TV Visual Alerts for Unheard Household Sounds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household environmental sounds, such as those from appliances and pets, often go unnoticed by individuals who are not present, hard of hearing, or distracted, leading to potential issues being overlooked.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses microphones to capture and analyze sounds, comparing them to stored sound profiles or a remote server database to identify the source and type of sound, with alerts presented visually on a television or mobile device, even when the individual is not nearby.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a person is not nearby or is distracted, then the person cannot hear household environmental sounds, but using visual alerts on a television requires additional device complexity and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a television receiver as an intermediary device that bridges the gap between sound detection and user notification. The television receiver receives sound data from microphones, processes it through sound profile matching, and delivers visual alerts to the user, serving as a mediator that transforms acoustic information into visual communication without requiring the user to be physically present or actively listening
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/acoustic notification system (where users must physically hear sounds) with an electronic visual notification system. Instead of relying on acoustic waves to reach the user's ears, the system captures sounds, identifies them through digital processing, and presents visual representations on a television screen, substituting acoustic-mechanical interaction with electronic-optical interaction
2Speed
If sound profiles are stored locally in the television receiver, then matching speed is improved, but storage capacity and initial setup complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sound profile storage and processing functionality into two parts: a local component and a remote component. The television receiver maintains a limited set of local sound profiles for immediate matching, while a remote server system maintains an extensive database of additional sound profiles. This segmentation allows the local device to operate quickly with minimal storage while still providing access to comprehensive sound identification capabilities through the remote server
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested architecture where the local television receiver contains a subset of sound profiles, and the remote server system contains a superset that includes all local profiles plus additional profiles. When local matching fails or enhanced identification is needed, the system queries the remote server, creating a nested relationship where the local system is embedded within the larger remote system, allowing hierarchical access to sound profiles
3Loss of information
If visual alerts are presented on a television, then notification effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or event-driven operation of the television display rather than continuous operation. The television receiver activates the visual alert function only when a sound match is identified, transitioning from a static state to an active notification state temporarily. This periodic activation pattern reduces overall energy consumption compared to keeping the television continuously on, while still ensuring effective information delivery when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the television display selectively active only in specific regions or contexts where notification is needed, rather than illuminating the entire screen continuously. The visual alert can be localized to specific areas of the television interface, and the display can remain in low-power states during periods without notifications, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effective alert delivery when sounds are detected
Data Source
AI summary
Various arrangements are presented for alerting a user to household environmental sounds. Data representative of a sound may be captured using a microphone. A sound profile may be received, the sound profile may include a definition associated with the sound and an acoustic signature. A match may be identified between the data indicative of the sound recorded by the microphone and the sound profile. A message may be output to a television for visual presentation based on the definition from the sound profile identified as the match.