Doorbell camera early detection

• US 10,133,935 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Child, Michael D., Matsuura, Craig, Brederson, Dean, Vega, JonPaul
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Philip
• Application Number:
  US14/596,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

Systems and methods for visitor detection using security and/or automation systems include detecting an event at a doorway, capturing an image at the doorway associated with the event, capturing a video at the doorway associated with the event, delivering the image with a notice of the event to a recipient for viewing, and automatically uploading the video for viewing upon capturing the video. The video is available for selective viewing by the recipient upon being uploaded.

Claims

1. A method for visitor detection using security and/or automation systems, comprising:

initiating capturing a first plurality of images of a doorway prior to detecting a person and prior to actuation of a doorbell;

detecting whether a threshold period of time has elapsed between initiating the capturing of the first plurality of images and detecting actuation of the doorbell;

if the threshold period of time has elapsed;

overwriting the first plurality of images of the doorway, the first plurality of images stored in memory associated with the security and/or automation system;

deleting the first plurality of images of the doorway after the threshold period of time has elapsed; and

initiating capturing a second plurality of images of the doorway;

and

if the threshold period of time has not elapsed;

detecting a presence of the person located at a predetermined distance from the doorbell, wherein the person is detected using one or more biometric identification methods;

detecting actuation of the doorbell after detecting the presence of the person;

selecting a subset of images from the first plurality of images, wherein the subset of images comprises one or more images that were captured after detecting the presence of the person located at the predetermined distance from the doorbell, and prior to the actuation of the doorbell;

identifying from the subset of images, a first image at the doorway, the first image being associated with the presence of the person at the predetermined distance from the doorbell;

capturing a second image at the doorbell associated with the actuation of the doorbell;

capturing a video at the doorbell associated with the actuation of the doorbell;

delivering the first image with a notice of the presence of the person to a recipient for viewing; and

automatically uploading the video for viewing upon capturing the video, the video being available for selective viewing by the recipient upon being uploaded.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the person includes detecting presence of the person at the doorway.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the presence of the person includes at least one of detecting motion, conducting facial recognition, conducting light contrast analysis, and conducting special analysis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the actuation of the doorbell includes detecting operation of the doorbell by the person.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the second image includes capturing an image frame from the video spanning a time period that occurs prior to the actuation of the doorbell.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the second image includes capturing an image frame from the video captured after detecting the presence of the person.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the video spans a time that precedes the detected actuation of the doorbell.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the video is uploaded concurrently with delivering the notice.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the first image includes delivering the first image to a mobile computing device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the first image includes delivering the first image to a control panel of the security and/or automation system.

11. An apparatus for visitor detection using security and/or automation systems, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

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

initiate capturing a first plurality of images of a doorway prior to detecting a person and prior to actuation of a doorbell;

detect whether a threshold period of time has elapsed between initiating the capturing of the first plurality of images and detecting actuation of the doorbell;

if the threshold period of time has elapsed;

overwriting the first plurality of images of the doorway, the first plurality of images stored in memory associated with the security and/or automation system;

deleting the first plurality of images of the doorway after the threshold period of time has elapsed; and

initiate capturing a second plurality of images of the doorway; and

if the threshold period of time has not elapsed;

detect a presence of the person located at a predetermined distance from the doorbell, wherein the person is detected using one or more biometric identification methods;

detect actuation of the doorbell after detecting the presence of the person;

select a subset of images from the first plurality of images, wherein the subset of images comprises one or more images that were captured after detecting the presence of the person located at the predetermined distance from the doorbell, and prior to the actuation of the doorbell;

identify from the subset of images, a first image at the doorway, the first image being associated with the presence of the person at the predetermined distance from the doorbell;

capture a second image at the doorbell associated with the actuation of the doorbell;

capture a video at the doorbell associated with the actuation of the doorbell;

deliver the first image with a notice of the presence of the person to a recipient for viewing; and

automatically upload the video for viewing upon capturing the video, the video being available for selective viewing by the recipient upon being uploaded.

12. The apparatus for security and/or automation systems of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to detect the person at the doorway using at least one of motion detection, facial recognition, light contrast analysis, and actuation of a doorbell.

13. The apparatus for security and/or automation systems of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive a communication from the recipient in response to the notice; and

present the communication to the person.

14. The apparatus for security and/or automation systems of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive instructions from the recipient; and

operate a barrier to grant access to the person based on the instructions.

15. The apparatus for security and/or automation systems of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

capture the video prior to and after detecting the person.

16. The apparatus for security and/or automation systems of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

capture the second image from the video.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for visitor detection using security and/or automation systems, the code executable by a processor to:

initiate recording a first video of an entry to a building prior to detecting a person and prior to actuation of a doorbell, wherein the first video comprises a first plurality of images of the entry;

detect whether a threshold period of time has elapsed between initiating the capturing of the first plurality of images and detecting actuation of the doorbell;

if the threshold period of time has elapsed;

overwriting the first plurality of images of the doorway entry, the first plurality of images stored in memory associated with the security and/or automation system;

deleting the first plurality of images of the doorway after the threshold period of time has elapsed; and

initiate capturing a second plurality of images of the doorway entry; and

if the threshold period of time has not elapsed;

detect a presence of the person located at a predetermined distance from the doorbell, wherein the person is detected using one or more biometric identification methods;

detect actuation of the doorbell after detecting the presence of the person;

select a subset of images from the first plurality of images, wherein the subset of images comprises one or more images that were captured after detecting the presence of the person located at the predetermined distance from the doorbell, and prior to the actuation of the doorbell;

identify from the subset of images, a first image at the doorway entry, the first image being associated with the presence of the person at the predetermined distance from the doorbell;

capture a second image at the doorbell associated with the actuation of the doorbell;

capture a video at the doorbell associated with the actuation of the doorbell;

deliver the first image with a notice of the presence of the person to a recipient for viewing; and

automatically upload the video for viewing upon capturing the video, the video being available for selective viewing by the recipient upon being uploaded.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the code is executable by the processor to:

obtain an image of the entry; and

transmit the image to the recipient for viewing.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the event includes actuation of a doorbell.