IP Library Granted Patent US 12,694,774
Granted Patent B2
US 12,694,774 · App. 18/812,702 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Security / automation system control panel with active microphones

Inventors: Ross Werner (San Francisco, CA); David Pulling (San Jose, CA); Anand Sastry (Los Altos Hills, CA); David Laone (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
G08B13/19682G01D5/24G01D18/00G05B19/042G06F3/0487G06F3/16G06F21/629G08B3/10G08B17/117G08B19/00G08B25/10G08B29/10H04B17/364H04B17/382H04B17/391H04M1/64H04N7/183H04N7/188H04N23/57H04R29/00H04W72/30H04W84/02H04W84/18G05B2219/25257G06V40/172
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,694,774
App. No.
18/812,702
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example implementations include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium comprising monitoring, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel. The implementations further include determining, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise is indicative of a security event. In some non-limiting implementations, the control panel may be configured to detect events based on various noise detection models, such as continued noise level above a threshold, noise associated with multiple short sharp impacts (e.g., an intruder trying to kick down a door), gunshot detection, voice recognition to identify a request for assistance (e.g., a person asking for help), glass break detection, or detection of a particular standardized pattern of beeps such as the temporal-three pattern of a smoke detector going off (according to ISO 8201 and ANSI/ASA S3.41 Temporal Pattern), the temporal-four pattern of a carbon monoxide detector going off, etc.

Claims (36)

1 . A method comprising:

monitoring, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel;

determining, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise is indicative of a security event, comprising performing occupancy detection based on the ambient noise;

determining, by the control panel using a short range communication radio in the control panel, and responsive to the control panel having detected occupancy based on the ambient noise, whether one or more unrecognized short range communication devices are within range of the control panel; and

initiating an alarm or sending a notification, by the control panel, responsive to the one or more unrecognized short range communication devices being within range of the control panel.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing, by the control panel, one or more still images or videos via a camera of the control panel, responsive to the control panel having detected occupancy based on the ambient noise and the control panel having determined that the one or more unrecognized short range communication devices are within range of the control panel.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising executing an artificial intelligence algorithm configured to scan the one or more still images or videos for visual verification of the security event.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending the one or more still images or videos to a cloud system, wherein the cloud system is configured to send the one or more still images or videos to a device of a user for viewing on an app running on the device of the user.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of the security event comprises determining whether the ambient noise includes one or more known or unknown voices.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of the security event comprises determining whether the ambient noise is continually above a threshold level for longer than a time period.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of the security event comprises determining whether the ambient noise includes a sequence of short sharp impacts.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of a fire event by determining whether the ambient noise includes a standardized pattern of beeps associated with activation of a fire detection device in response to the fire event.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of a fire event by determining whether the ambient noise includes at least one of a temporal-three pattern associated with a smoke detector going off or a temporal-four pattern associated with a carbon monoxide detector going off.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of the security event comprises:

determining, based on the ambient noise, whether there is an activity within a monitored area; and

sending a notification to a cloud system in response to detecting the activity within the monitored area.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the ambient noise is indicative of the security event comprises executing an artificial intelligence module locally at the control panel.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the artificial intelligence module is downloaded to the control panel from a server, wherein the artificial intelligence module is customized for the control panel.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the artificial intelligence module is configured to determine an action in response to a single detected event or in response to multiple concurrently-detected discrete events.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the artificial intelligence module is configured to integrate multiple concurrently-detected discrete events to infer that an integrated event is happening.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the multiple concurrently-detected discrete events include at least two events detected using at least two different sensor types.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the multiple concurrently-detected discrete events include at least one event detected based on the ambient noise using the one or more microphones.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the multiple concurrently-detected discrete events include at least one event detected based on a wired or wireless signal received by the control panel from a sensor.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the artificial intelligence module is configured to integrate multiple concurrently-detected discrete events based on one or more user preferences received via the control panel.

19 . An apparatus comprising:

one or more memories; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more memories and configured to:

monitor, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel;

determine, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise is indicative of a security event, comprising performing occupancy detection based on the ambient noise;

determine, by the control panel using a short range communication radio in the control panel, and responsive to the control panel having detected occupancy based on the ambient noise, whether one or more unrecognized short range communication devices are within range of the control panel; and

initiate an alarm or send a notification, by the control panel, responsive to the one or more unrecognized short range communication devices being within range of the control panel.

20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause to the one or more processors to:

monitor, by a control panel, an ambient noise via one or more microphones in the control panel;

determine, by the control panel, whether the ambient noise is indicative of a security event, comprising performing occupancy detection based on the ambient noise;

determine, by the control panel using a short range communication radio in the control panel, and responsive to the control panel having detected occupancy based on the ambient noise, whether one or more unrecognized short range communication devices are within range of the control panel; and

initiate an alarm or send a notification, by the control panel, responsive to the one or more unrecognized short range communication devices being within range of the control panel.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2024
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
To: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
Reel/Frame 069065/0210 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2024
From: WERNER, ROSS; PULLING, DAVID; SASTRY, ANAND; LAONE, DAVID
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
Reel/Frame 068753/0121 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17458775 · Aug 27, 2021
Provisional Application 63151363 · Feb 19, 2021
Related Publication 20240412610A1 · Dec 12, 2024
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