System and method for monitoring opening or closing of door of region of interest

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for monitoring opening or closing of a door of a region of interest. A system for detecting movement of a door associated with a region of interest (AOI) is disclosed. The system includes: a pressure sensor positioned at a predetermined location within the AOI, where the pressure sensor is operable to monitor an air pressure within the AOI; and a processing device in communication with the pressure sensor. The processing device includes one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the processor and configured to: monitor air pressure within the AOI in real time using the pressure sensor; detecting and measuring a change in air pressure within the AOI based on the monitored air pressure; and detecting opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the AOI based on the measured change in air pressure within the AOI.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 508,963, filed on June 19, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0002] The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring the movement (opening or closing) of doors in an area or environment of interest, including but not limited to a room of a building, warehouse, ship or aircraft. Summary of the invention

[0003] A system for detecting movement of a door associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI) is described herein. The system includes a pressure sensor positioned at a predetermined location within the AOI and a processing device in communication with the pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor is operable to monitor air pressure within the AOI. The processing device includes one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the processors and configured to: monitor air pressure within the AOI in real time using the pressure sensor; detect and measure changes in air pressure within the AOI based on the monitored air pressure; and detect opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the AOI based on the measured changes in air pressure within the AOI.

[0004] In one or more embodiments, the processing device is a thermostat associated with the AOI, and wherein the pressure sensor is configured on the thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI.

[0005] In one or more embodiments, the processing device is in communication with a thermostat associated with the AOI, and wherein the pressure sensor is disposed on the thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door is within the AOI.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, the processing device is configured to: detect the movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be decreasing; and detect the movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be increasing.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door is outside the AOI.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the processing device is configured to: detect the movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to increase; and detect the movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to decrease.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, the processing device is configured to detect movement of one or more occupants into and out of the AOI based on detected movement of one or more doors between closed and open positions, and correspondingly count the number of one or more occupants present within the AOI in real time.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, the processing device is configured with a machine learning unit, which is configured to: receive training data, the training data including air pressure values ​​within one or more known AOIs having predetermined known areas when the corresponding door is in a closed position and an open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the one or more known AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; and use the received training data to train the processing device so as to measure the change of air pressure within one or more new AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, when the system is installed in a new AOI, the processing device is configured to: request one or more users or occupants of the AOI to manually move a corresponding door of the new AOI between a closed position and an open position at predetermined intervals; collect data, the data including air pressure values ​​within the new AOI when the corresponding door is in the closed position and the open position, and a rate of change of the air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; and use the collected data to calibrate the processing device to detect opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the new AOI.

[0013] A method for detecting movement of a door associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI) is also described herein. The method includes the following steps: using a pressure sensor positioned at a predetermined position within the AOI to monitor the air pressure within the AOI in real time; detecting and measuring, by a processing device in communication with the pressure sensor, a change in the air pressure within the AOI based on the monitored pressure; and detecting, by the processing device, the opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the AOI based on the measured change in the air pressure within the AOI.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door is within the AOI.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the method includes the following steps: when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be reduced, the processing device detects the movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position; and when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be increased, the processing device detects the movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door is outside the AOI.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the method includes the following steps: when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured as increasing, the processing device detects the movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position; and when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured as decreasing, the processing device detects the movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the method further includes the following steps: the processing device detects the movement of one or more occupants in and out of the AOI based on the detected movement of one or more doors between the closed position and the open position, and correspondingly counts the number of one or more occupants present in the AOI in real time.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, the method includes the following steps: receiving training data by a machine learning unit configured with a processing device, the training data including air pressure values ​​within one or more known AOIs having predetermined known areas when the corresponding door is in a closed position and an open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the one or more known AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; and using the received training data to train the processing device so as to measure the change of air pressure within one or more new AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, when the pressure sensor and the processing device are installed in a new AOI, the method includes the following steps: requesting, by the processing device, one or more users or occupants of the AOI to manually move the corresponding door of the new AOI between a closed position and an open position at predetermined intervals; collecting, by the processing device, data including air pressure values ​​within the new AOI when the corresponding door is in the closed position and the open position, and a rate of change of the air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; and using the collected data to calibrate the processing device to detect the opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the new AOI.

[0021] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, features, and techniques of the subject disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the subject disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the subject disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the subject disclosure.

[0023] In the drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference label. In addition, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description applies to any of the similar components having the same first reference label (regardless of the second reference label).

[0024] Figure 1A An exemplary representation of a system implemented in an area of ​​interest (AOI) for monitoring movement of a door associated with the AOI is shown, wherein the door moves within the AOI in an open position, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

[0025] Figure 1B An exemplary representation of a system implemented in an area of ​​interest (AOI) for monitoring movement of a door associated with the AOI, wherein the door moves outside of the AOI in an open position, is shown according to one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

[0026] Figure 1C Showing one or more embodiments according to the present subject disclosure Figure 1A and Figure 1B An exemplary block diagram of a system.

[0027] Figure 2 An exemplary flow chart illustrating a method for monitoring movement of a door associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI) according to one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.

[0028] Figure 3 According to one or more embodiments disclosed in the present subject matter, the system is Figure 1A An exemplary pressure versus time graph monitored when implemented in an AOI.

[0029] Figure 4 One or more embodiments disclosed in the present subject matter are shown for implementing Figures 1A to 1C An exemplary schematic block diagram of a hardware system of a processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the subject disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are so detailed in order to clearly convey the subject disclosure. However, the many details provided are not intended to limit the intended changes of the embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives that fall within the scope and spirit of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0031] Various terms are used herein. To the extent a term used in a claim is not defined below, it should be given the broadest definition persons in the pertinent art have given that term as reflected in printed publications and issued patents at the time of filing.

[0032] In the specification, the spatial relationship between various components and the spatial orientation of various aspects of the components may be mentioned because these devices are depicted in the accompanying drawings. However, as those skilled in the art will recognize after reading this subject disclosure in its entirety, the components of the present invention described herein can be positioned in any desired orientation. Therefore, the use of terms such as "above", "below", "above", "below", "first", "second" or other similar terms to describe the spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of various aspects of such components should be understood to describe the relative relationship between components or the spatial orientation of various aspects of such components, respectively, and the components described herein can be oriented in any desired direction.

[0033] An area of ​​interest (AOI) or environment (such as a room in a building, warehouse, ship, aircraft, and similar spaces) may be equipped with an HVAC system to maintain a conditioned environment within the AOI. The efficient operation of the HVAC system relies on detecting occupancy within the AOI. By taking into account the presence of occupants, the HVAC system can adjust its operating level accordingly. For example, when there are no occupants within the AOI for a certain period of time, the HVAC system may reduce its output or even shut down. Conversely, when the number of occupants increases, the HVAC system may increase its output. This approach helps maintain a conditioned environment within the AOI while optimizing the efficiency of the HVAC system. In addition, occupancy detection within the AOI (whether it is equipped with an HVAC system or not) can promote security by preventing threats, intrusions, or unauthorized access. When an unauthorized individual is detected within the AOI, the alarm system or security personnel associated with the AOI may be alerted, thereby preventing any security breaches.

[0034] Occupancy detection within an AOI can be achieved by monitoring the opening and closing of its door(s) to determine the presence, absence, and count of occupants. Existing solutions for occupancy detection often involve expensive and complex devices, such as smart door locks or wired door sensors attached to the doors of the AOI. These smart door locks or wired door sensors can indicate when a person enters or leaves the AOI through a door. However, deploying and maintaining such smart door locks and door sensors can be challenging and costly, especially when the AOI has multiple doors and each door may be equipped with a different set of locks or sensors.

[0035] The present invention provides a simple, automatic, efficient and cost-effective system and method for monitoring the movement (opening or closing) of a door of an Area of ​​Interest (AOI) for occupancy detection within the AOI.

[0036] refer to Figures 1A to 1C , a system 100 for detecting movement or opening and closing of (one or more) doors associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI) (also referred to herein as an environment) is disclosed. The AOI 102 may be a room associated with a building. The AOI 102 may also be a room associated with a warehouse, a ship, an airplane, and similar spaces, but is not limited to such. The AOI 102 may include one or more doors 104 (collectively referred to herein as doors 104). In one or more embodiments, as Figure 1A As shown in , the door 104 can be movably coupled to a wall of the AOI 102 and can be operatively moved between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door 104 is within the AOI 102. However, in other embodiments, such as Figure 1B , the door 104 can be movably coupled to a wall of the AOI 102 such that the door 104 can be moved between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door 104 is outside the AOI 102. The door 104 in the open position can allow occupants to move in and out of the AOI 102, while the door 104 in the closed position can restrict movement in and out of the AOI 102. Movement of the door 104 between the open position and the closed position can cause a change in the air pressure within the AOI 102.

[0037] In one or more embodiments, the system 100 may include a pressure sensor 106 positioned at a predetermined location within the AOI 102. The pressure sensor 106 may be operable to monitor the air pressure within the AOI 102. In one or more embodiments, the pressure sensor 106 may be mounted or positioned on a thermostat 110 associated with the AOI 102, however, the pressure sensor 106 may also be a stand-alone sensor 106 mounted on a wall, ceiling, or pillar of the AOI 102.

[0038] The system 100 may further include a processing device 108 in communication with the pressure sensor 106. Figure 1C , the processing device 108 may include one or more processors 108-1 coupled to a memory 108-2, the memory 108-2 storing instructions executable by the one or more processors 108-1, the instructions enabling the processing device 108 to perform one or more specified operations. In one or more embodiments, the processing device 108 may be a thermostat 110 associated with the AOI 102, however, in some embodiments, the processing device 108 may communicate with the thermostat 110 associated with the AOI 102.

[0039] In one or more embodiments, the processing device 108 may be configured to monitor the air pressure within the AOI 102 in real time using the pressure sensor 106. The processing device 108 may accordingly detect and measure changes in the air pressure within the AOI 102 based on the monitored air pressure. The change in air pressure may indicate an opening or closing of a door 104 of the AOI 102. Therefore, the processing device 108 may be configured to detect the opening or closing of a door 104 associated with the AOI 102 based on the measured change in air pressure within the AOI 102.

[0040] refer to Figure 1A In one or more embodiments, when a door 104 of the AOI 102 is movably coupled to a wall of the AOI 102 such that the corresponding door 104 is moved within the AOI 102 in an open position, the processing device 108 can detect the movement of the corresponding door 104 from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI 102 is detected or measured to decrease. In addition, the processing device 108 can be configured to detect the movement of the corresponding door 104 from the closed position to the open position when the air pressure within the AOI 102 is detected or measured to increase.

[0041] refer to Figure 3 , showing the system 100 when Figure 1A 104 is implemented in the AOI 102 of FIG. 104. The graph depicts the change in air pressure within the AOI 102 when the door 104 is opened and closed during the given duration. As shown, the air pressure increases at different instances. Figure 3 This may indicate the closing of the door 104. In addition, the air pressure decreases at different instances. Figure 3 ', which may indicate the opening of the door 104. In an example, but not limited to such, the increase or decrease in air pressure may be measured in kilopascals (kPa) within a few milliseconds, however, this may vary based on the volume and size of the AOI 102. The processing device 108 may be calibrated accordingly to detect the opening or closing of the door 104.

[0042] refer to Figure 1BIn one or more embodiments, when a door 104 of the AOI 102 is movably coupled to a wall of the AOI 102 such that the corresponding door 104 is moved outside the AOI 102 in an open position, the processing device 108 can detect the movement of the corresponding door 104 from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI 102 is detected or measured to increase. In addition, the processing device 108 can be configured to detect the movement of the corresponding door 104 from the closed position to the open position when the air pressure within the AOI 102 is detected or measured to decrease.

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the processing device 108 may be configured with a machine learning unit 108-3 (machine learning model), such as Figure 1C As shown in , the machine learning unit 108-3 may be configured to receive training data for training the processing device 108 to detect the movement of the door associated with any new position. The training data may include air pressure values ​​within one or more known AOIs having predetermined known areas when the corresponding door is in a closed position and an open position. The training data may further include the rate of change of air pressure (kilopascals per millisecond) within the one or more known AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position. The machine learning unit may be further configured to use the received training data to train the processing device 108 to detect and measure the change in air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door of the one or more new AOIs moves between the closed position and the open position. This enables the system 100 to detect the movement or opening and closing of doors associated with various AOIs with different volumes and sizes based on history (training data).

[0044] In addition, real-time data collected by the system 100 in real time can be stored in a database associated with the system 100. The training data can be supplemented or updated with the collected real-time data for detecting door movement in new AOIs. In one or more embodiments, the processing device 108 can be configured to determine the time to open or close the door 104 of the AOI 102, which time can also be stored in the database.

[0045] In one or more embodiments, the machine learning unit 108-3 may include, but is not limited to, decision trees, support vector machines, regression analysis, Bayesian networks, random forest learning, dimensionality reduction algorithms, boosting algorithms, artificial neural networks (e.g., fully connected neural networks, deep convolutional neural networks, or recursive neural networks), deep learning, and / or other machine learning models. For example, in one or more embodiments, the machine learning unit 108-3 may use an unsupervised learning algorithm to train the processing device 108 using training or historical data. For example, in one or more embodiments, the unsupervised learning algorithm may be configured to use input data that is not labeled, classified, or categorized. The unsupervised learning algorithm may be configured to identify similarities in the input data and group new data based on the presence or absence of the identified similarities. Using an unsupervised learning algorithm may be beneficial because it may allow data features to be extracted from the input data or hidden trends and patterns to be discovered that would be difficult to obtain using other techniques.

[0046] In one or more embodiments, when the system 100 is installed in a new AOI 102, the processing device 108 can be configured to request one or more users, administrators, and / or occupants of the AOI 102 to manually move the corresponding door 104 of the new AOI 102 between the closed position and the open position at predetermined intervals. The processing device 108 can communicate with a mobile device 112 associated with the user or occupant. The request or instruction to open and close the door 104 can be transmitted to the mobile device 112 of the user or occupant, and / or to the thermostat 110 installed in the AOI 102.

[0047] The processing device 108 may be further configured to collect data including: air pressure values ​​within the new AOI 102 when the corresponding door 104 is in the closed position and the open position, and the rate of change of the air pressure within the new AOI 102 when the corresponding door 104 is moved between the closed position and the open position. Accordingly, the collected data may be used to calibrate the processing device 108 to detect the opening or closing of the door 104 associated with the new AOI 102.

[0048] In one or more embodiments, the processing device 108 can be configured to detect movement of occupants into and out of the AOI 102 based on the detected movement of the door 104 between the closed position and the open position. The processing device 108 can accordingly further count the number of occupants present within the AOI 102 in real time.

[0049] refer to Figure 1CIn one or more embodiments, the thermostat 110 and / or processing device 108 may communicate with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 116 installed in the AOI 102. Occupancy data collected by the processing device 108 may be communicated to the thermostat 110 to facilitate controlling environmental attributes (temperature, humidity, and indoor air quality) within the AOI using the HVAC system 116. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the processing device 108 may communicate with an alarm system or security system 114 associated with the AOI 102. Door movement (open or closed) data and occupancy data collected by the processing device 108 may be communicated to the alarm system / security system 114 to facilitate detecting unauthorized movement or intrusion into the AOI, and further generating and transmitting alarm signals via mobile devices 112 associated with users, administrators, and occupants of the AOI 102.

[0050] The processing device 108, the pressure sensor 106, the mobile device 112, and / or the thermostat 110 may include a transceiver or communication module to communicatively connect the processing device 108 to one or more of the pressure sensor 106, the mobile device 112, and / or the thermostat 110 via a network via a wired and / or wireless medium. In one or more embodiments, the system 100 or the processing device 108 and the mobile device 112 associated with an occupant or a registered user or administrator of the AOI 102 may be operably coupled to a website and thus operable from any Internet-enabled user device. The mobile device 112 may allow occupants, users, and administrators (especially during the calibration process) to monitor and control the operation of the system 100. Examples of the mobile device 112 may include, but are not limited to, portable computers, personal digital assistants, handheld devices, and workstations.

[0051] In one or more embodiments, the network may be a wireless network, a wired network, or a combination thereof. The network may be implemented as one of different types of networks, such as an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, and the like. In addition, the network may be a dedicated network or a shared network. A shared network represents an association of different types of networks that communicate with each other using a variety of protocols (e.g., hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), wireless application protocol (WAP), and the like). In addition, the network may include a variety of network devices, including transceivers, routers, bridges, servers, computing devices, storage devices, and the like. In another implementation, the network may be a cellular network or a mobile communication network based on various technologies, including but not limited to global system for mobile 100 (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), long term evolution (LTE), WiMAX, 5G or 6G network protocols, and the like.

[0052] refer to Figure 2 , discloses a method 200 for detecting movement of a door associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI), which may further detect and count occupants within the AOI. The method 200 may involve a pressure sensor 106, a processing device 108, and a Figures 1A to 1C The method 200 may include a step 202 of monitoring the air pressure within the AOI in real time using a pressure sensor. In addition, the method 200 may include a step 204 of detecting and measuring, by a processing device, a change in the air pressure within the AOI based on the pressure monitored in step 202. Accordingly, the method 200 may include a step 206 of detecting, by a processing device, an opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the AOI based on the measured change in the air pressure within the AOI.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, the processing device may be a thermostat associated with the AOI. In addition, the pressure sensor may be configured on a thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI. However, in one or more embodiments, the processing device may communicate with a thermostat associated with the AOI.

[0054] In one or more embodiments, when a door of the AOI is movably coupled to a wall of the AOI so that the corresponding door moves within the AOI in an open position (eg, Figure 1A ), method 200 may include the following step 208: when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be decreasing, detecting, by the processing device, movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position. In addition, method 200 may include the following step 210: when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be increasing, detecting, by the processing device, movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position.

[0055] In one or more embodiments, when a door of the AOI is movably coupled to a wall of the AOI so that the corresponding door moves outside the AOI in an open position (eg, Figure 1B ), method 200 may include the following steps: when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be increased, the processing device detects the movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position. In addition, method 200 may include the following steps: when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to be decreased, the processing device detects the movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position.

[0056] In one or more embodiments, the method 200 may further include detecting movement of one or more occupants into and out of the AOI based on the detected movement of the door between the closed position and the open position, and correspondingly counting the number of occupants present within the AOI in real time.

[0057] In one or more embodiments, method 200 may include the following steps: receiving training data by a machine learning unit configured with a processing device, the training data including air pressure values ​​within one or more known AOIs having predetermined known areas when the corresponding door is in a closed position and an open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the one or more known AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position. In addition, method 200 may include the following steps: using the received training data to train the processing device to measure the change of air pressure within one or more new AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position.

[0058] In one or more embodiments, when the system is installed in a new AOI, the method 200 may include the following steps: requesting, by the processing device, one or more users or administrators or occupants of the AOI to manually move the corresponding door of the new AOI between a closed position and an open position at predetermined intervals. The processing device may communicate with a mobile device associated with the user or occupant. The request or instruction to open and close the door may be transmitted to the mobile device of the user or occupant, and / or to a thermostat installed in the AOI.

[0059] The method 200 may further include the step of collecting data by the processing device, the data including air pressure values ​​within the new AOI when the corresponding door is in the closed position and the open position, and the rate of change of the air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position. Accordingly, the method 200 may include the step of calibrating the processing device using the collected data to detect the opening or closing of the door associated with the new AOI.

[0060] Thus, the present invention provides a simple, automatic, efficient and cost-effective system and method for monitoring movement (opening or closing) of a door of an area of ​​interest (AOI) for occupancy detection within the AOI.

[0061] Figure 4 is an exemplary schematic block diagram of a hardware system for implementing a processing device. Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 4 , the processing device may include an external storage device 410, a bus 420, a main memory 430, a read-only memory 440, a mass storage device 450, a communication port 460, and a processor 470. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processing device may include more than one processor and communication port. Examples of processor 470 include, but are not limited to, (one or more) or Itanium 2 processor, or (one or more) or Athlon processor, Series processors, FortiSOC TMThe processor 470 may include various modules. The communication port 460 may be an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dial-up connection, a 10 / 100 Ethernet port, a gigabit or 10 gigabit port using copper or optical fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or any other existing or future port. The communication port 460 may be selected depending on a network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any network to which the processing device is connected. The memory 430 may be a random access memory (RAM) or any other dynamic storage device known in the art. The read-only memory 440 may be any (one or more) static storage device, such as, but not limited to, a programmable read-only memory (PROM) chip for storing static information (e.g., for startup or BIOS instructions for the processor 470). The mass storage device 450 may be any current or future mass storage solution that can be used to store information and / or instructions. Exemplary mass storage solutions include, but are not limited to, Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) hard disk drives or solid-state drives (internal or external, e.g., with Universal Serial Bus (USB) and / or Firewire interfaces), such as those available from Seagate (e.g., the Seagate Barracuda 7102 series) or those available from Hitachi (e.g., the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000); one or more optical disks; redundant array of independent disks (RAID) storage devices, such as disk arrays (e.g., SATA arrays) available from various vendors including Dot Hill Systems, LaCie, Nexsan Technologies, and Enhance Technology.

[0062] The bus 420 communicatively couples the processor(s) 470 with other memory, storage, and communication blocks. The bus 420 may be, for example, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) / PCI expansion (PCI-X) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI), a USB, etc., for connecting expansion cards, drives, and other subsystems, and other buses, such as a front-side bus (FSB), which connects the processor 470 to a software system.

[0063] Optionally, operator and management interfaces (e.g., display, keyboard, and cursor control device) may also be coupled to bus 420 to support direct operator interaction with the processing device. Other operator and management interfaces may be provided via a network connection connected via communication port 460. External storage device 410 may be any type of external hard drive, floppy drive, Zip drive, compact disk - read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk rewritable (CD-RW), digital video disk - read only memory (DVD-ROM). The components described above are only intended to illustrate various possibilities. The aforementioned exemplary processing device should in no way limit the scope of the subject disclosure.

[0064] Although the subject disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The teachings of the subject disclosure may be modified to accommodate specific circumstances or materials without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the subject disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but rather that the subject disclosure encompasses all embodiments that fall within the scope of the subject disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0065] In interpreting the specification, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms "comprises" and "includes" should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the elements, components, or steps mentioned may exist, be utilized, or be combined with other elements, components, or steps not explicitly mentioned. In the case where the specification claims refer to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C, ..., and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, rather than A plus N, or B plus N, etc.

Claims

1. A system for detecting movement of a door associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI), the system comprising: a pressure sensor positioned at a predetermined location within the AOI, wherein the pressure sensor is operable to monitor air pressure within the AOI; and a processing device in communication with the pressure sensor, the processing device comprising one or more processors coupled to a memory storing instructions executable by the processors and configured to: Using the pressure sensor to monitor the air pressure in the AOI in real time; detecting and measuring changes in the air pressure within the AOI based on the monitored air pressure; and Opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the AOI is detected based on the measured change in the air pressure within the AOI.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The processing device is a thermostat associated with the AOI, and wherein the pressure sensor is configured on the thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The processing device is in communication with a thermostat associated with the AOI, and wherein the pressure sensor is disposed on the thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein a corresponding door is within the AOI.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The processing device is configured to: detecting movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to decrease; as well as When the gas pressure within the AOI is detected or measured as increasing, movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position is detected.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door is outside of the AOI.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein: The processing device is configured to: detecting movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to increase; as well as When the gas pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to decrease, movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position is detected.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The processing device is configured to detect movement of one or more occupants into and out of the AOI based on the detected movement of the one or more doors between the closed position and the open position, and correspondingly count a number of the one or more occupants present within the AOI in real time.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The processing device is configured with a machine learning unit, the machine learning unit being configured to: receiving training data, the training data comprising air pressure values ​​within one or more known AOIs having predetermined known areas when the corresponding door is in a closed position and an open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the one or more known AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; as well as The processing device is trained using the received training data to measure changes in air pressure within one or more new AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein: When the system is installed in a new AOI, the processing device is configured to: requesting one or more users or occupants of the AOI to manually move a corresponding door of the new AOI between the closed position and the open position at predetermined intervals; collecting data, the data including values ​​of air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is in the closed position and the open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; as well as The collected data is used to calibrate the processing device to detect opening or closing of the one or more doors associated with the new AOI.

11. A method for detecting movement of a door associated with an area of ​​interest (AOI), the method comprising the steps of: Using a pressure sensor positioned at a predetermined position within the AOI to monitor the air pressure within the AOI in real time; detecting and measuring, by a processing device in communication with the pressure sensor, a change in the air pressure within the AOI based on the monitored pressure; as well as Opening or closing of one or more doors associated with the AOI is detected by the processing device based on the measured change in the air pressure within the AOI.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The processing device is a thermostat associated with the AOI, and wherein the pressure sensor is configured on the thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The processing device is in communication with a thermostat associated with the AOI, and wherein the pressure sensor is disposed on the thermostat or a wall associated with the AOI.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein a corresponding door is within the AOI.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The method comprises the following steps: detecting, by the processing device, movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to decrease; and When the gas pressure within the AOI is detected or measured as increasing, movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position is detected by the processing device.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The one or more doors are movably coupled to a wall of the AOI and are configured to move between a closed position and an open position, wherein the corresponding door is outside of the AOI.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The method comprises the following steps: detecting, by the processing device, movement of the corresponding door from the open position to the closed position when the air pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to increase; and When the gas pressure within the AOI is detected or measured to decrease, movement of the corresponding door from the closed position to the open position is detected by the processing device.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The method further includes the following steps: detecting, by the processing device, movement of one or more occupants into and out of the AOI based on the detected movement of the one or more doors between the closed position and the open position, and correspondingly counting the number of the one or more occupants present within the AOI in real time.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The method comprises the following steps: receiving, by a machine learning unit configured with the processing device, training data, the training data comprising air pressure values ​​within one or more known AOIs having predetermined known areas when the corresponding door is in a closed position and an open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the one or more known AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; and The processing device is trained using the received training data to measure changes in air pressure within one or more new AOIs when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein: When the pressure sensor and processing device are installed in a new AOI, the method includes the following steps: requesting, by the processing device, one or more users or occupants of the AOI to manually move a corresponding door of the new AOI between the closed position and the open position at predetermined intervals; collecting, by the processing device, data including values ​​of air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is in the closed position and the open position, and a rate of change of air pressure within the new AOI when the corresponding door is moved between the closed position and the open position; and The collected data is used to calibrate the processing device to detect opening or closing of the one or more doors associated with the new AOI.

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