POOL MONITOR SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150092055A1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBell Technologies Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skybell Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Scalisi, Joseph Frank, Mejia, Desiree
• Granted Patent: US 9,049,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/086 by monitoring a perimeter outside the body of the water
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/088 by monitoring a device worn by the person, e.g. a bracelet attached to the swimmer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

Cameras can be used to detect if unauthorized visitors enter pool areas. Cameras can send alerts to remote computing devices regarding unauthorized pool entry. Several embodiments include using a camera to take an image of a pool area, sending the image from the camera to a remote computing device, displaying the image on the remote computing device, and using the remote computing device to select a detection zone. Some embodiments include ignoring certain portions of the camera'"'"'s field of view in response to detection zone selections.

Claims

1. A method for using a monitoring system to detect a first visitor, wherein the monitoring system comprises a camera assembly and a remote computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining the camera assembly, wherein the camera assembly comprises a camera;

configuring the camera assembly such that the camera comprises a field of view that includes at least a portion of a pool of water;

using the camera to take a first image of at least the portion of the pool of water;

sending the first image wirelessly from the camera assembly to the remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device comprises an electronic display;

displaying the first image on the electronic display of the remote computing device; and

using the remote computing device to select a first detection zone within the first image, wherein the first detection zone comprises a portion of the first image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a grid pattern on the first image on the electronic display of the remote computing device such that the first image is divided into at least six sections by lines that cross each other;

selecting the first detection zone within the first image by touching at least a first subset of the sections on the electronic display of the remote computing device;

using the camera assembly to detect a first indication of the first visitor, wherein the first indication is located inside of the field of view; and

determining that the first indication of the first visitor is located outside of the first detection zone, and then the monitoring system deciding to not send a first alert to the remote computing device in response to determining that the first indication of the first visitor is located outside of the first detection zone, wherein the first alert is configured to notify the remote computing device regarding a presence of the first visitor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein touching the first subset causes the first subset to be included in the first detection zone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein touching the first subset causes the first subset to be excluded from the first detection zone.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first detection zone comprises an area of the first image that includes the pool of water.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the camera assembly comprises a speaker, and the method further comprises emitting a notification sound from the speaker of the camera assembly while the camera assembly is mounted such that the field of view includes at least the portion of the pool of water, wherein the camera assembly emits the notification sound in response to the first visitor entering the first detection zone as defined using the first image.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

using the camera assembly to detect a second indication of the first visitor, wherein the second indication is located inside of the field of view;

determining that the second indication of the first visitor is located inside of the first detection zone as defined using the first image; and

sending the first alert wirelessly to the remote computing device in response to determining that the second indication of the first visitor is located inside of the first detection zone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the camera assembly comprises a speaker, and the method further comprises sending the first alert wirelessly to the remote computing device while emitting a notification sound from the speaker in response to the first visitor entering the first detection zone as defined using the first image.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the camera assembly comprises a motion detector, the first indication is a first motion indication, and the second indication is a second motion indication.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using the camera to take a second image of at least the portion of the pool of water, and then the monitoring system analyzing the second image to detect the first indication; and

using the camera to take a third image of at least the portion of the pool of water, and then the monitoring system analyzing the third image to detect the second indication.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising preventing the sending of the first alert to the remote computing device until after detecting the second indication in at least two of the sections.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising causing a second subset of the sections to be included in the first detection zone in response to the first subset comprising an outer perimeter that surrounds the second subset.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting the first detection zone by displaying the first image on the electronic display, and then recording which areas of the first image a user indicates to include in the first detection zone by touching the electronic display;

calculating a percentage of the first detection zone that includes the second indication of the first visitor; and

sending the first alert to the remote computing device in response to determining that the percentage of the first detection zone exceeds a first threshold.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

selecting the first detection zone by displaying the first image on the electronic display, and then recording which areas of the first image a user indicates to include in the first detection zone by touching the electronic display;

calculating a percentage of the first detection zone that includes the second indication of the first visitor;

calculating a time in which the second indication of the first visitor has been in the first detection zone; and

sending the first alert to the remote computing device in response to the percentage of the first detection zone and the time.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending the first image directly from the camera assembly to the remote computing device without using an intermediary server.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the camera assembly to detect a first indication of the first visitor, wherein the first indication is located inside of the field of view;

determining that the first indication of the first visitor is located outside of the first detection zone, and then the monitoring system ignoring the first visitor in response to the first visitor being located outside of the first detection zone, wherein ignoring the first visitor comprises not sending a first alert to the remote computing device regarding the first visitor being outside of the first detection zone;

using the camera assembly to detect a third indication of a second visitor, wherein the third indication is located inside of the field of view;

determining that the third indication is located inside of the first detection zone as defined using the first image;

determining that the second visitor is greater than a size threshold, and then ignoring the second visitor in response to the second visitor being greater than the size threshold, wherein ignoring the second visitor comprises not sending a second alert to the remote computing device, wherein the second alert is configured to notify the remote computing device regarding the second visitor being in the first detection zone;

using the camera assembly to detect a fourth indication of a third visitor, wherein the fourth indication is located inside of the field of view;

determining that the fourth indication is located inside of the first detection zone as defined using the first image; and

determining that the third visitor is less than the size threshold, and then wirelessly sending a third alert to the remote computing device in response to the third visitor being less than the size threshold, wherein the third alert is configured to notify the remote computing device regarding the third visitor being in the first detection zone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the size threshold is a height threshold.

18. A monitoring system configured to detect a first visitor, the monitoring system comprising:

a camera assembly having a speaker and a camera, wherein the camera assembly is mounted such that the camera comprises a field of view that includes at least a portion of a pool of water, and wherein the camera assembly is configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote computing device having an electronic display;

a first image of at least the portion of the pool of water, wherein the first image is taken by the camera, wirelessly communicated to the remote computing device, and then displayed on the electronic display of the remote computing device; and

a first detection zone defined by a user touching sections of the first image while the first image is displayed on the electronic display of the remote computing device.

19. The monitoring system of claim 18, further comprising:

a wireless notification sent from the camera assembly to the remote computing device in response to the first visitor entering the first detection zone as defined using the first image; and

a notification sound emitted by the speaker in response to the first visitor entering the first detection zone as defined using the first image.

20. The monitoring system of claim 19, further comprising a perimeter defined by the user touching the sections of the first image while the first image is displayed on the electronic display of the remote computing device, wherein the perimeter encloses an area of the first image that includes the pool of water, and wherein the perimeter defines the first detection zone,

wherein the monitoring system is configured to ignore a second visitor in response to the second visitor being located in the field of view and outside of the first detection zone, wherein ignoring the second visitor comprises not sending an alert regarding the second visitor to the remote computing device.

21. A method for using a monitoring system to detect a first visitor, wherein the monitoring system comprises a camera assembly and a remote computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining the camera assembly, wherein the camera assembly comprises a camera;

configuring the camera assembly such that the camera comprises a field of view that includes at least a portion of a pool of water;

using the camera to take a first image of at least the portion of the pool of water;

sending the first image wirelessly from the camera assembly to the remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device comprises an electronic display; and

using the remote computing device to select a first detection zone within the first image, wherein the first detection zone comprises a first portion of the first image that shows the portion of the pool of water.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

configuring the monitoring system to ignore a second visitor located within the field of view of the camera in response to the second visitor being located outside of the first detection zone, wherein ignoring the second visitor comprises not sending a first alert regarding the second visitor to the remote computing device; and

configuring the monitoring system to send a second alert regarding a third visitor to the remote computing device in response to determining that the third visitor is located inside of the first detection zone as defined based on the first image.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

displaying the first image on the electronic display of the remote computing device, and then selecting the first detection zone within the first image of the camera while displaying the first image on the electronic display, wherein the first detection zone represents a portion of the field of view of the camera, and wherein selecting the first detection zone comprises selecting a second portion of the first image of the camera.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

displaying lines on the first image on the electronic display of the remote computing device such that the first image is divided into sections by the lines; and

selecting the first detection zone within the first image by touching at least a first subset of the sections on the electronic display of the remote computing device.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

displaying the first image on the electronic display of the remote computing device;

selecting the first detection zone within the first image by touching at least a first subset of sections on the electronic display of the remote computing device, wherein touching the first subset causes the first subset to be included in the first detection zone; and

causing a second subset of the sections to be included in the first detection zone of the monitoring system in response to the first subset comprising an outer perimeter that surrounds the second subset.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising sending data regarding the first detection zone from the remote computing device to the camera assembly to calibrate the camera assembly.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the camera assembly comprises a microphone, the method further comprising enabling audio communication between the third visitor and a user of the remote computing device in response to determining that the third visitor is located inside of the first detection zone as defined based on the first image.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining that the second visitor is located outside of the first detection zone by detecting a first motion of the second visitor, correlating the first motion to a first location as defined by the first image, and determining that the first location is located outside of the first detection zone; and

determining that the third visitor is located inside of the first detection zone by detecting a second motion of the third visitor, correlating the second motion to a second location as defined by the first image, and determining that the second location is located inside of the first detection zone.