Person detection apparatus and method
A system, method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a person in an area monitored by an electronic person detector that may operate both as a security motion sensor and a home automation occupancy sensor.
1 . An electronic person detector for monitoring an area for motion and occupancy, comprising:
a sensor;
a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;
a transceiver for sending and receiving wireless signals; and
a processer coupled to the sensor, the memory and the transceiver, for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the electronic person detector to:
operate, by the processor, the electronic person detector in a first mode of operation in which the processor determines, via use of signals received from the sensor, an occurrence of motion caused by a person in the area;
receive, by the processor via the transceiver, a first signal from a local hub indicative of a change in an operating mode of a security system; and
in response to receiving the first signal, cause, by the processor, the electronic person detector to operate in a second mode of operation in which the processor determines, via use of signals received from the sensor, an occupancy of the area by a person instead of using the signals to determine the occurrence of motion caused by a person in the area.
2 . The electronic person detector of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that cause the electronic person detector to operate in the first mode of operation comprises instructions that causes the electronic person detector to:
transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, a motion-sensed signal in response to detecting motion caused by a person in the area.
3 . The electronic person detector of claim 1 , wherein the processor-executable instructions that cause the electronic person detector to operate in the second mode of operation comprises instructions that causes the electronic person detector to:
transmit, by the transceiver, an occupied signal in response to detecting that the area is occupied by a person.
4 . The electronic person detector of claim 1 , wherein the first signal comprises an indication that the security system is operating in an armed-away mode.
5 . The electronic person detector of claim 1 , wherein the first signal comprises an indication that the security system is operating in an armed-home mode.
6 . The electronic person detector of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores a first dwell time and a second dwell time, each dwell time defining a rolling time window during which the electronic person device does not transmit either a motion detected signal or an occupied signal, respectively, wherein the electronic person detector further comprises processor-executable instructions that cause the electronic person detector to:
while operating in the second mode of operation, transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, an occupied signal in response to detecting that the area is occupied by a person only after the second dwell time has elapsed from a previous detection of occupancy in the area.
7 . The electronic person detector of claim 6 , comprising further processor-executable instructions that cause the electronic person detector to:
receive, by the processor via the transceiver, a second signal from the local hub indicative of another change in the operating mode of the security system;
in response to receiving the second signal, cause, by the processor, the electronic person detector to operate in the first mode of operation; and
while operating in the first mode of operation, transmit, by the processor via the transceiver, a motion detected signal in response to detecting movement in the area only after the first dwell time has elapsed from a previous detection of motion in the area.
8 . A method, performed by an electronic person detector in an area, comprising:
operating, by a processor, the electronic person detector in a first mode of operation in which the processor determines, via use of signals received from a sensor, an occurrence of a motion caused by a person in the area;
receiving, by the processor via a transceiver coupled to the processor, a first signal from a local hub indicative of a change in an operating mode of a security system;
in response to receiving the first signal, causing, by the processor, the electronic person detector to operate in a second mode of operation in which the processor determines, via use of signals received from the sensor, an occupancy of the area by a person instead of using the signals to determine the occurrence of motion caused by a person in the area.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein operating in the first mode of operation comprises:
transmitting, by the processor via the transceiver, a motion-sensed signal in response to detecting motion caused by a person in the area.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein operating in the second mode of operation comprises:
transmitting, by the transceiver, an occupied signal in response to detecting that the area is occupied by a person.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first signal comprises an indication that the security system is operating in an armed-away mode.
12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first signal comprises an indication that the security system is operating in an armed-home mode.
13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a memory coupled to the processor further stores a first dwell time and a second dwell time, each dwell time defining a rolling time window during which the electronic person device does not transmit either a motion detected signal or an occupied signal, respectively, further comprising:
while operating in the second mode of operation, transmitting, by the processor via the transceiver, an occupied signal in response to detecting that the area is occupied by a person only after the second dwell time has elapsed from a previous detection of occupancy in the area.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processor via the transceiver, a second signal from the local hub indicative of another change in the operating mode of the security system;
in response to receiving the second signal, causing, by the processor, the electronic person detector to operate in the first mode of operation; and
while operating in the first mode of operation, transmitting, by the processor via the transceiver, a motion detected signal in response to detecting movement in the area only after the first dwell time has elapsed from a previous detection of motion in the area.