Systems and methods for emergency egress and monitoring system
Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a system disposed within a structure comprising a network of individually addressed devices, wherein each device comprises a microcontroller electrically connected to a communication module, an output module, and/or a sensor module. The sensor module may produce data of an environmental condition and may transmit a signal to the microcontroller based on the data. The microcontroller may receive and processes the signal from the sensor module to identify a detected event and selectively activates at least one of the output module and the sensor module based on the detected event. The selectively activated output module and sensor module may located within the same device as the microcontroller and/or any number of devices in the network.
1. A system disposed within a structure suitable for human occupants, the system comprising:
a network of individually addressed devices, wherein each device comprises:
a microcontroller comprising a central processing unit and memory;
a communication module electrically connected to the microcontroller;
one or more output modules electrically connected to the microcontroller; and
one or more sensor modules configured to sense a particular environmental condition in the structure and electrically connected to the microcontroller, wherein the one or more sensor modules produces data corresponding to the sensed environmental condition and transmits a signal to the microcontroller based on the data,
wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive and process the signal from the one or more sensor modules to identify the particular sensed environmental condition and:
selectively activate at least one of the one or more output modules and one or more sensor modules based on a need to respond to the particular sensed environmental condition;
communicate the particular sensed environmental condition and instructions to the microcontrollers of the other devices in the network for selective activation of the at least one of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules in the other devices; and
assign a priority to each of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules for sequential power-down based on the particular sensed environmental condition when the system is receiving inadequate power.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the particular environmental condition is determined to be an emergency corresponding to a hazardous environmental condition.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the selectively activated one or more output modules comprise a luminaire to illuminate an optimal path of egress out of the structure.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the optimal path of egress out of the structure is pre-selected or based on avoidance of the location of the particular environmental condition in the structure.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the hazardous environmental condition comprises at least one of heat above a preselected threshold temperature, smoke, hazardous fumes, gas leak, instability of the structure, chemical contaminants, biological contaminants, and radiological contaminants.
6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the sensed hazardous environmental condition triggers the one or more output modules to announce a warning that is at least one of visual and audible to identify the location of the particular environmental condition in the structure and aid the occupants of the structure in its avoidance.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the particular environmental condition is determined to be a nonemergency corresponding to a nonhazardous environmental condition.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensed nonhazardous environmental condition triggers selective activation of an external system to maintain pre-selected ambient conditions in the structure.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote processor configured to receive and process data from the microcontroller and communicate with the communication module in each device to selectively activate at least one of the output module and the sensor module in one or more individually addressed devices based on the particular environmental condition.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the remote processor is configured to communicate with an external system to at least one of: report the particular environmental condition, send instructions to change the particular environmental condition in the structure, and receive instructions to selectively activate at least one of the output module and the sensor module in one or more individually addressed devices based on the particular environmental condition.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the external system comprises an HVAC system.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the communication module of each device is configured to communicate with the microcontroller within the device, the communication module of another device, and the remote processor through at least one of power line communication, and a wireless signal.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the microcontroller and the remote processor assesses and reports diagnostic data in real time about the operational readiness of each device in the network.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network of devices are configured to receive power from a primary power source and a secondary power source.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the secondary power source comprises at least one of a battery, a generator, and a fuel cell.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the secondary power source is activated and provides power to the one or more output modules and the microcontroller of each device when the primary power source is interrupted.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the microcontroller monitors power consumption of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein power is allocated to the one or more output modules and one or more sensor modules that are assigned a higher priority over those assigned with a lower priority when the system receives inadequate power.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more output modules comprise a luminaire that is assigned the highest priority when the system is receiving inadequate power.
20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a local power management module electrically connected to the microcontroller, wherein the local power management module is configured to provide power to the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules based on their assigned priority.
21. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the microcontroller, the communication module, the one or more output modules, and the one or more sensor modules within each device is coupled to and at least partially disposed within a housing.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the housing comprises one or more receptacles, wherein the receptacle comprises at least one of an electrical connection and a mechanical connection configured to receive the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules.
23. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensor modules comprises at least one of an occupancy sensor, a camera, a smoke sensor, a thermostat, an air quality sensor, a daylight sensor, and a humidity sensor.
24. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more output modules comprises at least one of an audio module, a luminaire, and a strobe light.
25. An emergency egress system disposed within a structure suitable for human occupants, the system comprising:
a network of individually addressed devices, wherein each device comprises:
a microcontroller comprising a central processing unit and memory;
a communication module electrically connected to the microcontroller;
one or more output modules electrically connected to the microcontroller;
one or more sensor modules configured to sense a particular environmental condition in the structure and electrically connected to the microcontroller,
wherein the one or more sensor modules produces data corresponding to the sensed environmental condition and transmits a signal to the microcontroller based on the data, and
wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive and process the data from the one or more sensor modules to identify the particular sensed environmental condition based on the data and determine whether the particular sensed environmental condition is an emergency or nonemergency; and
a remote processor configured to communicate with at least one of:
the communication module in each device to selectively activate at least one of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules in one or more individually addressed devices based on a need to respond to the particular sensed environmental condition; and
an external system, wherein the identification of the particular sensed environmental condition determined to be an emergency triggers the selective activation of the one or more output modules to at least one of:
illuminate an optimal path of egress out of the structure; and
announce a warning that is at least one of visual and audible to identify the location of the particular sensed environmental condition in the structure and aid the occupants of the structure in its avoidance; and
wherein the identification of the particular sensed environmental condition determined to be a nonemergency triggers selective activation of at least one of the output module and an external system to maintain pre-selected ambient conditions in the structure; and
wherein priority is assigned to each of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules for sequential power-down based on the particular sensed environmental condition when the emergency egress system is receiving inadequate power.
26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the particular sensed environmental condition determined to be the emergency corresponds to a hazardous environmental condition.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the hazardous environmental condition comprises at least one of heat above a preselected threshold temperature, smoke, hazardous fumes, gas leak, instability of the structure, chemical contaminants, biological contaminants, and radiological contaminants.
28. The system of claim 25 , wherein the optimal path of egress out of the structure is illuminated by the one or more output modules, wherein the one or more output modules comprise a luminaire.
29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the optimal path of egress out of the structure is pre-selected or based on avoidance of the location of the particular sensed environmental condition in the structure.
30. The system of claim 28 , wherein the one or more output modules comprising the luminaire is assigned the highest priority when the emergency egress system is receiving inadequate power.
31. The system of claim 25 , wherein the particular sensed environmental condition determined to be a nonemergency corresponds to a nonhazardous environmental condition.
32. The system of claim 25 , wherein the remote processor communicates with the external system to at least one of report the particular sensed environmental condition, send instructions to change the particular sensed environmental condition in the structure, and receive instructions to selectively activate at least one of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules in one or more individually addressed devices based on the particular sensed environmental condition.
33. The system of claim 25 , wherein the network of devices are configured to receive power from a primary power source and a secondary power source.
34. The system of claim 33 , wherein the secondary power source comprises at least one of a battery and a generator.
35. The system of claim 33 , wherein the secondary power source is activated and provides power to the one or more output modules and the microcontroller of each device when the primary power source is interrupted.
36. The system of claim 25 , wherein the microcontroller monitors power consumption of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules.
37. The system of claim 25 , further comprising a local power management module electrically connected to the microcontroller, wherein the local power management module is configured to provide power to the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules based on their assigned priority.
38. The system of claim 25 , further comprising a housing with one or more receptacles, wherein the receptacle comprises at least one of an electrical connection and a mechanical connection configured to receive the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules.
39. A method of evacuating occupants from a structure, comprising:
coupling a network of individually addressed devices to the structure, wherein each device comprises:
a microcontroller comprising a central processing unit and memory;
a communication module electrically connected to the microcontroller;
one or more output modules electrically connected to the microcontroller; and
one or more sensor modules configured to sense a particular environmental condition and electrically connected to the microcontroller,
wherein the one or more sensor modules produces real time data corresponding to the particular sensed environmental condition and transmits a signal to the microcontroller based on the data,
wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive and process the data from the one or more sensor modules to identify the particular sensed environmental condition based on the data;
communicatively linking a remote processor to the network of individually addressed devices, wherein the remote processor is configured to communicate with at least one of:
the communication module in each device to selectively activate at least one of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules in one or more individually addressed devices based on a need to respond to the particular sensed environmental condition; and
an external system;
providing power to the remote processor and each of the devices, wherein the power is provided by at least one of a primary and a secondary power source;
assigning a priority to each of the one or more output modules and the one or more sensor modules for sequential power-down based on the particular sensed environmental condition when the network of individually addressed devices is receiving inadequate power; and
activating the one or more output modules in response to the particular sensed environmental condition to provide an optimal path of egress for the evacuating occupants.
40. The method of claim 39 , further comprising determining the presence of an emergency wherein the particular sensed environmental condition is a hazardous environmental condition.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the sensed hazardous environmental condition triggers the selective activation of the one or more output modules, wherein the one or more output modules comprise a luminaire to illuminate the optimal path of egress out of the structure.
42. The system of claim 41 , wherein the optimal path of egress out of the structure is pre-selected or based on avoidance of the location of the particular sensed environmental condition in the structure.