Targeted Alert Distribution via Occupant Role and Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building alert systems lack the ability to deliver targeted alerts based on the location and role of occupants, leading to inefficient communication during events, as they do not account for the specific needs and positions of individuals within a building.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a locations database and roles database to identify the location and role of building occupants, allowing for targeted alert distribution by selecting the appropriate recipients based on the event's location and their proximity or role, using wireless emitters and mobile devices to determine locations and distribute alerts effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional building alert systems are used to notify all occupants, then all occupants receive alerts, but unnecessary notifications are sent and response efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by segmenting alert distribution according to specific locations within the building. Instead of uniformly notifying all occupants, the system identifies and notifies only those occupants located in or near the affected area, making the notification quality localized and relevant to each recipient's situation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the occupant population into different groups based on their location data. By dividing the building into zones and identifying which zones are affected by events, the system selectively notifies only the relevant segments of occupants rather than treating all occupants as a single group.
2Adaptability or versatility
If location-based tracking of building occupants is implemented, then targeted alert distribution is enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs mobile devices that occupants already carry for multiple functions: daily communication, building access control, and location tracking for alert distribution. By making the mobile device a universal tool that serves multiple purposes, the system avoids adding dedicated tracking hardware that would increase complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the mobile device's existing GPS and wireless communication capabilities to automatically determine occupant location and receive alerts. The occupant's device self-services the location tracking function without requiring additional building infrastructure, reducing the burden on the building's alert system complexity.
3Loss of information
If role-based alert selection is implemented, then alerts are tailored to recipient roles, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-storing role information and location data for all occupants in databases before events occur. When an event happens, the system quickly queries these pre-organized databases to identify relevant recipients, rather than gathering and processing this information in real-time during the event response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback loops where mobile devices continuously report location data back to the alert system, and the system responds by sending targeted alerts. This continuous feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain up-to-date information about occupant locations and roles, enabling rapid and accurate alert distribution without extensive real-time processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for distributing targeted alerts to building occupants includes building equipment and a targeted alert system. The building equipment are configured to detect an event within a building and generate an alert identifying the event. The targeted alert system is configured to receive the alert from the building equipment, identify a location within the building of each of a plurality of building occupants, identify a role performed by each of the plurality of building occupants, select one or more of the building occupants to receive the alert based on at least one of the location of each building occupant and the role performed by each building occupant, and distribute the alert to the selected building occupants.