Security Apparatus and Method

• US 20140320286A1
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thibault, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,779,595 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 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/22 Provisions facilitating manual calibration, e.g. input or output provisions for testing; Holding of intermittent values to permit measurement

Abstract

A method for providing an alarm for a window comprises calculating a first distance between a detector mounted within a movable portion of the window and a window frame edge and calculating a second distance between the detector and the window frame edge. The method further comprises determining whether the movable portion of the window has remained stationary for more than a predetermined time period based on the first distance and the second distance and, if the movable portion has remained stationary for more than the predetermined time period, storing the second distance in a memory, placing the security apparatus into an active alarm state, calculating a third distance observed by the detector, determining a change between the third distance and the second distance, determining whether the change exceeds a predetermined distance, and generating an alarm signal if the change exceeds the predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A method for providing an alarm for a window by a security apparatus, comprising:

calculating a first distance between a detector mounted within a movable portion of the window and a window frame edge;

calculating a second distance between the detector and the window frame edge;

determining whether the movable portion of the window has remained stationary for more than a predetermined time period based on the first distance and the second distance;

if the movable portion has remained stationary for more than the predetermined time period;

storing the second distance in a memory;

placing the security apparatus into an active alarm state;

calculating a third distance observed by the detector;

determining a change between the third distance and the second distance;

determining whether the change exceeds a predetermined distance; and

generating an alarm signal if the change exceeds the predetermined distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third distance is calculated at a second predetermined time period after the second distance is calculated, and the alarm signal is generated if the change exceeds the predetermined distance within one or more predetermined time periods after the second distance calculation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the change represents an increase in the distance between the detector mounted within the movable portion and the window frame edge; and

generating the alarm only if the change represents an increase in the distance between the detector mounted and the window frame edge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the alarm signal to a remote location for further processing.

5. An apparatus for providing an alarm for a window, comprising:

a detector for determining a first distance between the detector mounted within a movable portion of the window and a window frame edge, for determining a second distance between the detector and the window frame edge, and for determining a third distance between the detector and an object other than the window frame edge;

a processor; and

a memory for storing at least the second distance and processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

determine whether the movable portion of the window has remained stationary for more than a predetermined time period based on the first distance and the second distance;

if the movable portion has remained stationary for more than the predetermined time period;

store the second distance in the memory;

place the security apparatus into an active alarm state;

calculate the third distance;

determine a change between the third distance and the second distance;

determine whether the change exceeds a predetermined distance; and

generate an alarm signal if the change exceeds the predetermined distance.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the third distance is calculated at a second predetermined time period after the second distance calculation, further comprising instructions to cause the apparatus to:

generate the alarm signal if the change exceeds the predetermined distance within one or more predetermined time periods after the second distance is calculated.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising instructions to cause the apparatus to:

determine whether the change represents an increase in the distance between the detector and the window frame edge; and

generate the alarm if the change represents an increase in the distance between the detector and the window frame edge.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the third distance comprises a distance between the detector and a human body part.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the alarm signal to a remote location for further processing.

10. A method of monitoring one or more windows by a central security monitoring device to detect an alarm condition, comprising:

receiving status information from a security device associated with a window;

determining that the window is open from the status information;

receiving a command to arm the security apparatus;

arming the security apparatus;

receiving subsequent status information from the first security device; and

sending an alarm to a remote monitoring station if the alarm condition has occurred based on the subsequent information, the alarm condition comprising the window moving towards a closed position by more than a predetermined distance.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the alarm occurs if the window is moved towards the closed position by more than the predetermined distance within a predetermined time period.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

notifying a user of the central security monitoring device that the window is open; and

sending a confirmation request to the user in response to receiving the arm command requesting a confirmation from the user to arm the central security monitoring device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the status information comprises a distance calculated by the security device.