Intermediary Device for Consumer Alarm Remote Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional consumer smoke and carbon monoxide detectors lack the capability to communicate with home security systems, posing a risk as they cannot alert remote monitoring stations when no one is present, especially in low-income housing where expensive networked detectors are not commonly used.
Innovation Solution
A digital processor-based circuitry system that converts pattern warning signals from smoke or carbon monoxide detectors into digital values, allowing for discrimination between different alarm types and transmitting alert signals to a home security panel for remote monitoring, using a combination of microphones and photo-sensitive LEDs to detect audible and visual signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional consumer smoke or carbon monoxide detectors are used, then cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to communicate with home security systems and enable remote monitoring is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device that detects alarm signals from conventional consumer detectors and relays this information to the home security system. This mediator bridges the communication gap between incompatible systems, allowing remote monitoring without requiring expensive networked detectors or modifying the original consumer-grade alarm devices.
2Reliability
If networked detectors with remote monitoring capability are used, then safety and reliability are improved, but cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the detection function from the communication function. The consumer-grade detector handles only the alarm detection, while a separate, simpler device handles signal detection and communication with the security system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus can detect both audible alarm signals and visual strobe light signals from various types of hazard detectors (smoke, carbon monoxide, etc.), making it a universal solution that works with multiple detector types without requiring detector-specific implementation.
3Reliability
If proprietary protocols are used in security panels, then system security is improved, but adaptability and ease of operation deteriorate as third-party products cannot communicate
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus serves as a protocol translation intermediary that receives signals from consumer detectors using simple detection methods and communicates with the security panel through appropriate protocols. This mediator layer maintains system security while enabling compatibility with third-party detectors that would otherwise be unable to communicate.
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
Enables network monitoring of consumer-level fire and carbon monoxide alarms, ensuring timely alerts to remote monitoring stations even when no one is present, thereby enhancing safety in homes and businesses without the need for expensive system installations.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver circuitry for converting said pattern warning signal from the hazard alarm into digital values
Implementation Method 2
using a combination of microphones and photo-sensitive LEDs to detect audible and visual signals
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is described for detecting a pattern warning signal from a hazard alarm and sending an alert signal to a home security panel for notification to a remote monitoring station. The apparatus is mounted proximate to the hazard alarm, where it receives audible pattern warning signals from the hazard alarm when the hazard alarm detects a hazard, such as smoke, fire, carbon monoxide, etc. A user of the apparatus enters identification of the hazard alarm into the apparatus. When a pattern warning signal has been detected by the apparatus, the apparatus transmits an alert signal to the home security panel, as well as the identification of the hazard alarm that generated the audible pattern warning signal.