Enhanced fire, safety, security, and health monitoring and alarm response method, system and device

• US 20060017558A1
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Original Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Inventors: Albert, David E., Albert, Kathryn Marie
• Granted Patent: US 7,126,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• 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 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

Method, system and device useful with conventional personal computers respond automatically to an identified alarm sound by sending a notification signal via the Internet only when a special sound monitoring program is active. Additionally, bedside detection of acoustic alarms is combined with enhanced waking devices to insure the waking of a child or hearing impaired person in response to an emergency. Home safety and security are provided using a bedside unit to monitor audible safety and security alarms and send notification signals to the appropriate communication site. A health monitoring method and system utilizes the bedside device to monitor breathing patterns and other health measuring signals and communicate these patterns and signals to a medical monitoring station.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a region for a predetermined audible alarm signal generated by a pre-existing alarm device using a personal computer, comprising:

operating a specialized sound monitoring program in a personal computer having conventional system software and hardware including a microphone and communications port, wherein the specialized sound monitoring program is compatible with the conventional hardware and system software; and

by operating the specialized sound monitoring program, detecting from sounds received by the microphone of the personal computer when alarm conditions exist and in response thereto generating and sending response signals out the communications port of the personal computer.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the personal computer is selected from the group consisting of desk tops, laptops, notebooks, handheld personal computers, palm tops, pocket computers, personal digital assistants and smart phones.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the specialized sound monitoring program is operated as a background activity of the personal computer.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the specialized sound monitoring program is a screen saver program and is initiated only during periods of computer user inactivity regarding input to the personal computer.

5. A method for detecting an audible alarm generated by a pre-existing alarm device by monitoring sound with a personal computer, comprising:

running a specialized sound monitoring program in the personal computer;

using the running sound monitoring program, detecting sound received by a microphone of the personal computer and determining if detected sound represents an alarm from a pre-existing alarm device requiring a response; and

using the running sound monitoring program, providing a response when a response is required.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the personal computer is selected from the group consisting of desk top computers, lap top computers, notebook computers, handheld personal computers, palm tops, pocket computers, personal digital assistants and smart phones.

7. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the specialized sound monitoring program is operated as a screen saver only during a computer input inactivity period.

8. A method as defined in claim 5 further comprising using the sound monitoring program to close or override other running application programs in the personal computer when an alarm condition is determined.

9. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the pre-existing alarm device is a fire alarm device.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the fire alarm device is selected from residential smoke detectors and heat detectors.

11. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the pre-existing alarm is a personal alarm used to indicate that immediate assistance is required.

12. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the pre-existing alarm device is an audio burglar alarm device.

13. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the pre-existing alarm device is an audio alarm selected from the group consisting of motion detectors, glass-breaking sensors, window-open detectors and door-open detectors.

14. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the pre-existing alarm is an audio door-open detector used to indicate a child has returned home.

15. A method as defined in claim 5 further comprising downloading, from an Internet Web site, the specialized sound monitoring program into the personal computer and wherein providing a response includes sending an alarm notification signal to the Internet Web site.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising using the running sound monitoring program, displaying advertising indicia on a display screen of the personal computer.

17. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the sound monitoring program, during initial setup, provides a list from which one or more standardized alarm sounds are selected.

18. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the sound monitoring program provides a learning mode during initial setup allowing the alarm sound to be activated, detected and identified as such.

19. A method as defined in claim 5, further comprising using the running sound monitoring program, providing status signals to indicate whether the personal computer with the running sound monitoring program is properly functioning.

20. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein providing a response includes generating and sending alarm indicating signals to an Internet site having an Internet address encoded within the sound monitoring program.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising using the running sound monitoring program, generating and sending status signals to the Internet site to indicate proper functioning of the running sound monitoring screen saver program and personal computer.

22. A method as defined in claim 20 wherein the alarm indicating signals are sent to the Internet site utilizing Internet instant messaging as a communications means thereby allowing the Internet site to monitor the online status of the sound monitoring program.

23. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising communicating from the Internet site to a telecommunication number or e-mail address designated for the personal computer.

24. A method for monitoring health indicating parameters of an individual, comprising:

running a specialized sound monitoring program in a personal computer having conventional system software and hardware including a microphone and communications port;

by using the running sound monitoring program, detecting sounds comprising health indicating parameters received by a microphone of the personal computer; and

using the communications port of the personal computer, relaying the health indicating parameters to a medical monitoring service.

25. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the health indicating parameters comprise breathing-related parameters.

26. A method as defined in claim 25 wherein the breathing-related parameters are selected from the group consisting of breathing rate, breathing sound frequency spectrum, snoring and coughing.

27. A method for monitoring sound with a personal computer, comprising:

running a sound monitoring screen saver program in a personal computer in response to a timeout event occurring because an externally generated input is not received by the personal computer within a predetermined time period during operation of the personal computer;

from time to time during the running of the sound monitoring screen saver program, accessing from the personal computer an Internet site and sending to the accessed Internet site a predetermined signal if the computer is properly functioning under operation of the running screen saver program;

receiving ambient sound at the microphone of the personal computer;

determining with the running screen saver program whether ambient sound received at the microphone includes an alarm sound from a residential smoke detector providing a sound output in accordance with a predetermined standard; and

accessing from the personal computer the Internet site when an alarm sound is determined and sending an alarm indicating signal to the accessed Internet site.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, further comprising downloading the sound monitoring screen saver program from the Internet site to the personal computer such that the sound monitoring screen saver program is the default screen saver program in the personal computer.

29. A method as defined in claim 27, further comprising displaying on a display of the personal computer, using the running screen saver program, advertising indicia encoded in the sound monitoring screen saver program.

30. A method for monitoring sound with a personal computer, comprising:

running an alarm sound monitoring screen saver program in a personal computer in response to a timeout event occurring because an externally generated input is not received by the personal computer within a predetermined time period during operation of the personal computer;

from time to time during the running of the alarm sound monitoring screen saver program, accessing from the personal computer an Internet site and sending to the accessed Internet site a predetermined signal if the computer is properly functioning under operation of the running screen saver program;

receiving ambient sound at a microphone of the personal computer;

determining with the running screen saver program whether ambient sound received at the microphone includes an alarm sound selected from the group consisting of fire detector alarms, personal pendant alarms, motion detector alarms, glass-breaking alarms, door-open alarms and window-open alarms; and

accessing from the personal computer the Internet site when an alarm sound is determined and sending an alarm indicating signal to the accessed Internet site.

31. A method as defined in claim 30, further comprising downloading the sound monitoring screen saver program from the Internet site to the personal computer such that the sound monitoring screen saver program is the default screen saver program in the personal computer.

32. A method for providing for alarm monitoring in a residence, comprising:

receiving at an Internet site a program load command from a conventional personal computer at a residence;

transmitting from the Internet site to the personal computer, in response to the program load command, an alarm sound monitoring program for installation on the personal computer; and

receiving at the Internet site an alarm indicating signal sent from the personal computer when the personal computer detects an alarm condition using the sound monitoring program and transmitting a notification signal from the Internet site in response.

33. A method as defined in claim 32 wherein the sound monitoring program is a screen saver program.

34. A method as defined in claim 32 further comprising providing a library of acoustic alarm signatures from which at least one standardized alarm sound is selected during initial setup.

35. A method as defined in claim 34 wherein the library of acoustic alarm signals is provided in the sound monitoring program, on a disk and/or on a Web site downloadable to the personal computer.

36. A method as defined in claim 32 wherein the alarm sound monitoring program provides a learning mode during initial setup allowing the alarm sound to be activated, detected and identified as such.

37. A method as defined in claim 32, further comprising monitoring at the Internet site the operational status of the personal computer, including receiving status signals from the personal computer to the Internet site, and transmitting a status notification from the Internet site when status signals are not received at the Internet site during a monitoring period.

38. A method as defined in claim 32, further comprising updating the alarm sound monitoring screen saver program by transmitting from the Internet site to the personal computer digitally encoded advertising indicia signals such that the alarm sound monitoring program periodically causes advertising indicia to be displayed through a display of the personal computer.

39. An alarm monitor, comprising:

a conventional personal computer including a microphone, a memory, a communication port, a display and system software; and

a sound monitoring program stored in the memory, including;

first instructional signals encoded on the memory for cooperatively functioning with the system software to determine when sound received through the microphone of the personal computer is an alarm sound; and

second instructional signals encoded on the memory for cooperatively functioning with the system software to communicate responsive signals from the personal computer when an alarm sound is determined.

40. An alarm monitor as defined in claim 39, wherein the sound monitoring program is a screen saver program and further comprises third instructional signals encoded on the memory for cooperatively functioning with the system software to control what indicia are displayed on the display of the personal computer during input inactivity periods.

41. An alarm monitor as defined in claim 39, wherein the sound monitoring program additionally includes instructions for closing or overriding other running application programs in the personal computer when an alarm sound is determined.

42. An alarm monitor as defined in claim 39, wherein the sound monitoring program includes additional instructional signals encoded on the memory for cooperatively functioning with the system software to generate status signals to be transmitted to a remote location to indicate operational status of the personal computer when the alarm sound monitoring program is in operation in the personal computer.

43. An alarm monitor as defined in claim 39, further comprising a Global Positioning System receiver for cooperatively functioning with the system software and the sound monitoring program to determine location of the monitor when an alarm sound is determined, and wherein the responsive signals include said location.

44. An alarm monitoring system, comprising:

a central receiving station including a computer having a plurality of sound monitoring screen saver programs stored thereat; and

a plurality of user sites, each of the sites including at least one respective conventional personal computer having a microphone, system software and means for communicating with the computer at the central receiving station to download from the computer at the central receiving station a respective one of the sound monitoring screen saver programs compatible with the system software in the respective personal computer.

45. An alarm monitoring system as defined in claim 44, wherein each of the user sites further includes at least one smoke detector that emits a characteristic sound in response to detecting smoke at the respective site such that the sound is detected by the microphones.

46. A memory device for a computer, comprising:

a memory substrate for a personal computer; and

screen saver means disposed on the memory substrate, the screen saver means including;

means, encoded on the memory substrate to cooperatively function with system software of the personal computer, for controlling what indicia are displayed on a display of the personal computer during user inactivity periods;

means, encoded on the memory substrate to cooperatively function with system software of the personal computer, for determining when sound received through a microphone of the personal computer is an alarm sound; and

means, encoded on the memory substrate to cooperatively function with system software of the personal computer, for communicating responsive signals when an alarm sound and/or alarm signal is determined.

47. A memory device as defined in claim 46, wherein the screen saver means includes means, encoded on the memory substrate to cooperatively function with system software of the personal computer, for generating status signals to be transmitted to a remote location to indicate operational status of the personal computer when the screen saver means is in operation in the personal computer.

48. A memory device as defined in claim 46, wherein the means for controlling what indicia are displayed includes means, encoded on the memory substrate to cooperatively function with system software of the personal computer, for defining advertising indicia to be displayed on the display of the personal computer.