Smart-home hazard detector with adaptive heads up pre-alarm criteria

• US 9,626,858 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• 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): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US14/508,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• 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 operating a hazard detector, comprising:

sensing, using a hazard sensor of the hazard detector, a hazard level;

alarming, by the hazard detector, according to an emergency alarm threshold that indicates the presence of a dangerous condition when the emergency alarm threshold is exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

outputting, by the hazard detector, a warning according to a pre-alarm threshold when the pre-alarm threshold is exceeded by the sensed hazard level but the emergency alarm threshold is not exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

storing data indicative of sensed hazard levels over a particular time period, wherein the sensed hazard levels are sufficient to exceed the pre-alarm threshold but insufficient to exceed the emergency alarm threshold;

analyzing the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period to identify a reoccurring trend, wherein;

the reoccurring trend causes the pre-alarm threshold to be exceeded by the sensed hazard level but the emergency alarm threshold to not be exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

raising, by the hazard detector, the pre-alarm threshold to a raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, in response to an onset of a subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend;

operating the hazard detector according to the emergency alarm threshold and the raised pre-alarm threshold in response to the reoccurring trend; and

operating the hazard detector according to the emergency alarm threshold and the pre-alarm threshold in an absence of the onset of an occurrence of the reoccurring trend.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing data of a second sensed hazard level received from a second hazard sensor;

wherein analyzing the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period further comprises analyzing data of the second sensed hazard level from the second hazard sensor to identify the reoccurring trend.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second hazard sensor detects a different type of hazard than the hazard sensor.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second hazard sensor is located on a second hazard detector located at a different location than the hazard detector.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating occurrence of the reoccurring trend with a particular status of a home automation device of a home automation system installed at a residence at which the hazard detector is installed; and

wherein raising the pre-alarm threshold to the raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, is performed in response to the onset of the subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend and an occurrence of the particular status of the home automation device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating occurrence of the reoccurring trend with a particular time period of day; and

wherein raising the pre-alarm threshold to the raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, is performed in response to the onset of the subsequent instance of the reoccurring trend and an instant time of day corresponding with the particular time period of day.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating occurrence of the reoccurring trend with a particular time period of year; and

wherein raising the pre-alarm threshold to the raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, is performed in response to the onset of the subsequent instance of the reoccurring trend and an instant time of year corresponding with the particular time period of year.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input that specifies that the hazard detector is located in a particular location within a residence; and

setting, by the hazard detector, the pre-alarm threshold based upon the input that specifies that the hazard detector is located in the particular location within the residence.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular time period is selected from a particular day time period, a particular week time period, a particular month time period, and a particular year time period.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period is stored to a database remote from the hazard detector.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period is stored to a database in a non-transitory memory of the hazard detector.

12. A hazard detector, comprising:

at least one hazard sensor that senses a hazard level; and

a processing system, in operative communication with the least one hazard sensor, configured to;

output a warning according to a pre-alarm threshold when the pre-alarm threshold is exceeded by the sensed hazard level but the emergency alarm threshold is not exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

cause data indicative of the sensed hazard level to be stored, the data indicating sensed hazard levels over the particular time period that are sufficient to exceed the pre-alarm threshold but insufficient to exceed the emergency alarm threshold;

analyze the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period to identify a reoccurring trend, wherein;

the reoccurring trend causes the pre-alarm threshold to be exceeded by the sensed hazard level but the emergency alarm threshold to not be exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

raise the pre-alarm threshold to a raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, in response to an onset of a subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend;

operate according to the raised pre-alarm threshold in response to the onset of the subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend; and

operate the hazard detector according to the pre-alarm threshold in an absence of the reoccurring trend.

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

analyze data of a second sensed hazard level received from a second hazard sensor;

wherein analyzing the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period further comprises analyzing data of the second sensed hazard level received from the second hazard sensor to identify the reoccurring trend.

14. The hazard detector of claim 13, wherein the hazard detector comprises the second hazard sensor which detects a different type of hazard than the hazard sensor.

15. The hazard detector of claim 12, further comprising a wireless communication interface and wherein processing system is further configured to:

correlate occurrence of the reoccurring trend with a particular status of a home automation device of a home automation system installed at a residence at which the hazard detector is installed, wherein the wireless communication interface is used to communicate with the home automation system,

wherein raising the pre-alarm threshold to the raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, is performed in response to the onset of the subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend and an occurrence of the particular status of the home automation device.

16. The hazard detector of claim 12, wherein processing system is further configured to:

correlate occurrence of the reoccurring trend with a particular time period of day,

wherein raising the pre-alarm threshold to the raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, is performed in response to the onset of the subsequent instance of the reoccurring trend and an instant time of day corresponding with the particular time period of day.

17. The hazard detector of claim 12, wherein processing system is further configured to:

correlate occurrence of the reoccurring trend with a particular time period of year,

wherein raising the pre-alarm threshold to the raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, is performed in response to the onset of the subsequent instance of the reoccurring trend and an instant time of year corresponding with the particular time period of year.

18. The hazard detector of claim 12, wherein processing system is further configured to:

receive input that specifies that the hazard detector is located in a particular location within a residence; and

set the pre-alarm threshold based upon the input that specifies that the hazard detector is located in the particular location within the residence.

19. The hazard detector of claim 12, wherein the particular time period is selected from a particular day time period, a particular week time period, a particular month time period, and a particular year time period.

20. The hazard detector of claim 12, wherein the hazard detector further comprises a local database stored using a non-transitory processor-readable medium, the local database storing the data of the sensed hazard levels over the particular time period.

21. A hazard detector system, comprising:

a remote server system comprising a database; and

a hazard detector, comprising;

a wireless communication interface to communicate with the remote server system;

at least one sensor that senses a hazard level; and

a processing system, in operative communication with the least one sensor, configured to;

output a warning according to a pre-alarm threshold when the pre-alarm threshold is exceeded by the sensed hazard level but the emergency alarm threshold is not exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

cause the sensed hazard level to be stored to the database of the remote server system;

analyze sensed hazard levels over the particular time period that are sufficient to exceed the pre-alarm threshold but insufficient to exceed the emergency alarm threshold to identify a reoccurring trend, wherein;

the reoccurring trend causes the pre-alarm threshold to be exceeded but the emergency alarm threshold to not be exceeded by the sensed hazard level;

raise the pre-alarm threshold to a raised pre-alarm threshold, but not raising the emergency alarm threshold, in response to an onset of a subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend;

operate according to the raised pre-alarm threshold in response to the onset of the subsequent occurrence of the reoccurring trend; and

operate the hazard detector according to the pre-alarm threshold in an absence of the onset of an occurrence of the reoccurring trend.