Security system with earthquake detection

• US 10,115,285 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Jeremy B., Thomas, Jeffrey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US15/419,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20170206769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/10 responsive to calamitous events, e.g. tornados or earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to approaches for detecting and monitoring for earthquakes using a control unit of a security system. A security system may include a plurality of sensors that detect alarm conditions and send alarm condition messages to a control unit for the security system. The control unit may be communicatively coupled to the sensors and configured to receive the alarm condition messages from the sensors. The security system may also include an earthquake sensor that senses earthquake conditions and sends an earthquake condition message to the control unit if it detects the earthquake condition. The control unit may include an alarm module. The control unit causes the alarm module to generate an alarm in response to receiving the earthquake condition message from the earthquake sensor.

Claims

1. A security and automation system comprising:

a seismic motion sensor at a first location, the seismic motion sensor configured to;

detect a seismic motion condition; and

transmit, via a first communication link, a first message indicating that the seismic motion condition has been detected; and

a first control unit at the first location, the first control unit operatively coupled with the seismic motion sensor via the first communication link, the first control unit configured to;

receive, via the first communication link, the first message from the seismic motion sensor;

identify a second control unit at a second location different from the first location based at least in part on a distance between the first location and the second location; and

transmit, via a second communication link different from the first communication link, a second message to the second control unit based at least in part on the first message and the distance, the second message indicating that the seismic motion condition has been detected.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

identify a strength of the seismic motion condition based at least in part on information included in the first message, wherein the second message is transmitted based at least in part on the strength.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

analyze the distance between the first location and the second location and the strength, wherein the second message is transmitted based at least in part on the analysis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

receive seismic motion data from a plurality of control units at locations different from the first location, wherein to transmit the second message is based at least in part on the seismic motion data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

identify a direction of seismic motion based at least in part on information included in the first message, wherein to transmit the second message is based at least in part on the direction of the seismic motion condition.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

determine that the first location is in an area at risk for flooding related to the seismic motion condition; and

identify additional control units to receive the second message based at least in part on locations of the additional control units relative to the area.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

transmit a third message to a public early warning system based on information included in the first message.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

transmit a fourth message to a remote activation system configured to allow a user to interact with the first control unit remotely.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is further configured to:

generate an alarm at the first location based at least in part on information included in the first message.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first control unit of a security and automation system, a first message from a seismic motion sensor indicating that a seismic motion condition has been detected, the first control unit and the seismic motion sensor being at a first location;

identifying a second control unit at a second location different from the first location based at least in part on a distance between the first location and the second location; and

transmitting a second message to the second control unit based at least in part on the first message and the distance, the second message indicating that the seismic motion condition has been detected.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying a strength of the seismic motion condition based at least in part on information included in the first message, wherein transmitting the second message is based at least in part on the strength.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

analyzing the distance between the first location and the second location to the strength, wherein transmitting the second message is based at least in part on the analysis.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving seismic motion data from a plurality of control units at locations different from the first location, wherein transmitting the second message is based at least in part on the seismic motion data.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying a direction of seismic motion based at least in part on information included in the first message, wherein transmitting the second message is based at least in part on the direction of the seismic motion condition.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the first location is in an area at risk for flooding related to the seismic motion condition; and

identifying additional control units to receive the second message based at least in part on locations of the additional control units relative to the area.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a third message to a public early warning system based on information included in the first message.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a fourth message to a remote activation system configured to allow a user to interact with the first control unit remotely.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating an alarm at the first location based at least in part on information included in the first message.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the first message is communicate via a first communication link that is different from a second communication link used to communicate the second message.

20. An apparatus to communicate messages, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receiving a first message from a seismic motion sensor indicating that a seismic motion condition has been detected, the apparatus and the seismic motion sensor are at a first location;

identifying a control unit at a second location different from the first location based at least in part on a distance between the first location and the second location; and

transmitting a second message to the control unit based at least in part on the first message and the distance, the second message indicating that the seismic motion condition has been detected.