Limiting Service Availability When Sensor Device is Non-Operational Due to Noise Floor Change

• US 20180061214A1
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Capital Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Digital Life, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vanchev, Plamen
• Granted Patent: US 9,905,118 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/04 Monitoring of the detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/18 Prevention or correction of operating errors G08B29/02, G08B29/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for limiting service availability when a sensor device is non-operational due to a noise floor change. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a connected home system includes a controller device configured to monitor a plurality sensor devices deployed within a premises, and a sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices. The sensor device can monitor radio frequency (“RF”) noise in a radio environment associated with the premises. The radio environment is associated with an RF noise floor. The sensor device can determine whether the radio frequency noise exceeds a noise threshold. In response to determining that the RF noise exceeds the noise threshold, the sensor device can cause the controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the RF noise returns to below the noise threshold.

Claims

1. A connected home system comprising:

a controller device configured to monitor a plurality of sensor devices deployed within a premises; and

a sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices, the sensor device comprising

a processor, and

memory comprising sensor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the sensor device to perform sensor operations comprising

monitoring radio frequency noise in a radio environment associated with the premises, wherein the radio environment has associated therewith a baseline radio frequency noise floor,

determining whether the radio frequency noise exceeds a noise threshold defined above the baseline radio frequency noise floor, and

in response to determining that the radio frequency noise exceeds the noise threshold, causing the controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold.

2. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein causing the controller device to exclude the sensor device from monitoring until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold comprises:

generating a message directed to the controller device, wherein the message instructs the controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold; and

sending the message to the controller device.

3. The connected home system of claim 2, wherein the controller device performs controller operations comprising:

receiving the message from the sensor device; and

excluding the sensor device from being monitored.

4. The connected home system of claim 3, wherein the sensor operations further comprise:

determining that the radio frequency noise has returned to below the noise threshold; and

causing the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device.

5. The connected home system of claim 4, wherein causing the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device comprises:

generating a further message directed to the controller device, wherein the further message instructs the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device; and

sending the further message to the controller device.

6. The connected home system of claim 5, wherein the controller device performs controller operations comprising:

receiving the further message from the sensor device; and

resuming monitoring the sensor device in monitoring.

7. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the controller device performs controller operations comprising:

generating an alert directed to a monitoring center that provides, at least in part, a monitoring service for the connected home system, wherein the alert identifies the sensor device as being offline; and

sending the alert to the monitoring center.

8. The connected home system of claim 1, wherein the sensor operations further comprise establishing the baseline radio frequency noise floor for the radio environment.

9. The connected home system of claim 8, wherein the sensor operations further comprise establishing a further baseline radio frequency noise floor for the radio environment, wherein the baseline radio frequency noise floor and the further baseline radio frequency noise floor are established for different times of day.

11. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein causing the controller device to exclude the sensor device from monitoring until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold comprises:

generating a message directed to the controller device, wherein the message instructs the controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold; and

sending the message to the controller device.

10. A sensor device comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising sensor instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the sensor device to perform sensor operations comprising

monitoring radio frequency noise in a radio environment associated with a premises, wherein the radio environment has associated therewith a baseline radio frequency noise floor,

determining whether the radio frequency noise exceeds a noise threshold defined above the baseline radio frequency noise floor, and

in response to determining that the radio frequency noise exceeds the noise threshold, causing a controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold.

12. The sensor device of claim 10, wherein the sensor operations further comprise:

determining that the radio frequency noise has returned to below the noise threshold; and

causing the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device.

13. The sensor device of claim 12, wherein causing the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device comprises:

generating a further message directed to the controller device, wherein the further message instructs the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device; and

sending the further message to the controller device.

14. The sensor device of claim 10, wherein the sensor operations further comprise establishing the baseline radio frequency noise floor for the radio environment.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a sensor device, causes the sensor device to perform operations comprising:

monitoring radio frequency noise in a radio environment associated with a premises, wherein the radio environment has associated therewith a baseline radio frequency noise floor,

determining whether the radio frequency noise exceeds a noise threshold defined above the baseline radio frequency noise floor, and

in response to determining that the radio frequency noise exceeds the noise threshold, causing a controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein causing the controller device to exclude the sensor device from monitoring until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold comprises:

generating a message directed to the controller device, wherein the message instructs the controller device to exclude the sensor device from being monitored by the controller device until the radio frequency noise returns to below the noise threshold; and

sending the message to the controller device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the radio frequency noise has returned to below the noise threshold; and

causing the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein causing the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device comprises:

generating a further message directed to the controller device, wherein the further message instructs the controller device to resume monitoring of the sensor device; and

sending the further message to the controller device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise establishing the baseline radio frequency noise floor for the radio environment.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

establishing the baseline radio frequency noise floor for the radio environment; and

establishing a further baseline radio frequency noise floor for the radio environment, wherein the baseline radio frequency noise floor and the further baseline radio frequency noise floor are established for different times of day.