Seismic alarm and warning system

• US 9,305,451 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liu, Yuxiang, Sichen Liu
• Original Assignee: Liu, Yuxiang, Sichen Liu
• Inventors: Liu, Yuxiang, Liu, Sichen
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/732,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20140187142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 340/690, 340/601, 340/686.1, 340/446, 340/471, 340/539.1, 340/539.22, 340/545.3, 340/545.4, 340/571, 340/572.7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast

Abstract

An improved seismic alarm system designed to alarm users of an upcoming seismic event and other natural disasters, and aid victims'"'"' survival after an earthquake. The seismic alarm system includes an accelerometer, a controller, an acoustic-to-electric transducer for acoustic pattern detection, and RF module to receive emergency radio signals. The alarm system has central controlling unit that sets off an alarm after processing signals from several module and components: accelerometer detects seismic P wave acceleration changes for early earthquake detection; acoustic-to-electric transducer detects human acoustics or predetermined acoustic patterns, then initiates an alarm that brings rescue attention to survivors; RF module is tuned to receive emergency radio signals.

Claims

1. A seismic alarm and warning system comprising:

a. a 3-axis accelerometer;

b. at least one microphone;

c. at least one radio frequency module;

d. an electric-to-acoustic transducer; and

e. a controller operationally coupled with the 3-axis accelerometer, the at least one microphone, and the at least one radio frequency module, wherein the controller is configured to monitor signals from the 3-axis accelerometer to determine the presence of a seismic event, to enable the at least one microphone, and to monitor signals from the radio frequency module for emergency broadcastings, wherein enabling of the at least one microphone depends on the signals from the 3-axis accelerometer, wherein the microphone records surrounding acoustics and is enabled by the controller to pick up surrounding acoustics at a predetermined time interval and to reproduce the acoustics through the electric-to-acoustic transducer.

2. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 1, wherein said controller analog-to-digital converts then processes the signals from the 3-axis accelerometer to determine the presence of the seismic event, upon crossing a predetermined threshold value.

3. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 1, wherein said controller enables the at least one microphone upon the determination of an earthquake, or a position state change of the 3-axis accelerometer, or both the determination of earthquake and a position state change of the 3-axis accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said controller analog-to-digital converts then processes and analyzes the incoming signals from the at least one microphone.

5. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 4, wherein said controller enables the electric-to-acoustic transducer at a predetermined time interval to broadcast both an audio message stored in onboard memory and the recording of picked up surrounding acoustics in alternating sequence.

6. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 1, wherein said controller controls the radio frequency module that receives emergency radio signals from the government, or trusted organizations, or both the government agencies and trusted organizations.

7. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 6, wherein said controller processes information in the radio frequency signal thereby determining to broadcast the audio messages stored in onboard memory or the original message decoded from the radio frequency signal.

8. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 1, further comprising a light to illuminate the surroundings and flash set patterns for a visual warning.

9. The seismic alarm and warning system of claim 1, wherein the 3-axis accelerometer detects acceleration changes of 3 axes, each axis being orthogonal to one another.

10. A method of operating a seismic alarm device and warning system comprising the steps of:

providing the seismic alarm device and warning system comprising;

a 3-axis accelerometer;

at least one microphone;

at least one radio frequency module; and

a controller operationally coupled with the 3-axis accelerometer;

monitoring changes in acceleration and device position using the 3-axis accelerometer;

activating an audible alarm upon the determination of an earthquake using the 3-axis accelerometer;

activating the at least one microphone upon the determination of an earthquake using the 3-axis accelerometer;

detecting surrounding acoustics using the at least one microphone;

recording the detected acoustics using the device;

broadcasting the recording; and

broadcasting audio emergency messages upon the receiving of an emergency radio frequency signal by the at least one radio frequency module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the emergency messages and the recording are broadcast in alternating sequence.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the recording surrounding acoustics commences when the accelerometer detects a positional change of the device.