MOVING ASSET LOCATION TRACKING

• US 20100289644A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramos, Daniel, Slavin, Alison Jane, Martin, Jean-Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,531,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

Techniques are described for moving asset location tracking and monitoring system technology. A system monitors for events related to a monitoring system that monitors a fixed property and the system detects an event related to the monitoring system based on the monitoring. The system performs an operation that leverages geographic location tracking of at least one mobile asset associated with the fixed property based on the detected event.

Claims

1. A system for processing sensor data captured for a fixed property in combination with geographic location tracking data of one or more mobile assets associated with the fixed property, the system comprising:

a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a fixed property and includes one or more sensors that are installed at the fixed property and that are configured to sense attributes of the fixed property;

one or more mobile devices that are configured to track and report geographic location data for one or more mobile assets associated with the fixed property; and

a monitoring application server that is configured to electronically receive, either directly or via a network communications module, data communications from the one or more sensors installed at the fixed property and receive data communications from the one or more mobile devices that are configured to track and report geographic location data, the monitoring application server being configured to perform operations comprising;

monitoring for events related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property;

detecting an event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property based on the monitoring; and

based on the detected event, performing an operation that involves geographic location tracking using the one or more mobile devices that are configured to track and report geographic location data for the one or more mobile assets associated with the fixed property.

2. The system of claim 1:

wherein the monitoring application server is further configured to perform operations comprising determining, from among multiple possible user identities, an identity of a user associated with the detected event, and

wherein performing the operation that involves geographic location tracking comprises controlling location tracking using the one or more mobile devices based on the determined identity.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein controlling location tracking using the one or more mobile devices based on the determined identity comprises initiating geographic location tracking of a mobile device assigned to track a mobile asset associated with the determined identity.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein controlling location tracking using the one or more mobile devices based on the determined identity comprises:

increasing frequency of geographic location tracking for a first mobile device assigned to track a first mobile asset associated with the determined identity; and

maintaining frequency of geographic location tracking for a second mobile device assigned to track a second mobile asset associated with an identity other than the determined identity, the second mobile device being different from the first mobile device, the second mobile asset being different from the first mobile asset, and the maintained frequency of geographic location tracking for the second mobile device being lower than the increased frequency of geographic location tracking for the first mobile device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein controlling location tracking using the one or more mobile devices based on the determined identity comprises initiating monitoring of at least one of a geofence and an off-limit location defined for the determined identity.

6. The system of claim 2:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting, based on data from a contact sensor that is included in the monitoring system and that senses whether a door or a window of the fixed property is oriented in an open or closed position, the user leaving the fixed property;

wherein determining, from among multiple possible user identities, the identity of the user associated with the detected event comprises determining an identity of the user associated with the door or the window of the fixed property through which the user exited; and

wherein controlling location tracking using the one or more mobile devices based on the determined identity comprises;

identifying a mobile device assigned to track a mobile asset associated with the determined identity; and

increasing frequency of geographic location tracking for the identified mobile device assigned to track the mobile asset associated with the determined identity.

7. The system of claim 2:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting, based on data from a contact sensor that is included in the monitoring system and that senses whether a door or a window of the fixed property is oriented in an open or closed position, the user leaving the fixed property;

wherein determining, from among multiple possible user identities, the identity of the user associated with the detected event comprises determining an identity of the user based on analysis of image data captured by a camera that is included in the monitoring system and that captures images of an area proximate to the door or the window of the fixed property through which the user exited; and

wherein controlling location tracking using the one or more mobile devices based on the determined identity comprises;

identifying a mobile device assigned to track a mobile asset associated with the determined identity; and

increasing frequency of geographic location tracking for the identified mobile device assigned to track the mobile asset associated with the determined identity.

8. The system of claim 1:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting activity of a user within the fixed property; and

wherein performing the operation that involves geographic location tracking comprises;

tracking the detected activity within the fixed property based on the detected activity;

combining the tracked activity data within the fixed property with location tracking data collected by a mobile device assigned to track a mobile asset associated with the user;

determining a location-based activity profile for the user using the combined tracked activity data and location tracking data; and

performing an operation that leverages the location-based activity profile for the user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the location-based activity profile for the user using the combined tracked activity data and location tracking data comprises including, in the location-based activity profile, finer scale tracking data collected by the monitoring system when the user is detected as being located at the fixed property and including, in the location-based activity profile, larger scale tracking data collected by the mobile device assigned to track the mobile asset associated with the user when the user is detected as being away from the fixed property.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the location-based activity profile for the user using the combined tracked activity data and location tracking data comprises determining the location-based activity profile for the user using location tracking data collected by each of multiple mobile devices assigned to track multiple mobile assets associated with the user and including, in the location-based activity profile, an indication of which of the multiple mobile assets associated with the user is tracked.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein performing the operation that leverages the location-based activity profile for the user comprises:

determining a location of the user based on the location-based activity profile for the user; and

sending, to another user, a notification that includes the location of the user determined based on the location-based activity profile for the user.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein performing the operation that involves geographic location tracking comprises:

accessing geographic location tracking data for at least one mobile asset associated with the fixed property, the geographic location tracking data being tracked by at least one of the one or more mobile devices; and

controlling an operation related to the monitoring system based on the detected event and the accessed geographic location tracking data.

13. The system of claim 12:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting an event that triggers consideration of whether an automatic control operation for the monitoring system should be performed; and

wherein controlling the operation related to the monitoring system based on the detected event and the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

determining whether to perform the automatic control operation for the monitoring system based on the accessed geographic location tracking data;

in response to a determination to perform the automatic control operation for the monitoring system, causing performance of the automatic control operation for the monitoring system; and

in response to a determination not to perform the automatic control operation for the monitoring system, maintaining a state of the monitoring system without causing performance of the automatic control operation for the monitoring system.

14. The system of claim 13:

wherein detecting the event that triggers consideration of whether the automatic control operation for the monitoring system should be performed comprises detecting an absence of activity within the fixed property while the monitoring system is in a disarmed state that triggers consideration of whether the monitoring system should be automatically set to an armed state in which a security alarm is generated in response to detected entry into the fixed property;

wherein determining whether to perform the automatic control operation for the monitoring system based on the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

determining whether at least one user associated with the fixed property is within a threshold distance of the fixed property based on the accessed geographic location tracking data,

in response to a determination that at least one user associated with the fixed property is within the threshold distance of the fixed property, determining to maintain the monitoring system in the disarmed state, and

in response to a determination that at least one user associated with the fixed property is not within the threshold distance of the fixed property, determining to automatically set the monitoring system to the armed state;

wherein causing performance of the automatic control operation for the monitoring system comprises automatically, without human intervention, setting the monitoring system to the armed state in response to a determination to automatically set the monitoring system to the armed state; and

wherein maintaining a state of the monitoring system without causing performance of the automatic control operation for the monitoring system comprises maintaining the monitoring system in the disarmed state in response to a determination to maintain the monitoring system in the disarmed state.

15. The system of claim 12:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting a request from a user to perform a control operation for the monitoring system; and

wherein controlling the operation related to the monitoring system based on the detected event and the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

determining whether to perform the requested control operation for the monitoring system based on the accessed geographic location tracking data;

in response to a determination to perform the requested control operation for the monitoring system, causing performance of the requested control operation for the monitoring system; and

in response to a determination not to perform the requested control operation for the monitoring system, denying the request from the user to perform the control operation for the monitoring system.

16. The system of claim 15:

wherein detecting the request from the user to perform the control operation for the monitoring system comprises detecting a request from the user to disarm the monitoring system from an armed state in which a security alarm is generated in response to detected entry into the fixed property;

wherein determining whether to perform the requested control operation for the monitoring system based on the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

determining a geographic location of the user based on the accessed geographic location tracking data;

determining whether the user is within a threshold distance of the fixed property based on the determined geographic location of the user,

in response to a determination that the user is within the threshold distance of the fixed property, determining to grant the request from the user to disarm the monitoring system, and

in response to a determination that the user is outside of the threshold distance of the fixed property, determining to deny the request from the user to disarm the monitoring system;

wherein causing performance of the requested control operation for the monitoring system comprises disarming the monitoring system in response to a determination to grant the request from the user to disarm the monitoring system; and

wherein denying the request from the user to perform the control operation for the monitoring system comprises, in response to a determination to deny the request from the user to disarm the monitoring system, maintaining the monitoring system in the armed state and sending a message to the user to indicate that the request to disarm the monitoring system has been denied.

17. The system of claim 12:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting an alarm condition at the fixed property based on data from the monitoring system; and

wherein controlling the operation related to the monitoring system based on the detected event and the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

generating an alarm notification that includes a description of the alarm condition detected at the fixed property and an identification of a geographic location of at least a first user associated with the fixed property, and

sending the generated alarm notification to a second user associated with the fixed property, the second user being different from the first user.

18. The system of claim 12:

wherein detecting the event related to the monitoring system that monitors the fixed property comprises detecting an event at the fixed property related to a notification rule that defines conditions for sending a notification in response to detection of the event; and

wherein controlling the operation related to the monitoring system based on the detected event and the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

evaluating the notification rule in light of the accessed geographic location tracking data, and

handling the notification based on results of evaluating the notification rule in light of the accessed geographic location tracking data.

19. The system of claim 18:

wherein detecting the event at the fixed property related to the notification rule that defines conditions for sending the notification in response to detection of the event comprises detecting an event at the fixed property related to a notification rule that defines conditions for selecting one or more recipients of the notification;

wherein evaluating the notification rule in light of the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

determining a geographic location for each of multiple, possible recipients of the notification based on the accessed geographic location tracking data;

analyzing the determined geographic location for each of multiple, possible recipients of the notification with respect to the conditions for selecting one or more recipients of the notification defined by the notification rule; and

selecting a subset of the multiple, possible recipients of the notification based on the analysis; and

wherein handling the notification based on results of evaluating the notification rule in light of the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises sending the notification to the selected subset of the multiple, possible recipients.

20. The system of claim 18:

wherein detecting the event at the fixed property related to the notification rule that defines conditions for sending the notification in response to detection of the event comprises detecting an event at the fixed property related to a notification rule that defines conditions for determining whether or not to send the notification;

wherein evaluating the notification rule in light of the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

determining a geographic location for at least one possible recipient of the notification based on the accessed geographic location tracking data;

analyzing the determined geographic location for the at least one possible recipient of the notification with respect to the conditions for determining whether or not to send the notification defined by the notification rule; and

determining whether or not to send the notification to the at least one possible recipient based on the analysis; and

wherein handling the notification based on results of evaluating the notification rule in light of the accessed geographic location tracking data comprises;

sending the notification to the at least one possible recipient in response to a determination to send the notification to the at least one possible recipient, and

withholding the notification from the at least one possible recipient in response to a determination not to send the notification to the at least one possible recipient.