# US 10,121,364 B2 · Smart-home device providing follow up communications to condition detection events

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- Number: US 10,121,364 B2
- Document ID: US10121364B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/606,610
- Filed: 2017-05-26
- Published: 2017-09-14
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-07
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google LLC
- Inventors: David Sloo; Nicholas Unger Webb; Matthew Lee Rogers; Anthony Michael Fadell; Jeffery Theodore Lee; Sophie Le Guen; Andrew W. Goldenson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121364B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/0031: {comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array}
- F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F 11/33: to fire, excessive heat or smoke
- F24F 11/34: by opening air passages
- F24F 11/58: using Internet communication
- G01J 1/4204: {with determination of ambient light (solar light G01J2001/4266)}
- G01N 27/02: by investigating impedance
- G01N 27/121: {for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity, of the fluid (moisture content of the tested material G01N27/048)}
- G01N 33/004: {CO or CO2}
- G01V 8/10: Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S17/00)
- G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80)
- G06V 20/46: {Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames}
- G08B 3/10: using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
- G08B 5/22: using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
- G08B 5/36: using visible light sources
- G08B 17/10: Actuation by presence of smoke or gases {, e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means}
- G08B 17/117: by using a detection device for specific gases, e.g. combustion products, produced by the fire (G08B17/103, G08B17/11 take precedence)
- G08B 21/12: responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
- G08B 21/14: Toxic gas alarms (G08B21/16 takes precedence)
- G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence)
- G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold}
- G08B 25/002: {Generating a prealarm to the central station}
- G08B 25/008: {Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system}
- G08B 25/012: {using recorded signals, e.g. speech (G08B25/08 takes precedence)}
- G08B 29/02: Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
- G08B 29/04: Monitoring of the detection circuits
- G08B 29/145: {of fire detection circuits}
- G08B 29/185: {Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system}
- G08B 29/22: Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement
- G08B 29/26: by updating and storing reference thresholds
- H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks}
- H04L 12/2809: {indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network (monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51)}
- H04L 12/2818: {from a device located outside both the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007)}
- H04L 12/282: {based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204)}
- H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46)
- H04L 67/54: Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
- H04M 1/72445: for supporting Internet browser applications
- H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source}
- H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light
- H05B 45/20: Controlling the colour of the light
- H05B 47/11: by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
- H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission
- H05B 47/196: {characterised by user interface arrangements}
- F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
- F24F 11/70: Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
- F24F 11/75: for maintaining constant air flow rate or air velocity
- F24F 11/89: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
- F24F 2120/10: Occupancy
- G08B 19/005: {combined burglary and fire alarm systems}
- G08B 25/08: using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)}
- H04L 67/025: for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
- H05B 47/1965: {using handheld communication devices}
- H05B 47/197: {Sound control or voice control}
- H05B 47/1975: {Gesture control}
- Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

Hazardous or dangerous conditions may be monitored. A mode may be set to a state indicative of the condition being present. It may then be determined that the hazardous or dangerous condition has eased. An indication of the hazardous or dangerous condition easing may be output in response to the determination. Such an indication may be output as synthesized speech.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for detecting that a hazardous condition is easing, the method comprising:
measuring, by a hazard detector, a first amount of the hazardous condition present in an ambient environment of the hazard detector;
setting, by the hazard detector, a mode of the hazard detector to an alarm state based on the measured first amount of the hazardous condition;
measuring, by the hazard detector, a second amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector, wherein the second amount is less than the first amount;
determining, by the hazard detector, at least partially based on the second amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment, to set the mode to a non-alarm state; and
in response to determining, at least partially based on the second amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment to set the mode of the hazard detector to the non-alarm state from the alarm state, outputting an indication that the hazardous condition has eased, wherein:
the hazardous condition having eased indicates the hazardous condition in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has decreased in amount.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 1, wherein the indication output comprises an auditory message that comprises speech being output by a speaker of the hazard detector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 2, further comprising:
accessing, by the hazard detector, a stored indication of a location at which the hazard detector is installed, wherein the auditory message comprises speech indicative of the location.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 1, wherein the indication output comprises a light of the hazard detector outputting a color indicative of the non-alarm state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to determining, at least partially based on the first amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment to set the mode of the hazard detector to the alarm state, outputting an indication of the alarm state comprising an auditory message.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 5, wherein outputting the indication of the alarm state comprising outputting pulsing light of a color indicative of the alarm state.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 1, further comprising:
measuring, by the hazard detector, a third amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector, wherein the third amount is greater than the first amount and the second amount; and
determining, by the hazard detector, at least partially based on the third amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment, to set the mode to the alarm state, wherein the alarm state causes an alarm of the hazard detector to be sounded.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method for detecting that the hazardous condition is easing of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, by the hazard detector, that a threshold period of time has elapsed while an amount of hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has remained below a stored hazardous condition value, wherein
determining to set the mode to the non-alarm state is further based on determining the threshold period of time has elapsed while the amount of hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has remained below the stored hazardous condition value.

### Claim 9

A hazard detector comprising:
a hazard sensor that measures amounts of a hazardous condition present in an ambient environment of the hazard detector;
an output component that outputs information; and
a processing system that comprises one or more processors, the processing system being in communication with the output component and the hazard sensor, the processing system being configured to:
receive a first measurement of a first amount of the hazardous condition present in an ambient environment of the hazard detector from the hazard sensor;
set a mode of the hazard detector to an alarm or alarm state based on the first measurement;
receive a second measurement of a second amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector from the hazard sensor;
determine, at least partially based on the second measurement, to set the mode to a non-alarm state; and
in response to determining, at least partially based on the second measurement of the second amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment, to set the mode of the hazard detector to the non-alarm state from the alarm state, cause an indication that the hazardous condition has eased to be output by the output component, wherein the hazardous condition having eased indicates the hazardous condition in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has dissipated.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The hazard detector of claim 9, wherein the indication output by the output component comprises an auditory message that comprises speech.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The hazard detector of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to access a stored indication of a location at which the hazard detector is installed, wherein the auditory message comprises speech indicative of the location.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The hazard detector of claim 9, wherein the indication output comprises a light of the output component outputting colored light indicative of the non-alarm state.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The hazard detector of claim 9, wherein the processing system is further configured to:
in response to determining to set the mode of the hazard detector to the alarm state, cause an indication of the alarm state to be output by the output component, the indication comprising an auditory message.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The hazard detector of claim 13, wherein the output component outputting the indication of the alarm state comprises the output component outputting pulsing light of a color indicative of the alarm state.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The hazard detector of claim 9, wherein the processing system is further configured to:
receive a third measurement of a third amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector from the hazard sensor, wherein the third amount is greater than the first amount and the second amount; and
determine, at least partially based on the third measurement, to set the mode to the alarm state, wherein the alarm state causes the alarm of the hazard detector to be sounded.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The hazard detector of claim 9, wherein the processing system is further configured to:
determine that a threshold period of time has elapsed while an amount of the hazardous condition, as measured by the hazard sensor, present in the ambient environment has remained below a stored hazardous condition value, wherein
the one or more processors being configured to determine to set the mode to the non-alarm state is further based on determining the threshold period of time has elapsed while the amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment has remained below the stored hazardous condition value.

### Claim 17

A non-transitory processor-readable medium for a hazard detector, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors of the hazard detector to:
receive a first measurement of a first amount of a hazardous condition present in an ambient environment of the hazard detector from a hazard sensor;
set a mode of the hazard detector to an alarm or alarm state based on the first measurement;
receive a second measurement of a second amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector from the hazard sensor;
determine, at least partially based on the second measurement, to set the mode to a non-alarm state; and
in response to determining at least partially based on the second measurement to set the mode of the hazard detector to the non-alarm state, cause an indication that the hazardous condition has eased to be output by the hazard detector, wherein the hazardous condition having eased indicates the hazardous condition in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has decreased in amount.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory processor-readable medium for the hazard detector of claim 17, further comprising:
accessing a stored indication of a room in which the hazard detector is located, wherein causing the indication that the hazardous condition has eased comprises outputting an auditory message indicative of the room.

### Claim 19

A method for detecting that a condition representative of a potential danger is easing, the method comprising:
determining, by a smart-home device, a first state of the condition representative of the potential danger present in an ambient environment of the smart-home device;
setting, by the smart-home device, a mode of the smart-home device to an early warning state based on the first state of the condition representative of the potential danger;
determining, by the smart-home device, a second state of the condition representative of the potential danger present in the ambient environment of the smart-home device, wherein the second state is indicative of a less dangerous situation than the first state;
determining, by the smart-home device, based on the second state of the condition representative of the potential danger, to set the mode of the smart-home device to a non-alarm state distinct from the early warning state; and
in response to determining, at least partially based on the second state of the condition representative of the potential danger present in the ambient environment to set the mode of the smart-home device to the non-alarm state from the early warning state, outputting an indication that the condition representative of the potential danger has eased, wherein:
the condition representative of the potential danger having eased indicates the condition representative of the potential danger in the ambient environment of the smart-home device has decreased.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 19, wherein outputting the indication that the condition representative of the potential danger has eased is output as an audible notification.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 20, wherein the indication output comprises an auditory message that comprises speech being output by a speaker.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 21, wherein the speaker is part of a hazard detector.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 22, further comprising:
accessing, by the smart-home device, a stored indication of a location at which the smart-home device is installed, wherein the auditory message comprises speech indicative of the location.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 23, wherein the smart-home device is the hazard detector.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 24, wherein the indication output comprises a light of the smart-home device outputting a color indicative of the non-alarm state.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 19, further comprising:
in response to determining to set the mode of the smart-home device to the early warning state, outputting an early warning indication of the early warning state comprising an auditory message.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 26, wherein outputting the indication of the early warning state comprising outputting pulsing light of a color indicative of the early warning state.

### Claim 28 (depends on 19)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 19, further comprising:
determining, by the smart-home device, a third state of the condition representative of the potential danger, wherein the third state is indicative of a more hazardous situation than the first state and the second state; and
determining, by the smart-home device, at least partially based on the third state of the condition representative of the potential danger, to set the mode of the smart-home device to an alarm state, wherein the alarm state causes an alarm to be sounded.

### Claim 29 (depends on 19)

The method for detecting that the condition representative of the potential danger is easing of claim 19, further comprising:
determining, by the smart-home device, that a threshold period of time has elapsed while condition representative of the potential danger present in the ambient environment of the smart-home device has been absent, wherein:
determining to set the mode of the smart-home device to the non-alarm state is further based on determining the threshold period of time has elapsed while the condition representative of the potential danger present in the ambient environment of the smart-home device has been absent.

### Claim 30

A smart-home device comprising:
a sensor that detects a condition representative of a potential danger present in an ambient environment of the smart-home device; and
a processing system that comprises one or more processors, the processing system being in communication with an output component and the sensor, the processing system being configured to:
determine a first state of the condition representative of the potential danger present in the ambient environment of the smart-home device based on information from the sensor;
set a mode of the smart-home device to an early warning state based on the first state of the condition representative of the potential danger;
determine a second state of the condition representative of the potential danger present in the ambient environment of the smart-home device based on information from the sensor;
determine, based on the second state of the condition representative of the potential danger, to set the mode to a non-alarm state; and
in response to determining, at least partially based on setting the mode of the smart-home device to the non-alarm state from the early warning state, cause an indication that the condition representative of the potential danger has eased to be output, wherein the condition representative of the potential danger having eased indicates the condition representative of the potential danger in the ambient environment of the smart-home device has decreased.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The smart-home device of claim 30, wherein the indication output by the output component comprises an auditory message.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The smart-home device of claim 31, wherein the auditory message comprises speech.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The smart-home device of claim 32, wherein the auditory message is output by a hazard detector.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The smart-home device of claim 32, wherein the processing system is further configured to access a stored indication of a location at which the smart-home device is installed, wherein the auditory message comprises speech indicative of the location.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The smart-home device of claim 34, wherein the indication output comprises a light of the output component outputting colored light indicative of the non-alarm state.

### Claim 36 (depends on 34)

The smart-home device of claim 34, wherein the processing system is further configured to:
in response to determining to set the mode of the smart-home device to the early warning state, cause an early warning indication of the early warning state to be output by the output component, the indication comprising an early warning auditory message.

### Claim 37 (depends on 30)

The smart-home device of claim 30, wherein the output component outputting the indication of the early warning state comprises the output component outputting pulsing light of a color indicative of the early warning state.