Smart-home multi-functional hazard detector providing location-specific feature configuration

• US 9,997,058 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sloo, David, Webb, Nick, Matsuoka, Yoky, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US14/955,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20160232779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 340501, 340517-524, 34053926-53928, 340541, 340584, 34053914, 340628, 340632
• 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 hazard detection system, comprising:

a hazard detector comprising;

a hazard sensor, a processor, and wireless communication circuitry; and

processor-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

provide, via a mobile device, an opportunity for a user to input a designated location for installation of the hazard detector within a structure, wherein the designated location is selected from a group of room types;

access a stored database that indicates whether each of a plurality of features of the hazard detector should be recommended to be enabled or disabled for each room type of the group of room types;

identify at least one feature of the plurality of features of the hazard detector to enable or disable based upon the designated location provided by the user and the accessed stored database, wherein the at least one feature comprises one or more sensor detection features, a lighting feature, or both;

provide, via the mobile device, a recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based upon the designated location;

receiving, via the mobile device from a user, acceptance of the recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based on the designated location; and

cause execution, at the hazard detector, of an instruction to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features of the hazard detector based on the acceptance of the recommendation received via the mobile device from the user.

2. The hazard detection system of claim 1, wherein said providing of the recommendation comprises causing the mobile device to display the at least one feature as being already set to a state in accordance with the recommendation.

3. The hazard detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of features comprise smoke detection and carbon monoxide detection, and the carbon monoxide detection is disabled via the command when the designated location is of a predetermined type of location for which carbon monoxide detection is inadvisable.

4. The hazard detection system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote server system that hosts the stored database, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

access information pre-stored in the stored database remote from the hazard detector to identify the at least one feature to enable or disable based upon the designated location.

5. The hazard detection system of claim 1, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a designation of a particular region-specific location of the residence;

identify at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designation; and

instantiate a command to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features of the hazard detector.

6. The hazard detection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of features comprise a nightlight feature, and the nightlight feature is disabled via the command when the designated location is a bedroom.

7. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors to:

provide an opportunity for a user to input a designated location for installation of a network-connected smart-home device within a structure, wherein the network-connected smart-home device comprises at least one environmental sensor for monitoring at least one environmental condition associated with the structure, wherein the designated location is selected from a group of room types;

access a stored database that indicates whether each of a plurality of features of the smart-home device should be recommended to be enabled or disabled for each room type of the group of room types;

identify at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designated location provided by the user and the accessed stored database, wherein the at least one feature comprises one or more sensor detection features, a lighting feature, or both;

provide a recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based upon the designated location;

receive acceptance of the recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based on the designated location; and

cause execution of an instruction to enable or disable, at the network-connected smart-home device, the at least one feature of the plurality of features based on the received acceptance of the recommendation.

8. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the network-connected smart home device is a hazard detector.

9. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the providing of the recommendation comprises causing the one or more processors to cause a display of the at least one feature as being already set to a state in accordance with the recommendation.

10. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to cause the display of the at least one feature as being set to the state in accordance with the recommendation on a display screen of a computerized mobile device.

11. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the plurality of features comprise smoke detection and carbon monoxide detection, and the carbon monoxide detection is disabled via the command when the designated location is of a predetermined type of location for which carbon monoxide detection is inadvisable.

12. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the processor-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to:

receive a designation of a particular region-specific location of the structure;

identify at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designation; and

instantiate a command to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features of the network-connected smart-home device.

13. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the plurality of features of the network-connected smart-home device comprises a nightlight, and the nightlight of the smart-home device is disabled via the command when the designated location is a bedroom.

14. A hazard detection system, comprising:

a means for detecting a hazard;

means for providing an opportunity for a user to input a designated location for installation of the means for detecting the hazard within a structure, wherein the designated location is selected from a group of room types;

means for accessing stored data that indicates whether each of a plurality of features of the hazard detection system should be recommended to be enabled or disabled for each room type of the group of room types;

means for identifying at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designated location provided by the user and the accessed stored data, wherein the at least one feature comprises one or more sensor detection features, a lighting feature, or both;

means for providing a recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based upon the designated location;

means for receiving acceptance of the recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based on the designated location; and

means for executing an instruction to enable or disable, at the means for detecting the hazard, the at least one feature of the plurality of features of the means for detecting the hazard based on the received acceptance of the recommendation.

15. The hazard detection system of claim 14, further comprising means for displaying the recommendation, the recommendation comprising the at least one feature as being set to a state in accordance with the recommendation.

16. A hazard detection system, comprising:

a hazard detector comprising;

a hazard sensor, a processor, and wireless communication circuitry; and

processor-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

provide, remote from the hazard detector, an opportunity for a user to input a designated location for installation of the hazard detector within a structure, wherein the designated location is selected from a group of room types;

access a stored database that indicates whether each of a plurality of features of the hazard detection system should be recommended to be enabled or disabled for each room type of the group of room types;

identify at least one feature of the plurality of features to enable or disable based upon the designated location provided by the user and the accessed stored database, wherein the at least one feature is one or more sensor detection features or a lighting feature;

provide, remote from the hazard detector, a recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based upon the designated location;

receive acceptance of the recommendation to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features based on the designated location; and

cause an instruction to enable or disable the at least one feature of the plurality of features to be executed at the hazard detector based on the acceptance of the received recommendation.

17. The hazard detection system of claim 16, wherein the recommendation comprises the processor-readable instructions causing a display device to display the at least one feature as being set to a state in accordance with the recommendation.

18. The hazard detection system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of features of the hazard detector comprise a nightlight and the nightlight is disabled via the command when the designated location is a bedroom.