# US 7,477,143 B2 · Enhanced personal monitoring and alarm response method and system

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- Number: US 7,477,143 B2
- Document ID: US7477143B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/522,568
- Filed: 2006-09-18
- Published: 2007-01-11
- Granted: 2009-01-13
- Earliest claimed: 2004-07-23
- Assignees: Innovalarm Corporation
- Inventors: David E. Albert
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7477143B2

## CPC

- G08B 21/0423: {detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule}
- G08B 17/00: Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
- G08B 21/0446: {worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait}
- G08B 21/0453: {worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing (detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00)}
- G08B 21/0461: {integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor}
- G08B 21/0469: {Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone (G08B21/0476 takes precedence)}
- G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

Home safety and security are provided using a bedside unit to monitor an audible personal security pendant and to send notification signals to the appropriate communication site. Improved reliability is achieved by comparing a stored signal signature to the real time digital pattern representing sounds received using digital acoustic signature recognition technology.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for monitoring an area for an audible signal generated by a personal alert pendant activated by an individual in an emergency situation, the method comprising:
operating a sound monitoring unit including a microphone, a memory having a signal signature of the personal alert pendant stored therein, a microprocessor and a communications port; and
by operating the unit, detecting sounds received by the microphone of the unit and converting the sounds to a real time digital pattern representing the sounds;
using the microprocessor and a digital acoustic signature recognition technology, comparing the real time digital pattern to the signal signature stored in the memory and determining if detected sound represents a signal from the personal alert pendant, wherein the digital acoustic signature recognition technology comprises a technique selected from the group consisting of matched filtering, cross correlation, and neural networking; and in response thereto generating and sending response signals out the communications port of the monitoring unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the sound monitoring unit is a bedside unit further including a switch for controlling supply of power to a waking device, and said method further comprises operating the bedside unit to detect from sounds received by the microphone of the bedside unit when a smoke alarm is sounding and in response thereto switching on supply of power to the waking device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the response signals out the communications port comprise notification signals to an Internet site.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 further comprising communicating from the Internet site to a telecommunication number or e-mail address.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the response signals from the communication port comprise notification signals to a local monitoring service.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the response signals from the communication port comprise notification signals to local emergency personnel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the communication port is a wireless communication port.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
by operating the sound monitoring unit in a learning mode during initial setup, causing the personal alert pendant to be activated and the resulting audible signal detected and identified as such.