Wireless microphone for use with an in-car video system
First Claim
1. A remotely activated microphone arrangement for use with a vehicle-mounted surveillance system including a recording device, comprising:
- a microphone for capturing audio;
a switchable RF transmitter coupled to receive the captured audio from the microphone and arranged to transmit the captured audio as an RF data signal when switched into a transmitter mode of operation;
a switch for switching the RF transmitter into the transmitter mode in response to a received RF activation signal; and
an RF receiver coupled to the switch and arranged to receive the RF activation signal from the vehicle-mounted surveillance system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in-car video system and method is provided where a wireless microphone is configured with bi-directional communications capability. In response to a received RF activation signal, the wireless microphone is automatically switched on to capture (and transmit back to the in-car video system) an audio soundtrack that accompanies the images captured by the car-mounted video camera. A wireless microphone controller mounted in the car transmits the RF activation signal to the wireless microphone. The wireless microphone controller is arranged to transmit the RF activation signal when the VCR starts recording.
In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the wireless microphone receives information, including a confirmation that the VCR is recording, from an RF information signal received from the wireless microphone controller mounted in the car. The wireless microphone displays the information to the officer on a display screen. The wireless microphone sounds an audible alert when it receives the RF activation or information signals.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A remotely activated microphone arrangement for use with a vehicle-mounted surveillance system including a recording device, comprising:
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a microphone for capturing audio;
a switchable RF transmitter coupled to receive the captured audio from the microphone and arranged to transmit the captured audio as an RF data signal when switched into a transmitter mode of operation;
a switch for switching the RF transmitter into the transmitter mode in response to a received RF activation signal; and
an RF receiver coupled to the switch and arranged to receive the RF activation signal from the vehicle-mounted surveillance system. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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2. The microphone arrangement of claim wherein the microphone, switchable RF transmitter, switch and RF receiver are disposed in a body-wearable housing.
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23. A remotely activated microphone arrangement for use with a vehicle-mounted video surveillance system including a recording device, comprising:
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a wireless microphone for transmitting captured audio in an RF data signal; and
a controller for activating the wireless microphone in response to a received RF activation signal that is transmitted from the vehicle-mounted video surveillance system when the recording device is recording.
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26. A method of operating a wireless microphone used with an in-car video system including a car-mounted camera and recording device, the method comprising the steps of:
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in response to a received RF activation signal, capturing audio with the wireless microphone; and
transmitting the captured audio to the recording device to provide a recordable audio soundtrack corresponding to an image captured by the car-mounted camera.
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33. An in-car video surveillance system, comprising:
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a camera mounted in the car for capturing a video image;
a recording device mounted in the car and operably coupled to the camera to receive a signal representative of the captured video and arranged to receive a signal representative of the captured audio for recording the captured video image and captured audio; and
a controller for remotely switching a bi-directional wireless microphone into audio capture mode by using an RF activation signal that is transmitted to the bidirectional wireless microphone when the recording device is operated in recording mode. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 38, 39)
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34. In a vehicle-mounted video surveillance system including a recording device, a vehicle-mounted base station for use with a wireless microphone, the wireless microphone being operational-mode switchable in response to an RF activation signal, comprising:
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an input coupled to receive an operational status signal from the video surveillance system indicative of an operational status of the recording device;
a controller coupled to the input to receive the operational status signal and for generating an RF activation signal when the operational status signal indicates that the recording device is in recording mode; and
an RF transmitter arranged for transmitting the RF activation signal to the wireless microphone to switch the wireless microphone into a transmit mode from a standby mode.
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37. In a vehicle-mounted video surveillance system including a recording device, a method of operating a vehicle-mounted base station for use with a bi-directional wireless microphone, the bi-directional wireless microphone being operational mode-switchable in response to an RF activation signal, comprising:
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receiving an operational status signal from the video surveillance system indicative of an operational status of the VCR; and
generating an RF activation signal when the operational status signal indicates that the recording device is in recording mode;
transmitting the RF activation signal to the bi-directional wireless microphone to switch the wireless microphone into an audio transmission mode.
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40. A bi-directional wireless microphone system for use in a vehicle video surveillance system, comprising:
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a body-wearable wireless RF transceiver including a microphone for capturing audio, the transceiver arranged to transmit an RF data signal including the captured audio and to receive an RF activation signal; and
a base unit mountable in the vehicle and arranged to receive the RF data signal from the transceiver and to send the RF activation signal to the transceiver.
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41. A method of operating a vehicle-mounted surveillance system including a wireless microphone, recording device and camera, the method comprising the steps of:
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operating the recording device and the camera to make a video record; and
sending an RF control signal to the wireless microphone to activate the wireless microphone to thereby make a simultaneous audio record with the video record. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49)
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48. A method of operating an in-car video system, comprising the steps of:
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powering on a wireless microphone to enable the wireless microphone to accept a security code, the wireless microphone having a synchronization connector;
placing the wireless microphone in a base station having a connector to operably engage with the synchronization connector; and
exchanging a security code between the docking device and wireless microphone to enable secure RF transmission between the wireless microphone and the in-car video system.
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Specification