Wireless audio/video recording and communication doorbells with integrated image sensor/button

• US 10,009,520 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ring Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ring Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siminoff, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Joseph J
• Application Number:
  US15/148,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20160330403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

Audio/video recording and communication doorbells, comprising a housing and an image sensor or camera. The image sensor or camera may be located behind or integrated with an actuating button of the doorbell, and may serve the actuating function of the doorbell so that the doorbell does not require a discrete button separate from the image sensor or camera.

Claims

1. An audio/video recording and communication doorbell, comprising:

a housing;

a button for actuating the doorbell, the button being located at a front of the housing and being configured to move between a first, static position and a second, depressed position;

a video camera located directly behind the button, the video camera being configured for capturing a set of video images to be streamed to a client device, wherein the button comprises an optically transparent or translucent material such that ambient light may pass through the button to reach the video camera behind the button; and

a plurality of motion sensors configured to determine a direction of movement of an object in an area about the doorbell based upon which of the motion sensors are triggered in a time sequence.

2. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an aperture that exposes the button.

3. The doorbell of claim 2, wherein the button protrudes from the housing through the aperture.

4. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein actuating the doorbell comprises at least one of sounding an audible tone, initiating recording of audio and/or video, and transmitting audio and/or video.

5. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein the video camera is located concentrically with the button.

6. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein the video camera starts capturing video images when the button moves from the first position to the second position.

7. The doorbell of claim 1 further comprising infrared (IR) light-emitting components configured to enable the video camera to clearly capture images under low ambient light.

8. The doorbell of claim 7, wherein the IR light-emitting components are located behind the button.

9. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein the client device comprises a mobile device that wirelessly communicates with the doorbell.

10. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of motions sensors comprises a passive infrared sensor.

11. The doorbell of claim 1 further comprising a microphone configured to capture audio.

12. The doorbell of claim 11, wherein the doorbell is configured to stream the captured audio to the client device when the doorbell is actuated.

13. The doorbell of claim 1 further comprising one or more speakers configured to emit sound.

14. The doorbell of claim 13, wherein the one or more speakers are configured to emit the sound when audio data is received from the client device.

15. The doorbell of claim 1, wherein the client device and the doorbell are configured to wirelessly communicate audio and/or video data with each other through one or more remote servers.