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US 8,077,028 B2Granted
System and apparatus with self-diagnostic and emergency alert voice capabilities
AssigneeABL IP Holding LLC
InventorsJohn Evan Lane, Victor Eugene Sanhdage
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An emergency alert system with the capability of providing audible alerts upon the detection of a possible emergency condition or a malfunctioning system component is provided. An audible alert may include voice phrases that are selected and output based, at least in part, on information associated with the possible emergency condition or malfunctioning system component. The noise in an area may be received and the volume of the outputted voice phrase may be changed based, at least in part, on the noise in the area.
Claims18
An emergency alert system comprising:
- a micro-controller configured to receive, through fire alarm interface circuitry from at least one emergency sensor of a plurality of emergency sensors, emergency condition input data comprising a type of a possible or actual emergency condition and a location with respect to the micro-controller of the possible or actual emergency condition;
- a voice alert system in communication with the micro-controller, the voice alert system comprising:
- a voice storage with stored voice phrase data comprising a plurality of voice phrases comprising a first voice phrase including a description of a first exit path and a second voice phrase including a description of a second exit path;
- an audio amplifier configured to receive voice phrase data from the voice storage;
- and
- a phrase selection switch configured to provide phrase information to the microcontroller;
- wherein the micro-controller is configured to analyze the phrase information and emergency condition input data, select at least one of the plurality of voice phrases from the voice phrase data stored in the voice storage based on the phrase information and based on the type of the possible or actual emergency condition and the location with respect to the micro-controller of the possible or actual emergency condition, and command the voice storage to send the selected at least one of the plurality of voice phrases to the audio amplifier,
- wherein the micro-controller is further configured to analyze data representing a level of noise in an area and send commands to the audio amplifier to control a volume of the selected at least one of the plurality of voice phrases based on the level of noise.
5 more elements
An emergency alert system comprising:
- a plurality of self-diagnostic test points configured to automatically monitor the emergency alert system during operation of the emergency alert system and detect, based on monitoring the emergency alert system, diagnostic information about at least one problem associated with the emergency alert system;
- a voice alert system comprising a plurality of voice phrases;
- and
- a micro-controller configured to analyze the diagnostic information and, based on the diagnostic information, select at least one voice phrase from the plurality of voice phrases and send a command to the voice alert system to output the selected at least one voice phrase,
- wherein the at least one voice selected from the plurality of voice phrases provides information about the at least one problem associated with the emergency alert system,
- wherein the micro-controller is configured to analyze data representing a level of noise in an area and send commands to the audio amplifier regarding volume of the selected at least one voice phrase based on the level of noise.
3 more elements
A method for providing an audible alert associated with an emergency alert system, the method comprising:
- automatically monitoring during operation of the emergency alert system for emergency condition input data and diagnostic information associated with the emergency alert system, wherein the emergency condition input data comprises a type of a possible or actual emergency condition and a location of the possible or actual emergency condition with respect to a micro-controller of the emergency alert system, wherein the diagnostic information comprises an indication of a possible or actual problem with the emergency alert system;
- detecting emergency condition input data or diagnostic information;
- selecting at least one voice phrase from stored plurality of voice phrases based on at least one of
- (a) the emergency condition input data comprising the type of the possible or actual emergency condition and the location of the possible or actual emergency condition with respect to the micro-controller;
- or
- (b) the diagnostic information comprising the indication of the possible or actual problem with the emergency alert system;
- receiving data representing a level of noise in an area;
- amplifying the selected at least one voice phrase based on the data representing the level of noise in an area;
- and
- audibly outputting the selected at least one voice phrase, the selected at least one voice phrase comprising at least one of (i) directional information to direct building occupants away from the location of the possible or actual emergency condition with respect to the micro-controller or (ii) information about the possible or actual problem with the emergency alert system.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.