Smoke detector for distinguishing between an alarm condition and a nuisance condition

1. A method for distinguishing between an alarm condition and a nuisance condition in a smoke detector, said smoke detector comprising an illuminator and a light sensor, said method comprising:

measuring a voltage signal in response to an electromagnetic signal emitted by said illuminator;

comparing said voltage signal to an alarm threshold;

determining a rate of change of said voltage signal in response to said comparison of said voltage signal and said alarm threshold;

determining a first frequency component of a first portion of said voltage signal and a second frequency component of a second portion of said voltage signal;

comparing said first frequency component and said second frequency component to distinguish between said alarm condition and said nuisance condition; and

generating an indication of said alarm condition upon an identification of said alarm condition and an indication of said nuisance condition upon an identification of a nuisance condition;

wherein, said nuisance condition is identified where said first frequency component is within a tolerance of said second frequency component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying said nuisance condition in response to entrapment of dust in a smoke chamber of said smoke detector.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying said nuisance condition where said first frequency component is the same as said second frequency component.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of recalibrating said alarm threshold based on said identification of said nuisance condition.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying said alarm condition where said first frequency component is disparate from said second frequency component.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of communicating said indication of said alarm condition to a mobile device of a user.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of measuring a second voltage signal in response to a second electromagnetic signal emitted by said illuminator.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of using a Fast Fourier Transform to determine said first frequency component and said second frequency component.

9. A smoke detector, comprising:

an illuminator configured to emit an electromagnetic signal;

a light sensor configured to generate a voltage signal in response to said electromagnetic signal;

a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute said instructions to:

compare said voltage signal to an alarm threshold;

determine a rate of change of said voltage signal;

compare said rate of change of said voltage signal to a slope threshold;

determine a first frequency component of a first portion of said voltage signal and a second frequency component of a second portion of said voltage signal; and

identify a nuisance condition when said first frequency component is within a tolerance of said second frequency component.

10. The smoke detector of claim 9 , wherein said processor is configured to use a Fast Fourier Transform to determine said first frequency component.

11. The smoke detector of claim 9 , further comprising a calibrator to recalibrate said alarm threshold based on said identification of said nuisance condition.

12. The smoke detector of claim 10 , further comprising a network interface to communicate with a mobile device in response to said identification of said nuisance condition.

13. The smoke detector of claim 10 , further comprising an alarm generator to generate an alarm in response to a determination of an alarm condition.

14. The smoke detector of claim 9 , further comprising a nuisance identifier configured to identify a nuisance condition in response to entrapment of dust in a smoke chamber of said smoke detector.

15. A method for operating a smoke detector, said smoke detector comprising an illuminator and a light sensor, said method comprising:

measuring a voltage signal in response to an electromagnetic signal emitted by said illuminator;

comparing said voltage signal to an alarm threshold;

determining a rate of change of said voltage signal in response to said comparison of said voltage signal and said alarm threshold;

determining a first frequency component of a first portion of said voltage signal and a second frequency component of a second portion of said voltage signal upon said determination of said rate of change; and

identifying a nuisance condition when said first frequency component is within a tolerance of said second frequency component.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of comparing said rate of change of said voltage signal to a slope threshold.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of generating an alarm based on a determination that said rate of change is less than said alarm threshold.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of using a calibrator to recalibrate said alarm threshold based on said identification of said nuisance condition.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of operably coupling said smoke detector to a remote data source.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of communicating with a mobile device in response to said identification of said nuisance condition; said nuisance condition being attributable to dust entrapped in a smoke chamber of said smoke detector.