Addressable Emergency Lighting Network for Building Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current building control systems for egress lighting in commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings face challenges with high maintenance costs and unpredictable failure rates due to reliance on short-lived batteries and large, inefficient inverters, as well as the noise and theft risks associated with external generators.
Innovation Solution
A networked system of individually addressable devices that integrate lighting, sensors, and communication modules, allowing for real-time monitoring and adaptive power management, enabling selective activation of components and communication with external systems for enhanced safety and operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If batteries and lamps are placed in overhead luminaries for emergency power, then emergency lighting functionality is provided, but maintenance costs increase and reliability decreases due to short-lived batteries and difficult access
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the emergency lighting function into separate addressable modules distributed throughout the building. Each module can be independently monitored and replaced, allowing maintenance personnel to access and service individual units rather than dealing with centralized difficult-to-reach components. The modular design enables segment-by-segment maintenance while preserving overall system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates monitoring that provides feedback on the status of batteries and lighting components. This allows predictive maintenance scheduling based on actual component condition and usage patterns, rather than relying on fixed replacement schedules. The feedback mechanism enables maintenance to be performed proactively before failures occur, improving both reliability and maintenance efficiency.
2Reliability
If large inverters are used for auxiliary emergency power, then emergency lighting is provided, but system efficiency decreases and venting provisions are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inverter function from the emergency lighting system entirely, replacing it with battery-based direct DC lighting. By removing the AC-DC conversion requirement, the system eliminates inefficient large inverters and their associated venting needs. The lighting fixtures operate directly from DC batteries, achieving both emergency power reliability and energy efficiency without thermal management requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple small distributed battery units instead of a single centralized inverter system. Each addressable lighting module has its own small battery or shares batteries with nearby modules, creating redundant copies of the power function at the local level. This distributed approach eliminates the need for large centralized inverters while maintaining emergency power availability.
3Reliability
If generators are placed outside the building for emergency power, then emergency lighting is provided, but noise is generated and theft risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the external generator component entirely from the emergency power system, replacing it with internal battery-based power sources located within or near the building. By extracting the power generation function from external mechanical generators to internal electrochemical batteries, the system eliminates noise, exhaust, and security vulnerabilities associated with external generators while maintaining emergency power backup capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical generator system with an electrochemical battery system. Instead of using mechanical combustion engines that produce noise and require external placement, the patent uses silent, stationary battery units that can be discreetly installed indoors or in protected locations. This substitution eliminates the harmful factors associated with mechanical emergency power systems.
4Illumination intensity
If egress lighting is placed in difficult to reach locations, then optimal egress path illumination is achieved, but maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the egress lighting into multiple small addressable modules distributed along the egress path. Rather than using large centralized luminaries that provide optimal illumination but are difficult to access, the patent employs numerous small units that can be individually accessed and serviced. Each module maintains the required illumination intensity while being positioned for easier maintenance access.
Solution Approach 2:
The addressable modular design enables maintenance personnel to easily identify and service only the specific modules that require attention, rather than having to access and service entire luminaire assemblies. The system's intelligent addressing and monitoring capabilities allow for targeted maintenance, reducing overall maintenance effort and cost while preserving optimal egress lighting quality.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a system disposed within a structure comprising a network of individually addressed devices for providing building safety, security, and operational efficiency. Each device in the network may comprise a microcontroller electrically connected to a communication module, at least one output module, and/or at least one sensor module. The sensor module may produce data corresponding to a particular sensed environmental condition within its vicinity and may transmit a signal to the microcontroller based on the data for processing to identify the particular sensed environmental condition. In various embodiments, the microcontroller may communicate with any number of addressable devices in the network to effect selective activation of output modules and/or sensor modules. In some embodiments, the microcontroller may communicate with remote systems external to the network, such as building operation systems, building fire suppressions systems, and first responder notification systems to appropriately respond to the particular sensed environmental condition.