System and method for providing home awareness

• US 20060087428A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enseo, LLC (Enseo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ‎InnVision Networks, LLC
• Inventors: Wolfe, Edward H., Chisholm, Eric W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,342,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.220
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system and method for providing home awareness are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sensor is associated with a household amenity. In response to the occurrence of an event, a wireless signal is transmitted to a monitoring unit which, in turn, superimposes a text message indicative of the event onto a video signal. A display unit, such as a television, is connected to the monitoring unit and displays the video signal including the superimposed text message.

Claims

1. A system for providing home awareness, the system comprising:

a sensor associated with a household amenity, the sensor being operable to transmit a wireless signal in response to an event occurrence associated with the household amenity;

a monitoring unit, responsive to the wireless signal, for superimposing a text message onto a video signal; and

a display unit connected to the monitoring unit, the display unit for displaying the video signal.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the household amenity is selected from the group consisting of security alarm systems, garage doors, front doors, hot-water heaters, sump pumps, door bells, pet bowls, HVAC systems, and entry points.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the event occurrence is selected from the group consisting of power failures, water leaks, and security breaches.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless signal includes the text message.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless signal utilizes an IEEE 802-based protocol.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless signal provides an indication to the monitoring unit of the text message to generate.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cable box that provides the video signal to the monitoring unit.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a satellite box that provides the video signal to the monitoring unit.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is integrated with a device selected from the group consisting of cable boxes, satellite boxes, video cassette devices, DVD devices, television receivers, and monitors.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a television.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the text message is inserted into line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the video signal.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the text message comprises data selected from the group consisting of alphanumeric characters, icons, and symbols.

13. A system for providing home awareness, the system comprising:

a monitoring unit for superimposing a text message onto a video signal, the text message being indicative of an event occurrence at a household amenity;

a display unit connected to the monitoring unit, the display unit for displaying the video signal; and

a control unit for sending a control signal to the display unit, the control signal altering the behavior of the display unit.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the household amenity is selected from the group consisting of security alarm systems, garage doors, front doors, hot-water heaters, sump pumps, door bells, pet bowls, HVAC systems, and entry points.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the event occurrence is selected from the group consisting of power failures, water leaks, and security breaches.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a cable box that provides the video signal to the monitoring unit.

17. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a satellite box that provides the video signal to the monitoring unit.

18. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the monitoring unit is integrated with a device selected from the group consisting of cable boxes, satellite boxes, video cassette devices, DVD devices, television receivers, and monitors.

19. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the display unit comprises a television.

20. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the text message is inserted into line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the video signal.

21. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the control device is a remote control that utilizes an infrared transmission technique to transmit the control signal to the monitoring unit.

22. A method for providing home awareness, the method comprising:

detecting an occurrence of an event at a household amenity;

sending a wireless signal from a sensor associated with the household amenity;

receiving the wireless signal at a monitoring unit;

superimposing a text message onto a video feed supplied to a television; and

displaying the text message on the television.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising verifying that the wireless signal originated from the sensor.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, further comprising sounding an audio alarm in response to receiving the wireless signal.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein detecting the occurrence of the event further comprises detecting an event selected from the group consisting of power failures, water leaks, and security breaches.

26. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein sending the wireless signal further comprises sending a wireless signal including the text message from the sensor associated with the household amenity.

27. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein sending the wireless signal further comprises utilizing an IEEE 802-based protocol to transmit the signal.

28. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein sending the wireless signal further comprises sending a wireless signal including an indication of the text message from the sensor associated with the household amenity.

29. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein superimposing the text message further comprises inserting the text message into line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the video signal.

30. A system for providing home awareness, the system comprising:

means for detecting an occurrence of an event at a household amenity;

means for sending a wireless signal from a sensor associated with the household amenity;

means for receiving the wireless signal at a monitoring unit;

means for superimposing a text message onto a video feed supplied to a television; and

means for displaying the text message on the television.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the household amenity is selected from the group consisting of security alarm systems, garage doors, front doors, hot-water heaters, sump pumps, door bells, pet bowls, HVAC systems, and entry points.

32. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the means for detecting further comprises means for detecting an occurrence of an event selected from the group consisting of power failures, water leaks, and security breaches.

33. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the wireless signal utilizes an IEEE 802-based protocol.

34. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the means for superimposing the text message further comprises means for inserting the text message into line 21 of the vertical blanking interval of the video signal.

35. A system for providing awareness in an environment, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors dispersed in the environment, each of the plurality of sensors being operable to transmit a wireless signal in response to an event occurrence in the environment;

a monitoring unit, responsive to the wireless signal, for superimposing a message onto a video signal; and

a display unit connected to the monitoring unit, the display for displaying the video signal.

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the display is located in an environment selected from the group consisting of transient environments, hotels, inns, public houses, nonresidential environments, commercial settings, airports, office buildings, malls.

37. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the event occurrence is an alarm.

38. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the message comprises symbols selected from the group consisting of alphanumeric characters, icons, and symbols.