Guided Emergency Exit System Using Real-Time Visual Route Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for guiding people to emergency exits in buildings during emergencies, such as fire or earthquakes, are inadequate as they rely on overhead signs or maps that may be compromised, invisible, or destroyed, leading to confusion and inability to exit safely.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a central server to transmit real-life images of escape routes to mobile devices, including primary and alternate routes, via wireless transceivers and handheld communication devices, ensuring continuous guidance and updates, even if primary routes become unsafe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If overhead signs or maps are used to guide people to emergency exits, then the guidance system is simple and easy to implement, but the signs may be compromised, invisible, or destroyed during emergencies leading to loss of information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses mobile devices to display digital copies of escape route information instead of physical signs. The server stores and transmits route data to multiple users simultaneously, creating redundant copies of the guidance information that cannot be physically destroyed like overhead signs. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simplicity through software while achieving reliability through digital replication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically updates escape routes based on real-time conditions during emergencies. The server can change the displayed routes on mobile devices according to the evolving situation, allowing the guidance system to adapt rather than remain static like fixed overhead signs. This provides both simplicity of implementation and reliability through adaptability.
2Device complexity
If a single escape route is provided on maps, then the system is simple to implement, but it fails when the shown escape route is compromised or not safe
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides multiple escape routes that can be dynamically selected based on current conditions. The server stores multiple route options and can switch between them as needed, giving the system the flexibility to adapt when primary routes become compromised while maintaining relative simplicity through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of route selection based on emergency conditions. Instead of providing a fixed single route, the system maintains multiple route configurations and selects the appropriate one based on real-time assessment of safety conditions, achieving versatility without excessive complexity.
3Device complexity
If overhead signs are used for guidance, then the system is simple to implement, but signs may fall off or be hidden by smoke during emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transfers guidance information from physical overhead signs to digital displays on mobile devices. This copying eliminates the problem of signs falling off or being hidden by smoke, as the information exists in multiple digital copies that can be transmitted wirelessly regardless of physical conditions. The system maintains simplicity while preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the user and the escape route information, eliminating the need for physical signs in the environment. The wireless communication system delivers guidance information directly to the user's device, bypassing the intermediate physical medium that could be compromised by fire or smoke.
4Ease of operation
If manual updates of route data are used, then the system is simple to operate, but the routes may not be updated in real-time during emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic updating of route data through sensors and automated processes rather than requiring constant manual intervention. The server can automatically detect changes in emergency conditions and update routes accordingly, maintaining ease of operation while achieving real-time reliability through self-updating capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method (10) are shown for providing a guided emergency exit to personnel (12) within a building (14), and includes the steps of: automatically determining the location of each of a plurality of wireless communication devices (22) within a building in response to an emergency, each of the communication devices being assigned to a person (12); determining an escape route (28) from the building for each of the communication devices based on the location of the communication device (22) and the available paths (20) from that location to a safe exit (29); and wirelessly transmitting a sequential series of images to each of the communication devices to guide the person assigned to the device from checkpoint (18) to checkpoint along the escape route (28) until the person (12) safely exits.