Methods and apparatus notifying a remotely located user of the operating condition of a household appliance

A method of notifying a user when a sound in the household indicates a condition of potential interest to said user comprising, in combination, the steps of:

• employing one or more sensors to convert ambient sounds into an output signal,
• comparing said output signal to a database of stored control sounds, each of which is associated in the database with status identifying information, said stored control sounds related to household sounds,
• producing an alert notification indication when said output signal matches one of said stored control sounds,
• in response to said notification alert indication, transmitting a wireless alert message containing the status identifying information associated with the matched control sound to a remotely located notification unit located near said user, and
• employing said notification unit to produce an output that is perceptible to said user and that is indicative of the existence of said condition of potential interest.

Apparatus for notifying a user when an event occurs that is accompanied by the production of sounds or vibrations having predetermined properties, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a sensor for converting said sounds or vibrations into an electrical sensor output signal having a time-varying amplitude that represents said sounds or vibrations,
• a signal comparator for comparing said electrical sensor output signal with a plurality of control signals stored in a database which further stores identification information associated with each of said control signals, said signal comparator producing an alert signal whenever said output signal matches one of said control signals, said control signals related to household sounds,
• a wireless transmitter responsive to said alert signal for transmitting a wireless notification message including the identification information associated with that control signal that matched said electrical sensor output signal, and
• a notification unit at a location near said user and remote from said wireless transmitter for producing an output perceptible to said user in response to receiving said wireless notification message.