Patent Application
20170229125
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for contacting emergency personnel. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for contacting emergency personnel via voice recognition.
Systems and methods to prevent an intruder, such as a thief, from breaking into a monitored region, such as a home, in an unauthorized manner are known. However, it is possible that the intruder can force an authorized occupant of the monitored region, such as a home owner, to disarm a security system, thereby ending monitoring of the region or alerting emergency personnel that a previously activated security system alarm does not need further attention.
In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods.
While this invention is susceptible of an embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention. It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiments.
Embodiments disclosed herein can include systems and methods for contacting emergency personnel via voice recognition. For example, when an intruder has entered a monitored region, an authorized occupant of the secured region can take an action that is detected and identified by the security system as instructions to contact emergency personnel, such as police, but that fails to alert the intruder of the authorized occupant's request to contact emergency personnel.
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, systems and methods disclosed herein can include voice recognition. Accordingly, systems and methods can facilitate users contacting emergency personnel from anywhere within a monitored region and without making contact with a security system monitoring the region.
In some embodiments, systems and methods disclosed herein can detect and identify a first predetermined condition and, if the systems and methods disclosed herein detect and identify a second predetermined condition within a predetermined period of time after detection and identification of the first predetermined condition, then systems and methods disclosed herein can contact emergency personnel. However, if the systems and methods disclosed herein fail to detect and identify the second predetermined condition within the predetermined period of time after detecting and identifying the second predetermined condition, then the systems and methods disclosed herein can abstain from contacting emergency personnel. Because detection and identification of both predetermined conditions are required prior to detection of emergency personnel, the likelihood of a false alarm, such as contacting security personnel when not necessary, can be reduced.
According to disclosed embodiments, the first and second predetermined conditions can include systems and methods identifying and detecting, via voice recognition, first and second predetermined words or phrases. For example, the first predetermined condition can include the systems and methods disclosed herein identifying and detecting, via voice recognition, the phrase “Don't hurt me” said by an authorized occupant of a monitored region, and the second predetermined condition can include the systems and methods disclosed herein identifying and detecting, via voice recognition, the word “Please” said by an authorized occupant of the monitored region. In some embodiments, the systems and methods disclosed herein can identify and detect each of the first and second predetermined words or phrases said individually or within a larger phrase or sentence.
In some embodiments, users of the systems and methods disclosed herein, such as an authorized occupant of a monitored region, can configure the first and second predetermined conditions, for example, by identifying the first and second predetermined words or phrases. For example, systems and methods can be placed in a voice recognition mode for learning the predetermined conditions and predetermined words or phrases as disclosed herein before being placed in an armed or ready mode for monitoring the region. For effectiveness, it is preferred that the first and second predetermined words or phrases are not otherwise likely to be said together or within the predetermined period of time.
In some embodiments, after the systems and methods disclosed herein identify the first predetermined word or phrase, systems and methods disclosed herein can start a timer to continuously monitor for detection and identification of the second predetermined word or phrase. If the second predetermined word or phrase is detected and identified within a predetermined period of time, then systems and methods disclosed herein can contact emergency personnel, for example, by calling local police, without alerting an intruder of the contact. However, if the second predetermined word or phrase is not detected and identified within the second predetermined period of time, then systems and methods disclosed herein can abstain from contacting emergency personnel and continue monitoring the region.
However, if the method 100 determines that a user needs to record or re-record words or phrases as in 110, then the method 100 can include the security system being placed in a learning mode as in 115. Once in the learning mode, the method 100 can include receiving verbal user input and using voice recognition to identify, detect, and record first and second words or phrases for subsequent detection by the security system 120. After recording the identified and detected words or phrases as in 120, the method 100 can include the security system re-entering the armed mode as in 105.
When in the armed mode as in 105, the method 100 can include determining whether the security system has detected and identified a first predetermined condition as in 125. For example, the method 100 can determine whether the security system has detected and identified, via voice recognition, the previously recorded first word or phrase. If not, then, the method 100 can continue operation as in 105. However, when the method 100 determines that the security system has detected and identified the first predetermined condition as in 125, the method 100 can include setting and starting a clock for a predetermined period of time as in 130 and determining whether the security system has detected and identified a second predetermined condition as in 135. For example, the method 100 can determine whether the security system has detected and identified, via voice recognition, the previously recorded second word or phrase. If not, then the method 100 can include determining whether the predetermined period of time has expired as in 140. If so, then the method 100 can continue operation as in 105. However, if the method 100 determines that the predetermined period of time has not yet expired as in 140, then the method can continue determining whether the security system has detected and identified the second predetermined condition as in 135.
When the security system has detected and identified the second predetermined condition as in 135, the method 100 can include contacting emergency personnel as 145.
The method 100 of
As seen in
In some embodiments, the system 200 can communicate with a remote monitoring station via the transceiver 210, and in some embodiments, the system 200 can communicate with emergency personnel via the transceiver 210. For example, in some embodiments, the system 200 can call police on a telephone network via the transceiver 210.
The user interface device 220 can include one or more user input mechanisms and one or more user output mechanisms. For example, in some embodiments, the user interface device 220 can display each of the exemplary screens shown in
When the system 200 is in an armed mode, the user interface device 220 can display the screen 300 shown in
If the user provides affirmative input to the user interface device 220 displaying the screen 400 or the screen 500, then the user interface device 220 can subsequently and successively display the screen 600 shown in
Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the logic flows described above do not require the particular order described, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be added to, or removed from, the described systems. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the invention.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific system or method described herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
