency lighting device and a defibrillator.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the network of emergency equipment stations includes a mesh network configuration.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third sensor configured to sense a selectable predetermined external condition.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the selectable predetermined external condition includes an ambient temperature, a presence of an obstruction and a removal of the emergency assistance device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is configured to couple with a module of the object.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the central station further comprises:

a database to store a location of the emergency equipment station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the central station is further configured to identify the location of the object to the at least one receiver.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling device of the emergency equipment station provides an audible signal.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the signaling device of the emergency equipment station provides a visual signal.