System for reporting an adverse condition

• US 7,492,253 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Panacek, James A., Ollis, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US11/338,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/541, 340/628, 340/539.1, 340/539.14, 340/522, 340/524, 340/539, 340/521, 340/531, 340/14, 725/32, 725/81, 725/152
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

A system for reporting the presence of an adverse condition is described. Adverse conditions include smoke, breaking glass and carbon monoxide. The system includes one or more detectors that sense the adverse condition. The system further includes a central controller that stores a plurality of messages that in turn include a plurality of vocal instructions. A subset of messages is selected based on the detector that sends an indication of the adverse condition to the central controller. The subset of messages is then transmitted to a plurality of audio detectors and audio devices that plays the received vocal instructions.

Claims

1. A controller in a home monitoring system, the controller comprising:

a receiver that receives a first problem signal from a first detector during a first condition and a second problem signal from a second detector during a second condition;

a processor coupled to the receiver that receives the first problem signal during the first condition from the receiver and determines a location of the first detector and receives the second problem signal from the receiver and determines a location of the second detector during the second condition;

a memory coupled to the processor that stores a plurality of messages, and forwards a first subset of messages from the plurality of messages to the processor when it receives a first request that includes the location of the first detector from the processor and forwards a second, different subset of messages from the plurality of messages to the processor when it receives a second request that includes the locations of both the first detector and the second detector; and

a transmitter coupled to the memory for transmitting the first subset of messages during the first condition and transmitting the second subset of messages during the first and second condition.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the receiver and transmitter are integrated together into a transceiver.

3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the transceiver receives and transmits signals wirelessly.

4. The controller of claim 2, wherein the transceiver receives and transmits signals via wired connections.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of messages stored in the memory include a plurality of vocal directions for exiting a building.