Patent Publication Number: US-9892627-B2

Title: Systems and methods for reducing false alarms using the GPS location of a mobile device

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for reducing false alarms and for providing information to a central station. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for reducing false alarms using a GPS location of a mobile device and for providing the central station with information regarding occupants of a monitored region using the GPS location of the mobile device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In any alarm system, reducing false alarms and determining whether occupants are in a monitored region are desired. Accordingly, systems and methods have been developed to reduce false alarms and to determine whether occupants are in the monitored region. Such known systems and methods include, but are not limited to systems and methods that include video alarm verification and audio alarm verification. However, such known systems and methods require additional equipment to be installed in the monitored region, which increases the overall cost of the system. 
     In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a system in accordance with disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosed embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosed embodiments; and 
         FIG. 7  is a flow diagram of a method in accordance with disclosed embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of an embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention. It is not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiments. 
     Embodiments disclosed herein can include systems and methods for reducing false alarms using a GPS location of a mobile device. Embodiments disclosed herein can also include systems and methods for providing a central station with information regarding occupants of a monitored region using the GPS location of the mobile device. For example, embodiments disclosed herein can identify the likely geo-location of one or more users, for example, a family member when the monitored region is a home or a business owner when the monitored region is an office, by identifying the GPS location of the users&#39; mobile devices, for example, a cellular phone, personal digital assistant, and the like, and, based thereon, determine the likelihood of whether a detected alarm is real or false. 
     It can be advantageous for a central station operator or a third party to know whether occupants are likely in a monitored region. For example, during a detected fire alarm, operators or first responders can be advised as to any occupants in a monitored region. Similarly, during a detected motion alarm, systems and methods disclosed herein can identify the alarm as being real and of high priority when no occupants are in the monitored region. 
     An alarm system can include a plurality of sensor devices in the monitored region in communication with a control panel device in the monitored region and a central station located inside or outside of the monitored region in communication the control panel device. A user&#39;s mobile device can transmit a signal to the central station, either directly or via the control panel device, indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device. In some embodiments, the signal transmitted by the mobile device indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device can include a time stamp indicative of when the signal was transmitted. 
     In some embodiments, the mobile device can transmit the signal indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device to the central station or the control panel device responsive to receiving a signal, either from the central station or the control panel device, indicative of an alarm condition detected in the monitored region or requesting the GPS location of the mobile device. That is, in some embodiments, when the central station or the control panel device identifies the alarm condition in the monitored region, the central station or the control panel device can transmit the signal to the mobile device indicative of the alarm condition or to solicit the GPS location of the mobile device. 
     In some embodiments, the mobile device can transmit the signal indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device to the central station or the control panel device periodically or at predetermined time intervals. That is, in some embodiments, the mobile device can identify its location to the central station or the control panel device regardless of the alarm condition in the monitored region. In these embodiments, the central station or the control panel device can have such location identification information substantially immediately available for further processing thereof upon detection of the alarm condition. 
     In embodiments in which the mobile device transmits the signal indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device to the central station via the control panel device, the control panel device can identify the GPS location of the mobile device and transmit a signal indicative of both the alarm condition in the monitored region and the GPS location of the mobile device to the central station. 
     Responsive to receiving the signal indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device, the central station can compare the GPS location of the mobile device with a location of the monitored region and, based thereon, determine whether the alarm condition detected is likely real or likely false. In some embodiments, the central station can include a user interface device for displaying a map identifying the GPS location of the mobile device and the location of the monitored region. In these embodiments, an operator can view the map and provide user input to the central station, via the user interface device, indicative of whether the alarm condition detected is likely real or likely false. 
     For example, when the monitored region in alarm is in a first location, and the user&#39;s mobile device is in a second location that is in a different state than the first location, the central station or the operator thereof can determine that the likelihood that the alarm condition detected is real is high. Similarly, when the monitored region in alarm is in the first location, and the user&#39;s mobile device is in the second location that is just outside of the first location, the central station or the operator thereof can determine that the likelihood that the alarm condition detected is real is low. 
     In some embodiments, the mobile device can transmit a series of signals to the central station indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device, which can enable the central station or the operator thereof to identify a path of the mobile device. For example, the central station or the operator thereof can identify when the mobile device was in a respective location according to a respective time stamp of a respective one of the series of signals. In these embodiments, the central station or the operator thereof can determine that the mobile device just left the monitored region and, accordingly, that the likelihood that the alarm condition detected is real is low. 
     In some embodiments, the central station can transmit a signal to an emergency responder, for example, a local fire department, indicative of the locations of the mobile devices of all of the users or indicative of whether or not any of the users&#39; mobile devices are located within the monitored region. 
     In accordance with disclosed embodiments, the mobile device can execute a software application running thereon. Furthermore, the user of the mobile device can consent to providing the GPS location of the mobile device to the central station or the control panel device, for example, by allowing execution of the software application running thereon. 
       FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of a method  100  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the method  100  can include a control panel device detecting an alarm condition in a monitored region as in  110  and, responsive thereto, transmitting a signal to a mobile device to solicit a signal indicative of a GPS location of the mobile device as in  120 . Responsive to receiving the signal from the control panel device as in  120 , the method  100  can include the mobile device transmitting a signal to the control panel device indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device as in  130 . Then, the method  100  can include the control panel device transmitting one or more signals to a central station indicative of the alarm condition detected and of the GPS location of the mobile device as in  140 . Finally, the method  100  can include the central station determining whether the alarm condition detected is likely true or likely false based on the one or more signals received from the control panel device as in  150 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method  200  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 2 , the method  200  can include a control panel device detecting an alarm condition in a monitored region as in  210  and, responsive thereto, transmitting a signal to a central station indicative of the alarm condition detected as in  220 . Responsive to receiving the signal indicative of the alarm condition detected as in  220 , the method  200  can include the central station transmitting a signal to a mobile device, either directly or via the control panel device, to solicit a signal indicative of a GPS location of the mobile device as in  230 . Responsive to receiving the signal soliciting the GPS location of the mobile device as in  230 , the method  200  can include the mobile device transmitting a signal to the central station, either directly or via the control panel device, indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device as in  240 . Then, the method  200  can include the central station determining whether the alarm condition detected is likely true or likely false based on the signal received from the mobile device as in  250 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a method  300  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the method  300  can include a mobile device transmitting a signal to a central station or a control panel device indicative of a GPS location of the mobile device as in  310 . For example, the mobile device can transmit the signal indicative of its GPS location as in  310  periodically or at predetermined time intervals. The method  300  can also include the central station or the control panel device detecting an alarm condition in a monitored region as in  320 . When the mobile device transmits its GPS location to the control panel device as in  310 , the method  300  can include the control panel device transmitting a signal to the central station indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device as in  330  responsive to the central station or the control panel device detecting the alarm condition as in  320 . In either embodiment, the method  300  can also include the central station determining whether the alarm condition detected is likely true or likely false based on the signal indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device and received from the mobile device or the control panel device as in  340 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a system  400  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 4 , the system  400  can include one or more sensor devices  410  in a monitored region R, a control panel device  420  in the monitored region R and in communication with each of the one or more sensor devices  420 , and a central station device  430  in communication with the control panel device  420 . Although the central station device  430  is shown outside of the monitored region R in  FIG. 4 , it is to be understood that, in some embodiments, the central station device  430  can be located inside of the monitored region R, and in some embodiments, the central station device  430  can be part of the control panel device  420 . 
     The system  400  can also include one or more mobile devices  440  inside or outside of the monitored region R. Each of the one or more mobile devices  440  can be in communication directly with the control panel device  420 , directly with the central station  430  device, or with the central station device  430  via the control panel device  420 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 4 , the control panel device  420  can include a housing  422 , a memory device  424 , a transceiver  426 , control circuitry  428 , one or more programmable processors  428   a , and executable control software  428   b  as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The executable control software  428   b  can be stored on a transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium, including, but not limited to local computer memory, RAM, optical storage media, magnetic storage media, flash memory, and the like. In some embodiments, the control circuitry  428 , the one or more programmable processors  428   a , and the executable control software  428   b  can execute and control some of the methods as described above and herein. 
     As further seen in  FIG. 4 , the central station device  430  can include a housing  432 , a memory device  434 , a transceiver  436 , control circuitry  438 , one or more programmable processors  438   a , and executable control software  438   b  as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The executable control software  438   b  can be stored on a transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium, including, but not limited to local computer memory, RAM, optical storage media, magnetic storage media, flash memory, and the like. In some embodiments, the control circuitry  438 , the one or more programmable processors  438   a , and the executable control software  438   b  can execute and control some of the methods as described above and herein. 
     Finally, each of the one or more mobile devices  440  can include a housing  442 , a memory device  444 , a transceiver  446 , control circuitry  448 , one or more programmable processors  448   a , and executable control software  448   b  as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The executable control software  448   b  can be stored on a transitory or non-transitory computer readable medium, including, but not limited to, local computer memory, RAM, optical storage media, magnetic storage media, flash memory, and the like. In some embodiments, the control circuitry  448 , the one or more programmable processors  448   a , and the executable control software  448   b  can execute and control some of the methods as described above and herein. 
     Although not shown in  FIG. 4 , some systems and methods disclosed herein can also include a third party device, including, but not limited to a device associated with a third party transport service, emergency responder, local fire department, and the like. In these embodiments, one or more of the control panel device, the central station, and the one or more mobile devices can communicate with the third party device for transmitting signals indicative of an alarm condition detected in the monitored region, indicative of GPS locations of the one or more mobile device, or soliciting the GPS locations of the one or more mobile devices. 
     For example,  FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of a method  500  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the method  500  can include a control panel device detecting an alarm condition in a monitored region as in  510  and, responsive thereto, transmitting a signal to a third party device indicative of the alarm condition detected as in  520 . Responsive to receiving the signal from the control panel device as in  520 , the method  500  can include the third party device transmitting a signal to a mobile device to solicit a GPS location of the mobile device as in  530 . For example, the third party device can transmit the signal as in  530  to one or more mobile devices registered with the third party device or the control panel device or associated with the monitored region. Responsive to receiving the signal from the third party device as in  530 , the method  500  can include the mobile device transmitting a signal to the third party device indicative of the GPS location of the mobile device as in  540 , and the third party device transmitting a signal to a central station indicative of GPS location information being available as in  550 . Responsive to the central station receiving the signal as in  550 , the method  500  can include the central station transmitting a signal to the third party device to solicit the GPS location information associated with the alarm condition detected as in  560 . For example, the third party device or the central station can identify the mobile device as being associated with the monitored region in alarm. In these embodiments, the third party device can notify the central station when the GPS location information is available, and the central station can request such information on demand. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a method  600  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 6 , the method  600  can include a mobile device transmitting a signal to a third party device indicative of a GPS location of the mobile device as in  610 . For example, one or more mobile devices registered with the third party device can transmit signals indicative of their GPS locations as in  610  periodically or at predetermined time intervals. The method  600  can also include a control panel device detecting an alarm condition in a monitored region as in  620  and, responsive thereto, the control panel device transmitting a signal to the third party device indicative of the alarm condition detected as in  630 . Responsive to the third party device receiving the signal as in  630 , the method  600  can include the third party device transmitting a signal to a central station indicative of a current GPS location of the mobile device as in  640 . For example, the third party device can identify the current GPS location of the mobile device as the GPS location of the mobile device identified in a most recently received signal from the mobile device. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow diagram of a method  700  in accordance with disclosed embodiments. As seen in  FIG. 7 , the method  700  can include a mobile device transmitting a signal to a third party device indicative of a GPS location of the mobile device as in  710 . For example, one or more mobile devices registered with the third party device can transmit signals indicative of their GPS locations as in  710  periodically or at predetermined time intervals. The method  700  can also include a control panel device detecting an alarm condition in a monitored region as in  720  and, responsive thereto, the control panel device transmitting a signal to the third party device indicative of the alarm condition detected as in  730 . Responsive to the third party device receiving the signal as in  730 , the method  700  can include the third party device transmitting a signal to a central station indicative of GPS location information being available as in  740 . Responsive to the central station receiving the signal as in  740 , the method  700  can include the central station transmitting a signal to the third party device to solicit the GPS location information associated with the alarm condition detected as in  750 . For example, the third party device or the central station can identify the mobile device as being associated with the monitored region in alarm. In these embodiments, the third party device can notify the central station when the GPS location information is available, and the central station can request such information on demand. 
     Although the methods  100 ,  200 ,  300 ,  400 ,  500 ,  600 , and  700  are shown as separate flow diagrams, it is to be understood that any or all of these methods can be combined as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a mobile device can communicate with a control panel device as in the method  100  or the method  300 , with a central station as in the method  200  or the method  300 , and with a third party device as in the method  500 , the method  600 , or the method  700  substantially simultaneously and without limitation. Similarly, a central station can communicate with a control panel device as in the method  100 , the method  200 , or the method  300 , and a central station and a control panel device can communicate with a third party device as in the method  500 , the method  600 , or the method  700  substantially simultaneously and without limitation. 
     Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the logic flows described above do not require the particular order described or sequential order to achieve desirable results. Other steps may be provided, steps may be eliminated from the described flows, and other components may be added to or removed from the described systems. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the invention. 
     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific system or method described herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.