Audio monitoring and sound identification process for remote alarms

• US 10,176,705 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Grant, Rosemarie Geier
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US15/723,867
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 340506, 340514, 340521, 340540, 340541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/126 of annunciator circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/20 Calibration, including self-calibrating arrangements

Abstract

In a method for remote monitoring of alarms, an audio test signal is generated by an alarm device while the alarm device is at a particular location and the audio sensors are arranged in a physically separated configuration. The audio test signal is processed to generate alarm identification data that includes data indicative of directionality of the audio test signal. The plurality of audio sensors, arranged in the physically separated configuration, sense an audio signal that the alarm device generated in response to detecting an alarm condition, and the audio signal and directionality data are processed to determine that the alarm device generated the audio signal. A user is caused to be notified that the alarm device was triggered.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for remote monitoring of alarms, the method comprising:

sensing, by each of a plurality of audio sensors within an alarm monitoring system, an audio test signal generated by an alarm device while the alarm device is at a particular location, the plurality of audio sensors being arranged in a physically separated configuration;

processing, by one or more processors, the audio test signal to generate alarm identification data for the alarm device, the alarm identification data including data indicative of directionality of the audio test signal;

sensing, by the plurality of audio sensors arranged in the physically separated configuration, an audio signal that the alarm device generated in response to detecting an alarm condition;

determining, by the one or more processors processing (i) the audio signal as sensed by the plurality of audio sensors and (ii) the data indicative of the directionality of the audio test signal, that the alarm device generated the audio signal; and

causing, by the one or more processors, a user to be notified that the alarm device was triggered.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the alarm device generated the audio signal further comprises processing signal strength data.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the alarm device generated the audio signal further comprises processing multi-path delay data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the alarm device is either (i) a smoke detector, (ii) a carbon monoxide detector, (iii) a water leak detector, (iv) a door alarm device, (v) a window alarm device, or (vi) mechanical equipment.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing a user to be notified that the alarm device was triggered includes causing an electronic mail message to be sent to the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing a user to be notified that the alarm device was triggered includes causing a text message to be sent to the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing a user to be notified that the alarm device was triggered includes causing one or both of (i) an outbound telephone alert, and (ii) a social media alert, to be sent to the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors and from the user via a user interface of a computing device, an indication of the particular location.

9. A system comprising:

a plurality of audio sensors arranged in a physically separated configuration and further configured to

sense an audio test signal generated by an alarm device while the alarm device is at a particular location,

sense an audio signal that the alarm device generated in response to detecting an alarm condition; and

a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

process the audio test signal to generate alarm identification data for the alarm device, the alarm identification data including data indicative of directionality of the audio test signal,

determine, by processing (i) the audio signal as sensed by the plurality of audio sensors and (ii) the data indicative of the directionality of the audio test signal, that the alarm device generated the audio signal, and

cause a user to be notified that the alarm device was triggered.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine that the alarm device generated the audio signal by further processing signal strength data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine that the alarm device generated the audio signal by further processing multi-path delay data.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the alarm device is either (i) a smoke detector, (ii) a carbon monoxide detector, (iii) a water leak detector, (iv) a door alarm device, (v) a window alarm device, or (vi) mechanical equipment.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the user to be notified via an electronic mail.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the user to be notified via a text message.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

processing an audio test signal that is (i) generated by an alarm device while the alarm device is at a particular location, and (ii) sensed by each of a plurality of audio sensors arranged in a physically separated configuration, to generate alarm identification data for the alarm device, wherein the alarm identification data includes data indicative of directionality of the audio test signal; and

determining, by processing (i) an audio signal as sensed by the plurality of audio sensors in the physically separated configuration, and (ii) the data indicative of the directionality of the audio test signal, that the alarm device generated the audio signal, wherein the audio signal is generated by the alarm device in response to detecting an alarm condition; and

generating a notification that the alarm device was triggered.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine that the alarm device generated the audio signal by further processing signal strength data.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine that the alarm device generated the audio signal by further processing multi-path delay data.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the alarm device is either (i) a smoke detector, (ii) a carbon monoxide detector, (iii) a water leak detector, (iv) a door alarm device, (v) a window alarm device, or (vi) mechanical equipment.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the notification is an email notification.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the notification is a text message notification.