System and method for remote home monitoring utilizing a VoIP phone

1. A method for remote monitoring a premises through a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, the method comprising:

receiving, at the VoIP phone, a telephone call from a calling party remote from the premises;

receiving, at the VoIP phone and through the telephone call, an indicator from the calling party, the indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VoIP phone; determining, at the VoIP phone, whether the indicator authorizes the video interface; activating the video interface of the VoIP phone in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface, without interaction from any person at the premises; playing, with the VoIP phone, a monitor alert to indicate that the VoIP phone is monitoring the premises; and

sending video communications over the telephone call for monitoring by the calling party remote from the premises, without interaction from any person at the premises; receiving, via the VoIP phone, one or more automated settings defining an at least one automated event;

executing, with the VoIP phone, the at least one automated event as defined by the one or more automated settings;

determining, with the VoIP phone, whether the at least one action requires an acknowledgment from a person at the premises; in response to determining that the at least one action requires the acknowledgment, determining, at the VoIP phone, whether the acknowledgment is an affirmative response or a negative response;

performing, with the VoIP phone, a first action in response to determining that the acknowledgment is an affirmative response, as defined in the one or more automated settings; and performing, with the VoIP phone, a second action in response to determining that the acknowledgment is a negative response, as defined in the one or more automated settings; wherein at least one of the first or second action is to call 911 and sound an emergency alert; and wherein at least one of the first or second action is to call one or more recipients via the VoIP phone.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a pass code and wherein the method further comprises: prompting the calling party for the pass code; determining whether the pass code is correct.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the VoIP phone provides no indication that monitoring is being performed.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: recording, with the VoIP phone, the monitored video communications.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acknowledgment directly specifies at least one of the first or second action to be performed.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second action is a message sent to one or more recipients.

7. A VolP phone comprising: a processing unit; and a memory configured to store a non-transitory set of instructions executable by the processing unit, the set of instructions comprising: instructions to receive, at the VolP phone, a telephone call from a calling party remote from the premises; instructions to receive, at the VolP phone and through the telephone call, an indicator from the calling party, the indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VolP phone; instructions to determine, at the VolP phone, whether the indicator authorizes the video interface; instructions to activate the video interface of the VolP phone in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface, without interaction from any person at the premises; instructions to play a monitor alert to indicate that the VolP phone is monitoring the premises; and instructions to send video communications over the telephone call for viewing by the calling party remote from the premises, without interaction from any person at the premises; instructions to receive one or more automated settings defining an at least one automated event; instructions to execute the at least one automated event as defined by the one or more automated settings; instructions to determine whether the at least one action requires an acknowledgment from a person at the premises; instructions to determine, in response to determining that the at least one action requires the acknowledgment, whether the acknowledgment is an affirmative response or a negative response; instructions to perform a first action in response to determining that the acknowledgment is an affirmative response, as defined in the one or more automated settings; and instructions to perform a second action in response to determining that the acknowledgment is a negative response, as defined in the one or more automated settings; wherein at least one of the first or second action is to call 911 and sound an emergency alert; and wherein at least one of the first or second action is to call one or more recipients via the VoIP phone.

8. The VoIP phone according to claim 7 , wherein the indicator is a pass code and wherein the set of instructions further comprises: instructions to prompt the calling party for the pass code; instructions to determine whether the pass code is correct.

9. The VoIP phone according to claim 7 , wherein the VoIP phone provides no indication that monitoring is being performed.

10. The VoIP phone according to claim 7 , wherein the set of instructions further comprises: instructions to record, with the VoIP phone, the monitored video communications.

11. The VoIP phone according to claim 7 , wherein the acknowledgment directly specifies at least one of the first or second action to be performed.

12. The VolP phone according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first or second action is a message sent to one or more recipients.