Probe of alarm functionality using communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10365642-B2
Application number	US-201615284169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Oct 3, 2016
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for probing alarm functionality at a premises. In a particular embodiment, a method provides, in response to activation of an audible alarm, obtaining audio information captured by a first communication device of a plurality of communication devices positioned throughout the premises. The method further provides determining whether the audio information indicates that the alarm is functioning properly and determining a first position of the premises where the first communication device is located. When the audio information indicates that the alarm is not functioning properly, the method provides indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for probing alarm functionality at a premises, the method comprising:
in response to activation of an audible alarm, obtaining audio information captured by a first communication device of a plurality of communication devices positioned throughout the premises;
determining whether the audio information indicates that the alarm is functioning properly;
determining a first position of the premises where the first communication device is located; and
when the audio information indicates that the alarm is not functioning properly, indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the activation of the audible alarm, obtaining audio information from each of the plurality of communication devices;
determining whether the audio information from each of the plurality of communication devices indicates that the alarm is functioning properly;
for devices of the plurality of communication devices with audio information that indicates that the alarm is not functioning properly, determining respective positions of the premises where the devices are located; and
indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the positions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the audio information comprises:
receiving an indication that the audible alarm has been triggered from an alarm system; and
instructing the plurality of communication devices to activate an alarm monitor application to capture the audio information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication device comprises a mobile communication device and the method further comprising:
determining whether the first position changes to identify whether the first communication device is moving.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
when the first communication device is not moving, providing a user notification that people may be having problems at the first location.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the audio information indicates that the alarm is functioning properly comprises:
comparing the audio information to an audio fingerprint of the audible alarm, wherein the alarm is functioning properly when the audio information corresponds with the audio fingerprint.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether at least a portion of the audio information corresponds to an audio fingerprint for a type of event;
indicating that the type of event is occurring when the audio information corresponds to the audio fingerprint.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position comprises:
providing a notification to a user indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first position comprises:
determining a network location of the first communication device; and
identifying a position of the premises corresponding to the network location as the first position.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position occurs after a predetermined period of time.

11. An alarm audit system for probing alarm functionality at a premises, the alarm audit system comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media;
a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that, when read and executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to:

in response to activation of an audible alarm, obtain audio information captured by a first communication device of a plurality of communication devices positioned throughout the premises;
determine whether the audio information indicates that the alarm is functioning properly;
determine a first position of the premises where the first communication device is located; and
when the audio information indicates that the alarm is not functioning properly, indicate that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position.

12. The alarm audit system of claim 11 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to:
in response to the activation of the audible alarm, obtain audio information from each of the plurality of communication devices;
determine whether the audio information from each of the plurality of communication devices indicates that the alarm is functioning properly;
for devices of the plurality of communication devices with audio information that indicates that the alarm is not functioning properly, determine respective positions of the premises where the devices are located; and
indicate that the alarm is not functioning properly at the positions.

13. The alarm audit system of claim 12 , wherein to obtain the audio information, the program instructions direct the processing system to at least:
receive an indication that the audible alarm has been triggered from an alarm system; and
instruct the plurality of communication devices to activate an alarm monitor application to capture the audio information.

14. The alarm audit system of claim 11 , wherein the first communication device comprises a mobile communication device and wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to:
determine whether the first position changes to identify whether the first communication device is moving.

15. The alarm audit system of claim 14 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to:
when the first communication device is not moving, provide a user notification that people may be having problems at the the first location.

16. The alarm audit system of claim 11 , wherein to determine whether the audio information indicates that the alarm is functioning properly, the program instructions direct the processing system to at least:
compare the audio information to an audio fingerprint of the audible alarm, wherein the alarm is functioning properly when the audio information corresponds with the audio fingerprint.

17. The alarm audit system of claim 11 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to:
determine whether at least a portion of the audio information corresponds to an audio fingerprint for a type of event;
indicate that the type of event is occurring when the audio information corresponds to the audio fingerprint.

18. The alarm audit system of claim 11 , wherein to indicate that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position, the program instructions direct the processing system to at least:
provide a notification to a user indicating that the alarm is not functioning properly at the first position.

19. The alarm audit system of claim 11 , wherein to determine the first position, the program instructions to direct the processing system to at least:
determine a network location of the first communication device; and
identify a position of the premises corresponding to the network location as the first position.

20. A communication device for probing alarm functionality at a premises, wherein the communication device comprises one of a plurality of communication devices positioned throughout the premises, the communication device comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media;
a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more compu

Assignees

• Avaya Inc

Inventors

• Lynch John
• Mcarthur Chris
• Fletcher Mark
• Monk Tracy

Classifications

• G08B29/12

  Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems · CPC title

• G08B1/08 Primary

  using electric transmission {; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal} · CPC title

• G05B23/00 Primary

  Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof (monitoring of program-control systems G05B19/048, G05B19/406) · CPC title

• G05B2219/36487

  Record position, motion and sound · CPC title

• G05B23/0262

  Confirmation of fault detection, e.g. extra checks to confirm that a failure has indeed occurred · CPC title