Smart-home hazard detection system providing context-based user notifications

• US 10,262,507 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sloo, David, Boettcher, Jesse W., Veron, Maxime, Le Guen, Sophie
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mirza F
• Application Number:
  US14/508,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 340517
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/33 to fire, excessive heat or smoke
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/34 by opening air passages
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/02 by investigating impedance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/121 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/004 CO or CO2
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/46 Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/117 by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 : responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 : Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 : Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 : Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 : Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 : Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 : using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 : using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 : Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 : Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 : of fire detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 : Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/22 : Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/26 : by updating and storing reference thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 : using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 : indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 : from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 : based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 : for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

System for customizing hazard notifications based on user activity includes a hazard detector and a computer server system communicatively coupled to the hazard detector. The hazard detector detects a hazard level that is greater than a threshold setting, the hazard level indicating an amount of smoke or carbon monoxide present at the hazard detector. The hazard detector generates hazard data indicating the detection of the hazard level and transmits the hazard data to the computer server system. The computer server system associates a location with the hazard detector. Activity data indicating a user location is received at the computer server system and the hazard data is received at the computer server system. The computer server system generates a notification based on the hazard location and the user location in response to receiving the hazard data.

Claims

1. A system for customizing hazard notifications based on user activity, the system comprising:

a plurality of motion detecting modules, each motion detecting module being configured to;

detect activity based on one or more users moving,

generate activity data indicating the detection of the activity, the activity data indicative of the one or more users moving, and

transmit the activity data to a computer server system;

a hazard detector configured to;

detect a hazard level that is greater than a threshold setting, the hazard level indicating an amount of at least one of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) present at the hazard detector,

generate hazard data indicating the detection of the hazard level, and

transmit the hazard data to the computer server system; and

the computer server system being communicatively coupled to the plurality of motion detecting modules and the hazard detector, the computer server system being configured to;

associate an activity location with each of the plurality of motion detecting modules, the activity location indicating a location of an associated motion detecting module within an enclosure,

receive a first activity data indicative of the one or more users moving as detected by a motion detecting module of the plurality of motion detecting modules,

identify a first motion detecting module that transmitted the first activity data,

determine a first activity location associated with the first motion detecting module,

receive the hazard data, and

generate a hazard notification in response to receiving the hazard data, wherein the hazard notification indicates the first activity location and a hazard, and the first activity location is distinct from a location of the hazard.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hazard notification includes navigational directions for exiting the enclosure from the first activity location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer server system is further configured to transmit the hazard notification to the hazard detector, and wherein the hazard detector is further configured to communicate the hazard notification to a user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the hazard detector includes a light source, wherein the hazard detector communicates the hazard notification by activating the light source, and wherein the computer server system transmits the hazard notification to the hazard detector based on a location of the hazard detector within the enclosure.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the hazard detector communicates the hazard notification via generated speech.

6. A method for customizing hazard notifications based on user activity, the method comprising:

storing a threshold setting for a hazard detector;

storing a volume setting for audio output of the hazard detector;

receiving activity data indicating an activity of a user being performed distinct of the hazard detector;

adjusting at least one of the threshold setting and the volume setting of the hazard detector based on the activity data;

detecting a hazard level that is greater than the threshold setting, the hazard level indicating an amount of at least one of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) present at the hazard detector; and

generating an audible notification in response to detecting the hazard level, the audible notification having a volume corresponding to the volume setting.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the user is sleeping based on the activity data; and

increasing the volume setting based on determining that the user is sleeping.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the user is exercising based on the activity data; and

decreasing the threshold setting based on determining that the user is exercising.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the user is cooking based on the activity data; and

increasing the threshold setting based on determining that the user is cooking.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

associating a hazard location with the hazard detector, the hazard location indicating a location of the hazard detector within an enclosure;

determining a distance between the hazard location and a user location, wherein the activity data further indicates the user location; and

adjusting the volume setting based on the distance.

11. A system for customizing hazard notifications based on user activity, the system comprising:

a hazard detector configured to;

detect a hazard level that is greater than a threshold setting, the hazard level indicating an amount of at least one of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) present at the hazard detector,

generate hazard data indicating the detection of the hazard level, and

transmit the hazard data to a computer server system; and

the computer server system being communicatively coupled to the hazard detector and configured to;

associate a hazard location with the hazard detector, the hazard location indicating a location of the hazard detector,

receive activity data indicating a user location of a user and an identity of the user,

receive the hazard data, and

generate a notification in response to receiving the hazard data, the notification indicating the hazard location, the identity of the user and the user location.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a location module executed by a mobile device and configured to;

receive the user location from a global positioning system (GPS) of the mobile device,

generate the activity data indicating the user location, and

transmit the activity data to the computer server system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the hazard location is an enclosure location, the enclosure location indicating a location of an enclosure that contains the hazard detector.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer server system is further configured to:

associate an inner geo-fence with the enclosure location, the inner geo-fence defining a perimeter around the enclosure, and

determine whether the user location is within the inner geo-fence.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer server system is further configured to:

associate an outer geo-fence with the enclosure location, the outer geo-fence defining a perimeter around the enclosure that surrounds the inner geo-fence and is larger than the inner geo-fence,

receive a first activity data indicating the user location moved from outside the outer geo-fence to inside the outer geo-fence,

determine that the user is heading home based on the first activity data,

receive a second activity data indicating the user location moved from inside the inner geo-fence to outside the inner geo-fence, and

determine that the user is leaving home based on the second activity data,

wherein the notification is generated based on whether the user is heading home or leaving home.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer server system is further configured to:

determine that the user is at the hazard location, and

transmit the notification to an emergency response unit based on determining that the user is at the hazard location.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer server system is further configured to:

determine that the user is not at the hazard location, and

transmit the notification to an emergency contact based on determining that the user is not at the hazard location, the emergency contact being defined by the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer server system is further configured to:

receive a contact location indicating a location of the emergency contact, and

determine a contact distance indicating a distance between the contact location and the hazard location,

wherein the notification is transmitted to the emergency contact further based on the contact distance.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer server system is further configured to:

determine a user distance indicating a distance between the user location and the hazard location, and

compare the contact distance to the user distance.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification includes an indication of whether the user is at the hazard location.