SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION MONITORING AND EVENT-BASED SENTINEL MANAGEMENT
A building monitoring system includes a first sensor configured to detect a first condition in the space, a second sensor configured to detect a second condition in the space, and a robotic sentinel. The robotic sentinel includes a memory for storing one or more rules each configured to identify an alert condition for the space based on the first and/or second conditions in the space, a communications module configured to communicate with a remote device over a network, and a controller operatively coupled to the sensors, the memory, and the communications module. The controller is configured to apply the one or more rules to the first and second detected conditions in the space to identify one or more alert conditions and determine what action is required by the robotic sentinel, and if action is required, command the robotic sentinel to travel to a location of the alert condition.
1 . A method comprising:
storing, in a memory, a rules database comprising a plurality of rules, each rule defining a rule-defined event detectable via one or more sensed conditions and a corresponding recommended action;
receiving, at a processor, sensed condition data from each of a plurality of sensors distributed at different positions within a location;
repeatedly applying, by the processor, the plurality of rules to the received sensed condition data to identify an occurrence of a rule-defined event;
upon identifying the occurrence of the rule-defined event, autonomously dispatching, without user intervention, a mobile robotic sentinel to a position within the location corresponding to a sensor whose sensed condition data matched the rule-defined event;
polling, by the mobile robotic sentinel upon arriving at the position, the sensor for updated sensed condition data; and
determining, based on the updated sensed condition data, whether the rule-defined event persists.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
activating a camera on the mobile robotic sentinel when the updated sensed condition data confirms the rule-defined event persists.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transmitting a notification to a remote user device, the notification identifying the sensor and the rule-defined event; and
selectively streaming a video feed from the camera to the remote user device based on a user response to the notification.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
recording the video feed to a video database when the user response to the notification indicates the user has declined or not responded to the notification.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rules comprises at least one rule whose rule-defined event is a sensed condition comprising at least one of: a temperature outside a predetermined range, a humidity outside a predetermined range, an activated motion detector during a predefined time period, an activated fire alarm, an activated gas detector, or an activated leak detector.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, in a sensor database, the sensed condition data for each of the plurality of sensors, the sensor database associating each sensed condition data entry with a sensor identifier and a sensor position within the location; and
extracting, from the sensor database, the position corresponding to the sensor whose sensed condition data matched the rule-defined event to determine a dispatch target for the mobile robotic sentinel.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
extending, via a wireless signal booster integrated within the mobile robotic sentinel, a wireless network coverage area within the location as the mobile robotic sentinel navigates toward the position.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mapping, via a navigation system of the mobile robotic sentinel, one or more rooms within the location; and
navigating the mobile robotic sentinel to the position based on the mapping.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the repeatedly applying comprises processing the sensed condition data on a remote server communicatively coupled to the mobile robotic sentinel over a network, and wherein the recommended action is communicated from the remote server to the mobile robotic sentinel to initiate the autonomous dispatch.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying, in the rules database, a time range associated with a rule; and
applying the rule only during the time range associated with the rule.
11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor, the computer program instructions defining steps of:
storing a rules database comprising a plurality of rules, each rule defining a rule-defined event detectable via one or more sensed conditions and a corresponding recommended action;
receiving sensed condition data from each of a plurality of sensors distributed at different positions within a location;
repeatedly applying the plurality of rules to the received sensed condition data to identify an occurrence of a rule-defined event;
upon identifying the occurrence of the rule-defined event, autonomously dispatching, without user intervention, a mobile robotic sentinel to a position within the location corresponding to a sensor whose sensed condition data matched the rule-defined event;
polling, by the mobile robotic sentinel upon arriving at the position, the sensor for updated sensed condition data; and
determining, based on the updated sensed condition data, whether the rule-defined event persists.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , the computer program instructions further defining steps of:
activating a camera on the mobile robotic sentinel when the updated sensed condition data confirms the rule-defined event persists; and
transmitting a notification to a remote user device identifying the sensor and the rule-defined event.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , the computer program instructions further defining steps of:
selectively streaming a video feed from the camera to the remote user device based on a user response to the notification; and
recording the video feed to a video database when the user has declined or not responded to the notification.
14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , the computer program instructions further defining steps of:
storing sensed condition data in a sensor database associating each sensed condition data entry with a sensor identifier and a sensor position within the location; and
extracting the sensor position from the sensor database to determine a dispatch target for the mobile robotic sentinel.
15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , the computer program instructions further defining steps of:
identifying, in the rules database, a time range associated with at least one rule; and
applying the at least one rule only during the time range associated with the rule.
16 . A system comprising:
a memory storing a rules database comprising a plurality of rules, each rule defining a rule-defined event detectable via one or more sensed conditions and a corresponding recommended action;
a plurality of sensors, each positioned at a different position within a location and each configured to generate sensed condition data; and
a processor configured to:
receive the sensed condition data from each of the plurality of sensors;
repeatedly apply the plurality of rules to the received sensed condition data to identify an occurrence of a rule-defined event;
upon identifying the occurrence of the rule-defined event, autonomously dispatch, without user intervention, a mobile robotic sentinel to a position within the location corresponding to a sensor whose sensed condition data matched the rule-defined event; and
cause the mobile robotic sentinel, upon arriving at the position, to poll the sensor for updated sensed condition data and determine whether the rule-defined event persists based on the updated sensed condition data.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
activate a camera mounted on the mobile robotic sentinel when the updated sensed condition data confirms the rule-defined event persists; and
transmit a notification to a remote user device identifying the sensor and the rule-defined event.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
selectively stream a video feed from the camera to the remote user device upon receipt of an acceptance response from the remote user device; and
record the video feed to a video database upon receipt of a declination response or absence of a response from the remote user device.
19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the memory further stores a sensor database associating each sensed condition data entry with a sensor identifier and a position within the location, and wherein the processor is further configured to extract the position from the sensor database to determine a dispatch target for the mobile robotic sentinel.
20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the mobile robotic sentinel further comprises a wireless signal booster configured to extend wireless network coverage within the location as the mobile robotic sentinel navigates toward the position.