Systems, methods and apparatus are described for propagating a primary alert from a premises monitoring system or device by a home entertainment device. A premises monitoring system or device, such as a security system, smoke detector, fire detector, carbon monoxide detector, baby monitor, smart speaker, etc., emit a primary alert when a predetermined event or condition occurs associated with a monitored premises. An indication of the primary alert is received by one or more home entertainment devices, and at least one of the home entertainment devices causes a secondary alert to occur, for example, an audio notification and/or a visual notification from the at least one home entertainment device.
Systems, methods and apparatus are described for automatically performing home or business-based actions. A predefined geographic boundary may be defined around a home or a business. When a personal communication device inside a vehicle crosses a boundary of the predefined geographic boundary, the personal communication device sends a short range message to a point-to-point transceiver in the vehicle, and the point-to-point transceiver sends a signal directly to a controller in the home or business to automatically perform the one or more home or business-based actions.
H04W 4/021 - Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
H04L 12/28 - Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
H04M 1/72457 - User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions according to geographic location
H04M 1/72415 - User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality by interfacing with external accessories for remote control of appliances
G08C 17/02 - Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link
3.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING POWER CONSUMPTION IN A HARDWARE TOKEN READER
A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption of a battery-powered, hardware token reader. A secure access module within the battery-powered hardware token reader is disabled by a main processor while the battery-powered hardware token reader is in a low-power mode of operation. The main processor also enables communications directly with a tag transceiver and then places itself into a sleep state. When a hardware token is placed within the range of the tag transceiver, the tag transceiver wakes the main processor, and the main processor, in turn, powers the secure access module on and initializes it so that the main processor can read information stored on the hardware token via the secure access module.
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
H04B 5/00 - Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive loop type
4.
ADJUSTABLE DWELL TIME FOR MOTION DETECTOR BASED ON ACTIVITY
A motion detector that can automatically adjust a dwell time used by the motion detector to prevent unnecessary transmissions as an activity level of an area increases or decreases. The motion detector determines the activity level in the area and if the activity level is increasing, the dwell time is reduced and vice-versa.
A system, method and apparatus for monitoring a barrier. The barrier sensor refrains from transmitting an alarm signal to a receiver when the barrier sensor determines that the barrier has been placed into an open position and that a human being is inside the premises in proximity to the human detection device. Further, the barrier sensor transmits an alarm signal to a receiver when the barrier sensor determines that the barrier has been moved from the open position and that a human being is not inside the premises in proximity to the barrier.
G01D 5/00 - Mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member; Means for converting the output of a sensing member to another variable where the form or nature of the sensing member does not constrain the means for converting; Transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable
6.
SMART THERMOSTAT FOR CONTROLLING ADJACENT ROOM TEMPERATURES
A smart thermostat for controlling the ambient air temperature in a first area when the smart thermostat is located in a second area. One or more desired setpoint temperatures are changed automatically by the smart thermostat based on one or more setpoint modification factors, such as the time of day, current season, location, orientation and present and future weather conditions.
Systems, methods and apparatus are described to selectively monitor a portion of a premises by a security system. A security system may contain a central security monitoring device in communication with a plurality of security sensors, and central security monitoring device may receive a command to actively monitor a first portion of a premises monitored by the security system, and in response to receiving the command, cause one or more security alerts to occur when an alarm signal is received from a security sensor located in the first portion of the premises, while ignoring alarm signals received from security sensors located in other portions of the premises.
Systems, methods and apparatus are described for reducing the occurrence of false alarms by determining the identify of people, typically via their mobile devices, in or near a monitored premises. A security system employing the embodiments described herein monitors a home or business to determine the presence of mobile devices in or near the premises, and determines whether such mobile devices are authorized, or not, to enter the premises after the security system has been armed. When an intrusion is detected, the security system determines whether any unauthorized mobile devices are present in or near the premises. If so, one or more escalated alarm responses are initiated by the security system. If no unauthorized mobile devices are in or near the premises when intrusion is detected, the security system ignores the intrusion and refrains from performing the escalated alarm responses.
An electronic barrier alarm sensor having a flexible sensing device. The sensor may be mounted to a door, door frame, window, window frame, object or wall to detect when a door or window has been opened, that an object has been moved or to detect the presence of an animal. The flexible sensing device comprises one or more attributes that change as the flexible sensing device is bent, or unbent, by operation of a door, window, removal of an object, or the presence of an animal. Based on the changes, the electronic barrier alarm sensor may transmit an alarm signal when one or more measured values of the one or more attributes changes by more than one or more predetermined amounts.
Methods and apparatus for performing timed functions in battery-powered, wireless electronic devices, such as sensors or control modules. Such electronic devices comprise a main processor and a co-processor. When the main processor enters a quiescent state in order to preserve battery life, one or more timed functions are transferred from the main processor to the co-processor just before the main processor enters the quiescent state. When the co-processor determines that it is time to perform the timed function, the co-processor wakes the main processor in order for the main processor to perform the timed function.
A system, method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a person in an area monitored by an electronic person detector that may operate both as a security motion sensor and a home automation occupancy sensor.
G08B 13/196 - Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength using passive radiation detection systems using image scanning and comparing systems using television cameras
Methods and apparatus are described for transmitting messages by sensors in a system, such as a home security system. The messages are deemed received only when a sensor receives both an acknowledgement and a response from a central controller, and retransmissions occur when either an acknowledgement or a response is not received.
A sensor is disabled when it receives a signal from a control unit that the control unit has been placed into one or more particular operating modes. In response to receiving the signal, the sensor becomes disabled, thereby preventing detection and/or transmission of certain signals to the security panel. When the control unit is placed into another mode of operation, the control unit sends a signal to the sensor and, in response, the sensor is re-enabled, allowing the sensor to function normally.
G08B 25/00 - Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
G08B 25/10 - Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems characterised by the transmission medium using wireless transmission systems
A person-detection device that automatically configures itself as a motion sensor or an occupancy sensor upon receiving a command from a home security panel or home automation hub.
A system, method and apparatus for configuring a person detection sensor. The person detection sensor may limit its transmissions in accordance with a pre-configured dwell time. The person detection sensor may receive a new dwell time from a remote device. When the new dwell time is received, it is stored in memory and is then used to regulate the number of transmissions of the person detection sensor in accordance with the new dwell time.
A barrier alarm device for reducing the number of false alarms that may occur in a home or business security system. In one embodiment, a barrier alarm device, such as a door or window sensor, determines whether a barrier, such as a door or a window, has been opened, and determines whether a human being is inside a premises in proximity to the door or window. If a human being is inside the monitored premises when the door or window is opened, it indicates that the human being is authorized to be inside the monitored premises, and the barrier alarm device transmits a timed alarm signal to a central security panel, causing a security response to be generated by the central security panel if a predetermined time period elapses without a user canceling the security response.
G08B 19/00 - Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
G08B 25/00 - Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
A base station used in a home security or home automation//control system is described. The base station is configured to automatically accept new sensors or control modules by placing such new sensors or control modules in proximity to the base station.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
Aspects of the present invention are directed towards identifying users in a room by an intelligent personal assistant for automatic control of certain devices controlled by the assistant. The assistant may have a retractable, reflector that is used to identify persons in the vicinity of the assistant when the retractable, reflector is in an extended position. The retractable, reflector may additionally be stowed inside the assistant to stop processing visual information in the vicinity of the assistant.
The present disclosure provides an illumination feature for an electronic device. A light cone is used to direct light from a light emitter to an interior surface of a housing of an electronic device in one of a variety of geometric, alphabetic, or numerical designs.
F21V 3/02 - Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses characterised by the shape
F21V 23/04 - Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being switches
G08B 5/36 - Visible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied using electromagnetic transmission using visible light sources
A system for providing user-defined event notifications is describe. The system typically comprises an intelligent digital assistant coupled to a local area network for receiving an audible event definition from a user, an electronic system coupled to the local area network for determining whether a first user-defined event has occurred, and an event detection and notification server, coupled to the intelligent digital assistant and the first electronic system via a wide-area network. The event detection and notification system receives an audible event definition from the intelligent digital assistant, interpret the audible event definition to determine that the first user-defined event is present, identify the first electronic system as a system that determines whether the event occurs, determine that the first user-defined event occurred communications with the first electronic system, and provide a notification to the user that the first user-defined event has occurred.
G08B 3/10 - Audible signalling systems; Audible personal calling systems using electromagnetic transmission
G08B 19/00 - Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
Described is a security sensor comprising two or more sub-sensors for use in a variety of installations where different magnetic fields may be experienced by the security sensor as a result of the variety of installations. One of the sub-sensors may have a low magnetic sensitivity while the other sub-sensor may have a much higher sensitivity to magnetic fields. In operation, one or both sub-sensors are used to determine if a door or a window has been opened.
A method, performed by a transmit module coupled to a switched outlet and a receive module coupled to a continuously-powered outlet, for providing switched power to an electrical device from the continuously-powered electrical outlet, comprising detecting, by the transmit module, power applied to the switched outlet as a result of a switch being placed into an "on" position, in response to detecting the power applied to the switched outlet, transmitting, by the transmit module, a first signal to the receive module, receiving, by the receive module, the first signal, and in response to receiving the first signal, causing a switch to apply power to the electrical device from the continuously-powered electrical outlet.
H01H 9/54 - Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere
H02J 13/00 - Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
G06F 1/26 - Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof
23.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTERACTION WITH AN INTELLIGENT PERSONAL ASSISTANT
Aspects of the present invention are directed towards a more natural way to interact with an intelligent personal assistant. An intelligent personal assistant comprises a camera that provides images of an area surrounding the assistant. The assistant monitors images provided by the camera to determine when a user is addressing the assistant. When voice input is received after determining that a user is addressing the assistant, the assistant understands that the voice input is intended for the assistant, and acts on the voice input to respond to the user.
G06F 3/00 - Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
G06F 3/01 - Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
A method, apparatus and system is disclosed for automatically opening and closing a garage door without user intervention. A vehicle-mounted mobile transmitter autonomously and continuously transmits a repeating signal pattern when power is applied to the transmitter as a vehicle is started by a user. A movable barrier gateway device receives the signals from the mobile transmitter and compares an identification code contained in each of the signals to an identification code stored in memory. When a match is found, the movable barrier gateway device sends a signal to a movable barrier controller to open the garage door, and keep the door open as long as the movable barrier gateway continues to receive the signals from the mobile transmitter.
E05F 15/70 - Power-operated mechanisms for wings with automatic actuation
E05F 15/73 - Power-operated mechanisms for wings with automatic actuation responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
E05F 15/77 - Power-operated mechanisms for wings with automatic actuation using wireless control
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
A remote-controlled switch cover assembly is described for converting an existing rocker switch into a remote-controlled switch. The remote-controlled switch cover assembly receives a wireless signal to actuate the standard rocker switch and, in response, activates an electric motor that causes a gear train to turn in a first direction. This causes a wiper to engage an under-surface of a tilt plate located above the standard rocker switch and, in response, an opposing end of the tit plate depresses the standard rocker switch.
A method, system, and apparatus for programming a sensor at a customer location is disclosed. A defective sensor at a customer location is replaced by a new sensor that is programmed at the customer location using a programming device or a transducer coupled to a computing device. The new sensor is programming using the sensor's detector normally used to sense a change in a magnetic field, an RF signal, infra-red light, or some other emission or property.
The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus for detecting a pattern warning signal from a hazard detector in the presence of a second pattern warning signal from a second hazard detector. A In one embodiment, hazard detector monitoring device converts a pattern warning signal and a second pattern warning signal into a composite electronic signal, each of the first and second pattern warning signals comprising an on-time period followed by an off-time period. Next, the composite electronic signal is converted into a digital signal and then an on-time duration of the digital signal is determined as a time that the digital signal exceeded a first voltage threshold. Finally, an alarm signal is transmitted to a receiver when the pattern warning signal has been determined to be present, based on the on-time duration.
Methods and apparatus are described for automatically disarming a security system. For example, a method for automatically disarming a security system is described, comprising determining, by a personal communication device, when a person is in proximity to the person's home or business and, in response to determining that the person is in proximity to the person's home or business, transmitting a disarm command by the personal communication device to a security controller for the security controller to disarm the security system.
Embodiments of a central security monitoring device for reducing incidences of false alarms in a security system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method is described, comprising receiving an alarm signal from an occupancy sensor via a receiver, receiving a second alarm signal from a barrier alarm device after receiving the alarm signal, determining an elapsed time from when the alarm signal from the occupancy sensor was received to when the second alarm signal from the barrier alarm device was received, performing one or more actions when the elapsed time is greater than the predetermined time, and refraining from performing the one or more actions when the elapsed time is less than the predetermined time.
G08B 29/00 - Checking or monitoring of signalling or alarm systems; Prevention or correction of operating errors, e.g. preventing unauthorised operation
31.
SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INTERACTING WITH A SECURITY SYSTEM USING A TELEVISION REMOTE CONTROL
A method and apparatus is described for interacting with a security system using a television remote control. Commands sent by the remote control are received by an auxiliary interface device, which then provides the commands to a security system controller either directly, via a local-area network, or via a wide-area network and server. Status and acknowledgement messages are transmitted from the security system controller to the auxiliary device, whereupon they are provided to and displayed by a television in the form of a security dashboard
A self-configuring sensor and method of operation of the sensor is described. In one embodiment, the self-configuring sensor comprises a first sub-sensor for determining a first status of a door or window, a second sub-sensor for determining a second status of the door or window, a wireless transmitter, a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, and a processor coupled to the first sub-sensor, the second sub-sensor, the wireless transmitter and the memory for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the sensor to monitor the first and second sub-sensors for detecting changes in a first sub-sensor state and a second sub-sensor state, respectively, and determine an installation configuration based on the changes in the first sub-sensor state and the second sub-sensor state, the installation configuration comprising a type of hardware where the self-configuring sensor has been installed.
A light switch cover for converting a standard toggle switch into a remote-controlled toggle switch comprising a switch toggle member for acting upon a toggle light switch member to place the toggle light switch member into either an on position or an off position, a gear train, an electric motor, coupled to the gear train, for driving the gear train in a first direction to cause the switch toggle member to place the toggle light switch member into the on position, and for driving the gear train in a second direction to cause the switch toggle member to place the toggle light switch member into the off position, motor driving circuitry coupled to the electric motor, a receiver for receiving signals that cause actuation of the standard toggle switch, and processing circuitry coupled to the receiver and the motor driving circuitry.
The present disclosure relates to a software application used on mobile devices that enables professional monitoring services to DIY monitoring systems that lack an ability to communicate with remote monitoring facilities. In one embodiment, alert messages are transmitted by a monitoring system gateway and received by a personal communication device. The alert messages indicate occurrences of events at a monitored premises. When the software application determines that an incoming communication is an alert message, an indication is provided to a user of the mobile device that an event has occurred at the premises, and giving the user a predetermined time period in which to respond to the indication. If the user fails to respond to the indication within a predetermined time period, a message is transmitted to a remote monitoring facility, alerting the remote monitoring facility of the event.
G08B 29/00 - Checking or monitoring of signalling or alarm systems; Prevention or correction of operating errors, e.g. preventing unauthorised operation
A barrier alarm device for reducing the number of false alarms that may occur in a home security system. In one embodiment, a barrier alarm device, such as a door or window sensor, determines whether a barrier, such as a door or a window, has been opened, determines whether a human being is in proximity to the door or window inside a monitored premises. If a human being is inside the monitored premises when the door or window is opened, it indicates that the human being is authorized to be inside the monitored premises, and an alarm signal is not transmitted to a central security panel, thus reducing false alarms.
patents
