Magnetic sensor batteries

• US 10,643,450 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bart, Gary Franklin, Caglayan, Mehmet Erdal, Constantine, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie B
• Application Number:
  US16/376,202
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/24 Self-calibration, e.g. compensating for environmental drift or ageing of components
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details

Abstract

A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property is described. The monitoring system includes a sensor that includes a battery and that is configured to generate sensor data based on activity in a portion of the property that is within a field of view of the sensor. The monitoring system further includes a monitor control unit that is configured to: after replacement of a battery of the sensor, receive and analyze the sensor data, based on analyzing the sensor data, determine a status of the portion of the property without recalibrating the field of view of the sensor, and provide, for output, a notification that includes data describing the status of the portion of the property.

Claims

1. A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, the monitoring system comprising:

a sensor that (i) is located on a wall of the property, (ii) includes a battery that is accessible from a side of the sensor that is opposite the wall of the property, and (iii) is configured to;

determine that the battery has been replaced;

after determining that the battery has been replaced, generate sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property; and

transmit the sensor data and data indicating that the battery has been replaced; and

a monitor control unit that is configured to;

receive the sensor data and the data indicating that the battery has been replaced;

based on the sensor data and the data indicating that the battery has been replaced, determine a status of the property using settings of the sensor before the battery was replaced; and

provide, for output, a notification indicating the status of the property.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the battery includes two magnets that are configured to align with two magnets of the sensor.

3. The monitoring system claim 2, wherein a magnetic force between (i) the two magnets of the battery and (ii) the two magnets of the sensor is between a level required to maintain a position of the battery and a level that can be manually overcome without moving the sensor.

4. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the battery includes a battery electrical connector that is configured to connect with a sensor electrical connector upon the two magnets of the battery aligning with the two magnets of the sensor.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to remain stationary upon removal of the battery and attachment of the battery.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to maintain the settings of the sensor during removal of the battery and attachment of the battery.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, comprising:

a battery sensor that is configured to determine whether the battery of the sensor has a remaining power level that is below a threshold power level,

wherein the monitor control unit is configured to;

generate a notification indicating that the remaining power level of the battery of the sensor is below the threshold power level.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to:

generate data indicating that the settings of the sensor were unchanged during the replacement of the battery.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining that a battery of a sensor that (i) is located on a wall of a property, (ii) includes a battery that is accessible from a side of the sensor that is opposite the wall of the property, has been replaced;

after determining that the battery has been replaced, generating sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property;

based on the sensor data and determining that the battery of the sensor has been replaced, determining a status of the property using settings of the sensor before the battery was replaced; and

providing, for output, a notification indicating the status of the property.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the battery includes two magnets that are configured to align with two magnets of the sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a magnetic force between (i) the two magnets of the battery and (ii) the two magnets of the sensor is between a level required to maintain a position of the battery and a level that can be manually overcome without moving the sensor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the battery includes a battery electrical connector that is configured to connect with a sensor electrical connector upon the two magnets of the battery aligning with the two magnets of the sensor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is configured to remain stationary upon removal of the battery and attachment of the battery.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is a camera.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is configured to maintain the settings of the sensor during removal of the battery and attachment of the battery.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

19. The method of claim 11, comprising:

generating a notification indicating that a remaining power level of the battery of the sensor is below a threshold power level.

20. The method of claim 11, comprising:

determining that the settings of the sensor were unchanged during the replacement of the battery.