Patent Grant
7880603
Embodiments of the present invention relate to security systems. More particularly, embodiments of the invention are directed to controlling an anti-masking system that detects tampering with motion detection components of the security system.
Currently, in the field of security systems, motion detection components are generally provided to detect intruders. Intruders may attempt to sabotage or tamper with the motion detection components through various techniques. For example, intruders may attempt to mask detectors by coating them with an opaque substance that acts as a barrier between a motion detection sensor and the corresponding monitored space. Alternatively, intruders may attempt to cover the entire motion detector with an object or otherwise tamper with the motion detection components. Accordingly, security systems having motion detection components are often equipped with an anti-masking system that detects tampering with the motion detection components.
One example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2005/0141345, which discloses a method and system for monitoring objects having chips attached. The chips transmit ultrasound signals and include a sabotage sensor 110, a motion detector 130, and a timer 120. The sabotage sensor 110 is activated if removed from the object to which it was attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,774 discloses a light control system including a variable sensitivity motion detector. When initial entry motion is detected, the system turns on the lights and increases sensitivity to detect continued presence within a room. The increased sensitivity is maintained for a specified period of time while the lights are on. After a period without motion detection, the system extinguishes the lights and sensitivity is reset to a lower value.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,234 shows a combination passive microwave and infrared motion detector with anti-masking evaluation. The detector samples sensor signals and compares the signals to a series of possible outcomes. Some of the possible outcomes represent masking conditions. When a person approaches the sensor and is within a predetermined distance of the sensor, the system will automatically initiate an anti-masking algorithm.
Currently available anti-masking systems may generate false alarms if they are too sensitive, as they may be triggered by background noise sources such as insects or birds even when no intruder is present. In some cases, anti-masking systems may generate a false alarm due to external infrared (IR) light sources, IR remote controls, fluorescent lights, or PDAs. Some attempts have been made to reduce the false alarm rate of anti-masking systems.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,882 discloses a motion detector that includes a sabotage monitoring device. The motion detector also includes distance independent suppression of signals triggered by small animals and insects to reduce the false alarm rate of the motion detection system.
However, a further need exists to reduce false alarms while simultaneously increasing sensitivity of the anti-masking device when an intruder is present in the monitoring area.
In one aspect, an anti-masking control system may be provided for controlling operation of an anti-masking system that detects tampering with a motion detection system. The control system may include a selective adjustment mechanism for adjusting a sensitivity level of the anti-masking system. The control system may additionally include a trigger mechanism for triggering the selective adjustment mechanism upon occurrence of an event to raise the sensitivity level of the anti-masking system.
In an additional aspect, a motion detection system may be provided that includes at least one motion detection sensor for detecting motion and an anti-masking system for preventing tampering with the motion detection sensor. The motion detection system may additionally include an anti-masking control system for minimizing false alarms of the anti-masking system by selectively altering a sensitivity of the anti-masking system.
In an additional aspect, a method may be provided for minimizing false alarms in an anti-masking system designed to prevent tampering with a motion detection system. The method may include implementing a sensor to detect intruder presence and activating a trigger mechanism upon detection of the intruder presence. The method may additionally include selectively adjusting a sensitivity level of the anti-masking system in response to the detection of the intruder presence.
The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings figures, wherein:
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system and method for controlling an anti-masking system that operates to prevent tampering with a motion detection system. The motion detection system may typically be incorporated in a security system.
With regard to the user input interface 110, a user may enter commands and information using input devices such as a keyboard and pointing device, commonly referred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices may include a microphone, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 130 through the user input interface 110 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor or other type of display device and other peripherals may also be connected to the system bus via an interface.
The alarm/notification system 120 may be operable to trigger an alarm upon detecting a security violation. The security violation may be detected by the detectors 160 or 190, which subsequently send a signal to the alarm/notification system 120. The alarm/notification system 120 may activate any appropriate type of visible or audible alarm including both remote and proximal alarms.
The system memory 140 may include computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). A basic input/output system (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the security system environment 100, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM. RAM typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit 130.
The RAM may include an operating system, program data, and application program. The application programs may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like.
The security system environment 100 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. A hard disk drive may be provided that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive is typically connected to the system bus through a non-removable memory interface. The magnetic disk drive and optical disk drive are typically connected to the system bus by a removable memory interface.
Although
The detectors 190 may include any type of detectors suitable for implementation in a security system. For example, the detectors may include smoke detectors, vibration detectors or any other types of detectors. The detectors 190 may be wirelessly connected or hardwired to the security system 100.
The detector or detectors of the motion detection system 160 may include a passive infra red (PIR) motion detector. The motion detection system 160 could include a dual detector using both PIR and microwave (MW) technologies. An example of such a dual detector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,034,675, which is incorporated herein by reference. The detection system using the PIR and or MW detectors may identify when an intruder is present and activate or wake up the anti-masking system 180 through the use of the anti-masking control system 170, which will be further described herein with reference to
The anti-masking system 180 may include an active IR detector capable of detecting objects within a short distance, for example, such as less than three feet or anywhere from one inch to five feet. The anti-masking system 180 could also include a short range MW detector.
Since the anti-masking system 180 could be triggered falsely as a result of background noise sources such as birds, bugs, radio frequency interference, IR light sources, fluorescent lights, PDAs, etc, the anti-masking control system 170 is provided to reduce the incidence of false alarms. The anti-masking control system 170 serves to disable or desensitize the anti-masking system when no human presence is detected in the vicinity of the motion detectors. Conversely, the anti-masking control system 170 operates to extend heightened sensitivity and/or an enabled state of the anti-masking system 180 when the likelihood of tampering is elevated due to human presence. The anti-masking control system 170 may activate a timer for extending a sensitivity level or operative mode of the anti-masking system 180 after a human presence is detected in the vicinity of the motion detector.
Although
The output of the oneshot 212 is delivered to an AND gate 214 where it may be combined with output from the anti-mask sensor 216. The combined inputs to the AND gate 214 may determine whether a trouble signal will be generated by the trouble relay 208. In this embodiment, the trouble relay 208 will be activated if the anti-mask sensor 216 senses material in its vicinity and if the oneshot 212 is activated.
The oneshot 212 may be continuously re-triggerable through input from the sensor 202, such that it will be re-triggered at each sensing of a human presence. This continual sensing will case the anti-masking system to remain ON or in a high sensitivity or activated state.
However, in some instances, an intruder may be attempting to avoid detection by the anti-masking system. As an added precaution, to account for these situations, the oneshot may include an optional timer, which may be for example a five minute timer. However, the timer may also be activated for other time periods, such as any time period between 1 second and ten minutes. The stable state of the timer 212 is an OFF state and the temporary state is the timing state for the time period as explained above, during which a single pulse may be generated for the specified time period. Thus, when triggered, the output of the oneshot 212 goes high for an extended time period as determined by the timer.
The timer is re-triggerable so that the enable time of the anti-masking signal is extended every time movement is detected. The oneshot timer is used to improve the chances that the antimask system is active when a person is in the room. In most cases the timer is not needed since the person would likely cause continuous alarm activations when attempting to mask the unit. The timer is most useful to guard against the person that knows that the antimask system is not active when the sensor 202 does not detect movement. This would obviously be a highly skilled saboteur.
Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in
The sensor 302 may sense a human presence. The sensor 302 may be for instance an IR sensor that senses the body heat of an intruder and may be incorporated in the motion detection system. The amplifier 304 amplifies the signal from the sensor 302 and passes the amplified signal to a microcontroller 306. The microcontroller 306 processes the signal and is able to generate output to the alarm relay 310. The alarm relay 310 may be activated based on input from the sensor 302 to trigger the oneshot 312. As in the first embodiment described above, the oneshot 312 may include a timer.
Additional components of the system 300 operate to adjust the threshold sensitivity level. The threshold sensitivity adjustment reduces the possibility of false activation caused by external noise sources.
In order to adjust sensitivity, the exemplary configuration shown includes resistors 332 and 334, which may operate as voltage dividers, resistor 336, and a transistor 338. The resistance values of the aforementioned resistors may be chosen to set a threshold level VTH based on when a trouble indication is desired.
When triggered by the sensing of a human presence, the oneshot 312 sends a signal through resistor 342, which turns on a transistor 338. This shorts one end of the resistor 334 to ground such that the resistors 336 and 334 become parallel and reduce the set threshold VTH and make the system more sensitive. Thus, when the transistor is activated, the system is set at a minimum threshold value and when the transistor is inactive, the system is set at a maximum threshold value.
In order to determine if a trouble signal should be generated based on the set threshold, a voltage is generated based on signals received by an IR photo-diode 318, which operates as an anti-mask detection system along with the IR LED 320. The detection of material close to the detection system results in a signal generated in sensor 318. The sensor 318 senses material within its range and as the material approaches the photodiode, the signal voltage increases. Generally, the closer material is to the IR photodiode 318, the larger the signal. The signal is amplified by the amplifier 316 and forms an input to the comparator 314.
If the signal is higher than the set VTH, the system 300 may generate a trouble signal by activating the trouble relay 308. As set forth above, VTH is adjusted dependent on whether the oneshot 312 has been triggered. If the oneshot 312 has been triggered, the voltage VTH has its minimum value. If the oneshot has not been triggered, the voltage VTH has its maximum value.
Thus, in the embodiment of
Thus, the generation of a trouble signal will depend upon a number of factors that may include the threshold set, the power designated by Vcc, and the signal received. In embodiments of the invention, the power Vcc is set to +5Vdc.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are not intended to be limiting, but rather illustrative of hardware and software that may be used for carrying out the objectives of the invention. For instance, although shown as discrete components, the circuitry such as the AND gate of
In wireless embodiments of the invention, it may be a goal to maximize battery life. During the anti-mask disable period as described in relation to
While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications might be made to the invention without departing from the scope and intent of the invention.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects set forth above, together with other advantages, which are obvious and inherent to the system and method. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated and within the scope of the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080084292 A1 | Apr 2008 | US |
