SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A PROPERTY SENTINEL

• US 20090140848A1
• Filed: 11/28/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Sentinel Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Sentinel Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Lawson, David, Rollins, Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/325,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/521
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/001 Concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make covert systems
• 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 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring vacant structures according to various aspects of the present invention operate in conjunction with an environmental sensor system coupled to a repositionable housing. The environmental sensor system may detect an environmental condition by at least a first sensor, generate a first signal by the at least first sensor corresponding to the environmental condition, and transmit the first signal to a processor. The processor may be configured to process the first signal to at least one of identify a status of the environmental condition, identify an anomaly of the environmental condition, and store information about the environmental condition. The environmental sensor system may generate a second signal corresponding to the processed first signal, which may be transmitted to a database.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring vacant structures, comprising:

a housing that is repositionable and configured for temporary placement at a first location at a first vacant structure;

an environmental sensor system coupled to the housing and configured to;

detect an environmental condition by at least a first sensor;

generate a first signal by the at least first sensor corresponding to the environmental condition;

transmit the first signal to a processor, wherein the processor is configured to

process the first signal to at least one of identify a status of the environmental condition, identify an anomaly of the environmental condition, and store information about the environmental condition;

generate a second signal corresponding to the processed first signal; and

transmit the second signal to a database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental sensor system is configured to detect by the at least first sensor at least one of:

a motion, a light change, a sound change, a visual environmental change, a structural change, a gas, a biohazardous material, a temperature change, a humidity change, a household appliance change, and a utility service change.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the biohazardous material comprises at least one of a mold, a flammable fume, a toxic fume, a chemical, smoke, and a fire.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the utility service change comprises at least one of:

an electric service change, a gas service change, a water service change, a refuse service change, and a sewer service change.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least first sensor is configured to transmit the first signal when the environmental condition achieves a pre-selected threshold value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises at least one of:

an opening for a camera lens and a vent for air circulation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the opening for the camera lens comprises a colored translucent window.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is coupled to the at least first vacant structure by at least one of:

an adhesive, a push-in ceiling mount, a push-in wall mount, a clip, a strap, and a fastener.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental sensor system further comprises a visual surveillance system to detect a visual change in the environment.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the database is further configured to:

notify a user of the environmental condition; and

provide the user access to information about the environmental condition.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source to provide power to the housing and the environmental sensor system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the power source comprises at least one of a battery and a solar panel.

16. A machine-readable medium comprising machine-executable instructions for performing machine-implementable processing of the first signal as recited in claim 1.

17. A machine configured to perform machine-implementable processing of the first signal as recited in claim 1.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing is camouflaged to resemble a residential smoke detector.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal corresponding to the processed first signal is transmitted wirelessly to the database by at least one of a code division multiple access communication, a satellite communication, a global system mobile communication, a long term evolution system, a General Packet Radio Service data transfer, a networking protocol, WIFI, WIMAX, a short message service, and an enhanced messaging service.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the second signal corresponding to the first signal is encrypted before being transmitted to the database.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental sensor system transmits the first signal to the processor by at least one of a radio frequency transmission, an internet, an intranet, an extranet, a wide area network, a local area network, a satellite communication, an intermediate storage system, a mesh network protocol, a Zigbee protocol, and a wireless 802.11g protocol.

10. The system 9, wherein the visual surveillance system comprises at least one of:

a camera, a video camera, an infrared camera, and a camera sensitive to low light conditions.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an infrared light source for providing an infrared light for the infrared camera.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the infrared light source is activated by at least one of a motion and a programmed pre-selected time interval.

22. A system for monitoring vacant structures, comprising:

an at least one monitoring sensor configured to monitor a status of at least one component of the vacant structures and transmit a remote signal regarding the status of the vacant structure;

a repositionable housing camouflaged to resemble a smoke detector, configured for temporary placement at a first location at a first vacant structure, and to house system components, wherein the system components comprise;

an input sensor configured to receive the remote signal from the at least one monitoring sensor;

a processor to process the remote signal received by the input sensor;

a transmitter to transmit the processed remote signal, wherein the processed remote signal is transmitted wirelessly by at least one of a code division multiple access communication, a satellite communication, a global system mobile communication, a long term evolution system, a General Packet Radio Service data transfer, a networking protocol, WIFI, WIMAX, a short message service, and an enhanced messaging service; and

a power source to provide power to the system components;

a receiver to receive the transmitted signal; and

a database coupled to the receiver to manipulate the received signal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one component of a vacant structure comprises at least one of:

a motion, a light change, a sound change, a visual environmental change, a structural change, a gas, a biohazardous material, a temperature change, a humidity change, a household appliance change, and a utility service change.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the biohazardous material comprises at least one of a mold, a flammable fume, a toxic fume, a chemical, smoke, and a fire.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the utility service change comprises at least one of:

an electric service change, a gas service change, a water service change, a refuse service change, and a sewer service change.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one monitoring sensor is configured to transmit the remote signal when the monitoring sensor senses a pre-selected threshold setting.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the housing further comprises at least one of:

an opening for a camera lens and a vent for air circulation.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the opening for the camera lens comprises a colored translucent window.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the housing is coupled to the first vacant structure by at least one of:

an adhesive, a push-in ceiling mount, a push-in wall mount, a clip, a strap, and a fastener.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the system components further comprise a visual surveillance system to detect a visual change in the first vacant structure.

34. The system of claim 22, wherein the database is further configured to:

notify a user of the status of the at least one component of the vacant structures; and

provide the user access to information about the status of the at least one component of the vacant structures.

35. A machine-readable medium comprising machine-executable instructions for performing machine-implementable processing of the received signal as recited in claim 22.

36. A machine configured to perform machine-implementable processing of the received signal as recited in claim 22.

31. The system 30, wherein the visual surveillance system comprises at least one of:

a camera, a video camera, an infrared camera, and a camera sensitive to low light conditions.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising an infrared light source for providing an infrared light for the infrared camera.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the infrared light source is activated by at least one of a motion and a programmed pre-selected time interval.

37. A method of identifying an environmental condition in a vacant structure, comprising:

detecting the environmental condition;

generating a first signal corresponding to the environmental condition;

transmitting the first signal to a processor, wherein the processor is configured to process the first signal to at least one of;

identify a status of the environmental condition, identify an anomalous environmental condition, and store information about the environmental condition; and

generating a second signal corresponding to the environmental condition; and

transmitting the second signal to a remote monitoring station.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the environmental condition detected comprises at least one of:

a motion, a light change, a sound change, a visual environmental change, a structural change, a gas, a biohazardous material, a temperature change, a humidity change, a household appliance change, and a utility service change.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the biohazardous material comprises at least one of a mold, a flammable fume, a toxic fume, a chemical, smoke, and a fire.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the utility service change comprises at least one of:

an electric service change, a gas service change, a water service change, a refuse service change, and a sewer service change.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the environmental condition is detected when the environmental condition achieves a pre-selected threshold value.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the detected environmental condition comprises a visual change in the environment.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the visual change in the environmental condition is detected by a visual surveillance system comprising at least one of:

a camera, a video camera, an infrared camera, and a camera sensitive to low light conditions.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising an infrared light source for providing light for the infrared camera.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the infrared light source is activated by at least one of a motion and a programmed pre-selected time interval.

46. The method of claim 37, further comprising detecting the environmental condition at a plurality of locations in the vacant structure.

47. The method of claim 37, wherein the remote monitoring station performs at least one of:

notifying a user of the detected environmental condition;

and providing the user access to information about the detected environmental condition.

48. A machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions for performing the machine-implementable method of processing of the first signal as recited in claim 37.

49. A machine configured to perform the machine-implementable method of processing of the first signal as recited in claim 37.

50. The method of claim 37, wherein the second signal corresponding to the environmental condition is transmitted wirelessly to the remote monitoring station by at least one of a code division multiple access communication, a satellite communication, a global system mobile communication, a long term evolution system, a General Packet Radio Service data transfer, a networking protocol, WIFI, WIMAX, a short message service, and an enhanced messaging service.

51. The method of claim 37, wherein the second signal corresponding to the environmental condition is encrypted before being transmitted to the remote monitoring station.

52. The method of claim 37, wherein the first signal corresponding to the environmental condition is transmitted to the processor by at least one of a radio frequency transmission, an internet, an intranet, an extranet, a wide area network, a local area network, a satellite communication, an intermediate storage system, a mesh network protocol, a Zigbee protocol, and a wireless 802.11g protocol.