Patent ID: 7953228

Claim:
A system comprising: a plurality of audio modules; at least one audio output transducer and at least one audio input transducer that directly detects human audible sound directly associated with each of the plurality of audio modules; a common control unit in communication with the plurality of audio modules; a plurality of stored fire signatures associated with the common control unit where each stored fire signature identifies a different type of fire; an output device coupled to the control unit, the control unit presents at least audio information received at various of the modules, via the output device, with the presented audio indicative of the presence of individuals and selected environmental conditions in the vicinity of the respective module; and at least one of circuitry or software to associated with the common control unit that automatically compares human audible sound directly detected by the audio input transducers and received at the control unit with the plurality of fire signatures, to establish that a fire is present in the vicinity of at least one of the modules by matching the human audible sound with at least one of the plurality of fire detection signatures.