Mobile device controller application for any security system

• US 8,489,065 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nicholas J. Basil, Robert M. Green
• Original Assignee: Nicholas J. Basil, Robert M. Green
• Inventors: Green, Robert M, Basil, Nicholas J
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIEH, PING Y
• Application Number:
  US13/405,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20120282974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 506 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/557, 455/566, 70/571, 700/231, 700/236, 700/237, 709/224, 715/702, 715/720, 715/736, 715/863, 715/864, 340/10.5, 340/500, 340/506, 340/539.11, 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/539.18, 340/539.19, 340/540, 340/571, 345/168, 345/173, 348/143, 348/155, 379/39, 396/427
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method for using any mobile device to manage a security system in retail environments is disclosed in which an application or applet is installed on the mobile device providing a GUI for users to easily perform functions allowable by the security system. This method can be added to any legacy security system providing remote control and monitoring of the system via two-way communication links. Methods for processing touch inputs on mobile devices for security management are disclosed, including reading data from a multipoint sensing device such as a multipoint touchscreen, and identifying at least one multipoint gesture based on data from the multipoint sensing device. These functions provide vast improvements in retail security by providing store personnel earliest possible theft detection, higher level theft prevention than previously possible, communication between mobile devices in security systems, and evidence provided to law enforcement faster than ever possible.

Claims

1. A mobile device or portable computing device comprising a software application program that has two way access to a security system software controller, where such security system is used in a multi-location environment of two or more locations including retail stores, or business offices, to perform all functions that would be allowed to an authorized user as if the user were using the security system where the equipment is physically located and using a manufacturer provided GUI, wherein the receiving capabilities of the remote device are receiving alerts via any electronic means, including but not limited to SMS, MMS, RSS, IM, or voice call, or wherein the system management capabilities of the software application (applet) installed on the mobile device, smartphone, or portable computing device, is any feature or configuration option that would normally be allowed to the authorized user as if the user were using the security system where the security equipment is physically located and using the manufacturer provided GUI, wherein the management capabilities include:

setting alert message types, parameters, and recipients of such alert messages and sending messages directly to other mobile device users using the application, viewing live streaming video or any media of any camera the user chooses, deactivating and reactivating the system, performing a system test, changing any parameters of an individual camera such as pan, zoom, tilt, direction, and frames per second, and to put the security system in an alarm condition if the authorized user has identified a possible alarm condition that may or may not be in a location that the installed security system is use, and to check any available reports that may be created or generated by the security system; and

the mobile device allows the user to use pre-defined gestures on a touch screen, or use air gestures, to operate the application including a single tap on any icon to activate said icon function and move to an appropriate screen, the ability to view a graphical representation of the security system whereby the user can use zoom, pan, and scroll functions on the touch screen to view any desired portion of the graphically represented security system, to view live streaming video from any camera by one gesture touch or air gesture on said camera, to activate an alarm condition on any camera, to view live streaming video from any camera by a double tap gesture touch or air touch on said camera, to activate an alarm condition on any camera by a holding gesture touch or holding air touch on said camera, and by activating an alarm condition on multiple cameras either by holding gesture touch or holding air touch on multiple cameras, or by dragging a finger on the touch screen, or dragging a finger via air touch, to choose a path of cameras the user will activate.

2. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein a custom application is provide that is integrated into the security system via remote access such that the mobile device user can perform any functions that are allowed by the security system.

3. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the security system controller software is located either locally in the store or remotely accessible via the internet, and where the remote device is accessing the security system controller software via any means by which the remote device has communications access capabilities, and further, where the mobile device user has the same access rights and system administrator functions as would be seen when using the security software application from a local computer or any system provided by the security system manufacturer.

4. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application will activate a splash screen or pop up and an audible alert when an alarm condition is activated by the security controller software, or alternately when an alarm condition is activated by a mobile device user such that an alert message will be sent from the user'"'"'s mobile device to all other mobile device users with the mobile device security application installed, and further, where such notification is in the form of a splash screen or pop up and concurrent audible alert, or alternately may use RSS, MSS or Instant Messaging (IM) as a means of communication between mobile device, or between the security controller and mobile devices.

5. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user the ability to watch live steaming video of any installed camera, video camera, DVR, CCTV, and any other image capturing system wherein the security system is sending streaming video using streaming video technology, including but not limited to RTSP, and further, wherein the application on the mobile device give the user the ability to watch streaming video in the same manner from a previous period in time from stored video files by selecting the start time the user requests to begin from, and further, where the mobile device user may set a state in the security system to activate less frames per second of the streaming video in order to reduce the amount of data being transferred.

6. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user the ability to set an alarm manually so that the security system will go into an alarm state in the same methodology as existing automated methods in which alarms are triggered, and further can set one or multiple cameras to be in such an alarm state until such alarm state is ended by the mobile device user, and further where such alarm activated by a mobile device user will automatically send an alert message, splash screen, or pop up to all other mobile or portable devices defined in the security software controller in which said devices have the same application or applet installed;

alternately, a user will be able to active an alert mode such that all other mobile devices or portable computing devices will receive an alert in the form of a splash screen or pop up with a concurrent audible alert, where such alert is a warning to observe for a possible theft.

7. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user the ability to control any camera that is able to be controlled by the security software controller, with such controls being tilt, direction, pan, zoom, frames per second, or any other setting that the controller software allows.

8. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user a GUI (graphical User Interface) showing the location of every camera or video recorder, wherein the user may touch one graphically represented camera on the mobile device and be able to view live video or any media streaming from that camera, and further, in the case of a theft, the ability to provide the video file to law enforcement immediately without the need to use the video surveillance system.

9. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user the ability to set, edit, or modify any alert or alarm conditions, and the destination and message type of any alert message used by the security system controller, including but not limited to a splash screen or pop up and audible alert at any or all other mobile devices in use in the retail store environment.

10. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user the ability to link to a GPS receiver if such GPS receiver exists in the security controller application, and if GPS receivers are used in any type of merchandise that is stolen as a means of tracking the perpetrator of the theft.

11. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the application gives the user the ability to run any available system test on the security controller, and if authorized, to deactivate and activate the security system.

12. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1 that has two way access to a video surveillance system in which such program can be put into an immediate alarm mode where the video surveillance system is activated in an alarm condition, and the software application on the mobile device or portable computing device is able to activate an audio recording feature on all mobile devices if available such that any audible events that are within range of the mobile device are recorded.

13. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1 that has two way access to a video surveillance system in which such program has an administrative function that can control all other users of the software application program in which administrator rights were given, and where all such portable devices or portable computing devices can be put into an immediate alarm mode by any authorized user of a portable device or portable computing device, where the video surveillance system is activated in an alarm condition, and the software application on the mobile device or portable computing device is able to activate an audio recording feature if available such that any audible events that are within range of the smartphone or portable device or portable computing device user is recorded.

14. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1 that allows an authorized user to control the main security or video surveillance system controller that manages remote systems and is located either at a corporate data center or hosted at a data center of a security company or any other service provider.

15. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1 that allows a user to use voice actions to control the application on the mobile device to activate any feature of the security system, if such voice actions are available in the mobile device or portable computing device, including but not limited to, setting an alarm, sending alert messages, activating cameras, or any action of the security system for which the user has authorized access.

16. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1, wherein the user can activate any specific camera to view the live streaming video or other media and with the use of a touch screen gesture or air gesture of holding a desired image of a person or persons for 2 seconds, or any user defined gesture, activate an unstructured data search of archived video files stored on the surveillance server, or at a data center that is storing archived video file, to check for prior activity and video or image of the person or persons that the device user is looking for.

17. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 16, wherein the results of the video search with any attached video files or images are sent to the mobile or portable device by activating a splash screen or pop up wherein the mobile device user can view the one or more video clips or images by a single tap gesture on the presented screen, or air gesture, and where an additional icon is presented on the screen such that the mobile user can instantly activate an alarm event and the alarm system with a double tap gesture or air gesture to such icon, and whereby all current and archived video clips or images are time stamped and available for access on the security controller server, accessible via mobile device, and available to be sent to any law enforcement office via electronic means using video streaming technology, or to any law enforcement mobile device or portable computing device by the request to the mobile device user sending the request and instructions to the security controller software server.

18. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1 that allows the user to define a personal dictionary of gestures or air gestures such that the user chooses the number of screen touches or air gestures or the length of time of a holding touch or holding air touch of a desired function is needed to activate that function, and to further define the graphical presentation of the main menu options that lead to a following screen, including but not limited to cameras, system test, alarm activation, audio recording, alert mode, or any other graphically represented interface in the application software that has a function or leads to a next screen by use of gestures such as screen touch, holding touch, swipe, or air gestures.

19. The mobile device or portable computing device as in claim 1 that allows the user to choose and use any dictionary of gestures, multi-touch gestures, chords, motions, or air gestures, or any other method of using the graphical user interface of the mobile device or portable computing device, that is provided by the manufacturer of said device, or by any third party application that may be available for use on said device, and further, the application will allow the user to set the desired audible alert from the dictionary of audible alerts provided by the mobile or portable device manufacturer, or to use any audible alert that can be downloaded or purchased, such as ringtones.