Doorbell battery systems

• US 10,062,251 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBell Technologies Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skybell Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kasmir, Seton Paul, Scalisi, Joseph Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Aziz, Adnan
• Application Number:
  US14/728,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20160300476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 34053917, 340328, 3403921, 3403933
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0291 Door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

Doorbell systems can communicate wirelessly with remotely located computing devices such as smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, and streaming media players. In some embodiments, doorbells comprise a camera, a speaker, and a first battery. In several embodiments, a battery pack comprises a second battery and is electrically coupled to the doorbell. A battery charging system can electrically couple the second battery to the first battery such that the second battery is configured to recharge the first battery.

Claims

1. A doorbell system configured to wirelessly communicate with a remotely located computing device and configured to be coupled to a wall of a building, the doorbell system comprising:

a doorbell comprising a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a first battery, and a wireless communication system; and

a battery pack comprising a second battery electrically coupled to the doorbell whereby the second battery provides a first electricity to the doorbell and a third battery electrically coupled to the doorbell whereby the third battery provides a second electricity to the doorbell, the battery pack configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to the doorbell, the battery pack configured to be mechanically coupled directly to the wall and thereby couple the doorbell to the wall, the battery pack located on an exterior side of the wall such that the battery pack is located between the doorbell and the exterior side of the wall, wherein the third battery is configured to provide the second electricity to the doorbell while the second battery is removed from the battery pack such that the doorbell provides fewer functions in response to the second electricity than in response to the first electricity, and wherein the first battery comprises a first capacity, the second battery comprises a second capacity, and the second capacity is at least four times greater than the first capacity.

2. The doorbell system of claim 1, wherein when the battery pack is coupled to the wall and the doorbell is coupled to the battery pack, the doorbell does not physically contact the exterior side of the wall.

3. The doorbell system of claim 1, further comprising a chime located within the battery pack, wherein the chime is configured to emit a sound in response to a visitor pressing a button of the doorbell.

4. The doorbell system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is electrically coupled to a power supply of the building.

5. The doorbell system of claim 1, wherein the doorbell comprises a receiver induction coil, and the battery pack comprises a sender induction coil, wherein the receiver induction coil and the sender induction coil are configured to enable transmitting electricity from the battery pack to the doorbell.

6. The doorbell system of claim 1, further comprising a battery charge monitor configured to evaluate a charge level of the battery pack.

7. The doorbell system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack comprises an electrical port configured to couple with an electrical wire to recharge the second battery from a power outlet.

8. The doorbell system of claim 7, further comprising the electrical wire that electrically couples the battery pack to the power outlet such that the doorbell system is configured to recharge the battery pack with electricity from the power outlet.

9. The doorbell system of claim 8, further comprising a battery charge monitor configured to evaluate a battery charge level of the battery pack, wherein the doorbell system is configured to recharge the battery pack in response to the battery charge level being below a threshold.

10. The doorbell system of claim 1, wherein the doorbell comprises a first outer housing and the battery pack comprises a second outer housing, wherein the second outer housing is mechanically coupled to the wall such that at least a majority of the battery pack is located between the doorbell and the wall.

11. The doorbell system of claim 10, wherein the doorbell is mechanically coupled to the second outer housing of the battery pack such that the battery pack mounts the doorbell to the wall.

12. The doorbell system of claim 1, further comprising a battery charging system.

13. The doorbell system of claim 12, wherein the battery charging system electrically couples the first battery to the second battery.

14. The doorbell system of claim 13, wherein the battery charging system uses the second battery to recharge the first battery.

15. A doorbell system configured to wirelessly communicate with a remotely located computing device and configured to be coupled to a wall of a building, the doorbell system comprising:

a doorbell comprising a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a first battery, a wireless communication system, and at least two electrical connections;

a battery pack comprising a second battery configured to provide a first electricity to the doorbell, the battery pack configured to be electrically and mechanically coupled to the doorbell, the battery pack configured to be mechanically coupled directly to the wall and located on an exterior side of the wall such that the battery pack is located between the doorbell and the exterior side of the wall; and

a battery charging system that electrically couples the first battery to the second battery, wherein the battery charging system uses the second battery to recharge the first battery,

wherein the electrical connections are configured to receive electrical wires from the building to thereby power the doorbell system, and when the doorbell is coupled to the battery pack, the electrical connections automatically electrically couple to mating electrical connections of the battery pack, and

wherein the first battery comprises a first capacity, the second battery comprises a second capacity, and the second capacity is at least four times greater than the first capacity, and wherein the battery pack further comprises a third battery electrically coupled to the doorbell, the third battery configured to provide a second electricity to the doorbell while the second battery is removed from the battery pack such that the doorbell provides fewer functions in response to the second electricity than in response to the first electricity.

16. The doorbell system of claim 15, wherein when the battery pack is coupled to the wall and the doorbell is mechanically coupled to the battery pack, the mating electrical connections of the battery pack face away from the wall and the electrical connections of the doorbell face the wall.

17. The doorbell system of claim 15, wherein the battery pack is configured to couple the doorbell to the wall.

18. The doorbell system of claim 17, wherein when the battery pack is coupled to the wall and the doorbell is coupled to the battery pack, the doorbell does not physically contact an exterior side of the wall.

19. The doorbell system of claim 18, wherein the battery pack defines a first footprint and the doorbell defines a second footprint, and wherein the first footprint is larger than the second footprint.

20. The doorbell system of claim 15, further comprising a radar detector.

21. The doorbell system of claim 20, wherein the radar detector comprises an X-band radar detector located within an interior portion of the doorbell.

22. The doorbell system of claim 15, further comprising a bracket system configured to securely couple the doorbell to the wall.

23. The doorbell system of claim 22, further comprising a lock that secures a first portion of the bracket system to a second portion of the bracket system, wherein unlocking the lock facilitates removing the doorbell from the wall.

24. The doorbell system of claim 23, further comprising a key configured to engage the lock and move the lock between an unlocked position and a locked position.