Initiation of Carbon Monoxide and/or Smoke Detector Alarm Test Using Image Recognition and/or Facial Gesturing

• US 20150077242A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Eck, Arthur B., Simoncic, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,159,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/514
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/174 Facial expression recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• 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 17/11 using an ionisation chamber for detecting smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 of fire detection circuits

Abstract

An apparatus for smoke detection having an image sensor may be tested using image or pattern recognition, or facial gesturing without having to climb a ladder or chair to initiate the test, or be uncomfortably close to the smoke detector apparatus during initiation of the testing thereof. Carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO₂) monitoring and alarm may also be incorporated into this apparatus. Other control functions may also be initiated with image or pattern recognition, or facial gesturing such as audio features associated with the smoke detector apparatus such as networked speakers for distribution of music, intercom, telephone, and/or doorbell annunciation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting smoke and having facial gesturing recognition capabilities, comprising:

a logic device;

a smoke sensor coupled to the logic device;

an image sensor coupled to the logic device;

a communications interface coupled to the logic device;

an audible alarm generator coupled to the logic device; and

a power supply coupled to and powering the logic device, communications interface and the audible alarm generator;

wherein when the smoke sensor detects smoke the logic device generates at least one smoke alarm tone through the audible alarm generator, and a smoke alarm signal through the communications interface; and

wherein recognition of a facial gesture initiates smoke alarm testing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facial gesture is selected from the group consisting of blinking eyes, opening and closing a mouth, wiggling ears, moving face back and forth, smiling, frowning, and having one eye open and the other eye closed.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audible alarm generator comprises a speaker coupled to an audio amplifier that is coupled to the logic device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communications interface is coupled to a wired communications bus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the wired communications bus is an Ethernet local area network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communications interface is a wireless interface coupled to a radio frequency antenna.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the communications interface is adapted to communicate with a wireless local area network (WLAN).

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the smoke sensor is an ionization chamber smoke sensor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the smoke sensor is an optical smoke sensor.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a microphone and an audio interface coupled to the logic device and providing an audio input.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a carbon monoxide sensor coupled to the logic device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a carbon dioxide sensor coupled to the logic device.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image acquisition indicator that indicates when an image of a face is present in the image sensor.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the logic device comprises a microcontroller.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the logic device is selected from the group consisting of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

16. An apparatus for detecting smoke and having image recognition capabilities, comprising:

a logic device;

a smoke sensor coupled to the logic device;

an image sensor coupled to the logic device;

a communications interface coupled to the logic device;

an audible alarm generator coupled to the logic device; and

a power supply coupled to and powering the logic device, communications interface and the audible alarm generator;

wherein when the smoke sensor detects smoke the logic device generates at least one smoke alarm tone through the audible alarm generator, and a smoke alarm signal through the communications interface; and

wherein recognition of an image initiates smoke alarm testing.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the image is a pattern on a substrate.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the pattern is a universal product code (UPC).

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the pattern is an Aztec code.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the smoke sensor is an ionization chamber smoke sensor.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the smoke sensor is an optical smoke sensor.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a carbon monoxide sensor coupled to the logic device.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an image acquisition indicator that indicates when an image is present in the image sensor.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the logic device comprises a microcontroller.

25. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the logic device is selected from the group consisting of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA).