Parcel Theft Deterrence for Wireless Audio/Video Recording and Communication Devices

• US 20180082554A1
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Published: 03/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ring Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siminoff, James, Russell, Stephen Grant
• Granted Patent: US 10,878,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19613 Recognition of a predetermined image pattern or behaviour pattern indicating theft or intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186

Abstract

Dual-camera audio/video (A/V) recording and communication devices in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure are provided. In one embodiment, a dual-camera A/V recording and communication device comprises a first camera, a second camera configured to capture image data of a drop-off zone, a communication module, and a processing module, the processing module comprising: a processor, and a zone monitoring application, wherein the zone monitoring application configures the processor to: determine when a parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone using the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera, determine when the parcel has been removed from the drop-off zone using the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera, and transmit a notification to a user'"'"'s client device, using the communication module, when the parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone.

Claims

1. A dual-camera audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device, comprising:

a first camera;

a second camera configured to capture image data of a drop-off zone;

a communication module; and

a processing module operatively connected to the first camera, the second camera, and the communication module, the processing module comprising;

a processor; and

a zone monitoring application, wherein the zone monitoring application configures the processor to;

determine when a parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone using the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera;

determine when the parcel has been removed from the drop-off zone using the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera; and

transmit a notification to a user'"'"'s client device, using the communication module, when the parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone.

2. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine whether removal of the parcel from the drop-off zone was authorized.

3. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 2, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine whether removal of the parcel from the drop-off zone was authorized by detecting a direction of movement of the parcel using the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera.

4. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 2, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine whether removal of the parcel from the drop-off zone was authorized based upon a time of day that the parcel was removed from the drop-off zone.

5. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 2, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to generate at least one alert upon a determination that the removal of the parcel from the drop-off zone was not authorized.

6. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 5, further comprising a speaker, wherein the speaker is operatively connected to the processing module and is configured to play an audio recording corresponding to the generated at least one alert.

7. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 5, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to transmit the generated at least one alert to the user'"'"'s client device using the communication module.

8. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone by comparing the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera at a first time and the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera at a second time after the first time.

9. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been removed from the drop-off zone by comparing the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera at a first time and the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera at a second time after the first time.

10. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, wherein the image data of the drop-off zone captured by the second camera comprises automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) data located on the parcel.

11. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 10, wherein the AIDC data comprises a barcode.

12. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 10, wherein the AIDC data comprises a matrix code.

13. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 10, wherein the AIDC data comprises a bokode.

14. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 10, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone by using the AIDC data.

15. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 10, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been removed from the drop-off zone by using the AIDC data.

16. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, wherein the RFID reader is operatively connected to the processing module and configured to captured RFID data from an RFID tag located on the parcel.

17. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 16, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone by using the RFID data.

18. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 16, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been removed from the drop-off zone by using the RFID data.

19. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to determine when the parcel has been placed in the drop-off zone by receiving parcel tracking data from a carrier that delivered the parcel.

20. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 1, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to receive parcel tracking data using the communication module.

21. The dual-camera A/V recording and communication device of claim 20, wherein the zone monitoring application further configures the processor to set the second camera in a low-power mode until an expected delivery time of the parcel based upon the received parcel tracking data.