Home security system with touch-sensitive control panel

• US 9,568,902 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehlers, Bruce, Dunn, Alex J., Santiago, Todd Matthew, Nye, James E., Harris, Christopher Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/211,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23377 Touch screen, with representation of buttons, machine on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A security system includes a control panel and sensors for monitoring conditions related to the security of a residential or commercial location. The control panel communicates with the sensors and displays information related to the operation of the security system. The control panel may also receive user input. User input can be received at a touch-sensitive display on the control panel. The touch-sensitive display may be adapted to receive and recognize multiple, simultaneous touches. Different types of touches can be associated with different actions taken by the touch-sensitive display. Detection of types of touches can also include gesture identification. A haptic response may also be provided for giving tactile feedback when input is received at the control panel.

Claims

1. A control panel for a security system, comprising:

one or more processors of a security system control panel dedicated for use at a particular location within a residence;

a communication link configured to communicatively couple the one or more processors of the security system control panel to at least one sensor within an automation system;

a display configured on the security system control panel to detect input, wherein the input is at least one touch-point on the display and a first gesture associated with the at least one touch-point;

displaying a first interface of a first security zone on the display based at least in part on the first gesture;

displaying a second interface of a second security zone based at least in part on two characteristics associated with a second gesture performed on the first security zone of the first interface and providing an option to change a characteristic of the second security zone, wherein the option is based at least in part on the two characteristics, wherein the second security zone is different from the first security zone displayed on the first interface; and

a tactile output component configured to provide a haptic response to the input received at the security system control panel.

2. The control panel of claim 1, further including:

computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the control panel to perform predetermined actions based on a nature of the at least one touch-point and the associated first gesture on the display.

3. The control panel of claim 2, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by the one or more processors to cause the control panel to differentiate between different types of contact.

4. The control panel of claim 3, wherein differentiating between different types of contact includes one or more of:

identifying a location of each of multiple touch-points on the display;

identifying a gesture associated with each of the multiple touch-points; and

identifying a number of simultaneous touch-points.

5. The control panel of claim 1, wherein detecting an input includes identifying one or more of:

a tap;

a double tap;

a drag;

a flick;

a rotate;

a spread;

or a pinch.

6. The control panel of claim 2, wherein the predetermined actions include any combination of select, open, close, pan, scroll, zoom or rotate actions.

7. The control panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a home input component configured to return a user to a main interface of the display; and

an emergency input component configured to contact a remote party.

8. The control panel of claim 7, wherein the tactile output component is configured to provide a haptic response to input received by one of the home input component or the emergency input component.

9. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes an intrusion sensor of a security-related system within the automation system.

10. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a fire, flood or carbon monoxide sensor.

11. The control panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a camera.

12. The control panel of claim 11, wherein the display is configured to display one or more images captured by the camera.

13. The control panel of claim 2, wherein the predetermined actions include actions on a map or camera image displayed on the display.

14. An automation system including at least a security system, comprising:

at least one security component configured on a security system control panel dedicated for use at a particular location within a residence or a commercial location to detect a potential security threat at the residential or the commercial location; and

a security system control panel, comprising;

a communication link configured to allow the security system control panel to monitor a status of the at least one security component;

a display configured on the security system control panel to display at least some information related to the status of the at least one security component and receive input through a first gesture associated with at least one touch-point on the display;

the display configured on the security system control panel to display a first interface of a first security zone on the display based at least in part on the first gesture;

a processor, in communication with the display, to determine a characteristic of the gesture;

the display configured on the security system control panel to display a second interface of a second security zone based at least in part on two characteristics associated with a second gesture performed on the first security zone of the first interface and provide an option to change a characteristic of the second security zone based at least in part on the two characteristics, wherein the second security zone is different from the first security zone displayed on the first interface; and

a tactile output component configured to provide a haptic response to input received at the touch-sensitive display.

15. The automation system of claim 14, wherein the display is configured to detect multiple, simultaneous touch-points and gestures associated with multiple, simultaneous touch-points.

16. The automation system of claim 14, further including:

an audio component including a speaker component and a microphone component configured to operate as an intercom.

17. A method for providing security using an automation system associated with a physical location, comprising:

displaying, at a security system control panel, a first interface including a map associated with a residence;

monitoring a security system that includes at least one sensor;

displaying, on the security system control panel, information corresponding to operation or status of the at least one sensor;

receiving, at the security system control panel, an input including a first gesture associated with at least one touch-point on a display of the security system control panel;

displaying, on the security system control panel, a second interface associated with a first security zone based at least in part on the first gesture, wherein the second interface is superimposed over the first interface, such that the first interface remains at least partially visible;

determining a characteristic of the first gesture;

displaying, at the security system control panel, a third interface associated with a second security zone based at least in part on a second gesture, wherein the third interface is superimposed over the first interface, wherein displaying the third interface includes removing the superimposed second interface from the first interface based at least in part on the second gesture;

providing, at the security system control panel, an option to change a characteristic of the second security zone based at least in part on the second gesture; and

providing, at the security system control panel, a haptic response to input received at the touch-sensitive display.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving an image at the control panel;

displaying the image on the display; and

manipulating the image based on detecting multiple, simultaneous touch points.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the haptic response vibrates the control panel.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using a communication network to communicate with a network operations center, the communications including information related to the security system monitored by the control panel.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the characteristic of the first gesture comprises:

a direction, or a length of time, or a combination thereof.