IP Library Granted Patent US 11,017,680
Granted Patent B2
US 11,017,680 · App. 15/282,216 · Granted May 25, 2021

Drone detection systems

Inventors: Stephen Scott Trundle (Falls Church, VA); Alison Jane Slavin (Falls Church, VA)
Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
G08G5/0082B64C39/024F41H11/00G08B13/196G08B13/19695G08B25/08G08B25/14G08G5/006G08G5/0013G08G5/0026G08G5/0069H04K3/82H04W4/021H04K3/45H04K2203/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,017,680
App. No.
15/282,216
Granted
May 25, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on storage devices, for drone-augmented emergency response services. In one aspect, a device includes a network interface, one or more sensors, one or more processors, and one or more storage devices that include instructions that are operable to perform operations. The operations include monitoring a predetermined geographic area that surrounds a particular property, determining that a drone device is within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the particular property, determining whether the drone device that is detected within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property is an unauthorized drone device, and in response to determining that the drone device that is detected within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property is an unauthorized drone device, transmitting a signal indicating the detection of the unauthorized drone device within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property.

Claims (59)

1. A device, comprising:

a network interface;

one or more sensors;

one or more processors; and

one or more storage devices that include instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

monitoring a predetermined geographic area that surrounds a property;

detecting, using the one or more sensors, a presence of a drone device that is within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property;

determining whether the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device comprising:

accessing a set of stored permissions defining drone device access to the property, wherein the permissions define (i) one or more authorized drone device actions related to the property and (ii) one or more unauthorized drone device actions related to the property;

responsive to determining, based on sensor data generated by the one or more sensors, that at least one action of the detected drone device includes at least one of the one or more unauthorized drone actions defined by the set of stored permissions, determining that the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device;

in response to determining that the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device, transmitting an instruction to deploy an authorized drone device to engage the detected drone device;

receiving, from the authorized drone device, data indicating that (i) the detected drone device is determined to be a security threat to the property based on engaging the detected drone device, and (ii) an instruction to perform an adjustment to a present configuration of one or more fixtures of the property, wherein the adjustment to the present configuration of the one or more fixtures is determined by the authorized drone device in response to the detected drone device being determined to be the security threat to the property; and

performing the adjustment to the present configuration of the one or more fixtures.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property comprises airspace that surrounds the property.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property comprises:

capturing sensor data that is output from at least one of the one or more sensors.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein detecting the presence of the drone device that is within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property comprises:

determining, based on detection of sensor data generated by the one or more sensors, that the drone device is within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property, wherein the sensor data includes (i) audio signals from a propeller of the drone device, (ii) video signals of airspace near the drone device, (iii) thermal signals generated from the drone device, (iv) radar detection of aerial speed of the drone device, (v) radiofrequency (RF) detection of oscillation in electronic circuits of the drone device, or (vi) RF communications.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein detecting the presence of the drone device that is within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property further comprises:

confirming, based on the processing of second data associated with the property, that the drone device exists within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the second data comprises video or image data captured by a security camera that is located within a predetermined distance from the property.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment to the present configuration of the one or more fixtures comprises:

lowering one or more window shades;

turning on one or more lights;

locking one or more windows; and

activating one or more holograms.

8. A device, comprising:

a network interface;

one or more sensors;

one or more processors; and

one or more storage devices that include instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

monitoring a predetermined geographic area that surrounds a property;

detecting, using the one or more sensors, the presence of a drone device that is within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property;

determining whether the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device including:

generating an electronic signature that is associated with the detected drone device comprising:

obtaining, using the one or more sensors, two or more sensor signals that include at least two of (i) audio signals from a propeller of the detected drone device, (ii) video signals of airspace near the detected drone device, (iii) thermal signals generated from the detected drone device, (iv) radar detection of aerial speed of the detected drone device, (v) radiofrequency (RF) detection of oscillation in electronic circuits of the detected drone device, or (vi) RF communications;

generating the electronic signature for the detected drone device based on the obtained two or more sensor signals; and

determining, based on the generated electronic signature, that the drone device is an unauthorized drone device; and

in response to determining that the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device, transmitting an instruction to deploy an authorized drone device to engage the detected drone device;

receiving, from the authorized drone device, data indicating that (i) the detected drone device is determined to be a security threat to the property based on engaging the detected drone device, and (ii) an instruction to perform an adjustment to a present configuration of one or more fixtures of the property, wherein the adjustment to the present configuration of the one or more fixtures is determined by the authorized drone device in response to the detected drone device being determined to be the security threat to the property; and

performing the adjustment to the present configuration of the one or more fixtures.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein determining, based on the generated electronic signature, that the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device comprises:

accessing a database storing one or more electronic signatures that are each associated with a respective authorized drone device; and

determining whether the generated electronic signature that is associated with the detected drone device is included in the database.

10. The device of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

determining that the detected drone device is an unauthorized drone device when the generated electronic signature is not included in the database.

11. The device of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

determining that the detected drone device is an authorized drone device when the generated electronic signature is included in the database.

12. The device of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:

transmitting a notification to a user device, a central alarm station, or a combination thereof, that alerts the user device, or the central alarm station server of the presence of the unauthorized drone device within the predetermined geographic area that surrounds the property.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the notification comprises information that identifies the detected drone device.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the information that identifies the detected drone device comprises a drone device type, a time of detection of the detected drone device, or both.

15. The device of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:

determining whether the security threat posed by the detected drone device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16. The device of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

in response to determining that the security threat posed by the detected drone device exceeds the predetermined threshold, transmitting a second notification to the central alarm station server.

17. The device of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

in response to determining that the security threat posed by the detected drone device does not exceed the predetermined threshold, transmitting a second notification to the user device.

18. The device of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment to the present configuration of the one or more fixtures comprises lowering one or more shades, turning on one or more lights, turning off one or more lights, closing one or more garage doors, or locking one or more doors.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2021
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: ENERGYHUB, INC.; ICN ACQUISITION, LLC; ALARM.COM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055069/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2018
From: TRUNDLE, STEPHEN SCOTT; SLAVIN, ALISON JANE
To: ALARM.COM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 045276/0064 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: ALARM.COM, INCORPORATED; ENERGYHUB, INC.; ICN ACQUISITION, LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 044167/0235 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62235042 · Sep 30, 2015
Related Publication 20170092138A1 · Mar 30, 2017
Cited By (3)
US 12,209,879 US 12,346,130 US 12,386,364