# US 2014/0191875 A1 · Enhanced emergency detection system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191875 A1 - Document ID: US20140191875A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/106,187 - Filed: 2013-12-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-13 - Assignees: OneEvent Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Oneevent Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Kurt Joseph Wedig; Daniel Ralph Parent; Anton Vermaak; Scott Holmstrom; Chris Snyder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191875A1 ## CPC - G08B 7/066: {guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip} - G08B 17/06: Electric actuation of the alarm, e.g. using a thermally-operated switch - G08B 17/103: using a light emitting and receiving device - G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons - G08B 25/009: {Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range} - G08B 27/001: {Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen} - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract A method includes reading a digital signal from a sensing device in an area of a structure, where the digital signal is configured to be present periodically. A trailing edge of the digital signal is determined. An analog signal from the sensing device is read, where the analog signal includes an output from a sensor included in the sensing device, and where the sensor is configured to detect an aspect of an environment. The analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: reading a digital signal from a sensing device in an area of a structure, wherein the digital signal is configured to be present periodically; determining a trailing edge of the digital signal; and reading an analog signal from the sensing device, wherein the analog signal comprises an output from a sensor included in the sensing device, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an aspect of an environment, and wherein the analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signal comprises a power source to an infrared light emitting diode and wherein the digital signal is sent to the infrared light emitting diode periodically. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the analog signal comprises an output from a photodetector, wherein the aspect of the environment detected is obscuration, wherein the infrared light emitting diode and the photodetector are configured to detect the obscuration, and wherein the obscuration is indicated by the magnitude of the analog signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a communication to a node, wherein the communication comprises a data value derived from the analog signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the node is located in an area of the structure, and wherein the node determines one or more evacuation routes from the structure in response to the communication. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: receiving, from the node, an alarm condition communication, wherein the alarm condition communication comprises an indication of an alarm message, and wherein the alarm message comprises details of the one or more evacuation routes; and playing the alarm message audibly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the alarm message is a customized alarm message recorded by a user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the communication to the node is sent wirelessly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the communication is accomplished with one or more inverted F-shape antennas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising sending, wirelessly, a wakeup signal to the node before sending the communication, wherein the node is configured to listen on a first schedule before the wakeup signal is sent, and wherein the node is configured to listen on a second schedule after receiving the wakeup signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the second schedule is a shared listening schedule known to a plurality of other nodes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising storing the first or second listening schedule of the node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the communication is sent based on the stored first or second listening schedule. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the node is configured to receive the wakeup signal by monitoring a received signal strength indicator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first or second schedule comprises a schedule lifetime and wherein after the schedule lifetime has lapsed, the schedule is invalid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is battery operated. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising buffering the analog signal with an operational amplifier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising reading a second analog signal from the sensor device, wherein the second analog signal comprises a signal from a thermistor, and wherein the second analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor, wherein the instructions comprise: instructions to read a digital signal from a sensing device in an area of a structure, wherein the digital signal is configured to be present periodically; instructions to determine a trailing edge of the digital signal; and instructions to read an analog signal from the sensing device, wherein the analog signal comprises an output from a sensor included in the sensing device, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an aspect of an environment, and wherein the analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal. ### Claim 20 A device comprising: a sensing device, wherein the sensing device is in an area of a structure; and a microcontroller, wherein the is configured to: read a digital signal from the sensing device, wherein the digital signal is configured to be present periodically; determine a trailing edge of the digital signal; and read an analog signal from the sensing device, wherein the analog signal comprises an output from a sensor included in the sensing device, wherein the sensor is configured to detect an aspect of an environment, and wherein the analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal.