CA2213199A1 - A system for producing, storing, presenting and transmitting emergency floor plan data - Google Patents
A system for producing, storing, presenting and transmitting emergency floor plan dataInfo
- Publication number
- CA2213199A1 CA2213199A1 CA002213199A CA2213199A CA2213199A1 CA 2213199 A1 CA2213199 A1 CA 2213199A1 CA 002213199 A CA002213199 A CA 002213199A CA 2213199 A CA2213199 A CA 2213199A CA 2213199 A1 CA2213199 A1 CA 2213199A1
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- floor plan
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Abstract
A system and method for producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting the data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at the remote site comprises a base computer for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, for generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to the buildings from the selected floor plan information, and for storing the database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission. A first transmission means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer for transmitting to a remote site, in response to receipt of selected parameters, a subset of the database relating to one or more of the buildings. A microprocessor is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means for receiving the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the buildings, and for converting the subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the buildings, for subsequent output. An output device is operatively connected to the microprocessor for producing an output from the output data file, the output representing the floor plan of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the buildings, with the output being in a form readable by emergency personnel.
Description
FIELD OF THE lNV~..l lON
The present invention relates to systems for producing and storing emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data, selectively transmitting at least portions of the emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at said remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel.
R~CK~,~OUND OF THE lNVL..llON
Fires in buildings are responsible for many injuries and deaths, especially in residential buildings. Fires occur unexpectedly, often when people are in a building, in which case all people in the building need to be evacuated from the building.
While in many cases, people within a burning building can readily escape without assistance, often people become caught in a dangerous situation in the building if they are not aware of the fire soon enough to make an immediate and easy escape. The fire and accompanying dense smoke may make it extremely difficult, if not virtually impossible, to find one's way to safety, or at least make the trek to safety quite slow. An individual may also be somewhat overcome by smoke, or also may be somewhat injured.
Accordingly, such an individual may require assistance to escape from the burning building as quickly as possible.
Moreover, the fire and smoke can easily overcome or trap, or cause injury to an individual. Also, some individuals, such as children or the elderly, might be unable to escape the burning building without assistance, or if the fire occurs at night, people who are asleep may not be aware of the fire. In such cases, an individual may be unable to escape from a burning building without assistance, thus needing to be rescued by fire fighters or other emergency personnel.
In any event, it is the responsibility of fire fighters and other emergency personnel to ensure that all people within a burning building are safely evacuated as quickly as possible.
In addition to the obvious dangers encountered during the fighting of a fire, there is one specific problem that is responsible for many lives being lost, both the lives of people unable to escape from a burning building and also the lives of fire fighters. The problem is that fire fighters typically do not have emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information, such as possible locations of occupants of the building, age and medical data relating to such occupants, available to them in an organized manner, either at the building or before arriving at the building. Resultingly, upon entering the building, each fire fighter may be required to search through rooms in an almost random manner in order to find people requiring assistance to escape. Such a random search is undesirable as it is temporally inefficient, and also may result in many rooms in the building remaining unsearched. Accordingly, any persons in unsearched rooms would not be reached and may die. It is therefore desirable to have emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information, including possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, number and age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and so on, in the hands of fire fighters and other emergency personnel before their arrival at a remote site, such as a burning building, or at least as early as possible. Early receipt of such data would permit fire fighters and other emergency personnel to plan out how to best fight a fire, ensure that all rooms are searched as efficiently as possible, and locate and rescue people might be located in the building. Such emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information could be available to fire fighters and other emergency personnel at a fire station, police station, and so on, upon departure therefrom, or could be transmitted to one or more fire trucks or other vehicles enroute to a fire or other emergency location.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system by which fire fighters or other emergency personnel can readily assist people to escape, or even rescue people, from a burning building.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system by which fire fighters or other emergency personnel can safely evacuate people within a burning building as quickly as possible.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system that makes emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency data readily available to fire fighters or other emergency personnel on an as needed basis.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available related supplemental emergency information, such as possible locations of occupants in the building while asleep, number and age of such occupants, and even medical information about these occupants, to fire fighters and other emergency personnel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available emergency floor plan information, on demand, to fire fighters and other emergency personnel before their arrival at a remote site.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available emergency floor plan data, on demand, to fire fighters and other emergency personnel, at a fire station, police station, or other emergency station.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that transmits emergency floor plan data to fire fighters and other emergency personnel in vehicles enroute to a fire.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available emergency floor plan data to fire fighters and other emergency personnel, on demand, in the form of a printout.
SUD ~ RY OF THE lNVL..l lON
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a system for producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting at least portions of the emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at the remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel. The system comprises a base computer means for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, for generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to the plurality of buildings from the selected floor plan information, and for storing the database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission. A first transmission means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means for transmitting to a remote site, in response to receipt of selected parameters, a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. A microprocessor means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means for receiving the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings, and for converting the subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, for subsequent output. An output means is operatively connected to the microprocessor means for producing an output from the output data file, the output representing the floor plan of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, and the output being in a form readable by the emergency personnel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting at least portions of the emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at the remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) entering into a base computer means selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings from the selected floor plan information, and storing the database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission;
(ii) generating selection parameters defining a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings and selecting the subset of the database of the emergency floor plan data according to the selection parameters;
(iii) transmitting to a remote site via a first transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means, the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildingsi (iv) receiving into a microprocessor means operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means, the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings, and converting the transmitted subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, for subsequent output; and, (v) producing from an output means operatively connected to the microprocessor means, an output from the output data file, the output representing the floor plan of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, and the output being in a form readable by the emergency personnel.
Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly described hereinbelow.
Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly described hereinbelow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the system of the present invention will now be described by way of example in association with the accompanying drawings appended hereto, which drawings illustrate the preferred embodiments, and in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a second embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnectedi Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a third embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnectedi Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a fourth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of a sixth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnectedi Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of a seventh embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Eigure 8 is a diagrammatic view of an eighth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected; and, Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of a typical paper output as generated by the system of the present invention, and printed out by a printer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A rn~-~nn~ EMBODIMENT
Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a preferred - embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 20. The system 20 is for producing and storing emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data, such as a building floor plans, possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, number and age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and so on. Floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information would typically be provided by the owners or occupants of a house or office building, or by the management of a hospital or retirement home, and so on. The information is submitted to a company administrating the system of the present invention for entry into a computer to form a database.
It should be understood that while it is highly desirable, and even necessary, that building floor plan information entered into the system should be highly accurate, it is not necessary that such building floor plan information contain all of the details typically found in an architect's drawings. It would be sufficient to use a simplified building floor plan, as drawn by a homeowner, for example.
A typical database for a community could comprise data on several hundred thousand homes and several thousand commercial and institutional buildings.
At least a portion of the emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is then selectively transmitted, on demand, in response to receipt of selection parameters, to a remote site, such as a fire truck or other emergency vehicle on the way to a fire, or subsequently at the actual scene of a fire, or such as a fire station or other emergency dispatch location before the fire fighters or other emergency personnel have departed. The transmission of data is in response to the receipt of selection parameters defining the subset of the database, as will be described in greater detail subsequently. The transmitted emergency floor plan data is then presented at the remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel, such as fire fighters, police, paramedics, and so on. It is useful for fire fighters or other emergency personnel to have the emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data in hand as soon as possible so that rescue strategies can be planned out as fully as possible before arriving at the scene of the fire. It is also very useful to be able to receive emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data at the site of the emergency, upon request.
The system of Figure 1 comprises a base computer means 22 preferably in the form of a powerful microcomputer, such as one having a rL...l~M microprocessor chip ("CPU") with a clock speed of at least 100 MHz and at least a two Gigabyte hard disk drive. If necessary, a more powerful computer, such as a minicomputer or a mainframe computer can be used. The base computer means 22 is for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings and related supplemental emergency information associated with the plurality of buildings. It should be understood that for the purposes of this document, the term building also encompasses units within a multiple unit building.
Graphical information, such as a building floor plan and possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, would typically be entered through the use of a suitable drawing program, or through the use of a scanner. Textual information, such as age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and medical data relating to such occupants, and so on, would typically be entered through the use of a conventional computer keyboard or other conventional means and the graphical and textual data can be merged in a conventional manner into bit-mapped files or may be linked as separate graphical and textual files to one another by conventional programming technology.
The base computer means 22 is programmed in a conventional manner to generate a database of emergency floor plan data relating to the plurality of buildings from the selected floor plan information and the related supplemental emergency information, and for storing the generated database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission. A database software program such as ACCESS, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington, U.S.A., that stores and retrieves graphical or bit-mapped data files can be advantageously used for this purpose.
A first transmission means, as indicated by the general reference numeral 24, comprising an electronic based transmission means such as a modem 25 and a carrier means such as conventional telephone lines 26 and a cellular telephone transmission network 27, is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means 22. The first transmission means 24 is for transmitting to a remote site, on demand, in response to a receipt of selection parameters, a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. Preferably, the data transmitted would comprise the building floor plan of one or more of the buildings in the database, such as the building or buildings believed to be on fire, and related supplementary emergency information such as the possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and so on.
The subset of data transmitted could be virtually any useful portion of the database greater than zero percent and less than or e~ual to one hundred percent of the database. Typically, the amount of data transmitted would be only an extremely small percentage of the entire database, representing the floor plan information and the related supplementary emergency information of one or several buildings immediately involved in the emergency.
A microprocessor means, preferably a portable laptop microcomputer 30, is removably installed in an emergency vehicle, such as a fire truck, and is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means, in this case the conventional telephone lines 26 and the cellular telephone transmission network 27, by means of a cellular telephone 28 operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30. The cellular telephone 28 receives, from the cellular telephone transmission network 27, cellular transmissions containing the selected subset of data from the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data. The selected subset of the database is transferred from the cellular telephone 28 to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 through a modem 32. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 is for receiving the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and preferably also the supplementary emergency data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. The subset of said database of emergency floor plan data and supplementary emergency data may be received by the portable laptop microcomputer 30 while enroute to a remote site, such as the location of a fire, or after having arrived at that remote site.
The portable laptop microcomputer 30 also converts the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data into an output data file representing the floor plan and supplementary emergency data of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings. The output data file is at least temporarily stored in the portable laptop microcomputer 30, and is used to subsequently produce an output via an output means. The output means preferably comprises a printer 40, and is operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 for producing an output from the output data file. The printer 40 produces a paper printout 41, either one or more replications, which paper printout 41 can be used as needed in the emergency vehicle or the location of the fire. Additionally, the output means can comprise an electronic display screen 42, which is shown built into the portable laptop microcomputer 30.
The paper printout 41 preferably comprises a graphical output, and represents the floor plan and supplemental emergency information of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings. In any event, the output is in a form readable by the emergency personnel.
In order to utilize the system 20 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, it is necessary that fire fighters or other emergency personnel can be provided with outputs generated from emergency floor plan data, and optionally from the related supplementary emergency data, for one or more specifically selected buildings only. Data for other buildings is not to be provided, unless requested. Such selection of the buildings for which an output required, is typically made by fire fighters or other emergency personnel at a remote site, such as the location of a fire or a fire station, once fire fighters or other emergency personnel have knowledge of the location of the fire.
In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1, selection parameters are generated by the fire fighters or other emergency personnel who make the aforesaid selection, through the use of the portable laptop microcomputer 30. Such selection parameters define a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and possibly related supplementary emergency data associated with one or more of the plurality of buildings of the database. Such selection parameters may simply comprise the street address of the building immediately involved in the emergency, such as a fire, and also addresses of buildings surrounding the building immediately involved in the emergency, if desired, such as in multiple unit buildings. Alternatively, a unique alphanumeric accession code representing the street address of the building immediately involved in the emergency, or surrounding buildings, can be used. The unique alphanumeric accession code may be generated from a computer database that stores each street address and one corresponding unique alphanumeric accession code per address, which code is used essentially as a short form to represent the full address, and which code is recognized as such by the database running on the CPU. During use, the street address or accession code may be entered either directly from the computer keyboard of the laptop microcomputer 30, or through a graphical user interface by selecting the appropriate geographic location from a series of maps displayed on the electronic display screen 42, which maps increase in scale from one to the next until the exact building location can be visually discerned and selected by means of a mouse or cursor on the display screen 42. An appropriate graphical user interface can be developed using readily available software, for example, the program VISUAL BASIC, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington, U.S.A..
In use, an alarm condition is made known in a fire station or other emergency station, which alarm condition includes the location of the building or buildings immediately involved in the emergency. Upon receipt of such an alarm condition, preferably while in the fire truck enroute to the emergency location, a fire fighter or other emergency personnel uses the portable laptop microcomputer 30 to generate selection parameters and to communicate with the base computer means 22. First, the emergency location address is entered into the portable laptop microcomputer 30 in one of the manners described above. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 then generates a corresponding unique alphanumeric accession code representing that location.
Communication contact is then established between the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and the base computer means 22 by means of the modem 32, the cellular telephone transmission network 27, the conventional telephone lines 26, and the modem 25. A password is then entered into the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and transmitted to the base computer means 22 to ensure the security of the database in the base computer means 22. Once the password is recognized by the base computer means 22, the selection parameters may then be transmitted to the base computer means 22.
The base computer means 22 then locates the selected subset of the database. The selected subset of the database is then transmitted by means of the modem 25, the conventional telephone lines 26, the cellular telephone transmission network 27, and the modem 32, to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, whereat the paper printout 41 is generated by the printer 40.
Reference will now be made to Figures 2 through 8 to describe other embodiments of the present invention. Components common to more than one Figure will be indicated by like reference numerals in each Figure, for ease of understanding.
Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, a second embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 50. The system 50 is similar to the system 20 as shown in Figure 1, except that the first transmission means 24 comprises the modem 25 as the electronic based transmission means and conventional telephone lines 56 only as the carrier means.
The first transmission means 24 is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means 22. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 is removably installed in the fire truck 29. In use, the modem 32 in the portable laptop microcomputer 30 is occasionally, perhaps once per week or so, plugged into the conventional telephone lines 26 in order to permit the portable laptop microcomputer 30 to receive the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, as transmitted by the base computer means 22. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 receives the database in its entirety and stores the database on its hard disk drive (not shown). The portable laptop microcomputer 30 may then be transferred into a fire truck 29, as indicated by arrow "A". An output in the form of paper printout 41 can then be obtained, on demand, for a selected emergency location or locations, by fire fighters or other emergency personnel, from the printer 40, which printer may be permanently installed in the fire truck or other emergency vehicle.
Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, a third embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 60. The system 60 includes the base computer means 22, the first transmission means 24 comprising the modem 25 and a conventional telephone line 26, and a microprocessor means, preferably in the form of a microcomputer 62 permanently installed at a remote site, in an emergency station, such as a fire station.
A modem 64 in the microcomputer 62 is permanently plugged into the conventional telephone line 26 at the fire station in order to receive the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, as transmitted by the base computer means 22 in a manner analogous to that already described in relation to the first two embodiments.
Alternatively, the telephone line 26 may be connected in a well known manner to the Internet, to achieve the same effective connectivity. An output means, namely the printer 40, is operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 for producing an output from the output data file, which output comprises the paper printout 41. In use, after the receipt of an alarm alerting emergency personnel, such as fire fighters, to an emergency situation, a subset of data is selected from the microcomputer 62 and is transmitted from the base computer means 22 to the microcomputer 62 over the Internet or by direct telephone line 26 connection, in a general manner analogous to that discussed above for the first preferred embodiment. Once the selected subset of data has been received back over this connection by the microcomputer 62, the paper printout 41 is generated by the printer 40 and is placed in the hands of emergency personnel before departing to the emergency location.
Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, a fourth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 70. The system 70 includes the base computer means 22, and the first transmission means 24 comprising the modem 25 and conventional telephone lines 26 (optionally connected to the Internet). A microprocessor means, preferably in the form of a portable laptop microcomputer 30, is removably installed at a remote site, in an emergency vehicle, such as the fire truck 29.
An intermediate computer means 72, preferably a microcomputer, is installed in an emergency station, such as fire station. The intermediate computer means 72 is operatively connected between the base computer means 22 and the portable laptop microcomputer 30, in data communicating relation to the first transmission means 24. A modem 76 in the intermediate computer means 72 is permanently plugged into the conventional telephone lines 26 at the fire station in order to receive the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, as transmitted by the base computer means 22. The computer means 72 is for receiving and subsequently re-transmitting the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. A
second transmission means 74 is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the intermediate computer means 72 for transmitting from the intermediate computer means 72 to the remote site, the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the second transmission means 74. The second transmission means 74 comprises the modem 76 as the electronic based transmission means and the cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means. The cellular telephone 28 is operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and receives, from the cellular telephone transmission network 77, cellular transmissions containing the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, which selected subset of the database is transferred to the portable laptop microcomputer 30. The selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is transferred to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, where it is used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the output means, namely the printer 40. In use, the selection parameters to identify the selected subset of the database are generated, in the same general manner as described in relation to the preferred embodiment first described above, at either the portable laptop microcomputer 30 or the intermediate computer means 72, as desired, and transmitted to the base computer means 22.
Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawings, a fifth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 80, which fifth embodiment of the system 80 is similar to the fourth embodiment of the system 70 in that the fifth embodiment of the system 80 includes a base computer means 22, a first transmission means, an intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74 comprising the modem 76 as the electronic based transmission means and the cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means, the cellular telephone 28, the portable laptop microcomputer 30, and the printer 40. However, the first transmission means 24 comprises a storage medium such as a rewritable compact laser disc 78 or a magnetic data storage tape (not shown). The database of emergency floor plan data can be stored on the rewritable compact laser disc 78 while in the base computer means 22. The rewritable compact laser disc 78 is then transferred to the intermediate computer means 72 where the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is selected and read, and is subsequently transmitted from the intermediate computer means 72 to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, via the modem 76, the cellular telephone transmission network 77, and the cellular telephone 28. The selected subset of the database is then used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the printer 40. In use, the selection parameters are generated at either the portable laptop microcomputer 30 or the intermediate computer means 72, as desired. Since the selection of the subset of the database is made at the intermediate computer means 72, the selection parameters to identify the selected subset of the database would need to be transferred only if generated at the portable laptop microcomputer 30.
Referring now to Figure 6 of the drawings, a sixth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 90, which sixth embodiment of the system 90 is also similar to the fourth embodiment of the system 70 in that the sixth embodiment of the system 90 includes the base computer means 22, the first transmission means 24 comprising the modem 25 and conventional telephone lines 26, the intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74, the portable laptop microcomputer 30, and the printer 40. However, the second transmission means 74 comprises a storage medium such as a rewritable compact laser disc 96 or a magnetic data storage tape (not shown). The database of emergency floor plan data can be stored on the rewritable compact laser disc 96 while in the intermediate computer means 72. The rewritable compact laser disc 96 is then transferred to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, where the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is selected and read, and is used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the printer 40. In use, the selection parameters are generated at the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and used by the portable laptop microcomputer 30 to define the selected subset of the database.
Referring now to Figure 7 of the drawings, a seventh embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 100, which seventh embodiment of the system 100 is similar to the fourth embodiment of the system 70 in that the seventh embodiment of the system 100 includes the base computer means 22, the first transmission means comprising the modem 25 and conventional telephone lines 26, the intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74, the cellular telephone 28, a microprocessor means, and an output means. However, the second transmission means 74 comprises a facsimile board ("FAX BOARD") 102 as the electronic based transmission means and the cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means. Further, the microprocessor means and the output means together comprise a facsimile machine 104, operatively connected in data communicating relation to the cellular telephone 28. The cellular telephone 28 receives cellular transmissions containing the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, which selected subset of the database is transferred to the cellular telephone 28, where it is used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the output means, namely the facsimile machine 104. In use, the selection parameters are generated at the intermediate computer means 72, and are transmitted to the base computer means 22 in a manner analogous to that described above in relation to the other embodiments.
Referring now to Figure 8 of the drawings, an eighth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 110, which eighth embodiment of the system 110 is similar to the seventh embodiment of the system 100 in that the eighth embodiment of the system 110 includes the base computer means 22, a first transmission means, an intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74 comprising the facsimile board 102 as the electronic based transmission means and a cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means, a cellular telephone 28, and facsimile machine 104. However, the first transmission means 24 comprises a storage medium such as a rewritable compact laser disc 78 or a magnetic data storage tape (not shown). The database of emergency floor plan data can be stored on the rewritable compact laser disc 78 while in the base computer means 22. The rewritable compact laser disc 78 is then physically transferred to the intermediate computer means 72 so as to permit the entire database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data to be accessed for updating purposes, etc. As required, a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is selected and read from the rewritable compact laser disc 78, and is subsequently transmitted from the intermediate computer means 72 to the facsimile machine 104, via the facsimile board 102, the cellular telephone transmission network 77, and the cellular telephone 78, where the facsimile machine 104 produces the paper printout 41. In use, the selection parameters are generated at the intermediate computer means 72 and used by the intermediate computer means 72 to select the subset of the database relative to a particular emergency location.
Referring now to Figure 9 of the drawings, the paper printout 41 is shown in greater detail. A representation of the floor plan of a building is shown as a graphical output 120, which representation has been generated from emergency floor plan data.
The typical locations of four persons, while asleep within the building, are shown by four numeric indicia 1, 2, 3 and 4, which locations have been generated from related supplemental emergency data. Shown below the graphical output 120 is medical information, as indicated by the general reference numeral 122, about the four persons referred to by the four numeric indicia 1,
The present invention relates to systems for producing and storing emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data, selectively transmitting at least portions of the emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at said remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel.
R~CK~,~OUND OF THE lNVL..llON
Fires in buildings are responsible for many injuries and deaths, especially in residential buildings. Fires occur unexpectedly, often when people are in a building, in which case all people in the building need to be evacuated from the building.
While in many cases, people within a burning building can readily escape without assistance, often people become caught in a dangerous situation in the building if they are not aware of the fire soon enough to make an immediate and easy escape. The fire and accompanying dense smoke may make it extremely difficult, if not virtually impossible, to find one's way to safety, or at least make the trek to safety quite slow. An individual may also be somewhat overcome by smoke, or also may be somewhat injured.
Accordingly, such an individual may require assistance to escape from the burning building as quickly as possible.
Moreover, the fire and smoke can easily overcome or trap, or cause injury to an individual. Also, some individuals, such as children or the elderly, might be unable to escape the burning building without assistance, or if the fire occurs at night, people who are asleep may not be aware of the fire. In such cases, an individual may be unable to escape from a burning building without assistance, thus needing to be rescued by fire fighters or other emergency personnel.
In any event, it is the responsibility of fire fighters and other emergency personnel to ensure that all people within a burning building are safely evacuated as quickly as possible.
In addition to the obvious dangers encountered during the fighting of a fire, there is one specific problem that is responsible for many lives being lost, both the lives of people unable to escape from a burning building and also the lives of fire fighters. The problem is that fire fighters typically do not have emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information, such as possible locations of occupants of the building, age and medical data relating to such occupants, available to them in an organized manner, either at the building or before arriving at the building. Resultingly, upon entering the building, each fire fighter may be required to search through rooms in an almost random manner in order to find people requiring assistance to escape. Such a random search is undesirable as it is temporally inefficient, and also may result in many rooms in the building remaining unsearched. Accordingly, any persons in unsearched rooms would not be reached and may die. It is therefore desirable to have emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information, including possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, number and age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and so on, in the hands of fire fighters and other emergency personnel before their arrival at a remote site, such as a burning building, or at least as early as possible. Early receipt of such data would permit fire fighters and other emergency personnel to plan out how to best fight a fire, ensure that all rooms are searched as efficiently as possible, and locate and rescue people might be located in the building. Such emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information could be available to fire fighters and other emergency personnel at a fire station, police station, and so on, upon departure therefrom, or could be transmitted to one or more fire trucks or other vehicles enroute to a fire or other emergency location.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system by which fire fighters or other emergency personnel can readily assist people to escape, or even rescue people, from a burning building.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system by which fire fighters or other emergency personnel can safely evacuate people within a burning building as quickly as possible.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system that makes emergency floor plan information and related supplemental emergency data readily available to fire fighters or other emergency personnel on an as needed basis.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available related supplemental emergency information, such as possible locations of occupants in the building while asleep, number and age of such occupants, and even medical information about these occupants, to fire fighters and other emergency personnel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available emergency floor plan information, on demand, to fire fighters and other emergency personnel before their arrival at a remote site.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available emergency floor plan data, on demand, to fire fighters and other emergency personnel, at a fire station, police station, or other emergency station.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that transmits emergency floor plan data to fire fighters and other emergency personnel in vehicles enroute to a fire.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system that makes available emergency floor plan data to fire fighters and other emergency personnel, on demand, in the form of a printout.
SUD ~ RY OF THE lNVL..l lON
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a system for producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting at least portions of the emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at the remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel. The system comprises a base computer means for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, for generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to the plurality of buildings from the selected floor plan information, and for storing the database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission. A first transmission means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means for transmitting to a remote site, in response to receipt of selected parameters, a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. A microprocessor means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means for receiving the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings, and for converting the subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, for subsequent output. An output means is operatively connected to the microprocessor means for producing an output from the output data file, the output representing the floor plan of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, and the output being in a form readable by the emergency personnel.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting at least portions of the emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at the remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel, the method comprising the steps of:
(i) entering into a base computer means selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings from the selected floor plan information, and storing the database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission;
(ii) generating selection parameters defining a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings and selecting the subset of the database of the emergency floor plan data according to the selection parameters;
(iii) transmitting to a remote site via a first transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means, the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildingsi (iv) receiving into a microprocessor means operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means, the subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings, and converting the transmitted subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, for subsequent output; and, (v) producing from an output means operatively connected to the microprocessor means, an output from the output data file, the output representing the floor plan of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings, and the output being in a form readable by the emergency personnel.
Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly described hereinbelow.
Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly described hereinbelow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the system of the present invention will now be described by way of example in association with the accompanying drawings appended hereto, which drawings illustrate the preferred embodiments, and in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a second embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnectedi Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a third embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnectedi Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of a fourth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of a sixth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnectedi Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of a seventh embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected;
Eigure 8 is a diagrammatic view of an eighth embodiment according to the present invention, illustrating how the various components are functionally interconnected; and, Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of a typical paper output as generated by the system of the present invention, and printed out by a printer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A rn~-~nn~ EMBODIMENT
Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a preferred - embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 20. The system 20 is for producing and storing emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data, such as a building floor plans, possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, number and age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and so on. Floor plan information and related supplemental emergency information would typically be provided by the owners or occupants of a house or office building, or by the management of a hospital or retirement home, and so on. The information is submitted to a company administrating the system of the present invention for entry into a computer to form a database.
It should be understood that while it is highly desirable, and even necessary, that building floor plan information entered into the system should be highly accurate, it is not necessary that such building floor plan information contain all of the details typically found in an architect's drawings. It would be sufficient to use a simplified building floor plan, as drawn by a homeowner, for example.
A typical database for a community could comprise data on several hundred thousand homes and several thousand commercial and institutional buildings.
At least a portion of the emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is then selectively transmitted, on demand, in response to receipt of selection parameters, to a remote site, such as a fire truck or other emergency vehicle on the way to a fire, or subsequently at the actual scene of a fire, or such as a fire station or other emergency dispatch location before the fire fighters or other emergency personnel have departed. The transmission of data is in response to the receipt of selection parameters defining the subset of the database, as will be described in greater detail subsequently. The transmitted emergency floor plan data is then presented at the remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel, such as fire fighters, police, paramedics, and so on. It is useful for fire fighters or other emergency personnel to have the emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data in hand as soon as possible so that rescue strategies can be planned out as fully as possible before arriving at the scene of the fire. It is also very useful to be able to receive emergency floor plan data and related supplemental emergency data at the site of the emergency, upon request.
The system of Figure 1 comprises a base computer means 22 preferably in the form of a powerful microcomputer, such as one having a rL...l~M microprocessor chip ("CPU") with a clock speed of at least 100 MHz and at least a two Gigabyte hard disk drive. If necessary, a more powerful computer, such as a minicomputer or a mainframe computer can be used. The base computer means 22 is for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings and related supplemental emergency information associated with the plurality of buildings. It should be understood that for the purposes of this document, the term building also encompasses units within a multiple unit building.
Graphical information, such as a building floor plan and possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, would typically be entered through the use of a suitable drawing program, or through the use of a scanner. Textual information, such as age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and medical data relating to such occupants, and so on, would typically be entered through the use of a conventional computer keyboard or other conventional means and the graphical and textual data can be merged in a conventional manner into bit-mapped files or may be linked as separate graphical and textual files to one another by conventional programming technology.
The base computer means 22 is programmed in a conventional manner to generate a database of emergency floor plan data relating to the plurality of buildings from the selected floor plan information and the related supplemental emergency information, and for storing the generated database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission. A database software program such as ACCESS, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington, U.S.A., that stores and retrieves graphical or bit-mapped data files can be advantageously used for this purpose.
A first transmission means, as indicated by the general reference numeral 24, comprising an electronic based transmission means such as a modem 25 and a carrier means such as conventional telephone lines 26 and a cellular telephone transmission network 27, is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means 22. The first transmission means 24 is for transmitting to a remote site, on demand, in response to a receipt of selection parameters, a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. Preferably, the data transmitted would comprise the building floor plan of one or more of the buildings in the database, such as the building or buildings believed to be on fire, and related supplementary emergency information such as the possible locations of occupants of the building while asleep, age of such occupants, medical information about the occupants, and so on.
The subset of data transmitted could be virtually any useful portion of the database greater than zero percent and less than or e~ual to one hundred percent of the database. Typically, the amount of data transmitted would be only an extremely small percentage of the entire database, representing the floor plan information and the related supplementary emergency information of one or several buildings immediately involved in the emergency.
A microprocessor means, preferably a portable laptop microcomputer 30, is removably installed in an emergency vehicle, such as a fire truck, and is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the first transmission means, in this case the conventional telephone lines 26 and the cellular telephone transmission network 27, by means of a cellular telephone 28 operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30. The cellular telephone 28 receives, from the cellular telephone transmission network 27, cellular transmissions containing the selected subset of data from the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data. The selected subset of the database is transferred from the cellular telephone 28 to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 through a modem 32. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 is for receiving the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and preferably also the supplementary emergency data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. The subset of said database of emergency floor plan data and supplementary emergency data may be received by the portable laptop microcomputer 30 while enroute to a remote site, such as the location of a fire, or after having arrived at that remote site.
The portable laptop microcomputer 30 also converts the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data into an output data file representing the floor plan and supplementary emergency data of selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings. The output data file is at least temporarily stored in the portable laptop microcomputer 30, and is used to subsequently produce an output via an output means. The output means preferably comprises a printer 40, and is operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 for producing an output from the output data file. The printer 40 produces a paper printout 41, either one or more replications, which paper printout 41 can be used as needed in the emergency vehicle or the location of the fire. Additionally, the output means can comprise an electronic display screen 42, which is shown built into the portable laptop microcomputer 30.
The paper printout 41 preferably comprises a graphical output, and represents the floor plan and supplemental emergency information of the selected ones, or portions thereof, of the plurality of buildings. In any event, the output is in a form readable by the emergency personnel.
In order to utilize the system 20 of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, it is necessary that fire fighters or other emergency personnel can be provided with outputs generated from emergency floor plan data, and optionally from the related supplementary emergency data, for one or more specifically selected buildings only. Data for other buildings is not to be provided, unless requested. Such selection of the buildings for which an output required, is typically made by fire fighters or other emergency personnel at a remote site, such as the location of a fire or a fire station, once fire fighters or other emergency personnel have knowledge of the location of the fire.
In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1, selection parameters are generated by the fire fighters or other emergency personnel who make the aforesaid selection, through the use of the portable laptop microcomputer 30. Such selection parameters define a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and possibly related supplementary emergency data associated with one or more of the plurality of buildings of the database. Such selection parameters may simply comprise the street address of the building immediately involved in the emergency, such as a fire, and also addresses of buildings surrounding the building immediately involved in the emergency, if desired, such as in multiple unit buildings. Alternatively, a unique alphanumeric accession code representing the street address of the building immediately involved in the emergency, or surrounding buildings, can be used. The unique alphanumeric accession code may be generated from a computer database that stores each street address and one corresponding unique alphanumeric accession code per address, which code is used essentially as a short form to represent the full address, and which code is recognized as such by the database running on the CPU. During use, the street address or accession code may be entered either directly from the computer keyboard of the laptop microcomputer 30, or through a graphical user interface by selecting the appropriate geographic location from a series of maps displayed on the electronic display screen 42, which maps increase in scale from one to the next until the exact building location can be visually discerned and selected by means of a mouse or cursor on the display screen 42. An appropriate graphical user interface can be developed using readily available software, for example, the program VISUAL BASIC, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington, U.S.A..
In use, an alarm condition is made known in a fire station or other emergency station, which alarm condition includes the location of the building or buildings immediately involved in the emergency. Upon receipt of such an alarm condition, preferably while in the fire truck enroute to the emergency location, a fire fighter or other emergency personnel uses the portable laptop microcomputer 30 to generate selection parameters and to communicate with the base computer means 22. First, the emergency location address is entered into the portable laptop microcomputer 30 in one of the manners described above. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 then generates a corresponding unique alphanumeric accession code representing that location.
Communication contact is then established between the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and the base computer means 22 by means of the modem 32, the cellular telephone transmission network 27, the conventional telephone lines 26, and the modem 25. A password is then entered into the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and transmitted to the base computer means 22 to ensure the security of the database in the base computer means 22. Once the password is recognized by the base computer means 22, the selection parameters may then be transmitted to the base computer means 22.
The base computer means 22 then locates the selected subset of the database. The selected subset of the database is then transmitted by means of the modem 25, the conventional telephone lines 26, the cellular telephone transmission network 27, and the modem 32, to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, whereat the paper printout 41 is generated by the printer 40.
Reference will now be made to Figures 2 through 8 to describe other embodiments of the present invention. Components common to more than one Figure will be indicated by like reference numerals in each Figure, for ease of understanding.
Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, a second embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 50. The system 50 is similar to the system 20 as shown in Figure 1, except that the first transmission means 24 comprises the modem 25 as the electronic based transmission means and conventional telephone lines 56 only as the carrier means.
The first transmission means 24 is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the base computer means 22. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 is removably installed in the fire truck 29. In use, the modem 32 in the portable laptop microcomputer 30 is occasionally, perhaps once per week or so, plugged into the conventional telephone lines 26 in order to permit the portable laptop microcomputer 30 to receive the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, as transmitted by the base computer means 22. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 receives the database in its entirety and stores the database on its hard disk drive (not shown). The portable laptop microcomputer 30 may then be transferred into a fire truck 29, as indicated by arrow "A". An output in the form of paper printout 41 can then be obtained, on demand, for a selected emergency location or locations, by fire fighters or other emergency personnel, from the printer 40, which printer may be permanently installed in the fire truck or other emergency vehicle.
Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, a third embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 60. The system 60 includes the base computer means 22, the first transmission means 24 comprising the modem 25 and a conventional telephone line 26, and a microprocessor means, preferably in the form of a microcomputer 62 permanently installed at a remote site, in an emergency station, such as a fire station.
A modem 64 in the microcomputer 62 is permanently plugged into the conventional telephone line 26 at the fire station in order to receive the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, as transmitted by the base computer means 22 in a manner analogous to that already described in relation to the first two embodiments.
Alternatively, the telephone line 26 may be connected in a well known manner to the Internet, to achieve the same effective connectivity. An output means, namely the printer 40, is operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 for producing an output from the output data file, which output comprises the paper printout 41. In use, after the receipt of an alarm alerting emergency personnel, such as fire fighters, to an emergency situation, a subset of data is selected from the microcomputer 62 and is transmitted from the base computer means 22 to the microcomputer 62 over the Internet or by direct telephone line 26 connection, in a general manner analogous to that discussed above for the first preferred embodiment. Once the selected subset of data has been received back over this connection by the microcomputer 62, the paper printout 41 is generated by the printer 40 and is placed in the hands of emergency personnel before departing to the emergency location.
Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, a fourth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 70. The system 70 includes the base computer means 22, and the first transmission means 24 comprising the modem 25 and conventional telephone lines 26 (optionally connected to the Internet). A microprocessor means, preferably in the form of a portable laptop microcomputer 30, is removably installed at a remote site, in an emergency vehicle, such as the fire truck 29.
An intermediate computer means 72, preferably a microcomputer, is installed in an emergency station, such as fire station. The intermediate computer means 72 is operatively connected between the base computer means 22 and the portable laptop microcomputer 30, in data communicating relation to the first transmission means 24. A modem 76 in the intermediate computer means 72 is permanently plugged into the conventional telephone lines 26 at the fire station in order to receive the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, as transmitted by the base computer means 22. The computer means 72 is for receiving and subsequently re-transmitting the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. A
second transmission means 74 is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the intermediate computer means 72 for transmitting from the intermediate computer means 72 to the remote site, the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data relating to one or more of the plurality of buildings. The portable laptop microcomputer 30 is operatively connected in data communicating relation to the second transmission means 74. The second transmission means 74 comprises the modem 76 as the electronic based transmission means and the cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means. The cellular telephone 28 is operatively connected to the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and receives, from the cellular telephone transmission network 77, cellular transmissions containing the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, which selected subset of the database is transferred to the portable laptop microcomputer 30. The selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is transferred to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, where it is used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the output means, namely the printer 40. In use, the selection parameters to identify the selected subset of the database are generated, in the same general manner as described in relation to the preferred embodiment first described above, at either the portable laptop microcomputer 30 or the intermediate computer means 72, as desired, and transmitted to the base computer means 22.
Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawings, a fifth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 80, which fifth embodiment of the system 80 is similar to the fourth embodiment of the system 70 in that the fifth embodiment of the system 80 includes a base computer means 22, a first transmission means, an intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74 comprising the modem 76 as the electronic based transmission means and the cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means, the cellular telephone 28, the portable laptop microcomputer 30, and the printer 40. However, the first transmission means 24 comprises a storage medium such as a rewritable compact laser disc 78 or a magnetic data storage tape (not shown). The database of emergency floor plan data can be stored on the rewritable compact laser disc 78 while in the base computer means 22. The rewritable compact laser disc 78 is then transferred to the intermediate computer means 72 where the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is selected and read, and is subsequently transmitted from the intermediate computer means 72 to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, via the modem 76, the cellular telephone transmission network 77, and the cellular telephone 28. The selected subset of the database is then used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the printer 40. In use, the selection parameters are generated at either the portable laptop microcomputer 30 or the intermediate computer means 72, as desired. Since the selection of the subset of the database is made at the intermediate computer means 72, the selection parameters to identify the selected subset of the database would need to be transferred only if generated at the portable laptop microcomputer 30.
Referring now to Figure 6 of the drawings, a sixth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 90, which sixth embodiment of the system 90 is also similar to the fourth embodiment of the system 70 in that the sixth embodiment of the system 90 includes the base computer means 22, the first transmission means 24 comprising the modem 25 and conventional telephone lines 26, the intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74, the portable laptop microcomputer 30, and the printer 40. However, the second transmission means 74 comprises a storage medium such as a rewritable compact laser disc 96 or a magnetic data storage tape (not shown). The database of emergency floor plan data can be stored on the rewritable compact laser disc 96 while in the intermediate computer means 72. The rewritable compact laser disc 96 is then transferred to the portable laptop microcomputer 30, where the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is selected and read, and is used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the printer 40. In use, the selection parameters are generated at the portable laptop microcomputer 30 and used by the portable laptop microcomputer 30 to define the selected subset of the database.
Referring now to Figure 7 of the drawings, a seventh embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 100, which seventh embodiment of the system 100 is similar to the fourth embodiment of the system 70 in that the seventh embodiment of the system 100 includes the base computer means 22, the first transmission means comprising the modem 25 and conventional telephone lines 26, the intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74, the cellular telephone 28, a microprocessor means, and an output means. However, the second transmission means 74 comprises a facsimile board ("FAX BOARD") 102 as the electronic based transmission means and the cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means. Further, the microprocessor means and the output means together comprise a facsimile machine 104, operatively connected in data communicating relation to the cellular telephone 28. The cellular telephone 28 receives cellular transmissions containing the selected subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data, which selected subset of the database is transferred to the cellular telephone 28, where it is used to subsequently produce the paper printout 41 via the output means, namely the facsimile machine 104. In use, the selection parameters are generated at the intermediate computer means 72, and are transmitted to the base computer means 22 in a manner analogous to that described above in relation to the other embodiments.
Referring now to Figure 8 of the drawings, an eighth embodiment of the present invention is indicated by the general reference numeral 110, which eighth embodiment of the system 110 is similar to the seventh embodiment of the system 100 in that the eighth embodiment of the system 110 includes the base computer means 22, a first transmission means, an intermediate computer means 72, the second transmission means 74 comprising the facsimile board 102 as the electronic based transmission means and a cellular telephone transmission network 77 as the carrier means, a cellular telephone 28, and facsimile machine 104. However, the first transmission means 24 comprises a storage medium such as a rewritable compact laser disc 78 or a magnetic data storage tape (not shown). The database of emergency floor plan data can be stored on the rewritable compact laser disc 78 while in the base computer means 22. The rewritable compact laser disc 78 is then physically transferred to the intermediate computer means 72 so as to permit the entire database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data to be accessed for updating purposes, etc. As required, a subset of the database of emergency floor plan data and related supplementary emergency data is selected and read from the rewritable compact laser disc 78, and is subsequently transmitted from the intermediate computer means 72 to the facsimile machine 104, via the facsimile board 102, the cellular telephone transmission network 77, and the cellular telephone 78, where the facsimile machine 104 produces the paper printout 41. In use, the selection parameters are generated at the intermediate computer means 72 and used by the intermediate computer means 72 to select the subset of the database relative to a particular emergency location.
Referring now to Figure 9 of the drawings, the paper printout 41 is shown in greater detail. A representation of the floor plan of a building is shown as a graphical output 120, which representation has been generated from emergency floor plan data.
The typical locations of four persons, while asleep within the building, are shown by four numeric indicia 1, 2, 3 and 4, which locations have been generated from related supplemental emergency data. Shown below the graphical output 120 is medical information, as indicated by the general reference numeral 122, about the four persons referred to by the four numeric indicia 1,
2, 3 and 4.
Other modifications and alterations may be used in the design and manufacture of the apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims. For example, the term "conventional telephone line" as used in this specification and the appended claims includes regular voice telephone lines, high speed data telephone lines, both digital and analogue, fibre optic cables, co-axial cables, and any other form of electronic data transmission over a hard line. Moreover, the term "carrier means" as used in this specification and the appended claims expressly includes an asynchronous data transmitting connection by means of a telephone line (either conventional or cellular) to the Internet to achieve the stated purposes.
Other modifications and alterations may be used in the design and manufacture of the apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims. For example, the term "conventional telephone line" as used in this specification and the appended claims includes regular voice telephone lines, high speed data telephone lines, both digital and analogue, fibre optic cables, co-axial cables, and any other form of electronic data transmission over a hard line. Moreover, the term "carrier means" as used in this specification and the appended claims expressly includes an asynchronous data transmitting connection by means of a telephone line (either conventional or cellular) to the Internet to achieve the stated purposes.
Claims (33)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A system for producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting at least portions of said emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at said remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel, said system comprising:
a base computer means for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, for generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to said plurality of buildings from said selected floor plan information, and for storing said database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission;
first transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said base computer means for transmitting to a remote site, in response to receipt of selection parameters, a subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings;
microprocessor means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said first transmission means for receiving said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, and for converting said subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, for subsequent output; and, output means operatively connected to said microprocessor means for producing an output from said output data file, said output representing the floor plan of said selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, said output being in a form readable by said emergency personnel.
a base computer means for entering selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, for generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to said plurality of buildings from said selected floor plan information, and for storing said database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission;
first transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said base computer means for transmitting to a remote site, in response to receipt of selection parameters, a subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings;
microprocessor means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said first transmission means for receiving said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, and for converting said subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, for subsequent output; and, output means operatively connected to said microprocessor means for producing an output from said output data file, said output representing the floor plan of said selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, said output being in a form readable by said emergency personnel.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first transmission means comprises an electronic based transmission means and a carrier means.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said electronic based transmission means comprises a modem and said carrier means comprises a conventional telephone line.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein said carrier means additionally comprise a connection through said conventional telephone line to the Internet.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein said microprocessor means comprises a microcomputer.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said microcomputer is a portable laptop microcomputer.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein said portable laptop microcomputer is removably installed in an emergency vehicle.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein said output produced by said output means comprises a graphical output.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein said output means comprises a printer that produces a paper output.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein said output means comprises an electronic display screen.
11. The system of claim 5, wherein said microcomputer is installed in an emergency station.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said output produced by said output means comprises a graphical output.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein said output means comprises a printer that produces a paper output.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein said emergency floor plan information includes related supplementary emergency information and said database of said emergency floor plan data additionally comprises related supplementary emergency data generated from said related supplementary emergency information, and wherein said output data file further represents the supplementary emergency information related to said floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein said related supplemental emergency data include the numbers and typical locations of persons in a building while asleep, and medical information about said persons.
16. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
(a) an intermediate computer means operatively connected between said base computer means and said microprocessor means in data communicating relation to said first transmission means for receiving and subsequently re-transmitting said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings; and, (b) a second transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said intermediate computer means for transmitting from said intermediate computer means to said remote site said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, wherein said microprocessor means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to said second transmission means.
(a) an intermediate computer means operatively connected between said base computer means and said microprocessor means in data communicating relation to said first transmission means for receiving and subsequently re-transmitting said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings; and, (b) a second transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said intermediate computer means for transmitting from said intermediate computer means to said remote site said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, wherein said microprocessor means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to said second transmission means.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein said second transmission means comprises an electronic based transmission means and carrier means.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein said electronic based transmission means comprises a modem and said carrier comprises a cellular telephone line.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein said intermediate computer means comprises a microcomputer.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein said microcomputer is installed in an emergency station.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein said microprocessor means comprises a portable laptop microcomputer.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein said portable laptop microcomputer is removably installed in an emergency vehicle.
23. The system of claim 20, wherein said microprocessor means comprises a facsimile machine.
24. A method of producing and storing emergency floor plan data, selectively transmitting at least portions of said emergency floor plan data to a remote site on demand, and presenting the transmitted emergency floor plan data at said remote site in an output form readable by emergency personnel, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) entering into a base computer means selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings from said selected floor plan information, and storing said database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission;
(ii) generating selection parameters defining a subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings and selecting said subset of said database of said emergency floor plan data according to said selection parameters;
(iii) transmitting to a remote site via a first transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said base computer means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildingsi (iv) receiving into a microprocessor means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said first transmission means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, and converting said transmitted subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, for subsequent output; and, (v) producing from an output means operatively connected to said microprocessor means, an output from said output data file, said output representing the floor plan of said selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, and said output being in a form readable by said emergency personnel.
(i) entering into a base computer means selected floor plan information associated with a plurality of buildings, generating a database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings from said selected floor plan information, and storing said database of emergency floor plan data for subsequent transmission;
(ii) generating selection parameters defining a subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings and selecting said subset of said database of said emergency floor plan data according to said selection parameters;
(iii) transmitting to a remote site via a first transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said base computer means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildingsi (iv) receiving into a microprocessor means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said first transmission means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, and converting said transmitted subset into an output data file representing the floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, for subsequent output; and, (v) producing from an output means operatively connected to said microprocessor means, an output from said output data file, said output representing the floor plan of said selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings, and said output being in a form readable by said emergency personnel.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein step (ii) includes transmitting said selected parameters from a microprocessor means at a remote site, to said base computer means, via said first transmission means.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings is transmitted by means of an electronic based transmission means and carrier means.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein said data are transmitted by means of a modem and a conventional telephone line.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein step (iv) is performed at an emergency station, and step (v) is performed in an emergency vehicle.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein step (iv) and step (v) are performed using a single portable laptop microcomputer.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein, in step (v), said output comprises a paper output produced on a printer.
31. The method of claim 30, comprising the further steps of generating statistical data at said microcomputer, and transmitting said statistical data via said first transmission means to said generating base computer means.
32. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of, after step (iii) and before step (iv):
(iii') receiving into an intermediate computer means operatively connected between said base computer means and said output means in data communicating relation to said first transmission means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, for subsequent re-transmission; and, (iii'') transmitting from said intermediate computer means to said remote site, via a second transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said intermediate computer means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, wherein said microprocessor means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to said second transmission means.
(iii') receiving into an intermediate computer means operatively connected between said base computer means and said output means in data communicating relation to said first transmission means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, for subsequent re-transmission; and, (iii'') transmitting from said intermediate computer means to said remote site, via a second transmission means operatively connected in data communicating relation to said intermediate computer means, said subset of said database of emergency floor plan data relating to one or more of said plurality of buildings, wherein said microprocessor means is operatively connected in data communicating relation to said second transmission means.
33. The method of claim 24, wherein step (i) further comprises entering into said base computer means related supplementary emergency information and said database includes related supplementary emergency data generated from said related supplementary emergency information; and wherein, in step (v), said output further represents emergency information related to said floor plan of selected ones, or portions thereof, of said plurality of buildings.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US70304196A | 1996-08-26 | 1996-08-26 | |
| US08/703,041 | 1996-08-26 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2213199A1 true CA2213199A1 (en) | 1998-02-26 |
Family
ID=24823722
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002213199A Abandoned CA2213199A1 (en) | 1996-08-26 | 1997-08-14 | A system for producing, storing, presenting and transmitting emergency floor plan data |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2213199A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6473692B2 (en) | 1996-08-22 | 2002-10-29 | Go2 Systems, Inc. | System and method for locating points of interest |
| US8112419B2 (en) | 1996-08-22 | 2012-02-07 | Wgrs Licensing Company, Llc | Unified geographic database and method of creating, maintaining and using the same |
| USD959552S1 (en) | 2021-07-21 | 2022-08-02 | Speedfind, Inc | Display sign |
-
1997
- 1997-08-14 CA CA002213199A patent/CA2213199A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US6473692B2 (en) | 1996-08-22 | 2002-10-29 | Go2 Systems, Inc. | System and method for locating points of interest |
| US8112419B2 (en) | 1996-08-22 | 2012-02-07 | Wgrs Licensing Company, Llc | Unified geographic database and method of creating, maintaining and using the same |
| US8935220B2 (en) | 1996-08-22 | 2015-01-13 | WGRS Licensing, LLC | Unified geographic database and method of creating, maintaining and using the same |
| USD959552S1 (en) | 2021-07-21 | 2022-08-02 | Speedfind, Inc | Display sign |
| USD1013783S1 (en) | 2021-07-21 | 2024-02-06 | Speedfind, Inc. | Display sign |
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