WO2007090950A1

WO2007090950A1 - System for displaying an emergency evacuation route

Info

Publication number: WO2007090950A1
Application number: PCT/FR2007/000202
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cyrille Coppin; Jean-Luc Scheer
Original assignee: Cooper Menvier Sas
Priority date: 2006-02-08
Filing date: 2007-02-05
Publication date: 2007-08-16
Also published as: FR2896993A1; FR2896993B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (6) for determining evacuation routes, comprising: a communication interface (31, 32) able to receive alert signals originating from alert sensors (5) distributed around a building, and able to emit display commands sent to guiding lights (2) distributed around the building; a database (4) storing: relationships of proximity between the lights (2) and the sensors; the existence of evacuation passages; the length of the passages; a module (3) for determining a safe evacuation route between each light and a safety zone as a function of the length of the passages and as a function of the proximity between a light from which a passage departs and a sensor emitting an alert signal, and generating a display command so that each light indicates a passage belonging to the safe evacuation route.

Description

EMERGENCY EXHAUST ROAD DISPLAY SYSTEM

The invention relates to evacuation systems for people, and in particular the systems for displaying the evacuation route of persons to safety zones during the detection of an emergency situation.

US 4,023,146 discloses an evacuation system for a multi-storey building. After detecting the position of a fire, evacuation priorities are determined for each floor by a computer. An emergency signal and a priority signal are returned to persons in a floor to be evacuated in priority. In addition, the system has light panels near the elevator doors, to direct people to a safety zone. A light panel provides a modified orientation if a fire is detected on the default path to a zone of safety. security.

Such a system has disadvantages. Indeed, such a system is not suitable for a building with a large area and multiple branches, therefore involving a multitude of evacuation routes to safe areas. When multiple paths are possible, such a system does not include determining which of these paths to take when another escape route is condemned.

The invention proposes a device for determining escape routes, comprising: a communication interface capable of receiving warning signals from different warning sensors distributed in a building, and able to issue display commands to orientation lights distributed throughout the building; a database storing:

proximity links between orientation luminaires and warning sensors;

the existence of evacuation passages between two memorized luminaires; the existence of an evacuation passage between a luminaire and a safety zone;

-the length of each of these passages;

the presence of an obstacle crossing a stored passage reducing the evacuation capacity of persons of said passage, an additional length representative of this capacity reduction being stored for this obstacle; a calculating and determining module, calculating evacuation paths between each stored luminaire and a memorized security zone according to the memorized lengths and determining the shortest secure escape path among the evacuation routes calculated according to the stored lengths; the proximity between a stored luminaire from which a passage and a stored sensor for which an alert signal is received, and generating a display command to the luminaires so that each luminaire connected to the interface indicates a passage belonging to the shortest secure evacuation path.

According to one variant, the calculation and determination module determines a shortest evacuation path taking into account for each stored passage the number of sensors for which an alert signal is received and stored near a luminaire of which part of said passage.

According to another variant, said database stores a secure reference evacuation path, and the calculation and determination module determines a shortest evacuation path as a function of the proximity of the passages of the evacuation paths calculated with the passages of the secure evacuation route of reference.

According to another variant, the database stores the type of obstacle present in a passage, this type of memorized obstacle belonging to the group consisting of fire doors, doors, stairs and bulky objects,

According to yet another variant, the communication interface is able to receive the operating status of each stored luminaire, and the calculation and determination module determines a shortest evacuation path taking into account for each stored passage the operating status of a stored luminaire from which said passage.

According to a variant, the module is able to locate the origin of the alert according to the received alert signals, to determine the shortest path between a stored luminaire and the origin of the alert, and to generate display commands of each luminaire memorized to indicate a passage belonging to the shortest path to the origin of the alert.

According to another variant, the database stores for each luminaire, all the luminaires or security zones accessible by a stored passage. According to another variant, the device comprises a user input interface of a risk zone of the building, and the calculation and determination module determines the shortest secure path among the evacuation paths calculated according to the proximity between a memorized light from which a passage passes and the risk zone seized.

According to yet another variant, the calculation and determination module generates a display command for the luminaries belonging to a passage penetrating into a seized risk zone, this command being intended to display a prohibition of penetration into said risk zone. .

The invention also relates to an evacuation route display system, comprising: a device for determining escape routes as described above; warning sensors arranged in the building, communicating with the communication interface of the device and stored in the database; orientation luminaires arranged in the building and communicating with the communication interface of the device and stored in the database.

According to one variant, the orientation luminaires are able to display a forbidden passage, and in which the calculation and determination module is able to identify a passage of which a crossing must be prohibited as a function of the number of sensors memorized in the vicinity of a luminaire from which said passage passes and for which an alert signal is received, the calculation and determination module being further able to generate a display control for the luminaries from which said passage to prohibit.

The invention further relates to a method of displaying evacuation routes in a building, comprising the steps of:

receive warning signals from different warning sensors distributed in a building;

from a database storing proximity links between orientation and alerting luminaires, the existence of evacuation passages between two luminaires of the building, the existence of a passage of evacuation between a luminaire and a safety zone, the length of these passages, the presence of an obstacle at the crossing of a memorized passage and a parameter for correcting the length of a passage, representative of a reduction in capacity evacuation of said passage due to said memorized obstacle:

calculating evacuation paths between each stored luminaire and a memorized security zone according to the memorized lengths;

determining the shortest secure evacuation path among the calculated evacuation routes, as a function of the proximity between a stored luminaire from which a passage passes and a stored sensor for which an alert signal is received

-show a passage belonging to the shortest secure escape route by means of the luminaires.

a communication interface capable of receiving warning signals from different warning sensors distributed in a building, and able to issue display commands intended for orientation lights distributed in the building; a database storing:

proximity links between orientation luminaires and warning sensors; the existence of evacuation passages between two memorized luminaires; the existence of an evacuation passage between a luminaire and a safety zone; -the length of each of these passages;

a calculation and determination module, calculating evacuation paths between each stored luminaire and a memorized security zone as a function of the length of the memorized passages and determining the shortest secure evacuation path among the evacuation paths; calculated according to the proximity between a stored luminaire from which a passage passes and a stored sensor for which an alert signal is received, and generating a display command to the luminaires so that each luminaire connected to the interface indicates a passage belonging to the shortest secure escape route.

The invention also relates to an evacuation route display system comprising:

a device for determining escape routes as defined above; warning sensors arranged in the building, communicating with the receiving interface of the device and stored in the database;

orientation luminaires arranged in the building and communicating with the transmission interface of the device and stored in the database.

According to one variant, the orientation luminaires are able to display a forbidden passage, and the calculation and determination module is able to identify a passage to be prohibited according to the number of sensors for which an alert signal is received and memorized. in the vicinity of a luminaire from which said passage, the calculation and determination module being further adapted to generate a display control to the luminaries from which said passage to prohibit.

from a database storing proximity links between orientation and alerting luminaires, the existence of evacuation passages between two luminaires of the building, the existence of a passage of evacuation between a luminaire and a safety zone, and the length of these passages:

calculating evacuation paths between each stored luminaire and a memorized security zone as a function of the length of the memorized passages; determining the shortest secure evacuation path among the calculated evacuation routes, as a function of the proximity between a stored luminaire from which a passage passes and a stored sensor for which an alert signal is received

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given hereinafter, by way of indication and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an evacuation route display system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates different states of a luminaire that can be used in the context of the invention; FIG. 3 illustrates a plan portion of a building in which the invention is implemented.

The invention proposes to take into account the distances separating luminaires marking the evacuation routes of a building in order to dynamically calculate a shortest possible secure escape route. A parameter for correcting the length of a passage is memorized for obstacles crossing a passage, in order to represent the reduction of the evacuation capacity of the passage. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for determining escape routes, comprising:

proximity links between the orientation luminaires and the warning sensors; the existence of evacuation passages between two luminaires; -the length of each of these passages;

a module for calculating and determining a shortest secure evacuation path between each luminaire and a safety zone (zone without fire detection, outside a building or an emergency exit). This calculation and this determination depend on the lengths stored and the proximity to the passages of one or more sensors emitting an alert signal. This module generates a state making it possible to issue a display command so that the luminaires indicate a passage belonging to the shortest secure evacuation path.

Thus, the shortest secure escape route to a security zone can be dynamically calculated or simulated based on the events detected by the alert sensors and their evolution.

FIG. 1 represents an evacuation route display system 1, comprising a device for determining evacuation routes 6, warning sensors 5 and orientation luminaires 2.

The device 6 can be implemented as a server located remote from the monitored building.

The warning sensors 5 are, in the example, fire or smoke detection sensors of any suitable type. These sensors 5 may be connected to the interface 32 of the device 6 for the transmission of the warning signals. a manner known per se by the skilled person. The luminaires may be connected to the interface 31 of the device 6 to receive display commands.

The security zones are for example delimited by emergency exits.

FIG. 2 represents different states of a luminaire 2 that can be used in the context of the invention. The orientation is defined by the display of the visible side of the luminaire. Assuming that this luminaire is arranged vertically before a crossing, the state D command to take the passage of right, the state B command to take the passage opposite, the state G command to take the passage of left and state X forbids a passage. Each state is defined by a command generated and issued by the evacuation path determination system,

FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of a building comprising an evacuation route display system 1 according to the invention. The connections between sensors and luminaires are shown in broken lines. Since the luminaires are arranged vertically, an outgrowth identifies the upper edge of each luminaire. A fire 11 occurs near the sensor 51, related to the luminaires 22, 33 and 34. The luminaire 22 is arranged in front of a fire door 10, On the other side of the fire door 10, is arranged a luminaire 23, connected to the sensor 52, further down the corridor, is a luminaire 24, also connected to the sensor 52. A luminaire 20 is disposed halfway of a corridor 7 cul-de-sac. A luminaire 29 is arranged on a door giving access to a staircase 8 to another floor, luminaires 25 to 28 are arranged at a cross and are connected to a sensor 53. A luminaire 21 is disposed on an emergency exit 9 opening on a secured area, and is connected to the sensor 53.

In the example of Figure 3, it is found that the luminaire 20 is an isolated and static luminaire because it is located in a cul-de-sac 8 and therefore systematically displays the same orientation, Such a luminaire does not enter in the calculation of the shortest secure path.

The database 4 may notably comprise a description of the detection device, a description of the topology of the places and a description of the orientation device formed of the luminaires 2.

In the example, the description of the detection device lists the locations of the warning sensors 5 and associates a unique address to each of these sensors 5. Thus, the existence and location of a fire can be determined easily and unequivocal way. This address may include a sensor number, a connection line number, a point number, and a detection area number. The type of obstacle present in a passage can also be memorized.

Advantageously, the determination device 6 receives the operating status of each sensor 5 via the interface 32. The status of each sensor is then updated in the database 4. This status can notably be defined with the following coding:

0: normal operation, no alert;

1: normal operation, presence of an alert;

2 to 6: identification of a defined malfunction; 7: out of service; 8: test.

Advantageously, the description of the detection device stores a weight associated with each sensor 5, in order to take into account the more or less distant position of a sensor with respect to an evacuation path.

In the example, the description of the topology of places defines, in the first place, the existence of passages between pairs of orientation luminaires and the length of these passages. Advantageously, the description of the topology also includes a coefficient representative of the reduction of possible flow capacity in each passage, as a parameter for correcting the length of the passage. The flow coefficient can be a scale between 0 and 1 (1 corresponding to a value in the absence of flow constraint). The flow coefficient can be modified according to specificities of the building, for example due to the presence of annoying elements or obstacles such as cabinets in the passage or due to a decrease in flow rate due to a particular event .

In addition, the description of the topology defines a link between a luminaire 2 and one or more warning sensors 5. Such a link makes it possible in particular to determine the orientation that each luminaire must display depending on the location of the fire or the anomaly. It is possible to provide a binary link defining luminaires 2 arranged near a given sensor 5. It is also possible to provide a more precise link defining the distance between a sensor 5 and a plurality of luminaires 2 placed in the vicinity.

The topology of places can be defined in the following way in the database: the passage (s) between a luminaire and its adjacent luminaires is defined by a distance and an adjacency link composed of the address of the adjacent luminaire and the orientation displayed to get there from this luminaire (G, D ₁ H ₁ B). Luminaires will be considered adjacent if a direct passage connects them.

The description of the orientation device associates a unique address to each of the luminaires. Advantageously, the determination device 6 has an interface receiving a status for each luminaire, the status of each luminaire then being updated in the description of the orientation device of the database.

By coding this status on one byte, it is possible in particular to provide that the value O identifies a luminaire 2 having a normal operation, that the values 1 to 6 identify different operating errors, and that the value 7 identifies an absence or a total failure of the lamp.

The description of the orientation device may in particular include the nature of each luminaire. By coding this nature on a byte, the following coding can notably be provided: 0: isolated luminaire (such as luminaire 20);

1: outlet luminaire (such as luminaire 21);

2: fire door luminaire associated with another luminaire on the other side of the fire door (such as luminaires 22 and 23); 3: standard door or door luminaire giving access to a stairwell (such as luminaire 29) and whose orientations must for example be limited to B and X;

4: corridor luminaire (such as luminaire 24) with only 2 possible orientations (G, D); 5: crossing luminaire (such as luminaire 25) having at least 4 orientations

(G ₁ D ₁ B ₁ X).

The description of the orientation device may also indicate the orientation displayed by each luminaire 2 in the secure reference path, ie the escape route defined by default in the absence of a defined emergency situation. The orientations X ₁ D ₁ G, H ₁ B are for example coded respectively by the values 0 to 4.

The description of the orientation device can also update in real time an activation value of each luminaire. A luminaire is activated if one of the sensors to which it is linked sends an alert signal, and deactivated if it is not.

The device 6 can determine in real time that an area including activated sensors is a risk zone. Advantageously, the state of the luminaires is only modified in the risk zones with respect to the reference evacuation path. Advantageously, a hierarchy is performed between the criteria leading to the calculation of the shortest secure path.

The following hierarchy can be used (in descending order of importance): -calculate the safest path. For this, an unfavorable weighting is associated with the passages located in a zone as a function of the number of sensors emitting an alert signal contained in this zone;

- give a favorable weighting to the passages closest to the secure reference path; -define the actual distance to travel in a passage;

- give an unfavorable weight to a low-rate pass;

-provide an unfavorable weighting to a passage that includes fire doors, doors, or any other obstacle that may slow the movement of people during the evacuation.

On the basis of these hierarchical criteria, an equivalent distance or length is calculated for each passage u, u joining adjacent luminaries x and y. The following formula can be used in particular to calculate the equivalent distance P (u) for a passage u, in the direction from x to y: P (u) = P1 (i) * NDA (x) / 2 + P1 (i) ^* NDA (y) / 2 + d (u) -ref + (1-CD (u)) * d (u) + P2 (x) / 2 + P2 (y) / 2 with:

P1 (i) the weight associated with the safety criterion, weighted by the weight of each sensor i associated with the given luminaire; NDA (x) number of activated sensors related to luminaire x;

D (u) the length of the passage u between the x and y luminaires; dref = d (u) if the x and y luminaires are adjacent in the reference escape route or dref = O otherwise;

P2 is an equivalent distance corresponding to the presence of a fire door in the passage u (x and / or y are fire door luminaires), the correction parameter is then expressed as a length additional equivalent;

CD (u) is a flow coefficient associated with the passage, varying from 0 in case of high flow constraint, to 1 in case of no flow constraint,

P1 (i) is the fire weight calculated with the following formula:

P1 (i) = A _x (i) * Max {D (x, si), D (x, S ₂ ), D (x, S ₃ ), D (X ₁ s ₄ )};

With D (X ₁ Sj) corresponding to the maximum distance traveled from the luminaire x to an output luminaire via the luminaire sj. A _x (i) is a weighting assigned to the sensor i related to the fixture x (Ax (I) = I by default), Sj being the adjacent fixtures of the fixture x.

The calculation of the equivalent distance for each passage can be done dynamically during each change of status of a sensor, in order to recalculate in real time the shortest secure path. The shortest secure path calculation can be performed by an operational search module, based on the network model stored in the database. Thus, the network corresponding to the building or part of the building is defined by a set of nodes corresponding to the luminaires or access to safety zones, by a set of arcs corresponding to the passages between the nodes, and by an equivalent distance associated with each bow. The operational search module determines the shortest secure path as the path for which the sum of the distances equivalent to the borrowed passages is the lowest. Therefore, the device 6 generates orientation display commands for the luminaires corresponding to this path, The calculation of the equivalent distance of a passage can also take into account the status of a luminaire: if a luminaire is detected as having a fault, the equivalent distance of the passages to which it belongs can be lengthened so that the most secure path short passes primarily by luminaries whose display is functional.

Advantageously, the evacuation path determination device 6 may have a mode in which the orientation of the display provided by the luminaires is reversed, in order to allow the firefighters to trace the origin of the fire. Advantageously, this opposite orientation is associated with a distinct color (for example red) of the orientation color towards a secure zone (for example green).

Advantageously, the device 6 systematically controls the luminaires to display a path to a secure area, even if no path is safe. In such a case, the evacuation route displayed may correspond to the reference escape route.

Advantageously, the device 6 may comprise an interface for entering a risk zone in the building by a user. Thus, a risk zone can be defined even in the absence of receiving a warning signal from a sensor. Thus, events such as bomb threats can be taken into account even if they are undetectable by the sensors. sensors. The shortest secured paths are determined by the proximity of a luminaire from which a passage passes to the risk area entered. A display control may be issued to luminaires belonging to passages entering a risk area entered. A prohibition of penetration into the said risk zone is then displayed.

Claims

Device (6) for determining escape routes, characterized in that it comprises: a communication interface (31, 32) capable of receiving warning signals from different warning sensors (5) distributed in a building, and able to issue display commands to orientation lights (2) distributed in the building; a database (4) storing:

proximity links between orientation luminaires (2) and warning sensors; the existence of evacuation passages between two memorized luminaires; the existence of an evacuation passage between a luminaire and a safety zone;

-the length of each of these passages;

the presence of an obstacle crossing a stored passage reducing the evacuation capacity of persons of said passage, a correction parameter of the length of the passage representative of this capacity reduction being stored for this obstacle;

a calculation and determination module, calculating evacuation paths between each stored luminaire and a memorized security zone according to the memorized lengths and determining (3) the shortest secure escape path among the evacuation paths; calculated according to the proximity between a stored luminaire from which a passage passes and a stored sensor for which an alert signal is received, and generating a display command to the luminaires so that each luminaire connected to the interface indicates a passage belonging to the shortest secure escape route.

2. Device (6) according to claim 1, wherein the calculation and determination module determines a shortest escape route by taking into account for each stored passage the number of sensors (5) for which a signal of alert is received and stored near a luminaire (2) from which said passage.

Device (6) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said database stores a secure reference escape route, and wherein the calculation and determination module determines a shortest evacuation route based on the proximity of the evacuation routes calculated with the passages of the secure evacuation route of reference.

4. Device (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the database stores the type of obstacle present in a passage, this type of memorized obstacle belonging to the group consisting of fire doors, doors , stairs and bulky objects.

5. Device (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication interface is adapted to receive the operating status of each stored luminaire, and wherein the calculation and determination module determines a path of the shortest evacuation taking into account for each stored passage the operating status of a stored luminaire from which said passage.

6. Device (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the module is adapted to locate the origin of the alert based on the received alert signals, to determine the shortest path between a stored luminaire and the origin of the alert, and to generate display commands for each luminaire stored so as to indicate a passage belonging to the shortest path to the origin of the alert.

7. Device (6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the database stores for each luminaire, all fixtures or security zones accessible by a stored passage.

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a user input interface of a risk zone of the building, and wherein the calculation and determination module determines the shortest secure path among the paths of d. evacuation calculated as a function of the proximity between a stored luminaire from which a passage passes and the risk area seized.

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the calculation and determination module generates a display control for luminaires belonging to a passage penetrating a risk area entered, this command being intended to display a prohibition of penetration into said risk area.

10. Display system (1) of escape routes, characterized in that it comprises: a device (6) for determining escape routes according to any one of the preceding claims;

alert sensors (5) arranged in the building, communicating with the communication interface of the device and stored in the database; orientation luminaires (2) arranged in the building and communicating with the communication interface (31) of the device and stored in the database.

11, Evacuation route display system according to claim 10, wherein the orientation luminaires are able to display a forbidden passage, and wherein the calculation and determination module is able to identify a passage including a crossing. must be prohibited according to the number of sensors (5) stored near a luminaire (2) from which said passage and for which an alert signal is received, the calculation and determination module being further able to generate a display control for the luminaries which said passage to prohibit.

12. A method of displaying evacuation routes in a building, comprising the steps of:

receiving receive signals from different warning sensors (5) distributed in a building; from a database storing proximity links between orientation luminaires (2) and warning sensors, the existence of evacuation passages between two luminaires of the building, the existence of a evacuation passage between a luminaire and a safety zone, the length of these passages, the presence of an obstacle at the crossing of a stored passage and a correction parameter representative of a reduction in the evacuation capacity of said passage due to said memorized obstacle: