Accessing cameras of audio/video recording and communication devices based on location

• US 10,511,810 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siminoff, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US16/028,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20190014291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• 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 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/02 with bell or annunciator systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

First data representing geographic coordinates defining a proximity zone for access to an A/V recording and communication device may be received from a first client device associated with the A/V recording and communication device. Based at least in part on a graphical user interface being accessed within an application executing on the second client device, second data representing a location of the second client device may be received. A determination that the second client device is within the proximity zone may be made, and third data indicating that the A/V recording and communication device is accessible by the second client device may be transmitted to the second client device. A request for access to the A/V recording and communication device may be received from the second client device, and image data generated by the A/V recording and communication device may be obtained and transmitted to the second client device.

Claims

1. A method for at least one server for providing access to an audio/video recording and communication device (A/V device), the method comprising:

receiving, from a first client device associated with the A/V device, first data representing a proximity zone for access to the A/V device, wherein the proximity zone is defined about the A/V device;

receiving, from a second client device, second data representing a location of the second client device;

determining that the location of the second client device is within the proximity zone for access to the A/V device based at least in part on the first data and the second data;

transmitting, to the second client device, third data indicating that the A/V device is accessible;

receiving, from the second client device, a request for access to the A/V device; and

based at least in part on the request for access to the A/V device, transmitting image data generated by a camera of the A/V device to the second client device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining fourth data representing an additional proximity zone for an additional A/V device;

determining that the location of the second client device is within the additional proximity zone for access to the additional A/V device based at least in part on the second data and the fourth data;

transmitting, to the second client device, fifth data indicating that the additional A/V device is accessible;

receiving, from the second client device, an additional request for access to the additional A/V device; and

based at least in part on the additional request for access to the additional A/V device, transmitting additional image data generated by a camera of the additional A/V device to the second client device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third data, when received by the second client device, causes display of a user interface element representing the A/V device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving the request is in response to selection of the user interface element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is received from the first client device in response to one or more inputs to the first client device defining the proximity zone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more inputs include at least one of:

at least one first input defining a radius extending from a location of one of the A/V device or a physical address where the A/V device is installed;

at least one second input drawing the proximity zone over a map;

or

at least one third input selecting a region.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based at least in part on the first data, determining the proximity zone; and

based at least in part on the second data, determining the location of the second client device,

wherein the determining that the location of the second client device is within the proximity zone for access to the A/V device based at least in part on the first data and the second data comprises comparing the proximity zone to the location of the second client device.

8. A method for at least one server for providing access to an audio/video recording and communication device (A/V device), the method comprising:

determining a location of a proximity zone for access to the A/V device, wherein the proximity zone is defined about the A/V device;

receiving, from a client device, first data representing a location of the client device;

comparing the location of the proximity zone to the location of the client device;

based at least in part on the comparing, determining that the location of the client device is within the proximity zone for access to the A/V device;

transmitting, to the client device, second data indicating that video generated by the A/V device is accessible;

receiving, from the client device, a request for the video;

based at least in part on the request for the video, transmitting image data representing the video generated by the A/V device to the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the location of the proximity zone for access to the A/V device comprises receiving, from an additional client device associated with the A/V device, fourth data defining the proximity zone.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the proximity zone for access to the A/V device comprises:

determining a location of the A/V device;

determining at least one setting associated with the proximity zone of the A/V device; and

based at least in part on the at least one setting, determining the proximity zone for access to the A/V device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a condition is present at the A/V device,

wherein the transmitting the second data indicating that the video generated by the A/V device is accessible is based at least in part on the condition being present at the A/V device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the condition present at the A/V device includes a determination that a suspicious person is present at the A/V device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the condition present at the A/V device includes a determination that suspicious activity is happening at the A/V device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the condition present at the A/V device includes a determination that a user associated the A/V device is present at the A/V device.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining an additional proximity zone for an additional A/V device;

determining that the location of the client device is within the additional proximity zone;

transmitting, to the client device, fifth data indicating that additional video generated by the additional A/V device is accessible;

receiving, from the client device, an additional request for access to the additional video;

based at least in part on the additional request for access to the additional video, transmitting additional image data representing the additional video generated by the additional A/V device to the client device.

16. A method for a client device, the method comprising:

transmitting first data indicating a location of the client device;

receiving second data representing a first A/V recording and communication device (A/V device) associated with a first proximity zone for access to the first A/V device, wherein the first proximity zone is defined about the first A/V device, and wherein the first A/V device is accessible by the client device based on the location of the client device being within the first proximity zone;

receiving third data representing a second A/V device associated with a second proximity zone for access to the second A/V device, wherein the second proximity zone is defined about the second A/V device, wherein the second A/V device is accessible by the client device based on the location of the client device being within the second proximity zone;

displaying, on a display of the client device, a first user interface element representing the first A/V device;

displaying, on the display of the client device, a second user interface element representing the second A/V device;

receiving an input of a selection of the first user interface element;

transmitting, based at least in part on the input, fourth data representing a request for access to the first A/V device;

receiving image data generated by the first A/V device; and

displaying, on the display of the client device, video represented by the image data.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving an additional input of a selection of the second user interface element;

transmitting, based at least in part on the additional input, fifth data representing an additional request for access to the second A/V device;

receiving additional image data generated by the second A/V device; and

displaying, on the display of the client device, additional video represented by the additional image data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitting the first data is at a first time, the method further comprising:

transmitting, at a second time different from the first time, fifth data representing another location of the client device;

receiving sixth data representing a third A/V device accessible by the client device based at least in part on the another location of the client device; and

displaying, on the display of the client device, a third user interface element representing the third A/V device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitting the first data is at a first time, the method further comprising:

transmitting, at a second time different from the first time, fifth data representing another location of the client device;

receiving sixth data representing the first A/V device no longer being accessible by the client device based at least in part on the another location of the client device; and

removing the first user interface element from the display of the client device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first user interface element and the second user interface element are displayed on the display of the client device as a list.