ENHANCED DETECTION DEVICES USING CONSUMER COMMUNICATION DEVICES FOR ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATIONS

• US 20160049070A1
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Stewart, John Sidney
• Granted Patent: US 10,019,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for operating an enhanced detection device are described including detecting an emergency alert in a protected structure, performing a first determination if the emergency alert is to be forwarded to other enhanced detection devices within the protected structure, forwarding the emergency alert to other enhanced detection devices within the protected structure responsive to the first determination, notifying occupants of the protected structure using capabilities of the enhanced detection device, performing a second determination if the emergency alert is to be forwarded to a consumer communication device and forwarding the emergency alert to the consumer communication device. Also described are a method and apparatus for operating a consumer communication device including receiving an emergency alert and notifying a user of the consumer communication device of a time, location and nature of the emergency alert.

Claims

1. A method for operating an enhanced detection device, said method comprising:

detecting an emergency alert in a protected structure;

performing a first determination if said emergency alert is to be forwarded to other enhanced detection devices within said protected structure;

forwarding said emergency alert to other enhanced detection devices within said protected structure responsive to said first determination;

notifying occupants of said protected structure using capabilities of said enhanced detection device;

performing a second determination if said emergency alert is to be forwarded to a consumer communication device; and

forwarding said emergency alert to said consumer communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said consumer communication device is within said protected device or elsewhere.

3. A method for operating a consumer communication device, said method comprising:

receiving an emergency alert; and

notifying a user of said consumer communication device of a time, location and nature of said emergency alert.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said emergency alert is received from an enhanced detection device via a communication device.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said emergency alert is from within a protected structure or from a protected structure of interest to the user of the consumer communication device.

6. A method for operating a communication device, said method comprising:

receiving a notification of an emergency alert from an enhanced detection device; and

forwarding said notification of said emergency alert to a consumer communication device.

7. A consumer communication device, comprising:

a network adapter for receiving emergency alert notifications from an enhanced detection device via a communication device; and

a user interface and display notifying a user of said consumer communication device of a time, location and nature of said emergency alert.

8. The consumer communication device according to claim 8, wherein said emergency alert is from within a protected structure or from a protected structure of interest to the user of the consumer communication device.

9. A communication device, comprising:

a network adapter for receiving a notification of an emergency alert from an enhanced detection device; and

said network adaptor forwarding said notification of said emergency alert to a consumer communication device.

10. An enhanced detection device, comprising:

an alarm detector of said enhanced detection device, detecting an emergency alert in a protected structure;

a processor for determining if said emergency alert is to be forwarded to other enhanced detection devices within said protected structure, said processor in bi-directional communication with said alarm detector;

a network adapter for forwarding said emergency alert to other enhanced detection devices within said protected structure responsive to said first determination, said network adaptor in bi-directional communications with said processor and said alarm detector;

an alarm generator for notifying occupants of said protected structure using capabilities of said enhanced detection device, said alarm generator in bi-directional communications with said processor;

said processor determining if said emergency alert is to be forwarded to a consumer communication device; and

said network adapter also forwarding said emergency alert to said consumer communication device.

11. The enhanced detection device according to claim 10, wherein said consumer communication device is within said protected structure or elsewhere.

12. The enhanced detection device of claim 10, further comprising a voice synthesizer for notifying occupants of said protected structure using capabilities of said enhanced detection device.