SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING SOUND DURING AN IN-BUILDING EMERGENCY

• US 20150244873A1
• Filed: 04/29/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Boyden, Edward S., Cheatham, Jesse R. III, Duncan, William D., Ferren, Bran, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Malaska, Stephen L., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tuckerman, David B., Wood,, Lowell L. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,800,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/00 Microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

A system for monitoring a building having one or more microphones coupled to a telephone includes a detector configured to detect a triggering event within the building and transmit an activating signal when the triggering event is detected, and a control module configured to receive the activating signal from the detector. The control module is programmed to activate at least one of the one or more microphones to monitor sound when the activating signal is received.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a building having one or more microphones coupled to a telephone, the system comprising:

a detector configured to detect a triggering event within the building and transmit an activating signal based on the detection of the triggering event; and

a control module configured to receive the activating signal from the detector and to activate at least one of the one or more microphones to monitor sound within the building based on receipt of the activating signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the activating signal includes one or more conditions of the triggering event.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control module is programmed to report the one or more conditions to a third party.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the third party includes at least one of:

a user of the telephone coupled to the one or more microphones that are activated, an occupant of the building, a judicial agency, a law enforcement agency, a security agency, an owner of the building, and a news organization.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conditions include a location of the triggering event.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more conditions include a time associated with the triggering event.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is programmed to select which of the one or more microphones to activate based on proximity to the triggering event.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more microphones selected is within a triggering event area.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is programmed to activate all of the one or more microphones within a triggering event area when the activating signal is received.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is programmed to send an activation signal to a third party when at least one of the one or more microphones is activated.

11. A method for monitoring an emergency for a building having one or more microphones coupled to one or more telephones within the building, the method comprising:

receiving an activating signal from a detector;

transmitting the activating signal to a control module; and

activating at least one of the one or more microphones to detect a sound in response to the activating signal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a reporting signal based on the sound detected.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reporting signal includes identifying characteristics of the triggering event.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the reporting signal includes a sound recording.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the triggering event includes at least one of:

a gunshot, a fire, an earthquake, and a police emergency.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending the reporting signal to a third party.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the third party includes at least one of:

a user of the one or more telephones coupled to an activated microphone, an occupant of the building, a judicial agency, a law enforcement agency, a security agency, an owner of the building, and a news organization.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

recording the sound detected by the one or more microphones to generate a sound recording.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sound is recorded by the one or more microphones.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting a microphone group from the one or more microphones;

wherein the activating step includes activating the microphone group.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the activating signal includes a triggering event area.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting which of the one or more microphones to activate based on proximity to the triggering event area.

23. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

verifying that the activating signal is received from the detector.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more telephones include a cellular phone.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

monitoring a location of the emergency by using an internal GPS of the cellular phone.

26. A system for providing a display map during an emergency within a building, the system comprising:

a detector located within the building for detecting a triggering event; and

a control module configured to receive triggering event data from the detector, the control module being programmed to;

record the triggering event data; and

generate a data point representing the triggering event data for display on the display map.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the control module is further programmed to:

plot a map of the building; and

plot the data point on the map.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the detector includes a microphone coupled to a telephone within the building.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the triggering event includes an audible sound.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein at least two triggering events are detected.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the control module is programmed to:

generate a priority classification for the at least two triggering events based on the triggering event data; and

plot the priority classification on the map.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the control module is programmed to:

generate prioritized evacuation instructions for persons within the building based on the at least two triggering events; and

plot the prioritized evacuation instructions on the map.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the prioritized evacuation instructions are based on a location of the at least two triggering events.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein the control module is programmed to:

generate prioritized evacuation instructions for persons within the building based on the triggering event; and

plot the prioritized evacuation instructions on the map.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the control module is programmed to:

generate one or more danger regions for persons within the building based on the triggering event data; and

plot the one or more danger regions on the map.