System, Method and Apparatus for Remote Monitoring

• US 20150097949A1
• Filed: 08/11/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icon Acquisitions LLC
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: URE, Russell, KAZEMI, Reza, MOLSON, Christian, MCINTOSH, Heather
• Granted Patent: US 10,841,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/223 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A monitoring unit for security and automation in a premises are described. The monitoring unit uses remote configuration and control to enable monitoring of a premises. The monitoring unit provides multiple monitoring functions to respond to events within the space and alert a user at a remote device like a smartphone. An image sensor provides a wide field of view which can be segmented on the mobile device to enable specific areas to be viewed enabling the user to view the area and be alerted when an event occurs based upon a rules based configuration.

Claims

1. A monitoring unit comprising:

a camera;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the camera and the network interface; and

at least one application executing on the processor, wherein the processor receives an image from the camera, wherein the processor receives sensor data from at least one sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the processor generates an alert based upon a change in at least one of the image and the sensor data, wherein the alert is sent via the network interface to a mobile device.

2. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising at least one a memory device coupled to the processor.

3. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising at least one communication module coupled to the processor.

4. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one communication module comprises a home area network (HAN) radio frequency (RF) module.

5. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one communication module comprises a Wi-Fi module.

6. The monitoring unit of claim 5, wherein the executing of the at least one application generates an enrollment process.

7. The monitoring unit of claim 6, wherein the enrollment process automatically places the WiFi module into an Access Point mode.

8. The monitoring unit of claim 7, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile application, wherein the mobile application enrolls as a client to the Access Point.

9. The monitoring unit of claim 8, wherein the mobile application provides WiFi credentials to the processor via the Access Point.

10. The monitoring unit of claim 9, wherein at least one of the mobile application and the processor initiate storage of the WiFi credentials on a remote server.

11. The monitoring unit of claim 10, wherein at least one of the remote server and the processor restore the WiFi credentials from the remote storage device.

12. The monitoring unit of claim 9, wherein the mobile application provides authentication against at least one of the processor and a remote server.

13. The monitoring unit of claim 9, wherein the processor automatically switches the WiFi module to enroll as a client using the WiFi credentials.

14. The monitoring unit of claim 13, wherein the mobile application automatically switches the mobile device to enroll using the WiFi credentials.

15. The monitoring unit of claim 14, wherein the mobile application provides a user interface that includes at least one control for switching the processor to the Access Point mode to change the WiFi credentials.

16. The monitoring unit of claim 9, wherein the mobile application provides to a device location information corresponding to installation of the monitoring unit.

17. The monitoring unit of claim 16, wherein the device comprises a remote server.

18. The monitoring unit of claim 16, wherein the device comprises at least one of the monitoring unit and at least one additional monitoring unit.

19. The monitoring unit of claim 16, comprising an administrative application that provides information about at least one monitoring unit that includes the location information.

20. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one communication module comprises a local area network (LAN) module.

21. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one communication module comprises a cellular data module.

22. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the at least one communication module is coupled to a remote device to communicate with the remote device.

23. The monitoring unit of claim 22, wherein the at least one communication module is coupled to a remote device to communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) channel.

24. The monitoring unit of claim 22, wherein the at least one communication module is coupled to a remote device to communicate over a cellular channel.

25. The monitoring unit of claim 22, wherein the communication comprises a two-way voice session with the remote device.

26. The monitoring unit of claim 25, wherein the communication comprises a data session, wherein video images are transmitted during the data session.

27. The monitoring unit of claim 22, wherein the remote device comprises the mobile device.

28. The monitoring unit of claim 22, wherein the remote device comprises a central monitoring station.

29. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the communication module automatically establishes a coupling with the at least one sensor.

30. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the communication module automatically establishes a coupling with a local area network (LAN) at the premises.

31. The monitoring unit of claim 30, wherein the at least one application transfers data between at least one device on the LAN.

32. The monitoring unit of claim 3, wherein the communication module forms a sub-network at the premises.

33. The monitoring unit of claim 32, wherein the sub-network is a private network.

34. The monitoring unit of claim 32, wherein the at least one sensor is coupled to the sub-network.

35. The monitoring unit of claim 32, wherein devices couple to the sub-network and communicate over the sub-network, wherein the devices include at least one of wireless devices, wired devices, and IP devices.

36. The monitoring unit of claim 3, comprising a remote server including a user account coupled to the processor.

37. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises an image sensor and a lens.

38. The monitoring unit of claim 37, wherein the camera comprises a lens including a wide-angle geometry, wherein the camera generates images including warped images, wherein the camera generates the images using a wide-angle view mapped to the geometry of the lens from collected images.

39. The monitoring unit of claim 38, wherein the camera comprises an encoder that encodes collected images to generate a processed data stream.

40. The monitoring unit of claim 39, wherein the processed data stream is a compressed video stream.

41. The monitoring unit of claim 39, comprising memory coupled to the camera, wherein the camera stores to the memory the processed data stream that includes warped video.

42. The monitoring unit of claim 41, wherein the memory is local to the camera.

43. The monitoring unit of claim 41, wherein the memory is remote to the camera.

44. The monitoring unit of claim 39, wherein the camera streams the processed data stream to a remote device, wherein the remote device comprises at least one of a mobile device and a server.

45. The monitoring unit of claim 44, wherein the camera streams the processed data stream directly to the remote device.

46. The monitoring unit of claim 44, wherein the camera streams the processed data stream to the remote device via at least one intermediary device.

47. The monitoring unit of claim 44, wherein remote device processes the processed data stream using knowledge of a wide-angle geometry of the lens.

48. The monitoring unit of claim 47, wherein the processing comprises decompressing the processed data stream.

49. The monitoring unit of claim 48, wherein the remote device comprises a software codec, wherein the software codec decompresses the processed data stream.

50. The monitoring unit of claim 48, wherein the remote device comprises a hardware codec, wherein the hardware codec decompresses the processed data stream.

51. The monitoring unit of claim 47, wherein the processing comprises using three-dimensional (3D) rendering and mapping warped video to a 3D space representing at least a portion of the lens geometry.

52. The monitoring unit of claim 51, wherein the processing comprises displaying a 3D view of the collected images via a display coupled to the remote device.

53. The monitoring unit of claim 52, wherein the remote device comprises a user interface comprising control gestures for navigating around the 3D view presented via the display.

54. The monitoring unit of claim 53, wherein the navigating comprises at least one of panning and zooming around the 3D view presented via the display, wherein the control gestures comprise at least one of pinching gestures and swiping gestures.

55. The monitoring unit of claim 37, wherein the camera comprises at least one of a video camera and an imaging camera.

56. The monitoring unit of claim 37, wherein the camera comprises a CMOS sensor and very wide FOV lens.

57. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising an audio system.

58. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising an alarm siren.

59. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a motion sensor.

60. The monitoring unit of claim 59, wherein the motion sensor comprises a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor with a very wide FOV Fresnel lens.

61. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an environmental sensor.

62. The monitoring unit of claim 61, wherein the environmental sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.

63. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer.

64. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an ambient light sensor.

65. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising a power system.

66. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising at least one indicator coupled to the processor.

67. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one application generates at least one notification.

68. The monitoring unit of claim 67, wherein the at least one notification comprises one or more of a push message, an electronic mail, a telephone call, a Short-Message-Service (SMS) message, a notification to at least one contact.

69. The monitoring unit of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is coupled to one or more accessories.

70. The monitoring unit of claim 69, wherein the accessories are controlled by at least one of a timed schedule, a sunrise/sunset event, an ambient light level, and a temperature.

71. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising a rules engine executing on the processor.

72. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising a mobile application installed on the mobile device.

73. The monitoring unit of claim 72, wherein the mobile application generates a user interface presented on the mobile device, wherein the user interface provides access to at least one of the image and the sensor data.

74. The monitoring unit of claim 73, wherein the at least one application is at least one of accessed and controlled using the user interface.

75. The monitoring unit of claim 73, wherein the at least one sensor is controlled via the user interface.

76. The monitoring unit of claim 73, comprising at least one actuator coupled to the processor, wherein the at least one actuator is controlled via the user interface.

77. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising a heartbeat signal generated by the processor and transmitted to a remote device.

78. The monitoring unit of claim 1, comprising at least one remote server coupled to the network interface.

79. The monitoring unit of claim 78, wherein the coupling comprises at least one of a wide area network and a cellular network.

80. The monitoring unit of claim 78, wherein the at least one remote server comprises a central monitoring station.

81. The monitoring unit of claim 80, wherein the processor transmits to the central monitoring station at least one of the image and the sensor data.

82. The monitoring unit of claim 80, wherein the processor transmits to the central monitoring station a message comprising information representing at least one of the image and the sensor data.

83. The monitoring unit of claim 82, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile application.

84. The monitoring unit of claim 83, wherein the mobile application comprises an interface for enabling and disabling remote monitoring by the central monitoring station.

85. The monitoring unit of claim 83, wherein the mobile application comprises an interface for controlling characteristics of the message and transmission of the message.

86. A monitoring unit comprising:

a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors include an image sensor;

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors and the network interface; and

at least one application executing on the processor, wherein the processor receives sensor data from the plurality of sensors, wherein the processor generates an alert based upon a change in the sensor data, wherein the alert is sent via the network interface to a mobile device associated with a user.