AUTOMATIC ADJUSTING OF DAY-NIGHT SENSITIVITY FOR MOTION DETECTION IN AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING AND COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20180308328A1
• Filed: 04/18/2018
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ring Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siminoff, James
• Granted Patent: US 10,984,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1895 using light change detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19 using infrared-radiation detection systems G08B13/194 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19604 involving reference image or background adaptation with time to compensate for changing conditions, e.g. reference image update on detection of light level change
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1961 Movement detection not involving frame subtraction, e.g. motion detection on the basis of luminance changes in the image
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/188 Data fusion; cooperative systems, e.g. voting among different detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device includes a camera, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, and a light sensor. A method receives a PIR sensor output signal from the PIR sensor, receives image data from the camera, and receives a light sensor output signal from the light sensor. The method determines, using the light sensor output signal and at least one of the PIR sensor output signal and the image data whether to activate recording of the image data, and upon determining to activate recording of the image data, generates an alert. The method transmits the alert to a client device associated with the A/V recording and communication device.

Claims

1. A method for an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device, the device including a camera, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, and a light sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a PIR sensor output signal from the PIR sensor;

receiving image data from the camera;

receiving a light sensor output signal from the light sensor;

determining, using the light sensor output signal and at least one of the PIR sensor output signal and the image data whether to activate recording of the image data;

upon determining to activate recording of the image data, generating an alert; and

transmitting the alert to a client device associated with the A/V recording and communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to activate recording comprises:

determining whether the light sensor output signal is below a daylight threshold value; and

upon determining that the light sensor output signal is below the daylight threshold value, determining whether to activate recording based exclusively upon whether the PIR sensor output signal exceeds a PIR sensor output signal threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the PIR sensor output signal threshold value depends upon the light sensor output signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the PIR sensor output signal threshold value increases as the light sensor output signal increases, and the PIR sensor output signal threshold value decreases as the light sensor output signal decreases.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to activate recording comprises:

determining whether the light sensor output signal is below a daylight threshold value; and

upon determining that the light sensor output signal is not below the daylight threshold value, determining whether to activate recording based exclusively upon whether the image data indicates movement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to activate recording comprises:

determining whether the light sensor output signal is below a daylight threshold value;

determining whether the light sensor output signal is above a nighttime threshold value; and

upon determining that the light sensor output signal is below the daylight threshold value and above the nighttime threshold value, determining whether to activate recording based upon a weighted combination value comprising the PIR sensor output signal threshold value and an image data movement value.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the image data movement value is calculated by determining a number of changed pixels between a first frame of the image data and a second frame of the image data, wherein the first frame and the second frame are spaced apart in time.

8. A method for an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device, the device including a camera, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, and a light sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a PIR sensor output signal from the PIR sensor;

receiving a light sensor output signal from the light sensor;

determining, using the PIR sensor output signal and the light sensor output signal, whether to activate the camera for recording of image data;

upon determining to activate the camera for recording of image data, activating the camera for recording of image data and generating an alert; and

transmitting the alert to a client device associated with the A/V recording and communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining whether to activate the camera for recording of image data comprises:

using the light sensor output signal to adjust a sensitivity of the PIR sensor, such that in bright light conditions the sensitivity of the PIR sensor is decreased and in low light conditions the sensitivity of the PIR sensor is increased.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensitivity of the PIR sensor is adjusted by adjusting a threshold for a peak magnitude of the PIR sensor output signal that will cause a determination to activate the camera for recording of image data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensitivity of the PIR sensor is adjusted by adjusting a minimum magnitude of the PIR sensor output signal that will cause a determination to activate the camera for recording of image data.

12. An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device, comprising:

a camera configured to capture image data of an object within a field of view of the camera;

a passive infrared (PIR) sensor;

a light sensor,

a communication module; and

a processing module operatively connected to the camera and to the communication module, the processing module comprising;

a processor; and

a camera application;

wherein the processing module is configured to;

receive a PIR sensor output signal from the PIR sensor;

receive image data from the camera;

receive a light sensor output signal from the light sensor;

determine, using the light sensor output signal and at least one of the PIR sensor output signal and the image data, whether to activate recording of the image data;

upon determining to activate recording of the image data, generating an alert; and

transmitting the alert to a client device associated with the A/V recording and communication device.

13. The audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device of claim 12 wherein determining whether to activate recording comprises:

determining whether the light sensor output signal is below a daylight threshold value; and

upon determining that the light sensor output signal is below the daylight threshold value, determining whether to activate recording based exclusively upon whether the PIR sensor output signal exceeds a PIR sensor output signal threshold value.

14. The audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device of claim 13, wherein the PIR sensor output signal threshold value depends upon the light sensor output signal.

15. The audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device of claim 14, wherein the PIR sensor output signal threshold value increases as the light sensor output signal increases, and the PIR sensor output signal threshold value decreases as the light sensor output signal decreases.

16. The audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device of claim 12, wherein determining whether to activate recording comprises:

determining whether the light sensor output signal is below a daylight threshold value; and

upon determining that the light sensor output signal is not below the daylight threshold value, determining whether to activate recording based exclusively upon whether the image data indicates movement.

17. The audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device of claim 12, wherein determining whether to activate recording comprises:

determining whether the light sensor output signal is below a daylight threshold value;

determining whether the light sensor output signal is above a nighttime threshold value; and

upon determining that the light sensor output signal is below the daylight threshold value and above the nighttime threshold value, determining whether to activate recording based upon a weighted combination value comprising the PIR sensor output signal threshold value and an image data movement value.

18. The audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device of claim 17 wherein the image data movement value is calculated by determining a number of changed pixels between a first frame of the image data and a second frame of the image data, wherein the first frame and the second frame are spaced apart in time.