Alarm initiation when sensor is intentionally jammed

• US 10,140,847 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2018
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Capital Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Digital Life, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vanchev, Plamen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US15/904,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20180182234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 3405391, 34053911, 340506, 340 31, 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/18 Prevention or correction of operating errors G08B29/02, G08B29/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/14 for the transfer of light or images, e.g. for video-surveillance, for television or from a computer screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/00 Jamming of communication; Counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/88 related to allowing or preventing alarm transmission

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for alarm initiation when a sensor is intentionally jammed. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a connected home system can include a controller device and a sensor device. The sensor device can include a processor and memory. The memory can store sensor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the sensor device to perform sensor operations. In particular, the sensor device can detect a jamming signal originating, for example, from a jamming device that is intentionally attempting to jam operations of the sensor device. The sensor device can determine whether the jamming signal is above a jamming alarm threshold. If the sensor device determines that the jamming signal is above the jamming alarm threshold, the sensor device can generate a jamming alarm event that is directed to the controller device. The sensor device can send the jamming alarm event to the controller device.

Claims

1. A connected home system comprising:

a controller device configured to monitor a plurality of sensor devices deployed within a premises; and

a sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices, the sensor device comprising

a processor,

memory comprising sensor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the sensor device to perform sensor operations comprising

in response to determining that a jamming signal is above a jamming alarm threshold when the connected home system is in an armed state, generating a jamming alarm event, and

sending the jamming alarm event to the controller device.

2. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the sensor operations further comprise activating the jamming alarm threshold in response to the connected home system being in the armed state.

3. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the controller device performs controller operations comprising:

receiving the jamming alarm event from the sensor device; and

reporting the jamming alarm event to a monitoring center, a customer, or both.

4. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the jamming alarm threshold is established, at least in part, based upon maximum likelihood criteria.

5. The connected home system of claim 4, wherein the maximum likelihood criteria is established according to a standard.

6. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the controller device and the sensor device are components of a security system.

7. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the sensor device operates in a specific radio band.

8. The connected home system of claim 1, further comprising a further sensor device.

9. A sensor device comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising sensor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the sensor device to perform sensor operations comprising

in response to determining that a jamming signal is above a jamming alarm threshold when a connected home system is in an armed state, generating a jamming alarm event, and

sending the jamming alarm event to a controller device.

10. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein the sensor operations further comprise activating the jamming alarm threshold in response to the connected home system being in the armed state.

11. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein the jamming alarm threshold is established, at least in part, based upon maximum likelihood criteria.

12. The sensor device of claim 11, wherein the maximum likelihood criteria is established according to a standard.

13. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein the sensor device operates in a specific radio band.

14. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein detecting the jamming signal comprises detecting the jamming signal from a jammer device that is being utilized to intentionally jam the sensor device.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a sensor device, causes the sensor device to perform operations comprising:

in response to determining that a jamming signal is above a jamming alarm threshold when a connected home system is in an armed state, generating a jamming alarm event; and

sending the jamming alarm event to a controller device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise activating the jamming alarm threshold in response to the connected home system being in the armed state.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the jamming alarm threshold is established, at least in part, based upon maximum likelihood criteria.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the maximum likelihood criteria is established according to standard.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the sensor device operates in a specific radio band.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein detecting the jamming signal comprises detecting the jamming signal from a jammer device that is being utilized to intentionally jam the sensor device.