Visual and auditory user notification methods for smart-home hazard detector

• US 9,836,953 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• 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, Webb, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US15/218,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20160335884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 340628
• 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

Hazard detector for providing a pre-alarm of a developing hazardous condition can include a detection module that detects a hazard level of smoke or carbon monoxide, a light source that generates light, a speaker that generates an audible sound, a horn that generates an audible alarm that a higher volume than the speaker, and a processing module. The processing module can receive the detected hazard level and compare it with the pre-alarm threshold and the emergency threshold. The processing module can determine that the hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold and cause an audible pre-alarm speech to be generated via the speaker that warns of the developing hazardous condition.

Claims

1. A hazard detector for providing a pre-alarm of a hazardous condition, the hazard detector comprising:

a hazard sensor that measures a hazard level, the hazard sensor measuring at least one of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO);

a storage module configured to store a pre-alarm threshold, the pre-alarm threshold being less than an emergency threshold;

a light source that generates light;

a speaker that generates audible sound;

a user interface module in communication with a processing module, the user interface module being configured to receive user input;

a horn that generates an audible alarm at a higher volume than the speaker; and

the processing module in communication with the hazard sensor, the storage module, the light source, the speaker, and the horn, the processing module being configured to;

compare the measured hazard level with the pre-alarm threshold,

compare the measured hazard level with the emergency threshold,

determine that the measured hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and that the measured hazard level is less than the emergency threshold,

generate audible pre-alarm speech via the speaker in response to determining that the measured hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold,

activate the light source in response to determining that the measured hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold,

receive the user input from the user interface module, and

stop generating the audible pre-alarm speech in response to receiving the user input.

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

a high power wireless communication module in communication with the processing module, the high power wireless communication module being configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly via a local area network; and

a low power wireless communication module in communication with the processing module, the low power wireless communication module being configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly via a mesh network.

3. The hazard detector of claim 2, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

cause a first hazard event to be transmitted to a computer server system via the high power wireless communication module and the local area network, the first hazard event indicating the detection of the hazard level that is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold; and

cause a second hazard event to be transmitted to one or more smart devices via the low power wireless communication module and the mesh network, the second hazard event indicating the detection of the hazard level that is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold.

4. The hazard detector of claim 2, wherein:

the light source generates light in at least;

a first color, a second color, and a third color;

the light source is activated in the second color in response to determining that the measured hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold; and

the light source is activated in the third color in response to determining that the measured hazard level is greater than the emergency threshold.

5. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the light source outputs light to create a visual halo effect.

6. The hazard detector of claim 5, wherein the visual halo effect is output by the light source in a plurality of colors, the color selected from the plurality of colors based on an illumination state of the hazard detector.

7. The hazard detector of claim 6, wherein the illumination state of the hazard detector is selected from a plurality of illumination states by the processing module of the hazard detector and the plurality of illumination states define a plurality of light animation effects.

8. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the user interface module includes a motion detector, and wherein the user input is a wave motion that is detected by the motion detector.

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

a humidity sensor in communication with the processing module,

wherein the processing module is further configured to;

receive a reading from the humidity sensor indicating an increase in humidity level, and

increase the pre-alarm threshold in response to receiving the reading.

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

a heat sensor in communication with the processing module,

wherein the processing module is further configured to;

receive a reading from the heat sensor indicating a rate of increase in temperature that is greater than a heat rate threshold, and

decrease the pre-alarm threshold in response to the reading being greater than the heat rate threshold.

11. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein the processing module comprises a high power processor and a low power processor, wherein the high power processor is in communication with the speaker, and the low power processor is in communication with the horn.

12. A method for providing a pre-alarm notification, the method comprising:

detecting a first hazard level, the first hazard level indicating an amount of at least one of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) present at a hazard detector;

comparing the first hazard level with an emergency threshold;

determining that the first hazard level is less than the emergency threshold;

comparing the first hazard level with a pre-alarm threshold, the pre-alarm threshold being less than the emergency threshold;

determining that the first hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold;

activating a light source that generates light in response to determining that the first hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold;

outputting, via a speaker, an audible pre-alarm speech in response to determining that the first hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold, the audible pre-alarm speech including content that warns of the detected first hazard level;

receiving user input via a user interface module of the hazard detector; and

stopping generation of the audible pre-alarm speech in response to receiving the user input.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a second hazard level;

comparing the second hazard level with the emergency threshold;

determining that the second hazard level is greater than the emergency threshold;

activating a horn that generates an audible alarm in response to determining that the second hazard level is greater than the emergency threshold, the audible alarm being louder than the audible pre-alarm speech; and

activating the light source that generates light in response to determining that the second hazard level is greater than the emergency threshold, the light being a different color than the light generated in response to determining that the first hazard level was greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the audible pre-alarm speech indicates a location of the hazard detector and a type of hazard of the first hazard level detected by the hazard detector.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting a first message indicative of a hazard event to a remote computer server system via a local area wireless network and a high power wireless communication module of the hazard detector, the hazard event indicating the detection of the first hazard level that is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold; and

transmitting a second message indicative of the hazard event to one or more smart devices via a low power wireless communication module, the second message indicating the detection of the first hazard level that is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the light source generates light in at least;

a first color and a second color; and

the light source is activated in the second color in response to determining that the detected first hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the light source outputs light to create a visual effect of a halo.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein activating the light source that generates light comprises selecting a color for the light based on the detected first hazard level.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein activating the light source that generates light comprises selecting an animation for the light based on the detected first hazard level.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having instructions stored therein, which when executed cause a hazard detector to perform a set of operations comprising:

detecting a hazard level that indicates an amount of at least one of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO);

comparing the hazard level with an emergency threshold;

determining that the hazard level is less than the emergency threshold;

comparing the hazard level with a pre-alarm threshold, the pre-alarm threshold being less than the emergency threshold;

determining that the hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold;

activating a light source;

causing a speaker to output audible pre-alarm speech in response to determining that the hazard level is greater than the pre-alarm threshold and less than the emergency threshold;

receiving user input via a user interface module of the hazard detector; and

ceasing generation of the audible pre-alarm speech in response to receiving the user input.