IP Library Granted Patent US 11,244,547
Granted Patent B1
US 11,244,547 · App. 17/000,120 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Smart monitoring system

Inventors: Jason C. Flint (Highland, UT); Logan S. Merkley (American Fork, UT); Benjamin A. Clement (American Fork, UT)
Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
G08B13/196H05B47/125
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,244,547
App. No.
17/000,120
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for a smart monitoring system are described. A system may include a camera-enabled device configured to monitor a physical environment using the camera-enabled device. The system may detect a trigger in the physical environment based on the monitoring, where the trigger includes an object, a person, an event, or any combination thereof. The system may select, based on the detecting, a direction of a set of directions to emit light via a light emitting source. The system may activate the light emitting source based on the selecting. The system may emit, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction based on the activating and the detected trigger. The techniques described herein may deter an intruder from an intended action (e.g., theft, property damage, etc.) and/or provide lighting to a user of the security and automation system, among other benefits.

Claims (86)

1. A method for a monitoring system, comprising:

monitoring a physical environment using a camera-enabled device;

detecting a trigger in the physical environment based at least in part on the monitoring, wherein the trigger comprises an object, a person, an event, or any combination thereof;

identifying, using the camera-enabled device, the person in the physical environment based at least in part on detecting the trigger;

selecting, based at least in part on the detecting and the trigger comprising the person, a direction of a plurality of directions to emit light via a light emitting source;

activating the light emitting source based at least in part on the selecting; and

emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction based at least in part on the activating and the detected trigger.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a location of the person in the physical environment based at least in part on information from the camera-enabled device,

wherein selecting the direction of the plurality of directions to emit the light via the light emitting source is based at least in part on the location of the person in the physical environment.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the direction comprises a direction towards the location of the person in the physical environment.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining an expected location of the person in the physical environment based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the person,

wherein selecting the direction of the plurality of directions to emit the light via the light emitting source is based at least in part on the expected location of the person in the physical environment.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

tracking a movement of the person in the physical environment from the location to a second location using the camera-enabled device;

selecting, based at least in part on the tracking, a second direction of the plurality of directions to emit the light via the light emitting source; and

emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in the second direction based at least in part on the selecting.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a timer based at least in part on detecting the person in the physical environment;

determining an expiration of the timer;

determining that the person remains in the physical environment after the expiration of the timer; and

adjusting a parameter of the light emitting source based at least in part on the expiration of the timer and the person remaining in the physical environment.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein adjusting the parameter of the light emitting source comprises:

initiating a strobe pattern of the light emitting source, the strobe pattern corresponding to a periodicity of emitting the light,

wherein emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction is based at least in part on the strobe pattern.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

refraining from emitting the light in the direction for a time period in accordance with the periodicity; and

emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction for a second time period in accordance with the periodicity.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein adjusting the parameter of the light emitting source comprises:

initiating a sweep pattern of the light emitting source, the sweep pattern corresponding to a motion of emitting the light,

wherein emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction is based at least in part on the sweep pattern.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a timer based at least in part on detecting the person in the physical environment;

determining an expiration of the timer;

determining an absence of the person in the physical environment before the expiration of the timer; and

deactivating the light emitting source based at least in part on the expiration of the timer and the absence of the person in the physical environment.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

capturing an image or a video of the person using the camera-enabled device;

performing an identification operation based at least in part on the captured image or video, wherein the identification operation comprises a facial recognition, a license plate recognition, a time sequenced analysis, or any combination thereof,

determining, based at least in part on the identifying, that the person is a known user associated with the monitoring system, wherein emitting the light comprises; and

emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in each of the plurality of directions based at least in part on the person being the known user associated with the monitoring system.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the person comprises an unknown person associated with the monitoring system, wherein emitting the light comprises:

emitting, via the light emitting source, the light in a directional manner, a strobe pattern, or a sweep pattern based at least in part on the unknown person associated with the monitoring system.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating the camera-enabled device in a mode based at least in part on a configuration of the camera-enabled device or an input from a user of the monitoring system, or both.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving one or more inputs from one or more devices associated with the monitoring system, wherein monitoring the physical environment is based at least in part on the one or more inputs.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more devices comprise the camera-enabled device, one or more distributed devices associated with the monitoring system, one or more motion sensors, one or more cameras, one or more radio frequency radars, one or more infrared sensors, one or more audio sensors, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more inputs comprise one or more video inputs, one or more image inputs, one or more sensor inputs, one or more audio inputs, or any combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises an arrival, a departure, a presence, an absence, a behavior, a weather event, an audio event, a security event, or any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises visible light, infrared light, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting, based at least in part on the detecting, a direction of a plurality of directions to emit sound via a sound emitting source;

activating the sound emitting source based at least in part on the selecting; and

emitting, via the sound emitting source, the sound in the direction based at least in part on the activating, wherein the sound comprises an audible frequency, an ultrasonic frequency, an infrasonic frequency, or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

determining an expected location of the person in the physical environment, wherein selecting the direction and activating the sound emitting source is based at least in part on the expected location of the person in the physical environment.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

initiating a timer based at least in part on detecting the person in the physical environment;

determining an expiration of the timer;

determining that the person remains in the physical environment after the expiration of the timer; and

adjusting a parameter of the sound emitting source based at least in part on the expiration of the timer and the person remaining in the physical environment.

22. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting one or more parameters of the light emitting source based at least in part on detecting the trigger, wherein the one or more parameters of the light emitting source comprise a location, a shape, a wavelength, a color temperature, an intensity, a periodicity, a temporal pattern, a spatial pattern, a duty cycle, a synchronization with a camera shutter speed, or any combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

emitting the light in a first configuration based at least in part on detecting a first individual in the physical environment;

detecting a plurality of individuals in the physical environment; and

emitting the light in accordance with a second configuration based at least in part on detecting the plurality of individuals in the physical environment.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor,

memory in electronic communication with the processor, and

instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

monitor a physical environment using a camera-enabled device;

detect a trigger in the physical environment based at least in part on the monitoring, wherein the trigger comprises an object, a person, an event, or any combination thereof;

identify, using the camera-enabled device, the person in the physical environment based at least in part on detecting the trigger:

select, based at least in part on the detecting and the trigger comprising the person, a direction of a plurality of directions to emit light via a light emitting source;

activate the light emitting source based at least in part on the selecting; and

emit, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction based at least in part on the activating and the detected trigger.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code, the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

monitor a physical environment using a camera-enabled device;

detect a trigger in the physical environment based at least in part on the monitoring, wherein the trigger comprises an object, a person, an event, or any combination thereof,

identify, using the camera-enabled device, the person in the physical environment based at least in part on detecting the trigger;

select, based at least in part on the detecting and the trigger comprising the person, a direction of a plurality of directions to emit light via a light emitting source;

activate the light emitting source based at least in part on the selecting; and

emit, via the light emitting source, the light in the direction based at least in part on the activating and the detected trigger.

Assignments (6)
AFTER-ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 27, 2025
From: VIVINT LLC; SMART HOME PROS, INC.; VIVINT AMIGO, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS PRIORITY COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 070349/0816 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 067456, FRAME 0729 Recorded Nov 11, 2024
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 069334/0165 →
RELEASE (REEL 057434 / FRAME 0591) Recorded Nov 1, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: VIVINT LLC (F/K/A VIVINT, INC.)
Reel/Frame 069289/0529 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2024
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067456/0729 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT NO. 2 Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 057434/0591 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: FLINT, JASON C.; MERKLEY, LOGAN S.; CLEMENT, BENJAMIN A.
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 053566/0820 →