Motion sensing for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10930126-B1
Application number	US-201916243610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 9, 2019
Priority date	Jan 11, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

This application is directed to an electronic device that uses at least a low-power computer vision component to determine whether to activate a camera. For instance, the electronic device may cause the camera to operate in a low-power mode, such as by turning the camera off. The electronic device may then detect motion of an object using a motion sensor. Additionally, the electronic device may generate first image data using the computer vision component, where the first image data represents the object. After generating the first image data, the electronic device may use the computer vision component to analyze the first the image data in order to determine that the object includes a type of object, such as a person. Based at least in part on the determination, the electronic device may activate the camera and generate second image data using the camera.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An audio/video recording and communication device (A/V device) comprising:
a passive infrared (PIR) sensor;
a computer vision device that includes at least an image sensor and a digital processing engine;
a camera;
a network interface;
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
causing the computer vision device to operate in a first low-power mode;
causing the camera to operate in a second low-power mode;
receiving a signal from the PIR sensor;
determining, using the signal, that the PIR sensor detected possible motion within a first field of view (FOV) of the motion sensor;
after receiving the signal, causing the computer vision device to operate in a first active mode, the computer vision device using more power when operating in the first active mode than when operating in the first low-power mode;
generating, using the image sensor, first image data representing a second FOV of the computer vision device;
determining, using the digital processing engine, that the first image data represents an object;
determining, using the digital processing engine, that the object includes a person;
after determining that the object includes the person, causing the camera to operate in a second active mode, the camera using more power when operating in the second active mode than when operating in the second low-power mode;
generating, using the camera, second image data representing a third FOV of the camera; and
sending, using the network interface, the second image data to one or more computing devices.

2. The A/V device as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
causing the computer vision device to operate in the first low-power mode comprises causing the computer vision device to power off; or
causing the camera to operate in the second low-power mode comprises causing the camera to power off.

3. The A/V device as recited in claim 1 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:
after determining that the object includes the person, causing the computer vision device to again operate in the first low-power mode; and
after generating the second image data, causing the camera to again operate in the second low-power mode.

4. An electronic device comprising:
a motion sensor;
a first camera;
a second camera, the second camera using more power than the first camera when activated;
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a signal from the motion sensor;
determining, using the signal, that the motion sensor detected possible motion within a first field of view (FOV) of the motion sensor;
generating, using the first camera, first image data representing a second FOV, the second FOV being different than the first FOV;
determining that the first image data represents an object;
determining that the object includes a type; and
after determining that the object includes the type, generating second image data using the second camera.

5. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:
causing the first camera to operate in a first mode; and
after receiving the output, causing the first camera to operate in a second mode, the first camera using more power when operating in the second mode than when operating in the first mode,
wherein generating the first image data occurs while the first camera is operating in the second mode.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:
causing the second camera to operate in a first mode; and
after determining that the object includes the type, causing the second camera to operate in a second mode, the second camera using more power when operating in the second mode than when operating in the first mode,
wherein generating the second image data occurs while the second camera is operating in the second mode.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , further comprising a computer vision device, the computer vision device comprising:
the first camera;
one or more additional processors; and
one or more additional computer-readable media storing additional instructions that, when executed by the one or more additional processors, cause the one or more additional processors to perform additional operations comprising transmitting data to the one or more processors, the data indicating that the object includes the type.

8. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , wherein the signal is a first signal, the possible motion is first possible motion, and the object is a first object, and wherein the one or more computer-readable media store further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:
receiving a second signal from the motion sensor;
determining, using the second signal, that the motion sensor detected second possible motion;
generating, using the first camera, third image data representing the second FOV;
determining that the third image data represents a second object;
determining that the second object does not include the type; and
after determining that the second object does not include the type, determining not to generate fourth image data using the second camera.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , further comprising a third camera, and wherein the one or more computer-readable media store further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:
generating, using the first camera, third image data representing the second FOV of the first camera;
generating, using the third camera, fourth image data representing a third FOV of the third camera; and
generating the first image data using the third image data and the fourth image data.

10. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , further comprising a network interface, and wherein the one or more computer-readable media store further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:
transmitting, using the network interface, the first image data to one or more computing devices; and
transmitting, using the network interface, the second image data to the one or more computing devices.

11. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising, after determining that the object includes the type, ceasing generating the first image data using the first camera.

12. The electronic device as recited in claim 4 , further comprising a network interface, and wherein the one or more computer-readable media store further instructions that, when executed by the one or more

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Jeong Changsoo
• Siminoff James

Classifications

• H04N23/651

  for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera · CPC title

• H04N23/611

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• G08B13/19619

  Details of casing · CPC title

• G08B13/19695 Primary

  Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves · CPC title

• G08B13/19636

  pertaining to the camera · CPC title