Systems and methods for coordinating and administering self tests of smart home devices having audible outputs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10380878-B2
Application number	US-201815899224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2018
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for self-administering a sound test to verify operation of a speaker and/or alarm within a hazard detection system are described herein. The sound test can verify that the audible sources such as the alarm and speaker operate at the requisite loudness and frequencies. In addition, the sound test can be self-administered in that it does not require the presence of a person to initiate or verify that the audible sources are functioning properly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart home device, comprising: a loud sounder; and at least one processor to: determine a non-invasive time frame to perform a sound test of the loud sounder based on at least in part on a location of at least one mobile device associated with an account tied to the smart home device or at least in part on a schedule of acceptable time of day to perform the sound test; and self-administer a sound test of the loud sounder at the non-invasive time frame, wherein the non-invasive time frame is a time frame in which no occupants are present in a structure comprising the smart home device, wherein during execution of the sound test, the at least one processor is to: temporarily activate the loud sounder; monitor for an audio signal during temporary activation of the loud sounder; determine whether the audio signal satisfies sound test criteria; and report a result of whether the audio signal satisfied sound test criteria.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive time frame is further based at least in part on user preferences of when to perform the sound test.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive time frame is further based on times when it is known that the at least one mobile device is not located within the structure.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive time frame is further based at least in part on a calendar and a time of day.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is to determine patterns of occupancy based on data obtained from a motion detector, wherein the patterns of occupancy are used to determine the non-invasive time frame.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is to process the patterns of occupancy, user preferences, and time of day to establish a statistical assurance that no occupants are present in a structure comprising the smart home device.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a microphone; and
a motion detector.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is to monitor the microphone for the audio signal.

9. A smart home device, comprising: a loud sounder; and at least one processor to: receive an indication that no occupants are present in a structure comprising the smart home device, wherein the indication that no occupants are present in the structure is based at least in part on a calendar and a time of day; and self-administer a sound test of the loud sounder in response to receiving the indication that no occupants are present in the structure, wherein during execution of the sound test, the at least one processor is to: temporarily activate the loud sounder; and report a result of whether the audio signal satisfied sound test criteria.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the indication that no occupants are present in the structure is based at least in part on user preferences of when to perform the sound test.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the indication that no occupants are present in the structure is based at least in part on a schedule of acceptable time of day to perform the sound test.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the indication that no occupants are present in the structure is based at least in part on a location of at least one mobile device associated with an account tied to the smart home device.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the indication that no occupants are present in the structure is further based on times when it is known that the at least one mobile device is not located within the structure.

14. The device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a microphone; and
a motion detector.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is to: monitor for an audio signal from the microphone during temporary activation of the loud sounder; and determine whether the audio signal satisfies sound test criteria.

16. A mobile device to communicate with a smart home device contained in a structure and that comprises a loud sounder, the mobile device comprising: communications circuitry; a user interface responsive to user inputs; and at least one processor to receive a user input via the user interface to activate a sound check feature in the smart home device, wherein when the sound check feature is enabled, the smart home device is to self-administer a sound test of the loud sounder at a non-invasive time frame by temporarily activating the loud sounder and reporting a result of whether the audio signal satisfied sound test criteria, wherein the non-invasive time frame is based at least in part on a schedule of acceptable time of day to perform the sound test or at least in part on a location of at least one mobile device associated with an account tied to the smart home device; and transmit, via the communications circuitry, a command to activate the sound check feature in the smart home device.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is to display the result on the user interface.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the non-invasive time frame is a time frame represented by a statistical assurance that no occupants are present in a structure comprising the smart home device.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the non-invasive time frame is based at least in part on a calendar and a time of day.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the non-invasive time frame is based at least in part on user preferences of when to perform the sound test.

21. The device of claim 16 , wherein the smart home device further comprises:
a microphone; and
a motion detector.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Warren Daniel Adam
• Heyl Lawrence Frederick
• Satterthwaite Jr Edwin H
• Clark Steven
• Goldenson Andrew W
• Ho Dietrich
• Webb Nicholas Unger
• Deluliis Julia
• Moore Tyler
• Manuto Ben

Classifications

• G08B29/10

  Monitoring of the annunciator circuits · CPC title

• H04R29/001

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G08B17/10

  Actuation by presence of smoke or gases {, e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means} · CPC title

• H04R3/00

  Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title

• G08B29/126 Primary

  of annunciator circuits · CPC title