Systems and methods for home automation integration with a doorbell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9396624-B2
Application number	US-201414480280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 9, 2013
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

Various doorbell monitoring devices and methods are presented herein. Such arrangements may be configured to be integrated with a previously-installed doorbell and a previously-installed chime unit. A first power source may be configured to power the doorbell monitor device separate from the previously-installed doorbell and the previously-installed chime unit. A plurality of electrical connectors may be present and may be configured to be attached with preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit. An actuation sensor may be present and configured to detect an actuation of the previously-installed doorbell via the two or more electrical connectors. A communication module may also be present and configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of the ring to a receiver device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A doorbell monitor device configured to be integrated with a previously-installed doorbell and a previously-installed chime unit, comprising:
a first power source configured to power the doorbell monitor device separate from the previously-installed doorbell and the previously-installed chime unit;
a plurality of electrical connectors configured to be attached with preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit;
an actuation sensor configured to sense an actuation of the previously-installed doorbell via the plurality of electrical connectors, wherein the actuation sensor comprises a first comparator circuit and a second comparator circuit, wherein: the first comparator circuit is configured to monitor a first voltage differential, and the second comparator circuit is configured to monitor a second voltage differential;
a communication module configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of the actuation to a receiver device; and
a housing, configured to encase the first power source, the actuation sensor, and the communication module, wherein the housing is configured to be placed within the previously-installed chime unit and is configured to permit the plurality of electrical connectors to be attached with the preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit.

2. A doorbell monitor device configured to be integrated with a previously-installed doorbell and a previously-installed chime unit, comprising:
a first power source configured to power the doorbell monitor device separate from the previously-installed doorbell and the previously-installed chime unit;
a plurality of electrical connectors configured to be attached with preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit, wherein:
the plurality of electrical connectors comprises three electrical connectors, the three electrical connectors including:
a first electrical connector configured to be attached to a first terminal associated with the previously-installed doorbell;
a second electrical connector configured to be attached to a second terminal associated with a second previously-installed doorbell; and
a third electrical connector configured to be attached to a third terminal associated with a second power source of the previously-installed chime unit;

an actuation sensor configured to sense an actuation of the previously-installed doorbell via the plurality of electrical connectors;
a communication module configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of the actuation to a receiver device; and
a housing, configured to encase the first power source, the actuation sensor, and the communication module, wherein the housing is configured to be placed within the previously-installed chime unit and is configured to permit the plurality of electrical connectors to be attached with the preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit.

3. The doorbell monitor device of claim 2 , wherein:
the actuation sensor is further configured to sense a second actuation of the second previously-installed doorbell based on the second electrical connector and the third electrical connector; and
the communication module is further configured to transmit a second wireless signal indicative of the second actuation to the receiver device, the second wireless signal being different from the wireless signal.

4. The doorbell monitor device of claim 2 , further comprising a power converter, configured to:
convert a half-wave signal existing between the first electrical connector and the third electrical connector into a direct current voltage; and
convert a half-wave signal existing between the second electrical connector and the third electrical connector into the direct current voltage.

5. The doorbell monitor device of claim 1 , wherein the actuation sensor is configured to:
sense actuations of electronic-type doorbell circuits and solenoid type doorbell circuits.

6. A doorbell monitor device configured to be integrated with a previously-installed doorbell and a previously-installed chime unit, comprising:
a first power source configured to power the doorbell monitor device separate from the previously-installed doorbell and the previously-installed chime unit;
a plurality of electrical connectors configured to be attached with preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit;
an actuation sensor configured to sense an actuation of the previously-installed doorbell via the plurality of electrical connectors, wherein the actuation sensor comprises:
a light filter configured to eliminate false detection of activations caused by a lit light of the previously-installed doorbell;

a communication module configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of the actuation to a receiver device; and
a housing, configured to encase the first power source, the actuation sensor, and the communication module, wherein the housing is configured to be placed within the previously-installed chime unit and is configured to permit the plurality of electrical connectors to be attached with the preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit.

7. The doorbell monitor device of claim 3 , wherein the actuation sensor comprises:
a first comparator circuit, a second comparator circuit, a third comparator circuit, and a fourth comparator circuit, wherein:
the first comparator circuit is configured to monitor a first voltage differential related to the previously-installed doorbell;
the second comparator circuit is configured to monitor a second voltage differential related to the previously-installed doorbell;
the third comparator circuit is configured to monitor a third voltage differential related to the second previously-installed doorbell; and
the fourth comparator circuit is configured to monitor a fourth voltage differential related to the second previously-installed doorbell.

8. A doorbell monitor device configured to be integrated with a previously-installed doorbell and a previously-installed chime unit, comprising:
a first power source configured to power the doorbell monitor device separate from the previously-installed doorbell and the previously-installed chime unit;
a plurality of electrical connectors configured to be attached with preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit;
an actuation sensor configured to sense an actuation of the previously-installed doorbell via the plurality of electrical connectors;
a communication module configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of the actuation to a receiver device;
a housing, configured to encase the first power source, the actuation sensor, and the communication module, wherein the housing is configured to be placed within the previously-installed chime unit and is configured to permit the plurality of electrical connectors to be attached with the preexisting terminals of the previously-installed chime unit; and
a power module configured to sense that a circuit electrically connected with the previously-installed doorbell supplies a voltage sufficient to power the doorbell monitor device, wherein the power module is further configured to, based on the voltage being sensed as sufficient, electrically disconnect the first power source from the actuation sensor and the communication module.

9. The doorbell monitor device of claim 8 , wherein the power module is further configured to detect that the circuit electrically connected with the previously-installed doorbell does not supply a sufficient voltage to power the doorbell monitor device.

10. The doorbell monitor device of claim 9 , wherein the power module is further configured to, based on the voltage being detected as insu

Assignees

• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Wilson Daniel
• Parthasarathy Rao Roopkumar

Classifications

• H04N7/186

  Video door telephones · CPC title

• H04M1/0291

  Door telephones · CPC title

• G08B3/10 Primary

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• G08B7/06 Primary

  using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} · CPC title

• G08B3/1016

  using wireless transmission (calling systems using transmission by inductive loop H04B5/00) · CPC title