Patent Application
20190221084
The present invention relates generally to notification appliances. More particularly, the present invention relates to visual notification appliances, such as strobe light devices.
Security systems are known to detect threats within a secured area, and such threats include events that represent a risk to human safety or a risk to assets.
Security systems typically include one or more security sensors that detect the threats within the secured area. For example, smoke, motion, and/or intrusion sensors are distributed throughout the secured area in order to detect the threats. Furthermore, security systems typically include notification appliances, such as sounders and strobe lights, to notify occupants of an emergency.
Some buildings include multiple security systems (e.g. fire system, evacuation system, agent release system, etc.), and each of the multiple security systems generally has its own respective set of notification appliances, which leads to additional wiring, additional power supplies, and additional cost. As such, there is a need for fewer notification appliances in buildings with multiple security systems.
While this invention is susceptible of an embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention. It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiments.
Embodiments disclosed herein can include systems and methods that dynamically change notification indicators based on a type of alert generated or a type of security system that generated the alert. In some embodiments, systems and methods disclosed herein can include a notification appliance, such as a strobe light, that illuminates one of a plurality of labels, where each of the plurality of labels can correspond to a respective one of a plurality of notification indicators (e.g. a fire indicator, an alert indicator, a chemical agent release indicator, etc.). Furthermore, in some embodiments, the plurality of labels can have different colors or illuminate in different colors.
In some embodiments, the plurality of labels can include a plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels. For example, a first of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels can glow red by only allowing light having red wavelengths to pass through the first of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels. Similarly, a second of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels can glow amber by only allowing the light having amber wavelengths to pass through the second of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels. Furthermore, a third of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels can glow blue because only light having blue wavelengths passes through the third semi-transparent, plastic label. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a white light emitting diode (LED) can emit the light illuminating each of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels.
Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels can illuminate only in the presence of a light source having a specific wavelength or a specific range of wavelengths. For example, a first label can illuminate red when the first of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic label receives light having a red wavelength, a second label can illuminate amber when the second of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic label receives light having an amber wavelength, and a third label can illuminate blue when the third of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels receives light having a blue wavelength. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels can substantially overlap, and in some embodiments, the plurality of light sources can include different color LEDs (e.g. red, amber, blue) positioned in close proximity within the notification appliance and selectively activated.
Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the plurality of labels can include a plurality of transparent labels, and the plurality of light sources illuminating the plurality of transparent labels can include a plurality of LEDs, where each of the plurality of LEDs can have a respective color. For example, a first, red one of the plurality of LEDs can illuminate a first of the plurality of transparent labels. Similarly, a second, amber one of the plurality of LEDs can illuminate a second of the plurality of transparent label. Furthermore, a third, blue one of the plurality of LEDs can illuminate a third of the plurality of transparent labels.
Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the notification device may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) that may display a plurality of different words and a plurality of different background colors. For example, during a fire situation, the LCD may display the word “FIRE” in white lettering over a red one of the plurality of different background colors. Similarly, during a chemical agent release situation, the LCD may display the word “AGENT” in white lettering over a blue one of the plurality of different backgrounds. As another example, during a fire situation, the LCD may display a symbol or icon illustrating a fire (e.g. a fire emoji). Alternatively, in some embodiments, the notification device may include a bi-stable display that displays the plurality of different words by either darkening or lighting various pixels of the bi-stable display.
It is to be understood that systems and methods disclosed herein can include more or less than three of the plurality of labels and more or less than three of the plurality of light sources. Furthermore, it is to be understood that each of the plurality of semi-transparent, plastic labels can allow the light having additional or alternate color wavelengths to pass, the plurality of light sources can emit the light having additional or alternate wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths, and the plurality of LEDs can have additional or alternate colors.
In some embodiments, the control panel 18 may send a notification message to a central monitoring station 20 upon the activation of one of the wireless security sensors 12, 14, and the central monitoring station 20 may respond by summoning the appropriate help. For example, if the one of the wireless security sensors 12, 14 detects a fire, then the central monitoring station 20 may summon a local fire department. Alternatively, if the one of the wireless security sensors 12, 14 detects an intrusion, then the central monitoring station 20 may summon the police.
In addition to sending the notification message to the central monitoring station 20, the control panel 18 can send an alarm message to an alarm notification appliance 22 included in the secured area 16. In response, the alarm notification appliance 22 can emit noise or light to inform occupants of the secured area 16 of an emergency situation.
The alarm notification appliance 22 can include control circuitry 32, which can include one or more programmable processors 32a and executable control software 32b as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The executable control software 32b can be stored on a transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium, including, but not limited to local computer memory, RAM, optical storage media, magnetic storage media, and the like. In some embodiments, the control circuitry 32, the programmable processor 32a, and the control software 32b can execute and control some of the methods disclosed herein.
The alarm notification appliance 22 can also include a transceiver 34, a label light 36, a flashing light source 38, and a plurality of labels 39. In operation, the transceiver 34 can receive data (e.g. the alarm message) from the control panel 18 and provide the data to the control circuitry 32, and the control circuitry 32, the programmable processor 32a, and the control software 32b can determine a type of the alarm message based on the data included in the alarm message, such as a header of the alarm message, or based on which system (e.g. fire system, agent release system) transmitted the alarm message to the notification appliance 22. For example, the control circuitry 32, the programmable processor 32a, and the control software 32b can determine whether the alarm message is a fire alarm message, an alert alarm message, a chemical agent release alarm message, an intrusion alarm message, a hostage situation alarm message, a weather emergency (e.g. tornado, earthquake) alarm message, or any other type of emergency alarm message as would be understood by one or ordinary skill in the art.
In some embodiments, the flashing light source 38 can flash or flicker during an alarm situation, and in some embodiments, the flashing light source 38 can include a strobe light.
In some embodiments, the label light 36 can include a single light, such as a white LED, and in some embodiments, the plurality of labels 39 can include a plurality of different color, semi-transparent, plastic labels. For example, a first of the plurality of different color, semi-transparent, plastic labels may be illuminated by the white LED and glow red by only allowing the light having red wavelengths to pass therethrough. Similarly, a second of the plurality of different color, semi-transparent, plastic labels may be illuminated by the white LED and glow amber by only allowing the light having amber wavelengths to pass therethrough. Furthermore, a third of the plurality of different color, semi-transparent, plastic labels may be illuminated by the white LED and glow blue by only allowing the light having blue wavelengths to pass therethrough.
Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of labels 39 can include a plurality of transparent labels, the label light 36 can include a plurality of different color LEDs, and each of the plurality of different color LEDs can illuminate a respective one of the plurality of labels 39. For example, a first, red one of the plurality of different color LEDs can illuminate a first of the plurality of transparent labels 39. Similarly, a second, amber one of the plurality of different color LEDs can illuminate a second of the plurality of transparent labels. Furthermore, a third, blue one of the plurality of different color LEDs can illuminate a third of the plurality of transparent labels.
Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of labels 39 can include a display.
However, a processor of the notification appliance 300 can selectively illuminate the labels 304, 306, 308 according to the method 200 of
Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the logic flows described above do not require the particular order described or sequential order to achieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, steps may be eliminated from the described flows, and other components may be added to or removed from the described systems. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the invention.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific system or method described herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
