System and Apparatus For Distributed Sound Collection and Event Triggering

• US 20070275670A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Handy-Bosma, John, Walker, Keith, Morgan, Fabian
• Granted Patent: US 7,659,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

Provided is a computer implemented method, apparatus and computer usable program code for sending alerts. A distributed sensor receives a sound and determines whether the sound matches a preset criterion. If so, the distributed sensor transmits an event to a central portal device.

Claims

1. A method in a distributed sensor for sending alerts comprising:

responsive to detecting a sound, determining whether the sound matches a preset criterion; and

transmitting an event to a central portal device for processing in response to determining that the sound matches the preset criterion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining further comprises:

determining that a residual sound record associated with the sound is unstored.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the residual sound record includes time information originating within a hysteresis period.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the event is a distributed sensor identifier and a sound identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of receiving the sound comprises unidirectionally receiving the sound.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps:

determining if audio is requested; and

transmitting audio in response to a determination that audio is requested.

7. A computer implemented method for reporting an event comprising:

receiving the event from a distributed sensor;

analyzing the event to determine whether to send an alert; and

sending the alert to a user device in response to a determination to send an alert.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining whether to include an audio stream; and

sending the audio stream in response to a determination to include the audio stream.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 further comprising:

determining whether to apply a sound transformation; and

transforming the sound in response to a determination to apply the sound transformation.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 further comprising:

notifying the distributed sensor that an alert has been sent.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10 wherein the alert comprises a distributed sensor identifier and a sound identifier.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining whether to apply a sound transformation; and

transforming the sound in response to a determination to apply the sound transformation.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein transforming comprises:

transforming high frequencies to low frequencies.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for computer usable program code for reporting an event, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for receiving the event from a distributed sensor;

computer usable program code for analyzing the event to determine whether to send an alert; and

computer usable program code for sending the alert to a user device in response to a determination to send an alert.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining whether to include an audio stream; and

computer usable program code for sending the audio stream in response to a determination to include the audio stream.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining whether to apply a sound transformation; and

computer usable program code for transforming the sound in response to a determination to apply the sound transformation.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

computer usable program code for notifying the distributed sensor that an alert has been sent.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the alert comprises a distributed sensor identifier and a sound identifier.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining whether to apply a sound transformation; and

computer usable program code for transforming the sound in response to a determination to apply the sound transformation.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein transforming comprises:

transforming high frequencies to low frequencies.