Environmental state detection control using a bifurcated processing system

1 . A system comprising:

one or more sensor devices;

a first microprocessor communicatively coupled to the one or more sensor devices and configured to generate environmental state information based on sensor input received from the one or more sensor devices, the environmental state information representing an observable state of an inanimate object external to the system;

a second microprocessor configured to couple communicatively to a remote device via a network connection; and

an output line from the first microprocessor to the second microprocessor, the first microprocessor being configured to output the environmental state information to the second microprocessor over the output line without the second microprocessor receiving any of the sensor input.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensor devices includes a camera.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first microprocessor uses an artificial intelligence technique to generate the environmental state information.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein:

the artificial intelligence technique includes a machine learning model (MLM); and

the system further comprises an input line into the first microprocessor, the input line not being connected to the first microprocessor, the input line being configured to provide a control signal to the MLM, providing feedback regarding the environmental state information.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the output line is a single bit pin output (SBPO).

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the output line is a multi-bit pin output (MBPO), the MBPO being configured to indicate one among a discrete plurality of states.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein there is no output from the second microprocessor towards the first microprocessor.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein there is a single output from the second microprocessor towards the first microprocessor, the single output being configured to only provide upgrade information for the first microprocessor.

9 . The system of claim 1 wherein there is an output from the second microprocessor towards the first microprocessor, the output being configured to block any communications received via a wireless connection.

10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the second microprocessor is configured to issue control commands to the remote device based on the environmental state information.

11 . The system of claim 1 wherein the system further includes a common housing, the common housing enclosing both the first and second microprocessors.

12 . The system of claim 1 wherein:

the first microprocessor is housed within a first device;

the second microprocessor is housed within a second device; and

the output line is a serial line connecting the first device to the second device.

13 . A method of performing environmental state detection in a system having a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor, the method comprising:

operating the first microprocessor to:

receive sensor input from one or more sensor devices;

monitor a state of an environmental variable based on the received sensor input, the environmental variable representing an observable state of an inanimate object external to the system; and

transmit the state of the monitored environmental variable to the second microprocessor over a unidirectional output line without transmitting any of the sensor input to the second microprocessor; and

operating the second microprocessor to:

receive the state of the monitored environmental variable from the first microprocessor; and

generate and send an instruction to a remote device based on the received state of the environmental variable.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein:

the received sensor input includes information about a position of a door; and

monitoring the state of the environmental variable includes determining whether the door is open or closed.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein:

the received sensor input includes information about an array including a plurality of lighting elements; and

monitoring the state of the environmental variable includes determining a state of the array based on which of the plurality of lighting elements is lit and which is not lit.

16 . The method of claim 13 wherein:

the received sensor input includes information about a position of an element of a lock; and

monitoring the state of the environmental variable includes determining whether the lock is locked or unlocked.

17 . The method of claim 13 wherein the first microprocessor operates to monitor the state of the environmental variable to the exclusion of any other environmental variable.

18 . The system of claim 1 wherein the output line is configured to indicate one among a discrete plurality of states.

19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the discrete plurality of states includes at least three states.

20 . The system of claim 1 wherein the inanimate object is one of:

a lock; and

a set of lights.