Video doorbell device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a video doorbell configured to function as the controller of a security monitoring system, and to security monitoring systems including such a video doorbell.

Background

House breaking, breaking and entering, burglary, theft from premises and criminal damage to premises such as homes and businesses are problems that have troubled human society for centuries, and possibly for millennia. Perhaps surprisingly, burglar alarms have been around in some guise since the 18th century, while the first electric burglar alarm was apparently patented in 1853 by the Reverend Augustus Russell Pope and rang a bell if a door or window was opened. Perhaps more surprisingly, the Pope invention was quickly commercialised and used as the basis for a monitored alarm service in which signals from alarm installations were carried over telephone lines to staff working in a remote monitoring station.

In the 21 ^st century the best security monitoring systems still involve remote monitoring of alarm events, but also include some element of video capture at the protected premises with event- related video captures sent to the remote monitoring station for review. Such systems typically require professional installation and the payment of a monthly or annual subscription which may make such systems unattractive or unaffordable for some people, even though they may be interested in having a home security system. While cheaper, typically unmonitored systems are available for both professional and DIY installation, in recent years many people have instead been attracted by the potential to provide a form of self-monitored video surveillance by means of motion-triggered video cameras and video doorbells that connect to cloud-based back end systems, typically via Wi-Fi, to provide push notifications that include motion- triggered video clips. Such cameras typically also enable the homeowner to “check in” to see live video feeds from all cameras installed at the premises. Video doorbells may also notify a homeowner of a presence at the front door of the monitored premises, enable the homeowner to answer a rung doorbell and converse with a visitor via the doorbell. Some providers of video doorbells and related video cameras offer subscription services for video storage systems, and also provide equipment and kits of equipment to add a system controller and alarm peripherals -such as door/window contact switches, motion sensors, etc., that can be combined to enable a user to create a fully-fledged security monitoring system, typically installed on a DIY basis. The user of such DIY security monitoring systems may also be able to subscribe to a remote monitoring service, but this may involve costs not dissimilar to those of a professionally installed monitored system, despite the fact that a DIY installed system is unlikely to offer the level of security provided by a professionally installed system. This perhaps explains why, in general, most people who install video doorbells and home video cameras do not upgrade to any kind of security monitoring installation but instead rely on motion triggered push notifications. It is also likely that the perceived difficulty of performing an effective DIY installation to create a professional quality security monitoring system is also a deterrent.

There therefore exists a need for a solution to the problem of providing a security monitoring system that is effective and easy to install but which avoids at least some of the adoption barriers with existing solutions for some customers.

Summary

According to a first aspect there is provided a video doorbell device including a camera capable of capturing video images, first and second RF transceivers, a processor coupled to the camera and to the RF transceivers, and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to function as the controller of a security monitoring system with an armed mode and a disarmed mode, and to: receive event notifications, via the first RF transceiver, from one or more alarm peripherals and in the armed mode, in response to receiving an event notification from one of the alarm peripherals to transmit an alert to a remote monitoring entity using the second RF transceiver; and in both the armed mode and the disarmed mode to transmit via the second RF transceiver video images captured by the camera. By providing the functionality of a security monitoring system in a video doorbell it becomes possible to quickly, easily, and cheaply to install a security monitoring system - encouraging adoption and providing basis for an attractive upgrade path to a fully-fledged remotely monitored system. Optionally, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor also to function as the controller of an electronically controlled lock and to exchange messages with the lock using the first transceiver. By providing an electronically controlled lock in association with the specially configured video doorbell the user experience and convenience are further improved.

Optionally, the instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to respond to a tamper message received from the lock by transmitting a tamper notification using the second transceiver (and likewise transmitting an alert in response to receiving an alert from the lock). Preferably, in response to receiving the tamper message (or alert) the processor is also configured to: transmit an instruction, using the first transceiver, to activate a separate video camera of the security monitoring system to cause the separate video camera to transmit captured video for reception via the second transceiver; the processor being further configured to onward transmit the received captured video via the second transceiver.

Optionally the processor is further configured to receive event notifications, via the second RF transceiver, from the separate video camera and in the armed mode, in response to receiving an event notification from the separate video camera to transmit an alert to a remote monitoring entity using the second RF transceiver.

Optionally, the video doorbell device according to the first aspect exists in combination with a door-mounted electronically controlled lock, the lock including a lock transceiver for communication with the first transceiver of the video doorbell device. Preferably, the video doorbell device is configured to transmit a command to the lock, using the first transceiver, to permit the opening of the door. Optionally, the lock is configured to transmit a tamper signal, using the lock transceiver, if an attempt is made to remove the lock from the door. The controller of the security monitoring system can be pre-warned (for example using a user interface of the system or an app provided for system maintenance etc.) if it is necessary to remove the lock from the door, so that the controller does not end up sending a false alarm to the ARC.

Preferably in the video doorbell device and lock combination the lock further comprises an accelerometer configured to operate as a shock sensor, a processor of the lock and the accelerometer together functioning as a shock detector to generate a lock tamper signal in the event that an attempt is made to pick or interfere with the lock, wherein the lock is configured to transmit any lock tamper signal using the lock transceiver. Preferably the processor of the lock and the accelerometer together function as a shock detector to generate an alert signal in the event that an attempt is made to forcibly attack the door, and the processor of the lock is configured to transmit the alert signal, using the lock transceiver. Under certain circumstances the alert may indicate an intrusion, but under other circumstances the alert may indicate tamper - potentially depending upon the nature of the shock(s) detected, the regulatory regime, and the set-up or configuration of the accelerometer and processor. If an intrusion is detected, this should be signalled as such, whereas an attack which is insufficient to amount to an intrusion should preferably be flagged as a tamper event.

Such a lock may be configured to satisfy the requirements of EN 50131-2-8 Grade 2 (notably those relating to shock sensors and shock detection) - meaning that the lock can usefully be integrated into a grade 2 (or higher) security monitoring system without jeopardising the grading of the system. The grade or category of an installed intruder alarm system is an indication of the ease with which the system can be circumvented, and the degree of security provided, which are significant for insurance cover. The grade of an alarm installation is dictated by the grade of the lowest graded component of the system.

Optionally, the lock includes a magnetometer which is configured to detect the presence of one or more magnets located outside the lock but within or attached to the door, the magnetometer generating the tamper signal as the result of an increased separation, between the magnetometer and the one or more magnets, caused by the removal of the lock from the door. Preferably, the door is mounted in a frame, at least one magnet is associated with the frame to provide a magnetic field which is sensed by a magnetometer of the lock to detect whether the door is open or closed, and the lock is configured to transmit door status notifications to the video doorbell device. Preferably, the lock includes an audio output device, and the video doorbell device is configured to respond to receipt of a chime activation event by transmitting, using the first transceiver, a chime signal to cause the lock to produce a chime sound using the audio output device.

Preferably the processor of the lock is configured to indicate in alerts and tamper signals the nature of the attack that gave rise to the transmission of the signal. For example, it is desirable to distinguish between signals that result from mechanical impact as a result of a forcible attack on the door or door frame from those occasioned by attempts to pick the lock, and those occasioned by attempts to prise the lock from the door. Such information may be useful in discriminating between genuine attacks and false alarms, i.e. in verifying that a security alert is one that can be passed to the police for them to take action. Preferably the processor of the lock is configured to indicate in the alert and tamper signals the sensor that gave rise to the transmission of the signal. This information may also be useful in discriminating between genuine attacks and false alarms, for example in discriminating between vibrations caused by an attack and vibrations caused by road or rail traffic or impacts from a kicked football.

In a video doorbell device according to any variant of the first aspect, the memory may also store additional instructions for an alternative mode of operation in which the video doorbell device itself operates as a peripheral to a separate controller of a security monitoring system, the additional instructions when executed by the processor causing the processor to: exchange messages with the separate controller using the first transceiver, and to transmit to the separate controller, via the second RF transceiver, video images captured by the camera. Preferably, the processor is configured in the alternative mode of operation to respond to receipt of a chime activation event by transmitting, using the first transceiver, a chime signal to the separate controller to cause an audio output device of the security monitoring system to produce a chime sound in respect of the chime activation event.

According to a second aspect there is provided a premises security monitoring system installation comprising a video doorbell device and lock combination as previously disclosed in combination with an installed alarm peripheral comprising either a door/window contact to detect the status of a door or a window, or a separate motion triggered video camera, the alarm peripheral including a transceiver for communication with the first transceiver of the video doorbell.

According to a third aspect there is provided a method of upgrading a security monitoring system installation that includes one or more alarm peripherals and a video doorbell device according to the first aspect, the method comprising: reconfiguring the video doorbell so that its processor ceases to function as the controller of the security monitoring system; providing a separate controller for security monitoring system; configuring the video doorbell device to operate as a peripheral of the separate controller; and registering the alarm peripherals of security monitoring system with the separate system controller.

In the method of the third aspect , reconfiguring the video doorbell may comprise storing additional instructions in the memory, the additional instructions when executed by the processor causing the processor to: exchange messages with the separate controller using the first transceiver, and to transmit to the separate controller, via the second RF transceiver, video images captured by the camera. The storing of the additional instructions may, for example, be the result of a firmware update.

According to a fourth aspect there is provided a method of operating a video doorbell device, the device comprising a camera capable of capturing video images, first and second RF transceivers, a processor coupled to the camera and to the RF transceivers, and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to function as the controller of a security monitoring system with an armed mode and a disarmed mode, the method comprising: receiving event notifications, via the first RF transceiver, from one or more alarm peripherals; in the armed mode, in response to receiving an event notification from one of the alarm peripherals transmitting an alert to a remote monitoring entity using the second RF transceiver; and in both the armed mode and the disarmed mode transmitting, via the second RF transceiver, video images captured by the camera.

The method of the fourth aspect may further comprise, in the armed mode, receiving an event notification, via the second RF transceiver, from a separate video camera of the security monitoring system, and in response transmitting an alert to a remote monitoring entity using the second RF transceiver.

According to a fifth aspect there is provided a kit of parts including: a video doorbell device according to the first aspect; and an electronically controlled lock, the lock including a lock transceiver for communication with the first transceiver of the video doorbell device.

In the kit of parts of the fifth aspect the electronically controlled lock may include a magnetometer which is configured to detect the presence of one or more magnets located outside the lock but within a door to which the lock is mounted, the magnetometer generating the tamper signal as the result of an increased separation, between the magnetometer and the one or more magnets, caused by the removal of the lock from the door.

In the kit of parts of the fifth aspect a magnetometer of the lock may be coupled to a processor of the lock and configured to sense a magnetic field from a magnet associated with a frame that receives a door to which the lock is mounted, the processor of the lock being configured to detect a door status based on whether the door is open or closed, the door status being derived from signals received from the coupled magnetometer, and the lock is configured to transmit door status notifications to the video doorbell device. In the kit of parts of the fifth aspect the lock preferably further comprises an accelerometer configured to operate as a shock sensor, a processor of the lock and the accelerometer together functioning as a shock detector to generate a lock tamper signal in the event that an attempt is made to pick or interfere with the lock, wherein the lock is configured to transmit any lock tamper signal using the lock transceiver. Preferably the processor of the lock and the accelerometer together function as a shock detector to generate an alert signal in the event that an attempt is made to forcibly attack the door, and the processor is configured to transmit the alert signal, using the lock transceiver. Under certain circumstances the alert may indicate an intrusion, but under other circumstances the alert may indicate tamper - potentially depending upon the nature of the shock(s) detected, the regulatory regime, and the set-up or configuration of the accelerometer and processor. If an intrusion is detected, this should be signalled as such, whereas an attack which is insufficient to amount to an intrusion should preferably be flagged as a tamper event.

In the kit of parts of the fifth aspect the lock may be pre-installed in the door before the door is installed in a building.

In the kit of parts of the fifth aspect the door may incorporate the one or more magnets that are provided for tamper detection.

In the kit of parts of the fifth aspect the door is pre-installed in the frame before the door and frame are installed in a building, the frame including the magnet that is provided for the derivation of door status information.

Brief description of Figures

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which

Figure 1 shows schematically a home having a video doorbell installation;

Figure 2 illustrates schematically the principal constituents of a video doorbell and of a smart lock according to embodiments of the invention;

Figure 3 - illustrates schematically some constructional details and arrangements of locks according to aspects of the invention; Figure 4 illustrates schematically various constituent parts of an installation and system according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 5 illustrates schematically various constituent parts of another installation and system according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Specific description

Figure 1 shows schematically a home having a video doorbell installation. A video doorbell 100 is provided adjacent the main entrance door 102, in this case the front door, of the house 104. The front door 102 is fitted with a “smart” lock 106 that can be locked and unlocked by electrical control signals, received, for example from a personal communication device 108 of the owner of the house. For example, the video doorbell 100 may cooperate with a backend service 110 that sends push notifications to a user’s personal communication device 108 when the doorbell is pressed (or optionally when someone approaches the doorbell 100). In support of such communications the video doorbell may use Wi-Fi to connect to a Wi-Fi router 112 which has a broadband 114 connection to the Internet 115, the backend service 110 sending push notifications out to a public land mobile network (PLMN) 116 by means of which notifications are delivered to the user’s personal communication device 108. The same communication path may be used to stream live video (and sound) from the video doorbell 100 to the user. A reverse communication path is also supported to enable the user to speak to a person at the doorbell 100, and also to enable the user to activate (i.e. release) the lock 106 to enable the person at the door to open the door 102. The signals to activate (release) the lock may be passed to the lock 106 directly but are preferably (in this configuration) passed via the video doorbell 100 that in turn communicates with the lock 106.

Figure 2 illustrates schematically the principal constituents of a video doorbell 100 and of a smart lock 106, such as those shown on Figure 1 , according to embodiments of the invention. A video doorbell 100 includes a processor 200, which may be a microcontroller, with an associated memory 202 that stores program instructions (“software”) that when run on the processor 200 control the operation of the video doorbell 100. A pair of transceivers 204, 206, is provided. A first of the transceivers 204 supports Wi-Fi communication with a Wi-Fi access point (AP), such as Wi-Fi router 112 of Figure 1 , for the communication of video signals from video camera 208 and audio signals from microphone 210. The second transceiver 206 supports a lower bandwidth channel which supports the transmission of control signals to, and event notifications from, alarm peripherals such as smart lock 106, external video cameras, door/window contacts (that detect the state - open or closed, of windows or doors), etc. Typically the low bandwidth channel or channels may be provided using a suitable allocated frequency in the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands - such as (in Europe) 868MHz. Preferably, communications on the low bandwidth channel(s) are encrypted. The primary reason for using a low bandwidth transmission channel is to enable the use of transceivers (in the alarm peripherals) having a low power consumption (and in particular lower power consumption than notoriously power-hungry Wi-Fi transceivers) so that the battery powered alarm peripherals can achieve the necessary 3 to 5 year minimum battery life. The transceivers 204 and 206 are coupled to an antenna arrangement 212 which typically comprises (multiple) separate antenna elements for the two transceivers 204 and 206. One or both of the transceivers 204, 206, may support other transmission bands/protocols, such a BlueTooth (RTM) or BLE for example.

The video doorbell 100 also includes a chime trigger device 214, which may comprise a mechanical switch or “bell push”, and preferably one that provides tactile feedback upon activation. In known manner, the chime trigger device 214 may be co-located with a lens of the video camera 208, but may equally well be provided separately so that the video camera lens does not need to move when the chime trigger device 214 is activated.

The video doorbell 100 preferably also includes (or may be connected to) a keypad 216 for the entry of digits (such as passcodes or PINs). Preferably the keypad 216 is a mechanical devices that provides tactile feedback upon activation.

The video doorbell 100 also includes a motion sensing arrangement 217 which may be used to trigger the video camera for the recording of motion-triggered video capture and the flagging (notification) of movement - although the video camera may be arranged to be always live to provide continuous surveillance. The motion sensing arrangement may include one or more passive infrared sensors. The motion sensing arrangement may use radar and or ultrasound to determine the distance of an object (e.g. a person) from the video doorbell, and this may be combined with passive infrared presence detection and/or other kinds of presence detection. The video doorbell may have an associated app or online tool to enable a user to set activity zones, ranges, configure sensitivities, etc., so that notifications in respect of detected motion or presence are not for example transmitted in respect of movement detected in public spaces (e.g. by people walking on a pavement outside the premises, or vehicles passing by along a road outside the protected premises). The video doorbell 100 preferably also includes lighting 218 (in the form of one or more light sources), in particular infra-red lighting, but optionally also lighting to provide illumination with visible light.

The video doorbell 100 may also include a display 219 for the display of messages and userfeedback. Although it would be possible to include the function of the keypad 216 into the display 219, by using a touch-sensitive display, it is preferred to keep these functions separate and to use a separate mechanical keypad 216, both for reasons of durability and energy consumption.

The video doorbell 100 also include a loudspeaker 220 for reproducing speech from a user at user device 108, for announcements from the processor 200, and to function as an alarm sounder or siren on the occasion of an alarm event - as will be explained later. The provision of at least one speaker (two or more may be provided) along with at least one microphone (two or more may be provided) enables two-way audio between a person at the video doorbell and another person, for example a designated user via a user device (e.g. smartphone with a video doorbell app or a security monitoring system app). The presence of one or more microphones 210 also enables the use of voiceprint identification as a form of access control - so that, for example an occupier of the premises, or a trusted visitor (such as a nurse, carer, cleaner, etc.), who has stored a voiceprint on the system can gain admittance to the house by speaking to the video doorbell which compares the given voice sample with known stored voice samples to identify the speaker. If the identified speaker is on an approved list of people, the video doorbell sends an instruction to a smart lock on the relevant access door to enable the speaker to open the door to gain admittance to the protected premises.

Preferably, the video doorbell 100 also include a near field communication (NFC) antenna 220 to enable near field communication with an NFC device such as a dongle, smart watch, NFC sticker, or suitable equipped mobile phone - for example to authenticate a user and possibly to unlock an associated smart lock 106 to gain admittance to the protected premises.

The video doorbell 100 is provided with an external housing or enclosure 221 to protect the components of the doorbell. Preferably the housing 221 is provided with tamper detection 213 that operates to generate a tamper alert if the housing is removed from the video doorbell 100. Such a tamper alert is preferably treated by the controller of the security monitoring system (the controller either being provided by the video doorbell itself or by a separate entity), irrespective of the armed state of the security monitoring system. Users (or the owner(s)) of the security monitoring system may be provided with an app by means of which the controller of the security monitoring system may be pre-warned of a planned event that would otherwise be treated as an alarm event, so that the controller of the security monitoring system can be configured in effect to ignore the planned event when it occurs. For example, it may be necessary to remove the housing 221 of the video doorbell to replace a defective battery 226. By using the app, a user or service engineer can prevent the security monitoring system controller from treating the removal of the housing as a tamper event to be reported as an alarm event. The same principle applies equally to the lock 106 and its tamper detection.

The video doorbell 100 is preferably provided with a mains power feed 222 coupled to a power supply 224 that includes a rechargeable battery 226 (as an auxiliary power supply for use in the event of mains failure) and a charging arrangement 228 to manage charging of the rechargeable battery 226. Preferably, as shown, the video doorbell 100 also includes an interface 230 (such as a micro USB port, a USB-C port or a “Lightning” socket) to accept a low voltage (e.g. 5V or 20V) supply (e.g. from a power bank or external charger) which, in the absence of a mains feed (or in the event of failure of the mains feed) may be used to recharge the rechargeable battery 226 in-situ, rather than needing the battery to be removed for recharging, so that the video doorbell can always be powered - which is an important consideration when the video doorbell also functions as the controller of a security monitoring system. Before describing the use of the video doorbell as the controller of a security monitoring system, we will first describe the lock 106 which, although not an essential part of the security monitoring system installation, is a very desirable and useful adjunct to a video doorbell which functions as the controller of a security monitoring system.

Turning now to the lock 106, this is shown installed in a door 240, with a cooperating striker plate 242 into which is received at least a bolt 244. The lock 106 may be configured as a mortice lock, in which case the lock will typically include a mortice lockset or latch (not shown) in addition to the bolt 244. Provision of the lock 106 as a mortice lock is particularly attractive if the lock is to be pre-installed into a door (or if the door is to be manufactured with mortices provided for ready installation of the lock in situ) rather than retro-fitted to a pre-hung door as a replacement for an existing lock. But in some cases there is a desire, particularly when replacing a surface-mounted lock, to surface-mount the lock 106 (on the protected, typically inner, side of the door 240) because installation is typically much easier and quicker if one doesn’t need to create a cavity (mortice) within the door to accept the new lock. In either case, the bolt 224 may be received in a cavity (mortice) within the door, but with a surface-mounted lock the bolt may also be external of the door. The lock 106 is provided with an actuator 246, which may be a solenoid or a motor, which either drives the bolt into the locked or unlocked positions, or which engages or disengages a clutch that couples or decouples a knob or handle 248 on the exposed face of the door and by means of which the bolt may be withdrawn into the unlocked position enabling the door to be opened from the exposed (unprotected) side. Typically, if the lock 106 is provided with a clutched handle the actuator will be a solenoid rather than a motor. The lock 106 may of course be provided with another handle or knob (not shown), on the protected side of the door 240, for operating the bolt 244 for opening and locking the door 240 from the protected (generally inner) side of the door 240.

The lock 106 includes a power supply 250 that includes a rechargeable battery 252, and a charging arrangement 254 to manage charging of the rechargeable battery 252. The charging arrangement may be coupled to a mains electricity supply, but for ease and simplicity it may be preferred to include an interface 256 (such as a micro USB port, a USB-C port or a “Lightning” socket) to accept a low voltage (e.g. 5V or 20V) supply (e.g. from a power bank or external charger) which, in the absence of a mains feed (or in the event of failure of the mains feed) may be used to recharge the rechargeable battery 252 in-situ, rather than needing the battery to be removed for recharging, so that the lock 106 can always be powered.

The actuator 246 is coupled to and controlled by a processor 258, which has an associated memory 260 which stores program instructions (“software”) that when run on the processor 258 control the operation of the lock 106. The processor 258 may be a micro-controller. Also coupled to, and controlled by, the processor 258 is a transceiver 262 which is configured to receive control signals from, and transmit event information to, a controller of the security monitoring system (e.g. from the video doorbell 100). These may be relatively low bandwidth transmissions (for example in comparison to video transmissions from the video doorbell 100), so a low bandwidth channel is suitable - meaning that a low power consumption transceiver may be used, thereby facilitating an acceptably long battery life. For example, the transceiver 262 may be configured to operate using a suitable allocated frequency in the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands - such as (in Europe) 868MHz. Preferably, the communications from and to the lock are encrypted.

The lock 106 preferably also includes a chime or loudspeaker (more generally, a sound output device) 263 which is coupled to the processor 258. This chime may be used instead of, or in addition to, a separate chime which sounds whenever the chime trigger device 214 of the video doorbell is activated - the processor 200 of the video doorbell 100 being configured to use the second transceiver 206 to transmit a chime activation signal labelled with a flag to which the lock processor 258 and/or the processor of a separate chime sounder device (not shown) responds by using an internal sound output device to chime in response to the activation of the chime trigger device 214.

The lock 106 may be provided with a housing 259 through which the deadbolt 244 and any mortice lockset are free to protrude, the knob or handle 248 of course being external of the housing 259. Preferably the housing is made of an engineering plastics material or a nonferromagnetic material so as not to interfere with the functioning of one or more magnetometers provided as part of the lock 106.

The lock 106 further includes a magnetometer 264 that is configured to sense and monitor a first magnetic field provided by a first magnet 266 that is fixedly mounted with respect to the frame 268 or other abutment against which the door 240 closes. The same magnetometer 264, or an additional magnetometer (not shown), is configured to sense and monitor a second magnetic field provided by a second magnet 270 that is attached to the door, preferably mounted within the door - that is, between the protected face and the unprotected face of the door, although it is also possible to attach (e.g. stick with adhesive) a magnet to the face of the door (the face on the protected inner side (e.g. the indoor side) of the door). This second magnet 270 is external to the lock 106 and is provided so that the magnetometer configured to sense the magnetic field of the second magnet 270 can generate a tamper signal to indicate an attempt to remove the lock 106 from the door 240. Meanwhile, the magnetometer 264 configured to sense and monitor the first magnetic field provided by a first magnet 266 can provide a signal to indicate the status of the door, e.g. whether the door 240 is open or closed. The processor 258 may be configured to generate an alert signal, that is transmitted to the controller of the security monitoring system, for example the enhanced video doorbell according to aspects of the invention, for onward reporting to a monitoring service or the owner/occupier of the house, in the event that opening of the door is detected without the lock having been unlocked and/or the alarm having been disarmed- since this indicates that the door 240 has been forced open.

The lock 106 further includes an accelerometer 275, which is also coupled to the processor 258, and which is configured to function as a shock sensor to provide the processor with signals to enable detection of attempts to “pick” the lock, drill out the lock cylinder, and other mechanical attacks on the lock, as well as providing signals in the event of attempts to batter down the door (or force open the lock) with a sledge hammer or battering ram for example. Preferably the processor 258 is configured to distinguish accelerometer signals generated as the result of a normal “I’m here!” knock at the door from signals generated as a result of much more forceful blows characteristic of attempts to force open the door. The provision of the accelerometer 275 provides a basis for certifying the lock as an alarm detector, or an alarm peripheral, (for an alarm system of at least Grade 2 or Grade 3) according to EN 50131 .

While the preceding description was in the context of the electronics of the lock being provided within a lock case together with the main mechanical elements of the lock, the invention also contemplates alternative arrangements in which the electronics of the smart lock are provided in a unit other than the lock case. For example, a mortice lock in which the main mechanical parts of the lock are provided within a mortice in a door (preferably contained within a lock case within the door), a separate unit may be provided (preferably) on the protected (e.g. inner) face of the door to house the electronics of a smart lock, the separate unit being mechanically coupled to the mechanical parts of the lock within the door. Such an arrangement can be used to enable smart lock functionality to be “retrofitted” to a previously installed lock, for example by removing the existing lock cylinder and replacing it with a new cylinder which provides mechanical connection to the new separate unit by means of which the lock may be locked or unlocked remotely. If the lock assembly provides a latch arrangement this may also be coupled to the new separate unit to enable a motor or other actuator (e.g. a solenoid) to operate both the lock bolt and the latch, potentially enabling contactless opening of the door. This approach is perhaps best understood with reference to Figure 3.

Figure 3A shows a mortice lock 300 installed in a mortice (cavity) formed within a door 302, viewed from the protected, e.g. inner, side of the door. The lock includes a lock case 304, shown in phantom, within which are received the bolt 306 and a latch 308. The bolt 306 is shown here retracted, so that only the free end of the bolt can be seen in the forend 310 of the lock, in which condition the door 302 can be opened from the closed position. The lock 300 is secured within the mortice by screws 312, 312’ that pass through the forend 310 into the material of the door. The lock is lockable and unlockable by virtue of the keyed cylinder 314, here shown removed from its bore 315 in the lock towards the inner side (the protected side) of the door. The cylinder shown is a Euro Cylinder in which a key operates a pin and tumbler arrangement (other cylinder types are of course used and the invention is equally applicable to locks using such other cylinder types). A keyhole 316 is provided at each end of the cylinder, and by inserting a correctly coded key into a keyhole 316 it is possible to rotate a revolving cam 318 which has an integral tongue 320 which, when installed in the lock, is effective to move the bolt 306 in and out of the lock case 304, and thereby unlock and lock the door 302 to an associated doorframe (not shown). The free end of the bolt enters an aperture or “keep” in the doorframe to lock the door in the closed position.

The cylinder 314 is fixed in position in the lock by means of a retention screw, not shown, which passes through an aperture 322 in the forend of the lock. It will be appreciated that the lock is shown without the usual coverplate that might normally cover the forend 310 of the lock. The latch 308 is opened and closed by a latch drive which engages with a square-section aperture 324 in the latch (or in a latch driver within the lock). The latch may be coupled to a handle or knob (one on each side of the door) by means of which the latch may be retracted. Often latches are spring loaded so that they reset to the position shown, with the latch tongue protruding from the lock when pressure on the handle or knob is relaxed. Sometimes the latch is coupled to be driven by the cylinder so that extra rotation of the cylinder in one direction retracts the latch, and rotation in the opposite direction does the opposite - in which case no latch handle may be provided, or a latch handle only provided in the protected side of the door.

In Figure 3A two Euro cylinders are shown: to the left, a conventional cylinder 314 with a keyhole 316 in each end; to the right, a new cylinder 314’ in which, in place of the keyhole on the protected side of the door, an elongate tongue 326 protrudes. The tongue 326 will engage with the mechanism of an assembly which includes the mechanism and electronics of an electronic lock. This assembly, which will be described with reference to Figures 3B and 3C, will be fitted in place of the escutcheon 328 that surrounds the bore 315 for the cylinder 314.

In Figure 3B an assembly which includes the mechanism and electronics of an electronic lock is housed within a knob 330 which attaches to the door 302 by means of a fixing plate 332 which itself has been mounted to the door in place of the escutcheon 338. The fixing plate 332 is secured to the inner face of the door by means of a pair of fixing screws 334. The fixing plate includes engagement portions, here shown in the form of projections 336, which may be in the form of flanges, which mate and lock into engagement with corresponding formations within the knob 330. The fixing plate 332 and the knob may be kept locked together by one or more hidden grub screws each concealed in respective bores 338 through the (here) curved surface of a first part 340 of the knob 330. The bulk of the length of the knob forms a body 339 that extends over and receives the first (or inner) part 340.

Also indicated in Figure 3B are a set of one or more visual indicators 341 , for example in the form of RGB LEDs by means of which a status of the electronic lock and/or a mode or condition of the electronic lock may be indicated. Finally, Figure 3B shows one or more apertures 342 formed in the main surface of the fixing plate 332. Each aperture 342 provides a window through which the magnetic field of a magnet 270 can pass unimpeded. The magnet 270 may be surface-mounted to the door within the window provided by an aperture 342, or the fixing plate may be used as a template to enable a recess or bore to be formed (e.g. drilled, machined or carved) in the structure of the door, so that a magnet can be inserted into the body of the door. If the recess or bore is deep enough, a magnet may be embedded in the door and concealed beneath a wooden or plastics cap, possibly prior to securing the fixing plate to the door. As noted, one or more magnets 270 may be mounted to the door in this way, to cooperate with the magnetometer(s) 264 of the electronic lock, as described with reference to Figure 2. It will be understood that the position of the aperture(s) 342 with respect to the engagement portions 336, and the position of the complementary features of the assembly with respect to the accelerometer used to detect the magnetic field of magnet 270, are so chosen that when the assembly is mounted to the door the magnetometer 264 and the magnet 270 are aligned for optimum sensitivity.

Figure 3C shows schematically a longitudinal section through the assembly 330, the fixing plate 332, the lock case 304, the door 302 and the doorframe. The assembly comprises the knob 330 which is fitted over an inner part 340. The inner part 340 includes the engagement portions 350 which mate and lock into engagement with the engagement portions 336 of the fixing plate 332. As shown, about half the length of the knob overlaps the inner part 340, with the inner part providing an enclosure or case for the electronics of the smart lock, although it will be appreciated that many possible configurations are possible. The tongue 326 of the cylinder 314’ extends through an aperture in a pcb 251 (or between a pair of pcbs) that carries the bulk of the electronic components of the smart lock, including the processor 258, memory 260, RF transceiver 262, magnetometers 264, and the accelerometer 275. As illustrated, two magnetometers are used, one for tamper detection using a magnetic field from a door mounted magnet 270, and the other 264’ for sensing door open status using a magnetic field from a frame-mounted magnet 266, although the same functionality may be provided using just a single magnetometer. Connected to the processor but optionally mounted off the pcb 251 are the loudspeaker/sounder 263 and the indicators 341 .

The assembly includes a battery power supply including batteries 252, charging arrangement 254, together with a charging socket 256 (preferably on the underside of the knob).

In the example shown in Figure 3C the lock mechanism includes an electrically controlled actuator 246 (e.g. a motor or solenoid) and optional associated mechanism 352 that are configured to apply a rotating torque between the inner part 340 of the knob and the tongue 326, to rotate that the cylinder 314’ in the lock - to withdraw the bolt 244 into the lock case 304 or to extend the bolt 244 from the lock case 304. A force transfer arrangement 354 may be provided between the cam tongue 320 and the bolt. Similarly the lock may be so configured that rotation (over rotation) of the cam 318 may also operate the latch 308.

Although Figure 3 shows arrangements suitable for a conventional door, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the same assembly and modified cylinder could equally well be used in conjunction with a door (or French Window, Patio Door, etc. or the like) having a Multi-Point Locking System (which typically have a minimum of 3 locking points that all lock simultaneously when the mechanism is engaged). These typically work in conjunction with a cylinder lock (e.g. a Euro Cylinder Lock), although locking typically involves manual activation of a door handle to engage the various locking points with their counterparts before the lock will lock. Although this engagement phase may require the application of too much torque for sensible application of the described electronic lock addition (if for no other reason than due to short battery life), the locking and unlocking step distinct from the engagement/disengagement operations could potentially be handled using the system as just described.

In an alternative arrangement the smart lock is provided with a clutched handle or knob on each side of the door, the mechanism of the smart lock being configured to control the clutch arrangement to, in the unlocked condition, enable the bolt to be withdrawn, and in the locked position to decouple the handles/knobs from the bolt so that they are incapable of withdrawing the bolt to unlock the door. It is also self-evident that rather than providing the additional assembly in the form of a knob, a larger body not in the form of a knob (although potentially including a knob to facilitate the pulling open of the door) may be used to house the added mechanism - and such an arrangement may be configured to include a powered latch actuator.

We will now consider the video doorbell’s function as a controller of a security monitoring system in the context of Figure 4.

Figure 4 illustrates schematically a home security monitoring (home alarm) system 400 built around a video doorbell 100 that functions as the controller of the system 400. In the illustrated example the system 400 includes a smart lock 106 as described with reference to Figure 2 and/or Figure 3, so that the system user (e.g. the householder) is able remotely to unlock the door 240 which the lock 106 is attached to admit a visitor having first vetted the visitor by means of the video camera of the video doorbell 100. The system 400 includes alarm peripherals such as a door contact 402, for example on the back door 404 of the house, that may be a magnet sensing switch (such as a reed relay) that detects whether the door 404 is open or closed and that transmits an alert that is received by the second transceiver 206 (e.g. 868MHz transceiver) of the video doorbell 100 and processed by the processor 200 to generate, if the system is armed, an alarm event signal that is addressed to a remote (e.g. cloud-based) alarm reporting service 110 and transmitted by the first (e.g. Wi-Fi) transceiver 204 (the speaker of the video doorbell may also immediately be activated as a siren or to provide some other sonic deterrent). The transmitted alarm event signal is received by the Wi-Fi access point (AP) 112 of the premises and passed via a broadband connection to the internet 115 and thus to the cloud-based alarm reporting service 110.

At the cloud-based alarm reporting service 110 the identity of the security monitoring system (which may be that of the video doorbell 100) which is included in the alarm event signal is checked against a database of registered system identities to retrieve an address (e.g. a SIP address, a mobile phone number, email address) corresponding to the registered alarm system identity. The alarm reporting service 110 then sends a notification to the registered address so that a user is, for example, presented with a notification (e.g. a native notification) on their smartphone 108 or other personal electronic device, and/or an automated phone call providing details of the alarm event - e.g the identity/type/location of the sensor (e.g. back door contact sensor) that has been triggered. A user receiving such a notification may be able to request the streaming of video or the transmission of images from cameras 406, 406’ installed in or at the premises (e.g. house) of the security monitoring system installation: for example a push notification may include one or more “action buttons” that upon activation by the user cause the user’s device 108 to transmit an instruction to the alarm reporting service 110 for the alarm reporting service 110 to send an instruction to the controller of the security monitoring system 400 (i.e. the processor of the video doorbell) to transmit activation signals to wake the cameras 406, 406” causing them to capture and send images and/or video. The controller of the security monitoring system 400 (i.e. the processor of the video doorbell) receives these video transmissions using the first (Wi-Fi) transceiver 204, and the same transceiver is used to onward transmit the images/video to the alarm reporting service 110 by means of the Access Point 112 and the Internet 115. In turn, the alarm reporting service 110 onward transmits the images/video to the user’s device 108. The alarm reporting service 110 is preferably configured to store (if the user has paid the necessary subscription fee) images/video captured in this way. Each of the video cameras 406, 406’ may be in effect an “off the shelf” video camera (as a means of keeping costs down) that includes just one transceiver, and that transceiver may support Wi-Fi but not a secondary, low bandwidth channel. In such a case, the video doorbell in its guise as system controller of the security monitoring station must communicate with, and receive communications from, the cameras solely by means of Wi-Fi - that is using the first transceiver 204 (either directly or through a backend-to-backend integration). Preferably, however, the video cameras 406, 406’, support both Wi-Fi and a relevant second channel for communication with the video doorbell’s second transceiver 206 - and preferably this functionality is provided by the inclusion of a second transceiver in each of the cameras.

The user’s device may also be programmed with a complementary app that enables the user to send instructions to the video doorbell (which functions as the controller of the security monitoring system) to cause activation of selected video cameras so that the user can “check in” on the home while away from home, and also to arm/disarm the alarm system. Images and video from the cameras 406, 406’, are preferably transmitted over Wi-Fi between the camera 406, 406’ and the video doorbell 100 - and hence these images and video will be received by the first transceiver 204 which is also used for onward transmission to the access point 112. But optionally, in some embodiments, the system may also be configured to send lower resolution images, and/or lower framerate video using the low bandwidth channel (e.g. 868MHz) which is received by the second transceiver, for use as a backup in the event that the wider bandwidth channel (e.g. Wi-Fi) is disrupted, the processor of the video doorbell being configured to onward transmit the first image/video to arrive and then subsequently to onward transmit the corresponding higher resolution/higher framerate image/video if and when that arrives.

Likewise, notifications are also preferably provided to the alarm reporting service 110 (and onwards to the user device 108) in respect of alerts received from other alarm peripherals such as motion-triggered cameras 406, 406’, and window contact sensor (which may also or instead function as a window shock sensor) 408 which is associated with a window 410. Similarly, a tamper alert received from the door lock as the result of, for example, an attempt to prise the lock 106 away from the door 240 or as the result of the lock’s magnetometer sensing the opening of the door when the lock has not been unlocked, or the detection of a tamper event (such as attempted lock picking or another attack on the lock) may be sensed and reported by the accelerometer 275 of the smart lock, may be processed by the processor 200 of the video doorbell and thus notified to the user via the alarm reporting service 110. Event notifications from the alarm peripherals are generally provided over a low bandwidth channel, for reception by the second transceiver 206 of the video doorbell, since most of the simpler peripherals (e.g. door contacts, motion sensors, shock sensors) do not require a high bandwidth channel (e.g. do not require something like Wi-Fi) but do need to be low cost and have very long battery life - so that they will generally each contain only a single transceiver, and that configured for communication with the second transceiver 206. As already mentioned, alarm peripherals in the form of video cameras benefit from the provision of a large bandwidth channel, such as Wi-Fi, because timely transmission of good quality video images (in colour, with high resolution and an acceptable frame rate) requires quite a high bandwidth, and hence video camera peripherals will almost always include a Wi-Fi transceiver and consequently will almost always be primarily mains powered (but with battery backup). While the Wi-Fi transceiver could be used for the transmission of event notification signals - to be received by the video doorbell using the first transceiver 204, it is preferred (if the budget will allow) to provide video cameras that can report events using a low bandwidth channel (for reception by the second transceiver 206) and that preferably include an additional transceiver to enable this (although of course a single, multifunction transceiver could be used instead). By providing the video camera peripherals with the capability for both narrowband and broadband communication we make it easier and more convenient to upgrade a system such as that of Figure 4 to the enhanced system of Figure 5, as will be described below, and also become more energy-efficient.

The capability of the video doorbell to detect presence (for example using a PIR sensor and/or radar, or using the camera) enables the video doorbell itself to function as an alarm peripheral of the system. In this way, when the system is armed, the video doorbell may communicate an alert just as it does when another alarm peripheral is triggered. While this may only be appropriate under certain circumstances (notably circumstances dictated by the likelihood of false alarms caused by “safe” actors), it is a potentially valuable option.

The processor 200 of the video doorbell 100 in its guise as controller of the security monitoring system is also configured to check the status of the peripherals, including the quality of the communication channel, peripheral battery status, etc.

It is contemplated that the video doorbell with the security monitoring system controller functionality will, in addition to being retrofitted to existing homes, also be installed in new-build homes, preferably along with the smart lock as described with reference to Figure 2, together with at least one alarm peripheral, preferably in the form of a motion sensing video camera, like 406, 406’, and preferably another alarm peripheral in the form of a door contact to sense the state (open or closed) of the back door (or other secondary access door of the premises). Such a system could be installed for relatively little cost, and the lock 106 and its door magnet 270 could, for example be factory installed - or at least the door could be factory prepared for on-site installation of the lock 106 and the door magnet 270. The first occupier of the home would then benefit from the enhanced security that comes from a professionally installed alarm, albeit one with a subset of all the possible features of such a system - and in particular lacking a professional monitoring service. The design and configuration of the video doorbell, and of the alarm peripherals - including the smart lock 106, are such that once a security monitoring system based on their use, such as that illustrated schematically in Figure 4, has been installed, upgrading the system to include professional monitoring by means of a remote alarm receiving centre (ARC) can be achieved rather easily. Of course, such an upgrade may also be attractive to an occupier who has already installed a system such as that shown in Figure 4. We will now consider such an upgrade with reference to Figure 5.

Figure 5 corresponds generally to Figure 4, as it is based on the assumption that a system such as that illustrated in Figure 4 has been upgraded to include the benefits of professional monitoring by means of a remote alarm receiving centre 502. The security monitoring system 500 differs from the system 400 of Figure 4 in that it includes a stand-alone alarm control unit 504 which is configured to control the security monitoring system 500, rather than relying on the video doorbell to act as controller. The video doorbell 506 of the system 500 may be, and preferably is, the video doorbell 100 that controlled the system 400, but with its processor reconfigured (e.g. through suitable reprogramming or system updates) to operate (at least in part) as a peripheral reporting to the alarm control unit 504 rather than continuing to act as the controller of the system 400.

The present disclosure thus contemplates an initial installation that comprises a video doorbell as previously described, operating as the controller of a security monitoring system that preferably includes a lock, such as the lock previously described with reference to Figures 2 or 3, and at least one other installed alarm peripheral comprising either a door/window contact to detect the status of a door or a window, or a separate motion triggered video camera, the alarm peripheral including a transceiver for communication with the first transceiver of the video doorbell. And the present disclosure further contemplates a method comprising upgrading such an initial installation by introducing a standalone alarm control unit 504 which is configured to control the security monitoring system 500, and reconfiguring the video doorbell so that its processor is reconfigured to operate (at least in part) as a peripheral reporting to the alarm control unit 504 rather than continuing to act as the controller of the system 400. Once the system is upgraded, the video doorbell may act as a control interface of the system, so that a user (e.g. an occupier) can send from it arm/disarm and lock/unlock commands which are received and acted upon by the standalone alarm control unit 504. The alarm control unit 504 includes, like the video doorbell described with reference to Figure 2, a processor 510, which may be a microcontroller, having an associated memory 512 that stores program instructions (“software”) that when run on the processor 510 control the operation of the alarm control unit 504 and of the security monitoring system 500. At least a pair of transceivers 514, 516, is provided. A first of the transceivers 514 supports Wi-Fi communication, the alarm control unit being configured to operate as an access point of a WiFi network (having a first SSID which is dedicated to the security monitoring system) which may operate in parallel with another Wi-Fi network (having a second SSID) which may support “household Wi-Fi needs” such as supporting video streaming services (e.g. Netflix, Amazon Prime, RTMs), home-working, etc.. The alarm control unit 504 is configured to receive video signals from video cameras 406, 406’ using the first of the transceivers 514. The second transceiver 516 supports a lower bandwidth channel which supports the transmission of control signals to, and event notifications from, alarm peripherals such as the video doorbell 506, smart lock 106, video cameras 406, 406’ (if they contain the relevant functionality, otherwise event notifications, etc. are received via Wi-Fi) door/window contacts such as 402 and 408, etc. Typically the low bandwidth channel or channels may be provided using a suitable allocated frequency in the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands - such as (in Europe) 868MHz. Preferably, communications on the low bandwidth channel(s) are encrypted. The primary reason for using a low bandwidth transmission channel is to enable the use of transceivers (in the alarm peripherals) having a low power consumption (and in particular lower power consumption than notoriously power-hungry Wi-Fi transceivers) so that the battery powered alarm peripherals can achieve the necessary 3 to 5 year minimum battery life. The transceivers 514 and 516 are coupled to an appropriate antenna arrangement (not shown) which typically comprises (multiple) separate antenna elements for the two transceivers 514 and 516. One or both of the transceivers 514, 516, may support other transmission bands/protocols, such a BlueTooth (RTM) or BLE, etc.. Preferably at least one transceiver is provided that is configured or is configurable to communicate using 4G or 5G (or using any other suitable PLMN data protocol) for communicating with the ARC 502, for example in the event of loss of power at the premises or the loss of wired connection to the Internet 115 - e.g. as the result of malicious action by a villain.

The alarm control unit 504 is preferably configured to operate in at least an “armed away” mode, in which the security of the perimeter of the premises is monitored by means of door and window sensors such as door sensor 402, smart lock 106, and window sensors 408, and in which at least one presence sensor monitors the interior of the premises. For example, the internal presence sensor may be a passive infra-red sensor which may or may not be associated with a video camera. Additionally or alternatively, internal presence may be detected using so-called Wi-Fi sensing, with the alarm control unit running a Wi-Fi sensing algorithm and the video doorbell and/or some other static Wi-Fi node (or access point) acting as an illuminator for the Wi-Fi sensing. The alarm control unit 504 is preferably also configured to operate in a disarmed mode in which internal presence is not monitored and in which alert signals received from door and window sensors are largely ignored by the alarm control unit 504. But the alarm control unit 504 is preferably configured to respond to tamper signals from, for example the lock 106, or other alarm peripherals, even in the disarmed mode - because villains and other bad actors may take advantage of the disarmed state to attempt to sabotage or disable peripherals and other components of the system 500. The alarm control unit 504 is preferably also configured to operate in at least one “armed at home” mode, in which internal presence is generally not monitored (or at least alerts received in respect of detected presence are ignored by the alarm control unit 504) but in which security of the perimeter or part of the perimeter is monitored, so that event signals in respect of detected door openings and detected window openings are alerted and possibly also reported as alarm events (optionally after giving time for a user on site to flag the detected event as a false alarm, for example by entering a security code at a user interface, or presenting a dongle, token, or mobile phone, at for example an NFC interface).

The alarm control unit 504 is operatively coupled to a remote Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) 502 preferably both by a wired connection (e.g broadband) and one or more wireless (e.g. SigFox (RTM), PLMN using e.g. GPRS, LTE, 4G, or 5G) connection. Notifications received by the alarm control unit 504 and that fit the profile of potential “alarm events” (based on one or more of the identity of the sensor providing the notification, the nature of the notification, the arm state of the alarm system 500, the time of day, day of week, etc.) are reported to the ARC 502 along with the identity of the alarm installation 500. If the notification is associated with images or video, for example because the sensor triggered was a camera or was associated with a camera, then images/video may also be sent to the ARC. Typically human operators at the ARC will review the event notified, and will attempt to verify the event as an actionable alarm event, based for example on the content of the images/videos, sounds received from microphones at the premises, interactions with a user on site (for example over a user interface at the monitored premises). If a notified event is verified as an actionable event (e.g a break in, burglary, fire, etc., or a medical emergency), an alert is raised with the local police and/or other emergency response personnel/service (e.g the fire brigade, paramedics, etc.). The ARC may additionally contact a registered user or other human contact (relative, support person, carer, etc.) by sending a push (or other) notification to a user device 108, for example using a technique as described previously.

In a system as illustrated in Figure 4, the video doorbell 506 communicates events to, and receives control signals from, the alarm control unit 504 preferably using a low bandwidth channel via the second transceiver 516. The wider bandwidth of a Wi-Fi channel, provided by the first transceiver, is preferably used for transmission of images/video from the video doorbell to the control unit 504, the control unit onward transmitting the images/videos to the ARC 502 and optionally to a user device such as 108 via a backend service 110 that sends push notifications to a user’s personal communication device 108 when the doorbell is pressed (or optionally when someone approaches the doorbell 100). In support of such communications the control unit 504 may use its broadband 114 connection to the Internet 115, the backend service 110 sending push notifications out to a public land mobile network (PLMN) 116 by means of which notifications are delivered to the user’s personal communication device 108. The same communication path may be used to stream live video (and sound) from the video doorbell 100 to the user. A reverse communication path is also supported to enable the user to speak to a person at the doorbell 100, and also to enable the user to activate (i.e. release) the lock 106 to enable the person at the door to open the door 102. The signals to activate (release) the lock are passed to the lock 106 via the control unit 504 that communicates with the lock 106.

The video camera, processor, and software of the video doorbell are preferably together configured to capture and stream (on demand, or as needed) full HD (e.g. 1080p) video.

The controller of the system, whether provided by the video doorbell 100 or by the alarm control unit 504, is preferably configured to respond to the entering of a “duress code” at the keypad of the video doorbell by alerting either the ARC 502, in the case that the controller is the control unit 504, or by alerting designated individuals by calls (e.g. SIP calls) or notifications, preferably in each case supplying images or video captured at the time the duress code was entered (and perhaps from 30 seconds or more before the duress code was entered). A duress code is a code (e.g. a PIN) which can be used to disarm the security monitoring system, or to gain admittance to the premises, or both, but which is additional to a “normal” access code. The idea is that under normal circumstances a normal code will be used, and the use of such a code gives rise to no special notification. But in the event that a user is threatened (for example by an abusive partner or ex-partner, a thief or some other kind of villain) and forced to enter the protected premises, the user enters the duress code rather than the normal code, thereby signalling the existence of a duress condition. Upon receiving a duress notification, operatives in the ARC can contact the police or other security personnel to enable an intervention. Similarly, if the duress notification is received by a friend, neighbour or relative (e.g. in the case that the video doorbell is acting as the controller of the security monitoring system), that person may intervene or involve the police for them to intervene.

The controller of the system, whether provided by the video doorbell 100 or by the alarm control unit 404, is preferably configured to enable access to the protected premises (e.g. by unlocking the lock 106 and either disarming the system or at least temporarily ignoring a door open signal in respect of the relevant access door) based on FacelD - i.e. recognising the face of a visitor as corresponding to the face of a stored identity ( the controller storing, or having access to a store of, facial recognition data for one or more known identities to whom access is to be provided).

The controller of the system, whether provided by the video doorbell 100 or by the alarm control unit 504, is preferably configured to enable access to the protected premises (e.g. by unlocking the lock 106 and either disarming the system or at least temporarily ignoring a door open signal in respect of the relevant access door) based on recognising a QR code, e.g. a dynamic QR code, that is presented to the camera of the video doorbell - for example by a visitor (or occupant) displaying a QR code on the display of the phone or other portable device (such as a smart watch). Preferably any QR code generated by or in association with the system (e.g by a relevant back end system or by a user’s video doorbell or system app) has a limited lifetime of 24 hours or less (shorter lifetimes, e.g. 12 hours, 6 hours, 4 hours, may also be used beneficially), to improve system security.

Condominium variant

In condominiums and other residential developments where multiple dwelling units are accessed via a communal space that is itself secured against unauthorised access by means of a locked communal entrance, it is not uncommon for each dwelling unit to be provided with an intercom terminal that is coupled to a common intercom unit provided on the unprotected side of the communal entrance. Often such intercom systems are video enabled so that an occupant of a residential unit is able to see the face of a visitor at the communal entrance before deciding whether to admit them to the communal area. If it is decided to admit the visitor, the resident operates a control, eg presses a button, on their intercom unit, which is effective to release the lock on the secured communal door so that the visitor can gain access to the protected communal space (e.g. the lobby or foyer). Subsequently of course the visitor will present themselves at the entrance of the residential unit where they may have to operate a doorbell for the residential unit - if the resident is not waiting for them with the door to the unit already open. With such a set up even if a resident installs a video doorbell and smart lock on the entrance door of their individual residential unit, the resident is unable to grant a visitor access to the unit remotely unless the visitor is somehow able to bypass the security on the secured communal entrance. It will be appreciated that it not generally possible for individual residents to add extra hardware or equipment at the communal entrance, so it is not possible for a user to add their own video doorbell at the secured communal entrance.

In an aspect the present disclosure provides a solution to this problem by providing an adapter at a residential unit’s intercom unit for the secured communal entrance, the adapter being coupled both to the intercom unit and to the controller of a video doorbell of the residential unit, or to a controller of a security monitoring system of the residential unit, the controller being arranged both to activate a smart lock on the entrance door of the residential unit and to communicate with a user terminal - such as a smart phone, by means of which a user may remotely activate the lock to grant the visitor access to the residential unit. The adapter at the residential unit’s intercom unit enables a user to release the lock on the communal entrance - even when the user is far from home, and preferably also enables a remote user to see and converse with visitors at the protected communal entrance. Preferably the adapter includes an RF transceiver for communication with the controller (using for example a narrowband transceiver of the controller, e.g. 868MHz or the like, although the use of wider band transmission channel, such as Wi-Fi is also possible. Because intercom units are typically mains powered there should be a ready supply of power for the intercom adapter, and given that controllers for security monitoring systems are also typically mains powered, the increased energy consumption inherent in using Wi-Fi rather than a low bandwidth protocol (such as a low bandwidth 868MHz channel) should not be a problem.

The same approach may also be used to enable a resident to grant a visitor access to a secured space - such as a back garden - that is protected by a lockable entrance, such as a gate or door, that is fitted with a smart lock and which is also provided with an intercom that connects to an intercom unit within the residence. By adding an adapter that operates between the internal intercom unit and to the controller of a video doorbell of the residential unit, a user who is away from home can have a dialogue with, and see, a visitor at the lockable entrance (e.g. garden gate) and may remotely activate the lock of the lockable entrance to grant the visitor access to the secured space (e.g. back garden). This can be useful when deliveries to or collections from the (external) secured space have to be made while the resident is away, but can also be useful to enable a resident to grant access to a security guard - so that the guard can make an in-gate inspection. This approach of course works equally well for any electrified gate or similar barrier.

It should be noted that often the smart locks of garden gates are not motorised - in the sense that the lock may not permit the deadbolt to be withdrawn to release the lock as the result of remote activation, but rather such locks are typically “clutched” locks in which a knob or handle is coupled to the deadbolt by means of an electrically controlled clutch. In the secured state the clutch is configured to disconnect the handle from the deadbolt, so that the handle or knob may be rotated or moved with no effect on the deadbolt. But when the clutch can also activated so that the handle and deadbolt are connected, meaning that rotation of the knob or operation of the handle enables the deadbolt to be withdrawn into the lock so that the barrier (gate or door) can be opened. Such locks also find application in entrance doors for residential property, and the present disclosure contemplates the activation of the clutches of such locks as well as the activation of the motors of motorised locks, in all relevant embodiments of the invention.