(12) United States Patent
`US 8,672,513 B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`Mar. 18, 2014
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Redpathetal.
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`US008672513B2
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`METHODOF USING LIGHT STRIPING FOR
`FIRE RESCUE NAVIGATION
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Inventors: Richard Redpath, Cary, NC (US);
`James Redpath, Cary, NC (US)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`2/2000 Cottyetal. oo. 359/196.1
`6,031,649 A *
`4/2004 Billmersetal.
`...000.. 356/5.04
`6,724,467 BI1*
`
`340/693.5
`3/2005 Poppset al.
`6,864,799 B2*
`
`w. 362/259
`7,614,765 B2* 11/2009 Reason.......
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`1/2013 Redpath etal.
`.
`362/259
`8,360,612 B2*
`... 362/259
`2004/0012962 Al*
`1/2004 Wolf wu...
`2009/0086489 Al*
`4/2009 Scott etal wwe 362/259
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`Appl. No.: 13/601,559
`
`Filed:
`
`Aug. 31, 2012
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`Prior Publication Data
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`US 2012/0326635 Al
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`Dec. 27, 2012
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`Related U.S. Application Data
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`(63)
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`1)
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`(52)
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`(58)
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`Continuation-in-part of application No. 13/013,427,
`filed on Jan. 25, 2011, now abandoned.
`
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`G02B 27/20
`US. CL
`USPC viceecceeereseees 362/259, 362/103; 362/253
`Field of Classification Search
`USPC wc 362/259, 103, 108, 234, 253; 2/5
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`140
`
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`* cited by examiner
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`Primary Examiner — Peggy A. Neils
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Ming Chow; Sinorica, LLC
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`The present invention provides a method of using a laser
`lighting apparatusforfire rescue navigation in a smoke-filled
`structure. The laser lighting apparatusis portably carried at a
`user’s body and directly operated by the user to perform the
`steps of turningthe laser lighting apparatus on to output one
`or more coherent light planes; projecting the one or more
`coherentlight planes on objects in the smoke-filled structure
`to produce one or morelightstripes on surfacesofthe objects;
`and identifying the objects in the smoke-filled structure from
`the one or more light stripes.
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`5 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`130
`110
`120
`4150
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`100
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`laser diode
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`14
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`5
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`Parhelion, Inc.
`EXHIBIT
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`1005
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`0000303
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 18, 2014
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`Sheet 1 of 3
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`US 8,672,513 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 18, 2014
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`Sheet2 of 3
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`US 8,672,513 B2
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`Figure 2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 18, 2014
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 8,672,513 B2
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`Figure 3
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`US 8,672,513 B2
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`measurements, and is aimed at providing an improvedlight-
`ing apparatus and methodfor illumination and navigation in
`smoke-filled structures.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`According to an aspect of the current invention, a laser
`lighting apparatus for fire rescue navigation is disclosed in
`view of the above problemsassociated with existing smoke
`area lighting devices. The laser lighting apparatus utilizes a
`laser source togetherwith a diffraction grating to create one or
`more light planes projecting on objects in a smoke-filled
`structure and thus allow a human being, e.g. a firefighter
`therein to identify obstacles or exits and implementeffective
`emergency rescue. The apparatus only needs a single laser
`source but allows for one or more light planesto illuminate
`and navigate the smoke-filled structure, thereby addressing
`the emergency use of power and limiting the detrimental
`result of heat dissipation.
`Dueto the use of a diffraction grating in the laser lighting
`apparatus, the laser beam emitted by the single laser source
`maybe diffracted by the diffraction grating into a laserlight
`plane that can penetrate a smoke-filled structure, project onto
`objects within the smoke-filled structure and create a 3D
`visual effect therein. Therefore, the contours of the projected
`objects can be easily identified by thefirefighter.
`According another aspect of the current
`invention, a
`method of using the laser lighting apparatus forfire rescue is
`disclosed. When a user, e.g. a firefighter, carrying the laser
`lighting apparatus of the invention on his/her body enters a
`smoke-filled building, the laser lighting apparatus can be
`controlled by the user to turn on and output one or more light
`planes. The one or more light planes will project on objects in
`the building, thereby producing deformed light stripes on
`surfaces of the objects that can be observed by thefirefighter
`for recognizing the objects in the building.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`1
`METHODOF USING LIGHT STRIPING FOR
`FIRE RESCUE NAVIGATION
`
`The present application is a continuation-in-part applica-
`tion of, and claims a priority to the U.S. Non-provisional
`application Ser. No. 13/013,427 filed on Jan. 25, 2011 now
`abandoned.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to a method forfire rescue
`navigation, and moreparticularly relates to a methodofusing
`light striping to provide illumination and navigation in
`smoke-filled structures.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Visibility inside a burning building is very limited because
`ofheavy smokeor flame. Whena buildingis onfire, firefight-
`ers have to entervariousparts of the building for emergency
`rescue, but because of poor visibility in the smoke-filled
`building,the firefighters may becomedisorientated and may
`be unableto find exits or notice holes or damagesinthe floor,
`whichis very dangerous and also makesit hard to implement
`effective rescue. So smokearealighting is a critical problem
`for fire rescue. The typical practiceis to place a flashlightat
`the exit, with the beam ofthe flashlight pointing in the direc-
`tion from which the firefighter expects to exit later. However,
`the flashlight beam usually does not penetrate very far. This is
`because the flashlight emits white or incoherentlight. The full
`spectrum light illuminates the smoke molecules whichreflect
`the light, thereby reducing penetration of the flashlight beam
`through the smoke andalso causing blinding light to occur.
`Coherent light such as a laser beam can penetrate smoke
`areas without the blinding reflection of commonly used flash-
`light sources and thus be consideredas a distinguished light-
`ing sourcefor use in smoke-filled structures. Buta single laser
`beamstill cannot achievea satisfactory lighting effect for fire
`rescue since a single laser beam is simply a point when
`projected on an object. Meanwhile, using multiple lasers
`would be an issue as each laser requires power supply and
`heat dissipation, and thus would increase the power consump-
`tion and the limitation of the operating environment. There-
`fore, a new techniqueis desirable to use a single laser source
`to produce multiple beams ofcoherentlight, one or morelight
`planesfor illumination and navigation in smoke-filled struc-
`tures.
`
`In addition, prior arts of using a light striping method to
`reconstruct a 3D dimensional form of an object have existed
`since the 1980’s in the field of 3D measurements. A light
`striping vision system uses one or morelight stripes projected
`onto a 3D object by a line laser source to detect the image
`coordinates ofthe light stripes and obtain 3D coordinates of
`the surface points ofan object. Theline laser source generates
`one or more coherentlight planes that can create a 3D visual
`effect when illuminating an indoor space. So it can be con-
`ceived to utilize a similar light striping vision system to
`provide illumination and navigation for fire rescue.
`The conventional light striping vision system has never
`been envisioned for fire rescue navigation and never been
`designed as a portable device that can be easily carried and
`directly controlled by a humanbeing. In this respect, the laser
`lighting apparatus and methodforfire rescue navigation of
`the current invention substantially departs from the conven-
`tional design of light striping vision systems for 3D object
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`FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a laser lighting apparatus
`for fire rescue navigation according to an embodimentofthe
`present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of the
`laser lighting apparatus of FIG. 1 in a smoke-filled room
`according to an embodimentof the present invention; and
`FIG. 3 is aschematic diagram illustrating a projected light
`stripe in the smoke-filled room of FIG. 2 that can be used for
`navigation therein.
`
`DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
`
`The particulars ofthe invention will becomeapparent from
`the following detailed discussion of preferred embodiments
`of the invention with reference to the accompanying draw-
`ings.
`FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary laserlighting
`apparatus 100 according to an embodimentofthe invention.
`The laser lighting apparatus 100 comprisesa laser diode 110
`for emitting a laser beam 120 and a diffraction grating 130 for
`receiving the laser beam 120, diffracting the laser beam 120
`and generating an outgoing light beam 150. Oneskilled in the
`art of creating enclosures for lighting can be referenced to
`apply an enclosure for the embodiment,soasto get a product
`of laserlighting apparatus foruse in fire rescue.
`Because of the effect of diffraction, a projection of the
`outgoing light beam 150 ofthe laser lighting apparatus 100 on
`a flat target normalthereto is a lightstripe asillustrated at 140,
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`gation and the higher light strip can project on anything
`from which it can be appreciated that the outgoing laser beam
`hanging down from the ceiling of the room for identifying
`150 is actually a light plane containing multiple diffracted
`those objects above the user. Furthermore, instead of being
`light beams propagating in different directions on the light
`mounted at a user’s body, the laser lighting apparatus of the
`plane. Additionally,
`in order to get more light planes for
`invention can be placed at any appropriate locations in a
`illumination and navigation, the diffraction grating 130 can
`smoke-filled structure for illumination and navigation.
`be configured as a multiline diffraction grating that is com-
`Although a particular embodiment of the invention has
`posed of multiple diffraction gratings parallel to each other.
`been described in detail for purposes of illustration, other
`For instance, a projection of the outgoing light beam 150
`embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those
`generated from a multiline diffraction gratingis illustrated as
`skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and
`three light stripes at 145, wherein the multiline diffraction
`grating comprises
`three parallel diffraction gratings.
`practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that
`
`Although morelight stripes may coveralarger illumination the specification and examples be considered as exemplary
`and navigation space, it has been discovered that the number
`only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being
`of laser lines should be limited as the walking of a human
`indicated by the following claims.
`The invention claimedis:
`being, e.g. a firefighter could be disoriented with too much
`shaking information.
`1. A method of using a laser lighting apparatus for fire
`For the purpose of use in fire rescue, the laser diode 110
`rescue navigation in a smoke-filled structure, comprising:
`may be designed to produce green (~532 nm) or blue (445-
`carryingsaid laserlighting apparatus at auser’s body when
`475 nm) light as the green or blue light will contrast with fire
`operating the device, wherein said laser lighting appa-
`lit areas to distinguish the lighting source. Also, scotopic
`ratus being directly operated by the user;
`vision(i.e. the vision ofthe eye under low light conditions) is
`turning the laser lighting apparatus on to output one or
`strongerfor blue to green light.
`more coherent light planes;
`Referring to FIG. 2, a top view 200 of a smoke-filled room
`projecting the one or more coherentlight planes on objects
`is schematically illustrated. For example,a firefighter 205 is
`in the smoke-filled structure to produce one or morelight
`entering the smoke-filled room,andthefirefighter 205 has a
`stripes on surfaces of the objects;
`portable laser lighting apparatus 210 of the present invention
`identifying the objects in the smoke-filled structure from
`mountedat his/her body. Whenthefirefighter 205 is walking
`the one or morelight stripes;
`to a doorway 240 ofthe room,thefirefighter 205 can turn the
`the laser lighting apparatus includes a diffraction grating
`laserlighting apparatus 210 on. As discussed above, the laser
`and only one laser diode;
`lighting apparatus 210 will emit a light plane herein marked
`the diffraction grating diffracts a laser beam emitted by the
`as 220. The light plane 220 may propagate forward andstrike
`laser diode to generate the one or more coherent light
`a wall 230 at both sides ofthe doorway 240 andfurtherstrikes
`planes;
`a wall 250 behind the doorway 240. Asa result, a light stripe
`the diffraction grating is a multiline diffraction grating that
`is projected on the surface of the wall 230 and the surface of
`is composed of multiple diffraction gratings parallel to
`each other; and
`a part ofthe wall 250 behind the doorway 240. The lightstripe
`will be observedas a broken line indicating that the doorway
`the one or more coherent light planes are green or blue
`240 is present. Then the firefighter 205 can follow the light
`light.
`stripe to identify the doorway 240 and eventually find an exit
`2. A method of using a laser lighting apparatus for fire
`260 of the room. The projected light stripe is illustrated in
`rescue navigation in a smoke-filled structure, comprising:
`FIG. 3 by a brokenstripe 300. The broken stripe 300 provides
`carryingsaidlaserlighting apparatus at auser’s body when
`a 3D visualeffect to the firefighter 205 and thus canassist the
`operating the device, wherein said laser lighting appa-
`firefighter 205 to identify objects in the smoke-filled room.
`ratus being directly operated by the user;
`In this embodiment, the laser lighting apparatus 210 is
`turning the laser lighting apparatus on to output one or
`designed as a portable device and mountedat the front body
`more coherent light planes;
`of the firefighter 205, so that while the firefighter 205 is
`projecting the one or more coherentlight planes on objects
`walking through the smoke-filled room, the light plane 220
`in the smoke-filled structure to produce one or morelight
`from the laser lighting apparatus 210 always projects on
`stripes on surfaces of the objects;
`surfaces of those objects in front ofthe firefighter 205 and
`identifying the objects in the smoke-filled structure from
`allows the firefighter 205 to recognize the contours of the
`the one or morelightstripes;
`objects in the room. Meanwhile, the light plane 220 can easily
`the laser lighting apparatus includes a diffraction grating
`penetrate smoke areas since the light plane 220 is actually
`and only one laser diode;
`composed of numerous coherent light beams Therefore, the
`the diffraction grating diffracts a laser beam emitted by the
`laser lighting apparatus according to the embodiment can
`laser diode to generate the one or more coherent light
`provide effective navigation in the smoke-filled room.
`planes; and
`In addition,as illustrated in FIG. 1, a multiline diffraction
`the one or more coherent light planes are green or blue
`grating can be employedto configurethelaser lighting appa-
`light.
`ratus of the invention. In this case, multiple parallel light
`3. The method of usingthelaserlighting apparatusforfire
`planes can be generated from thelaser lighting apparatus, and
`rescue navigation in the smoke-filled structure of claim 2,
`wherein
`consequently multiple parallel light stripes would be pro-
`jected on a surface of an object in front of the multiple light
`the diffraction grating is a multiline diffraction grating that
`planes. For example, the broken stripe 300 in FIG. 3 may
`is composed of multiple diffraction gratings parallel to
`each other.
`becomemultiple brokenstripes parallel to each other. Three
`parallel light stripes may be preferably generated from the
`4. A method of using a laser lighting apparatus for fire
`laser lighting apparatus, so that the lower light stripe can be
`rescue navigation in a smoke-filled structure, comprising:
`very low to project on the floor of a smoke-filled room for
`carrying said laserlighting apparatus at auser’s body when
`identifying holes or damagesinthefloor, the centerlight strip
`operating the device, wherein said laser lighting appa-
`can illuminate objects in front of the user for walking navi-
`ratus being directly operated by the user;
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`turmming the laser lighting apparatus on to output one or
`more coherentlight planes;
`projecting the one or more coherent light planes on objects
`in the smoke-filled structure to produce one or morelight
`stripes on surfaces of the objects; and
`identifying the objects in the smoke-filled structure from
`the one or more light stripes, wherein
`the laser lighting apparatus includes a diffraction grating
`and only onelaser diode
`the diffraction grating diffracts a laser beam emitted by the 10
`laser diode to generate the one or more coherent light
`planes; and
`the diffraction grating is a multiline diffraction grating that
`is composed of multiple diffraction gratings parallel to
`each other.
`5. The methodofusing thelaser lighting apparatus forfire
`rescue navigation in the smoke-filled structure of claim 4,
`wherein the one or more coherent light planes are green or
`bluelight.
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