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 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 …
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.
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
