Acoustic alert communication system with enhanced signal to noise capabilities

• US 7,170,404 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Original Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Inventors: Albert, David E., Lewis, James Joe, Hoy, Leslie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/204,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20060017579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/506, 340/517, 340/539.11, 340/539.26, 340/539.27, 340/573.1, 340/575, 340/825.19, 340/407.1, 381/56, 381/57
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/021 Details
• 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 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

System, device and method for alerting an individual to an alert condition using acoustic alarms having less sensitivity to multipath distortion and having improved inherent signal to noise ratio properties, wherein the acoustic alarms are readily distinguishable using standard digital processing techniques.

Claims

1. A system for alerting an individual to a specific alert condition, comprising:

an alert mechanism for monitoring for the specific alert condition and adapted to trigger in response thereto;

a code generator adapted for generating a repeating sequence of two or more pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses when triggered by the alert mechanism; and

a receiving system comprising a microphone for receiving the sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses, a microprocessor utilizing software for recognizing the sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses, and a communication means for responding to the recognized sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each pulse within the sequence has a predetermined pulse duration and each pulse is separated from an adjacent pulse by a predetermined inter-pulse interval.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein at least two pulses within the sequence have a different predetermined tone frequency.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein at least two of the pulses within the sequence have measurably different durations.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein each pulse within the sequence has a measurably different duration.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the sequence comprises three or more signal pulses and two or more of the inter-pulse intervals within the sequence have measurably different durations.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the sequence comprises between 2 and 16 pulses, wherein each pulse within the sequence has the same frequency but a measurably different duration, and each inter-pulse interval with the sequence has a measurably different duration.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system is a personal computer selected from the group consisting of desk tops, laptops, notebooks, handheld personal computers, palm tops, pocket computers, personal digital assistants and smart phones.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system software comprises ensemble signal averaging capability.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system further comprises an audio-to-digital converter.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system further comprises a band pass filter.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system further comprises a pulse matching filter.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system further comprises a pattern matching correlator.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system communication means is selected from the group consisting of a communication port, broadband, Ethernet and a modem.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving system communication means is a wireless communication port.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a speaker adapted to emit a secondary audible alarm when triggered by the alert mechanism.

17. A home security system comprising:

a security sensor for detecting a security condition, wherein the sensor is capable of triggering in response to detection of the security condition;

a code generator adapted for generating a repeating sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses when triggered by the security sensor; and

a receiving system comprising a microphone, communication means, and a microprocessor utilizing software for recognizing the sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses.

18. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the security sensor is selected from the group consisting of smoke sensors, door-open sensors, window-open sensors, glass breaking sensors, motion detectors, and personal alert pendants.

19. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the code generator transmits the pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses to a speaker.

20. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the code generator comprises a crystal-controlled oscillator.

21. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses comprises between 2 and 16 pulses, wherein each pulse within the sequence has the same frequency but a measurably different duration, and each inter-pulse interval with the sequence has a measurably different duration.

22. The home security system of claim 17 comprising two or more security sensors, each sensor capable of triggering a separate code generator, and wherein each code generator is adapted to generate a repeating sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses that is measurably distinct from the other sequence(s) of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulse(s).

23. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the receiving system is a personal computer selected from the group consisting of desk tops, laptops, notebooks, handheld personal computers, palm tops, pocket computers, personal digital assistants and smart phones.

24. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the receiving system further comprises an audio-to-digital converter.

25. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the receiving system further comprises a band pass filter.

26. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the receiving system further comprises a pulse matching filter.

27. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the receiving system further comprises a pattern matching correlator.

28. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the receiving system further comprises ensemble signal averaging software.

29. The home security system of claim 17 further comprising a speaker adapted to emit a secondary audible alarm when triggered by the security sensor in response to detection of the security condition.

30. The home security system of claim 17 wherein the communication means is a wireless communication port.

31. A method for alerting an individual to a specific alert condition, comprising:

monitoring for the specific alert condition and triggering a code generator in response thereto;

generating a repeating sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses using the triggered code generator;

receiving and recognizing the sequence of pseudo-random acoustic signal pulses using a receiving system comprising a microphone, a microprocessor utilizing signal recognition software, and a communication means; and

in response to the recognized sequence of pseudo-random signal pulses, generating and sending one or more response signals.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the repeating sequence of signal pulses has a predetermined number of pulses of two or more.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein two or more pulses within the sequence have measurably different tone frequencies.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein two or more of the pulses within the sequence have measurably different durations.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein each pulse within the sequence has a measurably different duration.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein each pulse within the sequence has a predetermined pulse duration and each pulse is separated from an adjacent pulse by a predetermined inter-pulse interval.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the sequence comprises three or more pulses and two or more of the inter-pulse intervals within the sequence have measurably different durations.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the sequence comprises between 2 and 16 pulses, wherein each pulse within the sequence has the same frequency but a measurably different duration, and each inter-pulse interval within the sequence has a measurably different duration.

39. The method of claim 31 further comprising generating a secondary audible alarm in response to the specific alert condition.

40. The method of claim 31 wherein the receiving system further comprises an analog to digital converter.

41. The method of claim 31 wherein the receiving system signal recognition software comprises ensemble signal averaging.

42. The method of claim 31 wherein the receiving system microprocessor further utilizes pulse matching filtering and pattern matching correlation software.

43. The method of claim 31 further comprising generating an audible alarm from the receiving system in response to the recognized sequence of signal pulses.

44. The method of claim 31 wherein the receiving system is a personal computer selected from the group consisting of desk tops, laptops, notebooks, handheld personal computers, palm tops, pocket computers, personal digital assistants and smart phones.

45. The method of claim 31 wherein the wherein the receiving system communication means is selected from the group consisting of a communication port, broadband, Ethernet and a modem.

46. The method of claim 31 wherein the response signals comprise wireless text messaging.

47. The method of claim 31 wherein the response signals comprise alarm notification signals to local emergency personnel.

48. The method of claim 31 wherein the response signals comprise alarm notification signals to an Internet Web site.

49. The method of claim 31 wherein the response signals comprise alarm notification signals to a monitoring service.

50. The method of claim 31 wherein generating and sending response signals includes generating and sending a prerecorded message to a telecommunications number.