Location based monitoring system alerts

• US 9,196,148 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutz, David James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US14/215,565
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems

Abstract

Monitoring system alert technology, in which monitoring system data is accessed from a monitoring system that is located in a property of a user and the monitoring system data is analyzed against one or more rules that define alerts provided for the monitoring system. Based on the analysis, a determination is made that an alert for the monitoring system is needed and conditions for providing the alert are accessed. Location of a mobile device of a user associated with the monitoring system and timing related to providing the alert are monitored. The monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing are analyzed with respect to the accessed conditions. Based on the analysis, a determination is made that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met and the alert is output at the mobile device.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

accessing monitoring system data collected by a monitoring system that is located in a property of a user, the monitoring system including sensors that are fixed within the property and that sense attributes of the property;

analyzing the monitoring system data against one or more rules that define alerts provided for the monitoring system;

based on the analysis of the monitoring system data against the one or more rules that define alerts provided for the monitoring system, determining that an alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules;

accessing conditions for providing the alert, the accessed conditions defining one or more geographic conditions that correspond to location of a mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system and one or more timing conditions that correspond to timing related to providing the alert;

monitoring location of the mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system;

monitoring timing related to providing the alert;

analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions;

based on the analysis of the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions, determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met; and

based on the determination that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met, causing output of the alert at the mobile device.

2. The electronic system of claim 1:

wherein determining that the alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules comprises determining that an alert for replacement of a product in the property is needed;

wherein accessing conditions for providing the alert comprises accessing conditions that indicate that the alert should be provided based on the mobile device being located within a threshold distance of a store that sells the product at a time during which the store is open;

wherein analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions comprises comparing the monitored location of the mobile device to the threshold distance from the store and comparing the monitored timing to a time range during which the store is open;

wherein determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met comprises determining that the monitored location of the mobile device is within the threshold distance of the store and the monitored timing is within the time range during which the store is open based on the comparison of the monitored location of the mobile device to the threshold distance from the store and the comparison of the monitored timing to the time range during which the store is open; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device when the mobile device is located within the threshold distance of the store at the time during which the store is open.

3. The electronic system of claim 1:

wherein the one or more geographic conditions require the mobile device to be within a threshold distance of a particular location for the alert to be provided;

wherein the one or more timing conditions require the threshold distance from the particular location to adjust as time from the determination that the alert for the monitoring system is needed increases;

wherein analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions comprises;

determining that the threshold distance from the particular location needs to be adjusted based on the one or more timing conditions;

adjusting the threshold distance from the particular location based on the determination that the threshold distance from the particular location needs to be adjusted based on the one or more timing conditions; and

comparing the monitored location of the mobile device to the adjusted threshold distance from the particular location; and

wherein determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met comprises determining that the monitored location of the mobile device is within the adjusted threshold distance from the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored location of the mobile device to the adjusted threshold distance from the particular location.

4. The electronic system of claim 1:

wherein accessing conditions for providing the alert comprises accessing location conditions for providing the alert that relate to locations of multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system;

wherein monitoring location of the mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system comprises monitoring locations of the multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system;

wherein analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions comprises analyzing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions;

wherein determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met comprises determining that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met based on the analysis of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met.

5. The electronic system of claim 4, wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met comprises:

customizing the alert based on the one or more location conditions determined to have been met; and

causing output of the customized alert at the mobile device.

6. The electronic system of claim 4:

wherein accessing location conditions for providing the alert that relate to locations of multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system comprises accessing location conditions that require more than one of the multiple mobile devices to be located at a particular location for the alert to be provided;

wherein analyzing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises comparing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location;

wherein determining that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met based on the analysis of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises determining that more than one of the multiple mobile devices are located at the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that more than one of the multiple mobile devices are located at the particular location.

7. The electronic system of claim 4:

wherein accessing location conditions for providing the alert that relate to locations of multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system comprises accessing location conditions that require at least one of the multiple mobile devices to be located at a particular location for the alert to be provided;

wherein analyzing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises comparing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location;

wherein determining that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met based on the analysis of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises determining that a first mobile device of the multiple mobile devices is located at the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met comprises causing output of the alert at a second mobile device of the multiple mobile devices based on the determination that the first mobile device of the multiple mobile devices is located at the particular location, the second mobile device being different from the first mobile device, the second mobile device being located remote from the particular location, and the alert including an indication that the first mobile device is located at the particular location and an option for requesting the first mobile device to take action with respect to the alert.

8. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input regarding status of the alert output at the mobile device;

tracking status of the alert based on the received user input; and

tailoring future communications related to the alert based on the tracked status of the alert.

9. The electronic system of claim 1:

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device with a control to snooze the alert until the mobile device of the user arrives at a particular location; and

wherein the operations further comprise;

adjusting the conditions for providing the alert to require that the mobile device of the user be located at the particular location for the alert to be provided;

based on adjustment of the conditions for providing the alert, comparing the monitored location of the mobile device to the particular location;

determining that the mobile device of the user is located at the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored location of the mobile device to the particular location; and

causing output of a reminder for the alert based on the determination that the mobile device of the user is located at the particular location.

10. The electronic system of claim 1:

wherein determining that the alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules comprises determining, at a first time, that the alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules;

wherein monitoring location of the mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system comprises monitoring location of the mobile device after the first time; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing, at a second time, output of the alert at the mobile device, the second time being at least twenty-four hours after the first time.

11. A method comprising:

accessing monitoring system data collected by a monitoring system that is located in a property of a user, the monitoring system including sensors that are fixed within the property and that sense attributes of the property;

analyzing the monitoring system data against one or more rules that define alerts provided for the monitoring system;

based on the analysis of the monitoring system data against the one or more rules that define alerts provided for the monitoring system, determining that an alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules;

accessing conditions for providing the alert, the accessed conditions defining one or more geographic conditions that correspond to location of a mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system and one or more timing conditions that correspond to timing related to providing the alert;

monitoring location of the mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system;

monitoring timing related to providing the alert;

analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions;

based on the analysis of the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions, determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met; and

based on the determination that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met, causing output of the alert at the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11:

wherein determining that the alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules comprises determining that an alert for replacement of a product in the property is needed;

wherein accessing conditions for providing the alert comprises accessing conditions that indicate that the alert should be provided based on the mobile device being located within a threshold distance of a store that sells the product at a time during which the store is open;

wherein analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions comprises comparing the monitored location of the mobile device to the threshold distance from the store and comparing the monitored timing to a time range during which the store is open;

wherein determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met comprises determining that the monitored location of the mobile device is within the threshold distance of the store and the monitored timing is within the time range during which the store is open based on the comparison of the monitored location of the mobile device to the threshold distance from the store and the comparison of the monitored timing to the time range during which the store is open; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device when the mobile device is located within the threshold distance of the store at the time during which the store is open.

13. The method of claim 11:

wherein the one or more geographic conditions require the mobile device to be within a threshold distance of a particular location for the alert to be provided;

wherein the one or more timing conditions require the threshold distance from the particular location to adjust as time from the determination that the alert for the monitoring system is needed increases;

wherein analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions comprises;

determining that the threshold distance from the particular location needs to be adjusted based on the one or more timing conditions;

adjusting the threshold distance from the particular location based on the determination that the threshold distance from the particular location needs to be adjusted based on the one or more timing conditions; and

comparing the monitored location of the mobile device to the adjusted threshold distance from the particular location; and

wherein determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met comprises determining that the monitored location of the mobile device is within the adjusted threshold distance from the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored location of the mobile device to the adjusted threshold distance from the particular location.

14. The method of claim 11:

wherein accessing conditions for providing the alert comprises accessing location conditions for providing the alert that relate to locations of multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system;

wherein monitoring location of the mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system comprises monitoring locations of the multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system;

wherein analyzing the monitored location of the mobile device and the monitored timing with respect to the accessed conditions comprises analyzing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions;

wherein determining that the accessed conditions for providing the alert are met comprises determining that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met based on the analysis of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met comprises:

customizing the alert based on the one or more location conditions determined to have been met; and

causing output of the customized alert at the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 14:

wherein accessing location conditions for providing the alert that relate to locations of multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system comprises accessing location conditions that require more than one of the multiple mobile devices to be located at a particular location for the alert to be provided;

wherein analyzing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises comparing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location;

wherein determining that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met based on the analysis of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises determining that more than one of the multiple mobile devices are located at the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that more than one of the multiple mobile devices are located at the particular location.

17. The method of claim 14:

wherein accessing location conditions for providing the alert that relate to locations of multiple mobile devices associated with the monitoring system comprises accessing location conditions that require at least one of the multiple mobile devices to be located at a particular location for the alert to be provided;

wherein analyzing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises comparing the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location;

wherein determining that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met based on the analysis of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices with respect to the accessed location conditions comprises determining that a first mobile device of the multiple mobile devices is located at the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored locations of the multiple mobile devices to the particular location; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device based on the determination that one or more of the accessed location conditions are met comprises causing output of the alert at a second mobile device of the multiple mobile devices based on the determination that the first mobile device of the multiple mobile devices is located at the particular location, the second mobile device being different from the first mobile device, the second mobile device being located remote from the particular location, and the alert including an indication that the first mobile device is located at the particular location and an option for requesting the first mobile device to take action with respect to the alert.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving user input regarding status of the alert output at the mobile device;

tracking status of the alert based on the received user input; and

tailoring future communications related to the alert based on the tracked status of the alert.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing output of the alert at the mobile device with a control to snooze the alert until the mobile device of the user arrives at a particular location, further comprising:

adjusting the conditions for providing the alert to require that the mobile device of the user be located at the particular location for the alert to be provided;

based on adjustment of the conditions for providing the alert, comparing the monitored location of the mobile device to the particular location;

determining that the mobile device of the user is located at the particular location based on the comparison of the monitored location of the mobile device to the particular location; and

causing output of a reminder for the alert based on the determination that the mobile device of the user is located at the particular location.

20. The method of claim 11:

wherein determining that the alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules comprises determining, at a first time, that the alert for the monitoring system is needed to accord with the one or more rules;

wherein monitoring location of the mobile device of the user associated with the monitoring system comprises monitoring location of the mobile device after the first time; and

wherein causing output of the alert at the mobile device comprises causing, at a second time, output of the alert at the mobile device, the second time being at least twenty-four hours after the first time.