Video camera device and method to monitor a child in a vehicle

• US 10,178,357 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Giuseppe Veneziano
• Original Assignee: Giuseppe Veneziano
• Inventors: Veneziano, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jayanti K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habib, Irfan
• Application Number:
  US15/660,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20170324938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/008 allowing the driver to see passengers, e.g. for busses combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8013 for child monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and methods of monitoring a child seated in the rear seat of a vehicle in a child'"'"'s car seat employing a video camera which transmits a video signal to a video display receiver placed in the driver'"'"'s frame of vision. The video camera as envisioned herein is placed within a child'"'"'s stuffed toy, the camera signal being transmitted remotely to a separate video display monitor screen device, viewable to the parent driving the vehicle. The camera is adjustable in the number of positions in which it is placed in the vehicle compartment as well as the direction in which the camera is directed. To adjust the direction in which the camera is pointed, the invention includes a bendable, flexible and sturdy neck that interconnects the camera to a transmission unit, which provides the driver with a view of the child.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a video surveillance system for monitoring one or more children seated in the rearward compartment of a vehicle, the video surveillance system comprising a non-stationary video camera housed within a child'"'"'s toy, wherein the camera further comprises an illumination source, a video camera cable that connects the non-stationary video camera with a power source and a video signal transmitter, the video camera configured within the head of the toy, the toy further comprising arms that can be wrapped around items located in the rearward compartment of the vehicle in order to secure the toy in a desired location;

the system further comprising a video display monitor that is secured in an area within view of a driver of the vehicle, wherein the video display monitor is linked remotely to the video camera, wherein the video signal transmitter is configured to transmit video images to the video display monitor and to a smart device;

wherein the video display monitor comprises a factory installed video display monitor, wherein the video images are transmitted from the camera to the video display monitor and smart device via broadcast of a wireless signal, wherein the wireless signal comprises a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®

or radio frequency signal,

the system further comprising a flexible, rigid tubing within the neck of the toy that houses the video cable wiring connecting the video camera to the power source wherein the flexible rigid tubing is adjustable so that the video camera can be manually or remotely directed in any desired direction within the vehicle compartment in order to view the one or more children, wherein the flexible, rigid tubing and the camera cable are 6 inches in length and wherein the camera is fitted with night vision capable functionality, wherein the video cable wiring provides an electrical connection between the camera and a power source, the power source being rechargeable, wherein the smart device is linked to the camera and the video display monitor by means of the Bluetooth®

, WiFi or radio frequency connection, wherein the smart device comprises an “

app”

which allows a smart device user to view images of the one or more children on the smart device and the video display monitor, wherein the “

app”

remotely adjusts the non-stationary video camera and flexible, rigid tubing so that the video camera can be directed in any desired direction within the vehicle compartment in order to view the one or more children, wherein the “

app”

controls the functionality of the video surveillance system, wherein the “

app”

is uploaded onto a vehicle'"'"'s factory installed on-board computer system prior to sale of the vehicle to the general public, wherein the video display monitor displays an icon pertaining to the uploaded “

app”

;

a portable, detachable mounting device, the portable, detachable mounting device consisting of a 10 cm wide wedge secured to a desired area of the rearward compartment of the vehicle in close proximity to the one or more children to be viewed, wherein the wedge comprises a rigid material at the top half of the wedge and a flexible material at the bottom half of the wedge, the wedge further consisting of a wing nut at the base of the wedge that allows a user to adjust the height and position of the wedge, wherein the video surveillance system further comprises a means of mounting the toy with the detachable, portable mounting device in a desired location within the rear vehicle compartment, wherein the vehicle lacks a headrest on the rear seat, wherein the toy is mounted on the portable, detachable mounting device by fastening the toy'"'"'s arms around the portable, detachable mounting device in a loop, the detachable, portable mounting device further comprising an upper portion which is adjustable by means of a spring which allows the detachable, portable mounting device to be secured to items of varying widths which are located in the rearward compartment of a vehicle.

2. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the “

app”

is uploaded onto the vehicle'"'"'s on board computer by a vehicle owner after the vehicle is sold to the vehicle owner.

3. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the detachable, portable mounting device comprises a device that is mounted in a vehicle equipped either with a headrest.

4. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the video camera is turned on or off remotely by means of a remote control.

5. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the video camera is turned on or off remotely by means of an “

app”

loaded onto the smart device.

6. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the video camera pans, tilts or zooms by means of the “

app”

.

7. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the monitor is a split screen monitor wherein the one or more children are monitored simultaneously.

8. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the user is alerted as to the presence of a child situated in the rearward compartment of the vehicle within view of the camera following turning the ignition of the vehicle off, wherein the alert is sent to the user'"'"'s smart device.

9. The video surveillance of claim 1 wherein the system transmits music to a speaker configured in the head of the toy, the music streamed to the speaker via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®

or radio frequency connectivity with the vehicle'"'"'s on board music system or user'"'"'s smart device.

10. The video surveillance system of claim 9 wherein the music is streamed from an internet source or from a user'"'"'s smart device library.

11. The video surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the system comprises a microphone and speaker to allow for two-way communication between the child and the user.

12. A method of monitoring one or more children seated in a vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing video images of the one or more children when the children are seated in the rearward compartment of a vehicle with a video surveillance system, the system comprising a non-stationary video camera configured within the head of a child'"'"'s toy, wherein the video camera is fitted with illumination lighting and night vision capability, wherein a smart device is linked remotely to the camera by means of a Bluetooth®

, WiFi or radio frequency connection, wherein the smart device comprises an “

app”

which allows a smart device user to view images of the child, wherein the “

app”

remotely adjusts the position of the non-stationary video camera so that the camera can view any section of the rearward compartment of the vehicle, wherein the user controls functionality of the video surveillance system by means of the “

app” and

wherein the “

app”

is uploaded onto a vehicle'"'"'s on-board computer system and factory installed video display monitor prior to sale of the vehicle to a purchaser of the vehicle;

wherein the video display monitor is secured in an area within view of a driver of the vehicle and is linked remotely with the video camera and the smart device by means of the Bluetooth®

, WiFi or radio frequency connection, wherein the video images are transmitted to the video display monitor and smart device via broadcast of the wireless signal by a video signal transmitter, wherein the video display monitor displays an icon pertaining to the uploaded “

app”

, wherein the user pans, tilts or zooms the video camera via the “

app”

to view the one or more children,

the toy further comprising toy arms, the system further comprising an adjustable, flexible rigid tubing within the neck of the toy the adjustable, wherein the flexible rigid tubing houses video cable wiring that connects the video camera to a power source, wherein the user adjusts the flexible, rigid tubing and position of the camera in any desired direction within the vehicle compartment either manually or by means of the “

app”

in order to view the one or more children, wherein the video camera comprises a video camera cable that connects the non-stationary video camera with a power source, wherein the flexible, rigid tubing and the camera cable are 6 inches in length;

securing a portable, detachable mounting device to a desired area of the rearward compartment of the vehicle, the portable, detachable mounting device consisting of a 10 cm wide wedge wherein, the wedge comprises a rigid material at the top half of the wedge and a flexible material at the bottom half of the wedge, the wedge further consisting of a wing nut at the base of the wedge that allows a user to adjust the height and position of the wedge;

wrapping the toy'"'"'s arms around the portable, detachable mounting device by fastening the toy'"'"'s arms in a loop around the mounting device so that the toy is secured to the mounting device;

viewing the one or more children so to ensure the safety of the one or more children during transit in the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the toy comprises a plush toy.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the portable mounting device comprises a device as shown in FIG. 11.

15. The video surveillance system of claim 12 wherein the video camera is turned on or off remotely by means of a remote control or by means of the “

app”

.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein a vehicle purchaser installs the “

app”

onto the vehicle'"'"'s on board computer after the vehicle has been sold to the vehicle purchaser in order to monitor the one or more children.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the user monitors the one or more children simultaneously by means of a video display monitor configured with a split screen monitor and a camera capable of capturing more than one child at a time.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the user is alerted as to the presence of a child situated in the rearward compartment of the vehicle after the vehicle ignition has been turned off, and the user is alerted by a signal sent from the system to the user'"'"'s smart device.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the user speaks to the one or more children by means of a microphone and speaker configured in the toy and which allows for two-way communication between the child and the user.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the system transmits music from the user'"'"'s smart device or the vehicle'"'"'s on-board music system to a speaker configured in the head of the toy.