System and method for enhanced privacy, resource and alert management
View Patent ↗A home monitoring system comprises a control apparatus adapted to provide enhanced privacy, resource management and alert management. The control apparatus includes a camera for capturing video at the home. A memory stores captured video. A communication interface is operatively connected to the control apparatus for streaming video and receiving control commands. A central system is remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface for receiving and storing captured video from the control apparatus. A remote unit is remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface for generating control commands to the control apparatus to terminate transmission of video to the central system.
1. A home monitoring system, comprising:
a control apparatus for monitoring a home including a camera for capturing live video at the home, a memory for storing captured video clips and a communication interface operatively connected to the control apparatus for selectively streaming live video, uploading stored video clips and receiving control commands;
a central system remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface for receiving and storing streaming live video and uploaded video clips from the control apparatus; and
a remote unit remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface for generating privacy control commands to the control apparatus to terminate transmission of streaming live video or uploading of video clips to the central system,
wherein the control apparatus responsive to receiving privacy control commands continues to capture live video and store captured video clips in the memory and terminates transmission of streaming live video or uploading of video clips to the central system.
2. The home monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote unit comprises a smartphone.
3. The home monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote unit comprises a personal computing device.
4. The home monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote unit generates privacy control commands to terminate transmission of streaming live video and uploading of video clips to the central system.
5. The home monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the remote unit generates privacy control commands to terminate storing of captured video clips.
6. A home monitoring system, comprising:
a control apparatus for monitoring a home including a camera for capturing video at the home and a communication interface operatively connected to the control apparatus for streaming video;
a central monitoring system remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface for receiving streaming video from the control apparatus; and
a remote unit remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface and the central system for receiving streaming video from the control apparatus and generating privacy control commands to the control apparatus to terminate transmission of streaming video to the central system and generating alert control commands to the central system to alert third parties of emergency situations,
wherein the control apparatus responsive to receiving privacy control commands continues to capture video and continues streaming video to the remote unit and terminates transmission of streaming video to the central system; and
wherein the central monitoring system in response to receiving alert control commands automatically transmits a message to a third party.
7. The home monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the central monitoring system in response to alert control commands transmits one of an SMS message an email message or a voice message to the third party.
8. The home monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the central monitoring system in response to control commands sends a control command to the control apparatus to sound an alarm horn.
9. The home monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the remote unit comprises a personal computing device.
10. A home monitoring system, comprising:
a control apparatus for monitoring a home including a camera for capturing video at the home and for generating a camera ping request representing detected motion status and a communication interface operatively connected to the control apparatus; and
a central system remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface,
wherein the central system selectively commands the control apparatus to operate in plural modes including a normal mode wherein the captured video and the camera ping signal are transmitted to the central system and a resource savings mode wherein the captured video is not transmitted to the central system and the camera ping signal is transmitted to the central system.
11. The home monitoring system of claim 10 wherein the central system is configurable to operate the resource savings mode for a specific time period.
12. The home monitoring system of claim 10 wherein the control apparatus includes a memory for storing video clips and the video clips are transmitted in the normal mode.
13. A method of managing a home monitoring system, comprising:
providing a control apparatus for monitoring a home including a camera for capturing live video at the home, a memory for storing captured video clips and a communication interface operatively connected to the control apparatus;
providing a central system remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface;
providing a remote unit remotely located relative to the control apparatus and in operative communication with the communication interface;
streaming live video and/or uploading captured video clips from the control apparatus to the central system and/or the remote unit; and
the central system and/or the remote unit selectively generating privacy commands for commanding the control apparatus to terminate transmission of streaming live video or uploading of captured video clips,
wherein the control apparatus responsive to receiving privacy commands continues to capture live video and store captured video clips in the memory and terminates transmission of streaming live video or uploading of video clips to the central system.
14. The method of managing a home monitoring system of claim 13 wherein the remote unit generates control commands to the central system to alert third parties of emergency situations.
15. The method of managing a home monitoring system of claim 14 wherein the central system in response to control commands transmits a message to the third parties.
16. The method of managing a home monitoring system of claim 14 wherein the central monitoring system in response to control commands sends a control command to the control apparatus to sound an alarm horn.
17. The method of managing a home monitoring system of claim 13 wherein the central system selectively commands the control apparatus to operate in plural modes including a normal mode wherein the captured video and a ping signal representing detected motion status is transmitted to the central system and a resource savings mode wherein the captured video is not transmitted to the central system and the ping signal representing detected motion status is transmitted to the central system.