IP Library Granted Patent US 11,244,555
Granted Patent B1
US 11,244,555 · App. 16/835,900 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Method for using a drone to test monitoring system sensors

Inventors: Gary Franklin Bart (Weston, FL); Dean Constantine (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
G08B29/145B64C39/024B64C2201/126B64C2201/146
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,244,555
App. No.
16/835,900
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for using a drone to test a sensor. In one aspect, the method includes actions of detecting a message (i) broadcast by the drone and (ii) indicating that the drone is going to administer a test of a sensor, determining, by the monitoring system and based on the message and (i) sensor data generated by the sensor in response to the administration of the test, by the drone, within a predetermined period of time of the message or (ii) a lack of sensor data generated by the sensor in response to the administration of the test, by the drone, within a predetermined period of time of the message, whether the sensor is functioning properly, and in response to a determination that the sensor is not functioning properly, storing data indicating that the sensor is not functioning properly.

Claims (74)

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a monitoring system, sensor data collected by a monitoring system sensor;

based on the sensor data:

determining, by the monitoring system, to initiate a test on the monitoring system sensor, and

identifying, by the monitoring system, a test type of the test;

providing, by the monitoring system, an instruction to a robotic device to navigate towards the monitoring system sensor and administer the test according to the test type;

obtaining, by the monitoring system and from the robotic device, test data of the monitoring system sensor collected by the robotic device based on administering the test according to the test type;

determining, by the monitoring system, that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly;

disregarding, by the monitoring system, sensor data generated by the monitoring system sensor within a predetermined period of time of determining that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly; and

storing, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a motion sensor; and

the test includes the robotic device navigating through a portion of a property that is within range of the motion sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a glass break sensor; and

the test includes the robotic device using a speaker to output, within range of the glass break sensor, audio signals having a frequency that is sufficient to trigger the glass break sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a smoke detector; and

the test includes the robotic device outputting smoke within range of the smoke detector.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the monitoring system and to the robotic device, an instruction to test one or more sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining, by the monitoring system and from second test data of the monitoring system sensor collected by the robotic device based on administering a second test, that the monitoring system sensor is not functioning properly; and

storing, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the monitoring system sensor is not functioning properly.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a monitoring system, sensor data collected by a monitoring system sensor;

based on the sensor data:

determining, by the monitoring system, to initiate a test on the monitoring system sensor, and

identifying, by the monitoring system, a test type of the test;

providing, by the monitoring system, an instruction to a robotic device to navigate towards the monitoring system sensor and administer the test according to the test type;

obtaining, by the monitoring system and from the robotic device, test data of the monitoring system sensor collected by the robotic device based on administering the test according to the test type;

determining, by the monitoring system, that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly;

disregarding, by the monitoring system, sensor data generated by the monitoring system sensor within a predetermined period of time of determining that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly; and

storing, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a motion sensor; and

the test includes the robotic device navigating through a portion of a property that is within range of the motion sensor.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a glass break sensor; and

the test includes the robotic device using a speaker to output, within range of the glass break sensor, audio signals having a frequency that is sufficient to trigger the glass break sensor.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a smoke detector; and

the test includes the robotic device outputting smoke within range of the smoke detector.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, by the monitoring system and to the robotic device, an instruction to test one or more sensors.

12. The system of claim 7 , comprising:

determining, by the monitoring system and from second test data of the monitoring system sensor collected by the robotic device based on administering a second test, that the monitoring system sensor is not functioning properly; and

storing, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the monitoring system sensor is not functioning properly.

13. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

obtaining, by a monitoring system, sensor data collected by a monitoring system sensor;

based on the sensor data:

determining, by the monitoring system, to initiate a test on the monitoring system sensor, and

identifying, by the monitoring system, a test type of the test;

providing, by the monitoring system, an instruction to a robotic device to navigate towards the monitoring system sensor and administer the test according to the test type;

obtaining, by the monitoring system and from the robotic device, test data of the monitoring system sensor collected by the robotic device based on administering the test according to the test type;

determining, by the monitoring system, that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly;

disregarding, by the monitoring system, sensor data generated by the monitoring system sensor within a predetermined period of time of determining that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly; and

storing, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the monitoring system sensor is functioning properly.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a motion sensor; and

the test includes the robotic device navigating through a portion of a property that is within range of the motion sensor.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a glass break sensor; and

the test includes the robotic device using a speaker to output, within range of the glass break sensor, audio signals having a frequency that is sufficient to trigger the glass break sensor.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:

the monitoring system sensor includes a smoke detector; and

the test includes the robotic device outputting smoke within range of the smoke detector.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, by the monitoring system and to the robotic device, an instruction to test one or more sensors.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , comprising:

determining, by the monitoring system and from second test data of the monitoring system sensor collected by the robotic device based on administering a second test, that the monitoring system sensor is not functioning properly; and

storing, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the monitoring system sensor is not functioning properly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2020
From: BART, GARY FRANKLIN; CONSTANTINE, DEAN
To: ALARM.COM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 052282/0300 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16429940 · Jun 3, 2019
Continuation 15995091 · May 31, 2018
Provisional Application 62513255 · May 31, 2017