Emergency Lighting Wireless Access Point Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency lighting systems face challenges in ensuring personal safety during evacuations due to disruptions in electrical energy supply and mobile device connectivity issues, leading to uncoordinated behavior and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a wireless access point in the final circuit of the emergency lighting system to form a wireless network structure, which is powered by the backup supply, ensuring continuous wireless data transmission and communication even during mains power disruptions, and using a WLAN protocol for communication standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wired Ethernet network structure is used for supplying energy and data to escape sign luminaires, then energy supply reliability is improved, but adaptability to mobile devices and flexibility in emergency communication is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines wired Ethernet infrastructure for escape sign luminaires with wireless access points to create a hybrid network system. The wireless access points are integrated into the existing Ethernet-based emergency lighting system, allowing mobile devices to connect to the emergency network without requiring separate infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency lighting system's Ethernet infrastructure is made multi-functional by adding wireless access capabilities. The same network infrastructure that supplies power and data to escape sign luminaires also provides wireless internet access and communication capabilities for mobile devices, creating a universal emergency communication platform.
2Device complexity
If mobile terminal devices rely on external mobile phone networks for communication, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of communication during emergencies is worsened due to network disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary wireless access point system that mediates between mobile devices and the emergency lighting control center. Instead of relying directly on external mobile phone networks, devices communicate through the building's own wireless network infrastructure, which is controlled and managed locally during emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless access points are pre-configured and integrated into the emergency lighting system before emergencies occur. The infrastructure is established in advance, so when emergencies happen, communication capability is immediately available without requiring devices to adapt to external network conditions.
3Reliability
If wireless access points are provided in final circuits powered by backup power supply, then communication reliability during power outages is improved, but energy consumption of the backup power supply increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by providing wireless access points in select final circuits rather than universally across all circuits. The wireless access points are strategically placed to provide adequate coverage while limiting the total number of devices drawing power from the backup supply, thus balancing communication reliability with energy conservation.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
An emergency lighting system (1) for a building (2) is shown, comprising at least one emergency power supply (9, 10), at least one control unit (11, 12), and at least one final circuit (6, 7) that can be electrically connected to either the emergency power supply (9, 10) or a mains power supply (8), depending on the control unit (11, 12), to whose electrical supply lines (60, 70) several electrical loads (5) are connected. To achieve a particularly high level of safety for persons – for example, in the event of a necessary evacuation – it is proposed, characterized in that at least one wireless access point (15, 16) is provided in the final circuit (6, 7) as one of the electrical loads (5) for establishing a wireless network structure (17) in the building (2) for at least one mobile terminal device (13, 14).