Systems and methods for automatically responding to a fire

• US 10,522,009 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2019
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Jordan, II, Jackie O, Donovan, John, Turrentine, David, Wollenschlager, Torri, Nussbaum, Bryan R, Stockweather, Deanna, Stoiber, Jeffrey W, Markwardt, Kerstin, Carlson, Gail L, Schiebel, Kyle C, Winslow, Troy, Harr, Joseph P, Wagner, Ellakate, Harris, Jr., Michael, Sun, Jennylind
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Zhen Y
• Application Number:
  US16/266,423
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 340 4
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/02 using only mechanical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• 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 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/185 Electrical failure alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• 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 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 : Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating a response to detecting a fire on a property are provided. In certain aspects, a smart home controller (or other smart controller) may analyze data received from smart devices disposed on, within, or proximate to a property. If it is determined that a fire is present on the premises of the property, the smart home controller may determine a location of the fire as compared to the smart devices. The smart home controller may then generate and transmit instructions causing a portion of the smart devices to perform a set of actions to mitigate risks associated with the presence of the fire on the property. The smart home controller may also compare the location of the fire with a location of an occupant, and generate an escape route for the occupant. Insurance policies, premiums, or discounts may be adjusted based upon the fire response/mitigation functionality.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of responding to a fire on a property, the property populated with a hardware controller in communication with a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a smart door including a corresponding smart hinge, each of the plurality of devices configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property, the method comprising:

analyzing, by one or more processors of the hardware controller, a first set of sensor data received from at least one of the plurality of devices to determine a location of the fire on the property;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the location of the fire to a list of the plurality of devices, the list including for each device at least one of a location of the device or a set of functions that the device is capable of performing to mitigate risks associated with the fire;

based upon the comparison, generating, by the one or more processors, one or more instructions corresponding to a set of actions to be performed by at least a portion of the plurality of devices, wherein at least one action of the set of actions is for the smart door to cause the smart hinge to rotate in a manner that opens or closes the smart door, and wherein each instruction includes (i) an identity of a particular device that performs a particular action from the set of actions and (ii) an action code associated with the particular action; and

directing or controlling, by the one or more processors, the at least the portion of the plurality of devices to perform the set of actions by transmitting the one or more instructions over a first communication network to the plurality of devices, wherein transmitting an instruction causes the plurality of devices to analyze the identity in the instruction to determine whether to perform the action associated with the action code.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein directing or controlling the smart door further comprises:

receiving, at the hardware controller via the first communication network, a second set of sensor data from at least one of the plurality of devices, the second set of sensor data indicative of a presence of a set of individuals on the property;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a number of individuals within the set of individuals present on the property;

when the set of individuals present on the property includes no individuals, directing or controlling, by the one or more processors, the smart door to close to facilitate fire suppression; and

when the set of individuals present on the property includes at least one individual, directing or controlling, by the one or more processors, the smart door to open to facilitate evacuation by the set of individuals.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein directing or controlling the at least the portion of the plurality of devices further comprises:

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the first set of sensor data to determine a location of smoke on the property;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the location of the smoke to a location of the smart door; and

when the location of the smoke is proximate to the location of the smart door, directing or controlling, by the one or more processors, the smart door to cause a corresponding smart door knob to glow or change color to increase a visibility of the smart door.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein directing or controlling the at least the portion of the plurality of devices further comprises:

comparing, by the one or more processors, the location of the fire to a location of the smart door; and

when the location of the fire is proximate to the location of the smart door, directing or controlling, by the one or more processors, the smart door to cause a corresponding smart door knob on a first side of the smart door to be illuminated in a color indicative of the fire being located proximate to a second side of the smart door.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, from a heat sensor located in a smart door knob corresponding to the smart door, a portion of the first set of sensor data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least the portion of the plurality of devices includes smart evacuation equipment, wherein the smart evacuation equipment includes at least one of an escape ladder, a rope, or a set of stairs, and wherein directing or controlling the at least the portion of the plurality of devices further comprises:

directing or controlling, by the one or more processors, a portion of the smart evacuation equipment to deploy, wherein deploying causes the smart evacuation equipment to become usable by a set of individuals.

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

transmitting, to an insurance provider associated with the property, a notification, wherein the notification includes an indication of at least one of the set of actions, and wherein transmitting the notification causes the insurance provider to perform an insurance-related action.

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

transmitting, to an emergency services provider, an alert, wherein the alert indicates that the fire is present on the property.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the one or more instructions corresponding to the set of actions further comprises:

generating, by the one or more processors, an escape route for an individual located on the premises of the property; and

transmitting, to an electronic device associated with the individual, the escape route.

10. A system for responding to a fire on a property, the property populated with a hardware controller in communication with a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of devices configured to monitor various conditions associated with the property, the plurality of devices including a smart door including a corresponding smart hinge, the system comprising:

a plurality of transceivers adapted to communicate data;

a memory adapted to store non-transitory computer executable instructions; and

one or more processors adapted to interface with the plurality of transceivers, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to;

analyze, by the one or more processors, a first set of sensor data received from at least one of the plurality of devices to determine a location of the fire on the property;

compare, by the one or more processors, the location of the fire to a list of the plurality of devices, the list including for each device at least one of a location of the device or a set of functions that the device is capable of performing to mitigate risks associated with the fire;

based upon the comparison, generate, by the one or more processors, one or more instructions corresponding to a set of actions to be performed by at least a portion of the plurality of devices, wherein at least one action of the set of actions is for the smart door to cause the smart hinge to rotate in a manner that opens or closes the smart door and wherein each instruction includes (i) an identity of a particular device that performs a particular action from the set of actions and (ii) an action code associated with the particular action; and

direct or control, by the one or more processors, the at least the portion of the plurality of devices to perform the set of actions by transmitting the one or more instructions to the plurality of devices over a first communication network, wherein transmitting an instruction causes the plurality of devices to analyze the identity in the instruction to determine whether to perform the action associated with the action code.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein to direct or control the smart door, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:

receive, by the plurality of transceivers, a second set of sensor data from at least one of the plurality of devices, the second set of sensor data indicative of a presence of a set of individuals on the property;

analyze, by the one or more processors, the second set of sensor data to determine a number of individuals within the set of individuals present on the property;

when the number of individuals is zero, direct or control, by the one or more processors, the smart door to close to facilitate fire suppression; and

when the number of individuals is at least one, direct or control, by the one or more processors, the smart door to open to facilitate evacuation by the set of individuals.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein to direct or control the at least the portion of the plurality of devices, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:

analyze, by the one or more processors, the first set of sensor data to determine a location of smoke on the property;

compare, by the one or more processors, the location of the smoke to a location of the smart door; and

when the location of the smoke is proximate to the location of the smart door, direct or control, by the one or more processors, the smart door to cause a corresponding smart door knob to glow or change color to increase a visibility of the smart door.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein to direct or control the at least the portion of the plurality of devices, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:

compare, by the one or more processors, the location of the fire to a location of the smart door; and

when the location of the fire is proximate to the location of the smart door, direct or control, by the one or more processors, the smart door to cause a corresponding smart door knob on a first side of the smart door to be illuminated in a color indicative the fire being located proximate to a second side of the smart door.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least the portion of the plurality of devices includes smart evacuation equipment, wherein the smart evacuation equipment includes at least one of an escape ladder, a rope, or a set of stairs, and wherein to direct or control the at least the portion of the plurality of devices, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:

direct or control, by the one or more processors, a portion of the smart evacuation equipment to deploy, wherein deploying causes the smart evacuation equipment to become usable by a set of individuals.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:

transmit, by the plurality of transceivers, a notification, wherein the notification includes an indication of at least one of the set of actions, and wherein transmitting the notification causes an insurance provider to perform an insurance-related action.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein to generate the one or more instructions corresponding to the set of actions, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:

generate, by the one or more processors, an escape route for an individual located on the premises of the property; and

transmit, by the plurality of transceivers, the escape route to an electronic device associated with the individual.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, that when executed cause one or more processors to:

analyze, by the one or more processors, a first set of sensor data received from at least one of a plurality of devices to determine a location of the fire on a property;

compare, by the one or more processors, the location of the fire to a list of the plurality of devices, the list including for each device at least one of a location of the device or a set of functions that the device is capable of performing to mitigate risks associated with the fire, the list including a smart door including a corresponding smart hinge;

based upon the comparison, generate, by the one or more processors, one or more instructions corresponding to a set of actions to be performed by at least a portion of the plurality of devices, wherein at least one action of the set of actions is for the smart door to cause the smart hinge to rotate in a manner that opens or closes the smart door and wherein each instruction includes (i) an identity of a particular device that performs a particular action from the set of actions and (ii) an action code associated with the particular action; and

direct or control, by the one or more processors, the at least the portion of the plurality of devices to perform the set of actions by transmitting the one or more instructions to the plurality of devices over a first communication network, wherein transmitting an instruction causes the plurality of devices to analyze the identity in the instruction to determine whether to perform the action associated with the action code.