Audio detection using distributed mobile computing

• US 10,102,737 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Couper, Christopher C., Katz, Neil A., Moore, Victor S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/853,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20160005305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 340540, 34053913, 340565, 340621, 340517, 3405734, 34053911, 704231, 704236-240, 704243-250, 704270, 704273-274, 704E17001-E17016, 704E15001-E1505, 704E11001-E11007, 381 20, 381 56
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/20 Speech recognition techniques specially adapted for robustness in adverse environments, e.g. in noise, of stress induced speech G10L21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A method of identifying incidents using mobile devices can include receiving a communication from each of a plurality of mobile devices. Each communication can specify information about a detected sound. Spatial and temporal information can be identified from each communication as well as an indication of a sound signature matching the detected sound. The communications can be compared with a policy specifying spatial and temporal requirements relating to the sound signature indicated by the communications. A notification can be selectively sent according to the comparison.

Claims

1. A method within and by an event processor, comprising:

receiving a first communication from a first mobile device regarding a first audio event detected by the first mobile device, the first communication including spatial, temporal, and signature information regarding the first audio event;

receiving a second communication from a second mobile device regarding a second audio event detected by the second mobile device, the second communication including spatial, temporal, and signature information regarding the second audio event;

selecting, from a plurality of temporal constraints and spatial constraints and based upon the received signature information, a temporal constraint and a spatial constraint; and

sending, based upon the first and second communications being evaluated using the temporal constraint and spatial constraint and a validation policy, a notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first communication is sent from the first mobile device only upon the first mobile device determining that the first audio event matches a signature stored within the first mobile device, and

the second communication is sent from the second mobile device only upon the second mobile device determining that the second audio event matches a signature stored within the second mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the first communication includes a first measure of how closely the first audio event matches the signature stored within the first mobile device, and

the second communication includes a second measure of how closely the second audio event matches the signature stored within the second mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

requesting, based upon the validation policy and after receiving the first and second communications, a recording from at least one of the first and second mobile devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein

the recording is requested from a particular one of the first and second mobile devices based upon an evaluation of the first and second communications using the policy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the validation policy specifies, as a prerequisite for sending the notification, a minimum number of received communications that detect a particular signature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the validation policy specifies, as a prerequisite for sending the notification, a minimum confidence score calculated by the event processor for the received communications.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein

the evaluation, using the validation policy, of the first and second communications varying based upon the received signature information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the notification including information contained within the first and second communications.

10. A computer hardware system, comprising

at least one hardware event processor, the at least one hardware event processor is configured to perform:

receiving a first communication from a first mobile device regarding a first audio event detected by the first mobile device, the first communication including spatial, temporal, and signature information regarding the first audio event;

receiving a second communication from a second mobile device regarding a second audio event detected by the second mobile device, the second communication including spatial, temporal, and signature information regarding the second audio event;

selecting, from a plurality of temporal constraints and spatial constraints and based upon the received signature information, a temporal constraint and a spatial constraint; and

sending, based upon the first and second communications being evaluated using the temporal constraint and spatial constraint and a validation policy, a notification.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

the first communication is sent from the first mobile device only upon the first mobile device determining that the first audio event matches a signature stored within the first mobile device, and

the second communication is sent from the second mobile device only upon the second mobile device determining that the second audio event matches a signature stored within the second mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein

the first communication includes a first measure of how closely the first audio event matches the signature stored within the first mobile device, and

the second communication includes a second measure of how closely the second audio event matches the signature stored within the second mobile device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one hardware event processor is configured to perform

requesting, based upon the validation policy and after receiving the first and second communications, a recording from at least one of the first and second mobile devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein

the recording is requested from a particular one of the first and second mobile devices based upon an evaluation of the first and second communications using the policy.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein

the validation policy specifies, as a prerequisite for sending the notification, a minimum number of received communications that detect a particular signature.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein

the validation policy specifies, as a prerequisite for sending the notification, a minimum confidence score calculated by the event processor for the received communications.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein

the evaluation, using the validation policy, of the first and second communications varying based upon the received signature information.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein

the notification including information contained within the first and second communications.

19. A computer program product, comprising

a computer-readable storage device having computer-usable program code stored thereon, the computer-usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform:

receiving a first communication from a first mobile device regarding a first audio event detected by the first mobile device, the first communication including spatial, temporal, and signature information regarding the first audio event;

receiving a second communication from a second mobile device regarding a second audio event detected by the second mobile device, the second communication including spatial, temporal, and signature information regarding the second audio event;

selecting, from a plurality of temporal constraints and spatial constraints and based upon the received signature information, a temporal constraint and a spatial constraint; and

sending, based upon the first and second communications being evaluated using the temporal constraint and spatial constraint and a validation policy, a notification, wherein

the computer-readable storage device does not consist of a transitory, propagating signal.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein

the first communication is sent from the first mobile device only upon the first mobile device determining that the first audio event matches a signature stored within the first mobile device, and

the second communication is sent from the second mobile device only upon the second mobile device determining that the second audio event matches a signature stored within the second mobile device.