Smart Listening Device for Neighborhood Monitoring via Cluster Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and limited connectivity of smart alarm devices in homes and vehicles hinder effective monitoring and response to security and safety events, as many devices lack Wi-Fi or remote communication capabilities, necessitating the integration of smart listening devices (SLDs) to centralize and coordinate responses.
Innovation Solution
A smart listening device system that uses audio detection and distributed controllers to execute responsive actions, establishing communication links with vehicles and other devices to initiate alerts and responses, and employs a cluster server for neighborhood monitoring, leveraging sensors and crowd-sourced vehicle and device capabilities to enhance detection and response capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If smart alarm devices are upgraded to include Wi-Fi and remote communication capabilities, then detection and response capabilities are improved, but device cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a smart listening device as an intermediary component that bridges non-networked alarm devices and the network. The SLD captures audio from traditional alarm devices, processes the signals, and transmits alerts through networked communication channels, enabling remote monitoring without requiring expensive upgrades to the original alarm devices themselves
Solution Approach 2:
The smart listening device serves multiple functions: it acts as an audio detector for alarm signals, a communication bridge to the network, and a coordination hub for multiple alarm devices. This multi-functionality allows a single device to enable remote capabilities across multiple traditional devices without requiring each individual device to be upgraded
2Area of stationary object
If multiple individual smart alarm devices are deployed throughout the home, then detection coverage is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple alarm device monitoring functions into a single smart listening device. Instead of having separate smart devices for each alarm, the SLD consolidates audio detection from multiple sources, centralizes processing, and coordinates responses through a unified system, thereby reducing overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive coverage
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional non-networked alarm devices are used, then device cost is reduced, but remote communication and coordination capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The smart listening device serves as an intermediary that enables traditional alarm devices to communicate remotely. The SLD captures audio signals from non-networked devices, processes them through acoustic signature recognition, and transmits alerts via networked communication channels, thereby providing remote capability without modifying the original inexpensive devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates an acoustic copy or signature of each alarm device's sound profile during training. These stored acoustic signatures enable the SLD to identify and distinguish between different alarm devices through audio analysis alone, allowing remote detection and coordination without requiring the original devices to have electronic communication capabilities
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
This solution provides cost-efficient, centralized, and coordinated responses to security and safety events across homes and vehicles, improving safety and convenience by utilizing SLDs to detect and respond to alerts through vehicle integration and neighborhood monitoring, reducing the need for expensive device upgrades.
Implementation Method 1
an audio detector to detect preconfigured alerting events
Data Source
AI summary
Crowd-sourcing of vehicles and smart listening devices is used for neighborhood monitoring. A cluster server is configured within a public network to maintain a cluster directory identifying cluster members including a neighborhood of smart listening devices and user vehicles, wherein the neighborhood is associated with a cluster of dwellings. The surroundings of the smart listening devices and the user vehicles are monitored using sensors in the smart listening devices and the user vehicles. Upon detecting an alerting event with one of the sensors, a corresponding one of the smart listening devices and the user vehicles that detected the alerting event initiates a message to another cluster member based on the cluster directory. The cluster member receiving the message initiates its own responsive action to the alerting event.