Identification-based barrier techniques

• US 10,127,754 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Child, Michael D., Zundel, Michelle, Potter, Tanner, Moulton, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US15/093,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20160217638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 340 561, 340 51, 340 572, 345158, 382103, 382118, 382289
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy. According to at least one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy includes a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory which are executable by a processor to determine a location of a user of a home automation system relative to a barrier of a home being monitored by the home automation system. The instructions are executable to determine whether to permit a change in a locking mechanism of the barrier based in part on the determined location of the user, and maintain a current state of the home automation system.

Claims

1. A method for security and/or automation systems for controlling access to a home, comprising:

detecting a face of the first user in a field of view of a first camera or a second camera, wherein the first camera and the second camera are separated by a predetermined distance;

capturing, based at least in part on the detecting, by the first camera a first image of the face of the first user at a first location a first distance away from the barrier, and by the second camera a second image of the face of the first user at a second location a second distance away from the barrier;

comparing, based at least in part on the capturing, the first image, or the second image, or a combination thereof with a database of identifying information;

determining an identity of a first user outside a home based at least in part on the comparing, and based at least in part on a facial recognition of the first user;

determining a designation of the first user based at least in part on the determined identity of the first user; and

initiating a change of a lock of a barrier based at least in part on the determined designation of the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the change of the lock is based at least in part on receiving a current lock position and evaluating the current lock position based at least in part on the determined designation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the change of the lock comprises:

adjusting the lock.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the first user comprises:

evaluating whether a query relating to the first user satisfies a threshold level of certainty.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the evaluating is based at least in part on a weighted comparison of a changeable feature.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the changeable feature comprises:

any of a hair color, or a hair style, or a hair length, or eye glasses, or an eye color, or a hat, or clothing, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the first user is based at least in part on detecting a portable device associated with the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining an identity of a second user;

determining a designation of the second user based at least in part on the determined identity of the second user; and

initiating the change of the lock of the barrier based at least in part on the determined designation of the first user and the determined designation of the second user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first camera or the second camera is hidden from a view at at least one of the barrier, the first position, and the second position.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the facial recognition further comprises:

tracking the face as the first user moves in the camera'"'"'s field of view.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the facial recognition comprises:

determining if a facial feature is present in the field of view of the first camera or the second camera; and

capturing a first image based at least in part on determining if the facial feature is present.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an ambient light level; and

illuminating a facial feature of a user based on the detected ambient light level as part of the facial recognition.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image comprise:

any of picture data, or video data, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image is based on a first viewpoint and the second image is based on a second viewpoint different from the first viewpoint.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image is received from a first camera and the second image is received from a second camera.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image or the second image, and the identifying information include any of:

an image of a skin patch, or a geometry of facial features, or a facial image of a user with an expression, or a facial image of a user with a perspective, or a height, or a weight, or a voice, or a body feature, or a key code, or a combination thereof.

17. An apparatus for security and/or automation systems, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

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

detecting a face of the first user in a field of view of a first camera or a second camera, wherein the first camera and the second camera are separated by a predetermined distance;

capturing, based at least in part on the detecting, by a first camera a first image of the face of the first user at a first location a first distance away from the barrier, and by the second camera a second image of the face of the first user at a second location a second distance away from the barrier;

comparing, based at least in part on the capturing, the first image, or the second image, or a combination thereof with a database of identifying information;

determining an identity of a first user outside a home based at least in part on the comparing, and based at least in part on a facial recognition of the first user;

determine a designation of the first user based at least in part on the determined identity of the first user; and

initiate a change of a lock of a barrier based at least in part on the determined designation of the first user.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code, the code executable by a processor to:

determine an identity of a first user outside a home based at least in part on a facial recognition of the first user, wherein the facial recognition comprises;

detect a face of the first user in a field of view of a first camera or a second camera, wherein the first camera and the second camera are separated by a predetermined distance;

capture, based at least in part on the detecting, by the first camera a first image of the face of the first user at a first location a first distance away from the barrier, and by the second camera a second image of the face of the first user at a second location a second distance away from the barrier;

compare, based at least in part on the capturing, the first image, or the second image, or a combination thereof with a database of identifying information;

determine an identity of a first user outside a home based at least in part on the comparing, and based at least in part on a facial recognition of the first user;

determine a designation of the first user based at least in part on the determined identity of the first user; and

initiate a change of a lock of a barrier based at least in part on the determined designation of the first user.