Distributed Audio Detection Using Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and complexity of deploying fixed-location audio sensors for crime prevention and incident detection in geographic areas make it challenging to effectively monitor sounds indicative of potential crimes across large areas.
Innovation Solution
Mobile devices equipped with audio analysis software can detect and analyze sounds, sending communications to an event processor for validation, allowing for the use of built-in audio detection capabilities as sound sensors, and enabling the comparison of detected sounds with predefined signatures to trigger notifications for incident response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed-location audio sensors are deployed throughout a geographic area for crime prevention, then sound detection capability is improved, but deployment cost and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repurposes mobile devices for multiple functions: they serve as audio sensors for crime prevention, communication devices, and computing platforms. By making mobile devices universal multi-functional units, the system achieves widespread sound detection capability without deploying dedicated fixed sensors, thereby improving detection coverage while reducing deployment complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile devices perform self-service by utilizing their own built-in audio sensors, processors, and communication capabilities to detect sounds, analyze audio data locally, and transmit alerts automatically. This eliminates the need for external fixed sensor infrastructure and reduces system complexity by leveraging the self-sufficient capabilities of existing mobile devices.
2Measurement precision
If specialized audio sensors and networking equipment are installed throughout a geographic area, then sound detection precision is improved, but deployment cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages mobile devices that are already in widespread use, treating them as readily available, cost-effective sensing units. Rather than investing in expensive specialized audio sensors, the system utilizes existing mobile devices that users already possess, dramatically reducing deployment costs while maintaining adequate sound detection precision through software-based audio analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the fixed sensor network by deploying software-based audio detection capabilities across numerous mobile devices. Each mobile device replicates the sound detection function, creating a distributed network that mimics the precision of fixed sensors without requiring physical installation of specialized equipment, thereby reducing deployment costs significantly.
3Ease of manufacture
If mobile devices are used as distributed audio sensors, then deployment cost is reduced, but validation of detected sounds requires complex policy comparison
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring mobile devices with audio analysis software and pre-establishing validation policies on a central server before deployment. Sound signatures and detection criteria are predetermined and stored, allowing mobile devices to automatically compare detected sounds against these pre-set parameters, thereby simplifying the validation process despite the distributed nature of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary that manages the complexity of validation policies. The server stores sound signatures, receives audio data from mobile devices, performs policy comparisons, and coordinates notifications. This intermediary architecture centralizes the complex validation logic, allowing mobile devices to remain simple while maintaining rigorous sound validation through the mediating server.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of identifying incidents using mobile devices can include receiving a communication from each of a plurality of mobile devices. Each communication can specify information about a detected sound. Spatial and temporal information can be identified from each communication as well as an indication of a sound signature matching the detected sound. The communications can be compared with a policy specifying spatial and temporal requirements relating to the sound signature indicated by the communications. A notification can be selectively sent according to the comparison.