Monitoring system control technology using multiple sensors, cameras, lighting devices, and a thermostat

• US 10,127,798 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trundle, Stephen Scott, Slavin, Alison Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/405,556
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 3404255, 3404261, 34042613, 34042614, 34053911, 34053913, 340540, 340506, 700276, 4554041, 715736, 709202, 709203, 709219, 709223, 709224, 709217
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing control of a monitoring system (e.g., a home alarm or security system) using one or more mobile devices. In some implementations, a native mobile device application enables use of a mobile device as a security/automation system keypad and controller for a home security system. In these implementations, the mobile device, using the native mobile device application, checks real time status of system and sensors, arms/disarms system, turns lights on/off, looks in on live video of security cameras, reviews history of system events, reviews saved video clips, monitors/changes thermostat settings, and performs other features of a traditional security keypad in a home security system.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a property, the system comprising:

a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, the monitoring system including multiple sensors that are installed at the property and that are configured to sense attributes of the property, multiple cameras that are installed at the property and that are configured to capture live video of the property, a thermostat that is installed at the property and that is configured to control temperature at the property, and multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property and that are configured to control lighting at the property; and

a native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto a mobile device and that runs on a mobile device platform used by the mobile device, the native mobile device monitoring application including instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

performing a synchronization process to synchronize the native mobile device monitoring application with the monitoring system, the synchronization enabling the native mobile device application to receive sensor events detected by the multiple sensors that are installed at the property, receive live video from the multiple cameras that are installed at the property, control the thermostat that is installed at the property, and control the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property;

based on the synchronization;

checking real time status of the multiple sensors installed at the property and displaying the real time status of the multiple sensors installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application,

receiving live video from the multiple cameras that are installed at the property and displaying the live video from the multiple cameras that are installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application,

monitoring thermostat settings for the thermostat that is installed at the property and displaying the thermostat settings for the thermostat that is installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application,

monitoring lighting device settings for the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property and displaying the lighting device settings for the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application, and

based on checking the real time status of the multiple sensors installed at the property, detecting an event related to the monitoring system;

enabling a user to provide user input to control the thermostat that is installed at the property and control the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property;

receiving user input defining (i) a first control operation to control the thermostat that is installed at the property, (ii) a second control operation to control at least one of the multiple lighting devices that is installed at the property, and (iii) a third control operation to arm the monitoring system;

based on the received user input and the synchronization, sending control communications that cause the monitoring system to (i) change at least one of the thermostat settings for the thermostat that is installed at the property and at least one of the lighting device settings for the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property and (ii) arm;

based on the event related to the monitoring system, determining to capture one or more images using a camera of the mobile device; and

capturing, using the camera of the mobile device, the one or more images and associating the one or more images with the detected event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the native mobile device monitoring application includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising displaying an interface that enables a user to review a history of monitoring system events through the native mobile device monitoring application.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the event related to the monitoring system is a security breach of the property.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the native mobile device monitoring application includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, to an additional computing device, the one or more images and data identifying the event related to the monitoring system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein capturing, using the camera of the mobile device, the one or more images and associating the one or more images with the detected event comprises capturing, using the camera of the mobile device and without user input, the one or more images and associating the one or more images with the detected event.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the native mobile device monitoring application includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

capturing, using the camera of the mobile device, a video and associating the video with the detected event.

3. A method for monitoring a property using a monitoring system comprising multiple sensors that are installed at the property and that are configured to sense attributes of the property, multiple cameras that are installed at the property and that are configured to capture live video of the property, a thermostat that is installed at the property and that is configured to control temperature at the property, and multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property and that are configured to control lighting at the property, the method comprising:

performing, by a native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto a mobile device and that runs on a mobile device platform used by the mobile device, a synchronization process to synchronize the native mobile device monitoring application with the monitoring system, the synchronization enabling the native mobile device application to receive sensor events detected by the multiple sensors that are installed at the property, receive live video from the multiple cameras that are installed at the property, control the thermostat that is installed at the property, and control the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property;

based on the synchronization;

checking, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, real time status of the multiple sensors installed at the property and displaying the real time status of the multiple sensors installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application,

receiving, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, live video from the multiple cameras that are installed at the property and displaying the live video from the multiple cameras that are installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application,

monitoring, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, thermostat settings for the thermostat that is installed at the property and displaying the thermostat settings for the thermostat that is installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application,

monitoring, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, lighting device settings for the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property and displaying the lighting device settings for the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property through the native mobile device monitoring application, and

based on checking the real time status of the multiple sensors installed at the property, detecting, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, an event related to the monitoring system;

enabling, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, a user to provide user input to control the thermostat that is installed at the property and control the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property;

receiving, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, user input defining (i) a first control operation to control the thermostat that is installed at the property, (ii) a second control operation to control at least one of the multiple lighting devices that is installed at the property, and (iii) a third control operation to arm the monitoring system;

based on the received user input and the synchronization, sending, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, control communications that cause the monitoring system to (i) change at least one of the thermostat settings for the thermostat that is installed at the property and at least one of the lighting device settings for the multiple lighting devices that are installed at the property and (ii) arm;

based on the event related to the monitoring system, determining, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, to capture one or more images using a camera of the mobile device;

capturing, using the camera of the mobile device, the one or more images; and

associating, by the native mobile device monitoring application that is loaded onto the mobile device and that runs on the mobile device platform used by the mobile device, the one or more images with the detected event.