Room privacy device

• US 9,865,152 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Larte, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US15/483,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20170213440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10

Abstract

A room privacy device sounds an audible alarm when a door to a room is not closed and sound is detected in the room. This helps prompt people in the room to close the door to maintain the privacy of the conversation and/or prevent sound in the room from disturbing others outside the room. In some embodiments, the room privacy device includes a door sensor for detecting whether a door is open, a microphone for capturing sound, and a speaker for providing an audible alarm. The room privacy device also includes a processor that causes the speaker to sound an audible alarm based on a signal from the door sensor indicative of the door being open and a signal from the microphone indicative of sound being detected.

Claims

1. A device for providing a room privacy alarm, the device comprising:

a door sensor;

a microphone;

a speaker; and

a processor configured to receive a first signal from the door sensor, receive a second signal from the microphone, and cause the speaker to sound an audible alarm in response to determining a door is open based on the first signal at the same time as identifying sound being detected by the microphone with a volume that satisfies a threshold volume level based on the second signal.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the door sensor comprises two electrical contacts.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the door sensor comprises a magnetic switch and a magnet.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the door sensor comprises a photoelectric sensor and photoelectric transmitter.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the microphone comprises a directional microphone.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a main body having an enclosure that houses the microphone, the speaker, and the processor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the speaker to sound the audible alarm when the sound of the second signal detected using the microphone is determined to comprise human speech.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a light sensor, and wherein the processor causes the speaker to sound the audible alarm when a third signal is received from the light sensor in conjunction with the first signal and the second signal.

9. A device for providing a room privacy alarm, the device comprising:

a door sensor;

a microphone;

a speaker; and

a processor configured to receive a first signal from the door sensor, receive a second signal from the microphone, and cause the speaker to sound an audible alarm in response to determining a door is open based on the first signal at the same time as identifying sound being detected by the microphone for a predetermined period of time based on the second signal.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the door sensor comprises two electrical contacts.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the door sensor comprises a magnetic switch and a magnet.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the door sensor comprises a photoelectric sensor and photoelectric transmitter.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the microphone comprises a directional microphone.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the device includes a main body having an enclosure that houses the microphone, the speaker, and the processor.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor causes the speaker to sound the audible alarm when the sound of the second signal detected using the microphone is determined to comprise human speech.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the device further comprises a light sensor, and wherein the processor causes the speaker to sound the audible alarm when a third signal is received from the light sensor in conjunction with the first signal and the second signal.

17. A device for providing a room privacy alarm, the device comprising:

a door sensor;

a microphone;

a speaker; and

a processor configured to cause the speaker to sound an audible alarm in response to determining a door is open based on a first signal at the same time as identifying sound at a volume above a threshold volume for a predetermined period of time based on a second signal.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the door sensor comprises one selected from the following:

a pair of electrical contacts;

a magnetic switch and a magnet; and

a photoelectric sensor and photoelectric transmitter.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the device includes a main body having an enclosure that houses the microphone, the speaker, and the processor.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor causes the speaker to sound the audible alarm when the sound of the second signal detected using the microphone is determined to comprise human speech.