Home Automation Sound Detection and Positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016286327-A1
Application number	US-201514671299-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods, devices, non-transitory computer-readable mediums, and apparatuses are presented for detecting and positioning sound in a home automation system. Indications of sounds and timestamps may be received from various home automation devices. Using the received indications, a sound magnitude for the sound and whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure can be determined. The sound magnitude may be compared to an inside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate inside the structure or compared to an outside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate outside the structure. Sound information corresponding to the sound may be logged if the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for detecting and positioning sound in a home automation system installed at a structure, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first home automation device by a home automation host system, a first indication of a sound and a first timestamp; receiving, from a second home automation device by the home automation host system, a second indication of the sound and a second timestamp; receiving, from a third home automation device by the home automation host system, a third indication of the sound and a third timestamp; determining, by the home automation host system, using the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication, a sound magnitude for the sound and whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure; comparing, by the home automation host system, the sound magnitude to an inside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate inside the structure or comparing, by the home automation host system, the sound magnitude to an outside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate outside the structure; and logging, by the home automation host system, sound information corresponding to the sound if: the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level; or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level.

2 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
transmitting, to a user mobile device from the home automation host system, a notification of the sound if the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level, or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level, the outside sound threshold level being greater than the inside sound threshold level.

3 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication comprises a recording of the sound, the method further comprising:
storing, by the home automation host system, the recording of the sound if the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level, or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level.

4 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure comprises: determining, by the home automation host system, a direction from which the sound originated.

5 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 3 , further comprising:
comparing, by the home automation host system, the recording of the sound to one or more stored recordings of sounds previously logged; determining, by the home automation host system, the recording of the sound matches the one or more stored recordings of sounds previously logged; and storing, by the home automation host system, an indication of a recurring sound based on the recording of the sound being determined to match the one or more stored recordings of sounds previously logged.

6 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 5 , further comprising:
outputting, by the home automation host system, via a display device, an interface that presents entries corresponding to logged sound information.

7 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 6 , wherein the interface, for the logged sound information, indicates: a direction from which the sound originated; an indication of whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure; and an option to playback the recording of the sound.

8 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 7 , wherein the interface, for the logged sound information, further indicates: a number of times sounds similar to the logged sound information has been logged.

9 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 7 , wherein determining, by the home automation host system, using the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication, whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure, comprises performing, by the home automation host system, a time-of-flight analysis using the first timestamp, the second timestamp, and the third timestamp.

10 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 1 , wherein the first home automation device is located on an exterior of the structure and the second home automation device and the third home automation device are located inside the structure.

11 . The method for detecting and positioning sound in the home automation system installed at the structure of claim 1 , wherein the first home automation device, the second home automation device, and the third home automation device have a primary purpose other than collecting sound for identifying environmental sound sources.

12 . A home automation system for detecting and positioning sound at a structure, the system comprising:
a first home automation device, located within the structure; a second home automation device, located outside the structure; and a home automation host device, configured to:
receive, from the first home automation device, a first indication of a sound and a first timestamp;
receive, from the second home automation device, a second indication of the sound and a second timestamp;
determine, using the first indication and the second indication, a sound magnitude for the sound and whether the sound originated inside or outside of the structure;
compare the sound magnitude to an inside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate inside the structure or compare the sound magnitude to an outside sound threshold level if the sound was determined to originate outside the structure; and
log sound information corresponding to the sound if: the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level; or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level.

13 . The home automation system for detecting and positioning sound at the structure of claim 12 , wherein the home automation host device further configured to:
transmit, to a user mobile device, a notification of the sound if the sound was determined to originate inside and the sound magnitude exceeds the inside sound threshold level, or the sound was determined to originate outside and the sound magnitude exceeds the outside sound threshold level, the outside sound threshold level being greater than the inside sound threshold level.

14 . The home automation system for detecting and positioning sound at the structure of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first indication and the second indication comprises a recording of the sound, the home automation host device further configured to:
store the recording of the sou

Assignees

• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Marten Neil

Classifications

• G08B19/00

  Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow · CPC title

• G08B13/1672 Primary

  using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range · CPC title

• H04R29/008 Primary

  Visual indication of individual signal levels (visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40) · CPC title