Automated detection and monitoring (ADAM)

• US 5,781,108 A
• Filed: 11/14/1995
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Future Tech Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Future Tech Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Stewart, Jeffrey S., Jacob, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/557,285
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 340/541, 340/545, 340/551, 340/565, 340/567, 340/555, 340/517, 340/521, 340/522, 340/550, 340/552, 340/553, 340/554, 340/692, 340/825.06
• US Class Current: 340/552
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/002 with occupancy simulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A monitoring and detection system that continually monitors a person(s) presence passing through areas such as rooms, homes, buildings and the like. The system can include multiple operating modes such as a home mode for greeting visitors and normal facility users as well as a secure mode for protecting the facility and occupants from intruders. The novel system provides for multi-task control of all electrical functions in a home such as air conditioning, lights, power and the like. The system can operate events via completely timed static events(i.e. for preselected time periods). The invention can also be used to activate or deactivate events through sensor detection. The preferred embodiment uses ultrasonic sweep sensors which can be programmed to automatically detect person(s) animal(s) that cross protected areas over certain times of the day, week, month based on different conditions, as well as dry contact sensors such as contact switches for doors and windows and the like. The ultrasonic sensors can further have their sweep signals change their operating sweeping ranges during certain times of the day, week, month and over time. The invention can further be used be used to activate and deactivate events directly and/or remotely. Finally, the invention can use any combination of multi-task controls of the above. The invention uses audible greetings with these systems to welcome person(s) approaching homes, buildings, rooms and the like. Selected verbal communications, sounds and the like can be selectively input into the system for later desired playback. The system allows for a person passing through an area to be directed to points of interest in an area such as a lamp, entertainment center, wall-hanging and the like. In a second secure mode, the ultrasonic sensors, and dry contacts can sense for intruders to activate verbal voice warnings through interior and exterior speakers, and further activate sirens, lights and remote alarms.

Claims

1. A system for automatically detecting and monitoring moving objects outside and inside of a building comprising:

(a) exterior sensing means for detecting a person approaching an entrance way to a building and providing a first signal when the person is within a first preselected range;

(b) exterior audio means for generating a greeting voice message to the visitor in response to the first signal;

(c) interior audio means for alerting a building occupant in response to the first signal, the interior audio means chosen from at least one of a voice message and a doorbell; and

(d) interior sensor means for detecting the building occupant entering a room to activate an electrical device in the room and for deactivating the electrical device when the occupant exits the room.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical device is chosen from at least one of:

a light, a ceiling fan, an air conditioning heating and cooling system and a television and stereo system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) interior bedroom sensor means for activating an overhead light when the building occupant enters a bedroom, the interior sensor means further activates a bedroom lamp when the occupant is a preselected distance from a bed in the bedroom while deactivating the overhead light.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an air conditioning unit activated by detection of the building occupant in the bedroom, the air conditioning unit deactivated by the building occupant exiting the bedroom.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) bathroom sensor means for activating a light and fan when the building occupant enters the bathroom and deactivating the light and the fan when the building occupant exits the bathroom.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

exterior lights activated by the first signal from the exterior sensing means during selected night hours.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing means includes a range sensor chosen from at least one of:

an acoustical transducer, a radar transducer, an ultrasonic transducer, and an infra-red transducer.

8. A multimode system for automatically detecting and monitoring of persons both inside and outside of a building facility, the system comprising:

a home mode having interior building sensors and exterior building sensors that activate electrical devices when a person enters into and passes through the building, the home mode deactivating the electrical devices as the person passes a preselected range beyond the interior and the exterior building sensors; and

a security mode for the exterior sensors, the security mode activating a first alarm when another person is within a first preselected range outside the building, the security mode activating a second alarm when the another person is within a second preselected range which is less than the first preselected range, and the security mode activating a third alarm when the another person is within a third preselected range which is less than the second preselected range, wherein the first alarm, the second alarm and the third alarm are dissimilar from one another.

9. The multimode system of claim 8, the exterior sensors in the security mode including:

the first preselected range being approximately twenty feet or less to the building;

the second preselected range being approximately ten feet or less to the building;

the third preselected range being approximately one foot to the building; and

wherein the first alarm, the second alarm and the third alarm each include at least one of;

a voice warning message directed inside the building, a voice warning message directed outside the building, interior lights activated, exterior lights activated, a siren activated, a sprinkler activated, and a remote alarm activated.

10. The multimode system of claim 9, the home mode including:

exterior audio means activated in response to the exterior sensing means detecting a visitor approaching an entrance way to the building, the exterior audio means generating a greeting voice message to the visitor approaching the entrance way;

interior audio means alerting a building occupant to the approaching visitor automatically activating a doorbell to the occupant; and

interior electrical devices activated by the interior sensor means for detecting the person entering a room, the electrical devices deactivated when the person exits the room, the electrical devices chosen from at least one of;

a light, a ceiling fan, air conditioning, television, and a stereo.