Notification system for virtual reality devices

• US 9,990,778 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Safety Products Canada Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Long, Jason L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, Ryan M
• Application Number:
  US15/235,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20180047212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

A notification system for virtual reality devices that includes a message indicator device, an audiovisual (A/V) signal source connected to the message indicator device and adapted provide an A/V feed containing at least one of video information and audio information, a monitoring system connected to the message indicator device and configured to detect notification events at a monitored premises, and a virtual reality (VR) headset connected to the message indicator device and adapted to receive and present the A/V feed, wherein the message indicator device is adapted to communicate the A/V feed to the VR headset during a normal operating state, and wherein the message indicator device is adapted to communicate an alert signal to the VR headset upon detection of a notification event by the monitoring system.

Claims

1. A message indicator device comprising a processor configured to:

communicate an audiovisual (A/V) feed from an A/V signal source to a virtual reality (VR) headset during a normal operating state,

communicate an alert signal to the VR headset upon receiving a notification signal from a monitoring system indicating an occurrence of a notification event at a monitored premises;

determine whether the notification signal indicates a hazardous notification event or a non-hazardous notification event; and

if the notification signal indicates a hazardous notification event, the processor to interrupt communication of the A/V feed to the VR headset and replace the A/V feed with the alert signal such that the VR headset presents a notification of the hazardous notification event instead of the A/V feed, and

if the notification signal indicates a non-hazardous notification event, the processor to overlay the alert signal on the A/V feed such that the VR headset presents a notification of the non-hazardous notification event along with the A/V feed.

2. The message indicator device of claim 1, wherein the notification event includes at least one of the presence of smoke, the presence of heat, the activation of a panic alarm, the activation of a medical alarm, the presence of carbon monoxide, the presence of an intruder, the breaking of glass, a doorbell being actuated, a door being opened, a window being opened, and a phone call being received.

3. The message indicator device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to to replace the A/V feed with the alert signal such that the VR headset presents a previously stored notification message associated with the hazardous notification event instead of the A/V feed.

4. The message indicator device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to overlay the alert signal on the A/V feed such that the VR headset presents a previously stored notification message associated with the non-hazardous notification event along with the A/V feed.

5. The message indicator device of claim 1, further comprising a universal zone type input for facilitating connection to a peripheral input device.

6. The message indicator device of claim 1, wherein the alert signal includes information that is specific to the notification event.

7. The message indicator device of claim 1, wherein the message indicator device is configured to be connected to a control panel of the monitoring system via at least one of a wired connection and a wireless connection.

8. A notification system comprising:

a message indicator device;

an audiovisual (A/V) signal source connected to the message indicator device and adapted provide an A/V feed containing at least one of video information and audio information;

a monitoring system connected to the message indicator device and configured to detect notification events at a monitored premises; and

a virtual reality (VR) headset connected to the message indicator device and adapted to receive and present the A/V feed;

wherein the message indicator device is adapted to

communicate the A/V feed to the VR headset during a normal operating state,

communicate an alert signal to the VR headset upon detection of a notification event by the monitoring system,

determine whether the notification event indicates a hazardous notification event or a non-hazardous notification event, and

if the notification event is a hazardous notification event, interrupt communication of the A/V feed to the VR headset and replace the A/V feed with the alert signal such that the VR headset presents a notification of the hazardous notification event instead of the A/V feed, and

if the notification event is a non-hazardous notification event, overlay the alert signal on the A/V feed such that the VR headset presents a notification of the non-hazardous notification event along with the A/V feed.

9. The notification system of claim 8, wherein the message indicator device is configured to replace the A/V feed with the alert signal such that the VR headset presents a previously stored notification message associated with the hazardous notification event instead of the A/V feed.

10. The notification system of claim 8, wherein the message indicator device includes a processor that is adapted to overlay the alert signal on the A/V feed such that the VR headset presents a previously stored notification message associated with the non-hazardous notification event along with the A/V feed.

11. A notification method comprising:

an audiovisual (A/V) signal source sending an A/V feed containing at least one of video information and audio information to a virtual reality (VR) headset via a message indicator device that is connected to the A/V signal source and to the VR headset;

the VR headset presenting the A/V feed to a user via at least one of a display and headphones of the VR headset;

the message indicator device;

receiving a notification signal indicating the occurrence of a notification event at a monitored premises from a monitoring system;

determining whether the received notification signal indicates a hazardous notification event or a non-hazardous notification event; and

upon determining the notification event is a hazardous notification event, the message indicator device interrupting communication of the A/V feed to the VR headset and replace the A/V feed with the alert signal such that the VR headset presents a notification of the hazardous notification event instead of the A/V feed, and

upon determining the notification event is a non-hazardous notification event, the message indicator device overlaying the alert signal on the A/V feed such that the VR headset presents a notification of the non-hazardous notification event along with the A/V feed.

12. The notification method of claim 11, wherein the notification event includes at least one the presence of smoke, the presence of heat, the activation of a panic alarm, the activation of a medical alarm, the presence of carbon monoxide, the presence of an intruder, the breaking of glass, a doorbell being actuated, a door being opened, a window being opened, and a phone call being received.

13. The notification method of claim 11, further comprising the message indicator device replacing the A/V feed with the alert signal such that the VR headset presents a previously stored notification message associated with the hazardous notification event instead of the A/V feed.

14. The notification method of claim 11, further comprising the message indicator device overlaying the alert signal on the A/V feed such that the VR headset presents a previously stored notification message associated with the non-hazardous notification event along with the A/V feed.

15. The notification method of claim 11, wherein the alert signal includes information that is specific to the notification event.

16. The notification method of claim 11, wherein the monitoring system is a life safety system that includes a plurality of sensors disposed in the premises.

17. The notification method of claim 11, wherein the notification is presented via the display of the VR headset.

18. The notification method of claim 11, wherein the notification is presented via the headphones of the VR headset.