Apparatus and method for monitoring security camera operation over a powerline network

• US 20040155757A1
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Kumar, Richardson, John William, Litwin, Louis Robert Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/364,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155757A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/310.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring operation of a security camera on a powerline network includes a powerline modem for coupling to a powerline network for receiving a monitoring signal from a security camera coupled to said powerline network, and a computer configured for processing said monitoring signal, determining a status of said security camera based on said processing and generating a response notifying said status based on said determining.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring operation of a security camera on a powerline network comprising:

a powerline modem for coupling to a powerline network for receiving a monitoring signal from a security camera coupled to said powerline network; and

a computer configured for processing said monitoring signal, determining a status of said security camera based on said processing and generating a response notifying said status based on said determining.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communications modem for coupling to an external network.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said monitoring signal is a signal sent by said security camera at intervals and an absence of said signal is indicative of said security camera failing to operate properly.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said monitoring signal comprises an address identifying said camera.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said monitoring signal comprises status information for said security camera.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said response is one of a warning message, an audible alert and an email to a remote user.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring signal is included on a carrier with a video signal from said security camera.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said video signal comprises compressed digital video and audio signals.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said monitoring signal is transmitted over said powerline network on a sub-carrier channel separate from that of a video signal from said security camera.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said video signal comprises compressed digital video and audio signals.

21. The method according to claim 9, wherein said signal comprises a packet that includes a network address for said security camera and a header indicating that said signal is an operational status signal for said security camera.

11. A method for monitoring status of a security camera for transmitting video information over a powerline network, comprising the steps of:

detecting a signal from a security camera over a powerline network at predetermined intervals;

determining that said security camera is properly operating when said signal is detected;

awaiting to detect another said signal if said signal is detected; and

determining an operational status with said security camera if said signal is not detected.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said operational status comprises an operation problem with said security camera.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of extracting status information about said security camera from said signal.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of alerting a user that said signal is not detected when said step of determining an operational problem with said security camera.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is transmitted by said security camera at predetermined intervals.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said signal comprises information about said security camera indicative of proper operation of said security camera.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is sent by said video camera on a channel carrying video information from said security camera.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said video information comprises compressed digital video and audio signals.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is sent on a carrier separate from that having video information from said security camera.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said video information comprises compressed digital video and audio signals.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein said step of alerting comprises one of a warning message, an audible, and an email to a location on the network remote from said security camera.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein said signal is sent by said video camera on a channel including video images from said security camera.

25. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein said signal is sent on a carrier separate from a carrier having video images from said security camera. The computer readable medium according to claim 24, wherein said video images are contained in compressed digital video and audio signals.

26. The computer readable medium according to claim 25, wherein said video images are contained in compressed digital video and audio signals.

23. A computer readable medium containing software instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of:

detecting a signal from a security camera over a powerline network;

determining an operational status of said security camera based on said step of detecting;

awaiting to detect another said signal if said signal is detected; and

generating an alert if said signal is not detected.