System and method for providing an illuminating, visual indication of a specific physical location and situation
A system for providing an illuminating, visual indication of a specific physical location or situation includes a location and situational information indicator device, which includes an electrical power source, at least one activation switch operable by a user, at least one light emitter configured to emit light responsively to operation of the activation switch(es), and a housing containing the light emitter(s). The housing has one or more non-opaque portions allowing the light emitted by the light emitter(s) to pass through such that the light is visible from outside the housing. A party of interest, who may be physically looking for the specific physical location, may view the light, determine that the light matches a predetermined emergency light indication, and responsively and expeditiously direct themselves or their vehicle towards the light. The light emitter(s) can be further activated by a wired, external activation switch and/or a wireless remote control device.
1 . A location and information indicator device, comprising:
at least one light emitter;
one or more of a handle and kickstand for portable deployment of the location and information indicator device;
a smoke detector configured to detect a presence of smoke;
a controller, coupled to the at least one light emitter, configured to receive an activation signal and activate the at least one light emitter, wherein the at least one light emitter is configured to emit light in at least one color coding upon activation; and
a housing, enclosing the at least one light emitter, the housing comprising one or more non-opaque portions configured to allow the light emitted by the at least one light emitter to project outward and upward from the housing, radially and transversely beyond the one or more non-opaque portions over a broader light pattern than a dimension of the one or more non-opaque portions, to a projection distance for indicating a physical location of the location and information indicator device, wherein the one or more non-opaque portions comprise a diffuser configured to scatter and spread the light in the broader light pattern when the light emitted by the at least one light emitter is projected outward and upward from the housing, radially and transversely beyond the one or more non-opaque portions,
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the projection distance of the emitted light,
wherein the controller is configured to receive the activation signal from the smoke detector; and
wherein the controller is further configured to remotely receive the activation signal from a remote control device formed as a separate device with respect to the location and information indicator device and coupled communicatively with the location and information indicator device, the remote control device being one or more of: an electronic device communicating with the location and information indicator device via a computer network, and a portable electronic device carried by a user.
2 . The location and information indicator device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one color coding comprises a first color coding for an emergency situation and a second color coding for a non-emergency situation, and wherein the first color coding comprises a flashing red light for indicating the emergency situation and the second color coding comprises a fixed yellow light for indicating the non-emergency situation.
3 . The location and information indicator device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate one or more speakers to emit an audible sound based on the activation signal.
4 . The location and information indicator device of claim 1 , wherein the activation signal comprises one of an emergency activation signal and a non-emergency activation signal.
5 . The location and information indicator device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive the activation signal from an activation switch located on the housing, and wherein the activation switch comprises one or more input elements for generating the activation signal that comprises one of an emergency activation signal and a non-emergency activation signal.
6 . The location and information indicator device of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one light emitter in the first color coding upon receiving the activation signal.
7 . The location and information indicator device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more non-opaque portions comprises a single non-opaque portion located on a front side of the housing, and wherein the single non-opaque portion comprises a round non-opaque portion.
8 . The location and information indicator device of claim 7 , wherein the front side comprises at least one opaque portion arranged about a periphery of the round non-opaque portion.
9 . The location and information indicator device of claim 1 , further comprising a power source configured to provide a power supply to the controller and the at least one light emitter.
10 . A method for providing an illuminating visual indication of a location using a portable location and information indicator device, the method comprising:
receiving, by the location and information indicator device that comprises one or more of a handle and kickstand for portable deployment of the location and information indicator device, an activation signal, wherein the activation signal is received from any of a smoke detector configured to detect a presence of smoke and a remote control device formed as a separate device with respect to the location and information indicator device, the remote control device being one or more of: an electronic device communicating with the location and information indicator device via a computer network, and a portable electronic device carried by a user;
activating at least one light emitter of the location and information indicator device based on the received activation signal, wherein the at least one light emitter is configured to emit light in at least one color coding upon activation,
wherein the at least one light emitter is enclosed in a housing of the location and information indicator device that comprises one or more non-opaque portions, and wherein the one or more non-opaque portions are configured to allow the light emitted by the at least one light emitter to project outward and upward from the housing, radially and transversely beyond the one or more non-opaque portions over a broader light pattern than a dimension of the one or more non-opaque portions, to a projection distance for indicating a physical location of the location and information indicator device, and wherein the one or more non-opaque portions comprise a diffuser configured to scatter and spread the light in the broader light pattern when the light emitted by the at least one light emitter is projected outward and upward from the housing, radially and transversely beyond the one or more non-opaque portions; and
adjusting the projection distance of the emitted light.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one color coding comprises a first color coding for an emergency situation and a second color coding for a non-emergency situation, and wherein the first color coding comprises a flashing red light for indicating the emergency situation and the second color coding comprises a fixed yellow light for indicating the non-emergency situation.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
activating one or more speakers to emit an audible sound based on the activation signal.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the activation signal comprises one of an emergency activation signal and a non-emergency activation signal.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the activation signal is further received from an activation switch located on the housing, wherein the activation switch comprises one or more input elements for generating the activation signal that comprises one of an emergency activation signal and a non-emergency activation signal.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting a presence of smoke by the smoke detector; and
transmitting the activation signal to a controller upon detection, wherein the controller is configured to activate the at least one light emitter in the first color coding upon receiving the activation signal.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more non-opaque portions comprises a single non-opaque portion located on a front side of the housing, wherein the single non-opaque portion comprises a round non-opaque portion.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the front side comprises at least one opaque portion arranged about a periphery of the round non-opaque portion.
18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing a power supply to a controller and the at least one light emitter.
19 . A location and information indicator system, comprising:
a location and information indicator device; and
a remote device formed as a separate device with respect to the location and information indicator device and coupled to the location and information indicator device, the remote device being one or more of: an electronic device communicating with the location and information indicator device via a computer network, and a portable electronic device carried by a user,
wherein the location and information indicator device comprises:
at least one light emitter;
one or more of a handle and kickstand for portable deployment of the location and information indicator device;
a smoke detector configured to detect a presence of smoke;
a controller, coupled to the at least one light emitter, configured to receive an activation signal and activate the at least one light emitter, wherein the at least one light emitter is configured to emit light in at least one color coding upon activation; and
a housing, enclosing the at least one light emitter, the housing comprising one or more non-opaque portions configured to allow the light emitted by the at least one light emitter to project outward and upward from the housing, radially and transversely beyond the one or more non-opaque portions over a broader light pattern than a dimension of the one or more non-opaque portions, to a projection distance for indicating a physical location of the location and information indicator device, wherein the one or more non-opaque portions comprise a diffuser configured to scatter and spread the light in the broader light pattern when the light emitted by the at least one light emitter is projected outward and upward from the housing, radially and transversely beyond the one or more non-opaque portions,
wherein the controller is configured to adjust the projection distance of the emitted light, and
wherein the controller is configured to receive the activation signal from any of the smoke detector and the remote device.
20 . The location and information indicator system of claim 19 , wherein the remote device is configured to transmit the activation signal that comprises one of an emergency activation signal and a non-emergency activation signal.