MULTIFUNCTIONAL PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAME

• US 20100148974A1
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: YANG, SHENG-HSIUNG
• Granted Patent: US 8,242,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/628
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/125 by using a video camera to detect fire or smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes an image capturing unit, a processor unit connected to the image capturing unit, and an alarm unit connected to the processor unit. The image capturing unit captures outside images, the processor unit detects if there is any smoke near the portable electronic device according to the images and measuring relative parameters of detected smoke, and the alarm unit alarms when at least one parameter of detected smoke is out of predetermined acceptable ranges.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

an image capturing unit;

a processor unit connected to the image capturing unit; and

an alarm unit connected to the processor unit;

wherein the image capturing unit captures outside images, the processor unit detects if there is any smoke near the portable electronic device according to the images and measuring relative parameters of detected smoke, and the alarm unit alarms when at least one parameter of detected smoke is out of predetermined acceptable ranges.

2. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an A/D converted unit connected between the image capturing unit and the processor unit for converting image signals generated by the image capturing unit into digital signals to be transmitted to the processor unit.

3. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor unit measures at least the thickness and diffusing speed of detected smoke.

4. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an operating unit connected to the processor unit for operating the portable electronic device.

5. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the image capturing frequency of the image capturing unit is set by the operating unit and stored in the processor unit.

6. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm unit is any one selected from a speaker, an LED and a vibrator.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of converting the images captured by the image capturing unit into digital signals and transmitting the digital signal to the processor unit.

7. A smoke detecting method, comprising the steps:

providing a portable electronic device including an image capturing unit, a processor unit connected to the image capturing unit, and an alarming unit connected to the processor unit;

setting detecting parameters and storing the parameters in the processor unit;

using the image capturing unit to capture outside images in a predetermined frequency;

using the processor unit to detect if there is any smoke near the portable electronic device according to the images captured by the image capturing unit; and

using the alarm unit to alarm when smoke is detected in the images.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the detecting parameters at least include image capturing frequency, acceptable ranges of smoke thickness and smoke diffusing speed.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a step of switching the processor unit to standby after storing the parameters therein.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a step of resuming the processor unit to standby when no smoke is detected.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a step of measuring parameters of detected smoke.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a step of resuming the processor unit to standby when the parameters of detected smoke are in predetermined acceptable range.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a step of using the alarming unit to alarm when at least one parameter of detected smoke is out of predetermined acceptable ranges.