TWO-WAY AUDIO-VIDEO COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR RECEIVING PERSON AT ENTRANCE

• US 20070103541A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• 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 8,144,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• 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 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A method for two-way audio-video communications between a first person at an entrance and a second person comprises the steps of detecting, with a proximity sensor located proximate an entrance, the presence of a first person at the entrance and providing real time audio-video communications between the first person at the entrance and a second person using a wireless handheld device. The method includes transmitting video of the first person to the wireless handheld device of the second person, transmitting audio of the first person to the wireless handheld device of the second person, and transmitting audio of the second person to the first person at the entrance.

Claims

1. A method for two-way audio-video communications between a first person at an entrance and a second person, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting the presence of a first person at the entrance; and

(b) following detection of the presence of the first person at the entrance, providing real time audio-video communications between the first person at the entrance and a second person using a wireless handheld device by,

(i) transmitting, to the wireless handheld device of the second person, video of the first person at the entrance recorded using a camera located proximate the entrance,

(ii) transmitting, to the wireless handheld device of the second person, audio of the first person at the entrance recorded using a microphone located proximate the entrance, and

(iii) transmitting, to a speaker located proximate the entrance for playing to the first person at the entrance, audio of the second person recorded using the wireless handheld device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting includes wireless communications between both the camera and microphone located proximate the entrance and a computerized controller running a software application including a graphic user interface by which the audio-video communications between the first person and the second person are established.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of playing a recorded greeting to the first person at the entrance upon the detection of the first person at the entrance.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining, by a user with a remote peripheral device, the recorded greeting that is played through a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the recorded greeting is selected by the user from a plurality of recorded greetings.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the recorded greetings are seasonal greetings.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the recorded greeting includes audio and video.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of posting, by the user from a remote peripheral device, a video greeting for presentation to a first person at the entrance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld device comprises a cell phone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld comprises a video phone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless handheld comprises a personal digital assistant.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the entrance comprises an entrance of a business or residence.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of saving a recording of the two-way audio-communications in a database for later playback.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to a video display located proximate the entrance for presentation to the first person at the entrance, video of the second person recorded using the wireless handheld device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting includes communications over the Internet.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting includes communications over a cellular network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting includes communications over a satellite network.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising remotely actuating the camera located proximate the entrance using the wireless handheld device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of remotely actuating the camera includes zooming an image of the first person at the entrance.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of remotely actuating the camera includes remotely moving the camera to change the view of the camera.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting the presence of the first person at the entrance is accomplished using a proximity sensor located proximate the entrance.