Compound dome window for a surveillance camera

• US 20060024046A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Security Systems Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bosch Security Systems Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Jones, Theodore L., Wright, Richard R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/427
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19632 Camera support structures, e.g. attachment means, poles

Abstract

A surveillance camera assembly includes a dome window having a substantially cylindrical section with an inner surface and a first annular end. A substantially hemispherical section has a concave surface and a second annular end. The second annular end is joined to the first annular end of the substantially cylindrical section. The concave surface and the inner surface of the substantially cylindrical section conjointly define a cavity. Both the substantially cylindrical section and the substantially hemispherical section are substantially transparent when viewing outwardly from a position within the cavity. A surveillance camera is received in the cavity of the dome window and swivels relative to the dome window.

Claims

1. A surveillance camera assembly, comprising:

a dome window including;

a substantially cylindrical section having an inner surface and a first annular end; and

a substantially hemispherical section having a concave surface and a second annular end, said second annular end being joined to said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section, said concave surface and said inner surface of said substantially cylindrical section conjointly defining a cavity, both said substantially cylindrical section and said substantially hemispherical section being substantially transparent when viewing outwardly from a position within said cavity; and

a surveillance camera received in the cavity of said dome window and configured to swivel relative to said dome window.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera includes an objective lens, said camera being configured to swivel about both a tilt axis and a pan axis, the pan axis being substantially perpendicular to the tilt axis, a distance between said objective lens and said concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window being independent of the swiveling about the tilt axis and the pan axis.

3. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera is configured to swivel about both a tilt axis and a pan axis having an intersection with the tilt axis, the intersection being substantially equidistant from substantially all points on the concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window.

4. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera is configured to swivel about both a tilt axis and a pan axis, the pan axis being substantially perpendicular to the tilt axis, a line of sight of said camera remaining substantially normal to said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window at an intersection of the line of sight and said substantially hemispherical section throughout the swiveling about the tilt axis and the pan axis.

5. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window comprises a frusto-conical section, said frusto-conical section defining a longitudinal axis, said frusto-conical section being oriented at an angle approximately between 0°

and 5°

relative to the longitudinal axis.

6. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section has a first inner diameter that is greater than a second inner diameter of said second annular end of said substantially hemispherical section.

7. The camera assembly of claim 6 wherein said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section has a first outer diameter that is greater than a second outer diameter of said second annular end of said substantially hemispherical section.

8. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said camera is mountable within said dome window.

9. The camera assembly of claim 1 further comprising a mounting apparatus, said camera being mounted to said mounting apparatus.

10. The camera assembly of claim 9 wherein said dome window is coupled to said mounting apparatus.

11. The camera assembly of claim 10 wherein said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window defines a longitudinal direction, said mounting apparatus including a plurality of fins arranged around a perimeter of said substantially cylindrical section, each of said fins being oriented radially and parallel relative to the longitudinal direction.

12. The camera assembly of claim 9 wherein said dome window includes a flange coupled to said mounting apparatus.

13. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said substantially cylindrical section defines a longitudinal direction, said camera including an objective lens, a tilt axis of said camera being offset from a geometric center of said substantially hemispherical section by a distance equal to approximately one-half of a diameter of said objective lens.

14. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein said dome window is unitary.

15. The camera assembly of claim 1 further comprising a covert liner disposed adjacent said inner surface of said substantially cylindrical section and said concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window, said covert liner including a substantially hemispherical section associated with said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window, said covert liner also including a substantially cylindrical section associated with said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window.

16. The camera assembly of claim 15 wherein said covert liner includes a throughslot having a variable width in said substantially cylindrical section of said covert liner.

17. A surveillance camera assembly, comprising:

a dome window including;

a substantially cylindrical section having an inner surface and a first annular end; and

a substantially hemispherical section having a concave surface and a second annular end, said second annular end being joined to said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section, said concave surface and said inner surface of said substantially cylindrical section conjointly defining a cavity, both said substantially cylindrical section and said substantially hemispherical section being substantially transparent when viewing outwardly from a position within said cavity; and

a surveillance camera received in the cavity of said dome window, said camera being configured to swivel about a tilt axis, the tilt axis being substantially coplanar with said second annular end of said hemispherical section of said dome window.

18. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said camera includes an objective lens, said camera being configured to swivel about a pan axis substantially perpendicular to the tilt axis, a distance between said objective lens and said concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window being independent of the swiveling about the tilt axis and the pan axis.

19. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said camera is configured to swivel about a pan axis having an intersection with the tilt axis, the intersection being substantially equidistant from substantially all points on the concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window.

20. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said camera is configured to swivel about a pan axis substantially perpendicular to the tilt axis, a line of sight of said camera remaining substantially normal to said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window at an intersection of the line of sight and said substantially hemispherical section throughout the swiveling about the tilt axis and the pan axis.

21. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window comprises a frusto-conical section, said frusto-conical section defining a longitudinal axis, said frusto-conical section being oriented at an angle approximately between 0°

and 5°

relative to the longitudinal axis.

22. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section has a first inner diameter that is greater than a second inner diameter of said second annular end of said substantially hemispherical section.

23. The camera assembly of claim 22 wherein said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section has a first outer diameter that is greater than a second outer diameter of said second annular end of said substantially hemispherical section.

24. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said camera is mountable within said dome window.

25. The camera assembly of claim 17 further comprising a mounting apparatus, said camera being mounted to said mounting apparatus.

26. The camera assembly of claim 25 wherein said dome window is coupled to said mounting apparatus.

27. The camera assembly of claim 26 wherein said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window defines a longitudinal direction, said mounting apparatus including a plurality of fins arranged around a perimeter of said substantially cylindrical section, each of said fins being oriented radially and parallel relative to the longitudinal direction.

28. The camera assembly of claim 25 wherein said dome window includes a flange coupled to said mounting apparatus.

29. The camera assembly of claim 17 wherein said dome window is unitary.

30. A surveillance camera assembly, comprising:

a dome window including;

a substantially cylindrical section having a first annular end; and

a substantially hemispherical section having a second annular end, said second annular end being joined to said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section, an inner annular line of demarcation being defined on an inner surface of said dome window between said substantially cylindrical section and said substantially hemispherical section, an outer annular line of demarcation being defined on an outer surface of said dome window between said substantially cylindrical section and said substantially hemispherical section, both said substantially cylindrical section and said substantially hemispherical section being substantially transparent when viewing outwardly in a direction from said inner surface of said dome window to said outer surface of said dome window; and

a surveillance camera received in said dome window, said camera being configured to swivel about a tilt axis such that a line of sight of said camera may be aligned with a first point on the inner annular line of demarcation and a second point on the outer annular line of demarcation of said dome window.

31. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein the tilt axis of said camera is substantially coplanar with the inner annular line of demarcation and the outer annular line of demarcation of said dome window.

32. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said camera includes an objective lens, said camera being configured to swivel about a pan axis substantially perpendicular to the tilt axis, a distance between said objective lens and said concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window being independent of the swiveling about the tilt axis and the pan axis.

33. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said camera is configured to swivel about a pan axis having an intersection with the tilt axis, the intersection being substantially equidistant from substantially all points on the concave surface of said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window.

34. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said dome window is unitary.

35. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said camera is configured to swivel about a pan axis substantially perpendicular to the tilt axis, a line of sight of said camera remaining substantially normal to said substantially hemispherical section of said dome window at an intersection of the line of sight and said substantially hemispherical section throughout the swiveling about the tilt axis and the pan axis.

36. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window comprises a frusto-conical section, said frusto-conical section defining a longitudinal axis, said frusto-conical section being oriented at an angle approximately between 0°

and 5°

relative to the longitudinal axis.

37. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section has a first inner diameter that is greater than a second inner diameter of said second annular end of said substantially hemispherical section.

38. The camera assembly of claim 37 wherein said first annular end of said substantially cylindrical section has a first outer diameter that is greater than a second outer diameter of said second annular end of said substantially hemispherical section.

39. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said camera is mountable within said dome window.

40. The camera assembly of claim 30 further comprising a mounting apparatus, said camera being mounted to said mounting apparatus.

41. The camera assembly of claim 40 wherein said dome window is coupled to said mounting apparatus.

42. The camera assembly of claim 41 wherein said substantially cylindrical section of said dome window defines a longitudinal direction, said mounting apparatus including a plurality of fins arranged around a perimeter of said substantially cylindrical section, each of said fins being oriented radially and parallel relative to the longitudinal direction.

43. The camera assembly of claim 40 wherein said dome window includes a flange coupled to said mounting apparatus.

44. The camera assembly of claim 30 wherein said substantially cylindrical section defines a longitudinal direction, said camera including an objective lens, the tilt axis of said camera being offset from a geometric center of said substantially hemispherical section by a distance equal to approximately one-half of a diameter of said objective lens.