Sound monitoring screen savers for enhanced fire, safety, security and health monitoring

• US 20060279419A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• 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 7,391,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/521
• 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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, 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.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, 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.

4. 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.

5. An alarm monitoring system as defined in claim 4, 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.

6. 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.

7. A memory device as defined in claim 6, 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.

8. A memory device as defined in claim 6, 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.