Wireless environmental data capture system and method for mesh networking

• US 10,685,543 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2019
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Renkis, Martin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez-Fuentes, Luis
• Application Number:
  US16/674,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20200090478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• 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 13/19693 using multiple video sources viewed on a single or compound screen
• 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 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• 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: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 : Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 : Fan mounting or fan specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20209 : Thermal management, e.g. fan control

Abstract

A mesh network-based environmental data capture system and method for providing communication between a base system having at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and other ICD(s), wherein the ICD(s) are capable of smart cross-communication with each other and remote access to their inputs via a server computer, including the steps of providing this base system; at least one user accessing the ICDs and inputs remotely via a user interface through a remote server computer and/or electronic device communicating with it, for providing a secure surveillance system with extended inputs range and wireless smart cross-communication for monitoring a target environment.

Claims

1. A system for controlling one or more electronic devices, the system comprising:

one or more environment sensors configured to acquire environment data from a target environment;

one or more input capture sensors configured to acquire event trigger input that includes motion and/or a physical presence of at least one person at the target environment;

a control device configured be located at the target environment, the control device including

one or more processors in communication with the one or more environment sensors and the one or more input capture sensors and configured to receive user input for controlling one or more settings and/or functionalities of the control device; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control device to;

detect an event based, at least in part, on the event trigger input acquired by the one or more input capture sensors;

control a first electronic device based on the detected event, wherein the first electronic device is associated with the target environment;

wirelessly transmit, via a first communication channel using a first protocol, at least a portion of the environment data acquired by the one or more environment sensors, for viewing of at least a portion of a representation of the environment data on a remote mobile device;

wirelessly receive, via a second communication channel using a second protocol different from the first protocol, from a second electronic device associated with the target environment, at least an instruction, a status, a setting, and/or environment data for controlling one or more settings or functionalities of the control device,

generating a remote-control data set based on sensor data and the one or more settings and/or functionalities of the control device, the remote-control data set includes one or more instructions, statuses, and/or settings for the second electronic device, and

causing the remote-control data set to be transmitted, via the second communication channel, to the second electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

at least one of the first communication channel or the second communication channel is encrypted.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the environment data acquired by the one or more environment sensors is wirelessly transmitted to enable viewing of the representation of the environment data via the remote mobile device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote mobile device provides access to the at least portion of the environment data acquired by the one or more environment sensors.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote mobile device is a mobile phone, PDA, or laptop computer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device includes a fan.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device manages a secure network between the one or more electronic devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device manages encrypted channels.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein wirelessly transmission the at least portion of the environment data acquired by the one or more environment sensors is in response to the detecting of the event.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is from the one or more environment sensors, and the one or more environment sensors are within the control device.

10. A method, comprising:

acquiring, via one or more environment sensors, environment data from a target environment;

acquiring, via one or more input capture sensors, event trigger input that includes motion and/or a physical presence of at least one person at the target environment;

detecting an event based, at least in part, on the event trigger input acquired by the one or more input capture sensors;

controlling a first electronic device based on the detected event, wherein the first electronic device is associated with the target environment;

wirelessly transmitting, via a first communication channel, at least a portion of the environment data, acquired via the one or more environment sensors, for viewing of at least a portion of a representation of the environment data on a remote mobile device;

wirelessly receiving, via the first communication network channel using a first protocol, at least one operational command from the remote mobile device;

wirelessly receiving, via a second communication channel using a second protocol different from the first protocol, from a second electronic device associated with the target environment, at least an instruction, a status, a setting, and/or environment data for controlling one or more settings or functionalities of the control device;

generating a remote-control data set based on sensor data and the one or more settings and/or functionalities of the control device, the remote-control data set includes one or more instructions, statuses, and/or settings for the second electronic device; and

causing the remote-control data set to be transmitted, via the second communication channel, to the second electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first communication channel and/or the second communication channel is encrypted.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the environment data acquired via the one or more environment sensors is wirelessly transmitted to enable viewing of the representation of the environment data via the remote mobile device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote mobile device provides user access to the environment data acquired via the one or more environment sensors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote mobile device is a mobile phone, PDA, or laptop computer.

15. A computer-readable storage device storing content that, when executed by a computing system including at least one processor, causes the computing system to perform actions including:

acquiring, via one or more environment sensors, environment data from a target environment;

acquiring, via one or more input capture sensors, event trigger input that includes motion and/or a physical presence of at least one person at the target environment;

detecting an event based, at least in part, on the event trigger input acquired by the one or more input capture sensors;

controlling a first electronic device based on the detected event, wherein the first electronic device is associated with the target environment;

wirelessly transmitting, via an encrypted first communication channel, at least a portion of the environment data, acquired via the one or more environment sensors, for viewing of at least a portion of a representation of the environment data on a remote mobile device;

wirelessly receiving, via the first communication network channel using a first protocol, at least one operational command from the remote mobile device;

wirelessly receiving, via a second communication channel using a second protocol different from the first protocol, from a second electronic device associated with the target environment, at least an instruction, a status, a setting, and/or environment data for controlling one or more settings or functionalities;

generating a remote-control data based on sensor data and the one or more settings or functionalities of the control device, the remote-control data set includes one or more instructions, statuses, and/or settings for the second electronic device; and

causing the remote-control data to transmit via the second communication channel, the remote-control data to the second electronic device.