Systems, methods and apparatus for interacting with a security system using a television remote control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11831940-B2
Application number	US-202117338117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2021
Priority date	Apr 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A method and apparatus is described for interacting with a security system using a television remote control. Commands sent by the remote control are received by an auxiliary interface device, which then provides the commands to a security system controller either directly, via a local-area network, or via a wide-area network and server. Status and acknowledgement messages are transmitted from the security system controller to the auxiliary device, whereupon they are provided to and displayed by a television in the form of a security dashboard.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method performed by an auxiliary interface device for interacting with a security camera, a display device, a security sensor, and a remote control device, comprising:
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a video or one or more still images from the security camera;
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a first signal from a one of the security sensor and the remote control device;
in direct response to receiving the first signal, interrupting, by the auxiliary interface device, a currently-viewed media program being displayed by the display device with the video or one or more still images received from the security camera;
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a second signal from the remote control device, the second signal transmitted in accordance with a first communication protocol that cannot be directly received by the security camera, the second signal comprising a command to cause the security camera to move;
in direct response to receiving the second signal, generating, by the auxiliary interface device, a command to cause the security camera to move, the command formatted in accordance with a second communication protocol that can be received by the security camera; and
providing, by the auxiliary interface device, the command to the security camera.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein interrupting a currently-viewed media program comprises replacing the entirety of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein interrupting a currently-viewed media program comprises replacing a portion of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

4. A method performed by an auxiliary interface device for interacting with a security camera, a display device, a security sensor, and a remote control device, comprising:
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a video or one or more still images from the security camera;
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a first signal from a one of the security sensor and the remote control device;
in direct response to receiving the first signal, interrupting, by the auxiliary interface device, a currently-viewed media program being displayed by the display device with the video or one or more still images received from the security camera;
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a second signal from the remote control device, the second signal transmitted in accordance with a first communication protocol that cannot be directly received by the security camera, the second signal comprising digitized speech from a user of the remote control device;
in direct response to receiving the second signal, formatting, by the auxiliary interface device, the digitized speech in accordance with a second communication protocol that can be received by the security camera; and
providing, by the by the auxiliary interface device, the digitized speech to the security camera.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein interrupting a currently-viewed media program comprises replacing the entirety of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein interrupting a currently-viewed media program comprises replacing a portion of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

7. A method performed by an auxiliary interface device for interacting with a security camera, a display device, a security sensor, and a remote control device, comprising:
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a video or one or more still images from the security camera;
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, a first signal from a one of the security sensor and the remote control device;
in direct response to receiving the first signal, interrupting, by the auxiliary interface device, a currently-viewed media program being displayed by the display device with the video or one or more still images received from the security camera;
receiving, by the auxiliary interface device, other video or one or more other still images from one or more other security cameras;
formatting, by the auxiliary interface device, the video or one or more still images from the security camera and the other video or one or more other still images from the one or more other security cameras for display by the display device; and
causing the display device to display the formatted video or one or more still images from the security camera and the other video or one or more other still images from the one or more other security cameras onto a screen of the display device for viewing each of the video or one or more still images from the security camera and the other video or one or more other still images from the one or more other security cameras simultaneously.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein interrupting a currently-viewed media program comprises replacing the entirety of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein interrupting a currently-viewed media program comprises replacing a portion of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

10. An auxiliary interface device for interacting with a security camera, a display device, a security sensor, and a remote control device, comprising:
a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory, for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the auxiliary interface device to:
receive a video or one or more still images from the security camera;
receive a first signal from a one of the security sensor and the remote control device;
respond to receiving the first signal by interrupting a currently-viewed media program being displayed by the display device with the video or the one or more still images received from the security camera;
receive a second signal from the remote control device, the second signal transmitted in accordance with a first communication protocol that cannot be directly received by the security camera, the second signal comprising a command to cause the security camera to move;
generate a command to cause the security camera to move, the command formatted in accordance with a second communication protocol that can be received by the security camera; and
provide the command to the security camera.

11. The auxiliary interface device of claim 10 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the auxiliary interface device to:
replace the entirety of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

12. The auxiliary interface device of claim 10 , wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the auxiliary interface device to:
replace a portion of the currently-viewed media program with the video or one or more still images from the security camera.

13. An auxiliary interface device for interacting with a security camera, a display device, a security sensor, and a remote control device, comprising:
a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory, for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the auxiliary interface device to:
receive a video or one or more still images from the security camera;
receive a first signal from a one of the securit

Assignees

• Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc

Inventors

• Lamb Michael
• Black Jeremy
• Thibault Thomas

Classifications

• H04N21/42204 Primary

  User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor (constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205) · CPC title

• G06F18/00

  Pattern recognition · CPC title

• G06V20/52

  Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) · CPC title

• G08B25/008

  Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system · CPC title

• G08B25/14

  Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements · CPC title