SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTRUDER DETECTION

• US 20120105229A1
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kates, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US13/344,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105229A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/183 by interruption of a radiation beam or barrier
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/184 using radiation reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2454 Checking of authorisation of a person accessing tagged items in an EAS system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

A beam-interrupt detection based system can provide functionalities such as counting of intruders crossing a given beam. A plurality of such beams at different heights can also allow distinguishing different-sized intruders. A recording can be triggered by detection of intruder movement, thereby improving the efficiency of recording and reviewing information indicative of presence and movement of intruders in a monitored area. Non-intruders can be distinguished from intruders by querying an RFID tag carried by non-intruders.

Claims

1. A system for detecting intruders, comprising:

a transmitter configured to produce a plurality of energy beams;

a first receiver is provided at a first height, wherein first receiver is configured to detect a first beam from said plurality of energy beams;

a second receiver is provided at a second height different from said first height, wherein second receiver is configured to detect a second beam from said plurality of energy beams; and

a processor receiving signals from said first receiver and said second receiver, said processor configured to detect a presence of an object by determining when one of said plurality of beams is at least partially interrupted, said processor further configured to determine a general height of the object based on whether said first receiver or said second receiver did or did not detect one of said beams from said plurality of beams, and

an RFID reader activated by said processor when the presence of the object is detected, wherein said processor further is configured to distinguish whether the object is an intruder or a non-intruder by communicating with an RFID tag carried by non-intruders, and if no valid RFID tag is found, then the processor signals an alert, and provides a period of time for an access code to be entered before the processor reports an alarm condition.

2. The system for detecting intruders of claim 1, further comprising a third receiver configured to detect a third beam from said plurality of beams, wherein said third receiver is provided at a third height different from the first height and the second height, wherein said processor receives signals from said third receiver, and said processor is further configured to determine a general height of the object based on whether said first receiver, said second receiver, or third receiver did or did not detect one of said plurality of beams.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of energy beams include highly coherent and directional radiation.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of beams includes beams transmitted a direction different from other beams in said plurality of beams.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured to produce said plurality of energy beams on an intermittent basis.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to count the number of times each given beam of said plurality of beams is interrupted, and accumulate said counted numbers for a period of time so as to estimate the location and path of the detected object for the area covered by said given beam.

4. A system for detecting intruders, comprising:

a transmitter configured to produce a plurality of energy beams;

a first receiver is provided at a first position, wherein said first receiver is configured to detect one of said plurality of beams;

a second receiver is provided at a second position different from said first position, wherein said second receiver is configured to detect one of said plurality of beams; and

a processor receiving signals from said first receiver and said second receiver, said processor configured to detect a presence of an object by determining when one of said plurality of beams is at least partially interrupted, said processor further configured to determine a general size of the object based on whether said first receiver or said second receiver did or did not detect one of said beam from said plurality of beams, and

an RFID reader activated by said processor when the presence of the object is detected, wherein said processor further is configured to distinguish whether the object is an intruder or a non-intruder by communicating with an RFID tag carried by non-intruders, and if no valid RFID tag is found, then the processor signals an alert, and provides a period of time for an access code to be entered before the processor reports an alarm condition.

5. The system for detecting intruders of claim 4, further comprising a third receiver configured to detect a third beam from said plurality of beams, wherein said third receiver is provided at a third position different from the first position and the second position, wherein said processor receives signals from said third receiver, and said processor is further configured to determine a general size of the object based on whether said first receiver, said second receiver, or said third receiver did or did not detect one of said beams from said plurality of beams.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of energy beams include highly coherent and directional radiation.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said plurality of beams includes beams transmitted a direction different from other beams in said plurality of beams.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said system is configured to produce said plurality of energy beams on an intermittent basis.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said processor is configured to count the number of times each given beam of said plurality of beams is interrupted, and accumulate said counted numbers for a period of time so as to estimate the location and path of the detected object for the area covered by said given beam.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein said first and second pluralities of energy beams include collimated light.

10. A system for detecting intruders, comprising:

a transmitter configured to produce a first plurality of energy beams transmitted in a first direction and a second plurality of energy beams transmitted in a second direction different from said first direction;

a first set of receivers provided at different positions, wherein each receiver in said first set of receivers is configured to detect one of said first plurality of beams;

a set of second receivers is provided at different positions, wherein each receiver in said second set of receivers is configured to detect one of said second plurality of beams; and

a processor receiving signals from said first set of receivers and said second set of receivers, said processor configured to detect a presence of an object by determining when one of said beams from said first and second plurality of beams is at least partially interrupted, said processor further configured to determine a general size of the object based on which beam from said first and second plurality of beams was at least partially interrupted, and to determine information regarding movement of the object based on whether the at least partially interrupted beam was from said first plurality of beams or said second plurality of beams; and

said processor further is configured to distinguish whether the object is an intruder or a non-intruder by using an RFID reader to communicate with an RFID tag carried by non-intruders.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein, the RFID reader is activated by said processor when the presence of the object is detected, and if no valid RFID tag is found after the presence of object is detected, the processor signals an alert, and provides a period of time for an access code to be entered before the processor reports an alarm condition.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said transmitter is configured to produce said first and second pluralities of energy beams on an intermittent basis.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said processor is configured to count the number of times a given beam of said first and second pluralities of beams is interrupted, and accumulate said counted numbers for a period of time so as to estimate the location and path of the detected object for the area covered by said given beam.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said first set of receivers includes at least two first receivers provided at two different heights, and said second set of receivers includes at least two second receivers provided at two different heights;

wherein said processor is configured to determine a general size of the object based on which of said first set of receivers or said second set of receivers did or did not detect one of said beam from said first and second pluralities of beams.