# US 10,371,568 B2 · Acoustic sensor and home appliance system comprising the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,568 B2 - Document ID: US10371568B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/458,523 - Filed: 2017-03-14 - Published: 2017-09-21 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-15 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Taedong Shin; Lagyoung Kim; Jihyun Song - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371568B2 ## CPC - D06F 34/20: Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors - A47L 9/2894: {Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners} - D06F 33/47: Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps (safety arrangements D06F37/42) - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/38: Failure diagnosis - F24F 11/526: giving audible indications - F25D 29/008: {Alarm devices} - G01H 3/10: Amplitude; Power - G01H 11/00: Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves by detecting changes in electric or magnetic properties - G01V 8/10: Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S17/00) - G08B 1/08: 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} - G08B 21/187: {Machine fault alarms} - A47L 2201/00: Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation - D06F 34/05: for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control - D06F 34/28: Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating programme parameters, e.g. the selected programme or its progress - D06F 39/14: Doors or covers; Securing means therefor - D06F 2103/40: Opening or locking status of doors - D06F 2105/60: Audible signals - F24F 11/39: Monitoring filter performance - F24F 2110/00: Control inputs relating to air properties - F24F 2130/40: Noise - F25D 2700/02: Sensors detecting door opening - G01V 8/12: using one transmitter and one receiver - G08B 13/1672: {using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range} - G08B 13/187: by interference of a radiation field - G08B 17/00: Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion - G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons - G08B 21/0208: {Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function} - G08B 21/043: {detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall} - G08B 21/0469: {Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone (G08B21/0476 takes precedence)} - G08B 29/183: {Single detectors using dual technologies (G08B13/1672, G08B13/2448, G08B13/2494 take precedence)} - G10L 25/51: for comparison or discrimination - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - 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) - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING ## Abstract Provided are an acoustic sensor and a home appliance system comprising the same. The acoustic sensor comprises a communication unit, a microphone to collect an acoustic signal, a memory to store a failure acoustic signal of a home appliance, and a processor, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, corresponding to the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance, the processor transmits the collected acoustic signal, or data corresponding to the collected acoustic signal, to an external server or a terminal. Accordingly, failure of the home appliance may be easily diagnosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An acoustic sensor, comprising: a communication unit; a microphone to collect an acoustic signal; a sensor unit to output infrared light and receive light corresponding to the output infrared light; a memory to store a failure acoustic signal of a home appliance; and a processor, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, corresponding to the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance, the processor transmits the collected acoustic signal, or data corresponding to the collected acoustic signal, to an external server or a terminal, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, being at a reference level or higher, the processor activates the sensor unit which is in an inactive state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The acoustic sensor of claim 1, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, corresponding to the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance, the processor determines that the home appliance has broken down, based on the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The acoustic sensor of claim 1, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, corresponding to an operation acoustic signal of the home appliance, the processor transmits the collected acoustic signal, or data corresponding to the collected acoustic signal, to the external server or the terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The acoustic sensor of claim 3, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, corresponding to the operation acoustic signal of the home appliance, the processor determines an operation state of the home appliance based on the operation acoustic signal of the home appliance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The acoustic sensor of claim 1, wherein when a door of the home appliance is opened or closed while the acoustic sensor is attached to the home appliance, the processor transmits a door opening or closing acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, or data corresponding to the door opening or closing acoustic signal, to the external server or the terminal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The acoustic sensor of claim 5, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the microphone, corresponding to the door opening or closing acoustic signal of the home appliance, the processor determines opening or closing of the door of the home appliance based on the door opening or closing acoustic signal of the home appliance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The acoustic sensor of claim 1, wherein in response to an acoustic signal, indicating an operation mode input for a home appliance, being input through the microphone, the processor enters the operation mode for the home appliance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The acoustic sensor of claim 1, wherein in response to a moving object being detected, the processor transmits a warning signal to the external server or the terminal based on the output infrared light, which is output from the sensor unit, and the received infrared light which is received by the sensor unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The acoustic sensor of claim 1, further comprising a sound output unit, wherein the processor outputs a sound, received by the communication unit, through the sound output unit. ### Claim 10 A home appliance system, comprising: a home appliance; an acoustic sensor attached to the home appliance or disposed near the home appliance; and a server, wherein in response to a failure acoustic signal of the home appliance being collected by the acoustic sensor, the server receives the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance, or data corresponding to the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance, from the acoustic sensor, wherein the acoustic sensor outputs infrared light and receives light corresponding to the output infrared light, wherein in response to an acoustic signal, collected by a microphone, being at a reference level or higher, the acoustic sensor activates the sensor which is in an inactive state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The home appliance system of claim 10, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the acoustic sensor, corresponding to the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance, the server determines that the home appliance has broken down, based on the failure acoustic signal of the home appliance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The home appliance system of claim 10, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the acoustic sensor, corresponding to an operation acoustic signal of the home appliance, the server receives the collected acoustic signal, or data corresponding to the collected acoustic signal, from the acoustic sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The home appliance system of claim 12, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the acoustic sensor, corresponding to the operation acoustic signal of the home appliance, the server determines an operation state of the home appliance based on the operation acoustic signal of the home appliance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The home appliance system of claim 10, wherein when a door of the home appliance is opened or closed while the acoustic sensor is attached to the home appliance, the server receives a door opening or closing acoustic signal, collected by the acoustic sensor, or data corresponding to the door opening or closing acoustic signal, from the acoustic sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The home appliance system of claim 14, wherein in response to the acoustic signal, collected by the acoustic sensor, corresponding to the door opening or closing acoustic signal of the home appliance, the server determines opening or closing of the door of the home appliance based on the door opening or closing acoustic signal of the home appliance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The home appliance system of claim 10, wherein in response to an acoustic signal, indicating an operation mode input for a home appliance, being input to the microphone of the acoustic sensor, the acoustic sensor enters the operation mode for the specific home appliance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The home appliance system of claim 10, wherein in response to a moving object being detected, the server receives a warning signal from the acoustic sensor based on the output infrared light, which is output from the acoustic sensor, and the received infrared light, which is received by the acoustic sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The home appliance system of claim 10, wherein the server transmits a sound to the acoustic sensor, wherein the acoustic sensor outputs the sound, received by the server, through a sound output unit of the acoustic sensor.