Emergency System Textual Notification Device with Alert Mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016284174-A1
Application number	US-201514670921-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A textual notification device includes a display for presenting either emergency information or non-emergency information received at the network interface of the textual notification device. The textual notification device also includes an alert mechanism for generating an alert signal alerting occupants to the presentation of emergency information. The textual notification device can be incorporated in an emergency system that includes an emergency panel and a secondary system. The emergency panel provides the emergency information to the textual notification device for display. The secondary system provides the non-emergency information to the textual notification device for display. In one embodiment, the emergency system includes an addressable channel enabling the separate addressing of the display and the alert mechanism(s).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A textual notification device, comprising:
a network interface for receiving emergency information and non-emergency information; a display for presenting either the emergency information or the non-emergency information received at the network interface; and an alert mechanism for generating an alert signal for alerting occupants to the presentation of the emergency information.

2 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises an audio alert generator for generating the alert signal in the form of an audible signal.

3 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises a visual alert generator for generating the alert signal in the form of a visible signal.

4 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises an audio alert generator and a visual alert generator for generating the alert signal in the form of an audible signal and a visible signal, respectively.

5 . The textual notification device according to claim 4 , wherein the audio alert generator and the visual alert generator are coupled to an addressable channel such that the audio alert generator has an address unit that is different than an address unit of the visual alert generator, wherein the different address units enable the visual alert generator and the audio alert generator to be individually addressable.

6 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the alert signal corresponds with a particular emergency condition.

7 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the alert mechanism and the display are coupled to an addressable channel such that the alert mechanism has an address unit that is different than an address unit of the display, wherein the different address units enable the alert mechanism and the display to be individually addressable.

8 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , further comprising a system controller for signaling the alert mechanism to generate the alert signal.

9 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , further comprising a system controller for overriding the presentation of non-emergency information on the display when emergency information is received at the network interface.

10 . The textual notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the display is a light emitting diode (LED) signboard.

11 . An emergency system, comprising:
a textual notification device that includes a display for presenting either emergency information or non-emergency information, and the textual notification device includes an alert mechanism for generating an alert signal for alerting occupants to the presentation of the emergency information; an emergency panel for sending the emergency information to the textual notification device; and a secondary system for sending the non-emergency information to the textual notification device.

12 . The emergency system according to claim 11 , further comprising at least one initiation device coupled to the emergency panel.

13 . The emergency system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one initiation device is selected from the group comprising smoke detectors, pull stations, gas detectors, heat detectors, and combinations thereof.

14 . The emergency system according to claim 11 , further comprising an addressable channel extending between the emergency panel, the textual notification device, and other devices, the addressable channel enabling the emergency panel to supervise and individually control the textual notification device.

15 . The emergency system according to claim 11 , further comprising an audio/text converter that utilizes the emergency information or non-emergency information to generate an audible message for broadcast in conjunction with the presentation of either the emergency information or non-emergency information, respectively.

16 . The emergency system according to claim 15 , wherein the audio/text converter comprises a text-to-speech converter.

17 . The emergency system according to claim 15 , wherein the audio/text converter comprises a speech-to-text converter.

18 . A method of operating a textual notification device, the method comprising:
the textual notification device receiving non-emergency information and emergency information; the textual notification device presenting either emergency information or non-emergency information on a display; and the textual notification device including an alert mechanism that generates an alert signal for alerting occupants to the presentation of the emergency information.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises an audio alert generator generating the alert signal in the form of an audible signal.

20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises a visual alert generator generating the alert signal in the form of a visible signal.

21 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises an audio alert generator and a visual alert generator generating the alert signal in the form of an audible signal and a visible signal, respectively.

22 . The method according to claim 21 , further comprising an emergency panel individually addressing and controlling the audio alert generator and the visual alert generator.

23 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the alert signal corresponds with a particular emergency condition.

24 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising the textual notification device overriding the presentation of the non-emergency information on the display when emergency information is received.

25 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising an emergency panel individually addressing and controlling the alert mechanism and the display.

Assignees

• Tyco Fire & Security Gmbh

Inventors

• Connell Ii Thomas W

Classifications

• G08B7/062

  indicating emergency exits · CPC title

• G08B7/066 Primary

  guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip · CPC title

• G08B7/06 Primary

  using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} · CPC title