Alert device having notification-based customizable settings

A method of controlling an alert device having at least one light and at least one speaker, the method comprising:

• receiving an alert notification including instructions for at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one light, instructions for at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one speaker, and instructions for an overall duration of the alert notification;
• decoding the alert notification to determine the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one light, the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one speaker, and the overall duration of the alert notification;
• activating the at least one light for the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one light;
• activating the at least one speaker for the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one speaker;
• and
• deactivating the at least one light and the at least one speaker after the overall duration of the alert notification substantially elapses.

An alert device, comprising:

• at least one light configured to controllably activate and deactivate;
• at least one speaker configured to controllably activate and deactivate;
• a communication system having at least one receiver configured to receive an alert notification;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled with the at least one light, the at least one speaker, and the communication system, wherein the controller is configured to:
• monitor the communication system for the alert notification;
• activate the at least one light according to a first pattern of activation of the at least one light for at least a first duration of activation of the at least one light;
• activate the at least one light according to a second pattern of activation of the at least one light for at least a second duration of activation of the at least one light;
• activate the at least one speaker according to a first pattern of activation of the at least one speaker for at least a first duration of activation of the at least one speaker;
• and
• activate the at least one speaker according to a second pattern of activation of the at least one speaker for at least a second duration of activation of the at least one speaker.

A method of controlling an alert device having at least one light and at least one speaker, the method comprising:

• receiving an alert notification;
• activating the at least one light according to a first pattern of activation of the at least one light for at least a first duration of activation of the at least one light;
• activating the at least one light according to a second pattern of activation of the at least one light for at least a second duration of activation of the at least one light;
• activating the at least one speaker according to a first pattern of activation of the at least one speaker for at least a first duration of activation of the at least one speaker;
• and
• activating the at least one speaker according to a second pattern of activation of the at least one speaker for at least a second duration of activation of the at least one speaker.

An alert device, comprising:

• a display;
• at least one light configured to controllably activate and deactivate;
• at least one speaker configured to controllably activate and deactivate;
• a serial port communicatively coupled with an external peripheral;
• a communication system having at least one receiver configured to receive:
• a first alert notification containing at least digitally encoded instructions for a text message, digitally encoded instructions for at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one light, digitally encoded instructions for at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one speaker, digitally encoded instructions for controlling the external peripheral, and digitally encoded instructions for an overall duration of the alert notification;
• and
• a second alert notification;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled with the display, the at least one light, the at least one speaker, the serial port, and the communication system, wherein the controller is configured to:
• monitor the communication system for the first alert notification;
• monitor the communication system for the second alert notification;
• decode the first alert notification to determine the text message, the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one light, the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one speaker, the instructions for controlling the external peripheral, and the overall duration of the alert notification;
• display the text message on the display;
• activate the at least one light for the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one light;
• activate the at least one speaker for the at least one pattern and duration of activation of the at least one speaker;
• generate a peripheral signal to control the external peripheral, wherein the peripheral signal is based on the instructions for controlling the external peripheral;
• deliver the peripheral signal to the serial port;
• deactivate the display, the at least one light, and the at least one speaker when the overall duration of the alert notification substantially elapses;
• and
• deactivate the display, the at least one light, and the at least one speaker when the second alert notification is substantially received.