SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR RELIABLY DETECTING AUDIBLE ALARMS

A signal processing system for detecting audible alert signals and a method for detecting audible alert signals implemented in signal processing circuitry are disclosed. The signal processing system comprises a circuit configured to receive an audio signal and to generate a digital representation of the received audio signal and a memory buffer configured to store a plurality of templates. Each template corresponds to an acceptable audible alert signal timing pattern, and the plurality of templates encompass an acceptable range of variation in a timing pattern of a standard audible alert signal. The signal processing system further comprises a circuit configured to compare the digital representation of the received audio signal to the respective template; generate a matching score representing a degree of match between the digital representation of the received audio signal and the respective template, and determine, based at least partly on the matching scores corresponding to the plurality of templates, whether an audible alert signal is present.