IP Library Granted Patent US 11,745,870
Granted Patent B1
US 11,745,870 · App. 16/819,968 · Granted Sep 5, 2023

Surveillance with security camera drone

Inventors: Ilja Nevdahs (Carnikava, LV); Agris Kipurs (Jelgava, LV)
Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
B64C39/024G05D1/0094G06V20/176G07C9/00309G08G5/0069B64U2101/00B64U2101/30B64U2201/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,745,870
App. No.
16/819,968
Granted
Sep 5, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for surveillance with security camera drone. In some implementations, a determination is made to begin surveillance of an in-house service with a drone. A duration of the in-house service is determined. A location to land the drone during the in-house service is determined based on the duration of the in-house service. Landing of the drone is initiated at the determined location.

Claims (48)

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by one or more computers, to begin surveillance of an in-house service with a drone;

determining, by the one or more computers and using service data, an estimated total time duration of the in-house service;

determining, by the one or more computers, a location to land the drone during the in-house service that allows observation of the in-house service using the estimated total time duration of the in-house service; and

initiating, by the one or more computers, landing of the drone at the location that was determined by generating, using the location, one or more instructions to cause the drone to land at the location.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an indication of a scheduled start time of the in-house service,

wherein determining to begin surveillance comprises determining to begin surveillance at the scheduled start time.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving sensor data indicating an arrival of a service provider to perform the in-house service,

wherein determining to begin surveillance comprises determining to begin surveillance in response to receiving the sensor data.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein receiving the sensor data comprises receiving one or more of sensor data from a smart lock device indicating that a valid access code has been entered through the smart lock device, sensor data from a magnetic sensor indicating that a door of a property where the in-house service is to take place has been opened, or sensor data from a motion detector indicating detection of motion at a property where the in-house service is to take place.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated total time duration of the in-house service comprises accessing, using a type of the in-house service, a database to determine the estimated total time duration.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising receiving an indication of the type of in-house service,

wherein accessing, using a type of the in-house service, a database to determine the estimated total time duration comprises using the received indication of the type of in-house service and the database to determine the estimated total time duration of the in-house service.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising receiving an indication of an identity of a service provider or a person to perform the in-house service,

wherein determining the estimated total time duration comprises using the identity of the service provider or the person to determine the estimated total time duration of the in-house service.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated total time duration of the in-house service comprises receiving an indication of the estimated total time duration of the in-house service from a service provider to perform the in-house service.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated total time duration of the in-house service comprises receiving an indication of an approximate total time duration of the in-house service from a user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated total time duration of the in-house service comprises:

determining a start time of the in-house service; and

determining a current time,

wherein the estimated total time duration is a difference between the start time and the current time.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the start time is a scheduled start time of the in-house service or an arrival time of a person to provide the in-house service.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location to land the drone comprises determining a location based on determining that the estimated total time duration of the in-house service satisfies a duration threshold.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location to land the drone comprises determining a location based on candidate locations specified for the in-house service.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location to land the drone further comprises determining the location to land the drone using one or more of a current location of the drone, a current location of a person providing the in-house service, or the drone’s view of a person providing the in-house service.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location to land the drone comprises determining whether to land at a charging location or a non-charging location based on at least one of the remaining power of the drone, an anticipated view of the drone at the charging location, an anticipated view of the drone at the non-charging location, a current location of a person providing the in-house service, or an anticipated location of a person providing the in-house service.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that a power level of the drone is below a threshold power level,

wherein determining the location to land the drone comprises determining a charging location to land the drone.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining to begin surveillance of the in-house service, initiating positioning of the drone so as to place an entrance in a view of the drone,

wherein the entrance is of a property where the in-house service is to take place.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

receiving sensor data from a smart lock device of the entrance indicating that a valid access code has been entered through the smart lock device;

determining that the drone has not completed positioning; and

sending instructions to the smart lock device to delay or cancel unlocking of the smart lock device.

19 . A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the one or more computers, to begin surveillance of an in-house service with a drone;

determining, by the one or more computers and using service data, an estimated total time duration of the in-house service;

determining, by the one or more computers, a location to land the drone during the in-house service that allows observation of the in-house service using the estimated total time duration of the in-house service; and

initiating, by the one or more computers, landing of the drone at the location that was determined by generating, using the location, one or more instructions to cause the drone to land at the location.

20 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the one or more computers, to begin surveillance of an in-house service with a drone;

determining, by the one or more computers and using service data, an estimated total time duration of the in-house service;

determining, by the one or more computers, a location to land the drone during the in-house service that allows observation of the in-house service using the estimated total time duration of the in-house service; and

initiating, by the one or more computers, landing of the drone at the location that was determined by generating, using the location, one or more instructions to cause the drone to land at the location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2020
From: NEVDAHS, ILJA; KIPURS, AGRIS
To: ALARM.COM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 054603/0663 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62819174 · Mar 15, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,518,605