Surveillance camera and surveillance camera system

• US 20050140783A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Akamatsu, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US11/013,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140783A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A surveillance camera that transmits image data to a remote surveillance apparatus has an image capturing portion, an infrared receiver for receiving infrared signals from an infrared beacon disposed in each room, a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from a satellite positioning system, a picture combining portion for combining current position data contained in the infrared signal or the GPS signal with pictures obtained by the image capturing portion, a transmitter for transmitting combined signal of the current position data and image data to the surveillance apparatus, a memory for storing the optimal orientation data for the surveillance camera placed in a predetermined position, and a light-emitting unit for emitting light when the surveillance camera has the optimal orientation. The surveillance camera identifies the optimal orientation when the installation position of the surveillance camera is moved between different rooms.

Claims

1. A surveillance camera configured to receive an infrared signal from an infrared beacon and transmit image data to a remote surveillance apparatus, comprising:

an image capturing portion configured to capture image and create image data;

an infrared receiver configured to receive an infrared signal containing current position data from the infrared beacon;

a picture combining portion configured to combine the current position data contained in the infrared signal with the image data created by the image capturing portion; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the combined data of the image data and the current position data to the surveillance apparatus.

2. The surveillance camera according to claim 1, further comprising

a memory configured to store at least one optimal orientation data, the optimal orientation data corresponding to predetermined position data;

an orientation sensor configured to obtain current orientation data of the surveillance camera;

a control portion operatively coupled to the memory, the orientation sensor, and the infrared receiver and configured to retrieve from the memory the optimal orientation data that corresponds to the current position data and compare the current orientation data with the retrieved optimal orientation data; and

an indicator unit operatively coupled to the control portion and configured to indicate whether the current orientation of the surveillance camera is the optimal orientation.

3. The surveillance camera according to claim 1, wherein

the control portion is further configured to assume a security mode, and control the transmitter to transmit a theft notification signal to the surveillance apparatus if the current position changes or the infrared receiver fails to receive an infrared signal from the infrared beacon while the security mode is assumed.

4. The surveillance camera according to claim 1, further comprising

a GPS receiver configured to receive a GPS signal containing current position data from a satellite positioning system,

the picture combining portion being configured to combine the current position data contained in the infrared signal or the GPS signal with the image data obtained by the image capturing portion.

5. The surveillance camera according to claim 4, wherein

the control portion is further configured to assume a security mode, and control the transmitter to transmit a theft notification signal to the surveillance apparatus if the current position changes while the security mode is assumed.

6. A surveillance camera system comprising

a plurality of infrared beacons adapted to be disposed in different rooms and configured to send an infrared signal;

a surveillance camera, including

an image capturing portion configured to capture image and create image data,

an infrared receiver configured to receive the infrared signal from the infrared beacon, the infrared signal containing current position data of the surveillance camera,

a picture combining portion configured to combine the position data contained in the infrared signal with the image data created by the image capturing portion, and

a transmitter configured to transmit the combined data of the image data and the current position data to the surveillance apparatus; and

a surveillance apparatus configured to receive the combined data of the image data and the current position data from the surveillance camera.

7. The surveillance camera system according to claim 6, wherein

the infrared receiver is further configured to send a position data request signal to the infrared beacon to request the infrared signal containing the current position data.

8. A surveillance camera configured to receive a signal from an infrared beacon and a satellite positioning system and transmit image data to a remote surveillance apparatus, comprising:

image capturing means for capturing image and creating image data;

infrared receiving means for receiving an infrared signal from the infrared beacon, the infrared signal containing current position data of the surveillance camera;

GPS receiving means for receiving a GPS signal from the satellite positioning system, the GPS signal containing current position data of the surveillance camera;

picture combining means for combining position data contained in the infrared signal or the GPS signal with the imaged data created by the image capturing means;

transmitting means for transmitting the combined data of the image data and the current position data to the surveillance apparatus;

memory means for storing at least one optimal orientation data, the optimal orientation data corresponding to predetermined position data;

an orientation sensor configured to obtain current orientation data of the surveillance camera;

control means for retrieving the optimal orientation data that corresponds to the current position data and comparing the current orientation data with the retrieved optimal orientation data; and

a light-emitting indicator unit operatively coupled to the control means and configured to indicate whether the current orientation of the surveillance camera is the optimal orientation by emitting light.