Selective Sharing of Encrypted Data in an Electronic Monitoring System

An electronic monitoring system, comprising:

• a monitor that is configured to monitor an activity within an activity zone, the monitor being configured to generate a data packet corresponding to the activity;
• a cloud-based control system;
• a hub that is communicable with the monitor and the cloud-based control system, the hub being configured to receive the data packet from the monitor and to transmit the data packet to the cloud-based control system;
• an encryption processor that is configured to encrypt the data packet using a first public key and to encrypt the data packet using a second public key;
• a computer-readable memory that is associated with the cloud-based control system, the computer-readable memory being configured to store the data packet encrypted with the first public key and the data packet encrypted with the second public key;
• and
• first and second user devices;
• wherein:
• the first user device is associated with the monitor and is communicable with the cloud-based control system, the first user device being adapted to receive the data packet encrypted with the second public key and including:
• an input allowing a user to transmit a request to the cloud-based control system to provide a time-bound decryption key capable of decrypting the data packet encrypted with the first public key during a selected time period to a second user device;
• a private key;
• and
• a decryption processor configured to decrypt the data packet encrypted with the second public key using the private key;
• and wherein
• the second user device is communicable with the cloud-based control system and is adapted to receive the data packet encrypted with the first public key and the time-bound decryption key therefrom, the second user device including a decryption processor that is configured to decrypt the data packet encrypted with the first public key using the time-bound decryption key during the selected time period.

A method of monitoring an activity zone, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a request to a control system to provide a time-bound decryption key capable of decrypting a data packet encrypted with a first public key during a selected time period to a selected user device;
• monitoring for an activity within an activity zone and, upon detecting the activity, generating the data packet corresponding to the activity;
• transmitting the data packet to a control system;
• storing the data packet in computer-readable memory associated with the control system, the data packet being encrypted utilizing the first public key prior to storage in computer-readable memory;
• transmitting the data packet encrypted with the first public key and the time-bound decryption key to the selected user device, the selected user device including a decryption processor configured to decrypt the data packet encrypted with the first public key using the time-bound decryption key during the selected time period.