IP Library Granted Patent US 12,072,706
Granted Patent B2
US 12,072,706 · App. 17/940,145 · Granted Aug 27, 2024

Drone pre-surveillance

Inventors: Daniel Todd Kerzner (McLean, VA); Stephen Scott Trundle (Falls Church, VA)
Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
G05D1/0094B64C39/02G06V10/147G06V20/13G06V20/52G08B13/1965G08B25/00G08G5/0013G08G5/0034G08G5/0069B64U2101/30B64U2201/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,072,706
App. No.
17/940,145
Granted
Aug 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for using a drone to pre-surveil a portion of a property. In one aspect, a system may include a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may include a network interface, a processor, and a storage device that includes instructions to cause the processor to perform operations. The operations may include obtaining data that is indicative of one or more acts of an occupant of the property, applying the obtained data that is indicative of one or more acts of the occupant of the property to a pre-surveillance rule, determining that the pre-surveillance rule is satisfied, determining a drone navigation path that is associated with the pre-surveillance rule, transmitting, to a drone, an instruction to perform pre-surveillance of the portion of the one or more properties using the drone navigation path.

Claims (71)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a robotic device, an instruction to perform surveillance of a navigation path associated with a likely location where a user is predicted, based on a user behavior pattern, to perform an action at a future time point;

before the user performs the action at the future time point:

travelling, by the robotic device, along the navigation path;

obtaining, by the robotic device, data associated with an environment within a predetermined distance of the navigation path;

determining, by the robotic device, a safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path using the obtained data;

determining, by the robotic device and using the safety level of the environment and the obtained data, one or more automated actions that are likely to improve the safety of the environment; and

performing, by the robotic device, the one or more automated actions according to the safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the action predicted to be performed by the user comprises the user to leaving a property through an exit; and

determining the safety level comprises determining a safety level associated with the user leaving the property through the exit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the safety level associated with the environment using the obtained data comprises:

determining the safety level using a plurality of predefined safety risks.

4. The method of claim 3 , the plurality of predefined safety risks comprises one or more of:

whether an individual is loitering in the environment being surveilled;

whether the loitering individual is armed with one or more weapons;

whether the loitering individual is dressed suspiciously; or

whether the loitering individual is associated with a criminal record.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the safety level using the plurality of predefined safety risks comprises:

determining that none of the plurality of predefined safety risks are identified; and

determining that the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path is likely safe.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the safety level using the plurality of predefined safety risks comprises:

determining that a number of the plurality of predefined safety risks are identified; and

determining that the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path is likely unsafe.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safety level comprises a probability that indicates a likelihood that the environment is likely safe.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the one or more automated actions comprises:

engaging, by the robotic device, with a loitering individual detected using the data associated with the environment in accordance with the safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the one or more automated actions comprises:

sending, by the robotic device and to a user device, a notification comprising a report that indicates the safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path.

10. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices; and

one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

receiving an instruction to perform surveillance of a navigation path associated with a likely location where a user is predicted, based on a user behavior pattern, to perform an action at a future time point;

before the user performs the action at the future time point:

travelling along the navigation path;

obtaining data associated with an environment within a predetermined distance of the navigation path;

determining a safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path using the obtained data;

determining, using the safety level of the environment and the obtained data, one or more automated actions that are likely to improve the safety of the environment; and

performing the one or more automated actions according to the safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the action predicted to be performed by the user comprises the user to leaving a property through an exit; and

determining the safety level comprises determining a safety level associated with the user leaving the property through the exit.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein determining the safety level associated with the environment using the obtained data comprises:

determining the safety level using a plurality of predefined safety risks.

13. The system of claim 12 , the plurality of predefined safety risks comprises one or more of:

whether an individual is loitering in the environment being surveilled;

whether the loitering individual is armed with one or more weapons;

whether the loitering individual is dressed suspiciously; or

whether the loitering individual is associated with a criminal record.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the safety level using the plurality of predefined safety risks comprises:

determining that none of the plurality of predefined safety risks are identified; and

determining that the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path is likely safe.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the safety level using the plurality of predefined safety risks comprises:

determining that a number of the plurality of predefined safety risks are identified; and

determining that the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path is likely unsafe.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the safety level comprises a probability that indicates a likelihood that the environment is likely safe.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein performing the one or more automated actions comprises:

engaging with a loitering individual detected using the data associated with the environment in accordance with the safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path.

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

receiving an instruction to perform surveillance of a navigation path associated with a likely location where a user is predicted, based on a user behavior pattern, to perform an action before the user performs the action at a future time point;

before the user performs the action at the future time point:

travelling along the navigation path;

obtaining data associated with an environment within a predetermined distance of the navigation path;

determining a safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path using the obtained data;

determining, using the safety level of the environment and the obtained data, one or more automated actions that are likely to improve the safety of the environment; and

performing the one or more automated actions according to the safety level of the environment within the predetermined distance of the navigation path.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein:

the action predicted to be performed by the user comprises the user to leaving a property through an exit; and

determining the safety level comprises determining a safety level associated with the user leaving the property through the exit.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein determining the safety level associated with the environment using the obtained data comprises:

determining the safety level using a plurality of predefined safety risks.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2022
From: KERZNER, DANIEL TODD; TRUNDLE, STEPHEN SCOTT
To: ALARM.COM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 061394/0399 →