Generating alerts by matching audio signatures from trusted smart devices

• US 9,984,542 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ekambaram, Vijay, Kumar, Pratyush, Namboodiri, Lohit K., Narayanam, Ramasuri
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHAVAL V
• Application Number:
  US15/285,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 340544, 3404255, 34053911, 340540, 340628, 348 1402, 348142, 348152
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1618 using ultrasonic detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating alerts by matching audio signatures from trusted smart devices are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes converting one or more captured audio signals originating from a given area of a given environment to one or more audio signatures, wherein the one or more audio signatures correspond to one or more pre-defined user actions within the given environment; comparing the one or more audio signatures to one or more audio signatures associated with one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment; generating, based on said comparing, an alert upon a determination that the audio signatures do not exceed a threshold level of similarity with respect to the audio signatures associated with the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area; and outputting the alert to one or more of the user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

converting one or more captured audio signals originating from a given area of a given environment to one or more audio signatures, wherein the one or more audio signatures correspond to one or more pre-defined user actions within the given environment;

comparing the one or more audio signatures to one or more audio signatures associated with one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment, wherein the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment comprise one or more devices (i) attributed to one or more users associated with the given environment and (ii) registered with one or more of the given areas accessible to the one or more users associated with the given environment;

generating, based on said comparing, an alert upon a determination that the audio signatures do not exceed a threshold level of similarity with respect to the audio signatures associated with the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area; and

outputting the alert to one or more of the user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment;

wherein the steps are carried out by at least one computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the given environment comprises a smart home.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the given area comprises a room within the smart home.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said converting comprises extracting one or more features from the captured audio signals, wherein the one or more features relate to the one or more pre-defined user actions.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more user devices comprise one or more wearable devices.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the one or more wearable devices comprises one or more smart watches.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises an indication of a possible intrusion in the given area of the given environment.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

monitoring audio signals originating from the given area via one or more microphones.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to:

convert one or more captured audio signals originating from a given area of a given environment to one or more audio signatures, wherein the one or more audio signatures correspond to one or more pre-defined user actions within the given environment;

compare the one or more audio signatures to one or more audio signatures associated with one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment, wherein the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment comprise one or more devices (i) attributed to one or more users associated with the given environment and (ii) registered with one or more of the given areas accessible to the one or more users associated with the given environment;

generate, based on said comparing, an alert upon a determination that the audio signatures do not exceed a threshold level of similarity with respect to the audio signatures associated with the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area; and

output the alert to one or more of the user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the program instructions executable further cause the device to:

monitor audio signals originating from the given area via one or more microphones.

11. A system comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured for;

converting one or more captured audio signals originating from a given area of a given environment to one or more audio signatures, wherein the one or more audio signatures correspond to one or more pre-defined user actions within the given environment;

comparing the one or more audio signatures to one or more audio signatures associated with one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment, wherein the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment comprise one or more devices (i) attributed to one or more users associated with the given environment and (ii) registered with one or more of the given areas accessible to the one or more users associated with the given environment;

generating, based on said comparing, an alert upon a determination that the audio signatures do not exceed a threshold level of similarity with respect to the audio signatures associated with the one or more user devices authorized to access the given area; and

outputting the alert to one or more of the user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

detecting an event within a given area of a given environment, wherein said detecting is based on one or more audio signals originating from the given area;

determining a periodicity requirement of human presence in the given area in response to said detected event, wherein said determining the periodicity requirement comprises comparing the detected event to a collection of information pertaining to periodicity requirements of human presence in relation to multiple detected events;

generating an instruction to emit one or more signals in the given area of the given environment during a defined temporal period, wherein the defined temporal period is based on the determined periodicity requirement of human presence;

determining the presence, within the given area, of one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment during the defined temporal period, wherein said determining the user device presence comprises monitoring interaction between the one or more emitted signals and the one or more user devices;

generating, based on said determining the user device presence, an alert upon a determination that none of the authorized user devices interacted with the one or more emitted signals during the defined temporal period; and

outputting the alert to one or more of the user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment;

wherein the steps are carried out by at least one computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the one or more user devices comprise one or more wearable devices.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said one or more audio signals originating from the given area comprise one or more audio signals generated by an appliance within the given area.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said one or more audio signals originating from the given area comprise one or more human voice commands related to an appliance within the given area.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said generating comprises generating an instruction to continuously emit one or more signals in the given area.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said generating comprises generating an instruction to periodically emit one or more signals in the given area.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the one or more emitted signals comprise one or more ultra-sound signals.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the alert comprises one of multiple criticality levels attributed to the detected event, wherein the criticality level is derived from the collection of information pertaining to periodicity requirements of human presence in relation to multiple detected events.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to:

detect an event within a given area of a given environment, wherein said detecting is based on one or more audio signals originating from the given area;

determine a periodicity requirement of human presence in the given area in response to said detected event, wherein said determining the periodicity requirement comprises comparing the detected event to a collection of information pertaining to periodicity requirements of human presence in relation to multiple detected events;

generate an instruction to emit one or more signals in the given area of the given environment during a defined temporal period, wherein the defined temporal period is based on the determined periodicity requirement of human presence;

determine the presence, within the given area, of one or more user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment during the defined temporal period, wherein said determining the user device presence comprises monitoring interaction between the one or more emitted signals and the one or more user devices;

generate, based on said determining the user device presence, an alert upon a determination that none of the authorized user devices interacted with the one or more emitted signals during the defined temporal period; and

output the alert to one or more of the user devices authorized to access the given area of the given environment.