Occupancy sensor and associated methods
First Claim
1. A device to detect occupancy of an environment, the device comprising:
- a sensor to capture images from a location in the environment, the images being transmittable as data;
rules comparable with the data using a rules engine operable by a microcontroller with a processor and memory to produce results indicative of a condition of the environment, the rules being included in the memory; and
an interface through which the data is accessible;
wherein at least part of the rules define an analysis of the data including;
detecting a precedent image,detecting a subsequent image,comparing the precedent image with the subsequent image to detect a likelihood of disparity between the images,creating a detected object image based on the disparity between the images,comparing the detected object image to known image data acquired from one or more known physical objects to detect a likelihood of similarity between the images,generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of similarity, andgenerating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of disparity, the results being storable in the memory;
wherein the results are generated respective to the location in the environment;
wherein a plurality of locations are includable in the environment;
wherein the microcontroller is in communication with a network using a network interface;
wherein a plurality of sensors are locatable in the plurality of locations and are adapted to intercommunicate with the microcontroller through the network;
wherein the images captured at each of the plurality of locations are concatenated to create an overview;
wherein the overview displays the images captured from the plurality of locations substantially seamlessly respective to the location in which the sensor is positioned, the overview being viewable using the interface;
wherein the results of the analysis performed by the rules engine are accessible using the interface;
wherein the results of the analysis are includable in the overview; and
wherein the one or more known physical objects are definable in the rules by placing the one or more known physical objects in the location in the environment and capturing the known image data of the one or more known physical objects using at least one of the plurality of sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device to detect occupancy of an environment includes a sensor to capture video frames from a location in the environment. The device may compare rules with data using a rules engine. The microcontroller may include a processor and memory to produce results indicative of a condition of the environment. The device may also include an interface through which the data is accessible. The device may generate results respective to the location in the environment. The microcontroller may be in communication with a network. The video frames may be concatenated to create an overview to display the video frames substantially seamlessly respective to the location in which the sensor is positioned. The overview may be viewable using the interface and the results of the analysis performed by the rules engine may be accessible using the interface.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A device to detect occupancy of an environment, the device comprising:
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a sensor to capture images from a location in the environment, the images being transmittable as data; rules comparable with the data using a rules engine operable by a microcontroller with a processor and memory to produce results indicative of a condition of the environment, the rules being included in the memory; and an interface through which the data is accessible; wherein at least part of the rules define an analysis of the data including; detecting a precedent image, detecting a subsequent image, comparing the precedent image with the subsequent image to detect a likelihood of disparity between the images, creating a detected object image based on the disparity between the images, comparing the detected object image to known image data acquired from one or more known physical objects to detect a likelihood of similarity between the images, generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of similarity, and generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of disparity, the results being storable in the memory; wherein the results are generated respective to the location in the environment; wherein a plurality of locations are includable in the environment; wherein the microcontroller is in communication with a network using a network interface; wherein a plurality of sensors are locatable in the plurality of locations and are adapted to intercommunicate with the microcontroller through the network; wherein the images captured at each of the plurality of locations are concatenated to create an overview; wherein the overview displays the images captured from the plurality of locations substantially seamlessly respective to the location in which the sensor is positioned, the overview being viewable using the interface; wherein the results of the analysis performed by the rules engine are accessible using the interface; wherein the results of the analysis are includable in the overview; and wherein the one or more known physical objects are definable in the rules by placing the one or more known physical objects in the location in the environment and capturing the known image data of the one or more known physical objects using at least one of the plurality of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A device to detect occupancy of an environment, the device comprising:
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a plurality of sensors that include a camera and that are locatable to capture video frames from a plurality of locations in the environment that are being transmittable as data; rules comparable with the data using a rules engine operable by a microcontroller with a processor and memory to produce results indicative of a condition of the environment, the rules being included in the memory; and an interface through which the data is accessible; wherein at least part of the rules define an analysis of the data including; detecting a precedent video frame, detecting a subsequent video frame, comparing the precedent video frame with the subsequent video frame to detect a likelihood of disparity between the video frames, creating a detected object image based on the disparity between the video frames, comparing the detected object image to known image data acquired from one or more known physical objects to detect a likelihood of similarity between the images, generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of similarity, and generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of disparity, the results being storable in the memory; wherein the results are generated respective to the location in the environment; wherein a plurality of locations are includable in the environment; wherein the microcontroller is in communication with a network using a network interface; wherein a plurality of sensors are locatable in the plurality of locations and are adapted to intercommunicate with the microcontroller through the network; wherein the video frames captured at each of the plurality of locations are concatenated to create an overview; wherein the overview displays the video frames captured from the plurality of locations substantially seamlessly respective to the location in which the sensor is positioned, the overview being viewable using the interface; wherein each of the video frames are compressible by the microcontroller to be transmittable through the network; wherein the object is detectable by at least part of the plurality of sensors to create a stereoscopic perspective; and wherein the one or more known physical objects are definable in the rules by placing the one or more known physical objects in the location in the environment and capturing the known image data of the one or more known physical objects using at least one of the plurality of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of detecting occupancy of an environment, the method comprising:
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capturing video frames from a location in the environment sensors, the video frames being transmittable as data; comparing the data to rules using a rules engine operable by a microcontroller with a processor and memory to produce results indicative of a condition of the environment; analyzing the data by; detecting a precedent video frame, detecting a subsequent video frame, comparing the precedent video frame with the subsequent video frame to detect a likelihood of disparity between the video frames, creating a detected object image based on the disparity between the video frames, comparing the detected object image to known image data acquired from one or more known physical objects to detect a likelihood of similarity between the images, generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of similarity, and generating the results of the analysis respective to the likelihood of disparity, the results being storable in the memory; concatenating the video frames captured at each of the plurality of locations to create an overview; displaying the video frames captured from the plurality of locations substantially seamlessly respective to the location in which the sensors are positioned, the overview being viewable using an interface; providing access to the results of the analysis using the interface; and including the results of the analysis in the overview; wherein the one or more known physical objects are definable in the rules by placing the one or more known physical objects in the location in the environment and capturing the known image data of the one or more known physical objects using at least one of the plurality of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification