System for reporting an adverse condition

• US 20070171044A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ollis, Jeffrey, Panacek, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,492,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/524
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

A system for reporting the presence of an adverse condition is described. Adverse conditions include smoke, breaking glass and carbon monoxide. The system includes one or more detectors that sense the adverse condition. The system further includes a central controller that stores a plurality of messages that in turn include a plurality of vocal instructions. A subset of messages is selected based on the detector that sends an indication of the adverse condition to the central controller. The subset of messages is then transmitted to a plurality of audio detectors and audio devices that plays the received vocal instructions.

Claims

1. A controller in a home monitoring system, the controller comprising:

a receiver that receives a first problem signal from a first detector;

a processor coupled to the receiver that receives the first problem signal from the receiver and determines a location of the first detector;

a memory coupled to the processor that stores a plurality of messages, and forwards a first subset of messages from the plurality of messages to the processor when it receives a request that includes the location of the first detector from the processor; and

a transmitter coupled to the memory for transmitting the first subset of messages.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the receiver and transmitter are integrated together into a transceiver.

3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the transceiver receives and transmits signals wirelessly.

4. The controller of claim 2, wherein the transceiver receives and transmits signals via wired connections.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of messages stored in the memory include a plurality of vocal directions for exiting a building.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the receiver receives a second problem signal from a second detector and the processor determines a location of the second detector and forwards a second request to the memory that includes the location of the first detector and the location of the second detector wherein the memory forwards a second subset of messages to the transmitter and wherein the transmitter transmits the second subset of messages.

7. A detector comprising:

a sensor for detecting an adverse condition and sending a first signal to a processor;

a processor that receives the first signal and generates a first problem signal;

a transmitter that transmits the first problem signal;

a receiver that receives a second signal; and

an audio output device that outputs vocal instructions in response to the second signal.

8. The detector of claim 7 further comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of vocal instructions and outputs one of the plurality of vocal instructions in response to the second signal.

9. The detector of claim 7, wherein the sensor detects smoke.

10. A system for indicating an adverse condition comprising:

a first detector that senses the adverse condition and generates and transmits a first problem signal;

a controller that receives the first problem signal and transmits a subset of messages wherein the subset of messages is selected from a plurality of messages based upon the first problem signal; and

a first electronic device that receives at least one of the subset of messages and plays a vocal instruction from the one message.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first electronic device is a second detector.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the first electronic device is an audio device.