Chronological activity monitoring and review

• US 9,728,055 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baldwin, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, David N
• Application Number:
  US14/251,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19678 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system
• 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 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19693 using multiple video sources viewed on a single or compound screen
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for monitoring activity at a location, provides receiving a first data signal and a second data signal, wherein the first and second data signals are related to activities detected at a location, and reproducing the first and second data signals in a chronology that indicates relative timing of receipt of the first and second data signals via a user interface. This may accelerate review and inspection of multiple data signals recorded over time, including data signals of various types. The coincidence of patterns in the data signals may be detected and brought to the user'"'"'s attention for closer review, such as via transmission of a message or transmission of a segment of recorded data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring activity at a location, the method comprising:

receiving a first data signal and a plurality of second data signals, the first data signal and the plurality of second data signals being related to activities detected at a location, wherein the first data signal comprises visual data received from a camera, and wherein the plurality of second data signals comprise pressure data, motion data, and radio frequency signal data, each second data signal being received from a single activity detector different from the camera; and

outputting a chronology depicting a subset of the visual data and a plurality of timelines, each of the plurality of timelines in the chronology representing one of the plurality of second data signals, the chronology indicating relative timing of receipt of the first and second data signals via a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera and activity detectors detect activity at the location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an activity detector associated with one of the second data signals detects a radio frequency communication signal between a radio frequency device and a portable device at the location.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second activity detectors detects interaction of a user with a device at the location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the chronology comprises a visual representation of the first and second data signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a threshold condition has been met by at least one of the first and second data signals; and

indicating that the threshold condition has been met by the at least one of the first and second data signals in the chronology.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a time indicator via the user interface; and

displaying the chronology for the time indicator via the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of data signals related to activities detected at the location;

identifying a third data signal in the plurality of data signals; and

reproducing the third data signal in the chronology, the chronology indicating relative timing of receipt of the third data signal relative to the first and second data signals via the user interface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a time indicator via the user interface; and

wherein the third data signal is identified in the plurality of data signals based on activity detected in the third data signal at the time indicator.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the third data signal is identified in the plurality of data signals based on activity in the third data signal corresponding with activity in at least one of the first and second data signals.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the third data signal is identified in the plurality of data signals based on being related to at least one of the first and second data signals.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a time indicator via the user interface; and

transmitting at least a portion of the first and second data signals received at the time indicator.

13. A computer program product for monitoring activity at a location, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

receive a first data signal and a plurality of second data signals, the first data signal and the plurality of second data signals being related to activities detected at a location, wherein the first data signal comprises visual data received from a camera, and wherein the plurality of second data signals comprise pressure data, motion data, and radio frequency signal, each second data signal being received from a single activity detector different from the camera; and

output a chronology depicting a subset of the visual data and a plurality of timelines, each of the plurality of timelines in the chronology representing one of the plurality of second data signals, the chronology indicating relative timing of receipt of the first and second data signals via a user interface.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the camera and activity detectors detect activity at the location.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a plurality of data signals related to activities detected at the location;

identify a third data signal in the plurality of data signals; and

reproduce the third data signal in the chronology, the chronology indicating relative timing of receipt of the third data signal relative to the first and second data signals via the user interface.

16. An apparatus for monitoring activity at a location, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by a processor to;

receive a first data signal and a plurality of second data signals, the first data signal and the plurality of second data signals being related to activities detected at a location, wherein the first data signal comprises visual data received from a camera, and wherein the plurality of second data signals comprise pressure data, motion data, and radio frequency signal data, each second data signal being received from a single activity detector different from the camera; and

output a chronology depicting a subset of the visual data and a plurality of timelines, each of the plurality of timelines in the chronology representing one of the plurality of second data signals, the chronology indicating relative timing of receipt of the first and second data signals via a user interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the camera and activity detectors detect activity at the location.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a plurality of data signals related to activities detected at the location;

identify a third data signal in the plurality of data signals; and

reproduce the third data signal in the chronology, the chronology indicating relative timing of receipt of the third data signal relative to the first and second data signals via the user interface.