Connected Electronic Device Fire Detection Through Temperature Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire detection systems, such as fire alarms, often cover only limited areas and lack connectivity, making it difficult to effectively monitor and communicate fire hazards across larger spaces, especially in scenarios like wildfires or building fires, leading to challenges in evacuation planning and resource deployment.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing consumer electronic devices with temperature sensors and connectivity to form a network that can detect, communicate, and provide evacuation guidance for fire hazards, including wildfires and building fires, by correlating operating temperatures and processing loads to determine fire spread, direction, and speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional fire alarms are used, then fire detection within a limited area is achieved, but coverage across entire neighborhoods or large areas is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple traditional fire alarms into a connected network where each alarm serves as both a local detector and a node in a broader surveillance system. By combining the detection capabilities of multiple devices with communication functionality, the system achieves neighborhood-wide coverage without requiring a completely new complex infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire alarm system is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating not only local fire detection but also communication capabilities to transmit alerts to other devices and authorities. This universal design allows standard fire alarms to perform multiple functions: local monitoring, regional notification, and data transmission, thereby expanding coverage without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Productivity
If fire rescue services are deployed, then emergency response is provided, but real-time monitoring and dynamic evacuation planning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes continuous feedback loops where fire alarms and connected devices constantly monitor temperature, smoke, and other fire indicators, transmitting real-time data to emergency services. This ongoing information flow enables fire rescue services to update evacuation plans and resource deployment dynamically based on the evolving fire situation, improving response efficiency while maintaining situational awareness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If consumer electronic devices with temperature sensors are used, then existing devices can be utilized for fire detection, but reliability and false alarm reduction becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables consumer electronic devices to serve dual purposes: their original functions plus fire detection capabilities. By leveraging the existing temperature sensors already present in these devices, the system avoids adding separate detection hardware while still achieving reliable fire monitoring through intelligent data processing and networked verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces dedicated mechanical fire detection hardware with a software-based approach that utilizes existing electronic temperature sensors. Instead of requiring specialized fire alarm equipment, the system uses computational methods and networked processing to achieve reliable fire detection, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining or enhancing reliability through intelligent algorithms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances safety by providing comprehensive fire hazard detection and evacuation guidance across multiple devices, reducing false alarms, and improving fire-fighting capabilities through coordinated information sharing.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor configured to generate temperature data indicative of a temperature inside the electronic device
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein are examples of an electronic device, having a primary function different from detecting a fire, configured for detecting a fire, the device comprising processor circuitry, and a temperature sensor configured to generate temperature data, wherein the processor circuitry is configured to determine whether a first generated temperature data meets a first temperature criteria at a first time, and determine whether a second generated temperature data meets a second temperature criteria at a second time after the first time.