System and method for home monitoring using a set top box

• US 20080129821A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howarter, Jamie C., Lesher, Charles M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A system and method for displaying security content from a set top box to a television. In one embodiment, the television receives media content for display. Security content from one or more wireless cameras replaces the media content in response to receiving an alert from the one or more wireless cameras.

Claims

1. A method for displaying security content from a set top box to a television, said method comprising:

receiving media content for display on the television; and

replacing the media content with security content from one or more wireless cameras in response to receiving an alert from the one or more wireless cameras.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

alerting a user on the television of a signal from a wireless camera for allowing the user to select to see the security content.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing step further comprises:

establishing one or more channels for displaying one or more wireless camera views; and

designating the one or more channels for the one or more wireless camera views.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the one or more wireless camera views to the user on the television in response to the user selecting a camera view selector.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing step further comprises:

setting user preferences for establishing how the one or more wireless camera views are displayed to the television.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of wireless camera views are displayed in the security content, wherein one or more channels are designated to display the plurality of wireless camera views.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the camera view selector is any of a button on the set top box, television, an indicator on a remote control, and an indicator on a cell phone.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the signal is generated by a door bell.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is motion detected by the wireless camera

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

recording a wireless camera view when a wireless camera detects activity.

11. A set top box for displaying content from a content provider comprising:

display components for communicating the content to a television;

a security module for sending security content to the display components comprising;

a transceiver for sending and receiving the security content from one or more wireless cameras; and

an interface for communicating the security content to the display components.

12. The set top box according to claim 11, further comprising:

a cache for storing the security content;

a format converter for converting the security content to a signal compatible with the television for the display components.

13. The set top box according to claim 11, wherein the content is any of regular television content, video content, and Internet content.

14. The set top box according to claim 11, wherein the security content is displayed on the television in response to receiving an alert from the one or more wireless cameras.

15. The set top box according to claim 11, wherein the alert is generated by any of a doorbell, sound sensor, and motion detector.

16. The set top box according to claim 11, further comprising:

a camera view selector for allowing a user to display the security content.

17. The set top box according to claim 16, wherein the camera view selector is part of a remote control for the set top box.

18. The set top box according to claim 11, wherein the set top box is any of a digital video recorder, a network digital video recorder, a cable television set top box, a satellite set top box, and a set top box for displaying Internet content.

19. A method for displaying security content on a set top box, the method comprising:

recording security content from a wireless camera in response to camera activity;

indicating to a user that the security content has been received; and

communicating the security content to a display.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the camera activity is any of a doorbell activation, motion detection, sound detection, and presence detection.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the security content is displayed to an television using a picture in picture display, overlay, or screen replacement.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the display is any of a television, computer, and cell phone.