Door Opening Side Detection for False Alarm Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional home security systems often trigger unwanted alarms when occupants open windows or doors for ventilation, leading to unnecessary alerts and potential false notifications to security providers, which can deter users from arming the system and may result in unnecessary contact with law enforcement.

Innovation Solution

A security system comprising first and second sensors of different types, mounted in specific locations to detect the side from which a door or window is being opened, and a controller that aggregates data to determine the opening side and generate security exceptions based on time and day, preventing unnecessary alarms when openings are from inside the home.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional security systems alarm when any door or window is opened, then security monitoring is provided, but false alarms occur when occupants open windows or doors for ventilation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealarm accuracyVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the alarm response by detecting the direction of door/window opening. It divides the single alarm condition into two distinct scenarios: opening from outside (trigger alarm) and opening from inside (no alarm). This is achieved by using multiple sensors positioned to detect the direction of opening, allowing the system to differentiate between legitimate security threats and normal occupant behavior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of triggering an alarm for all opening events, the patent inverts the logic by triggering alarms only for openings from the outside while exempting openings from the inside. This inversion resolves the false alarm problem by reversing the traditional approach of universal alarm activation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If security systems trigger alarms for all openings, then intrusion detection is maintained, but unnecessary contact with security providers and law enforcement occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintrusion detection accuracyVSAvoidtime spent on false alerts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments alarm-triggering events by determining the direction of opening. By dividing opening events into internal and external categories, the system selectively activates alarms only for external openings, thereby eliminating unnecessary contacts with security providers and law enforcement while maintaining accurate intrusion detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If multiple sensors are used to detect opening side, then false alarms are reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveopening side detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses segmentation by positioning sensors at specific locations (inside and outside the building) to detect opening direction. This spatial segmentation allows accurate determination of whether a door or window is opened from inside or outside, reducing false alarms while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured sensor placement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3241195B1Systems and methods of intrusion detection
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3241195B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3241195B1 patent drawingFigure 1C
  • EP3241195B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Systems and methods of the disclosed embodiments provide a sensor to detect a side from which a door or window is being opened, and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor to determine the side from which the door or window is being opened, and to generate a security exception based on the determination of the side from which the door or window is being opened.