Alert system with enhanced waking capabilities

• US 7,656,287 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Original Assignee: InnovAlarm Corporation
• Inventors: Albert, David E., Saltzstein, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US11/482,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 340/521, 340/540, 340/628, 340/629, 340/630, 340/573.1, 340/825.19, 381/56, 381/57
• US Class Current: 340/521
• 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 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• 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 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods and systems for waking an individual to an alert condition such as smoke or a fire have greatly improved ability to wake sleeping individuals compared to conventional methods. For example, preferred waking devices include a fluid spray directed toward the head of a bed and the person sleeping in that bed. Used in conjunction with standard digital processing techniques, the systems offer greatly improved reliability and the ability to save lives.

Claims

1. A method for providing for alarm monitoring for a residence, comprising:

receiving at a monitoring service site a request to monitor a bedside alarm monitoring unit along with response instructions;

receiving at the monitoring service site a fire alarm indicating signal sent from the bedside alarm monitoring unit when the bedside unit detects an alarm, and transmitting a notification signal from the monitoring service site in response;

receiving at the monitoring service site a motion detection signal sent from the bedside alarm monitoring unit representing the occurrence of motion and, determining the probability an individual remains asleep in bed; and

transmitting an activation signal from the monitoring service site to a fluid spray waking device at the residence bedside in response to a determination that an individual likely remains in bed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid spray waking device, when activated, sprays a fluid directed at the bed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fluid comprises carbon dioxide.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the fluid is a non-toxic, nonflammable liquid.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the nontoxic liquid is water.

6. A system for waking an individual in response to a fire alarm, comprising:

an alert mechanism for monitoring for conditions indicating a fire and adapted to trigger in response thereto;

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

a bedside unit comprising a receiver for receiving the sequence of pseudo-random signal pulses, a microprocessor utilizing software for recognizing the sequence of pseudo-random signal pulses, the bedside unit being adapted to generate a waking signal in response to the identified alarm; and

a waking device comprising a fluid spray directed at the bed and adapted to activate in response to the waking signal.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, air, and water.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the pseudo-random signal pulses are selected from the group consisting of radio frequency signal pulses, acoustic signal pulses, and visible light signal pulses.

9. A home security system comprising:

a security sensor capable of triggering in response to detection of a security condition;

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

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

a waking device adapted to activate in response to the sequence of pseudo-random signal pulses representing a security condition, and, when activated, to eject a fluid spray directed at a bed for waking an individual asleep in the bed.

10. The home security system of claim of 9 comprising two or more security sensors, at least one of which detects a fire-indicating security condition, each sensor capable of triggering a separate code generator, and wherein each code generator is adapted to generate a repeating sequence of pseudo-random signal pulses that is measurably distinct from the other sequence(s) of pseudo-random signal pulses.

11. The home security system of claim 9 wherein the pseudo-random signal pulses are selected from the group consisting of radio frequency signal pulses, acoustic signal pulses, infrared signal pulses, and visible light signal pulses.

12. The home security system of claim 9 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, air, and water.