Indoor apparatus of intercom system and method for controlling indoor apparatus

• US 20070064105A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morita, Tomohiro, Tanaka, Takeshi, Ohshima, Tomohiro, Yamamoto, Naotako
• Application Number:
  US11/472,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064105A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

An intercom apparatus of the present invention includes a display that displays an image captured by an outdoor apparatus having a camera; a database that stores an image of a person and history information of the person; an image authentication unit that compares the image captured by the outdoor apparatus with the image stored in the database; and a controller. When the image authentication unit has compared the image captured by the outdoor apparatus with the image stored in the database and determined that the images are of a same person, the controller displays, on the display, history information corresponding to the image that has been determined to be of the same person and the image captured by the outdoor apparatus.

Claims

1. An indoor apparatus connected to an outdoor apparatus for an intercom system, the indoor apparatus comprising:

a display that displays an image captured by the outdoor unit, the outdoor unit including a camera;

a memory that stores an image of a person and history information related to the person;

an image comparer that compares the image captured by the outdoor unit with the image of the person stored in the memory; and

a controller that, when the image comparer determines that the image captured by the outdoor apparatus is substantially equal to the image of the person stored in the memory, displays, on the display, the captured image and the history information related to the person.

2. The indoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the image comparer determines that the images are not substantially equal the controller displays, on the display, predetermined information indicating that there is no visit history.

3. The indoor apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a clock that times a date and a time of a visit, wherein, when the image comparer determines that the images are substantially equal, the controller further displays, on the display, the history information including dates and times of visits.

4. The indoor apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the date and time of the visit comprises when the image captured by the doorphone unit is displayed on the display.

5. The indoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory stores response history regarding whether a response was made to a visit;

and, when the image comparer determines that the images are substantially equal, the controller further displays, on the display, history information including the response history.

6. The indoor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory stores a feature parameter obtained from an image captured by the outdoor apparatus;

and the image comparer compares a feature parameter obtained from an image captured by the outdoor apparatus with the feature parameter stored in the memory.

7. An indoor apparatus connected to an outdoor apparatus for an intercom system, the indoor apparatus comprising:

a display that displays history information of a person corresponding to a voice input by the outdoor apparatus, the outdoor apparatus including a microphone;

a speaker that outputs the voice input by the outdoor apparatus;

a memory that stores a voice of a person and history information related to the person;

a speaker comparer that compares the voice input by the outdoor apparatus with the voice stored in the memory; and

a controller that, when the speaker comparer determines that the voices are substantially equal, displays, on the display, the history information related to the person corresponding to a voice input by the outdoor apparatus.

8. The outdoor apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, when the speaker comparer determines that the voices are not substantially equal, the controller displays, on the display, predetermined information indicating that there is no visit history.

9. The outdoor apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a clock that times a date and a time of a visit, wherein, when the speaker comparer determines that the voices are substantially equal, the controller further displays, on the display, the history information including dates and times of visits.

10. The outdoor apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the date and time of the visit comprises when the history information of the person corresponding to the voice input by the doorphone unit is displayed on the display.

11. The outdoor apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the memory stores response history regarding whether a response was made to a visit;

and, when the speaker comparer determines that the voices are substantially equal, the controller further displays, on the display, the history information including the response history.

12. The outdoor apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the memory stores a feature parameter obtained from a voice input by the outdoor apparatus;

and the speaker comparer compares a feature parameter obtained from a voice input by the outdoor apparatus with the feature parameter stored in the memory.

13. A method for controlling an indoor apparatus, the indoor apparatus communicating with an outdoor apparatus for an intercom system, the method comprising:

displaying an image captured by the outdoor unit, the outdoor unit including a camera;

storing, in a memory, an image of a person and history information related to the person;

comparing the image captured by the outdoor unit with the image of the person stored in the memory; and

displaying, on the display, the captured image and the history information related to the person, when it is determined that the image captured by the outdoor unit is substantially equal to the image of the person stored in the memory.

14. A method for controlling an indoor apparatus, the indoor apparatus communicating with an outdoor apparatus for an intercom system, the method comprising:

displaying history information of a person corresponding to a voice input by the outdoor apparatus, the outdoor apparatus including a microphone;

outputting, via a speaker, the voice input by the outdoor apparatus;

storing, in a memory, a voice of a person and history information related to the person;

comparing the voice input by the outdoor apparatus with the voice stored in the memory; and

displaying, on the display, the history information related to the person corresponding to a voice input by the outdoor apparatus, when it is determined that the voices are substantially equal.