Wireless door contact sensor with motion sensor disable

• US 20080157964A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Eskildsen, Kenneth G., Hope, Gordon G., Zakrewski, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,916,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/545.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors

Abstract

A system and method for securing a structure, such as a residence or other building, against intrusion, while reducing generation of false alarms when an occupant of the structure inadvertently trips a contact detector by opening an entry point (door, window, etc.) is provided. The contact detector is coupled with a motion detector that is directed to monitor motion within the structure at a location proximate to the entry point being monitored by the contact detector. Generally, when the contact detector detects that the entry point is being opened, a fault is issued to a control panel, which in turn generates an alarm. However, if motion is detected within the structure and proximate to the entry point prior to the contact detector registering an opening of the entry point, no fault is generated.

Claims

1. A sensor system for a security system for monitoring a structure, said sensor system comprising:

a sensor for detecting an opening of an entry point;

at least one detector for detecting a presence of an occupant in an area inside of said structure proximate to said entry point; and

a controller for generating an alarm activation signal when said sensor detects said opening of said entry point, said controller preventing said generation of said alarm activation signal when said detector detects said presence of said occupant.

2. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said detector is a heat sensor.

3. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said detector is a motion detector.

4. The sensor system as in claim 3, wherein said motion detector determines direction of said motion with respect to said motion detector.

5. The sensor system as in claim 4, wherein said direction is determined based on a Doppler effect.

6. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said detector is configured to detect said presence of a human and ignore said presence of pets.

7. The sensor system as in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a signal to said security system, said signal corresponding to said alarm activation signal.

8. The sensor system as in claim 5, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter.

9. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said at least one detector has a uniquely assigned first identifier and said sensor has a uniquely assigned second identifier, said first identifier and second identifier being used to associate said detector with a corresponding said sensor.

10. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said security system generates an alarm when said alarm activation signal is received by said security system.

11. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said controller is included in a control panel of said security system.

12. The sensor system as in claim 1, wherein said controller is included in a housing of one of said sensor and said detector.

13. A method for securing a structure, said method comprising:

monitoring a presence of an occupant in an area inside of said structure proximate to said entry point by a detector;

monitoring a status of said entry point by a sensor;

generating an alarm activation signal when said sensor detects an opening of said entry point;

generating an alarm when said alarm activation signal is generated; and

blocking said alarm generation when said occupant presence is detected prior to said alarm activation signal generation.

14. The method as in claim 13, further comprising associating a first unique identifier stored on said detector with a second unique identifier stored on said sensor, said blocking occurring only when said presence is detected by said detector having said first unique identifier associated with said second unique identifier of said sensor generating said alarm activation signal.

15. The method as in claim 13, further comprising transmitting a signal to said security system, said signal corresponding to said alarm activation signal, said security system generating said alarm.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein said signal is transmitted wirelessly.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein said blocking prevents said signal corresponding to said alarm activation signal from being transmitted to said security system when said presence is detected.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein said blocking is performed in said security system, said security system blocking said generation of said alarm when said detector detects said presence.

19. The method as in claim 13, wherein said detector is a heat detector.

20. The method as in claim 13, wherein said detector is a motion detector.

21. The method as in claim 20, wherein said motion detector determines direction of said motion with respect to said motion detector.

22. The method as in claim 21, wherein said direction is determined based on a Doppler effect.

23. The method as in claim 13, wherein said detector is configured to detect said presence of a human and to ignore said presence of pets.

24. A security system for securing a structure, comprising:

a control panel for controlling detectors and sensors adapted for detecting security breaches in a structure, said control panel generating an alarm in response to receiving an alarm activation signal from one of said detectors and said sensors; and

at least one sensor system for detecting an opening of an entry point to which said sensor is attached and generating said alarm activation signal when said opening is detected, said sensor system comprising;

a sensor for detecting said opening of said entry point; and

a detector for detecting a presence of an occupant in an area inside of said structure proximate to said entry point.

25. The security system as in claim 24, wherein said control panel generates said alarm activation signal when said sensor detects said opening of said entry point, said control panel blocks said alarm activation signal generation when said detector detects said presence.

26. The security system as in claim 24, wherein said sensor system further comprises a controller for generating said alarm activation signal when said sensor detects said opening of said entry point, said controller blocking said generation of said alarm activation signal when said detector detects said presence.

27. The security system as in claim 24, wherein said control panel blocks generation of said alarm in response to receipt of said alarm activation signal when said detector detects said presence.

28. The security system as in claim 24, further comprising a transmitter disposed at said contact detector for transmitting said alarm activation signal to a receiver disposed in said control panel.

29. The security system as in claim 28, wherein said transmitter is a wireless transmitter and said receiver is a wireless receiver.

30. The security system as in claim 24, wherein said at least one detector has a uniquely assigned first identifier and said contact sensor has a uniquely assigned second identifier, said first identifier and second identifier being used to associate said motion detector with a corresponding said contact sensor.

31. The security system as in claim 24, wherein said detector is a heat sensor.

32. The sensor system as in claim 24, wherein said detector is a motion detector.

33. The sensor system as in claim 32, wherein said motion detector determines direction of said motion with respect to said motion detector.

34. The sensor system as in claim 33, wherein said direction is determined based on a Doppler effect.

35. The sensor system as in claim 24, wherein said detector is configured to detect said presence of a human and ignore said presence of pets.