Method and apparatus for activating and deactivating video cameras in a security system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- an alarm system of a home having a plurality of modes;
a control panel of the alarm system located within a secured area of the home;
a plurality of video cameras monitoring the secured area of the home, the plurality of video cameras including at least one of the plurality of video cameras monitoring a periphery of the secured area and at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring an interior space;
a first processor of the alarm system determining a mode of the plurality of modes of the alarm system from a personal identification number entered by a user or the entered personal identification number and a mode selection button selected by the user through the control panel of the alarm system, wherein the mode determined by the first processor is based upon the entered personal identification number and the selected mode selection button, by themselves, or is based upon the entered personal identification number, the selected mode selection button and a previous mode;
a video system monitoring the secured area by capturing and saving images to a memory of the secured area; and
a second processor of the video system that selectively activates at least one camera of the plurality of video cameras of the video system monitoring the secured area in each of the plurality of modes based upon the mode determined by the first processor, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes includes activating the at least one of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the periphery of the secured area and the at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the interior space, wherein, upon entry of the personal identification number, the at least one of the plurality of video cameras captures an image of the user entering the personal identification number through the control panel within the secured area and sends a message to a homeowner, including the image of the user, each time the personal identification number is entered through the control panel, and wherein, by activating the at least one of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the periphery of the secured area and the at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the interior space in the at least one of the plurality of modes, the homeowner, on a continuous or intermittent basis, observes activity of the user.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for using a security system to monitor a secured area is provided. The method includes a first processor of the security system providing a status of the security system, including an active status output signal and a disarmed status output signal, a video system monitoring the secured area by capturing and locally saving images, and a second processor of the video system activating one or more video cameras of the video system monitoring an interior space of the secured area upon receipt of the active status output signal and deactivating the one or more video cameras upon receipt of the disarmed status output signal.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
an alarm system of a home having a plurality of modes; a control panel of the alarm system located within a secured area of the home; a plurality of video cameras monitoring the secured area of the home, the plurality of video cameras including at least one of the plurality of video cameras monitoring a periphery of the secured area and at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring an interior space; a first processor of the alarm system determining a mode of the plurality of modes of the alarm system from a personal identification number entered by a user or the entered personal identification number and a mode selection button selected by the user through the control panel of the alarm system, wherein the mode determined by the first processor is based upon the entered personal identification number and the selected mode selection button, by themselves, or is based upon the entered personal identification number, the selected mode selection button and a previous mode; a video system monitoring the secured area by capturing and saving images to a memory of the secured area; and a second processor of the video system that selectively activates at least one camera of the plurality of video cameras of the video system monitoring the secured area in each of the plurality of modes based upon the mode determined by the first processor, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes includes activating the at least one of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the periphery of the secured area and the at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the interior space, wherein, upon entry of the personal identification number, the at least one of the plurality of video cameras captures an image of the user entering the personal identification number through the control panel within the secured area and sends a message to a homeowner, including the image of the user, each time the personal identification number is entered through the control panel, and wherein, by activating the at least one of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the periphery of the secured area and the at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the interior space in the at least one of the plurality of modes, the homeowner, on a continuous or intermittent basis, observes activity of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A security system comprising:
-
a control panel of the security system located within a secured area of a home; a plurality of intrusion sensors that monitor the secured area of a home; a plurality of cameras that record and save images within the secured area, at least one of the plurality of cameras monitoring a perimeter of the secured area and at least one other of the plurality of cameras monitoring an interior of the secured area; a first processor that determines a mode of a plurality of modes of the security system from a personal identification number entered by a user or the entered personal identification number and a mode selection button selected by the user through the control panel of the security system, wherein the mode determined by the first processor is based upon the entered personal identification number and the selected mode selection button, by themselves, or is based upon the entered personal identification number, the selected mode selection button, and a previous status, wherein the first processor activates at least some of the plurality of cameras in each of the plurality of modes based upon the determined mode, and wherein at least one of the plurality of modes includes activating the at least one of the plurality of cameras monitoring the perimeter of the secured area and the at least one other of the plurality of cameras monitoring the interior of the secured area; and a second processor that forwards the images from the plurality of cameras to a predetermined destination based upon the determined mode, wherein, upon entry of the personal identification number, a camera of the plurality of cameras captures an image of the user entering the personal identification number through the control panel within the secured area and sends a message to a homeowner, including the image of the user, each time the personal identification number is entered through the control panel, and wherein, by activating the at least one of the plurality of cameras monitoring the perimeter of the secured area and the at least one other of the plurality of video cameras monitoring the interior of the secured area in the at least one of the plurality of modes, the homeowner, on a continuous or intermittent basis, observes activity of the user. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus comprising:
-
a security system having a plurality of modes that monitors a secured area of a home; a control panel of the security system located within the secured area; a first processor of the security system that determines a mode of the plurality of modes of the security system from a personal identification number entered through the control panel of the security system or the entered personal identification number and a mode selection button selected by a user through the control panel of the security system, wherein the mode determined by the first processor is based upon the entered personal identification number and the selected mode selection button, by themselves, or is based upon the entered personal identification number, the selected mode selected button, and a previous mode; a video system that monitors the secured area by capturing and locally saving images; and a second processor of the video system that activates one or more video cameras of the video system monitoring the secured area in each of the plurality of modes based upon the determined mode of the security system, wherein at least one of the plurality of modes includes activating at least one video camera monitoring a periphery of the secured area and at least one video camera monitoring an interior space, wherein, upon entry of the personal identification number, the at least one video camera monitoring the periphery of the secured area captures an image of the user entering the personal identification number through the control panel within the secured area and sends a message to a homeowner, including the image of the user, each time the personal identification number is entered through the control panel, and wherein, by activating the at least one video camera monitoring the periphery of the secured area and the at least one video camera monitoring the interior space in the at least one of the plurality of modes, the homeowner, on a continuous or intermittent basis, observes activity of the user. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification