Patent Description:
Home security systems are very popular in the United States and abroad. Such home security systems typically comprise a security panel and a number of sensors distributed around the home to detect unauthorized entry and/or movement inside the home. For example, a home may have all of its doors and windows monitored by installing a wireless door/window sensor onto each door and window of the home to detect unauthorized entry, and one or more motion sensors installed at one or more points inside the home for detecting unauthorized movement within the home. Each of the sensors may transmit a wireless signal to the security panel, where the security panel may take further action once a signal has been received from one of the sensors, such as to sound a siren inside the home or contact a remote monitoring facility.

In addition to the popularity of home security systems, home monitoring and control systems are now becoming widespread. Such systems allow users to monitor their home security systems, turn lights on and off remotely, lock and unlock doors remotely, as well as to better control home heating and air conditioning systems. In the latter category, battery-powered, home occupancy sensors are being used to automatically control operation of heating and air conditioning systems when the sensors detect the presence of an occupant or not.

Occupancy sensors may suffer from greater battery drainage than motion sensors, due to the fact that occupancy sensors transmit a signal every time occupancy is sensed. In contrast, motion sensors typically limit the number of transmissions by using a preset "dwell time", usually on the order of between three and four minutes, that restricts transmission to once per dwell time. Thus, the batteries in motion sensors tend to last longer than batteries in occupancy sensors. This problem is exacerbated when an occupancy sensor is placed in a high-traffic area, such as an entry hallway or kitchen, for example. While battery life is usually better for motion sensors, a tradeoff occurs between battery life and an accurate ability to know when a person is present or not.

Given that both motion sensors and occupancy sensors determine the presence of people, and given the expense to purchase both types of sensors, it might be desirable to use a motion sensor as a dual-purpose sensor: a security motion sensor and an occupancy sensor. However, given the relatively long dwell time of motion sensors, accurate occupancy determinations may suffer, as the dwell time prevents occupancy updates on a continuous basis.

It would be desirable, then, to combine traditional, battery-powered motion sensors with occupancy sensors to eliminate the need to purchase both types of sensors, and to reduce the number of battery-powered devices in a home.

<CIT> discloses distributed control of a lighting network in which luminaires in the lighting network cooperate to control one another without any need for a central controller. A luminaire in the lighting network is controlled by receiving sensor signals from at least one occupancy sensing device of the luminaire; selecting one of a set of operating modes for the luminaire based on a combination of the sensor signals and incoming occupancy messages received at the luminaire from the lighting network; controlling an illumination source of the luminaire according to the selected operating mode; and selectively broadcast outgoing occupancy messages via the lighting network when a first of the operating modes is selected by initiating a distributed control procedure when an initiation event occurs, the distributed control procedure, once initiated, being performed as follows: if a randomized wait interval elapses relative to a timing of the initiation of the distributed control procedure without an incoming occupancy message being received from the lighting network, responding by broadcasting an outgoing occupancy message via the lighting network, wherein no outgoing occupancy message is broadcast if an incoming occupancy message is received before that interval elapses.

<CIT> discloses a motion sensor light which turns on a light once a motion sensor detects movement of a person. The light illuminates a monitoring area once the light is turned on. The motion sensor light initiates measurement of lighting duration of the light. After then, the motion sensor light initiates measurement of lights-out delay duration in a case where the movement of a person is no longer detected, and acquires a set value of the lights-out delay duration according to the lighting duration set in advance. The motion sensor light turns off the light in a case where a measured value of the lights-out delay duration exceeds the set value of the lights-out delay duration and a measured value of the lighting duration of the light exceeds a set value of the lighting duration.

A selection of optional features of the invention is set out in the dependent claims.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:.

This disclosure describes a person detection device specially configured to act as either a security motion sensor, a home automation occupancy sensor, or both. The motion sensor is initialized using an "app" on a device that allows a dwell time of the motion sensor to be adjusted in accordance with a function (i.e., security vs. occupancy) and a particular location where the sensor is installed.

<FIG> illustrates a top, plan view of a system for configuring a dwell time of a person detection device <NUM> used to monitor an area <NUM> in a home or business. Area <NUM> generally comprises a room, hallway, entryway, or some other portion of a residence or business. Person detection device <NUM> comprises a sensor for determining the presence, and/or absence, of one or more persons in area <NUM> in accordance with the teachings herein. Person detection device <NUM> may comprise a battery-powered motion sensor using passive infra-red (PIR) detection techniques, as known in the art, to detect infra-red heat as a person moves across area <NUM>. Person detection device <NUM> may, alternatively or in combination, comprise an occupancy sensor, used to determine the presence of one or more persons in area <NUM> using techniques such as ultrasonic, infra-red, thermal, or other well-known techniques to determine if a person is occupying area <NUM>. Unlike traditional motion (PIR) sensors, occupancy sensors generally do not require movement of a person in order to detect their presence.

Person detection device <NUM> may transmit a signal indicative of the presence of a person to a remote device, such as to central controller <NUM>, upon detection of a person in area <NUM>, in accordance with an adjustable dwell time stored within person detection device <NUM>, as will be explained in greater detail later herein. Central controller <NUM> comprises a home security panel, gateway, hub or some other device that monitors person detection device <NUM>, as well as other sensors and/or home monitoring and control devices, installed within area <NUM> or other areas of a home or business. Examples of central controller <NUM> include a GC3 Security & Control panel sold by Nortek Security and Control, Inc. , a base station sold as part of an alarm security kit by Ring, Inc. , a Pulse® interactive touch screen panel sold by ADT, Inc. In other embodiments, controller <NUM> may not be used. In these embodiments, person detection device <NUM> is monitored by a remote server <NUM> in communication with person detection device <NUM> via a wide-area network <NUM>, such as the Internet, and a local-area network (LAN) <NUM>. In the remaining disclosure, any reference to central controller <NUM> may include reference to remote server <NUM>. In some embodiments, central controller <NUM> comprises both security and home monitoring and control functionality. Finally, central controller <NUM> may communicate with remote server <NUM> via local-area network <NUM> and wide-area network <NUM> where central controller <NUM> lacks independent means to send alerts or other information externally to area <NUM>.

When central controller <NUM> receives a signal from person detection device <NUM>, or some other security or home monitoring sensor, central controller <NUM> may perform one or more actions, such as to contact a remote, security monitoring facility (not shown) via wide-area network <NUM>, or by some other means, such as via cellular communication technology. Alternatively, or in addition, central controller <NUM> may cause a siren (not shown) inside of area <NUM>, or elsewhere in another location inside a home or business, to sound, and/or a strobe light (not shown) to flash.

Person detection device <NUM> may be programmed remotely using a personal communication device <NUM>. personal communication device <NUM> may comprise a fixed or mobile computing device, such as a laptop or desktop computer, or it may comprise a mobile phone, tablet computer, wearable device, or some other device capable of wireless communications with person detection device <NUM>, either directly or indirectly via local-area network <NUM> and/or wide-area network <NUM> (when personal communication device <NUM> is located outside of area <NUM> and out of range of local-area network <NUM>) and also offering a user interface for programming person detection device <NUM>. personal communication device <NUM> is configured to run an executable software program that allows a user to program person detection device <NUM>. personal communication device <NUM> typically provides a user interface, where at least a dwell time of person detection device <NUM> may be changed. In one embodiment, personal communication device <NUM> communicates with remote server <NUM>, which stores account information for thousands, or millions, or users, each who have one or more person detection devices in their respective homes or businesses. In this embodiment, a user account may store a current dwell time of person detection device <NUM> as provided by a user via personal communication device <NUM>. The dwell time may then be provided to person detection device <NUM>.

<FIG> is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of person detection device <NUM>. In this embodiment, person detection device <NUM> comprises a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, a person detector <NUM>, and a transceiver <NUM>. It should be understood that the functional blocks may be connected to one another in a variety of ways, that additional function blocks may be used (for example, amplification or filtering), and that not all functional blocks necessary for operation of person detection device <NUM> are shown for purposes of clarity, such as a power supply.

Processor <NUM> is configured to provide general operation of person detection device <NUM> by executing processor-executable instructions stored in memory <NUM>, for example, executable code. Processor <NUM> typically comprises a general purpose processor, such as an ADuC7024 analog microcontroller manufactured by Analog Devices, Inc. of Norwood Massachusetts, although any one of a variety of microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, and/or custom ASICs selected based on size, cost, power consumption, computing power, and/or other factors.

Memory <NUM> is coupled to processor <NUM> and comprises one or more non-transitory, information storage devices, such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, or virtually any other type of electronic, optical, or mechanical information storage device. Memory <NUM> is used to store the processor-executable instructions for operation of person detection device <NUM> as well as any information used by processor <NUM>, such as a dwell time that defines how often person detection device <NUM> may transmit when a person is detected. Memory device <NUM> could, alternatively or in addition, be part of processor <NUM>, as in the case of a microcontroller comprising on-board memory.

Person detector <NUM> is coupled to processor <NUM> and comprises a sensor and related circuitry and, in some embodiments, firmware, to detect the presence or absence of one or more persons in area <NUM>. Person detector <NUM> may comprise one or more passive infra-red (PIR) detectors (for detecting motion of an infra-red emitting body), ultrasonic detectors (for detecting a doppler shift from a reflected body), heat or thermal detectors (for determining a temperature change), carbon dioxide sensors (for detecting the presence of carbon dioxide), microwave sensors (for detecting a doppler shift from a reflected body), a keycard detector (for determining when a hotel guest has inserted a hotel key card), and/or a camera (using firmware to detect a shape in the form of a person).

Transceiver <NUM> is coupled to processor <NUM> and comprises circuitry necessary to transmit and receive wireless signals from central controller <NUM>, local-area network <NUM> and/or personal communication device <NUM>. Such circuitry is well known in the art and may comprise BlueTooth, Wi-Fi, Z-wave, Zigbee, X-<NUM>, RF, optical, or ultrasonic circuitry, among others.

<FIG> is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of personal communication device <NUM>, showing processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, user interface <NUM>, and one or more transceivers <NUM>. It should be understood that the functional blocks shown in <FIG> may be connected to one another in a variety of ways, and that not all functional blocks necessary for operation of personal communication device <NUM> are shown (such as a power supply), for purposes of clarity.

Processor <NUM> is configured to provide general operation of personal communication device <NUM> by executing processor-executable instructions stored in memory <NUM>, for example, executable code. Processor <NUM> typically comprises one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, or custom ASICs that provide communications functionality to personal communication device <NUM> as well as to execute instructions that provide an ability for personal communication device <NUM> to configure person detection device <NUM> to change the dwell time of person detection device <NUM>.

Memory <NUM> is coupled to processor <NUM> and comprises one or more non-transient information storage devices, otherwise referred to as one or more processor-readable mediums, such as RAM, flash memory, or virtually any other type of electronic, optical, or mechanical information storage device. Memory <NUM> is used to store the processor-executable instructions for general operation of personal communication device <NUM> (for example, communication functionality) and for providing a user interface to a user for configuring person detection device <NUM> to change the dwell time of person detection device <NUM>.

User interface <NUM> is coupled to processor <NUM> and allows a user to configure person detection device <NUM>. User interface <NUM> may comprise one or more pushbuttons, touchscreen devices, electronic display devices, lights, LEDs, LCDs, biometric readers, switches, sensors, keypads, microphones, speakers, and/or other human interface devices that present indications to a user or generate electronic signals for use by processor <NUM> upon initiation by a user. A very popular user interface today is a touchscreen device.

Transceiver <NUM> comprises circuitry necessary to wirelessly transmit and receive information to/from personal communication device <NUM>, such as one or more of a cellular transceiver, a Wi-fi transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a cellular data transceiver, an Ethernet adapter, and/or some other type of wireless means for communications. In some embodiments, more than one transceiver is present, for example, a cellular transceiver and a Wi-Fi transceiver. Such circuitry is generally well known in the art.

<FIG> is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of method, or algorithm, performed by person detection device <NUM> and personal communication device <NUM>, for configuring a dwell time of person detection device <NUM>. It should be understood that in some embodiments, not all of the steps shown in <FIG> are performed and that the order in which the steps are carried out may be different in other embodiments. It should be further understood that some minor method steps have been omitted for purposes of clarity.

The process begins at block <NUM>, where a user launches an application on personal communication device <NUM> to configure person detection device <NUM>. The application may initiate a session with remote server <NUM> to access an account where information pertaining to person detection device <NUM>, and associated information such as an owner's name, address, phone number, account number, email address, etc., may be stored. In other embodiments, personal communication device <NUM> communicates with person detection device <NUM> either directly (i.e., using Bluetooth or BLE), or indirectly (i.e., via local-area network <NUM>).

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> of personal communication device <NUM> presents a user interface display to the user via user interface <NUM>. The user interface display is typically a graphical user interface, allowing the user to determine a status of person detection device <NUM> (such as whether person detection device <NUM> is connected to central controller <NUM>, an operating mode of person detection device (i.e., "walk test", normal), a current setting for the dwell time, an estimated battery life of person detection device <NUM>, etc.) and also to allow the user to make certain modifications to person detection device <NUM> (i.e., to change the dwell time). The user interface display may comprise one or more drop-down menus, slider bars, entry boxes, etc. to allow the user to change the dwell time.

At block <NUM>, the user modifies the dwell time using the user interface display on user interface <NUM>. The user may wish to minimize the dwell time to, for example, <NUM> seconds, for purposes of conducting a "walk test". A walk test may be conducted upon initial installation of person detection device <NUM> on a wall or ceiling, by walking in front of person detection device <NUM> at various distances and angles, to see if person detection device <NUM> detects movement of the user. During such a walk test, it is desirable to quickly determine if person detection device is able to detect the user without having to wait several minutes, as would be the case with longer dwell times during a normal mode of operation. Thus, the dwell time may be reduced to something on the order of a few seconds during a walk test.

A user may wish to increase the dwell time of person detection device <NUM>, for example to four minutes, when person detection device <NUM> will be used as a motion sensor. It is generally desirable to limit the number of transmissions of motion sensors; otherwise, each time that movement is detected, a transmission will occur, thus draining the battery relatively quickly. By changing the dwell time to <NUM> minutes, person detection device <NUM> is only capable of transmitting one motion detection signal every <NUM> minutes, thus saving battery life.

On the other hand, the user may wish to change the dwell time of person detection device <NUM>, for example to one minute, when person detection device <NUM> will be used as an occupancy sensor. It is generally desirable that occupancy sensors be capable of transmitting occupancy/non-occupancy signals at more frequent intervals than motion sensors, in order to better know whether a room remains occupied for purposes of controlling lighting, heating/cooling, etc. By setting the dwell time at an intermediate time, such as between <NUM> seconds and two minutes, person detection device <NUM> acts more like an occupancy sensor, transmitting indications of movement/occupancy more often than with increased dwell times.

In any case, an indication of the new dwell time is provided from user interface <NUM> to processor <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM>, in turn, generates a command to change the dwell time and causes the command to be transmitted to remote server <NUM> and/or person detection device <NUM>, via transceiver <NUM>, which may include an identification of a particular person detection device <NUM> to be modified. The command may include the new dwell time, or the new dwell time may be transmitted in a separate message or command. In another embodiment, the new dwell time is not provided to remote server <NUM> and/or person detection device <NUM> until the user is satisfied that the new dwell time will not have undesired battery life implications, as described below.

At block <NUM>, in one embodiment, processor <NUM> may estimate a remaining or expected battery life of person detection device <NUM>, using the new dwell time. The remaining battery life may take into account how long person detection device <NUM> has been installed, or how long since the battery(ies) of person detection device <NUM> was/were changed. The expected battery life may provide an estimate of the battery life assuming that new batteries have been installed. Memory <NUM> may receive a standard battery life of person detection device <NUM> via remote server <NUM> at some point during a setup process, identifying an expected battery life for a particular make and/or model of person detection device <NUM> at a default dwell time, such as two minutes. As the dwell time is increased from the default dwell time, processor <NUM> may estimate the remaining or expected battery life, based on the default battery life and the new dwell time. For example, if the expected battery life of person detection device <NUM> is <NUM> months using a dwell time of two minutes, and the dwell time is increased to <NUM> minutes, processor <NUM> may determine an estimated or expected battery life of <NUM> months, depending on factors such as the amount of power consumed by person detection device <NUM> during transmission of signals indicative of movement/occupancy once every <NUM> minutes. Similarly, an estimate of the remaining or expected battery life may be determined by processor <NUM> when the dwell time is decreased.

At block <NUM>, remote server <NUM> may receive the command/new dwell time from personal communication device <NUM> and store the new dwell time in an associated database in accordance with the particular person detection device <NUM> identified by personal communication device <NUM>. Remote server <NUM> may then forward the new dwell time to person detection device <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> receives the command/new dwell time via transceiver <NUM>. Processor <NUM> may determine that the command comprises an instruction to change a current dwell time store in memory <NUM> with the new dwell time by comparing the command to a plurality of commands, such as a command to reset person detection device <NUM>, a command to provide the status of person detection device <NUM>, a command to enter into a walk test mode of operation from a normal mode of operation, or other commands. When processor <NUM> determines that the command is a command to change the dwell time, processor <NUM> stores the new dwell time in memory <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> may determine a remaining or expected battery life for the battery(ies) that power person detection device <NUM>. In one embodiment, processor <NUM> measures a voltage of the battery(ies) as person detection device <NUM> transmits a signal, as current is drawn from the battery(ies) during transmission. The voltage level may be compared to an expected battery voltage when the battery(ies) are new, and the deviation from the expected battery voltage indicates a remaining battery life.

In another embodiment, memory <NUM> may receive a standard battery life of person detection device <NUM> via remote server <NUM> at some point during a setup process, identifying an expected battery life for a particular make and/or model of person detection device <NUM> at a default dwell time, such as two minutes. As the dwell time is increased from the default dwell time, processor <NUM> may estimate the remaining or expected battery life, based on the default battery life and the new dwell time. For example, if the expected battery life of person detection device <NUM> is <NUM> months using a dwell time of two minutes, and the dwell time is increased to <NUM> minutes, processor <NUM> may determine an estimated or expected battery life of <NUM> months, depending on factors such as the amount of power consumed by person detection device <NUM> during transmission of signals indicative of movement/occupancy once every <NUM> minutes. Similarly, an estimate of the remaining or expected battery life may be determined by processor <NUM> when the dwell time is decreased.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> may transmit the remaining or expected battery life to remote server <NUM> and/or personal communication device <NUM> via transceiver <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> in person detection device <NUM> receives the remaining battery life and may store the remaining battery life in memory <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> may display the remaining battery life to the user via user interface <NUM> and the user interface display.

At block <NUM>, the user may choose to again modify the dwell time if the user determines that the expected or remaining battery life is unacceptable to the user. In an embodiment where processor <NUM> determines the remaining or expected battery life, the new dwell time may not be provided to processor <NUM> until the user is satisfied that the new dwell time will not adversely affect the batter life more than the user may tolerate, but trying a variety of new dwell times, and only providing a final, new dwell time to processor <NUM>, once the user is satisfied. This may be achieved by the user pressing a "submit" icon, or other, similar indication, displayed by user interface <NUM>, once the user has selected a desired dwell time.

At block <NUM>, at some later time, processor <NUM> determines that a person is present in area <NUM> by evaluating signals from person detector <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> determines an elapsed time since a previous signal was transmitted, indicating that a person was within area <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, processor <NUM> compares the elapsed time from when a previous signal was transmitted to the new dwell time to determine if the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time.

At block <NUM>, if the elapsed time is greater or equal to the new dwell time, processor <NUM> causes a signal to be transmitted indicative of a person in area <NUM>, via transceiver <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An apparatus for configuring a dwell time of the apparatus, comprising:
a detector (<NUM>) for detecting a presence of a person in an area;
a memory (<NUM>) for storing processor-executable instructions and the dwell time;
a transceiver (<NUM>) for sending and receiving wireless signals; and
a processor (<NUM>) coupled to the detector (<NUM>), the memory (<NUM>) and the transceiver (<NUM>), wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive, by the processor (<NUM>) via the transceiver (<NUM>), a command from a remote device (<NUM>) to change the dwell time, the command comprising a new dwell time;
in response to receiving the command from the remote device (<NUM>) to change the dwell time, store, by the processor (<NUM>), the new dwell time in the memory (<NUM>);
determine, by the processor (<NUM>) via the detector (<NUM>), the presence of the person in the area;
determine, by the processor (<NUM>), an elapsed time since the transceiver transmitted a previous signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area;
determine, by the processor (<NUM>), that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time ;
when the processor (<NUM>) determines that the elapsed time is greater than the new dwell time, transmit, by the processor (<NUM>) via the transceiver (<NUM>), a new signal indicative of the presence of the person in the area;
estimate, by the processor, a remaining battery life of a battery used to power the apparatus, wherein the remaining battery life is estimated by the processor based on the dwell time, a remaining battery life using the dwell time and the new dwell time; and
transmit, by the processor (<NUM>) via the transceiver (<NUM>), the remaining battery life to the remote device (<NUM>);
wherein estimating and transmitting the remaining battery life is performed by the processor (<NUM>) in response to receiving the new dwell time.