Mobile Emergency Alert Control Using Ambient Sound Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users immersed in tasks or with impaired mobility often fail to recognize emergency contexts outdoors or indoors, leading to delayed responses and potential harm.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus equipped with a microphone, driver, and processor that identifies emergency contexts through ambient sounds, determines the location of sound generation, moves to that area, gathers information, and then determines and moves to the user's location to provide critical information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user is immersed in another task or has impaired mobility, then the user cannot recognize emergency contexts well, but providing continuous monitoring and information transmission increases device complexity and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic apparatus autonomously monitors ambient sounds, identifies emergency contexts, tracks user location, and transmits information without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by automatically processing audio data, determining emergency situations, and delivering alerts to the user's device, eliminating the need for complex manual monitoring interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary communication device (such as a smartphone or wearable device) that receives emergency information from the electronic apparatus and presents it to the user. This intermediary handles the complexity of information processing and delivery, allowing the electronic apparatus to focus on core monitoring functions while reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If the electronic apparatus moves to the user's location to provide information, then information transmission is improved, but response time is delayed due to the movement required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the entire electronic apparatus to the user's location, the system creates a digital copy of the emergency information and transmits it electronically to the user's portable device. This virtual copy delivery instantaneously reaches the user without physical movement, eliminating time delays while ensuring reliable information transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical movement of the electronic apparatus with an electronic information transmission system. Audio data is processed and converted into digital signals that are transmitted wirelessly to the user's device, substituting physical relocation with electromagnetic signal transmission for instantaneous delivery.
3Measurement precision
If the electronic apparatus continuously monitors ambient sounds for emergency contexts, then detection capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic apparatus employs periodic sampling of ambient sounds rather than continuous monitoring. The microphone captures audio data at predetermined time intervals, and the processor analyzes these periodic samples to identify emergency contexts. This periodic approach maintains detection capability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial monitoring by focusing computational resources on analyzing only the most critical audio parameters and emergency-related sound patterns. The processor selectively processes audio data to detect specific emergency contexts (such as screams, crashes, or fire alarms) rather than analyzing all audio frequencies and patterns, reducing energy expenditure while maintaining effective detection.
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 early recognition of emergency contexts and prompt user action, preventing harm to life and property by effectively transmitting information on emergency situations to users who may not be aware of them.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining a sound in a periphery of the electronic apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, includes: identifying whether an emergency context is occurred by obtaining a sound near the electronic apparatus; based on identifying that the emergency context is occurred, obtaining information relating to a location where a sound relating to the emergency context is generated based on information relating to the obtained sound; based on the information relating to the location, determining a first area corresponding to the location where the sound relating to the emergency context is generated; controlling a driver to move to the determined first area; obtaining information relating to the emergency context from the first area; based on context information and user history information, determining a second area corresponding to the location of the user; controlling the driver to move to the determined second area; and providing the information relating to the emergency context to the user in the second area.