Monitoring and security devices comprising multiple sensors

• US 10,304,319 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2014
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canary Connect, Inc. (Smartfrog Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Canary Connect, Inc. (Smartfrog Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sager, Adam D., Rill, Chris I., Lakshminarayanan, Karthik
• Primary Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US14/260,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 : with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 : Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 : Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 : where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication

Abstract

A monitoring device comprises a single housing, a plurality of sensors supported by the housing to detect respective characteristics of a location, a processing device within the housing, and memory within the housing to store data collected by the plurality of sensors. The sensors may include a camera, a temperature sensor, an air quality sensor, an infrared sensor, an ambient light sensor, a humidity sensor, an accelerometer, a carbon monoxide sensor, and/or a carbon dioxide sensor, for example. Processing may be provided on the device to evaluate the sensor responses, such as by comparison to respective thresholds. In additions, sensor data may be sent to a network for further processing. The device does not require physical or wired installation, and is easy to set up. Multiple, separate sensors are not required in order to monitor a space and a separate processing device is also not required.

Claims

1. A home security monitoring system comprising:

a home security monitoring device; and

a plurality of a computer-based user devices coupled to the home security monitoring device,

wherein the home security monitoring device comprises;

a single housing;

a video camera inside the housing and configured to collect a video clip of an event at a monitored physical location outside the housing;

a temperature sensor inside the housing and configured to detect a temperature of the monitored physical location outside the housing;

a humidity sensor inside the housing and configured to detect humidity of the monitored physical location outside the housing;

an air quality sensor inside the housing and configured to sense a quality of the air in the monitored physical location outside the housing;

an audible siren inside the housing; and

an antenna inside the housing configured to transmit the video clip of the event, and other data associated with the event that is collected by the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the air quality sensor, to one or more of the plurality of computer-based user devices of users associated with the monitored physical location, via a remote security processing system and a network,

wherein each of the one or more computer-based user devices is configured to visually display the temperature of the monitored physical location, the humidity of the monitored physical location, and an indication of the quality of air in the monitored physical location simultaneously, and

wherein the system is configured to;

send a notification that includes the collected video clip of the event at the monitored physical location to a particular one of the computer-based user devices associated with a primary user of the system for the monitored physical location; and

/or

save the collected video clip to a timeline so that the collected video clip can be accessed from the particular one of the computer-based user devices associated with the primary user of the system for the monitored physical location at a later time.

2. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing device; and

wherein the processing device is configured to;

determine whether temperature data collected from the temperature sensor exceeds a temperature threshold; and

if the processing device determines that the temperature data exceeds the temperature threshold, provide an indication that the temperature threshold has been exceeded.

3. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing device; and

wherein the processing device is configured to;

determine whether data collected from the camera exceeds a movement threshold; and

if the processing device determines that the data collected from the camera data exceeds the movement threshold, provide an indication that the movement threshold has been exceeded.

4. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter to transmit data collected from the camera, the temperature sensor or the air quality sensor to the network for further processing.

5. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, wherein a processing device is configured to transmit data from the camera, the temperature sensor, and the air quality sensor, at substantially the same time.

6. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing device; and

wherein the processing device is configured to;

determine whether the quality of the air sensed by the air quality sensor exceeds an air quality threshold, and

if the processing device determines that the quality of the air sensed exceeds the air quality threshold, provide an indication that the air quality threshold has been exceeded.

7. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a thermally isolated chamber supported within the housing, wherein the temperature sensor is supported within the thermally isolated chamber.

8. The home security monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the air quality sensor is within the thermally isolated chamber.

9. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the video camera comprises an image sensor,

wherein a processing device is configured to analyze video collected by the image sensor to determine if motion is shown in the video.

10. The home security monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the processing device is configured to send any of the video in which motion is at least potentially identified, to the security processing system via the network for further processing.

11. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising, supported by the housing:

an infrared sensor;

at least one actuating device; and

a first filter selectively movable in front of the infrared sensor by the at least one actuating device.

12. The home security monitoring system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second filter supported by the housing, the second filter being selectively movable in front of the infrared sensor by the at least one actuating device.

13. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

an ambient light sensor, an infrared sensor, an accelerometer, a carbon monoxide sensor, and a carbon dioxide sensor, inside the housing.

14. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising an audible, visible and/or tactile signaling device supported by the housing.

15. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises:

a Wi-Fi module with a Wi-Fi antenna, and/or

the home security monitoring device comprises an Ethernet port,

wherein the remote home security monitoring device is configured to communicate with the security processing system through the network using the Wi-Fi module and Wi-Fi antenna or the Ethernet port.

16. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, configured such that a current video collected by the video camera is viewable from the particular one of the computer-based user devices associated with the primary user.

17. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, configured such that a current video file from the video camera and current data from the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the air quality sensor are stored in the database.

18. The home security monitoring-system of claim 17, wherein the current video file from the video camera and the current data from the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the air quality sensor are stored in the database in association with an identification of the home security monitoring device, a location of the home security monitoring device as determined by geo-location data, and an identification of a primary user associated with the home security monitoring device.

19. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a computer-based processing device inside the housing.

20. The home security monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the camera, the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the air quality sensor are coupled to the processing device.

21. The home security monitoring system of claim 20, wherein at least some data collected by the camera, the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the air quality sensor is processed by the processing device.

22. The home security monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the processing device is configured to run an operating system and embedded software that runs on the operating system, to exercise various hardware on the home security monitoring device, and to compress an incoming raw video signal from the video camera to a compact stream for transmission over the network.

23. The home security monitoring system of claim 19, wherein the processing device is configured to analyze video recorded by the video camera, and

wherein, if the processing device identifies interesting video frames in the analyzed video, the interesting video frames are sent to a cloud-based security processing system via the network for further analysis by a processor of the cloud-based security processing system.

24. The home security monitoring system of claim 19, wherein video collected by the video camera is provided to the processing device in two identical video streams,

wherein a digital signal processor of the processing device, or a separate digital signal processor, compresses a first one of the video streams, and stores the compressed first video stream in a storage buffer, and

wherein a second one of the video streams, which is not compressed, is provided by the camera to a video analysis module of the processing device, and

wherein the video analysis module determines whether there is change worthy of further processing by a cloud-based security processing system.

25. The home security monitoring system of claim 24, wherein movement in the frames of the video represents one example of a change worthy of further processing by the cloud-based security processing system.

26. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising:

a Wi-Fi module with a Wi-Fi antenna, or an Ethernet port;

wherein the home security monitoring device is configured to communicate using the Wi-Fi module and the Wi-Fi antenna or through the Ethernet port to transmit a video clip, an indication of the detected temperature, and an indication of the sensed air quality to a cloud-based security processing system.

27. The home security monitoring system of claim 26, wherein a processing device is configured to analyze video recorded by the video camera and if the processing device identifies interesting video frames in the analyzed video, the interesting video frames are sent to a cloud-based security processing system over the Wi-Fi module and the Wi-Fi antenna or over the Ethernet port, via the network, for further analysis by a processor in a cloud-based security processing system.

28. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the primary user is a user with complete access to the home security monitoring device and a system, of which the device is part, and wherein the primary user has an ability to set preferences and customize activities of the device and/or the system.

29. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the single housing comprises;

a curved outer housing portion with edges; and

a front wall that extends across a space between the edges of the curved outer housing portion, wherein the front wall has a front planar surface,

wherein the front wall defines;

a first window in front of an image sensor inside the housing;

a second window in front of an infrared light emitting diode array inside the housing;

an opening in front of an ambient light detector inside the housing, and

an opening in front of a microphone inside the housing.

30. The home security monitoring system of claim 29, wherein the single housing has a top and a bottom that is opposite the top,

wherein the top includes outlet vents to allow for air flow out of the device,

wherein the bottom includes inlet vents to allow air flow into the device, and

wherein air passing through the bottom, inlet vents travels in an upward direction through the device, where it picks up heat from internal components of the device, and exits through the top, outlet vents.

31. The home security monitoring system of claim 30, further comprising:

a fan inside the device to draw external air into the device through the bottom, inlet vents and drive the air out of the device through the top, outlet vents.

32. The home security monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the air quality sensor is a volatile organic compound sensor.

33. A home security monitoring system comprising:

a home security monitoring device; and

a plurality of a computer-based user devices coupled to the home security monitoring device,

wherein the home security monitoring device comprises;

a single housing;

a plurality of sensors, including a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an air quality sensor, inside the housing and configured to detect respective characteristics of a location in a home outside the housing;

a video camera supported by, and inside, the housing and configured to collect a video clip of an event at the location outside the housing;

an audible siren inside the housing;

a processing device within the housing;

memory within the housing to store data collected by the plurality of sensors; and

an antenna inside the housing configured to transmit the video clip, of the event, and other data associated with the event that is collected by the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the air quality sensor from among the plurality of sensors, to a remote security processing system via a network,

wherein each of the one or more computer-based user devices is configured to visually display the temperature of a monitored physical location, the humidity of the monitored physical location, and an indication of the quality of air in the monitored physical location simultaneously, and

wherein the system is configured to;

send a notification that includes the transmitted video clip of the event to a particular one of the computer-based user devices that belongs to a primary user associated with the monitored physical location; and

/or

save the transmitted video clip to a timeline that can be accessed from the particular one of the computer-based devices that belongs to the primary user at a later time.

34. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the processing device is configured to store a snapshot of the data collected by each respective one of the sensors at a point in time or a time interval.

35. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, configured to monitor the location without additional sensors not supported by the housing.

36. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, configured to monitor the location without a second processing device at the location, outside of the housing.

37. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, configured to continuously collect data about the location by the sensors at least over a time period.

38. The home security monitoring system of claim 37, further configured to continuously provide the continuously collected data to the network for analysis.

39. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, configured to periodically collect data about the location by the sensors.

40. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, configured to operate in the location without installation.

41. The home security monitoring system claim 40, configured to operate in the location without wired installation to the location.

42. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, wherein the processing device is configured to transmit multiple data streams to the network, each data stream comprising data collected by a respective one of the sensors.

43. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, wherein:

the processing device is configured to;

determine whether sensor data collected from any of the plurality of sensors exceeds respective thresholds for a respective sensor; and

if the data collected from any of the sensors exceeds the respective threshold, provide an indication that the respective threshold has been exceeded.

44. The home security monitoring system of claim 43, wherein the processing device is configured to:

receive the respective thresholds from a system via the network; and

inform the system if the data collected from any of the plurality of sensors exceeds one of the respective thresholds, via the network.

45. The home security monitoring system of claim 43, wherein the respective thresholds are derived by the system based, at least in part, on previous data provided by the home security monitoring device to the system, data provided by a plurality of other home security monitoring devices in a plurality of other locations, third party sources of information, and/or user input to the system.

46. The home security monitoring system of claim 33, further comprising:

an image sensor, an ambient light sensor, an infrared sensor, an accelerometer, a carbon monoxide sensor, and a carbon dioxide sensor.