Audio monitoring and sound identification process for remote alarms

• US 9,262,909 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Grant, Rosemarie Geier
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/832,116
• Time in Patent Office: 179 Days
• Field of Search: 340/515, 340/506, 340/508, 340/521, 340/540, 340/541, 340/628, 340/692
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/126 of annunciator circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/20 Calibration, including self-calibrating arrangements

Abstract

In a method for remote monitoring of alarms, a user interface is provided to a user of a mobile computing. The user interface enables the user to enter alarm descriptors associated with alarm devices, and indicate timings of triggering alarm devices. A timing of triggering a first alarm device indicated by the user is received, after which a microphone of the mobile computing device is utilized to detect a first audio test signal generated by the first alarm device. The first audio test signal is processed to generate first alarm identification data, and a first alarm descriptor entered by the user is received. The first alarm descriptor and first alarm identification data are transferred from the mobile computing device to an alarm monitoring system to enable the alarm monitoring system to identify the first alarm device when the first alarm device detects an alarm condition and generates an audio signal.

Claims

1. A method for remote monitoring of alarms, the method comprising:

providing, by one or more processors of a mobile computing device, a user interface to a user of the mobile computing device, the user interface enabling the user to (i) enter alarm descriptors associated with alarm devices, and (ii) indicate timings of triggering alarm devices;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a timing of triggering a first alarm device indicated by the user via the user interface;

after receiving the timing of triggering the first alarm device, utilizing, by the one or more processors, a microphone of the mobile computing device to detect a first audio test signal generated by the first alarm device;

processing, by the one or more processors, the first audio test signal to generate first alarm identification data;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a first alarm descriptor entered by the user via the user interface; and

transferring (i) the first alarm descriptor, and (ii) the first alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to an alarm monitoring system to enable the alarm monitoring system to identify the first alarm device when the first alarm device generates an audio signal in response to detecting an alarm condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a timing of triggering a second alarm device indicated by the user via the user interface;

after receiving the timing of triggering the second alarm device, utilizing, by the one or more processors, the microphone of the mobile computing device to detect a second audio test signal generated by the second alarm device;

processing, by the one or more processors, the second audio test signal to generate second alarm identification data;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a second alarm descriptor entered by the user via the user interface; and

transferring (i) the second alarm descriptor, and (ii) the second alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system to enable the alarm monitoring system to identify the second alarm device when the second alarm device generates an audio signal in response to detecting an alarm condition.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

transferring (i) the first alarm descriptor, and (ii) the first alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system further comprises transferring data associating the first alarm identification data with the first alarm descriptor from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system; and

transferring (i) the second alarm descriptor, and (ii) the second alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system further comprises transferring data associating the second alarm identification data with the second alarm descriptor from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a user interface to the user of the mobile computing device includes providing a user interface enabling the user to (i) enter alarm descriptors associated with alarm devices, and (ii) indicate when alarm devices are about to be triggered.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the first alarm descriptor, and the first alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system includes transferring the first alarm descriptor, and the first alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system via either (i) a WiFi network, or (ii) a wired connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the microphone of the mobile computing device to detect an audio test signal generated by the alarm device includes utilizing the microphone to detect an audio test signal generated by (i) a smoke detector located at a residence of the user, (ii) a carbon monoxide detector located at the residence of the user, (iii) a water leak detector located at the residence of the user, (iv) a home security system located at the residence of the user, (v) a door alarm device located at the residence of the user, (vi) a window alarm device located at the residence of the user, or (vii) mechanical equipment located at the residence of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile computing device and from the alarm monitoring system, a notification that the first alarm device has been triggered.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a notification that the first alarm device has been triggered includes receiving one or both of (i) an electronic mail message indicating that the first alarm device has been triggered, (ii) a text message indicating that the first alarm device has been triggered.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first alarm descriptor entered by the user via the user interface includes receiving a description of an alarm type.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first alarm descriptor entered by the user via the user interface includes receiving a description of an alarm location.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile computing device, cause the one or more processors to:

provide a user interface to a user of the mobile computing device, the user interface enabling the user to (i) enter alarm descriptors associated with alarm devices, and (ii) indicate timings of triggering alarm devices;

receive a timing of triggering a first alarm device indicated by the user via the user interface;

after receiving the timing of triggering the first alarm device, utilize a microphone of the mobile computing device to detect a first audio test signal generated by the first alarm device;

process the first audio test signal to generate first alarm identification data;

receive a first alarm descriptor entered by the user via the user interface; and

transfer (i) the first alarm descriptor, and (ii) the first alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to an alarm monitoring system to enable the alarm monitoring system to identify the first alarm device when the first alarm device generates an audio signal in response to detecting an alarm condition.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the user interface enables the user to indicate timing of triggering alarm devices by indicating when the alarm devices are about to be triggered.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to transfer the first alarm descriptor, and the first alarm identification data, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system via either (i) a WiFi network, or (ii) a wired connection.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the first alarm descriptor includes a description of an alarm type.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the first alarm descriptor includes a description of an alarm location.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile computing device, cause the one or more processors to:

provide a user interface to a user of the mobile computing device, the user interface enabling the user to (i) enter alarm descriptors associated with alarm devices, and (ii) indicate timings of triggering alarm devices;

receive a timing of triggering a first alarm device indicated by the user via the user interface;

after receiving the timing of triggering the first alarm device, utilize a microphone of the mobile computing device to detect a first audio test signal generated by the first alarm device;

record the first audio test signal in a memory of the mobile computing device;

receive a first alarm descriptor entered by the user via the user interface; and

transfer (i) the first alarm descriptor, and (ii) the recorded first audio test signal, from the mobile computing device to an alarm monitoring system to enable the alarm monitoring system to identify the first alarm device when the first alarm device generates an audio signal in response to detecting an alarm condition.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the user interface enables the user to indicate timing of triggering alarm devices by indicating when the alarm devices are about to be triggered.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to transfer the first alarm descriptor, and the recorded first audio test signal, from the mobile computing device to the alarm monitoring system via either (i) a WiFi network, or (ii) a wired connection.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the first alarm descriptor includes a description of an alarm type.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the first alarm descriptor includes a description of one or both of an alarm location.