Identity verification using a social network

• US 9,197,867 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBell Technologies Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skybell Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Scalisi, Joseph Frank, Mejia, Desiree
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALKER, JARED T
• Application Number:
  US14/740,199
• Time in Patent Office: 162 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0291 Door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A doorbell system can be used to identify a visitor. Embodiments can include detecting the visitor, taking a picture of the visitor, searching an online social network that has a plurality of pictures, and determining the identity of the visitor. The doorbell system can use the identity to know how to respond to the visitor.

Claims

1. A method for using a doorbell system to identify a first visitor, the doorbell system having a doorbell that comprises a camera and a button, the method comprising:

detecting, by the doorbell, the first visitor;

taking, by the doorbell, a first image of the first visitor;

searching, by the doorbell system, an online social network that comprises a plurality of images having a second image; and

searching, by the doorbell system, a solicitor database to determine whether an identity of the first visitor matches a solicitor identity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the first image taken by the doorbell and the second image of the online social network show the first visitor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a name associated with the second image based on information of the online social network, and then associating, by the doorbell system, the name with the first visitor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising sending an alert to a remote computing device, wherein the alert comprises the name and a third image, taken by the doorbell, of the first visitor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first image and the third image are identical.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising taking the first image at a first time, and taking the third image at a second time that is later than the first time.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a social relationship between the first visitor and a user of a remote computing device to which the doorbell system is configured to send an alert in response to the doorbell detecting the first visitor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the doorbell is coupled to a building, the method further comprising granting the first visitor access to the building in response to the social relationship.

23. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining the identity of the first visitor based on information from the online social network.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the doorbell system searching the online social network, an identity of the first visitor by comparing a first trait of the first image to the plurality of images; and

determining, via facial recognition by the doorbell system, that the first visitor is shown in the second image.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the doorbell system comprises a remote computing device, the method further comprising selecting, by the remote computing device, a first sound to be emitted by the doorbell in response to detecting, by the doorbell, a person having the identity such that the method comprises configuring the doorbell to emit the first sound to the first visitor and to emit a different sound to a second visitor.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising sending an alert to a remote computing device, wherein the alert comprises the identity and a third image, taken by the doorbell, of the first visitor.

9. A doorbell system configured to identify a first visitor, the doorbell system comprising:

a doorbell communicatively coupled with a remote computing device, an online social network, and a solicitor database;

a first image taken by a camera of the doorbell; and

a second image stored in at least one of the online social network and the solicitor database, wherein the first image and the second image are used to identify the first visitor.

10. The doorbell system of claim 9, further comprising an image comparison system configured to determine whether the first image taken by the doorbell and the second image of the online social network show the first visitor.

11. The doorbell system of claim 10, further comprising an identity determined by the doorbell system searching the online social network and comparing a first trait of the first image to a plurality of images stored in the online social network.

12. The doorbell system of claim 11, further comprising a user interface of the remote computing device, wherein the user interface displays the identity of the first visitor in response to the image comparison system determining that the first image taken by the doorbell and the second image of the online social network show the first visitor.

13. A method for using a doorbell system to identify a visitor, the doorbell system having a doorbell that comprises a camera and a button, the method comprising:

detecting, by the doorbell, the visitor;

taking, by the doorbell, a first image of the visitor; and

determining, by the doorbell system searching a solicitor database, that the visitor is a solicitor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending an alert to a remote computing device, wherein the alert comprises a solicitor identity.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the doorbell system comprises a remote computing device, the method further comprising selecting, by the remote computing device, a first sound to be emitted by the doorbell in response to detecting, by the doorbell, a person having the solicitor identity and a second sound to be emitted by the doorbell in response to detecting, by the doorbell, a person not having the solicitor identity, wherein the first sound is different from the second sound.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising recording, by the remote computing device, the first sound.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending an alert to a remote computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the alert comprises a solicitation record.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the solicitation record comprises a number of times the visitor has solicited in a neighborhood.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising searching, by the doorbell system, a criminal database to determine whether the visitor identity matches a criminal identity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the alert comprises the criminal identity and a danger rating based on past criminal acts.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining that the visitor is a solicitor based on a number of buildings the visitor has visited within a predetermined vicinity of the doorbell system.