Geo-location services

• US 9,417,073 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Jeremy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US14/327,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/222 Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method for geo-location services is described. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring a status of an entrance associated with a dwelling, monitoring an occupancy in relation to the dwelling, and upon detecting an occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling and the status of the entrance of the dwelling is in an open state, generating a notification. In some cases, the entrance includes at least one of a doorway, a garage door, a gate, and a window.

Claims

1. A method for geo-location services, the method comprising:

monitoring, via a processor of a control panel, a status of an entrance associated with a dwelling;

monitoring, via the processor, an occupancy in relation to the dwelling;

detecting, via the processor, an occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling;

detecting, via the processor, the entrance associated with the dwelling is in an open state; and

upon detecting the occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling and the status of the entrance associated with the dwelling is in an open state;

generating, via the processor, a notification;

determining, via the processor, whether a second occupant remains at the dwelling;

upon determining the second occupant remains at the dwelling, selecting, via the processor, a device at the dwelling and sending the notification to the selected device at the dwelling and bypassing sending the notification to a device with the occupant; and

upon determining no occupant remains at the dwelling, selecting, via the processor, the device with the occupant and sending the notification to the selected device with the occupant and bypassing sending the notification to the device at the dwelling.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the entrance comprises at least one of a doorway, a garage door, a gate, and a window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling comprises detecting a location of the occupant beyond a predetermined distance from the dwelling.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a prompt to close the entrance remotely.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises at least one image captured in relation to the entrance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the notification to a device associated with the occupant; and

upon receiving no response from the occupant within a predetermined time period, sending the notification to a member of a community contact list, wherein the community contact list comprises contacts from a predetermined geographic area.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining which contact on the community contact list is nearest to the dwelling; and

sending the notification to the contact on the community contact list determined to be nearest to the dwelling.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

designating a member of the community contact list as a trusted contact; and

sending the notification to one or more members of the community contact list designated as trusted contacts.

9. A computing device configured for geo-location services, comprising:

a processor of a control panel;

memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of;

monitoring a status of an entrance associated with a dwelling;

monitoring an occupancy in relation to the dwelling;

detecting an occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling;

detecting the entrance associated with the dwelling is in an open state; and

upon detecting the occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling and the status of the entrance associated with the dwelling is in an open state, the processor to perform the steps of;

generating a notification;

determining whether a second occupant remains at the dwelling;

upon determining the second occupant remains at the dwelling, selecting a device at the dwelling and sending the notification to the selected device at the dwelling and bypassing sending the notification to a device with the occupant; and

upon determining no occupant remains at the dwelling, selecting the device with the occupant and sending the notification to the selected device with the occupant and bypassing sending the notification to the device at the dwelling.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the entrance comprises at least one of a doorway, a garage door, a gate, and a window.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein detecting the occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling comprises detecting a location of the occupant beyond a predetermined distance from the dwelling.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the notification comprises a prompt to close the entrance remotely.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the notification comprises at least one image captured in relation to the entrance.

14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

sending the notification to a device associated with the occupant; and

upon receiving no response from the occupant, sending the notification to a member of a community contact list, wherein the community contact list comprises contacts from a predetermined geographic area.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:

monitoring a status of an entrance associated with a dwelling;

monitoring an occupancy in relation to the dwelling; and

detecting an occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling;

detecting the entrance associated with the dwelling is in an open state; and

upon detecting the occupant of the dwelling departing from the dwelling and the status of the entrance associated with the dwelling is in an open state, the processor to perform the steps of;

generating a notification;

determining whether a second occupant remains at the dwelling;

upon determining the second occupant remains at the dwelling, selecting a device at the dwelling and sending the notification to the selected device at the dwelling and bypassing sending the notification to a device with the occupant; and

upon determining no occupant remains at the dwelling, selecting the device with the occupant and sending the notification to the selected device with the occupant and bypassing sending the notification to the device at the dwelling.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the entrance comprises at least one of a doorway, a garage door, a gate, and a window.