Remote alarm hushing with acoustic presence verification

• US 9,640,061 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Webb, Nicholas Unger, Klimanis, Gints Valdis
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US14/986,398
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 340628, 340514, 340629, 340630, 340632, 3403093, 340506, 340540, 3404071, 3405391, 3405731, 340575
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/007 Details of data content structure of message packets; data protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and systems for enabling remote alarm hushing with acoustic presence verification. Acoustic presence verification is used to assure that a device attempting to remotely deactivate an alarm is located within a certain distance of an alarming device before allowing the alarm to be hushed. Acoustic presence can be established through emission and monitoring of ultrasonic acoustic signals. The ultrasonic acoustic signals may be transmitted at a frequency that exceeds human hearing such as, for example, between 18 kHz and 22 kHz. Such ultrasonic signals have a relatively short range and are unable to penetrate walls and floors, thus providing an effective tool for ensuring that the device attempting to remotely hush an alarming device is within a line-of-sight of the alarming device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause a processor to:

detect an alarm event;

send a wireless connection advertisement using a first wireless communication type to alert a user device of the detected alarm event;

establish a connection to the user device using the first wireless communication type;

receive, via the connection, a hush request to hush the alarm;

monitor, using a microphone, for the presence of an ultrasonic signal being emitted by the user device; and

if the ultrasonic signal is monitored, perform an action in response to receiving the hush request while simultaneously monitoring the presence of the ultrasonic signal.

2. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein when the instructions are configured to cause the processor to:

if the ultrasonic signal is not monitored, continue to monitor for the presence of an ultrasonic signal being emitted by the user device.

3. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the ultrasonic signal comprises a frequency ranging between 18 kHz and 22 kHz.

4. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the ultrasonic signal is only monitored when the user device is within line-of-sight of the microphone.

5. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic signal is amplitude modulated on a carrier frequency to include data within the ultrasonic signal.

6. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the action comprises a hush alarm action.

7. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireless communication type comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection type.

8. An electronic device for use in interfacing with a hazard detection system, the electronic device comprising:

wireless communications circuitry;

an ultrasonic emitter;

a processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause the processor to;

receive, from the hazard detection system, a wireless connection advertisement using a first wireless communication type using the network interface that indicates the hazard detection system is sounding an alarm;

establish a connection to the hazard detection system using the first wireless communication type using the network interface;

transmit, via the connection, a hush request to hush the alarm; and

emit, via the ultrasonic emitter, an ultrasonic signal, wherein the ultrasonic signal is used to confirm presence of the electronic device within a line-of-sight of the hazard detection system.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to:

determine whether an acknowledgement signal is received via the connection, wherein the acknowledgment signal confirms that the hazard detection system has received the hush request and detected presence of the emitted ultrasonic signal;

in response to a determination that the acknowledgement signal has been received, cease transmission of the hush request and cease emission of the ultrasonic signal; and

in response to a determination that the acknowledgment signal has not been received, continue to transmit the hush request and emit the ultrasonic signal.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to:

display a user interface that enables a user to select a hush request option; and

receive a user selection of the hush request option.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises a frequency ranging between 18 kHz and 22 kHz.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises a frequency that exceeds that of human hearing.

13. A method for hushing an alarm comprising:

receiving, from a sensor of an alarming device, an indication that a measured level has surpassed an alarm threshold;

initiating an alarm corresponding the surpassed alarm threshold;

sending a wireless connection advertisement using a first wireless communication type;

establishing a connection to a remote device using the first wireless communication type;

emitting an ultrasonic signal that is intended to be received by the remote device when it is within line-of-sight of the alarming device;

receiving, via the connection, a hush request to hush the alarm, wherein the hush request is received after the remote device processed the emitted ultrasonic signal; and

hushing the alarm in response to receiving the hush request.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises data, and wherein the hush request comprise at least a portion of the data.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises a frequency that exceeds that of human hearing.

16. A method hushing an alarm with an electronic device, comprising:

receiving, from a hazard detection system, a wireless connection advertisement using a first wireless communication type using the network interface that indicates the hazard detection system is sounding an alarm;

establishing a connection to the hazard detection system using the first wireless communication type using the network interface;

monitoring for the presence of an ultrasonic signal being emitted by the hazard detection system; and

transmit, via the connection, a hush request to hush the alarm in response to a monitored presence of the ultrasonic signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ultrasonic signal is used to confirm presence of the electronic device within a line-of-sight of the hazard detection system.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the ultrasonic signal comprises a frequency that exceeds that of human hearing.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a user interface that enables a user to select a hush request option; and

receive a user selection of the hush request option.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying on the user interface, instructions for the user to move within line-of-sight of the hazard detection.