System and method for home security monitoring using a television set-top box

• US 9,258,593 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, John Anthony, Yu, Jian, Filippi, Geoff
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US13/357,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895

Abstract

Techniques disclosed herein enable automated home security monitoring via a television connected to a set-top box, such as a cable set-top box. Such techniques integrate the television with a home security system. A television viewer can use the television to control, interact, and automatically receive information about home security events in real-time. A television viewer can control lighting, and room temperature, and arm/disarm sensors in the home such as door sensors, motion detectors, cameras, etc, as well as access camera images. Events from such sensors can be monitored or viewed on the television set when they are triggered. For example, when triggered, an icon representing the sensor can be shown on the television screen, or in case of a camera, an image or video can be shown that cause the triggered event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of home security monitoring, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving configuration input at a television set-top box via a television interface of a television connected to the television set-top box, the configuration input affecting configuration settings of a home security detection system, the home security detection system including a control panel and multiple wireless sensor devices installed in a corresponding home, the television set-top box being configured to receive a television signal from an external source, and to convert the television signal into television content deliverable to the television;

transmitting the configuration settings of the home security detection system from the television set-top box to a proxy server over a cable television (CATV) network through a cable modem termination system (CMTS), the proxy server being disposed between the television set-top box and a home security server, the television set-top box and the proxy server being communicably coupled within the CATV network, the CATV network having a cable headend including the CMTS, the proxy server being in communication with the home security server, and the home security server being in communication with the control panel installed in the corresponding home;

receiving, at the television set-top box over the CATV network through the CMTS from the proxy server, home security information corresponding to home security events detected by one or more of the wireless sensor devices installed in the corresponding home, the home security information being provided to the proxy server by the home security server, the home security information being received, substantially in real-time, in response to a connection trigger from the proxy server that is compliant with a predetermined application platform for the television set-top box; and

delivering the home security information from the television set-top box to the television such that the television displays the home security information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving home security information corresponding to home security events comprises omitting data corresponding to predetermined home sensors such that home security events from less than a total number of installed home sensors are received at the television set-top box.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving home security information corresponding to home security events comprises receiving a redacted version of home security events received at the proxy server from the home security server.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving home security information corresponding to home security events includes at least one home security event triggered by a motion detection sensor.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein delivering the home security information from the television set-top box to the television such that the television displays the home security information includes displaying an alert on the television corresponding to a given home security event;

receiving selection input, via the television, that selects the displayed alert; and

in response to receiving the selection input, displaying additional information corresponding to the given home security event, the additional information retrieved from the proxy server.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein displaying the additional information includes displaying one or more images captured by a home security camera corresponding to the given home security event.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the one or more images have been transcoded at the proxy server prior to being transmitted to the television set-top box.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the television set-top box is a cable television set-top box receiving a cable television signal from a cable television provider in addition to receiving home security events from the proxy server.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the cable television signal is received at the television set-top box via a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network, and wherein the television set-top box is executing OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP).

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing each of the transmitting of the configuration settings to the proxy server and the receiving of the home security information from the proxy server over the CATV network through the CMTS, using a two-way communication mechanism of encoded messages between the television set-top box and the proxy server.

11. A television set-top box, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the television set-top box to perform the operations of;

receiving configuration input via a television interface of a television connected to the television set-top box, the configuration input affecting configuration settings of a home security detection system, the home security detection system including a control panel and multiple wireless sensor devices installed in a corresponding home, the television set-top box being configured to receive a television signal from an external source, and to convert the television signal into television content deliverable to the television;

transmitting the configuration settings of the home security detection system to a proxy server over a cable television (CATV) network through a cable modem termination system (CMTS), the proxy server being disposed between the television set-top box and a home security server, the television set-top box and the proxy server being communicably coupled within the CATV network, the CATV network having a cable headend including the CMTS, the proxy server being in communication with the home security server, and the home security server being in communication with the control panel installed in the corresponding home;

receiving, at the television set-top box over the CATV network through the CMTS from the proxy server, home security information corresponding to home security events detected by one or more of the wireless sensor devices installed in the corresponding home, the home security information being provided to the proxy server by the home security server, the home security information being received, substantially in real-time, in response to a connection trigger from the proxy server that is compliant with a predetermined application platform for the television set-top box; and

delivering the home security information from the television set-top box to the television such that the television displays the home security information.

12. The television set-top box of claim 11, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the television set-top box to perform each of the operations of transmitting the configuration settings to the proxy server and receiving the home security information from the proxy server over the CATV network through the CMTS, using a two-way communication mechanism of encoded messages between the television set-top box and the proxy server.

13. A computer-implemented method of home security monitoring, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a proxy server over a cable television (CATV) network through a cable modem termination system (CMTS) from a television set-top box, configuration settings of a home security detection system, the home security detection system including a control panel and multiple wireless sensor devices installed in a corresponding home, the television set-top box being configured to receive television signals from an external source separate from the proxy server, and to convert the television signals into television content deliverable to a television, the proxy server being disposed between the television set-top box and a home security server, the proxy server, the television set-top box, and the home security server being communicably coupled within the CATV network, the CATV network having a cable headend including the CMTS;

establishing, by the proxy server, communications with the home security server over the CATV network through the CMTS, the home security server being in communication with the control panel installed in the corresponding home;

receiving, at the proxy server over the CATV network through the CMTS from the home security server, home security events detected by the home security detection system;

identifying, at the proxy server, reportable home security events by comparing the home security events received at the proxy server with the configuration settings received from the television set-top box;

formatting, at the proxy server, reportable home security events as home security information according to a protocol of the television set-top box; and

transmitting, from the proxy server over the CATV network through the CMTS, the home security information to the television set-top box such that the television displays the home security information, the home security information being transmitted, substantially in real-time, using a connection trigger that is compliant with a predetermined application platform for the television set-top box.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein identifying reportable home security events comprises omitting data corresponding to predetermined home sensors such that the home security information transmitted to the television set-top box corresponds to home security events associated with a portion of installed home sensors that is less than a total number of installed home sensors.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein receiving home security events detected by the home security detection system includes receiving the home security events from the home security server in communication with the control panel installed in the corresponding home, the home security server being in a remote location relative to the control panel installed in the corresponding home.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

establishing a connection to the home security server;

releasing the connection to the home security server prior to a connection timeout; and

reestablishing the connection with the home security server.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein home security events detected by the home security detection system include at least one home security event triggered by a motion detection sensor.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request for one or more images captured by a home security camera corresponding to the at least one home security event;

transcoding the one or more images to a format readable by the television set-top box, and reducing a file size of the one or more images; and

transmitting the one or more images to the television set-top box.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a request from the television set-top box to view status of at least one door or window sensor;

retrieving status of the at least one door or window sensor; and

transmitting status of the at least one door or window sensor to the television set-top box.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the television set-top box is a cable television set-top box receiving a cable television signal from a cable television provider in addition to receiving home security events from the proxy server.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein the cable television signal is received at the television set-top box via a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network, and wherein the television set-top box is executing OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP).

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

performing each of the receiving of the configuration settings from the television set-top box and the transmitting of the home security information to the television set-top box over the CATV network through the CMTS, using a two-way communication mechanism of encoded messages between the proxy server and the television set-top box.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the home security events from the home security server includes receiving the home security events from the home security server over the CATV network through the CMTS, using Internet protocol (IP) based messaging between the proxy server and the home security server.

24. A proxy server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the proxy server to perform the operations of;

receiving, over a cable television (CATV) network through a cable modem termination system (CMTS) from a television set-top box, configuration settings of a home security detection system, the home security detection system including a control panel and multiple wireless sensor devices installed in a corresponding home, the television set-top box being configured to receive television signals from an external source separate from the proxy server, and to convert the television signals into television content deliverable to a television, the proxy server being disposed between the television set-top box and a home security server, the proxy server, the television set-top box, and the home security server being communicably coupled within the CATV network, the CATV network having a cable headend including the CMTS;

establishing communications with the home security server over the CATV network through the CMTS, the home security server being in communication with the control panel installed in the corresponding home;

receiving, over the CATV network through the CMTS from the home security server, home security events detected by the home security detection system;

identifying reportable home security events by comparing the home security events with the configuration settings received from the television set-top box;

formatting reportable home security events as home security information according to a protocol of the television set-top box; and

transmitting, over the CATV network through the CMTS, the home security information to the television set-top box such that the television displays the home security information, the home security information being transmitted, substantially in real-time, using a connection trigger that is compliant with a predetermined application platform for the television set-top box.

25. The proxy server of claim 24, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the proxy server to perform the operations of receiving the configuration settings from the television set-top box and transmitting the home security information to the television set-top box over the CATV network through the CMTS, using a two-way communication mechanism of encoded messages between the proxy server and the television set-top box.

26. The proxy server of claim 24 wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the proxy server to perform the operation of receiving the home security events from the home security server over the CATV network through the CMTS, using Internet protocol (IP) based messaging between the proxy server and the home security server.