System and method for home automation and security

• US 9,355,538 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• 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, Raymond Walden, Griffith, Laura Marie, Lund, Arnold M.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US14/841,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20150371512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/511, 340/517, 340/521, 340/3.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Systems and methods for home automation and security are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include detecting an entrant at a first location at a first time. Disclosed example methods also include determining, according to an occupancy schedule, that a person is expected to be at the first location at the first time. Disclosed example methods further include, in response to an indication from a device at a second location different than the first location that the person is located at the second location at the first time, activating an alarm without initiating a prompt for the entrant to enter a security pass code.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, with a processor, an entrant at a first location at a first time;

determining, with the processor and according to an occupancy schedule, that a person is expected to be at the first location at the first time; and

in response to an indication from a device at a second location different than the first location that the person is located at the second location at the first time, activating an alarm, with the processor, without initiating a prompt for the entrant to enter a security pass code.

2. The method of claim 1, further including, when the indication is not present, initiating the prompt for the entrant to enter the security pass code before activating the alarm.

3. The method of claim 2, further including using a speaker at the first location to prompt the entrant to enter the security pass code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the using of the speaker at the first location to prompt the entrant to enter the security pass code includes prompting the entrant to enter the security pass code on a telephone of the first location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the occupancy schedule includes information indicative of times of day at which the person is expected to be at the first location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device at the second location is at least part of a home automation system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the home automation system is to detect a transponder being worn by the person to determine that the person is at the second location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the home automation system is to detect an identifier entered by the person to determine that the person is at the second location.

9. An apparatus comprising:

memory including computer readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the computer readable instructions to perform operations including;

detecting an entrant at a first location at a first time;

in response to determining, according to an occupancy schedule, that a person is expected to be at the first location at the first time, initiating a prompt for the entrant to enter a security pass code before activating an alarm; and

in response to an indication from a device at a second location different than the first location that the person is located at the second location at the first time, activating the alarm without initiating the prompt for the entrant to enter the security pass code.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the operations further include using a speaker at the first location to prompt the entrant to enter the security pass code.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the using of the speaker at the first location to prompt the entrant to enter the security pass code includes prompting the entrant to enter the security pass code on a telephone of the first location.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the occupancy schedule includes information indicative of times of day at which the person is expected to be at the first location.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device at the second location is at least part of a home automation system.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the home automation system is to detect a transponder being worn by the person to determine that the person is at the second location.

15. A tangible computer readable storage device including computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting an entrant at a first location at a first time;

in response to determining, according to an occupancy schedule, that a person is expected to be at the first location at the first time, initiating a prompt for the entrant to enter a security pass code before activating an alarm; and

in response to an indication from a device at a second location different than the first location that the person is located at the second location at the first time, activating the alarm without initiating the prompt for the entrant to enter the security pass code.

16. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further include using a speaker at the first location to prompt the entrant to enter the security pass code.

17. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the using of the speaker at the first location to prompt the entrant to enter the security pass code includes prompting the entrant to enter the security pass code on a telephone of the first location.

18. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the occupancy schedule includes information indicative of times of day at which the person is expected to be at the first location.

19. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the device at the second location is at least part of a home automation system.

20. The tangible computer readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the home automation system is to detect a transponder being worn by the person to determine that the person is at the second location.