IP Library Granted Patent US 9,703,864
Granted Patent B2
US 9,703,864 · App. 14/806,701 · Granted Jul 11, 2017

Directional location of sound sources

Inventors: James H. Pratt (Round Rock, TX); Steven Belz (Sunnyvale, TX); Michael Lattanzi (Bothell, WA); Constance Missimer (Seattle, WA)
Assignees: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.; AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
G06F17/30743H04N5/23296H04N7/183H04R1/326H04R17/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,703,864
App. No.
14/806,701
Granted
Jul 11, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Directional sound location is used to determine security events of a security system. A sound sensor reports a vector direction to a sound source of an acoustic signal. If the vector direction is historically observed at similar times, then perhaps the sound source is not considered a security event. However, if the vector direction is unknown or unfamiliar, the security system may infer the security event and notify emergency services.

Claims (36)

1. A system, comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving outputs generated by a sound sensor associated with a security system, the outputs identifying a vector direction to a sound source, the sound source emitting an acoustic signal that stimulates the sound sensor;

querying an electronic database for the vector direction, the electronic database electronically associating known sound signatures and vector directions;

determining the vector direction generated by the sound sensor fails to match any of the known sound signatures in the electronic database; and

determining a security event associated with the security system in response to the vector direction failing to match any of the known sound signatures in the electronic database.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a piezoelectric voltage reported by the sound sensor.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise using the piezoelectric voltage as a proxy for a frequency of the acoustic signal that stimulates the sound sensor.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise querying the electronic database for the piezoelectric voltage, the electronic database electronically associating frequency bands detectable by the sound sensor and piezoelectric voltages including the piezoelectric voltage.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a frequency band of the frequency bands that is electronically associated with the piezoelectric voltage.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving global positioning system information describing an installed location associated with the sound sensor.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise generating an alignment command for a motor mechanism associated with a video camera, the alignment command instructing the motor mechanism to sweep a field of view of the video camera along the vector direction starting from the global positioning system information describing the installed location associated with the sound sensor.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a security controller, outputs generated by a sound sensor associated with a security system, the outputs identifying a vector direction to a sound source emitting an acoustic signal that stimulates the sound sensor;

querying, by the security controller, an electronic database for the vector direction, the electronic database having electronic database associations between known sound signatures and vector directions;

determining, by the security controller, the vector direction generated by the sound sensor fails to match any of the known sound signatures in the electronic database; and

determining, by the security controller, a security event associated with the security system in response to the vector direction failing to match any of the known sound signatures in the electronic database.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving a piezoelectric voltage reported by the sound sensor.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising using the piezoelectric voltage as a proxy for a frequency of the acoustic signal that stimulates the sound sensor.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising querying the electronic database for the piezoelectric voltage, the electronic database having the electronic database associations between frequency bands detectable by the sound sensor and piezoelectric voltages including the piezoelectric voltage.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising retrieving a frequency band of the frequency bands having an electronic database association with the piezoelectric voltage.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising retrieving global positioning system information describing an installed location associated with the sound sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating an alignment command for a motor mechanism associated with a video camera, the alignment command instructing the motor mechanism to sweep a field of view of the video camera along the vector direction starting from the global positioning system information describing the installed location associated with the sound sensor.

15. A non-transitory memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a hardware processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving outputs generated by a sound sensor associated with a security system, the outputs identifying a vector direction to a sound source emitting an acoustic signal that stimulates the sound sensor;

querying an electronic database for the vector direction, the electronic database having electronic database associations between known sound signatures and vector directions;

determining the vector direction generated by the sound sensor fails to match any of the known sound signatures in the electronic database; and

determining a security event associated with the security system in response to the vector direction failing to match any of the known sound signatures in the electronic database.

16. The non-transitory memory device of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a piezoelectric voltage reported by the sound sensor.

17. The non-transitory memory device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise using the piezoelectric voltage as a proxy for a frequency of the acoustic signal that stimulates the sound sensor.

18. The non-transitory memory device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise querying the electronic database for the piezoelectric voltage, the electronic database having the electronic database associations between frequency bands detectable by the sound sensor and piezoelectric voltages including the piezoelectric voltage.

19. The non-transitory memory device of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a frequency band of the frequency bands having an electronic database association with the piezoelectric voltage.

20. The non-transitory memory device of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

retrieving global positioning system information describing an installed location associated with the sound sensor; and

generating an alignment command for a motor mechanism associated with a video camera, the alignment command instructing the motor mechanism to sweep a field of view of the video camera along the vector direction starting from the global positioning system information describing the installed location associated with the sound sensor.

Assignments (4)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2025
From: SIMPLISAFE, INC.
To: CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073579/0854 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2024
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: SIMPLISAFE, INC.
Reel/Frame 067947/0701 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2024
From: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
To: SIMPLISAFE, INC.
Reel/Frame 067949/0258 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2015
From: PRATT, JAMES H.; BELZ, STEVEN; LATTANZI, MICHAEL; MISSIMER, CONSTANCE
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.; AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
Reel/Frame 036162/0172 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170026763A1 · Jan 26, 2017