Abstract:
A system and method for monitoring a location having at least one sensor for sensing a change in at least one condition using voice tags to announce alarms. The system includes a registration process where a voice recorder and a digital conversion unit form digital voice tags from recorded speech representing the type and location of sensors. The voice tag is sent as part of an alarm message or pre-stored in a control panel for later retrieval such that the type and location of an alarm is reproduced vocally at the time of the alarm. The registration process may be completed with a registration module which may be a keypad or the voice recorder may be included in the sensors. Additional features include sensor location change notification to ensure the stored voice tag represents the current location of the sensor.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to security and fire systems in locations such as buildings. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for registering the specific location of at least one sensor for sensing a change in at least one condition. 
         [0002]    Security and fire systems are spatially distributed by their very nature. In order for a first responder to locate the sensor when it sends an alarm, it is necessary to register the physical location of all the distributed modules when installing the system. Prior art location registration techniques have been totally manual, where the installer needs to record the physical location of each sensor in the system, either before or after the installation of the module. One prior art system allows the user to walk through a set of pre-recorded voice prompts at the panel to register the sensor. Other systems require manual data entry using small, inconvenient keypads, which is tedious, cost-inefficient, and, most importantly, vulnerable to human errors. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A sensor registration process and system is provided for use with fire and security systems where sensors are installed by an installer. The sensor is used to sense a change in at least one condition. In order to be effective, a first responder must be able to quickly determine the location where a sensor raising an alarm is installed. The registration process includes a voice recorder for recording words spoken at the time of installation giving the location of the sensor. Sensor registration includes noting the type of sensor and its location and storing this information to be later recalled and used to identify the specific location of the sensor on the premises. The voice recording is converted to a voice tag via a coder/decoder to send to the control panel using a digital message for storing or to indicate a current alarm if the voice tag is stored in the sensor. When the voice tag is stored in the control panel, the sensor also provides a unique identification number (ID) during the registration process that is stored and associated with the voice tag. The ID is included in the alarm signal and used to retrieve the voice tag associated with the sensor now raising an alarm. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a fire and security system. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating the registration of sensors in the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a different embodiment not requiring a specific registration module. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an embodiment where the voice recorder is separate from the sensor. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an embodiment where the voice tag is stored in the sensor. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are side elevation views of an apparatus for use in sensor location change detection. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    The present invention provides a system and method for registering a sensor used to monitor a space or location. The sensors may be, by way of example and not of limitation, selected from one or more sensors capable of monitoring motion, smoke, heat, carbon monoxide, water, water vapor, door integrity, window integrity, lock integrity, audio changes, video changes and other activities at a location. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates fire and security system  10 , which is located on premises  11  and which includes a plurality of sensors  12  such as motion detector  12   a,  glass-break detector  12   b,  door or window contact sensor  12   c,  smoke detector  12   d,  and video monitor  12   e.  A communication network  13 , which is wired or wireless, connects the sensors to control panel  16 . Keypad  14  and key fob  15  are examples of devices which allow the user to activate or deactivate the fire and security system. Additionally, keypad  14  contains an encoder/decoder element and transceiver element used to receive digital transmissions of voice tags from control panel  16  and a speaker element to provide spoken identification of the status of the sensors in the system. Keypad  14  can be wireless or hardwired. In some embodiments, keypad  14  is also used as a registration module and carried from one sensor to another during the registration process. Control panel  16  located on premises  11  sends digital signals via internet  17   a,  land line  17   b  or cellular network  17   c,  to a remote location  18  for reception by central monitoring station  18   a,  user web interface  18   b,  or mobile phone  18   c.    
         [0012]    During the use of system  10 , when a change occurs in a condition being monitored, sensor  12  associated with that condition sends an alarm signal to control panel  16  which then provides the voice tag associated with the sensor raising the alarm to devices such as keypad  14  on the premises and to remote central monitoring station  18   a.  It is then relayed to assist first responders such as firefighters and security personnel to locate the sensor and address the change in condition. The voice tag generally includes a pre-recorded portion related to the specific type of sensor  12  and a second portion related to the location recorded during the registration process associated with that sensor. This verbal announcement is made over speakers  40  and  41 . 
         [0013]    The first task the installer must complete is to prepare system  10  for installation and registration of sensors  12 . This process starts by powering up control panel  16 . Next, registration module R, which may be keypad  14  in some embodiments, is powered up. Registration module R prompts the user to enter a valid authentication code. Once a valid code is entered, the system is in registration mode. If registration module R is to be permanently installed in the system such as keypad  14 , it then prompts the user to record a voice tag describing the keypad&#39;s name and location. Registration module R/keypad  14  then transmits its unique identification code, voice tag, and device type information to the control panel to be stored. In some embodiments, control panel  16  includes a speech-to-text element and additionally converts the voice tag to text and stores that as well. With the authentication completed and the keypad  14  registered, sensors  12  can now be registered. 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates the installation and registration process for sensors  12 . A procedure for positioning and mounting each sensor  12   a - 12   e  is used to insure proper connectivity to control panel  16 . First, the coarse location for mounting based upon the sensing requirements selected, ex. the corner of a large room for motion sensor  12   a.  Using a signal strength indicator on registration module R, such as display  25  of keypad  14 , installer I observes the connectivity strength of the network connection to control panel  16  around the selected location. If insufficient or no connectivity is found at the selected mounting location, a repeater, not shown, is installed between the location and control panel  16 . Once the connectivity of the location is confirmed, installer I powers up the sensor to be installed at that location. 
         [0015]    After installer I selects the mounting location for motion sensor  12   a  and it is powered up, it sends its unique identification code or ID (that is pre-stored in the sensor or added during mounting) to the registration module via link  31   b.  Registration module R alerts installer I to the presence of the new device, ex. a “New Device Found” indication on display  25 , and provides a prompt for a group number and a voice tag that describes the sensor&#39;s location. The group number is used to identify whether sensor  12  is a 24 hour sensor, restoral sensor, etc. The voice tag is generally a phrase such as “dining room window”, “west entry door”, etc and is created by recording the installer&#39;s voice spoken into voice recorder  27 . An internal or external microphone may be used by voice recorder  27  to make the recording. Registration module R then converts the voice recording using a digital converter to a digital voice tag and sends it, the associated identification code, and the group number to control panel  16  via link  30  to be saved in storage  33 . In some embodiments, control panel  16  or registration module R includes a speech-to-text converter element and additionally converts the voice tag to text and stores that as well. 
         [0016]    Registration module R then prompts the installer to mount sensor  12   a  at its desired location and test the connectivity between mounted sensor  12   a  and the control panel  16 . After mounting sensor  12   a,  installer I uses registration module R to send a test command over link  31   a  to sensor  12   a  so that sensor  12   a  will test its connection to control panel  16 . Upon receipt of the test command, sensor  12   a  then sends a test signal over link  29   b  to control panel  16 . In response to successful signal reception, control panel  16  sends a success signal back to sensor  12   a  over link  29   a.  Sensor  12   a,  upon receipt of the success signal from control panel  16 , turns on indicator  32  for communicating the success to installer I. Installer I then repeats the registration process for all remaining sensors  12  (ex. sensors  12   b - 12   e  shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment that does not require the use of a designated registration module. Each sensor  12  is equipped with voice recorder  27 , a digital conversion unit for converting a recorded voice to a voice tag and activation button  35 . In the example illustrated, installer I presses activation button  35  on a sensor (ex. sensor  12   a  shown on  FIG. 3 ) and then speaks the location where sensor  12   a  is being installed into the sensor&#39;s voice recorder  27 . The sensor then converts the voice recording to a voice tag and transmits it and its unique identification number using a digital signal to control panel  16  to be saved in storage  33 . Sensor  12   a  is now registered and installer I repeats this process with all other sensors  12   b - 12   e.  This process can additionally be repeated during operation with mobile devices such as keyfob  15 . For example, the user may create a new voice tag such as “I need help and I&#39;m in the dining room.” This distress call can then be routed to the first responders so that they may provide help quickly. 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows an alternate embodiment where voice recorder  27  may provide the digital voice recording over wired or wireless link  36  to sensor  12   a.  This embodiment is useful for sensors not equipped with their own voice recorders. 
         [0019]    A further embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  allows the storage of the voice tag to be located in sensor  12   a - 12   e  itself rather than in control panel  16 . In this example, sensor  12  transmits the voice tag stored in its memory to control panel  16  at the time of alarm as part of the alarm signal. 
         [0020]    Once sensors  12  are installed and registered using the voice tag based registration of the various embodiments, system  10  is ready to operate. When an alarm signal is received from a sensor, such as when smoke is detected, a voice recording is concatenated based on the type of alarm signal. An example is: &lt;PreRecorded_Device_Type_Message&gt; plus &lt;User_Recorded_Voice_Tag&gt;. The prerecorded device type message may be “Motion Detected at” for motion detectors, “Door/Window Open at” or “Door/Window Closed at” for door/window detectors when doors or windows are opened or closed, “Carbon Monoxide Detected at” for carbon monoxide detectors. Control panel  16  plays the concatenated voice recording via speaker  41  or transmits it to keypad  14  to play via speaker  40  to announce the alarm locally. In some embodiments, control panel  16  is additionally capable of leaving a voice message reporting the system alarm to mobile phone  18   c  or other telephone designated to receive the notice. In embodiments that include video monitoring sensor  12   e,  control panel  16  can combine the reproduced voice tag and the event related pre-alarm video recording into an audio-video file and send it as an email attachment over the internet or to a mobile phone. Additionally, control panel  16  uses the location text (obtained by speech-to-text conversion) to send an alarm message to a remote interface such as at least one from the following list: a central monitoring station  18   a,  user web GUI  18   b,  as an email attachment, to mobile phone  18   c,  etc. It should be noted that the prerecorded device type message may also be customized by a user in his/her own voice. 
         [0021]    System  10  may also include a sensor location change notification. This allows the sensor to notify a user (example: a message on display  25 ) when the mounting location of an installed and registered sensor is changed. When such a change is detected, the system notifies and prompts the user to change the location related voice-tag so that it corresponds to the new location. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show one procedure to detect a change in mounting location. Sensor  12   a  has wall-tamper switch  45  in place in  FIG. 6  so that when it is dismounted from wall  46 , in  FIG. 7 , the wall-tamper switch is tripped when it breaks contact with the wall. The sensor is then reregistered following the processes outlined above. 
         [0023]    Voice generated status messages make system  10  easier to use and understand. The system makes it intuitive for both the user and the first responder to locate the alarm and significantly increases the speed and accuracy of the installation. The user no longer has to go between the selected location and the panel repeatedly or use a small inconvenient keypad in a tedious and error prone process to register the sensor. 
         [0024]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.