Smart-home multi-functional hazard detector providing location-specific feature configuration

• US 9,235,976 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sloo, David, Webb, Nick, Matsuoka, Yoky, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US14/508,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 340/501, 340517-524, 34053926-53928, 340/541, 340/584, 340/539.14, 340/628, 340/632
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/33 to fire, excessive heat or smoke
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/34 by opening air passages
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/75 for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/02 by investigating impedance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/121 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array electrochemical electrode arrays G01N27/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/004 for CO, CO2
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/46 Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames
• 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 17/117 by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 : responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 : Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 : Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 : Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 : Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 : Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/012 : using recorded signals, e.g. speech G08B25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 : using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 : Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 : Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 : of fire detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 : Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/22 : Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/26 : by updating and storing reference thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 : using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 : indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 : from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 : based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 : Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 : for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a hazard detector having a plurality of features and a default configuration profile that specifies predetermined ones of the plurality of features as enabled or disabled, the method comprising:

providing, using a mobile device distinct from the hazard detector, an opportunity for a user to input a designated location for installation of the hazard detector within a residence;

in response to receiving the designated location, identifying at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designated location;

providing, using the mobile device, a recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based upon the inputted designated location; and

in response to identifying the at least one feature and user input, instantiating, using the mobile device, a command to enable or disable, at the hazard detector, the at least one feature of the plurality of features of the hazard detector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of features include smoke detection and carbon monoxide detection, the default configuration profile specifies both said smoke detection and carbon monoxide detection as enabled, and the carbon monoxide detection is disabled when the designated location is of a predetermined type of location for which carbon monoxide detection is inadvisable.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined type of location for which carbon monoxide detection is inadvisable is a garage type of location.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing information pre-stored in a memory of the hazard detector to identify the at least one feature to enable or disable based upon said designated location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing information pre-stored in a database remote from the hazard detector to identify the at least one feature to enable or disable based upon the designated location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an opportunity for the user to override a particular setting in the default configuration profile so that an associated feature of the plurality of features is switched between enabled and disabled.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting, by a speaker system of the hazard detector, an audible request for input of the designated location for installation of the hazard detector; and

receiving, via actuation of a mechanical input device of the hazard detector, an indication of the designated location for installation of the hazard detector.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a computing device external to the hazard detector to prompt via user-interface for input of the designated location for installation of the hazard detector; and

causing the computing device external to the hazard detector to transmit the designated location to one of the hazard detector and a computing device external to the hazard detector to identify the at least one feature to enable or disable based upon the designated location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a designation of a particular region-specific location of the residence;

identifying at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designation; and

instantiating a command to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features of the hazard detector.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the designation is one of a postal code, a time zone, and a street address, and the at least one feature relates to one of automatic central call center notifications upon a detection of a hazard event, and automatic invocation of daylight savings time settings.

11. A hazard detector, comprising:

a plurality of integrated features including one or more alarming functions and one or more home life enhancement functions, the one or more alarming functions including carbon monoxide (CO) detection capabilities;

a processing system, in operative communication with the at least one integrated feature, that;

switches at least one integrated feature from a first status to one of an enabled status and a disabled status, an indication of which is output as a recommendation via a user-interface of a mobile device, in response to a user-based input provided via the mobile device that designates a particular location within a residence for installation of the hazard detector, the at least one integrated feature switched from the first status to one of the enabled and the disabled status comprising the CO detection capabilities.

12. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of integrated features includes smoke detection feature.

13. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of integrated features includes a motion-activated illumination feature.

14. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of integrated features includes at least one of a doorbell notification feature and an intercom communication feature.

15. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of integrated features includes a sound recognition feature selected from voice command recognition, glass break recognition, and distressed voice recognition.

16. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of integrated features includes at least one of an occupancy detection feature and a power outage notification feature.

17. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein said plurality of integrated features are built into the hazard detector at the time of manufacture.

18. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein said plurality of integrated features can be updated or upgraded to include additional such features by receiving software updates from a remote server across a data communications network.

19. A hazard detector, comprising:

a plurality of hazard detection features;

a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of hazard detection features; and

a memory operatively coupled with and readable by the processor, and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

prompt, via a mobile device in communication with the hazard detector, for user-input of a designated location for installation of the hazard detector within a residence;

receive, via the mobile device, an indication of the designated location for installation of the hazard detector within the residence;

identify at least one feature of the plurality of hazard detection features to enable or disable based upon the designated location;

provide, via the mobile device, a recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based upon the indication of the designated location; and

in response to a particular command received following the recommendation being provided, enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of hazard detection features.

20. The hazard detector of claim 19, wherein the memory further having stored therein a default configuration profile, the plurality of hazard detection features includes carbon monoxide detection, the default configuration profile specifies the carbon monoxide detection as enabled, and the carbon monoxide detection is disabled when the designated location is of a predetermined type of location for which carbon monoxide detection is inadvisable.