# US 11,994,573 B1 · Motion detection using communication channel carrier signal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,573 B1 - Document ID: US11994573B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/490,555 - Filed: 2023-10-19 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2023-10-19 - Applicants: Brent De Graaf - Inventors: Brent De Graaf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994573B1 ## CPC - G01S 7/006: {using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas (G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence)} - G01S 11/06: using intensity measurements - G01S 13/003: {Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems} - G01S 13/56: for presence detection {(presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26)} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for motion detection using a communication channel carrier signal. In one aspect, a method includes, for each of one or more communication channels, wherein each communication channel has a center frequency that is different from the center frequency of each other communication channel: determining mean power levels from consecutive power samples at the center frequency, determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive power samples at the center frequency, and determining whether physical motion is occurring in a monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: for each of one or more communication channels, wherein each communication channel has a center frequency that is different from the center frequency of each other communication channel: determining mean power levels from consecutive power samples at the center frequency; determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive power samples at the center frequency; and determining whether physical motion is occurring in a monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, for each of the one or more communication channels: periodically sampling a power level based on the center frequency at a sampling rate to obtain a plurality of samples; determining, from the plurality of samples, a plurality of mean offset values, wherein each mean offset value is an estimate of a received signal power at the center frequency relative to a reference signal level at the center frequency; and for each mean offset value, determining whether the mean offset value indicates a presence of a valid reference signal; wherein: determining mean power levels from consecutive power samples at the center frequency comprises determining, from sets of power levels, where each set is used in determining a mean offset value that has been determined to indicate a presence of a valid reference signal, mean power levels from proper subsets of power levels; and determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive power samples at the center frequency comprises determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of the power levels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring in the monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels comprises determining whether motion is occurring in the area when an absolute value of a difference between the two consecutive sets is greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: determining a difference between the maximum power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of the power levels; determining a difference between the minimum power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of power levels; and wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring in the monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels further comprises determining whether physical motion is occurring based on the difference between the maximum power levels and the difference between the minimum power levels. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring based on the difference between the maximum power levels and the difference between the minimum power levels comprises determining that physical motion is occurring in the area when a sum of the absolute value of the difference between the maximum values of the two sets and the absolute value of the difference between the minimum values of the two sets is greater than a first threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring in the monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels comprises determining whether motion is occurring in the area when an absolute value of a difference between the two consecutive sets is greater than a second threshold value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein periodically sampling the power based on the center frequency comprises periodically sampling a power level of signals within a specific bandwidth range of the center frequency. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the one or more communication channels comprise a plurality of communication channels, and the method further comprises: associating each communication channel of the plurality of communication channels with a monitored area, wherein each monitored area for a communication channel is different from each monitored area associated with each other communication channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising, in each monitored area: generating, within each monitored area, a reference signal at the center frequency of the communication channel associated with the monitored area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising, in each monitored area: monitoring, by a receiver within the monitored area, a reference signal at the center frequency of the communication channel associated with the monitored area for periodically sampling the power level based on the center frequency at the sampling rate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein center frequencies are 802.11 channel frequencies. ### Claim 12 A system, comprising: a motion detection processor including a data processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer memory storing instructions executable by the data processing apparatus and that upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: for each of one or more communication channels, wherein each communication channel has a center frequency that is different from the center frequency of each other communication channel: determining mean power levels from consecutive power samples at the center frequency; determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive power samples at the center frequency; and determining whether physical motion is occurring in a monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, the operations further comprising, for each of the one or more communication channels: periodically sampling a power level based on the center frequency at a sampling rate to obtain a plurality of samples; determining, from the plurality of samples, a plurality of mean offset values, wherein each mean offset value is an estimate of a received signal power at the center frequency relative to a reference signal level at the center frequency; and for each mean offset value, determining whether the mean offset value indicates a presence of a valid reference signal; wherein: determining mean power levels from consecutive power samples at the center frequency comprises determining, from sets of power levels, where each set is used in determining a mean offset value that has been determined to indicate a presence of a valid reference signal, mean power levels from proper subsets of power levels; and determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive power samples at the center frequency comprises determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of the power levels. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring in the monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels comprises determining whether motion is occurring in the area when an absolute value of a difference between the two consecutive sets is greater than a threshold value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising: determining a difference between the maximum power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of the power levels; determining a difference between the minimum power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of power levels; and wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring in the monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels further comprises determining whether physical motion is occurring based on the difference between the maximum power levels and the difference between the minimum power levels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein determining whether physical motion is occurring based on the difference between the maximum power levels and the difference between the minimum power levels comprises determining that physical motion is occurring in the area when a sum of the absolute value of the difference between the maximum values of the two sets and the absolute value of the difference between the minimum values of the two sets is greater than a first threshold value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein periodically sampling the power based on the center frequency comprises periodically sampling a power level of signals within a specific bandwidth range of the center frequency. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more communication channels comprise a plurality of communication channels, and the operations further comprise: associating each communication channel of the plurality of communication channels with a monitored area, wherein each monitored area for a communication channel is different from each monitored area associated with each other communication channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, further comprising: a plurality of reference signal generators, each of which is configured to be placed within an associated monitored area, and further configured to generate a reference signal at the center frequency of the communication channel associated with the monitored area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, further comprising: a plurality of receivers, each receiver corresponding to a respective one of the corresponding reference signal generators and configured to be placed within an associated monitoring area, and further configured to monitor the reference signal at the center frequency of the communication channel associated with the monitored area for periodically sampling the power level based on the center frequency at the sampling rate. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein center frequencies are 802.11 channel frequencies. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory computer memory storing instructions executable by a data processing apparatus and that upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: for each of one or more communication channels, wherein each communication channel has a center frequency that is different from the center frequency of each other communication channel: periodically sampling a power level based on the center frequency at a sampling rate to obtain a plurality of samples; determining, from the plurality of samples, a plurality of mean offset values, wherein each mean offset value is an estimate of a received signal power at the center frequency relative to a reference signal level at the center frequency; for each mean offset value, determining whether the mean offset value indicates a presence of a valid reference signal; determining, from sets of power levels, where each set is used in determining a mean offset value that has been determined to indicate a presence of a valid reference signal, mean power levels from proper subsets of the sets of power levels; determining a difference between the mean power levels of two consecutive proper subsets of the power levels; and determining whether physical motion is occurring in a monitored area based on the difference between the mean power levels.