Patents by Inventor Michelle Zundel

Michelle Zundel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230281997
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices that support techniques for a smart monitoring system are described. A system may monitor a physical environment using a camera-enabled device operating in a first mode of a set of modes. The system may determine one or more parameters based on the monitoring. The parameters may include an identity of an entity, a behavior of the entity, or a setting of the security and automation system, or any combination thereof. The system may perform an operation based on the one or more parameters. The techniques described herein may deter an intruder from an intended action (e.g., theft, property damage, etc.) and/or provide lighting to a user of the security and automation system, among other benefits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: VIVINT, INC.
    Inventors: Logan S. Merkley, Jason C. Flint, Benjamin A. Clement, Brandon Bunker, Darin Priday, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 11594034
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices that support techniques for a smart monitoring system are described. A system may monitor a physical environment using a camera-enabled device operating in a first mode of a set of modes. The system may determine one or more parameters based on the monitoring. The parameters may include an identity of an entity, a behavior of the entity, or a setting of the security and automation system, or any combination thereof. The system may perform an operation based on the one or more parameters. The techniques described herein may deter an intruder from an intended action (e.g., theft, property damage, etc.) and/or provide lighting to a user of the security and automation system, among other benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: VIVINT, INC.
    Inventors: Logan S. Merkley, Jason C. Flint, Benjamin A. Clement, Brandon Bunker, Darin Priday, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 11570401
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method including identifying a presence of a first person at a first location, capturing a first video related to the first person at the first location, and initiating an adjustment of a display of the first video based at least in part on identifying the presence of the first person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: VIVINT, INC.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 11410221
    Abstract: A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method includes integrating, via a processor of a first computing device, a secure delivery option in relation to a checkout interface of a point of sale (POS) system. In some cases, the method includes receiving, via the processor, an input to enable the secure delivery option in relation to an order being placed via the checkout interface, generating, via the processor, an access code for the order based at least in part on enabling the secure delivery option, and enabling, via the processor, access to a premises via the access code generated for the order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: VIVINT, INC.
    Inventors: Michelle Zundel, Michael D. Child
  • Patent number: 11164601
    Abstract: Methods and systems for routing messages are described. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring a security system of a premises, identifying a video file captured by the security system of the premises, determining one or more aspects of the video file, selecting a first playback speed based on the determined one or more aspects of the video file, and playing the video file at the first playback speed. In some cases, the one or more aspects of the video file includes at least one of runtime, file size, and frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10873728
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving a call initiation instruction at a video monitoring component of a home automation system. The method may further include analyzing the call initiation instruction, and communicating a call request from the video monitoring component of the home automation system to a first remote user based at least in part on the received call initiation instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Matthew Mahar, Matthew J. Eyring, Clint Huson Gordon-Carroll, Jeremy Bruce Warren, James Ellis Nye, Jefferson Huhta Lyman, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10796160
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices related to memory, including read or write performance of a phase change memory, are described. A plurality of memory cells of a memory array may be read. A total number of read errors resulting from the read operation of the plurality of memory cells may be determined, and reference read currents may be adjusted if the total number of read errors exceeds an error threshold. In some examples, adjusting reference read currents includes reading a reference memory cell, determining a current shift for the reference memory cell, and adjusting read currents for other memory cells of the memory array by a current delta based at least in part on the current shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10645772
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for security and/or automation systems, for adjusting a home environment. Some method embodiments involving a lighting system may include receiving data relating to an occupant of a home from a sensor, analyzing the data, identifying the occupant based at least in part on the analyzing, and initiating an adjustment of the lighting system based at least in part on the identifying. One such embodiment may also include searching a catalog of occupant profiles, and comparing the data with the catalog of occupant profiles. Some other method embodiments may initiate adjustments to an environment based on an occupant's preferences (whether those preferences are already included in a profile, or determined by analysis) such as for example the occupant's lighting preferences (in an embodiment involving a lighting system). One method embodiment may also include correlating data relating to the occupant with the occupant's profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10635907
    Abstract: Techniques are described for enhanced interactions for a security automation system using a doorbell camera. One method includes detecting, by the doorbell camera, that a person is located within a distance threshold to an entry of a structure based on received sensor data; identifying, by the doorbell camera, a suggested security action for the security and automation system to perform based on the detecting; transmitting the suggested action to the security and automation system based on the identifying; and broadcasting, via the doorbell camera, in response to the transmitting a message to the person located within the distance threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Jeremy B. Warren, Alen L. Peacock, Michelle Zundel
  • Publication number: 20200077045
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method including identifying a presence of a first person at a first location, capturing a first video related to the first person at the first location, and initiating an adjustment of a display of the first video based at least in part on identifying the presence of the first person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Publication number: 20200045268
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving a call initiation instruction at a video monitoring component of a home automation system. The method may further include analyzing the call initiation instruction, and communicating a call request from the video monitoring component of the home automation system to a first remote user based at least in part on the received call initiation instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Matthew Mahar, Matthew J. Eyring, Clint Huson Gordon-Carroll, Jeremy Bruce Warren, James Ellis Nye, Jefferson Huhta Lyman, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10433122
    Abstract: Apparatuses, techniques, and methods for a security and/or automation system are described. In some cases, these may include a first user recording a message and the message being broadcast or conveyed to a second user based on the second user's identity and/or location and/or a relevant time of recording or broadcasting, among other things. The methods may include receiving a first communication from a first user, storing the first communication in memory, identifying a second user at a first location, retrieving the first communication from memory, the retrieving based at least in part on the identification of the second user, and conveying the first communication to the second user at the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Matthew Mahar, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10410496
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for security and/or automation systems. The methods may include detecting an event in a home associated with a first occupant of the home, and identifying a presence of a second occupant in the home. In any embodiment, the second occupant may be different from the first occupant. The method may further include providing an alert to the second occupant of the home based at least in part on the detected event and the identifying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10412342
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method including identifying a presence of a first person at a first location, capturing a first video related to the first person at the first location, and initiating an adjustment of a display of the first video based at least in part on identifying the presence of the first person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10382729
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving a call initiation instruction at a video monitoring component of a home automation system. The method may further include analyzing the call initiation instruction, and communicating a call request from the video monitoring component of the home automation system to a first remote user based at least in part on the received call initiation instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Matthew Mahar, Matthew J. Eyring, Clint Huson Gordon-Carroll, Jeremy Bruce Warren, James Ellis Nye, Jefferson Huhta Lyman, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10271012
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and techniques for security and/or automation systems are described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving a call initiation instruction at a video monitoring component of a home automation system. The method may further include analyzing the call initiation instruction, and communicating a call request from the video monitoring component of the home automation system to a first remote user based at least in part on the received call initiation instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Mahar, Matthew J. Eyring, Clint Huson Gordon-Carroll, Jeremy Bruce Warren, James Ellis Nye, Jefferson Huhta Lyman, Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 10127754
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy. According to at least one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy includes a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory which are executable by a processor to determine a location of a user of a home automation system relative to a barrier of a home being monitored by the home automation system. The instructions are executable to determine whether to permit a change in a locking mechanism of the barrier based in part on the determined location of the user, and maintain a current state of the home automation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel, Tanner Potter, Scott Moulton
  • Patent number: 10028112
    Abstract: Apparatuses, techniques, and methods for a security and/or automation system are described. In some cases, these may include a first user recording a message and the message being broadcast or conveyed to a second user based on the second user's identity and/or location and/or a relevant time of recording or broadcasting, among other things. The methods may include receiving a first communication from a first user, storing the first communication in memory, identifying a second user at a first location, retrieving the first communication from memory, the retrieving based at least in part on the identification of the second user, and conveying the first communication to the second user at the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Matthew Mahar, Michelle Zundel
  • Publication number: 20180139822
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for security and/or automation systems, for adjusting a home environment. Some method embodiments involving a lighting system may include receiving data relating to an occupant of a home from a sensor, analyzing the data, identifying the occupant based at least in part on the analyzing, and initiating an adjustment of the lighting system based at least in part on the identifying. One such embodiment may also include searching a catalog of occupant profiles, and comparing the data with the catalog of occupant profiles. Some other method embodiments may initiate adjustments to an environment based on an occupant's preferences (whether those preferences are already included in a profile, or determined by analysis) such as for example the occupant's lighting preferences (in an embodiment involving a lighting system). One method embodiment may also include correlating data relating to the occupant with the occupant's profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Michelle Zundel
  • Patent number: 9872155
    Abstract: Apparatuses, techniques, and methods for a security and/or automation system are described. In some cases, these may include a first user recording a message and the message being broadcast or conveyed to a second user based on the second user's identity and/or location and/or a relevant time of recording or broadcasting, among other things. The methods may include receiving a first communication from a first user, storing the first communication in memory, identifying a second user at a first location, retrieving the first communication from memory, the retrieving based at least in part on the identification of the second user, and conveying the first communication to the second user at the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Child, Matthew Mahar, Michelle Zundel