VOICE TRIGGERED EMERGENCY ALERT

• US 20080172232A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Phase IV Partners, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Phase IV Partners, Inc.
• Inventors: Gurley, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US12/013,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172232A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/251
• 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 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A voice recognition emergency system and method. The system includes a microphone, a speaker, and a voice recognition emergency device. The device includes a processor and a transmitter. The processor analyzes sound received from the microphone, detects when an emergency phrase has been spoken, and conveys an alert condition to a gateway via the transmitter in response to detecting the emergency phrase has been spoken. The processor recognizes pre-defined, spoken emergency phrases and triggers an alert condition in response to detecting that one of the emergency phrases was spoken. The device continuously listens through the microphone for any one of the pre-defined phrases, in response to which an alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device. The alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device through Power Line Communications (PLC), radio communications, Wi-Fi communications, or Ethernet communications. The processor may recognize an emergency phrase spoken by a particular person.

Claims

1. A voice recognition emergency device comprising:

a transmitter for communication with a gateway; and

a processor configured to;

analyze sound received from a microphone;

detect when an emergency phrase has been spoken; and

convey an alert condition to the gateway via the transmitter in response to detecting the emergency phrase has been spoken.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

recognize any of a plurality of pre-defined, spoken emergency phrases; and

trigger an alert condition in response to detecting that one of the emergency phrases was spoken.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is further configured to continuously listen through the microphone for any one of the pre-defined phrases, in response to which an alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device through one or more of the following:

Power Line Communications (PLC);

radio communications;

Wi-Fi communications;

or

Ethernet communications.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to recognize an emergency phrase spoken by a particular person.

6. A system comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

a voice recognition emergency device, wherein said device comprises;

a transmitter for communication with a gateway; and

a processor configured to;

analyze sound received from the microphone;

detect when an emergency phrase has been spoken; and

convey an alert condition to the gateway via the transmitter in response to detecting the emergency phrase has been spoken.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to:

recognize any of a plurality of pre-defined, spoken emergency phrases; and

trigger an alert condition in response to detecting that one of the emergency phrases was spoken.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the device is further configured to continuously listen through the microphone for any one of the pre-defined phrases, in response to which an alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device through one or more of the following:

Power Line Communications (PLC);

radio communications;

Wi-Fi communications;

or

Ethernet communications.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to recognize an emergency phrase spoken by a particular person.

11. The system as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a call center coupled to the gateway via a network; and

a caregiver coupled to the call center;

wherein in response to receiving the alert condition, the gateway is configured to convey the alert condition to the call center; and

wherein the call center is configured to respond to the alert condition.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the call center is further configured to respond to the alert condition by summoning help from the caregiver upon determining that the alert is not a false alarm.

13. The system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a caregiver coupled to the gateway, wherein the gateway is further configured to respond to the alert condition by summoning help from the caregiver.

14. A method comprising:

analyzing sound received from a microphone;

detecting when an emergency phrase has been spoken; and

conveying an alert condition to a gateway device via a transmitter in response to detecting the emergency phrase has been spoken.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

recognizing any one of a plurality of pre-defined spoken emergency phrases; and

triggering an alert condition in response to detecting that one of the emergency phrases was spoken.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising continuously listening through the microphone for any one of the pre-defined phrases, in response to which an alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the alert condition is conveyed to the gateway device through one or more of the following:

Power Line Communications (PLC);

radio communications;

Wi-Fi communications;

or

Ethernet communications.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising recognizing an emergency phrase spoken by a particular person.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein in response to receiving the alert condition, the gateway is configured to convey the alert condition to a call center and the call center is configured to respond to the alert condition by summoning help from the caregiver upon determining that the alert is not a false alarm.

20. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the gateway responding to the alert condition by summoning help from a caregiver.