Alarm method and device

• US 20040095238A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Marchfun International N.V.
• Inventors: Beere, Edgar Jozef
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for selectively informing at least one person in the case of an alarm condition of an object, comprising of producing successive images of the object with at least one camera, comparing successive images, establishing at least one communication connection with the person in the case an image differs to a predetermined extent from a previous image, and sending an alarm report to the person over this communication connection.

Claims

1. Method for selectively informing at least one person in the case of an alarm condition of an object, comprising of determining an alarm condition and establishing at least one communication connection in the case of the alarm condition, characterized in that an alarm report depending on the communication connection is sent over the communication connection.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, comprising of producing successive images of the object with at least one camera, comparing successive images and sending the alarm report in the case an image differs to a predetermined extent from a previous image.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one differing image is sent to the person via a communication connection.

4. Method as claimed in claims 1-3, wherein the alarm report is sent via a voice connection and the image via an image transmission connection.

5. Method as claimed in claims 1-4, wherein the alarm report comprises a message that an image has been transmitted via the image transmission connection.

6. Method as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein sound from the area surrounding the object is sent via the voice connection.

7. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the images are produced and processed in digital form.

8. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the image transmission connection is chosen from an electronic mail and a telefax connection.

9. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one of the differing images is stored in combination with the time at which it was produced.

10. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one report can be stored in an alarm action schedule which contains an overview of actions to be taken as a consequence of a determined alarm condition.

11. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one person can be designated as contact person in the alarm action schedule.

12. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one communication connection is designated in the alarm action schedule.

13. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein at least one time setting can be adjusted for an action in accordance with the alarm action schedule.

14. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein acceptance by the person alerted in a case of an alarm condition results in discontinuing the completion of the alarm action schedule.

15. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the person can operate the invention via a communication connection.

17. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the identity of a responding person is verified by means of voice recognition.

18. Method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein in the case of a sent alarm report verification takes place as to whether the report has been received and/or read by the person.

19. Device for performing a method as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising a computer which iB provided with input and output members to which at least one electronic camera and a communications network are connected and on which software is installed which can compare successive images produced by the camera with each other and, in the case an image differs to a predetermined extent from a previous image, establishes via the communications network a communication connection with at least one predetermined addressee and sends an alarm report via this communication connection.

20. Device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the software sends at least one differing image to at least one predetermined addressee via an established communication connection.

21. Device as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein at least one microphone is connected to the input members and wherein the software transmits the sound picked up by the microphone via an established communication connection.

22. Device as claimed in any of the claims 19-21, wherein the software comprises voice recognition software and the operation of the device is performed under voice control.

23. Device as claimed in any of the claims 19-22, wherein the computer comprises memory means for composing an alarm action schedule and making it accessible to the other means.

24. Device as claimed in any of the claims 19-23, wherein the computer comprises means for communication with a server adapted with means which can take over preferred settings and which can take over the surveillance function in the case the first computer ceases to function.

25. Software for causing a computer to function as a device as claimed in any of the claims 19-22.

16. Method as claimed in claim IS, wherein operation takes place by means of a voice connection.