Audio Detection Using Distributed Mobile Computing

• US 20080162133A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moore, Victor S., Katz, Neil A., Couper, Christopher C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,135,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/239
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• 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 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/00 Speech recognition G10L17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/20 Speech recognition techniques specially adapted for robustness in adverse environments, e.g. in noise, of stress induced speech G10L21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/027 Spatial or constructional arrangements of microphones, e.g. in dummy heads
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A method of identifying incidents using mobile devices can include receiving a communication from each of a plurality of mobile devices. Each communication can specify information about a detected sound. Spatial and temporal information can be identified from each communication as well as an indication of a sound signature matching the detected sound. The communications can be compared with a policy specifying spatial and temporal requirements relating to the sound signature indicated by the communications. A notification can be selectively sent according to the comparison.

Claims

1. A method of identifying incidents using mobile devices comprising:

receiving a communication from each of a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each communication specifies information about a detected sound;

identifying spatial and temporal information from each communication and an indication of a sound signature matching the detected sound;

comparing the communications with a policy specifying spatial and temporal requirements relating to the sound signature indicated by the communications; and

selectively sending a notification according to the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, within each of the plurality of mobile devices, detecting the sound, comparing the sound with a plurality of sound signatures, and if a match exists, sending the communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a communication from each of the plurality of mobile devices further comprises receiving a short message service (SMS) message from each of the plurality of mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying spatial and temporal information from each communication further comprises, for each communication, identifying a location of the mobile device that sent the communication when the sound was detected and a time stamp indicating when the sound was detected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a communication further comprises receiving a recording of the sound from at least one of the plurality of mobile devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising first selecting a mobile device from which the recording of the detected sound is requested from the plurality of mobile devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to comparing the communications with the policy, requesting a recording of the sound from at least one of the plurality of mobile devices; and

receiving the recording of the detected sound.

8. A method of identifying incidents using mobile devices comprising:

receiving a communication from each of a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each communication specifies a detected sound;

comparing the communications with a validation policy; and

selectively sending a notification according to the comparison.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, within each of the plurality of mobile devices, detecting the sound, comparing the sound with a plurality of sound signatures, and if a match exists, sending the communication.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a communication from each of the plurality of mobile devices further comprises receiving a short message service (SMS) message from each of the plurality of mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selectively requesting a recording of the sound from at least one of the mobile devices according to the comparison of the communications; and

receiving the recording of the sound.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the mobile device from which the recording of the detected sound is requested from the plurality of mobile devices.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing the recording of the sound with the notification.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium having computer-usable program code that identifies incidents using mobile devices, said computer program product including;

computer-usable program code that receives a communication from each of a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each communication specifies information about a detected sound;

computer-usable program code that identifies spatial and temporal information from each communication and an indication of a sound signature matching the detected sound;

computer-usable program code that compares the communications with a policy specifying spatial and temporal requirements relating to the sound signature indicated by the communications; and

computer-usable program code that selectively sends a notification according to the comparison.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer-usable program code that, within each of the plurality of mobile devices, detects the sound, compares the sound with a plurality of sound signatures, and if a match exists, sends the communication.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer-usable program code that receives a communication from each of the plurality of mobile devices further comprises computer-usable program code that receives a short message service (SMS) message from each of the plurality of mobile devices.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-usable program code that identifies spatial and temporal information from each communication further comprises computer-usable program code that, for each communication, identifies a location of the mobile device that send the communication when the sound was detected and a time stamp indicating when the sound was detected.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein computer-usable program code that receives a communication further comprises computer-usable program code that receives a recording of the sound from at least one of the plurality of mobile devices.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer-usable program code that selects the mobile device from which the recording of the detected sound is requested from the plurality of mobile devices.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

computer-usable program code that, responsive to comparing the communications with the policy, requests a recording of the sound from at least one of the plurality of mobile devices; and

computer-usable program code that receives the recording of the detected sound.