Sensor to characterize the behavior of a visitor or a notable event

• US 10,289,917 B1
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kuna systems corporation
• Original Assignee: Kuna systems corporation
• Inventors: Fu, Sai-Wai, Huang, Haomiao, Sampson, Harold G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, David N
• Application Number:
  US14/519,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,666 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/107 Static hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19606 Discriminating between target movement or movement in an area of interest and other non-signicative movements, e.g. target movements induced by camera shake or movements of pets, falling leaves, rotating fan
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19615 wherein said pattern is defined by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19654 Details concerning communication with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a first detection device, a second detection device and a processing circuit. The first detection device may be configured to generate a first signal in response to a first type of input. The second detection device may be configured to generate a second signal in response to a second type of input. The processing circuit may be configured to (i) determine whether the first signal is a known type of signal, (ii) determine whether the second signal is a known type of signal and (iii) generate a warning signal in response to the first signal and the second signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to generate a first signal by capturing an area around an access point of a premises;

a second detection device configured to generate a second signal in response to a second type of input; and

a processing circuit configured to (i) receive said first signal from said camera and said second signal from said second detection device, (ii) combine data from both (a) said first signal and (b) said second signal to characterize a behavior of a visitor, (iii) determine a category of said visitor based on said characterization of said behavior and (iv) generate a warning signal in response to said category of said visitor, wherein said category of said visitor comprises one or more of the group consisting of (i) a potential burglar, (ii) a solicitor, (iii) a delivery worker, (iv) a resident, (v) a domestic helper, (vi) a stranger, (vii) a friendly visitor with access to said premises and (viii) a friendly visitor without access to said premises.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second detection device is a second camera configured to monitor a second access point of said premises.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second detection device comprises one of (i) an indoor connected security camera, (ii) an output door light fixture, (iii) an outdoor doorbell, (iv) a pressure sensor, (v) a contact sensor, (vi) a two-way intercom and (vii) an indoor camera looking outside of a house looking through a window.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) said warning signal is sent to a mobile device and (ii) said mobile device is configured to play a live video stream from said camera.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an intercom integrated with the processing circuit, wherein (i) said warning signal is sent to said intercom to trigger a pre-recorded message, (ii) said pre-recorded message is selected from a collection of messages based on said category of said visitor, (iii) said message is pre-recorded by a user or a manufacturer and (iv) said pre-recorded message comprises a human voice, an alarm, music, a barking dog, welcoming sounds, and deterring sounds.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein (i) said warning signal is sent to a deterrent device to drive away an unwelcome visitor and (ii) said deterrent device is at least one of (a) a siren device configured to generate a siren sound compliant with regulations and (b) a light bulb configured to flash at a particular frequency for varying durations to generate a distress signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing circuit is configured to calculate an urgency level based on (i) said characterization of said behavior, (ii) said category of said visitor and (iii) previous responses to a type of event.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a notification is sent to authorities based on said urgency level.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a distress signal is sent to (i) a homeowner, (ii) a trusted neighbor, (iii) a friend, (iv) a monitoring service and (v) authorities based on said urgency level.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said apparatus is configured to allow a user to create a custom response to said event based on said urgency level.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises a plurality of said processing circuits.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein performing said characterization of said behavior of said visitor enables said apparatus to be active without manually arming and disarming said apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein combining said data and characterizing said behavior of said visitor enables said processing circuit to (i) verify an event and (ii) prevent false alarms by presenting said warning signal to authorities after said event has been verified.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein combining said data comprises implementing sensor fusion using multiple sensory signals.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said characterization is based on a detected round trip time of said visitor compared with a stored expected round trip time.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein determining said detected round trip time comprises (i) detecting an arrival of said visitor at a perimeter of said premises using at least one of said camera and said second detection device and (ii) detecting a departure of said visitor at said perimeter of said premises using at least one of said camera and said second detection device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein (i) said round trip time is used to differentiate between types of said visitors, (ii) a comparison with said stored expected round trip time is based on said type of said visitor and information about said visitor stored in a database, (iii) said detected round trip time is based on a difference between an arrival time and a departure time of said visitor and (iv) said arrival time is detected using said camera at said access point and said departure time is determined using said second detection device at a second access point.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to generate a detection signal in response to a motion detected in an area monitored by said camera; and

a processing circuit configured to (i) confirm whether a visitor has arrived in said area monitored by said camera if said detection signal does not provide sufficient information (ii) if said visitor has arrived, classify a behavior of said visitor, (iii) adjust an urgency level based on said behavior of said visitor and (iv) generate a warning signal in response to said urgency level, wherein said classification of said visitor comprises one or more of the group consisting of (i) a potential burglar, (ii) a solicitor, (iii) a delivery worker, (iv) a resident, (v) a domestic helper, (vi) a stranger, (vii) a friendly visitor with access to a premises and (viii) a friendly visitor without access to said premises.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said classification is further based on detecting a round trip time of said visitor by (i) detecting an arrival of said visitor at said area using said camera and (ii) detecting a departure of said visitor from said area using said camera.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said processing circuit is implemented as one of a plurality of processing circuits implemented using distributed processing in a cloud service.