System and method for home automation and security

• US 8,063,761 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, III, Raymond Walden, Griffith, Laura Marie, Lund, Arnold M.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/425,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/511, 340/517, 340/521, 340/541, 340/3.1, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 379/45
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A home automation and security system is provided in which a home automation and security controller in a customer premises is coupled with a remotely located central control facility using a continuous connectivity access line providing a data channel separate from a voice channel. The controller at the customer premises is responsible for monitoring and applying control signals to devices in the home and for supporting a human interface. The remotely located central control facility is responsible for providing the computational and database resources to the controller. By redistributing functionality, the network-based structure of this home automation and security system can overcome the disadvantages of conventional home automation and security systems.

Claims

1. A method of operating a home automation system, comprising:

storing an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the expected occupancy schedule is to be used to determine whether an active security system should generate an alarm in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises;

receiving a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises; and

adjusting, with a logic circuit, the expected occupancy schedule based on the message.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising generating a report including information related to the adjusting of the expected occupancy schedule.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the message is generated by the device at a second premises in response to detecting a transponder associated with the resident.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the message is generated by the device at a second premises in response to receiving an identifier associated with the resident.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device is a second controller at a second premises remotely located from the first premises.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the first premises and the second premises are communicatively coupled via a server.

7. A home automation system, comprising:

an application, implemented using a tangible computer readable medium, to store an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the application is to use the expected occupancy schedule to determine whether an active security system should generate an alarm in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises, wherein the application is to receive a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises, and wherein the application is to adjust the expected occupancy schedule based on the message.

8. A home automation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the application is to generate a report including information related to the adjusting of the expected occupancy schedule.

9. A home automation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the message is to be generated by the device at a second premises in response to detecting a transponder associated with the first resident.

10. A home automation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the message is to be generated by the device at a second premises in response to receiving an identifier associated with the first resident.

11. A home automation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the application is implemented on a server remotely located from the first premises.

12. A home automation system as defined in claim 7, wherein the first controller is accessible via a remote computer over a network.

13. A home automation system as defined in claim 7, further comprising a network coupling a server implementing the application to the first premises.

14. A home automation system as defined in claim 13, wherein the first premises is communicatively coupled to a home automation and security server via a central office over a continuous connectivity access line.

15. A method of operating a home automation system, comprising:

storing an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises;

defining a first period of time in the expected occupancy schedule corresponding to a period of time during which a resident of the first premises is expected to be located at the first premises;

configuring an application to cause a first controller at the first premises to generate, using a logic circuit, a prompt for a code in response to receiving a security signal during the first period of time; and

configuring the application to cause the first controller to activate a security system without the prompt for the code in response to receiving a message from a second controller at a second premises indicating that the resident is located at the second premises during the period of time.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising generating a report including information related to the configuring of the application to cause the first controller to activate the security system without the prompt.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the message is generated by the second controller in response to detecting a transponder associated with the first resident.

18. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the message is generated by the second controller in response to receiving an identifier associated with the first resident.

19. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the application is implemented on a server remotely located from the first premises.

20. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the prompt is to be generated using an interactive voice response system.

21. A method of operating a home automation system, comprising:

storing an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the expected occupancy schedule is to be used to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises;

receiving a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises; and

adjusting, with a logic circuit, the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the message is generated by the device at a second premises in response to detecting a transponder associated with the resident.

22. A method of operating a home automation system, comprising:

storing an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the expected occupancy schedule is to be used to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises;

receiving a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises; and

adjusting, with a logic circuit, the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the message is generated by the device at a second premises in response to receiving an identifier associated with the resident.

23. A method of operating a home automation system, comprising:

storing an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the expected occupancy schedule is to be used to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises;

receiving a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises; and

adjusting, with a logic circuit, the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the device is a second controller at a second premises remotely located from the first premises.

24. A home automation system, comprising:

an application, implemented using a tangible computer readable medium, to store an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the application is to use the expected occupancy schedule to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises, wherein the application is to receive a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises, and wherein the application is to adjust the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the message is to be generated by the device at a second premises in response to detecting a transponder associated with the first resident.

25. A home automation system, comprising:

an application, implemented using a tangible computer readable medium, to store an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the application is to use the expected occupancy schedule to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises, wherein the application is to receive a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises, and wherein the application is to adjust the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the message is to be generated by the device at a second premises in response to receiving an identifier associated with the first resident.

26. A home automation system, comprising:

an application, implemented using a tangible computer readable medium, to store an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the application is to use the expected occupancy schedule to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises, wherein the application is to receive a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises, and wherein the application is to adjust the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the application is implemented on a server remotely located from the first premises.

27. A home automation system, comprising:

an application, implemented using a tangible computer readable medium, to store an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the application is to use the expected occupancy schedule to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises, wherein the application is to receive a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises, and wherein the application is to adjust the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, wherein the first controller is accessible via a remote computer over a network.

28. A home automation system, comprising:

an application, implemented using a tangible computer readable medium, to store an expected occupancy schedule having information related to an expected occupancy of a first premises, wherein the application is to use the expected occupancy schedule to determine whether a security system should be activated in response to receiving a signal from a first controller associated with the first premises, wherein the application is to receive a message from a device indicating that a resident of the first premises is not expected to be located at the first premises, and wherein the application is to adjust the expected occupancy schedule based on the message, further comprising a network coupling a server implementing the application to the first premises.