Security System and Alarm Activation Control

• US 20150102922A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stern, Peter, Witmer, Melinda C., Mayer, Adam, Williams, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/527
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system

Abstract

A controller arms an alarm aspect of a corresponding security system. The corresponding security system is initially configured to audibly activate an alarm in response to detecting motion of free-to-roam entities in a monitored location. The free-to-roam entities can be provided unrestricted access into the monitored location. In addition to monitoring for presence of motion at the monitored location, the security system monitors the location for presence of a disarming device. At times of detecting presence of the disarming device at the monitored location, the security system prevents activation of the alarm based on detecting the motion of the free-to-roam entities.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initially arming an a security system to activate an alarm in response to detecting motion of free-to-roam entities in a monitored location;

monitoring the location for a disarming device; and

at times of detecting presence of the disarming device at the monitored location, preventing activation of the alarm.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the free-to-roam entities have unrestricted access into the monitored location, the method further comprising:

continuously monitoring the location for the presence of the disarming device;

detecting motion of a free-to-roam entity at the monitored location; and

even though the motion is detected as being present at the monitored location, preventing activation of the alarm at the times in which the disarming device is detected as being present at the monitored location.

3. The method as in claim 2 further comprising:

initiating activation of the alarm at other times when the disarming device is detected as being absent from the monitored location and there is motion detected at the location.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein detecting presence of the disarming device includes:

receiving a wireless disarm signal generated by the disarming device, the wireless disarm signal received independent of a detected motion signal indicating movement of an object at the monitored location, the wireless disarm signal indicating to prevent activation of the alarm of the security system even though the movement of the object is detected as the monitored location.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

while the alarm of the corresponding security system is armed;

subsequent to detecting movement of an object at the location, delaying audible activation of the alarm to determine whether the disarming device is present at the location.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

subsequent to arming the alarm of the corresponding security system, detecting movement of an object at the location while the alarm is armed; and

prior to audibly activating the alarm in response to detecting the movement, transmitting a wireless query in the location to determine whether the disarming device is present at the location.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein detecting presence of the disarming device includes:

receiving a wireless response signal from the disarming device, the disarming device generating the wireless response signal in response to receiving the wireless query.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

in response to detecting the presence of the disarming device, preventing audible activation of the alarm even though motion is detected at the monitored location.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the disarming device at the location includes:

receiving a unique identifier value transmitted from the disarming device, the unique identifier value assigned to the disarming device.

10. The method as in claim 9 further comprising:

accessing control information, the control information including a set of unique identifier values of corresponding disarming devices that are authorized to disarm the alarm when present at the monitored location; and

in response to detecting from the control information that the disarming device assigned the unique identifier value is authorized to disarm the alarm, preventing audible activation of the alarm even though motion is present at the monitored location.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the control information specifies time segments in which presence of each of multiple different disarming devices at the location is able to disarm the alarm, the method further comprising:

receiving time information indicating when the disarming device was detected as being present at the monitored location; and

in response to detecting that the control information indicates that the disarming device assigned the unique identifier value is authorized to disarm the alarm, preventing audible activation of the alarm.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein the corresponding security system monitors each respective zone of multiple zones at the location for motion, the method further comprising:

preventing audible activation of the alarm at times when the disarming device is detected as being present in the respective zone even though there is motion in the respective zone.

13. A method comprising:

receiving input to operate a security system in a first mode in which the security system conditionally activates an alarm to indicate occurrence of motion in a monitored domain;

monitoring the domain for presence of a disarming device;

in response to detecting presence of the disarming device in the monitored domain, operating the security system in a second mode in which the security system prevents activation of the alarm at times of detecting motion in the domain; and

subsequent to detecting presence of the disarming device, in response to detecting absence of the disarming device from the monitored domain, operating the security system in the first mode again.

14. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

providing unrestricted access into the monitored domain.

15. The method as in claim 13, wherein operating the security system in the second mode includes:

preventing notification of an intrusion to a security agency managing occurrence of intrusions in the monitored domain even though motion is detected in the monitored domain.

16. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

during absence of the disarming device from the monitored region, activating the alarm in response to detecting motion in the monitored domain.

17. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

subsequent to detecting presence of motion in the monitored domain, delaying audible activation of the alarm to determine whether the disarming device is present in the monitored domain.

18. The method as in claim 17, wherein determining whether the disarming device is present in the monitored domain includes:

transmitting a wireless query in the monitored domain to determine whether the disarming device is present in the monitored domain; and

receiving a wireless response signal from the disarming device, the disarming device generating the wireless response signal in response to receiving the wireless query.

19. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

detecting presence of the disarming device in the monitored domain based on receipt of a wireless signal generated by the disarming device.

20. The method as in claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a unique identifier value from the disarming device, the unique identifier value assigned to the disarming device; and

in response to detecting, based on analysis of control information, that the disarming device assigned the unique identifier value is authorized to disarm the alarm, operating the security system in the second mode preventing audible activation of the alarm.

21. A computer system comprising:

computer processor hardware; and

a hardware storage resource coupled to the computer processor hardware, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of;

initially arming an a security system to activate an alarm in response to detecting motion of free-to-roam entities in a monitored location;

monitoring the location for a disarming device; and

at times of detecting presence of the disarming device at the monitored location, preventing activation of the alarm.

22. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein the free-to-roam entities have unrestricted access into the monitored location, the computer processor hardware further performing operations of:

continuously monitoring the location for the presence of the disarming device;

detecting motion of a free-to-roam entity at the monitored location; and

even though the motion is detected as being present at the monitored location, preventing activation of the alarm at the times in which the disarming device is detected as being present at the monitored location.

23. The computer system as in claim 22, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

initiating activation of the alarm at other times when the disarming device is detected as being absent from the monitored location and there is motion detected at the location.

24. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein detecting presence of the disarming device includes:

receiving a wireless disarm signal generated by the disarming device, the wireless disarm signal received independent of a detected motion signal indicating movement of an object at the monitored location, the wireless disarm signal indicating to prevent activation of the alarm of the security system even though the movement of the object is detected as the monitored location.

25. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

while the alarm of the corresponding security system is armed;

subsequent to detecting movement of an object at the location, delaying audible activation of the alarm to determine whether the disarming device is present at the location.

26. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

subsequent to arming the alarm of the corresponding security system, detecting movement of an object at the location while the alarm is armed; and

prior to audibly activating the alarm in response to detecting the movement, transmitting a wireless query in the location to determine whether the disarming device is present at the location.

27. The computer system as in claim 26, wherein detecting presence of the disarming device includes:

receiving a wireless response signal from the disarming device, the disarming device generating the wireless response signal in response to receiving the wireless query.

28. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

in response to detecting the presence of the disarming device, preventing audible activation of the alarm even though motion is detected at the monitored location.

29. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein detecting the presence of the disarming device at the location includes:

receiving a unique identifier value transmitted from the disarming device, the unique identifier value assigned to the disarming device.

30. The computer system as in claim 29, wherein the computer processor hardware further performs operations of:

accessing control information, the control information including a set of unique identifier values of corresponding disarming devices that are authorized to disarm the alarm when present at the monitored location; and

in response to detecting from the control information that the disarming device assigned the unique identifier value is authorized to disarm the alarm, preventing audible activation of the alarm even though motion is present at the monitored location.

31. The computer system as in claim 30, wherein the control information specifies time segments in which presence of each of multiple different disarming devices at the location is able to disarm the alarm, the computer processor hardware further performing operations of:

receiving time information indicating when the disarming device was detected as being present at the monitored location; and

in response to detecting that the control information indicates that the disarming device assigned the unique identifier value is authorized to disarm the alarm, preventing audible activation of the alarm.

32. The computer system as in claim 21, wherein the corresponding security system monitors each respective zone of multiple zones at the location for motion, the computer processor hardware further performing operations of:

preventing audible activation of the alarm at times when the disarming device is detected as being present in the respective zone even though there is motion in the respective zone.

33. Computer-readable hardware storage having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, causes the computer processor hardware to perform operations of:

providing unrestricted access into a monitored domain;

operating a security system to conditionally activate an alarm depending on detection of an intrusion into the monitored domain;

monitoring the domain for a disarming device; and

while the disarming device is detected as being present in the monitored domain, preventing activation of the alarm.