System and method for alarm generation based on the detection of the presence of a person

• US 20060267763A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generac Power Systems Incorporated (Generac Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rao, Ravishankar
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0202 Child monitoring systems using a transmitter-receiver system carried by the parent and the child
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

An automatic monitoring and sensing apparatus is provided for detecting an intruder or a person whose presence is undesired for one reason or another. According to one aspect of the invention, a method and apparatus are provided for automatically monitoring an environment for the presence of a person, and the invention issues an alarm when the environment changes while the person is still present. For example, the invention is capable of detecting a person in an unexpected or dangerous location in the environment, such as a baby or small child who has been left alone in an automobile. The invention initiates remedial action to safeguard the person. In another aspect, the inventive method and apparatus automatically monitors an environment that is intended to be kept secure, such as an environment where a computer system is installed, wherein the apparatus initiates a safeguarding action such as a pre-emptive automatic back-up of data in the computer system.

Claims

1. A surveillance system for detecting the presence of a person in an environment monitored by at least one sensor, wherein the person'"'"'s presence in the environment is likely to result in harm, comprising:

a face detection module coupled to the at least one sensor; and

an electronic control module capable of receiving a signal output from the face detection module;

wherein the electronic control module generates a signal to initiate remedial action to reduce the likelihood of harm.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a video camera.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remedial action comprises triggering an alarm.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control module is capable of receiving a detection signal from a sensor detecting the presence of a condition in the environment that poses a threat to human health.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electronic control module is capable of sending an electronic signal to an environmental control system for reducing or eliminating the condition in the environment that poses the threat to human health.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal to initiate remedial action initiates one of opening and securing an accessway to a confined space.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the environment comprises an interior portion of a vehicle, further comprising:

a driver detection module capable of sending a detection signal to the electronic control module for detecting the presence of a driver.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic control module sends the signal to initiate remedial action after a delay time.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic control module receives the signal output from the face detection module via an on-board car bus.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a face recognition module for comparing a detected face to a known database of faces and for identifying a scenario in which a high likelihood of illegitimate access to the environment exists;

wherein the signal to initiate remedial action is intended to safeguard at least a portion of the environment.

11. In a confined space that includes a surveillance system that includes at least one sensor, a method for safeguarding a person whose presence is detected in the confined space, comprising:

using a face detection module associated with the surveillance system coupled to the at least one sensor for detecting a face in the confined space in response to a signal output from the sensor; and

in response to an electronic signal generated by the surveillance system indicating the presence of a hazardous condition in the confined space, initiating a remedial action.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein initiating a remedial action comprises triggering an alarm.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein initiating a remedial action comprises one of opening and securing an accessway to the confined space.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the confined space comprises an interior portion of a vehicle, further comprising:

using an electronic control unit associated with the surveillance system to receive the electronic signal indicating the presence of a hazardous condition; and

receiving, at the electronic control unit, an electronic signal from a driver detection system indicating that a driver is not present.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the electronic control unit, an electronic signal indicating the absence of a key inserted in the ignition of the vehicle.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein initiating a remedial action comprises sending a notification to one of a driver of the vehicle and an owner of the vehicle.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein initiating a remedial action comprises causing at least one window to be opened.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein initiating a remedial action comprises causing a heating system to be turned on.

20. In an environment that includes a surveillance system that uses at least one sensor, and a computer system in the environment, a method for backing up data preemptively, comprising:

in response to a signal output from the surveillance system, identifying a scenario in which a high likelihood of illegitimate access to the environment exists; and

initiating a data backup of the computer system.

22. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein initiating the data backup is done in response to determining that a face is not known.

24. A computer program product embodied in a tangible medium comprising:

computer readable program codes coupled to the tangible medium for backing up data of a computer system that is in an environment monitored by a surveillance system, the computer readable program codes configured to cause the program to;

identify, in response to a signal received from the surveillance system, a scenario in which a high likelihood exists of illegitimate access to the environment; and

initiate a preemptive data backup of the computer system.

25. A computer program product embodied in a tangible medium, for use in accordance with a surveillance system, comprising:

computer readable program codes coupled to the tangible medium for initiating an alarm in response to a detection of a presence of a person in an environment monitored by the surveillance system that has at least one sensor, the computer readable program codes configured to cause the program to;

receive a signal output from the at least one sensor;

detect a face in the environment in response to the signal output from the sensor; and

initiate an alarm in response to an electronic signal generated by the surveillance system indicating the presence of a hazardous condition in the environment.

21. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the identifying is performed by

detecting a face using a face detection module coupled to the at least one sensor;

and

determining whether a face is known by using a face recognition module to compare a detected face to a known database of faces.

23. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an image monitoring system.