Systems, devices, and methods for providing high-resolution, live, real-time video signal data and other data using low frequency bandwidth

• US 20060075450A1
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maintenance Monitoring Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maintenance Monitoring Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Haas, David, Kucsan, Richard, Greaser, Douglas R., Ball, Thomas C.
• Application Number:
  US10/960,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075450A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/121
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for providing data, especially video signal data, to a remote location using low frequency bandwidths is disclosed. Transmission of low frequency bandwidths from a transmitting unit to a receiving unit located up to about 15 miles line-of-sight is possible. Adding one or more bridge antennas between the transmitting and receiving units can increase the transmission distance to hundreds of miles line-of-sight. At the receiving unit, data is retransmitted to a facility network for display and/or storage. Control of data generating devices can also be controlled remotely from the remote location or to Internet uses wherever they may be.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting data to one or more remote locations using low frequency bandwidth transmissions, the system comprising:

one or more transmitting units, each of the one or more transmitting units comprising;

a transceiver for processing data provided from one or more data generating devices, wherein the transceiver transmits said data using a low frequency bandwidth; and

one or more remote receiving devices for processing transmitted data received from the one or more transmitting units, wherein said one or more remote receiving devices re-transmits said data to a facility network.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the low frequency bandwidth is between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 1 Terra-hertz ISM.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the low frequency bandwidth is between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 5.8 Giga-hertz ISM.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitting units is a mobile transmitting unit that further comprises a mobile video carrier to transport the transceiver and one or more data generating devices to a particular location.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitting units further comprises one or more data generating devices that provide at least one of audio data, video data or text data to the transceiver.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitting units of the system further includes an antenna that is in communication with the transceiver.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the antenna is an omnidirectional antenna or a focused, directional antenna and said antenna is capable of transmitting data and receiving signals at a range of about 15 miles (line-of-sight).

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the system further comprises one of more bridge antennas, when a distance between the antenna and the one or more remote receiving devices exceeds about 15 miles or when there is not 15 miles line-of-sight,

wherein each of the one or more bridge antennas has a line-of-sight communication with said one or more remote receiving devices or another of said one or more bridge antennas.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitting units of the system further includes a controller that is in communication with the transceiver and one or more data generating devices to enable communication of data to said one or more remote receiving devices and to control one or more of said data generating devices.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more remote receiving devices comprises a main antenna, a base unit, and a facility network connection.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the facility network connection provides an access or a gateway to one or more of the Internet, an intranet, a wide area network, a local area network, a public switched telephone network, a cellular communication network, a digital pager, or a wireless communication network.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein processing by the one or more remote receiving devices includes decoding and decompressing data received from the transceiver.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more remote receiving devices re-transmit data for display on a display device that is in communication with the facility network.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more remote receiving devices re-transmit data for storage in memory.

15. A system for transmitting data to one or more remote locations using low frequency bandwidth transmissions, the system comprising:

one or more video units, each of the one or more video units comprising;

a transceiver for processing video signal data, wherein the transceiver transmits said video signal data using a low frequency bandwidth; and

one or more remote receiving devices for processing the transmitted video signal data received from the one or more video units, wherein said one or more remote receiving devices re-transmits the processed video signal data to a facility network.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the low frequency bandwidth is between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 1 Terra-hertz ISM.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the low frequency bandwidth is between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 5.8 Giga-hertz ISM.

18. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more video units is a mobile video unit that further comprises a mobile video carrier to transport the transceiver and one or more video recording devices to a particular location.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more video units further comprise one or more video recording devices that provide continuous, live, real-time video signal data.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more video recording devices comprises a video camera having at least a 16×

zoom feature, at least a 340-degree pan feature, and at least a 100-degree tilt feature.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the zoom-, pan- and tilt features are controllable locally or remotely.

22. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more video recording devices includes one or more closed-circuit cameras, night vision devices or infrared cameras.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein each of the one or more closed-circuit cameras, night vision devices or infrared cameras provides video signal data to the transceiver through an NTSC connection.

24. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein each of the one or more video recording devices is enclosed in an environment control chamber to regulate and optimize operating conditions of said one or more video recording devices.

25. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein each of the one or more video recording devices is powered by a power source.

26. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the power source is selected from a group consisting of a DC power source to a mobile video carrier, a 12-volt DC battery, a fuel cell, a solar cell, a wind generator, and any combination thereof.

27. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more video recording device is structured and arranged with a motion sensor that actives said one or more video recording device upon detection of any movement.

28. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more video recording device is structured and arranged to provide video signal data at a rate of between about 15 frames per second and about 30 frames per second.

29. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein processing video signal data by the transceiver includes encoding and compressing video signal data received by said transceiver from one or more video recording devices.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein encoding includes a 128-bit encryption scheme or a wireless-fidelity, WEP security layer.

31. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the transceiver can receive and process video signal data from a plurality of video recording devices.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the transceiver can receive and process video signal data from up to five video recording devices.

33. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the transceiver is in communication with an analog/digital converter to convert analog video signal data to digital IP format video signal data.

34. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more video units further includes an antenna, which is in communication with the transceiver.

35. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein the antenna is an omnidirectional antenna or a focused, directional antenna and said antenna is capable of transmitting video signal data and receiving signals at a range of about 15 miles (line-of-sight).

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein, the system further comprises one of more bridge antennas, when a distance between the antenna and the one or more remote receiving devices exceeds about 15 miles or when there is not 15 miles line-of-sight,

wherein each of the one or more bridge antennas is structured and arranged to provide line-of-sight communication with said one or more remote receiving devices or another of said one or more bridge antennas.

37. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the antenna is capable of transmitting video signal data to the one or more remote receiving devices through the one or more bridge antennas for a distance of about (n+1) times 15 miles (line-of-sight), where n is the number of bridge antennas.

38. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more video units further includes a controller that is in communication with the transceiver and one or more data video recording to control the positioning and orientation of said one or more video recording devices and to enable communication of video signal data to the remote receiving devices.

39. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more video units comprises a global plotting system signal generator to provide precise location data about said one or more video units.

40. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more remote receiving devices comprises a main antenna, a base unit, and a facility network connection.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the base unit is located within about 50 feet of the main antenna and no more than about 400 feet from the facility network connection.

42. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said one or more remote receiving devices can receive video signal data from a plurality of transceivers.

43. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein each of said one or more remote receiving devices can receive video signal data from about 64 transceivers.

44. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the facility network connection provides an access or a gateway to one or more of the Internet, an intranet, a wide area network, a local area network, a public switched telephone network, a cellular communication network, a digital pager, or a wireless communication network.

45. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein processing by the one or more remote receiving devices includes decoding and decompressing video signal data received from the transceiver.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein decoding includes a 128-bit encryption scheme or a wireless-fidelity, WEP security layer.

47. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the system further comprises a system controller that is structured and arranged to enable authorized users to access the system from a remote location.

48. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the system further comprises a system controller that is structured and arranged to enable restricted access users to access the system and to control the positioning and orientation of the one or more video recording devices from a remote location.

49. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more remote receiving devices re-transmit video signal data for display on a display device that is in communication with the facility network.

50. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more remote receiving devices re-transmit video signal data for storage in memory.

51. A method for transmitting data to one or more remote locations using low frequency transmissions, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a network having one or more transmitting units, and one or more receiving units, wherein each of the one or more transmitting units receives data from one or more data generating devices;

processing the data received from the one or more data generating devices;

transmitting the processed data to the one or more receiving units;

processing the transmitted data;

transmitting the processed data to a facility network; and

displaying the data on a display device in communication with the facility network to one or more authorized users.

52. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein data are transmitted at a low frequency bandwidth between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 1 Terra-hertz ISM.

53. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the data are transmitted at a low frequency bandwidth between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 5.8 Giga-hertz ISM.

54. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the step of processing the data includes the sub-steps of encoding and compressing the data.

55. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the step of transmitting the processed data includes providing a line-of-sight transmission between at least one of the one or more transmitting units and at least one of the one or more receiving units.

56. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein a distance between said at least one of the one or more transmitting units and said at least one of the one or more receiving units does not exceed about 15 miles.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing one or more bridge antennas that singly or in combination provide a line-of-sight with said one or more bridge antennas to relay the transmission to said one or more receiving unit when there is no line-of-sight between each of the one or more transmitting units and each of the one or more receiving units or when the distance between each of the one or more transmitting units and each of the one or more receiving units exceeds about 15 miles.

58. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the step of processing the transmitted data includes the sub-steps of decompressing and decoding the data.

59. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein the step of transmitting the processed data to a facility network includes the sub-step of providing an access or a gateway to one or more of the Internet, an intranet, a wide area network, a local area network, a public switched telephone network, a cellular communication network, a digital pager, or a wireless communication network.

60. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the step of displaying the data to one or more authorized users further includes the step of authenticating that a user is an authorized user.

61. A method for transmitting video signal data to one or more remote locations using low frequency transmissions, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a network having one or more transmitting units, and one or more receiving units, wherein each of the one or more transmitting units receives data from one or more video recording devices;

processing the data received from the one or more video recording devices;

transmitting the processed data to the one or more receiving units;

processing the transmitted data;

transmitting the processed data to a facility network; and

displaying the video signal data on a display device in communication with the facility network to one or more authorized users.

62. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the video signal data are transmitted at a low frequency bandwidth between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 1 Terra-hertz ISM.

63. The method as recited in claim 62, wherein the video signal data are transmitted at a low frequency bandwidth between about 2.4 Giga-hertz and about 5.8 Giga-hertz ISM.

64. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the step of processing the video signal date includes the sub-steps of encoding and compressing the video signal data.

65. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the step of transmitting the processed video signal data includes providing a line-of-sight transmission between at least one of the one or more transmitting units and at least one of the one or more receiving units.

66. The method as recited in claim 65, wherein a distance between said at least one of the one or more transmitting units and said at least one of the one or more receiving units does not exceed about 15 miles.

67. The method as recited in claim 66, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing one or more bridge antennas that singly or in combination provide a line-of-sight with said one or more bridge antennas to relay the transmission to said one or more receiving unit when there is no line-of-sight between each of the one or more transmitting units and each of the one or more receiving units or when the distance between each of the one or more transmitting units and each of the one or more receiving units exceeds about 15 miles.

68. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the step of processing the transmitted video signal data includes the sub-steps of decompressing and decoding the video signal data.

69. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the step of transmitting the processed video signal data to a facility network includes the sub-step of providing an access or a gateway to one or more of the Internet, an intranet, a wide area network, a local area network, a public switched telephone network, a cellular communication network, a digital pager, or a wireless communication network.

70. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing remote control of one or more video recording devices to a restricted access user.

71. The method as recited in claim 70, wherein the step of providing remote control of one or more video recording devices to a restricted access user further includes the step of authenticating that a user is a restricted access user.

72. The method as recited in claim 71, wherein the step of authenticating that a user is a restricted access includes using an interface and security algorithm to establish that the user is a restricted access user.

73. The method as recited in claim 71, wherein the step of displaying the video signal data to one or more authorized users further includes the step of authenticating that a user is an authorized user.

74. The method as recited in claim 73, wherein the step of authenticating that a user is an authorized user includes using an interface and security algorithm to establish that the user is an authorized user.