Emergency Notification Units Autonomous Egress Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional emergency lighting systems lack the capability to autonomously map egress locations and provide directed notifications to occupants during emergencies, failing to effectively guide them to safe exits in hazardous situations.
Innovation Solution
An emergency detection and notification system that uses a network of emergency notification units with sensors and communication devices to map egress locations, detect hazards, and emit directional notifications, allowing occupants to be guided to safe exits through autonomous egress mapping and hazard detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional emergency lighting systems are used, then illumination is provided during power loss or fire, but the system lacks the capability to autonomously map egress locations and provide directed notifications to occupants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (emergency lighting, hazard detection, autonomous mapping, and directional notification) into a single integrated emergency notification system. The emergency notification units serve both as lighting sources and as detection/mapping devices, eliminating the need for separate systems and reducing overall complexity while providing comprehensive egress location information.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency notification units are designed to perform multiple functions: providing illumination during emergencies, detecting hazards through sensors, generating topology information for autonomous mapping, and emitting directional notifications. This multi-functionality allows the system to provide egress location information without requiring additional dedicated devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous mapping capability is added to provide egress location information, then the system can autonomously map the environment, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs autonomous mapping without requiring external intervention or pre-programmed building layouts. The emergency notification units automatically generate topology information by detecting their relative positions and communicating with each other, enabling the system to adapt to any building configuration without manual setup or complex external mapping infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously generates and updates topology information during normal operation, so that when an emergency occurs, the mapping is already complete and ready for immediate use. This preliminary action ensures egress locations are identified without adding complexity to the emergency response process.
3Productivity
If directional notifications are emitted to guide occupants, then evacuation efficiency is enhanced, but the system requires sophisticated hazard detection and location determination
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect hazards and determines their locations based on topology information from emergency notification units. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify safe egress paths and emit directional notifications that actively guide occupants away from hazards, significantly improving evacuation efficiency compared to passive illumination alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The building is divided into zones based on topology information from multiple emergency notification units. Each unit detects hazards in its local area and communicates location data to the network, allowing the system to provide localized directional notifications tailored to each occupant's position relative to hazards, thereby enhancing evacuation efficiency without requiring a single complex central detection system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively directs occupants to safe egress locations by autonomously mapping the environment, detecting hazards, and providing directional notifications, enhancing safety and evacuation efficiency during emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
Topology information is generated based on relative signal strength of one or more signals transmitted and received between the plurality of emergency notification units via the communication devices
Implementation Method 2
one or more of the plurality of emergency notification units determine a distance to the hazard with the sensors
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency detection and notification system provides autonomous mapping of locations of a building or other environment through a plurality of emergency notification units. The emergency notification units utilize wireless signals to generate topology information that identifies the location of the emergency notification units, the outermost emergency notification units of which identify the egress locations of a building. Upon detection of a hazard, the emergency detection and notification system determines the location of one or more hazards using the topology information.