Home security system and methodology for implementing the same

• US 5,150,099 A
• Filed: 07/19/1990
• Issued: 09/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emardot, LLC
• Original Assignee: Richard M. Lienau
• Inventors: Lienau, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US07/554,407
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 340/552-554, 367/93-94, 342/27-28, 342/44, 364/564
• US Class Current: 340/552
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field

Abstract

A home security detection system, incorporating an antenna phasing system for transmitting signals and receiving return signals, and computer software driven circuitry identifies specific characteristics of both stationary and movable objects in a monitored area to obtain a template. The system activates an alarm or interacts with other external alarm systems when the absence or presence of certain object-characteristics are identified as abnormal as compared to the template.

Claims

1. A security system for automatically determining that an unauthorized intruder has entered a monitored area comprising:

template forming means for forming a reference template of normal ambient digital signals representing the position of all stationary objects predetermined to be normal within said area and further containing allowable body digital signals representing the electromagnetic signature of each of a plurality of moving bodies predetermined to be allowable within said area;

a transmitter having an output antenna adapted to transmit energy into said monitored area;

a receiver having an input adapted to receive said energy transmitted into said area by said transmitter as reflected from objects within said area and further having an output;

signal processing means having an output and an iput, said input coupled to said receiver output, said signal processing means for processing said received energy into current digital signals representing the current position of all stationary objects within said area and of any moving body within said monitored area;

signal comparison means having an input and an output, said input coupled to said template forming means and to said output of said signal processing means for comparing the normal ambient digital signals and the allowable body digital signals contained in said template with the current digital signals processed in said signal processing means; and

an output indicator means connected to the output of said signal comparison means for indicating to a user of said system that an unauthorized intruder is in said monitored area if said comparisons are not within predetermined parameters.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprise:

conversion means for converting said reflected energy into digital signals representing the amplitude of said reflected energy;

temporary RAM storage means connected to said conversion means for temporarily storing said amplitude digital signals;

ROM storage means for storing a program capable of processing said amplitude digital signals to calculate the position of all stationary objects and of a moving object in said area; and

a central processing means connected to said ROM means and to said RAM means adapted to run said program stored in said ROM means using the amplitude digital signals from said RAM means whereby said current digital signals are created.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said template forming means is coupled to said signal processing means, and said reference template is automatically formed by said signal processing means when said unit accesses a training portion of said program upon initiation by a user of said system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said template forming means further comprises a control panel which allows a user of said system to manually add allowable body digital signals to said template, said allowable body digital signals representing an allowable body.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said control panel allows a user to manually subtract allowable body digital signals from said template.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said system is programmable to add certain allowable body digital signals from said template on a predetermined temporal basis.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said system is programmable to subtract certain allowable body digital signals from said template on a predetermined temporal basis.

8. The security system of claim 7 further comprising:

signal biasing means connected to said transmitter for effectively biasing a narrowly focused beam of said energy through an arc of 360 degrees in a predetermined plurality of discrete steps.

9. The security system of claim 8 wherein said energy are electromagnetic waves.

10. The security system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter comprises:

a single ended dipole antenna;

a high frequency oscillator; and

a feeder circuit.

11. The security system of claim 10 further comprising:

an alarm system connected to the output of said signal comparison means for alerting a user of said system that an unauthorized intruder is in said monitored area if said comparisons are not within predetermined parameters.

12. The security system of claim 11 further comprising:

input data means coupled to a plurality of sensory devices and to said signal processing means for creating a plurality of digital input data signals representing sensory information relating to said body and for sending said input data signals to said RAM storage means for temporary storage,

whereby a separate set of said temporarily stored input data signals is used with a corresponding set of said digital signals within said template forming means and within said signal processing means for allowing said signal comparison means to consider additional identifiable characteristics of said body in determining whether said body is unauthorized.

13. A system for automatically determining an identifying mass-related characteristic of a body moving in any direction within a monitored area including a plurality of objects therein, said monitored area being electrode free, comprising:

a radio frequency transmitter having an output antenna adapted to transmit discrete pulses of energy signals into said monitored area;

a radio frequency receiver having an input adapted to receive energy transmitted into said area as reflected from said objects and said body within said area and further having an output; and

signal processing means having an input coupled to said receiver output for processing said received reflected radio frequency energy into digital signals representing the reflective radio frequency cross section of said body, said reflective radio frequency cross section being an identifying mass-related characteristic of said body.

14. A system for automatically comparing an identifying mass-related characteristic of a body moving in any direction within a monitored area with a predetermined set of allowable characteristics, said area including a plurality of objects therein, comprising:

template forming means for forming a reference template containing digital signals representing the cross-sectional area of said objects predetermined to be allowable;

a transmitter having an output antenna adapted to transmit discrete pulses of energy signals into said monitored area;

a receiver having an input adapted to receive energy transmitted into said area as reflected from objects and said body within said area and further having an output;

signal processing means having an output and an input, said input coupled to said receiver output for processing said received energy into current digital signals representing the electromagnetic cross sectional area of said body, said cross-sectional area being an identifying mass-related characteristic of said body;

signal comparison means having an input and an output, said input coupled to said template forming means and to said output of said signal processing means for comparing the digital signals representing the electromagnetic cross-sectional area of said allowable object with the digital signals representing the electromagnetic cross-sectional area of said body; and

an output indicator means connected to the output of said signal comparison means for indicating to a user of said system the results of said comparison.

15. A method of automatically determining that an unauthorized intruder has entered a monitored area comprising the steps of:

forming a reference template containing normal ambient digital signals representing the position of all stationary objects predetermined to be normal within said area, and further containing allowable body digital signals representing the electromagnetic cross sectional area of each of a plurality of moving bodies predetermined to be allowable within said area;

transmitting energy into said monitored area;

receiving said energy transmitted into said area as reflected from objects and bodies within said area;

processing said received energy into current digital signals representing the current position of all stationary objects within said area and the electromagnetic cross sectional area of any moving body within said monitored area;

comparing the normal ambient digital signals and the allowable body digital signals contained in said template with the processed current digital signals; and

indicating to a user that an unauthorized intruder is in said monitored area if said comparisons are not within predetermined parameters.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of processing comprises:

converting said reflected energy into digital signals representing the amplitude of said reflected energy;

temporarily storing said digitized reflected signals;

storing a computer program capable of processing said digitized reflected signals to calculate the ambient position of all stationary objects and the electromagnetic cross-sectional area of a moving object in said area; and

generating said current digital signals by means of said stored program using the temporarily stored digitized reflected signals.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of receiving comprises:

receiving a first set of digitized reflected signals correlating to energy reflected from said body, said first set of signals representing the measured electromagnetic cross-section of said body at a first time, and further receiving subsequent sets of amplitude signals correlating to energy reflected from said body, said subsequent sets of signals representing the measured electromagnetic cross-section of said body at subsequent times;

determining the location of said body with said program using said first and subsequent sets of signals by assuming a predetermined relationship of said the magnitude signals relative to the distance of said body given a constant electromagnetic cross section for said body; and

determining the electromagnetic cross-sectional area of said body with said program using said electromagnetic cross section and distance equations.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said template is automatically formed from said steps of transmitting, receiving, and processing by initiating a training portion of said program.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

manually adding allowable body digital signals to said template, said allowable body digital signals representing an allowable body.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

manually deleting allowable body digital signals to said template, said allowable body digital signals representing an unauthorized body.