Firefighter Air Replenishment Camera Activation From Incident Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firefighter air replenishment systems in structures face challenges in monitoring environmental conditions, leading to potential incidents that endanger emergency personnel and cause structural damage, despite careful design and monitoring.
Innovation Solution
Integration of sensors with a computing platform to automatically activate camera devices based on environmental parameter sensing, capturing visual and audio data of incidents in the vicinity of breathable air components, enabling real-time situational awareness and incident detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous monitoring of FARS components is implemented, then incident detection capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent installs sensors and camera devices in advance at critical FARS components (air fill stations, air storage tanks, valves) before incidents occur. These devices are pre-positioned to immediately detect and record environmental parameters and visual conditions when incidents happen, eliminating the need for complex continuous monitoring systems while maintaining high incident detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses sensors as intermediary devices that detect environmental parameters (temperature, smoke, gas concentrations) and trigger camera activation. This intermediary approach allows the system to respond to incidents with simple threshold-based triggering rather than requiring complex continuous analysis, reducing overall system complexity while improving reliability
2Loss of information
If camera devices are continuously activated, then incident documentation is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent activates camera devices periodically based on incident detection rather than continuously. When sensors detect abnormal environmental parameters exceeding predetermined thresholds, the system triggers camera activation to document the incident. This periodic activation based on event triggers ensures complete incident documentation while minimizing energy consumption by keeping cameras inactive during normal operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensor data continuously monitors environmental conditions and provides feedback to the control system. When the feedback indicates abnormal conditions (temperature, smoke, gas levels exceeding thresholds), the system responds by activating cameras. This feedback-based control ensures documentation is captured only when needed, optimizing both information quality and energy efficiency
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are integrated with computing platform, then incident detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into independent sensor units positioned at different critical FARS components (air fill stations, air storage tanks, valves, pipelines). Each sensor independently monitors its local environment, and the computing platform integrates these segmented data streams. This segmentation allows high detection accuracy through multiple measurement points while managing complexity through modular, distributed architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs universal sensors capable of detecting multiple environmental parameters (temperature, smoke, gas concentrations) at each FARS component. This multi-functionality allows a single sensor type to perform multiple monitoring tasks, improving incident detection accuracy through comprehensive parameter monitoring while reducing the overall number of different device types needed, thereby managing integration complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and/or a system of incident based camera device activation in a safety system of a structure having a fixed piping system implemented therein to supply breathable air thereacross. In accordance therewith, one or more sensor(s) associated with one or more component(s) of the safety system is integrated with a computing platform executing on a data processing device. Based on the integration of the one or more sensor(s) with the computing platform, one or more environmental parameter(s) of the one or more component(s) of the safety system is sensed. One or more camera device(s) in a vicinity of and/or on the one or more component(s) of the safety system is automatically activated based on determining, from the sensing, occurrence of an incident.