Home system and method for sending and displaying digital images

• US 20050262519A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: McManus, Michael L., Luebke, Charles J., Sabo, Russ C., Sabram, William C., Ballay, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19636 pertaining to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0469 Presence detectors to detect unsafe condition, e.g. infrared sensor, microphone G08B21/0476 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0484 Arrangements monitoring consumption of a utility or use of an appliance which consumes a utility to detect unsafe condition, e.g. metering of water, gas or electricity, use of taps, toilet flush, gas stove or electric kettle

Abstract

A home wellness system includes a base station having a wireless communication port, a telephone communication port and a memory with a plurality of digital images. The system also includes a plurality of network devices, with at least one of the network devices having a sensor adapted to detect an event, and a wireless communication port adapted to send the detected event to the wireless communication port of the base station. Another device, such as a cellular telephone, includes a telephone communication port and a display. The telephone communication port of the base station is adapted to send one of the digital images to the telephone communication port of the cellular telephone responsive to receipt of the detected event at the wireless communication port of the base station. The cellular telephone is adapted to responsively display the one of the digital images on the display thereof.

Claims

1. A system for a structure, said system for a structure comprising:

a server including a first communication port, a second communication port and a memory having at least one digital image;

a plurality of first devices, at least one of said first devices comprising a sensor adapted to detect an event, and a first communication port adapted to send the detected event to the first communication port of said server; and

a second device including a second communication port and a display,

wherein the second communication port of said server is adapted to send one of said at least one digital image to the second communication port of said second device responsive to receipt of said detected event at the first communication port of said server, and

wherein said second device is adapted to display said one of said at least one digital image on said display responsive to receipt thereof at the second communication port of said second device.

2. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said second device is a cellular telephone;

and wherein said second communication port of said second device is an antenna.

3. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said second device is a client device;

and wherein said second communication port of said second device is a global communication network port.

4. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said one of said at least one digital image is a predetermined digital image in the memory of said server;

and wherein said server is adapted to receive a message from said at least one of said first devices as said detected event and to associate said message with said predetermined digital image.

5. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said server is adapted to receive a message and a corresponding digital image from said at least one of said first devices at the first communication port of said server, and to store said corresponding digital image as said one of said at least one digital image in the memory of said server.

6. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said second device is adapted to send a request message from the second communication port thereof to the second communication port of said server;

wherein said server is adapted to receive said request message from the second communication port thereof and to send another request message to the first communication port of said at least one of said first devices;

wherein said at least one of said first devices is a digital camera device comprising said sensor, which is adapted to detect receipt of said another request message as said event, a digital camera adapted to create a corresponding digital image responsive to said event, and said first communication port of said at least one of said first devices being adapted to send said corresponding digital image as said detected event to the first communication port of said server;

wherein said server is adapted to stored said corresponding digital image in the memory of said server and to send said corresponding digital image from the second communication port thereof to the second communication port of said second device; and

wherein said second device is adapted to display said corresponding digital image on said display responsive to receipt thereof at the second communication port of said second device.

7. The system for a structure of claim 6 wherein said second device is adapted to send a plurality of request messages from the second communication port thereof to the second communication port of said server;

and wherein said second device is further adapted to display a plurality of corresponding digital images on said display responsive to receipt thereof at the second communication port of said second device.

8. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said server includes an integral digital camera adapted to create said at least one digital image in the memory of said server.

9. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said server includes an interface adapted to communicate with a digital camera, receive said at least one digital image from said digital camera, and store said at least one digital image from said digital camera in the memory of said server.

10. The system for a structure of claim 9 wherein said interface is adapted to temporarily engage said digital camera.

11. The system for a structure of claim 9 wherein said digital camera includes a wireless port;

and wherein said interface is adapted to communicate with the wireless port of said digital camera.

12. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said one of said at least one digital image is a predetermined digital image in the memory of said server prior to receipt of said detected event at the first communication port of said server.

13. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said one of said at least one digital image is communicated to the first communication port of said server with said detected event.

14. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein the sensor of said at least one of said first devices is a motion detector adapted to detect motion as said event.

15. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said first devices further includes a digital camera operatively associated with said sensor;

wherein said sensor is adapted to detect said event and responsively trigger said digital camera; and

wherein said digital camera, responsive to said trigger, is adapted to create a digital image and communicate said created digital image to the first communication port of said server with said detected event.

16. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein another one of said first devices is a digital camera including a corresponding first communication port;

wherein said sensor is adapted to detect said event and responsively send the detected event to the first communication port of said server;

wherein said server is adapted to receive said detected event and send a snapshot request to the corresponding first communication port of said digital camera; and

wherein said digital camera, responsive to receiving said snapshot request, is adapted to create a digital image and communicate said created digital image to the first communication port of said server.

17. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said sensor is a first sensor;

wherein said event is a first event;

wherein said digital image is a first digital image;

wherein another one of said first devices is a second sensor including a corresponding first communication port;

wherein a further one of said first devices is a digital camera including a corresponding first communication port;

wherein said second sensor is adapted to detect a second event and responsively send the detected second event to the first communication port of said server;

wherein said server is adapted to receive said detected second event and send a snapshot request to the corresponding first communication port of said digital camera; and

wherein said digital camera, responsive to receiving said snapshot request, is adapted to create a second digital image and communicate said created digital image to the first communication port of said server.

18. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said first devices further includes a plurality of digital cameras operatively associated with said sensor;

wherein said sensor is adapted to detect said event and responsively trigger said digital cameras;

wherein each of said digital cameras, responsive to said trigger, is adapted to create a corresponding digital image and to communicate said corresponding digital image to the first communication port of said server; and

wherein said server is adapted to receive each of said corresponding digital images at the first communication port of said server, and to store said corresponding digital images in the memory of said server.

19. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein some of said devices include a plurality of sensors, each one of said sensors sensing information and including a corresponding communication port, which sends said sensed information to the first communication port of said server.

20. The system for a structure of claim 19 wherein one of said devices is a portable fob including a corresponding communication port and a display;

and wherein said server is adapted to send said sensed information for at least one of said sensors from the first communication port of said server to the corresponding communication port of said portable fob, said portable fob being adapted to display said sensed information for at least one of said sensors at the display of said portable fob.

21. A method of displaying a digital image responsive to an event of a system for a structure, said method comprising:

employing a server including a memory having at least one digital image;

employing a plurality of first devices associated with said server;

detecting an event at one of said first devices and sending the detected event to said server;

responsively sending one of said at least one digital image to a second device; and

responsively displaying said one of said at least one digital image on a display of said second device, in order to represent said detected event.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising

employing as said at least one digital image a predetermined digital image in the memory of said server;

and

receiving a message from one of said first devices as said detecting an event and associating said received message with said predetermined digital image.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising

employing as one of said first devices a digital camera;

employing a sensor operatively associated with said digital camera;

detecting said event with said sensor and responsively triggering said digital camera to create a digital image; and

communicating said created digital image to said server with said detected event.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising

employing as one of said first devices a digital camera including a communication port;

employing as another one of said first devices a sensor including a communication port;

detecting said event with said sensor and responsively sending the detected event from the communication port of said sensor to said server;

receiving said detected event at said server and responsively sending a snapshot request to the communication port of said digital camera;

receiving the snapshot request at the communication port of said digital camera and responsively creating a digital image; and

sending said created digital image from the communication port of said digital camera to said server.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising

employing as another one of said first devices another digital camera including a communication port;

sending another snapshot request to the communication port of said another digital camera;

receiving the snapshot request at the communication port of said another digital camera and responsively creating another digital image; and

sending said created another digital image from the communication port of said another digital camera to said server.