Smart-home hazard detector providing non-alarm status signals at opportune moments

• US 9,552,718 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Rogers, Matthew L., Sloo, David, Veron, Maxime, Le Guen, Sophie, Matsuoka, Yoky, Boyd, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US14/643,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20150187200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/539.1, 340/540, 340/541, 340/577, 340/584, 340/588, 340/628, 340/630, 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/004 CO or 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: H05B 47/196 : characterised by user interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1965 : using handheld communication devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/197 : Sound control or voice control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/1975 : Gesture control
• 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 hazard detector may include a light sensor that senses a brightness level in an ambient environment. The hazard detector can have a processing system that receives an indication of the brightness level in the ambient environment from the light sensor. The processing system may then determine whether illumination in the ambient environment has been dimmed. Responsive to the dimming, the processing system may access information representative of a status of one or more components of the hazard detector. An illumination state may then be selected from a plurality of illumination states based on the accessed information representative of the status of the one or more components of the hazard detector. A light may then be illuminated based on the selected illumination state.

Claims

1. A hazard detector, comprising:

at least one hazard detection sensor that detects a presence of at least one type of hazard;

a light sensor that senses a brightness level in an ambient environment of the hazard detector;

a light; and

a processing system provided in operative communication with the at least one hazard detection sensor, the light sensor, and the light, the processing system configured to;

receive an indication of the brightness level in the ambient environment of the hazard detector from the light sensor;

determine whether the indication of the brightness level is indicative of a dimming of one or more illumination sources in the ambient environment;

access, responsive to an indication of the dimming of the one or more illumination sources, information representative of a status of one or more components of the hazard detector;

select an illumination state from a plurality of illumination states based on the accessed information representative of the status of the one or more components of the hazard detector; and

cause the light to illuminate using the selected illumination state of the plurality of illumination states.

2. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the at least one hazard detection sensor comprises a smoke detection sensor and a carbon monoxide detection sensor.

3. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine whether a battery charge of a battery of the hazard detector is below a threshold charge level, wherein the selected illumination state is indicative of a low battery condition.

4. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein each illumination state of the plurality of illumination states comprises at least a color and an animation pattern.

5. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the illumination state to comprise:

gradually increasing a brightness level of the light for at least 0.5 seconds;

maintaining the brightness level of the light for at least 0.5 seconds; and

gradually decreasing the brightness level of the light for at least 0.5 seconds.

6. The hazard detector of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless network, wherein the processing system is further configured to transmit a request to a remote server system accessible via the wireless transceiver and the Internet.

7. The hazard detector of claim 6, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive a notification from the remote server system via the wireless transceiver, wherein the illumination state is selected by the processing system based on the status check of the one or more components of the hazard detector and the notification from the remote server system received via the wireless transceiver.

8. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the light comprises at least five light emitting diodes (LEDs) that output light from the hazard detector in a circular pattern.

9. The hazard detector of claim 8, further comprising:

a button configured to be actuated by a user to initiate a function of the hazard detector, wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged to output light from the hazard detector in the circular pattern encircling the button.

10. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine, responsive to an indication of the dimming of the one or more illumination sources, that at least a threshold time period has elapsed since previously causing the light to illuminate, wherein the processing system being configured to cause the light to illuminate based on the illumination state further comprises the processing system being configured to cause the light to illuminate based on at least the threshold time period having been determined to have elapsed.

11. The hazard detector of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion detection sensor that senses motion in the ambient environment of the hazard detector, wherein the processing system is further configured to;

cause the light to illuminate based on the motion detector indicating motion is present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector and responsive to the indication of the dimming of the one or more illumination sources.

12. The hazard detector of claim 11, wherein the processing system is configured to:

cause the light to illuminate based on the motion detector indicating motion is present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector, responsive to the indication of the dimming of the one or more illumination sources, and a user-defined setting stored by the processing system indicative of the hazard detector being not inside a bedroom.

13. A method for outputting a status of a hazard detector, the method comprising:

measuring, by the hazard detector, a brightness level in the ambient environment of the hazard detector;

determining, by the hazard detector, whether the brightness level in the ambient environment of the hazard detector is indicative of a dimming of an illumination source;

accessing, responsive to determining the brightness level in the ambient environment is indicative of the dimming of the illumination source, information representative of a status of the hazard detector;

selecting, by the hazard detector, an illumination state from a plurality of illumination states based on the information representative of the status of the hazard detector; and

causing, by the hazard detector, a light of the hazard detector to illuminate using the selected illumination state of the plurality of illumination states.

14. The method for outputting the status of the hazard detector of claim 13, wherein the hazard detector comprises a smoke detection sensor and a carbon monoxide detection sensor and the method further comprises:

performing, by the hazard detector, a status check of one or more components of the hazard detector, which comprises checking a status of the smoke detection sensor and the carbon monoxide detection sensor, wherein the information representative of the status of the hazard detector is representative of the status of the smoke detection sensor and the carbon monoxide detection sensor.

15. The method for outputting the status of the hazard detector of claim 13, further comprising:

wirelessly communicating, by the hazard detector, with a wireless network, to transmit a request to a remote server system accessible via the wireless network and the Internet.

16. The method for outputting the status of the hazard detector of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the hazard detector, via the wireless network, a notification from the remote server system, wherein the illumination state is selected by the processing system based on notification from the remote server system received via the wireless network.

17. The method for outputting the status of the hazard detector of claim 13, the method further comprising:

determining, by the hazard detector, that at least a threshold time period has elapsed since previously causing the light to illuminate in response to determining that the brightness level is indicative of the dimming of the illumination source;

wherein causing, by the hazard detector, the light to illuminate based on the illumination state is further based on at least the threshold time period having been determined to have elapsed.

18. The method for outputting the status of the hazard detector of claim 13, wherein causing the light of the hazard detector to illuminate using the selected illumination state of the plurality of illumination states further comprises:

gradually increasing a brightness level of the light for at least 0.5 seconds;

maintaining the brightness level of the light for at least 0.5 seconds; and

gradually decreasing the brightness level of the light for at least 0.5 seconds.

19. A hazard detector apparatus, comprising:

means for measuring a brightness level in the ambient environment of the hazard detector apparatus;

means for determining whether the brightness level in the ambient environment of the hazard detector apparatus is indicative of a dimming of an illumination source;

means for accessing, responsive to determining the brightness level in the ambient environment is indicative of the dimming of the illumination source, information representative of a status of the hazard detector apparatus;

means for selecting an illumination state from a plurality of illumination states based on the information representative of the status of the hazard detector apparatus; and

means for causing a lighting means of the hazard detector to illuminate using the selected illumination state of the plurality of illumination states.

20. The hazard detector apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means for wirelessly communicating with a wireless network, to transmit a request to a remote server system accessible via the wireless network and the Internet; and

means for receiving, via the wireless network, a notification from the remote server system, wherein;

the illumination state is selected based on the notification from the remote server system received via the wireless network.