Apparatus and method for controlling display of video camera signals received over a powerline network

• US 20040155961A1
• 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:
  US10/364,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155961A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/155
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling display of a video camera signal received over a powerline network includes a powerline modem for receiving a video camera signal over a powerline network, a security controller for receiving detection signals indicative of a security breach condition, and a signal converter for converting said video camera signal to another format.

Claims

1. A an apparatus for controlling display of a video camera signal received over a powerline network comprising:

a powerline modem for receiving a video camera signal over a powerline network;

a security controller for receiving detection signals indicative of a security breach condition; and

a signal converter for converting said video camera signal to another format.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a control processor for controlling sending of said video camera signal from said signal converter in response to said security controller.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal converter comprises a television tuner.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said signal converter comprises a composite video signal processor.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said security controller comprises motion detection processing circuitry.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said security controller comprises audio detection processing circuitry.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said control processor comprises a radio frequency receiver responsive to radio signals from a remote transmitter.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said remote transmitter is a battery operated hand held device.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said control processor is operable to couple said video camera signal from said signal converter to an input of a television in response to a user command.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said control processor is operable to couple said video camera signal from said signal converter to a picture-in-picture input of a television in response to said security controller.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said control processor is operable to couple said video camera signal from said signal converter to a picture-in-picture input of a television in response to a user command.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said video camera signal comprises compressed digital video and audio signals.

13. An apparatus for integrating with a television for controlling display of a video camera signal received over a powerline network comprising:

a powerline modem for receiving a video camera signal over a powerline network; and

a signal converter for converting said video camera signal to a format suitable for a television input.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising a security controller configured for receiving and processing detection signals indicative of a security breach condition.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said video camera signal is displayed by said television in response to a user command transmitted to said television.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said camera signal is displayed by said television as a picture-in-picture in response to a user command transmitted to said television.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said video camera signal is automatically displayed by said television in response to a security breach detection.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said video camera signal comprises compressed digital video and audio signals

19. A method for controlling a security camera signal comprising the steps of:

receiving a security camera signal over a powerline network;

detecting a security condition; and

changing said security camera signal into a form for a display device.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of displaying said security camera signal in said form for a display device.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said step of displaying comprises an automatic displaying responsive to said step of detecting.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said step of displaying is initiated by a user.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of changing comprises use of a television tuner.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of changing comprises a composite video signal processor.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein said step of displaying comprises displaying said security camera signal in said form for a display device a picture in a picture of a television display.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein said step of detecting comprises motion detection of an area.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein said security camera signal comprises compressed digital video and audio signals.

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

receiving security information from a security camera over a powerline network; and

enabling display of security images received from said security camera in response to said receiving of said security information.

29. The computer readable medium according to claim 28, wherein said security information is contained in compressed digital video and audio signals.