Voice annunciated reminders and alerts

• US 10,276,026 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nye, James Ellis
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burgdorf, Stephen R
• Application Number:
  US14/561,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20150161873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 340692, 705 718, 705 719
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• 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 3/1016 using wireless transmission calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for announcing reminders and alerts is described. In one embodiment, appointments of an electronic calendar are monitored via a processor of a home automation system. A trigger of an upcoming appointment is detected. Information regarding the upcoming appointment is announced via a speaker of the home automation system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for announcing audio data via a home automation system, the method comprising:

querying, via a processor located in an enclosure of a device comprising a speaker, a plurality of systems including at least an emergency alert system and a web-based calendar system, the device receiving information from the plurality of systems;

detecting, via the processor, a trigger of an upcoming appointment based at least in part on the querying;

storing, at a storage device located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, data associated with the appointment based at least in part on the detecting;

determining, via a first module located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, whether a room with the device comprising the speaker is occupied by a person, wherein the determining is performed by the first module in combination with a sensor in direct communication with the device comprising the speaker;

logically configuring, at the processor, an announcement indication corresponding to the data associated with the appointment;

upon determining, via the sensor, the room with the device comprising the speaker is occupied by a person;

determining, via a second module located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, the identity of the person occupying the room, wherein the determining is performed by the second module in combination with the sensor;

determining, via the processor, whether the person is associated with the upcoming appointment;

when the person is not associated with the upcoming appointment, blocking the announcement of information regarding the upcoming appointment within the room; and

when the person is associated with the upcoming appointment, announcing, via the device comprising the speaker based at least in part on the data stored at the storage device, information regarding the upcoming appointment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

announcing, via the speaker, an alert based on emergency information of the emergency alert system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the plurality of systems further comprises:

querying a web-based calendar system; and

receiving calendar information from the web-based calendar system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the plurality of systems further comprises:

querying a mobile device calendar system; and

receiving calendar information from the mobile device calendar system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving calendar information from a user interfacing with a user interface of the home automation system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing calendar information in a storage device of the home automation system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the speaker, information regarding the upcoming appointment; and

storing the information regarding the upcoming appointment in a storage device at the speaker.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining the room with the speaker is occupied, announcing, via the speaker, information regarding the upcoming appointment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining the room with the speaker is not occupied, blocking the announcement of information regarding the upcoming appointment.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the identity of the person in conjunction with at least one of a facial recognition system, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a Wi-Fi positioning system sensor, a near-field sensor, a proximity sensor, and a voice sensor.

10. A home automation system configured to announce audio data, comprising:

a processor located in an enclosure of a device comprising a speaker;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

query, via the processor, a plurality of systems comprising at least an emergency alert system and a web-based calendar system, the device receiving information from the plurality of systems;

detect, via the processor, a trigger of an upcoming appointment based at least in part on the query;

store, at a storage device located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, data associated with the appointment based at least in part on the detecting;

determine, via a first module located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, whether a room with the device comprising the speaker is occupied by a person, wherein the determining is performed by the first module in combination with a sensor in direct communication with the device comprising the speaker;

logically configure, at the processor, an announcement indication corresponding to the data associated with the appointment;

upon determining, via the sensor, the room with the device comprising the speaker is occupied by a person;

determine, via a second module located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, the identity of the person occupying the room, wherein the determining is performed by the second module in combination with the sensor;

determine, via the processor, whether the person is associated with the upcoming appointment;

when the person is not associated with the upcoming appointment, block the announcement of information regarding the upcoming appointment within the room; and

when the person is associated with the upcoming appointment, announce, via the device comprising the speaker based at least in part on the data stored at the storage device, information regarding the upcoming appointment.

11. The home automation system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

announce, via the speaker, an alert based on emergency information of the emergency alert system.

12. The home automation system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

upon determining the room with the speaker is occupied, announce, via the speaker, information regarding the upcoming appointment.

13. A computer-program product for announcing audio data, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by a processor to:

query, via the processor located in an enclosure of a device comprising a speaker, a plurality of systems comprising at least an emergency alert system and a web-based calendar system, the device receiving information from the plurality of systems;

detect, via the processor, a trigger of an upcoming appointment based at least in part on the query;

store, at a storage device located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, data associated with the appointment based at least in part on the detecting;

determine, via a first module located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, whether a room with the device comprising the speaker is occupied by a person, wherein the determining is performed by the first module in combination with a sensor in direct communication with the device comprising the speaker;

logically configure, at the processor, an announcement indication corresponding to the data associated with the appointment;

upon determining, via the sensor, the room with the device comprising the speaker is occupied by a person;

determine, via a second module located in the enclosure of the device comprising the speaker, the identity of the person occupying the room, wherein the determining is performed by the second module in combination with the sensor;

determine, via the processor, whether the person is associated with the upcoming appointment;

when the person is not associated with the upcoming appointment, block the announcement of information regarding the upcoming appointment within the room; and

when the person is associated with the upcoming appointment, announce, via the device comprising the speaker based at least in part on the data stored at the storage device, information regarding the upcoming appointment.