Automated audio video messaging and answering system

• US 20050285934A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SB IP Holdings LLC (Skybell Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Revolutionary Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Carter, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

The invention is an audio-video communication and answering system, where system'"'"'s properties make it particularly suitable as a Digital Video Messaging System for, amongst other things, answering the door. The elements of the system are a DVMS outside module that is a wireless pocket PC with a proximity sensing, a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad; a computerized controller that is a personal computer with components for plaving and recording video and audio media; a DVMS inside module having a screen, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad; a wireless mode; and a DVMS database application with a graphic user interface. The computerized controller is in communication with a public switching telephone network enabling communication with remote peripheral devices, such as a cell phone, PDA, or computer. The system is based on the Microsoft Windows® Mobile 802.11b to coordinate communication between elements. The database application coordinates responses to prompts and events. The proximity sensor activates the system when the sensor detects the visitor'"'"'s presence. This then starts a series of prompts and interaction prescribed by the application. The system includes an electrically actuated lock that can be actuated through a code entry or remotely. The system enables a visitor to communicate with an occupant either offsite or onsite, where the visitor never knows the occupant'"'"'s location, unless the occupant discloses his location.

Claims

1. An audio-video communication and answering system that enables digital video messaging, said system comprising:

a) at least one wireless DVMS outside module having a means for proximity sensing, a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad;

b) a computerized controller, wherein the computerized controller has components for playing and recording video and audio media;

c) at least one wireless DVMS inside module having a screen, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad

wherein the DVMS database application is a graphic user interface that enables the coordination of multiple communication devices and user defined responses to prompts and events.

2. The audio-video communication and answering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DVMS outside module is a pocket PC.

3. The audio-video communication and answering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system is further comprised of an electronic connection to the public switching telephone network.

4. The audio-video communication and answering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the DVMS outside module keypad is a touch screen.

5. The audio-video communication and answering system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the DVMS outside module is portable, has a locking mechanism, and an electrical receptacle for quickly attaching to a source of electricity.

6. The audio-video communication and answering system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the portable DVMS outside module has a portable energy source and is secured in a holster.

7. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 1, wherein the system is a wireless network operating on the 802.11b standard wireless digital platform.

8. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 7, wherein the computerized controller is a personal computer.

9. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 3, wherein the system is connected to a digital communication channel selected from the group consisting of DSL, satellite, cable, wireless, and a combination thereof, where the digital communication channel can periodically be connected to the Internet, the Grid, satellite systems, and other information sharing systems.

10. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 9, wherein said system is further comprised of remote peripheral devices selected from the group consisting of cell phones, telephones, video-cell phones, computers, personal digital assistants, video-personal digital assistants, satellite telephones, transceivers, pagers, and other digital communication devices.

11. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 10, wherein the system is further comprised of an electronically actuated lock, which can be unlocked by the computerized controller.

12. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 11, wherein the system is further comprised of a voice-generation apparatus.

13. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 12, wherein the system is further comprised of a battery backup.

14. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 13, wherein the system is further comprised of a means to detect a loss in electrical power, and to send a message to at least one remote peripheral device that there has been a loss of electrical power.

15. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 14, wherein the graphic user interface DVMS database application has at least one declared occupant and an administrator in the database, wherein the administrator can be a declared occupant, wherein a declared occupant is a named individual who, at the discretion of the administrator, has privileges to actuate the lock by entering an access code into the DVMS outside module.

16. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 15, wherein the administrator inputs control settings into the database, wherein control settings at least include the telephone numbers that are to be called when there is a loss of power;

a list of declared occupants;

alias names of declared occupants;

one or more telephone numbers and messages addresses for the declared occupant;

emergency numbers that are to be automatically called, such as the police, the fire department, relatives, private security companies;

passwords for access to the database;

privilege levels of the declared occupants, access codes for actuating the lock;

the maximum number of wrong access code entries, before access is denied and the administrator or his designated representative is notified;

either a default or a customized prompt for greeting a visitor;

an announcement that is to be given over the speaker when a visitor arrives;

a prompt for requesting information from a visitor;

a request instructing a visitor as to their choices in leaving a message, or contacting the declared occupant;

the action that is to be initiated by the system based on the input by the visitor;

selection background music or videos that are to be played at a particular time and date;

the level of security that the system is to operate under;

the hierarchy of storage of audio and video data;

location and number of backup devices and replications of the database;

the number and network designation of the DVMS modules and DVMS transceivers; and

a log of self-checks to confirm that all the components of the system are operational.

17. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 16, further comprising a voice recognition system.

18. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 7, wherein the DVMS inside module is a pocket PC.

19. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 8, wherein the personal computer has a video camera.

20. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 8, wherein the personal computer controls at least one additional storage device selected from the group consisting of a CD-ROM R/W, a DVD R/W, a camera card, a tape drive, and a hard drive.

21. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 15, wherein a communication interface is further provided for communicating with an alarm at a remote location to signal that there has bee a security breach of the lock.

22. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 12, wherein the voice generation apparatus is a voice synthesizer.

23. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 11, wherein the system is further comprised of a voice recognition module.

24. An audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 11, wherein the system is further comprised of an image recognition module.

30. The audio-video communication and answering system according to claim 1, wherein an administrator or a declared occupant of the system can at any time turn on the camera(s) and view the image(s), access the recorded video images, or post a video image from his remote peripheral device to the video recorder component.

25. A method for audio-video greeting and communicating with visitors at a business or residence, wherein said method utilizes at least one DVMS outside module having a means for proximity sensing, a video camera, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad;

a computerized controller, wherein the computerized controller has components for playing and recording video and audio media;

at least one wireless DVMS inside module having a screen, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad;

at least one wireless DVMS inside module having a screen, a microphone, a speaker, a digital transmitter, a digital receiver, and a keypad;

a means for wireless networking, wherein said wireless networking means facilitates digital communication amongst the DVMS outside module, the DVMS inside module, and the computerized controller; and

a DVMS database application;

said method comprising;

a) detecting the presence of a visitor via the proximity sensing means of the DVMS outside module, where the DVMS outside module is mounted at or near an entrance to the business or residence, wherein upon detection the computerized controller is signaled that a visitor is present;

b) actuating the components for playing and recording video and audio media, and saving a recording in a location in the database with a beginning time-stamp;

c) broadcasting over the wireless networking means that a visitor is present;

d) issuing a greeting to the visitor, and asking the visitor to designate whom they wish to visit by entering a number;

e) using the keypad entering the corresponding number, where the number can optionally be confidential or displayed in a list;

f) transmitting the entered number from the DVMS outside module keypad to the GUI database application;

g) checking the number against the database to see if the occupant “

y”

is “

officially”

present, or the occupant is “

officially”

not present, or no individual corresponds to the number entered, or the door is answered, wherein at any time if an occupant is present he can elect to either monitor the visitor or communicate via the computerized controller or a DVMS transceiver;

h) if appropriate, counting the number of times the wrong number has been entered, and if the number is the maximum number, then issuing a statement to please come by at another time;

i) if appropriate, notifying the visitor that no one corresponds to that number, then asking the visitor to select by a number using the keypad designating who they wish to visit, and re-listing the choices, and then going to step (e);

j) if appropriate, broadcasting that the visitor is here to see occupant “

y”

, wherein occupant “

y”

can signal the computerized controller to take a message, or occupant “

y”

can use the DVMS inside module to speak directly with the visitor, or occupant “

y”

can answer the door;

k) if appropriate, issuing a prompt stating that occupant “

y”

is not available and asking the visitor if they wish to talk to occupant “

y”

or to leave a message;

l) if appropriate, initiating a call to occupant “

y”

;

m) if appropriate, asking the visitor to begin his message and then optionally offering him a chance to review and approve his message;

n) attaching a message beginning with a timestamp and an occupant mailbox designation in the database;

o) time stamping the end of message;

p) if appropriate, issuing a closing statement;

q) when the visitor has finished his message and is out of the range of the proximity sensing means, stopping all recording and time stamping the end of the record, wherein the occupant “

y”

can, remotely or locally, selectively sort and view the entire recorded visit or just the message; and

r) if appropriate, if the proximity sensor indicates that there is still a visitor going to step (b).

26. A method for audio-video greeting and communicating with visitors of a business or residence according to claim 25, wherein said method further utilizes an electronically actuated lock, said method further comprising:

e.1) upon a visitor entering an access code into the DVMS outside module, checking the database to confirm that the access code is correct and actuating the lock, or if incorrect;

e.2) prompting the visitor to re-enter the code, or if assistance is needed entering a number that corresponds to one of the occupants;

e.3) if appropriate going to step (e.1);

or going to step (g).

27. A method for audio-video greeting and communicating with visitors of a business or residence according to claim 26, said method further comprising:

e.4) upon entrance of the visitor entering an access code into the DVMS outside module that corresponds to the access code assigned to a declared occupant, notifying the administrator or his representative that the declared occupant has now entered the premises the business or residence.

28. A method for audio-video greeting and communicating with visitors of a business or residence according to claim 26, wherein the administrator or his representatives can remotely monitor or review the visitor entering the access code.

29. A method for audio-video greeting and communicating with visitors of a business or residence according to claim 26, wherein a maximum number of wrong entries of the access code automatically actuates a call to the administrator or his representatives, and/or shuts down access to the premises.