Security system providing a localized humanly-perceivable alert for identifying a facility to emergency personnel

• US 10,068,441 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henrie, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US15/728,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 340540-542, 3406911
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/04 by breaking of glass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 using flashing light
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/064 indicating houses needing emergency help, e.g. with a flashing light or sound

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for guiding emergency personnel to a location in a facility proximate to an alarm that has been generated. In one aspect, a method may include detecting an alarm condition at a facility protected by a security system and determining a location at the facility of the alarm condition. The method may further include causing at least one indicator at the facility, which is proximate to the determined location of the alarm condition, to generate an identifying alert that is humanly perceivable from an exterior of the facility such that emergency personnel can identify the facility based at least in part on the identifying alert. In some aspects, the method may also include notifying a security representative of the alarm condition, and receiving a notification from the security representative indicating that emergency personnel are dispatched to the facility.

Claims

1. A security and automation system comprising:

a sensor, at a premises, configured to generate alarm condition messages in response to alarm conditions;

a control unit, at the premises, communicatively coupled to the sensor and one or more indicators, the control unit configured to;

receive an alarm condition message from the sensor based on the sensor detecting an alarm condition;

send a dispatch request to emergency personnel upon receiving the alarm condition message;

determine a location of the alarm condition within the premises based at least in part on the alarm condition message;

receive a dispatch notification indicating that the emergency personnel are dispatched to the premises in response to sending the dispatch request;

identify a time of day in relation to receiving the alarm condition message from the sensor;

upon receiving both the alarm condition message and the dispatch notification and determining the time of day indicates a time within predetermined daylight hours, activate both a visual alert and an audible alert in at least one premises location indicator or at least one interior location indicator, or at least one of each; and

upon determining the time of day indicates a time within predetermined night time hours, activate the visual alert and bypass activating the audible alert in at least one premises location indicator or the at least one interior location indicator, or at least one of each.

2. The security and automation system of claim 1, the control unit being further configured to:

identify among the one or more interior location indicators a proximate interior location indicator that is nearest to the sensor that detects the alarm condition.

3. The security and automation system of claim 2, the control unit being further configured to:

activate the proximate interior location indicator upon receiving both the alarm condition message and the dispatch notification.

4. The security and automation system of claim 3, the at least one premises location indicator or the at least one interior location indicator, or both, comprising a visual alert, an audible alert, or a combination thereof.

5. The security and automation system of claim 2, the premises location indicator comprising an exterior light of the premises, and the interior location indicator comprising an interior light of the premises.

6. The security and automation system of claim 1, the control unit being further configured to:

validate the alarm condition message, validating the alarm condition comprising confirming both (a) the security and automation system is armed and (b) the alarm condition includes at least one of a door of the premises opening, a window of the premises opening, a motion sensor of the premises being triggered, and a glass break sensor detecting glass breaking at the premises.

7. The security and automation system of claim 6, the control unit being further configured to:

send the dispatch request to emergency personnel upon validating the alarm condition message, the dispatch request including information regarding the premises and the alarm condition.

8. The security and automation system of claim 6, the control unit being further configured to:

bypass sending the dispatch request upon failing to validate the alarm condition message.

9. The security and automation system of claim 6, validating the alarm condition comprising the control unit determining that both (a) the sensor detects smoke at the premises and (b) an occupant of the premises confirms a fire exists at the premises.

10. The security and automation system of claim 1, the sensor comprising at least one of a door sensor, a window sensor, a motion sensor, a glass break sensor, and a smoke sensor.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the instructions, the instructions comprising:

receive an alarm condition message from the sensor based on the sensor detecting an alarm condition;

send a dispatch request to emergency personnel upon receiving the alarm condition message;

determine a location of the alarm condition within the premises based at least in part on the alarm condition message;

receive a dispatch notification indicating that the emergency personnel are dispatched to the premises in response to sending the dispatch request;

identify a time of day in relation to receiving the alarm condition message from the sensor;

upon receiving both the alarm condition message and the dispatch notification and determining the time of day indicates a time within predetermined daylight hours, activate both a visual alert and an audible alert in at least one premises location indicator or at least one interior location indicator, or at least one of each; and

upon determining the time of day indicates a time within predetermined night time hours, activate the visual alert and bypass activating the audible alert in at least one premises location indicator or the at least one interior location indicator, or at least one of each.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the instructions further comprising:

identify among the one or more interior location indicators a proximate interior location indicator that is nearest to the sensor that detects the alarm condition.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions further comprising:

activate the proximate interior location indicator upon receiving both the alarm condition message and the dispatch notification.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, the at least one premises location indicator or the at least one interior location indicator, or both, comprising a visual alert, an audible alert, or a combination thereof.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the premises location indicator comprising an exterior light of the premises, and the interior location indicator comprising an interior light of the premises.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

validate the alarm condition message, validating the alarm condition comprising confirming both (a) the security and automation system is armed and (b) the alarm condition includes at least one of a door of the premises opening, a window of the premises opening, a motion sensor of the premises being triggered, and a glass break sensor detecting glass breaking at the premises.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further comprising:

send the dispatch request to emergency personnel upon validating the alarm condition message, the dispatch request including information regarding the premises and the alarm condition.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions further comprising:

bypass sending the dispatch request upon failing to validate the alarm condition message.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the instructions to validate the alarm condition further comprising:

determine that both (a) the sensor detects smoke at the premises and (b) an occupant of the premises confirms a fire exists at the premises.

20. A method comprising:

receiving an alarm condition message from the sensor based on the sensor detecting an alarm condition;

sending a dispatch request to emergency personnel upon receiving the alarm condition message;

determining a location of the alarm condition within the premises based at least in part on the alarm condition message;

receiving a dispatch notification indicating that the emergency personnel are dispatched to the premises in response to sending the dispatch request;

identifying a time of day in relation to receiving the alarm condition message from the sensor;

upon receiving both the alarm condition message and the dispatch notification and determining the time of day indicates a time within predetermined daylight hours, activating both a visual alert and an audible alert in at least one premises location indicator or at least one interior location indicator, or at least one of each; and

upon determining the time of day indicates a time within predetermined night time hours, activating the visual alert and bypass activating the audible alert in at least one premises location indicator or the at least one interior location indicator, or at least one of each.