The Nest smoke detector may look decidedly old-fashioned if one Apple patent ever makes it into production. Apple has patented the idea of embedding smoke detectors into “electronic devices” and using those devices to provide a comprehensive response to a fire.
In response to detecting smoke with the smoke detector, the electronic device may issue an alert or take other suitable action. The electronic device may transmit alerts to nearby electronic devices and to remote electronic devices such as electronic devices at emergency services facilities. Alerts may contain maps and graphical representations of buildings in which smoke has been detected. Motion detectors and other sensors and circuitry may be used in determining whether electronic devices are being used by users and may be used in determining where the electronic devices are located. Alerts may contain information on the location of detected smoke and building occupants.
In other words, your Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad or Mac could detect smoke, alert you, alert other devices within range, activate sprinklers, call emergency services and use the fact that an iDevice is moving or in use to tell fire crews where in the building you and your family members are …
The patent drawings show a laptop, tablet, phone and watch, suggesting that Apple is exploring the idea of embedding the smoke detectors into its full product range.
Illustrations of alerts sent to emergency responders show both text alerts and visual images which would display the location of both smoke and known building occupants.
As ever, Apple’s policy of saying ‘no’ a thousand times for every ‘yes’ means that most of the things it patents never see the light of day, but this is one concept we’re hoping is sitting on Tim Cook’s desk right now.
Via Patently Apple
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I might be looking far down the road but this smells like a future paten case to me. It’s one of those things that is so obvious of a thing to do that as soon as other do it, Apple will have them in court. Example: Swipe to open/unlock on the first iPhone. Seems such an obvious thing to do that others did it as well. I give Apple credit for being the first (at least to patent it) but its going to be sticky in a few years.
Many things that are obvious are indeed patented and royalties are paid on. Apple pays many companies royalties for things used within their tech and many companies pay royalties to apple for their tech.
I can’t think of anything specific at the moment but Apple receiving a patent for this and four years later seeing multiple companies offering this wouldn’t mean they aren’t paying royalties to Apple to use the patent.
Patents can also be a defensive measure.
I would love to see the AppleTV become the HomeKit hub that coordinates all the sensors in the home.
They also need to merge the AppleTV and the Airport Extreme.
Am I the only one wondering just how useful this really is?
Here is my concern. Smoke rises. That is why smoke detectors are placed on the ceiling. By the time a smoke detector on a computer of iPhone, which aren’t on the ceiling, detects the smoke it would be too late.
The patent never suggested putting a smoke detector in an iPhone.
The patent suggests that a smoke sensor be put in an “electronic device”.
When the “electronic device” detects smoke it would send a signal to your iPhone, iPad, AppleWatch, 911, your neighbor, your mother, etc.
Using HomeKit, it could turn on all the lights inside and outside the house, unlock the front door, turn on the fans.
When you are suddenly awakened and you grab your iPhone, your iPhone now knows that you are alive and the HomeKit system will triangulate your position inside the house. This information could also be relayed to first responders, your mother, etc.
This could save lives!
Nice idea, but what happens if I’m with my barbecue in my backyard do these devices call 911 and invite the fire crew?
Override alerts or a way to cancel in software.
Need to remove “activate” fire sprinklers from the ToDo list. Sprinklers are activated by heat.
Smoke may be detected before heat reaches the sprinklers
Apple devices may soon save tens of thousands of lives. Beat that samsung!!!!
Interesting technology, but maybe not patentable. Nest has been working on a smoke/CO detector wireless phone for years that automatically sends a emergency message to a 911 dispatch center, and even public safety personnel with wireless devices