Fire Alarm Occupancy Counting System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fire alarm systems typically do not provide information on the location of individuals within a premises during an emergency, which hampers the ability of emergency responders to assist and protect people effectively, leading to inefficient resource allocation and potential risks.
Innovation Solution
A fire alarm system that includes sensors to count the number of individuals in each zone and detectors to identify emergency events, with a user interface that co-displays event data and occupancy information, enabling responders to make informed decisions on evacuation and resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fire alarm systems only provide location of emergency events without occupancy information, then the system complexity is low, but the ability of emergency responders to assist and protect individuals is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fire detection system with an occupancy sensing system into a single integrated alarm system. The controller receives both fire event data from detectors and occupancy count information from sensors, merging these previously separate functions into one unified system that provides comprehensive emergency response information without requiring separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire alarm system is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it continues to detect fire events while simultaneously monitoring and reporting occupancy information. The controller and user interface are designed to handle both types of data, making the system universal in its capability to serve both fire detection and occupancy tracking purposes.
2Loss of time
If occupancy information is not provided, then the device complexity is low, but the time required for emergency responders to locate and assist individuals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors and tracks occupancy information in advance of any emergency event. Count sensors regularly update the controller with current occupancy data, so that when a fire event occurs, the occupancy information is already available and does not need to be determined during the emergency response, thereby saving critical time.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that receives occupancy count information from multiple count sensors distributed throughout the premises and processes this data into meaningful location information for emergency responders. The user interface serves as another intermediary, presenting the processed occupancy data in a format that helps responders quickly understand where individuals are located.
3Productivity
If fire alarm systems provide only basic event location, then the information processing requirement is low, but the effectiveness of evacuation and resource deployment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to emergency responders about occupancy status in different zones. The user interface displays occupancy count information that reflects the current state of the premises, enabling responders to make informed decisions about evacuation priorities and resource allocation based on real-time occupancy data fed back from the sensors.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for presenting occupancy information in a fire alarm system. The method includes obtaining event data indicative of an emergency event within a zone of a premises, obtaining count information indicative of a number of individuals within the zone of the premises, and displaying the event data and the count information for the zone simultaneously.