An electronic doorbell can include an outer housing configurable to couple to a building. The doorbell can also include a camera coupled to the outer housing and a microphone coupled to the outer housing. The doorbell can also include a button coupled to the outer housing. The electronic doorbell can be configurable to wirelessly communicate with an appliance located within the building.

Method and apparatus for operating home appliances, the method includes identifying a home appliance in a field view of a camera of an augmented reality (AR) device; generating, based on the home appliance that was identified, a control interface to overlay on a screen of the AR device or to present within an augmented view of a user that carries the AR device; detecting a selection by the user of control options on the control interface; and triggering the home appliance to perform an operation based on the selection.

Methods and apparatus for automating various aspects relating to the design and/or deployment of monitoring systems, e.g., systems which can monitor for fire, break-ins and/or other conditions are described. In various embodiments a customer provides location and customer premises layout information as well as an indication of what is to be monitored. A rules database is accessed and a plan that is compliant with local rules is automatically generated. A user is walked through deployment of components, e.g., on his cell phone or other handheld communications device, in an easy to follow manner with monitoring device position, wireless communications ability, and function being checked automatically as part of the process as each sensor is deployed. If wireless connectivity is a problem suggestions are presented to the user for moving a sensor, e.g., camera. At the end of the process the system is activated and monitoring of the premises initiated.

An electric outlet fire detection and prevention system may comprise a temperature sensor and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor. A processor within the system may monitor the measurements of the temperature and EMI sensors to determine that a fire has developed in an electric outlet box. The processor may then actuate a triggering mechanism in a cartridge containing fire extinguishing material such that the fire extinguishing material is dispersed in the outlet box. The fire extinguishing material may extinguish a developing fire and prevent the fire from spreading further. The processor may also be coupled with a server, which is configured to analyze measurements of the temperature and the EMI sensors and generate a building profile. When the server determines that any measurements deviate from the building profile, the server may instruct the processor to actuate the triggering mechanism and/or notify an electronic device associated with the building.

An electric outlet fire detection and prevention system may comprise a temperature sensor and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor. A processor within the system may monitor the measurements of the temperature and EMI sensors to determine that a fire has developed in an electric outlet box. The processor may then actuate a triggering mechanism in a cartridge containing fire extinguishing material such that the fire extinguishing material is dispersed in the outlet box. The fire extinguishing material may extinguish a developing fire and prevent the fire from spreading further. The processor may also be coupled with a server, which is configured to analyze measurements of the temperature and the EMI sensors and generate a building profile. When the server determines that any measurements deviate from the building profile, the server may instruct the processor to actuate the triggering mechanism and/or notify an electronic device associated with the building.

In one implementation, a method for using a mobile computing device as a security system component includes receiving, from a mobile device and by a security system gateway, mobile device sensor information associated with sensor data captured by the mobile device at a premises monitored by the security system gateway; identifying, based on the received sensor information, a mobile device sensor information rule; identifying an action to perform in the mobile device sensor information rule; and automatically performing the identified action, by the security system gateway, in response to receiving the sensor information from the mobile device.

A security system includes a security system controller and a plurality of security sensors that are operably coupled with the security system controller. The security system includes a plurality of configuration settings that define when particular alarms are to be issued by the security system based at least in part on events that are detected by the security sensors. The security system controller receives each of the events detected by the security sensors. The security system controller stores event data that includes an event type, a time value indicating when the event occurred, and an identifier of the security sensor that detected the event. The security system controller analyzes the stored event data to identify and output one or more changes to one or more of the plurality of configuration settings in order to reduce false alarms issued by a security system.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automating bulk location-based actions in response to disaster events. A system obtains data defining zones related to different geographic locations and configures a set of preferences for each zone. One of the preferences is a command for responding to an event. The system detects a disaster event and determines that a location affected by the event is related to a zone defined at the system. The system obtains sensor data generated by a sensor in the zone that is connected to a monitoring system for the zone. The system generates an alert based on the sensor data and the command and provides the alert to a client device of an entity that manages properties in the zone. The alert provides an assessment of how the disaster event affects items at properties in the zone.

A site monitoring system is provided including a base unit configured to be mounted to a structure of a monitored site; at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one monitored site condition; and a controller disposed within the base unit, the controller configured to receive sensor information regarding the at least one monitored site condition from the at least one sensor and to receive operation information from at least one monitored site management system. The controller is configured to process the sensor information and the operation information against predetermined monitored site parameters and to provide control instructions to the at least one monitored site management system to affect the at least one monitored site condition.

A site monitoring system is provided including a base unit configured to be mounted to a structure of a monitored site; at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one monitored site condition; and a controller disposed within the base unit, the controller configured to receive sensor information regarding the at least one monitored site condition from the at least one sensor and to receive operation information from at least one monitored site management system. The controller is configured to process the sensor information and the operation information against predetermined monitored site parameters and to provide control instructions to the at least one monitored site management system to affect the at least one monitored site condition.