Smart Home CCTV for Multi-Generational Thai Families: Zone-Based Alerts That Notify the Right Person

The Problem with Broadcast-All CCTV Alerts

Many Thai smart homes house multiple generations: grandparents, working parents, and children. But most CCTV systems send every alert to every person. The consequences:

• Parents receive alerts every time children run through the house (should be a daily digest)
• Grandparents receive urgent alerts meant for adult children
• Everyone gets redundant notifications and begins ignoring them
• When a real incident occurs, no one responds assuming someone else handled it

Designing Zone-Based Security

Zone structure for multi-generational Thai families:

Zone A — Elderly (Grandparents):

• Elderly bedroom
• Elderly bathroom
• Stairs and hallways between rooms

Alert to: All adult children + caregiver Priority: Critical for fall or prolonged stillness

Zone B — Children and Study Areas:

• Children’s room
• Play room
• Balcony and outdoor child areas

Alert to: Parents only Priority: Normal for general movement; Urgent for leaving designated area

Zone C — Common Areas:

• Front door
• Living room
• Kitchen

Alert to: All residents, or head of household Priority: Normal for presence; Urgent for unknown person

Zone D — External Security:

• Perimeter around home
• Gate
• Parking area

Alert to: Head of household Priority: High for unknown person at night

Home Assistant Configuration

yaml
alias: "Zone A - Elderly Stillness Alert"
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.elderly_room_mmwave
    to: "off"
    for:
      minutes: 20
condition:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.elderly_room_door
    state: "on"
action:
  - service: notify.notify_adult_children
    data:
      title: "Zone A — Check Urgently"
      message: "No movement in elderly room for 20 minutes. Door is closed."
      data:
        push:
          sound:
            name: default
            critical: 1
  - service: notify.notify_caregiver
    data:
      title: "Elderly Check Required"
      message: "Zone A Alert triggered at home."

alias: "Zone B - Child Out of Bounds"
trigger:
  - platform: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.garden_gate_sensor
    to: "on"
condition:
  - condition: time
    after: "08:00:00"
    before: "18:00:00"
  - condition: state
    entity_id: person.parent_1
    state: "not_home"
action:
  - service: notify.notify_parents_only
    data:
      title: "Zone B — Child Left Home"
      message: "Garden gate opened while parents away. Check immediately."

Recommended Notify Groups

yaml
# configuration.yaml
notify:
  - name: notify_adult_children
    platform: group
    services:
      - service: mobile_app_child1_phone
      - service: mobile_app_child2_phone
  - name: notify_parents_only
    platform: group
    services:
      - service: mobile_app_parent1_phone
      - service: mobile_app_parent2_phone
  - name: notify_caregiver
    platform: group
    services:
      - service: mobile_app_caregiver_phone

Hardware Recommendations by Zone

Zone A (Elderly):

• Aqara FP2 mmWave Radar (4,000-5,000 THB) — no image, preserves privacy
• Xiaomi C300 camera (1,200 THB) — for consented areas only

Zone B (Children):

• Reolink E1 (1,800 THB) — children’s room
• Zigbee door sensor (300 THB) — garden gate

Zone C+D (Common + External):

• Hikvision DS-2CD2T47G2 (5,000-8,000 THB) — outdoor IP67
• Reolink Duo 3 (4,500 THB) — 180° wide-angle