Evacuation Signboard Pole Synchronization for Swift Warning Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disaster warning systems experience delays in evacuation guidance due to sequential activation of warning devices, leading to inconsistent activation times among multiple devices and potential delays in providing swift evacuation instructions.
Innovation Solution
A disaster warning system featuring synchronized evacuation guidance signboard poles and a central server that manage and control the poles through synchronized communication, allowing simultaneous activation and operation of warning devices based on predetermined statuses, reducing the need for sequential communication and ensuring timely and uniform guidance across all devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If warning devices are activated sequentially through individual calls and message transmission, then each device can be controlled individually, but the overall activation time increases and evacuation guidance is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary synchronization of timing among all control units before disaster occurrence. Each control unit stores synchronized timing information in advance, allowing all warning devices to activate simultaneously without sequential communication delays when a disaster occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system distributes synchronized timing information (a copy of the timing data) to all control units in advance through the communication network. Each control unit holds an identical copy of the timing information, enabling independent simultaneous activation without requiring real-time coordination during the warning phase.
2Reliability
If warning devices are activated in sequence, then individual control is maintained, but deviation in activation time occurs among multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary synchronization of timing among all control units before disaster occurrence. Each control unit stores synchronized timing information in advance, allowing all warning devices to activate simultaneously without sequential communication delays when a disaster occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where control units report their status and timing information to the central server, which adjusts and resynchronizes timing data to ensure all devices activate at the same time, minimizing activation time deviation.
3Loss of information
If individual calling and message transmission is used to control warning devices, then specific safety place information can be transmitted, but the communication overhead increases activation delay
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads safety place information and timing data into each control unit's storage in advance. When a disaster occurs, control units immediately retrieve and execute the pre-stored information without requiring real-time communication, eliminating communication delays while ensuring accurate safety place information is transmitted.
Solution Approach 2:
Each control unit independently retrieves and executes pre-stored safety place information and timing data from its own storage without requiring external communication or control during the warning activation phase, enabling autonomous simultaneous activation.
Data Source
AI summary
A disaster warning system has a plurality of evacuation guidance signboard poles and a central server which manages operations of the evacuation guidance signboard poles. An operator uses an operation terminal to operate the disaster warning system and change statuses as appropriate. At every predetermined timings, each of the evacuation guidance signboard poles accesses the central server and receives a status by a communication unit of a control unit, and performs an operation based on the received status.