IP Library Granted Patent US 9,727,115
Granted Patent B1
US 9,727,115 · App. 14/635,248 · Granted Aug 8, 2017

Smart security device with status communication mode

Inventors: Stephen J. Brown (Woodside, CA); Daylyn M. Meade (Sebastopol, CA); Timothy P. Flood (Sebastopol, CA); Clive A. Hallatt (Palo Alto, CA); Holden D. Jessup (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Invent.ly, LLC
G06F1/3206G05F1/66
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,727,115
App. No.
14/635,248
Granted
Aug 8, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

A device comprising a processor, an energy source, one or more sensors, a wireless transceiver and a memory. The memory may comprise instructions for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation. The modes of operation may comprise (i) a low-power mode in which the device consumes less than a pre-determined or an adaptively-determined amount of power and the device has less than full functionality and (ii) a high-power mode in which the device consumes more than the pre-determined or the adaptively-determined amount of power and the device has more functionality than in the low-power mode. The instructions for selecting one of the modes of operation may comprise (i) instructions for conserving power by transitioning from the high-power mode to the low-power mode and (ii) instructions for activating the wireless transceiver to transmit a message with information from the sensors to a remote device.

Claims (28)

1. A device comprising:

a battery;

a wireless transceiver;

a plurality of sensors configured to generate information, wherein a sound sensor generates sound information and a vibration sensor generates vibration information;

a processor configured to execute a plurality of instructions;

a memory configured to store said instructions as received from a remote device, wherein (a) said instructions received from said remote device when executed are configured to select one of a plurality of modes of operation based on said information,

(b) said plurality of modes of operation comprise (i) a low-power mode of operation in which said device consumes less than a pre-determined or adaptively-determined amount of power and said device has less than full functionality and (ii) a high-power mode of operation in which said device consumes more than said pre-determined or adaptively-determined amount of power and said device has more functionality than in said low-power mode, (c) said selection of one of said plurality of modes of operation based on said information comprises the steps of (i) monitoring said vibration information from said vibration sensor and (ii) determining whether said vibration information from said sensors crosses a variable threshold value and (d) said instructions received from said remote device when executed are further configured to (i) operate said device in said high-power mode and (ii) perform an activation and deactivation of said sound sensor in response to said vibration information crossing said variable threshold value; and

an energy collector configured to provide a variable amount of power to said battery, wherein said processor is further configured to analyze a performance of said enemy collector to adaptively-determined said variable amount of power generated by said enemy collector.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said activation further comprises supplying power from said battery to an external device.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said external device is implemented as a security device configured to immediately inform said remote device of an intruder.

4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein

said external device is implemented as an alarm.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said information monitored from said sensors further comprises an amount of energy stored in said battery.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said information monitored from said sensors further comprises a current being drawn from said battery.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

said wireless transceiver is configured to receive said instructions from said remote device.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device is further configured to send messages to said remote device to indicate that (i) said device continues to operate correctly and (ii) a communication link between said device and said remote device is intact.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to communicate with said remote device during a communication window in time.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein said communication window is based on a periodic duty-cycle.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein said periodic duty-cycle is synchronized between said device and said remote device.

12. The device according to claim 9 , wherein said processor is further configured to combine a plurality of messages into a combined message while not in communication with said remote device.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein said processor is further configured to send said combined message to said remote device during said communication window in time.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device consumes (i) less than said variable amount of said power generated by said energy collector while in said low-power mode of operation and (ii) more than said variable amount of said power generated by said energy collector while in said high-power mode of operation.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device is self-powered from said energy collector and said battery.

16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said processor is further configured to adjust a current draw from said energy collector to maximize said variable amount of power generated by said energy collector.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said wireless transceiver is configured to (i) receive additional sensor information from an additional device and (ii) transmit said additional sensor information to said remote device.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein said device has a higher available energy than said additional device.

19. The device according to claim 17 , wherein said device has a stronger signal strength with said remote device than said additional device.

Continuity (8)
Continuation 14169464 · Jan 31, 2014
Continuation In Part 14103209 · Dec 11, 2013
Continuation 13946414 · Jul 19, 2013
Continuation 13406469 · Feb 27, 2012
Continuation 12472327 · May 26, 2009
Continuation 11443668 · May 30, 2006
Continuation In Part 14090099 · Nov 26, 2013
Provisional Application 60685976 · May 30, 2005