Notifying a community of security events

• US 9,449,491 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canary Connect, Inc. (Smartfrog Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Canary Connect, Inc. (Smartfrog Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sager, Adam D., Rill, Christopher I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Application Number:
  US14/260,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0208 Combination with audio or video communication, e.g. combination with "baby phone" function
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/003 Address allocation methods and details
• 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 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/001 Signalling to an emergency team, e.g. firemen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 : with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 : Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 : Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• 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: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 : Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 : where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 : 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication

Abstract

A method of operating a security monitoring system comprises defining a group of people to receive a notification of an event taking place at a location associated with any member of the group, by a system, determining that a security event has at least potentially taken place that the members of the group need to be notified of, by the system, and notifying the members of the group of the event, via a network. Notifications of the at least potential security event may be provided to a first party of the at least potential security event and members of the group may be notified if the first party does not respond to the notification within a predetermined period of time. A system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

enabling a primary user of a security monitoring system to use his or her computer-based user device to designate a plurality of individuals as backups to the primary user for purposes of potentially receiving notifications from the security monitoring system if the security monitoring system determines that a security event has at least potentially taken place at a monitored location associated with the primary user;

determining, with the security monitoring system, that a security event has at least potentially taken place at the monitored location;

sending a primary notification of the detected security event to the primary user via a computer-based network; and

sending a backup notification of the detected event via the computer-based network to each of the primary user-designated backups either after the primary notification is sent or at the same time that the primary notification is sent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the location with the security monitoring system, wherein the security monitoring system comprises;

a single housing;

a camera supported by the housing and configured to collect images of a location inside a home;

a temperature sensor supported by the housing and configured to detect a temperature of the location inside the home;

an air quality sensor supported by the housing and configured to sense a quality of the air in the location inside the home;

a processing device in the housing;

a memory storage device; and

a transmitter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein if the security event is related to temperature at the location, the method further comprises:

determining, with the processing device, whether temperature data collected from the temperature sensor exceeds a temperature threshold; and

if the processing device determines that the temperature data exceeds the temperature threshold, providing an indication as the primary notification or the backup notification, via the transmitter, that the temperature threshold has been exceeded.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein if the security event is related to data collected from the camera, the method comprises:

determining, with the processing device, whether the data collected from the camera exceeds a movement threshold; and

if the processing device determines that the data collected from the camera exceeds the movement threshold, providing an indication as the primary notification or the backup notification, via the transmitter, that the movement threshold is has been exceeded.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein if the security event is related to air quality, the method comprises:

determining, with the processing device, whether the quality of the air sensed by the air quality sensor exceeds an air quality threshold, and

if the processing device determines that the quality of the air sensed exceeds the air quality threshold, providing an indication as the primary notification or the backup notification, via the transmitter, that the air quality threshold has been exceeded.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting, with the transmitter, data collected from the camera, the temperature sensor or the air quality sensor to a network for further processing.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing device is configured to transmit data from the camera, the temperature sensor, and the air quality sensor, at substantially the same time.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the security monitoring device further comprises one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of:

an ambient light sensor, a humidity sensor, an infrared sensor, an accelerometer, a carbon monoxide sensor, and a carbon dioxide sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the back-up notification is sent to each of the primary user-designated backups after sending the primary notification, and only if the primary user does not respond to the primary notification after a predetermined length of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary user is a user with complete access to the security monitoring system and an ability to set preferences and customize activities of the security monitoring system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the backups are people selected from the group consisting of:

the primary user'"'"'s friends, the primary user'"'"'s family members, and the primary user'"'"'s neighbors.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising asking the primary user whether contacts on a social media platform should be designated as backup contacts.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein between two and ten people are designated as backups for the primary user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the backup notification enables the backups to either see what is going on at the monitored location or see a written description of what caused the backup notification.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the backup notification is sent at the same time that the primary notification is sent if the detected event is a high priority event, but otherwise the backup notification is sent after the primary notification is sent.

16. A system comprising:

a processing device; and

memory;

wherein the processing device is configured to;

enable a primary user of a security monitoring system to use his or her computer-based user device to designate a plurality of individuals as backups to the primary user for purposes of receiving notifications from the security monitoring system if the security monitoring system determines that a security event has at least potentially taken place at a monitored location associated with the primary user;

determine, with the security monitoring system, that a security event has at least potentially taken place at the monitored location;

send a primary notification of the detected security event to the primary user via a computer-based network; and

send a backup notification of the detected event via the computer-based network to each of the primary user-designated backups either after sending the primary notification or at the same time that the primary notification is sent.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a single housing;

a camera supported by the housing and configured to collect images of a location inside a home;

a temperature sensor supported by the housing and configured to detect a temperature of the location inside the home;

an air quality sensor supported by the housing and configured to sense a quality of the air in the location inside the home; and

a transmitter,

wherein the processing device is in the housing.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the event taking place at the location is related to temperature at the location, and wherein:

the processing device is configured to determine whether temperature data collected from the temperature sensor exceeds a temperature threshold; and

if the processing device determines that the temperature data exceeds the temperature threshold, the transmitter provides an indication that the temperature threshold has been exceeded.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the event taking place at the location is related to data collected from the camera, and wherein:

the processing device is configured to determine whether data collected from the camera exceeds a movement threshold; and

if the processing device determines that the data collected from the camera exceeds the movement threshold, the transmitter provides an indication that the movement threshold is has been exceeded.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the event taking place at the location is related to air quality at the location, and wherein:

the processing device is configured to determine whether the quality of the air sensed by the air quality sensor exceeds an air quality threshold, and

if the processing device determines that the quality of the air sensed exceeds the air quality threshold, the transmitter provides an indication that the air quality threshold has been exceeded.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data collected from the camera, the temperature sensor or the air quality sensor to a network for further processing.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising one or more sensors selected from the group consisting of:

an ambient light sensor, a humidity sensor, an infrared sensor, an accelerometer, a carbon monoxide sensor, and a carbon dioxide sensor.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the back-up notification is sent to each of the primary user-designated backups after sending the primary notification, and only if the primary user does not respond to the primary notification after a predetermined length of time.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the primary user is a user with complete access to the security monitoring system and an ability to set preferences and customize activities of the security monitoring system.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the backups are people selected from the group consisting of:

the primary user'"'"'s friends, the primary user'"'"'s family members, and the primary user'"'"'s neighbors.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the system is configured to ask the primary user whether contacts on a social media platform should be designated as backup contacts.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein between two and ten people are designated as backups for the primary user.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the backup notification enables the backups to either see what is going on at the monitored location or see a written description of what caused the backup notification.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing device is further configured to send the backup notification at the same time that the primary notification is sent if the detected event is a high priority event, but otherwise to send the backup notification after the primary notification is sent.