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: Disclosed are methods, apparatuses and systems for collecting transactional and dimensional data. One implementation includes a configuration management database, a first data collection agent operating on a first monitored server to collect metadata associated with the first monitored server from the configuration management database using the first data collection agent, collect metric data from the first monitored server regarding operation of the first monitored server, wherein the metric data includes at least one metric collected from at least one application executing on the first monitored server; and assemble the collected metric data and at least part of the collected metadata into a packet for transmission from the first monitored server to a message bus; and a distributed database configured to receive the packet from the message bus and to store the collected metric data and metadata included in the packet.

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: 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, 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: 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.

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: In some implementations, a system performs proactive performance tests for an appliance before a time for an operational change in usage of the appliance. Usage data for an appliance associated with a property may be obtained. The obtained usage data indicates past activity of the appliance and present operational status of the appliance. Weather forecast data associated with a location of the property can be obtained. A time for an operational change in usage of the appliance can be predicted based at least on the obtained usage data for the appliance and the obtained weather forecast data. An operation directed to conducting one or more performance tests on the appliance can be performed before the predicted time for the operational change in usage of the appliance. One or more communications related to the one or more performance tests of the appliance can be provided to a client device.

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: In some implementations, a system can be used to selectively transmit bandwidth-intensive data over a cellular network based on dynamically determining resource availability over the cellular network. Monitoring system data to be transmitted to a remote server can initially be obtained by a component of a monitoring system. One or more network performance tests may be performed on a carrier network associated with the monitoring system. One or more network performance parameters can be computed based on results of the one or more network performance tests. The one or more network performance parameters can then be evaluated in relation to transmission requirements associated with the monitoring system data. A particular transmission strategy to use in transmitting the monitoring system data to the remote server can then be selected from among multiple transmission strategies. The monitoring system data is then transmitted to the server in accordance with the particular transmission strategy.

Abstract: A computing system and method for remote monitoring and forecasting of performance of a managed network is disclosed. The computing system may be disposed within a remote network management platform and be configured for monitoring respective performance of each of a plurality of network entities of the managed network. For each network entity, an alert may be issued in response to determining that the monitored respective performance is below a respective threshold performance level. Based on analysis of a group of alerts, a likelihood may be determined that a different alert will be issued for the monitored performance of a particular network entity of the plurality for which no respective alert has yet been issued. In response to the likelihood exceeding a threshold, an alert prediction for the performance of the particular network entity may be issued together with a score corresponding to the likelihood.

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: 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 triggering an alarm during a sensor jamming attack. In one aspect, a monitoring system sensor unit is disclosed that includes a sensor, a communication unit configured to communicate with a monitoring system using a range of frequencies, and a jamming detection unit. The jamming detection unit may include a processor and a computer storage media storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include detecting a sensor jamming event, selecting a different form of communication other than the range of radio frequencies for the communication unit to communicate with the monitoring system, and providing, to the communication unit, an instruction to communicate with the monitoring system using the form of communication, wherein the communication unit may communicate, to the monitoring system using the form of communication, the sensor data.