Patent ID: 7391316
Filing Date: 2008-06-24
Classification: A61B,G08B

Abstract:
1. A method for monitoring sound with a personal computer, comprising: running a sound monitoring screen saver program in a personal computer in response to a timeout event occurring because an externally generated input is not received by the personal computer within a predetermined time period during operation of the personal computer; from time to time during the running of the sound monitoring screen saver program, accessing from the personal computer an Internet site and sending to the accessed Internet site a predetermined signal if the computer is properly functioning under operation of the running screen saver program; receiving ambient sound at the microphone of the personal computer; determining with the running screen saver program whether ambient sound received at the microphone includes an alarm sound from a residential smoke detector providing a sound output in accordance with a predetermined standard; and accessing from the personal computer the Internet site when an alarm sound is determined and sending an alarm indicating signal to the accessed Internet site.