Abstract:
The present invention includes a method of responding to an environmental event. One or more event detectors within an environment are monitored and an alarm is triggered when the event detectors indicate an environmental event has occurred. A monitoring service is automatically notified that the environmental event has occurred and the existence of the environmental event is then verified. Service is requested from a pre-approved vendor qualified to address and/or correct the environmental event. Correction and/or addressing of the environmental event are then verified.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention generally relates to a method and system to monitor environmental events and, in particular, relates to a monitoring system that detects an adverse condition within a structure and dispatches a service to correct the condition before damages escalate.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with building utility systems and is best exemplified by methods and processes for detecting and repairing utility malfunctions such as water or gas leaks, for example.  
         [0003]     Consumers spend millions of dollars each year to secure their investments in residences and businesses. Many consumers install security systems and hire monitoring services to prevent losses resulting from burglary or fire. When a burglar or fire alarm on the security system is triggered, the monitoring service may alert and summon police or firemen to the alarm address.  
         [0004]     Fire and burglary are often catastrophic events that result in total or substantial loss. After such an event begins, the loss is usually significant unless the emergency service&#39;s response time is extremely short. Significant losses also occur, however, as a result of less monitored environmental conditions such as water damage caused by plumbing leaks or even explosions caused by gas leaks.  
         [0005]     Although leaks and similar conditions may initially be relatively benign, these environmental conditions can also be catastrophic. In fact, if detected early, these conditions may be contained and repaired before significant and extensive damage occurs. Unlike burglary or fire, however, dedicated civil servants are not available for dispatch to a water leak. In fact, although systems to monitor water and gas leaks exist, most buildings are not equipped to monitor these or other detrimental environmental conditions.  
         [0006]     Therefore, what is needed is a method and system for monitoring potentially damaging environmental conditions that does not rely solely on civil servants to respond to the condition. Additionally, a system for environmental monitoring is needed that does not allow a condition to escalate and cause additional damage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention includes a method of responding to an environmental event. One or more event detectors within an environment are monitored and an alarm is triggered when the event detectors indicate an environmental event has occurred. A monitoring service is automatically notified that the environmental event has occurred and the existence of the environmental event is then verified. Service is requested from a pre-approved vendor qualified to correct and/or address the environmental event. Correction and/or addressing of the environmental event are then verified.  
         [0008]     In another embodiment of the invention, a system for responding to an environmental event has an event detector to detect the environmental event. A monitoring system is connected to the event detector and is configured to generate an alarm when the environmental event is detected. A dispatch system receives the alarm from the monitoring system. A database containing pre-approved vendors qualified to address the environmental event is accessible by the dispatch system.  
         [0009]     In another embodiment of the invention, a method of responding to an environmental event has the steps of receiving a notification of the environmental event from an authorized source. The environmental event is then identified and a pre-approved vendor, which is qualified to address the environmental event, is selected. Service is then requested from the pre-approved vendor. Correction and/or addressing of the environmental event by the pre-approved vendor are verified. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0010]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, including its features and advantages, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals identify like parts and in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an environmental monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are flow charts of an environmental monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  3 C and  3 D are flow charts of an environmental monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that may be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.  
         [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an environmental monitoring system  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention serves to protect a client location  12  from damage caused by an environmental event. The client location  12  may be a house, business or associated premises and the like. One or more event detectors  14  are placed on or about the client location  12 . These event detectors  14  may be configured to detect one or more event indicators  16  such as gases, water, radiation, or extreme temperatures, for example. The environmental monitoring system  10  may also be configured to monitor or identify multiple environmental events such as water leaks, natural gas leaks, carbon monoxide or radon accumulation and the like. Event detectors  14  may be commercially available sensors that detect a particular event indicator  16  and trigger an alarm signal, which is sent to a monitoring service  18 .  
         [0016]     The environmental monitoring system  10  may utilize an existing alarm monitoring service  18  that provides constant fire or burglary monitoring services. Alternatively, the monitoring service  18  may be performed by a computer within the environmental monitoring system  10 . When the detector  14  detects an event indicator  16 , the alarm signal may be sent to the monitoring service  18  via hardwire  20  or by a communications network  22 . The communications network  22  may be a global communications network such as the Internet, a telephone network, a wireless network, satellite communication system and the like.  
         [0017]     The monitoring service  18  then relays the alarm signal to a dispatch system  24  over the communications network  22 . The dispatch system  24  may be a computer or it may be a human interface such as an operator assisted switchboard. The alarm signal may contain information regarding the characteristics of the environmental event such as time of the event, severity of the event, type of indicator  16  and the like. The dispatch system  24  then accesses a database  26  that contains information regarding one or more pre-approved vendors.  
         [0018]     The vendors are pre-approved according to their qualifications and/or certifications to respond to a particular environmental event. For example, a pre-approved vendor for a water leak may be a licensed plumber whereas a pre-approved vendor for a chemical spill may be a firm licensed to handle hazardous materials. The database  26  uses information about the environmental event from the monitoring service  18  and/or the alarm signal to select a pre-approved vendor  28 .  
         [0019]     The dispatch system  24  then contacts the selected vendor  28  to request service for the environmental event. Information regarding the environmental event is relayed to the selected vendor  28  so that service may be expedited. The selected vendor  28  then dispatches personnel  30  to the client location  12 . Personnel  30  may correct the environmental event and/or repair damage to the customer location  12  that may have resulted from the environmental event. The event detector  14  may be monitored continuously to ensure that the environmental event is corrected. After any corrections and/or repairs are completed, the selected vendor  28  confirms correction and/or repair to the dispatch system.  
         [0020]     In one embodiment of the invention, the monitoring service  18 , the dispatch system  24  and the database  26  may all be incorporated into an environmental detection and response system  32 . The detection and response system  32  may be a single location that efficiently houses monitoring and dispatch functions. Alternatively, the detection and response system  32  may be a computer that monitors event detectors  14 , detects alarm signals resulting from environmental events, selects the vendor  28  from the database, and confirms that the environmental events were corrected.  
         [0021]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , an environmental monitoring system  200  is initiated in block  202  when a client realizes a need to protect a location from an environmental event. In block  204 , the client and an environmental monitoring service provider determine which types of environmental events to monitor. For example, if the client is a homeowner, the client may want to monitor for water leaks, elevated relative humidity, carbon monoxide and the like. If the client stores perishable goods, the client may want to monitor temperature and humidity within a storage facility. In block  206 , appropriate event detectors are installed at the client&#39;s location to monitor the desired environmental conditions. The client then selects and prioritizes pre-approved vendors in block  208 . The pre-approved vendors are qualified to correct or repair damage caused if an environmental event occurs at the client&#39;s location.  
         [0022]     In block  210 , information regarding the pre-approved vendors is entered into a database. The database is then configured to select a pre-approved vendor in response to an environmental event. As depicted in block  212 , the event detectors are monitored by the monitoring service. This monitoring may be in conjunction with monitoring ordinary alarm system functions such as fire or burglary. The monitoring service monitors the status of the event detectors continuously in block  214 . If an alarm condition is detected by the event detectors in block  216 , the monitoring service is alerted and may identify the alarm condition in block  218 . If no alarm condition is detected, the monitoring service continues to monitor for alarm conditions in block  214 .  
         [0023]     If an alarm is detected in block  218 , the monitoring service attempts to contact the client in block  220  to verify the alarm. If the alarm is false, the false alarm is documented in block  222 . The time and date of the false alarm is noted and the client contact is recorded. If a positive alarm is verified or contact with the client is not made in block  224 , the monitoring service accesses an automated system for selecting a pre-approved vendor from the database in block  226 . In block  228 , the monitoring service enters client information into the automated system. The monitoring service follows instruction by the automated system to report the alarm in block  230 .  
         [0024]     The alarm is acknowledged by the automated system in block  232  and then the automated system initiates a pre-approved vendor search in the database in block  234 . The automated system may select the pre-approved vendor according to information associated with the alarm such as type of environmental event, client, location, time of the alarm, and the like. Additionally, the automated system may select a list of one or more pre-approved vendors and prioritize the selected vendors according to client preference or other criteria such as distance from the client location, service ratings, average response time and the like.  
         [0025]     After a pre-approved vendor is selected from the database, the automated system initiates communication with the approved vendor in block  236 . The communication may be a telephone call, an e-mail, a video conference or other form of communication. The communication may be over a telephone network, a wireless network, a global communications network such as the Internet, a satellite communication system and the like. Block  238  determines if the communication is answered by the selected vendor. If the communication is not answered, the automated system initiates a communication to the next selected pre-approved vendor in block  240 .  
         [0026]     After a selected pre-approved vendor is contacted, in block  242  the monitoring service dispatches the vendor to the specified location to correct the environmental condition that caused the alarm. The automated system records the communication between the monitoring service and the selected vendor in block  244 . A time and date stamp corresponding to the communication is also placed in the record of the communication.  
         [0027]     The selected vendor then travels to the client location, accesses the location and begins correcting the environmental event or alarm condition in block  246 . The selected vendor communicates with the automated system in block  248  and verifies the successful dispatch. In block  250  the automated system monitors the event detector to confirm that the environmental condition is addressed, corrected or abated. The monitoring service continues to monitor the event detector.  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIGS. 3A-3D , an automated response system  300  according to one embodiment of the invention is depicted. In  FIG. 3A , the automated response system  300  receives a communication from a user in block  302 . The user is typically the monitoring service as described above. The automated response system  300  may deliver a greeting to the user in block  304  and then in block  306  the user is prompted to either report a new environmental event or retrieve/update information regarding an existing event. The retrieve/update information for an existing event is depicted in  FIG. 3D  and will be described in detail below.  
         [0029]     If the user chooses to report a new event, the automated response system  300  identifies the reporting entity using an authentication number in block  308 , which is depicted in  FIG. 3B . If the reporting entity is not verified in block  310 , the automated response system  300  evaluates whether a predetermined number of authentication attempts has been exceeded in block  312 . If the number of attempts has been exceeded, the call is terminated in block  314  and the process ends in block  316 . If the number of attempts to verify the reporting entity has not been exceeded, the automated response system  300  attempts to verify the reporting entity again in block  308 . If the reporting entity is verified in block  310 , the client is identified by telephone number in block  318 . If the client is verified in block  320 , the user is prompted to specify the type of environmental event to be reported in block  322 . The user may provide additional information about the event in block  324 . If the user decides to provide additional information, a voice message may be recorded in block  326  and an event confirmation number is provided in block  328 . If the user does not provide additional information, the automated response system simply provides the event confirmation number to the user in block  328 . The call is terminated and a successful notification is logged in block  330 .  
         [0030]     The automated response system then identifies the client&#39;s preferred solution provider in block  332 . If block  334  determines the client&#39;s list of preferred solution providers is exhausted, the automated response system  300  executes a process of contacting a system provider. One embodiment of this process is depicted in  FIG. 3C  and will be described in greater detail with reference to  FIG. 3C . If the client&#39;s list of preferred solution providers is not exhausted, a call to a provider is initiated in block  336 .  
         [0031]     If block  338  determines the call is not answered, block  340  terminates the call and block  332  identifies the next preferred solution provider on the client&#39;s list. When the automated response system  300  determines that a provider answers the call in block  338 , an automated greeting and event explanation is provided in block  342 . The automated response system  300  then obtains an acceptance or rejection of the event in block  344 . If the provider rejects that event, as determined by block  346 , block  340  terminates the call and another provider is selected. If block  346  determines that the provider accepts the event, block  348  provides an event confirmation number and the client&#39;s address. The call is then terminated and a successful dispatch is logged in block  350 .  
         [0032]     Turning now to  FIG. 3C , the automated response system  300  provides an event notification to a person associated with the provider of the automated response system  300 . This person may be an employee responsible for quality control or someone interested in customer satisfaction and service. Block  352  identifies the person associated with the provider of the automated response system  300 . Block  354  determines if the list of persons is exhausted. If the list has been exhausted, an alternate communication such as an e-mail, electronic page, text message or other electronic communication, is sent to all persons associated with the provider of the automated response system  300 .  
         [0033]     If block  354  determines that the list has not been exhausted, the automated response system initiates a telephone call to the person identified in block  352 . Block  360  determines if the call is answered. If the call is not answered, block  362  terminates the call and the next person on the list is identified. If block  360  determines that the call has been answered, block  364  provides an event notification greeting to the person. Information regarding the event is then provided in block  366 . This provided information may include the time that the event was reported, the time that a service provider was contacted, whether the service provider has been dispatched, and other information related to the event.  
         [0034]     In block  368  the contacted person elects whether to have the automated response system  330  send an alternate form of communication, such as an e-mail or a text message, for example. If the contacted person elects to have the alternate communication sent, the automated response system  300  sends the communication in block  370 . The call is then terminated and logged in block  372 . Otherwise, the call is simply terminated and logged in block  372 . The process then ends in block  374 .  
         [0035]     Turning now to  FIG. 3D , a process for retrieving or updating event information is depicted. The event information may include, for example, the date and time that an event is logged, the name of the party reporting the event, the phone number of the reporting party, the client name, the client phone number, the client address, a recorded message and/or the contact number of the provider of the automated response service. The caller is identified by an authentication number in block  376 . If the caller cannot be verified in block  378 , block  380  determines if the number of attempts to verify has been exceeded. If the attempts have been exceeded, block  398  terminates the call and logs user activity. If the attempts have not been exceeded, block  376  attempts to identify the caller again until the caller is verified in block  378  or block  380  determines the number of attempts have been exceeded.  
         [0036]     Block  382  then attempts to identify the event using the confirmation number. Block  384  verifies the event and then block  386  prompts the user to retrieve event information or update event information. If the user chooses to update event information in block  386 , block  388  records a voice message and block  398  terminates the call and logs the user activity.  
         [0037]     Alternately, if the user elects to retrieve event information in block  386 , block  390  allows the user to receive the event information by a voice message or in an electronic text format. If the user elects a voice message, block  392  provides the event information to the user by voice message. Block  394  allows the user to elect to also receive the event information in electronic text format.  
         [0038]     If the user elects to receive event information by electronic text in block  390  or  394 , the event information is sent by e-mail, text message, instant message or other form of text communication. The call is then terminated and the user activity is logged in block  398 . Block  400  determines if the event has been updated. If the event has been updated, the automated response system  300  starts subroutine C, which is described with reference to  FIG. 3C . If the event has not been updated, the process ends in block  402 .  
         [0039]     Although this invention has been described with reference to an illustrative embodiment, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is therefore intended that the appended claims accomplish any such modifications or embodiments.