IP Library Granted Patent US 12,231,257
Granted Patent B2
US 12,231,257 · App. 17/743,079 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

System, method and apparatus for propagating a primary alert of a monitoring system or device

Inventors: Michael Lamb (Rancho Santa Fe, CA); Paul D. Arling (Scottsdale, AZ)
Assignee: ECOLINK INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
H04L12/282G08B21/02H04L2012/2843
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,231,257
App. No.
17/743,079
Granted
Feb 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are described for propagating a primary alert from a premises monitoring system or device by a home entertainment device. A premises monitoring system or device, such as a security system, smoke detector, fire detector, carbon monoxide detector, baby monitor, smart speaker, etc., emit a primary alert when a predetermined event or condition occurs associated with a monitored premises. An indication of the primary alert is received by one or more home entertainment devices, and at least one of the home entertainment devices causes a secondary alert to occur, for example, an audio notification and/or a visual notification from the at least one home entertainment device.

Claims (34)

1. A method, performed by a first home entertainment device communicatively coupled to a second home entertainment device, for propagating a primary alert from a premises monitoring system or device, comprising:

receiving a signal from the premises monitoring system or device;

determining that the signal comprises a primary alert notification, the primary alert notification comprising an indication of an occurrence of an event associated with a premises being monitored by the premises monitoring system or device; and

in response to determining that the signal comprises a primary alert notification, causing a second home entertainment device to enter an active state from a quiescent state and to emit a secondary alert.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary alert comprises at least one of an audible alert and a visual alert.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary alert notification comprises an audible alert from the monitoring system, and determining that the signal comprises the primary alert comprises:

converting the audible alert into an electronic signal; and

processing the electronic signal to determine whether the electronic signal is indicative of the primary alert notification.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the signal comprises the primary alert notification, causing a mobile device communicatively coupled to the first home entertainment device to emit a further secondary alert notification for alerting an authorized person of the monitoring system of the primary alert.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the home entertainment device comprises a television.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the home entertainment device comprises a set top box.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an event type of the event associated with a premises; and

based on the event type, causing an audible or visual file to be selected as the secondary alert.

8. A first home entertainment device, comprising:

a monitoring system or device interface;

a non-transitory information storage device for storing processor-executable instructions;

a transducer; and

a processor, coupled to the monitoring system or device interface, the non-transitory information storage device and the transducer, the processor for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the first home entertainment device to;

receive, via the monitoring system or device interface, a signal from a premises monitoring system or device;

determine that the signal comprises a primary alert notification, the primary alert notification comprising an indication of an occurrence of an event associated with a premises being monitored by the premises monitoring system or device; and

in response to determining that the signal comprises a primary alert notification, cause a second home entertainment device communicatively coupled to the first home entertainment device to enter an active state from a quiescent state and to emit a secondary alert.

9. The first home entertainment device of claim 8 , wherein the secondary alert comprises at least one of an audible alert and a visual alert.

10. The first home entertainment device of claim 8 , wherein the signal from the monitoring system comprises an audible alert from the monitoring system, and the instructions for determining that the signal comprises the primary alert comprises instructions that cause the first home entertainment device to:

convert the audible alert into an electronic signal; and

process the electronic signal to determine whether the electronic signal is indicative of the primary alert.

11. The first home entertainment device of claim 8 , comprising further instructions that causes the first home entertainment device to:

in response to determining that the signal comprises the primary alert notification, cause a mobile device communicatively coupled to the first home entertainment device to emit a further secondary alert notification for alerting an authorized person of the monitoring system of the primary alert.

12. The first home entertainment device of claim 8 , wherein the first home entertainment device comprises a television.

13. The first home entertainment device of claim 8 , wherein the first home entertainment device comprises a set top box.

14. The first home entertainment device of claim 10 , comprising further instructions that causes the first home entertainment device to:

determine an event type of the event associated with the premises; and

based on the event type, select an audible or visual file for presentation as the secondary alert.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: ECOLINK INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 069825/0183 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2024
From: UNIVERSAL ELECTRONICS INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 067417/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2022
From: LAMB, MICHAEL; ARLING, PAUL D.
To: ECOLINK INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 059897/0923 →