Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for preserving privacy in surveillance. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of determining a state of a monitoring system, determining an exclusion zone that is shown in a video, determining whether to obfuscate at least a portion of the video based on the exclusion zone and the state of the monitoring system, and obfuscating at least the portion of the video.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on storage devices, for drone-augmented emergency response services. In one aspect, a monitoring system, comprising: a plurality of monitoring control units, and a monitoring application server, wherein the monitoring application server includes a network interface, one or more processors, and one or more storage devices that include instructions to perform operations. The operations include receiving an emergency event notification from a first monitoring control unit of the plurality of monitoring control units, determining a type of emergency event, and a location associated with the emergency event notification, identifying one or more drones that can be deployed to the location associated with the emergency event, and transmitting an instruction to a monitoring station server associated with a drone base station to deploy the one or more identified drones to the location associated with the emergency event.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are described for implementing a smart firearm safety device. The safety device attaches to a firearm having a trigger and a slot for receiving a magazine. The safety device includes a locking mechanism that attaches to the trigger to preclude depressing a trigger of the firearm and a sensor that determines an orientation of the firearm or a relative motion of the firearm to indicate detected movement of the firearm. The safety device also includes a radio device that receives parameter signals from the sensor indicating movement of the firearm. The radio device communicates with a component of a property monitoring system to receive a command to engage the locking mechanism to preclude depressing the trigger of the firearm based on parameter signals indicating a particular type of detected movement of the firearm.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for monitoring a property using drone beacons. In one aspect, a monitoring system is disclosed that includes a drone, a drone beacon, a component, a processor, and a computer storage media storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations may include obtaining drone beacon data generated by the drone beacon, determining a location of the drone beacon based on the drone beacon data, after determining the location of the drone beacon, transmitting, to the drone, a first instruction to navigate towards the location of the drone beacon, after deploying the drone, obtaining component data generated by the component, and after obtaining the component data, transmitting, to the drone, a second instruction to navigate towards a different location than the location of the drone beacon based on the component data.

Abstract: In some implementations, techniques are described for detecting abnormal installations in a property monitored by a monitoring (e.g., security) system. For instance, an aberration engine may be used to detect an abnormal sensor or system installation within a property based on comparing detected installation data against local installation patterns of local providers within a certain proximity to the property. In some examples, the attributes (e.g., installation time, components used, number of tests performed, etc.) of a monitoring system installation, including installation of components of the monitoring system, may be compared to average installation times of other nearby installations to detect abnormalities in the installation.

Abstract: Alarm system technology, in which an alarm event is detected at a property monitored by an alarm system when the alarm system was set in an armed state. Based on detection of the alarm event, an alarm probability score that indicates a likelihood of the alarm event being an emergency situation is determined and the alarm event is handled based on the determined alarm probability score.

Abstract: Techniques are described for energy scoring of a monitored property and users of the monitored property. A system provides users with information related to the efficiency of the monitored property and aggregates data over multiple monitored properties. The system computes and outputs a score for a monitored property that reflects efficiency of the property and/or the users of the property. The system may track how that score changes through time, and how it relates to neighboring properties. The score may be expressed as both a number and a percentile.

Abstract: Methods and systems, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage-medium, are disclosed for implementing intelligent detection of wellness events using mobile device sensors and cloud-based learning systems. A system obtains sensor data generated by sensors integrated in a mobile device of a user. A machine-learning (ML) engine of the system generates a predictive model that identifies behavioral trends of the user. The model is generated using a neural network trained to identify patterns representing user trends in the sensor data. Based on communications with the device, the model is used to generate activity profiles of the user from the behavioral trends. The model is used to detect abnormal events involving the user when a parameter value of the activity profile exceeds a threshold. Notifications directed to assisting the user with alleviating the abnormal event are generated after detecting the abnormal events.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on storage devices, for drone-augmented emergency response services. In one aspect, a monitoring system, comprising: a plurality of monitoring control units, and a monitoring application server, wherein the monitoring application server includes a network interface, one or more processors, and one or more storage devices that include instructions to perform operations. The operations include receiving an emergency event notification from a first monitoring control unit of the plurality of monitoring control units, determining a type of emergency event, and a location associated with the emergency event notification, identifying one or more drones that can be deployed to the location associated with the emergency event, and transmitting an instruction to a monitoring station server associated with a drone base station to deploy the one or more identified drones to the location associated with the emergency event.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for preserving privacy in surveillance. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of determining a state of a monitoring system, determining an exclusion zone that is shown in a video, determining whether to obfuscate at least a portion of the video based on the exclusion zone and the state of the monitoring system, and obfuscating at least the portion of the video.

Abstract: A monitoring system is disclosed. The monitoring system includes a monitoring server that is configured to receive a personally identifying code from a visitor to a property monitored by the monitoring system. The monitoring system includes one or more sensors that transmit sensor data to the monitoring server and that are configured to capture a biometric identifier from the visitor to the property monitored by the monitoring system. The monitoring system is configured to compare the received personally identifying code to a stored personally identifying code. The monitoring system is configured to compare the received biometric identifier to a stored biometric identifier. The monitoring system is configured to determine a likelihood that the visitor is the known person. The monitoring system is configured to determine that the likelihood that the visitor is the known person does not satisfy a threshold. The monitoring system is configured to generate an alarm condition.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for using a drone to pre-surveil a portion of a property. In one aspect, a system may include a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may include a network interface, a processor, and a storage device that includes instructions to cause the processor to perform operations. The operations may include obtaining data that is indicative of one or more acts of an occupant of the property, applying the obtained data that is indicative of one or more acts of the occupant of the property to a pre-surveillance rule, determining that the pre-surveillance rule is satisfied, determining a drone navigation path that is associated with the pre-surveillance rule, transmitting, to a drone, an instruction to perform pre-surveillance of the portion of the one or more properties using the drone navigation path.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs, for a monitoring system that is configured to hail a car from a ride-sharing service. The method comprises determining, based on sensor data from one or more sensors at the property, that a person located at the property is preparing to leave the property, based on historical sensor data, an estimated time that the person will depart the property, determining, based on the estimated time that the person will depart the property, whether a suitable vehicle from a ride-sharing service will be within a predetermined vicinity of the property within a predetermined amount of time of the estimated time that the person will depart the property, receiving data indicating that the person is leaving the property and based on receiving the data indicating that the person is leaving the property, notifying the person that the suitable vehicle is available pick the person up.

Abstract: Virtual sensor technology, in which a camera is controlled to capture at least one configuration image of an area monitored by a monitoring system and input is received that defines one or more characteristics of the at least one configuration image that enable sensing of an event in the area. Based on the received input, configuration data used in sensing the event is generated and stored. After storage of the configuration data, the camera is controlled to capture one or more images of the area, the one or more images are analyzed based on the configuration data, and occurrence of the event is detected based on the analysis of the one or more images. Based on detecting occurrence of the event, a transmitting device is controlled to send, to a controller of the monitoring system, a signal that indicates the detection of the occurrence of the event.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on storage devices, for drone-augmented emergency response services. In one aspect, a device includes a network interface, one or more sensors, one or more processors, and one or more storage devices that include instructions that are operable to perform operations.

Abstract: Alarm system technology, in which an alarm event is detected at a property monitored by an alarm system when the alarm system was set in an armed state. Based on detection of the alarm event, an alarm probability score that indicates a likelihood of the alarm event being an emergency situation is determined and the alarm event is handled based on the determined alarm probability score.

Abstract: Techniques are described for handling an event where a control panel or an alarm signaling device is tampered with or destroyed by a disablement tactic, e.g., a “crash and smash intrusion.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing remote device (e.g., thermostat, lighting, appliance, etc.) control and/or energy monitoring. A system monitors sensor data captured by one or more sensors that sense attributes relevant to user presence at one or more monitored properties and status of one or more energy consuming devices associated with the one or more monitored properties. The system analyzes the monitored sensor data and the monitored device status with respect to a set of one or more rules and performs an operation related to controlling the one or more energy consuming devices based on the analysis of the monitored sensor data and the monitored device status with respect to the set of one or more rules.

Abstract: Video monitoring and alarm verification technology, in which a first connection is established between a first device and a camera located in a monitored property associated with a user of the first device and image data captured by the camera is received over the first connection and at the first device. A determination is made to establish a second connection with a second device that enables sharing of the received image data with the second device and, in response to the determination, the second connection is established between the first device and the second device. The received image data is shared with the second device over the second connection and the second device is restricted from directly accessing image data captured by the camera located in the monitored property.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for accommodating unattended services at a property. In one aspect, a monitoring system is disclosed that includes a processor and a storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations can include receiving a request to enter the property to perform the unattended service, configuring the monitoring system to allow access to a first portion of the property associated with the unattended service without triggering an alarm event, obtaining image data of the property after the monitoring system is configured to allow access to the first portion of the property, determining, based on the obtained image data, that an unattended service provider has entered into a second, different portion of the property, and triggering an alarm event.