SECURITY CLOCK DEVICE AND SYSTEM

• US 20090027498A1
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lathem Time
• Original Assignee: Lathem Time
• Inventors: Owen, James E., Potash, Ellery W.
• Application Number:
  US11/829,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20090027498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/151
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/001 Concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make covert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A discrete or covert surveillance-communication device and system is disclosed that includes at least one miniature video surveillance camera and alerting-communication assemblies hidden in objects resembling office, commercial or household devices, such as a wall clock.

Claims

1. A covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting, the device comprising:

a housing in the shape of a familiar, non-security object;

a video capturing device concealed within the housing and configured to secretly capture video data;

an audio capturing device concealed within the housing and configured to secretly capture audio data;

an audible output device concealed within the housing and configured to broadcast audio tones and verbal commands; and

a processor concealed within the housing and configured to control the video capturing device and the audio capturing device, to provide remote audio and video monitoring, and to provide audible and visual alerts and audible commands.

2. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a visual display device located inconspicuously on the housing and configured to visually display an alert; and

a memory, concealed within the housing and electronically coupled to the processor, configured to store captured audio data and captured video data.

3. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a removable media device configured to store captured audio data and captured video data, the removable media device being detachable from the covert surveillance and communications device for manual transport of the data.

4. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, wherein the housing is comprised of an exterior formed in the shape of a clock and an interior that comprises an instrument for measuring and displaying time.

5. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a means for bidirectional network connectivity, for both transmitting and receiving data, concealed within the housing, wherein the covert surveillance and communications device is electronically connected to a central security monitoring facility.

6. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to digitize the captured video data and the captured audio data, wherein the captured video and the captured audio is digitized and subsequently transmitted to the central security monitoring facility over the means for bidirectional network connectivity.

7. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 5, wherein the bidirectional electronic connectivity between the covert surveillance and communications device and the central security monitoring facility is wireless communications.

8. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion detector concealed within the housing, integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to detect motion, thereby triggering audio and/or video recording.

9. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 8, wherein the motion detector senses motion by a real-time digital analysis of video data captured by the video capturing device.

10. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 8, wherein the motion detector is configured for sonar detection and analysis to sense motion.

11. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 8, wherein the motion detector is configured for infrared detection and analysis to sense motion.

12. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 8, wherein the motion detector is monitored and controlled by a signal transmitted from a central security monitoring facility.

13. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless receiver concealed within the housing, integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to receive a transmitted panic alarm, thereby triggering audio and/or video recording and transmitting an alert signal to a central security monitoring facility.

14. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply concealed within the housing, integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to supply the covert surveillance and communications device with power.

15. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, wherein the video capturing device is a video camera with a wide-angle lens concealed within the housing and configured to secretly capture visual information in an area surrounding the covert surveillance and communications device.

16. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, wherein the audio capturing device concealed within the housing is an omni-directional microphone configured to secretly capture audio information in an area surrounding the covert surveillance and communications device.

17. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio reproduction device concealed within the housing and configured to receive digital audio data from a central security monitoring facility, provide digital-to-analog conversion, and provide audio amplification;

wherein the audible output device concealed within the housing and configured to broadcast audio tones and verbal commands is a speaker to broadcast the received audio data once it is converted to analog and amplified.

18. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, wherein the visual display device comprises an illuminating strobe light, and wherein the on/off operation of the illuminating strobe light is controlled by a signal transmitted from a central security monitoring facility.

19. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, wherein the visual display device comprises a plurality of light emitting devices configured to display varying colors, wherein a combination of the varying colors comprises a communicative message, and wherein the on/off operation of the plurality of light emitting devices is controlled by a signal transmitted from a central security monitoring facility.

20. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, wherein the visual display device comprises light emitting devices controlled by a signal transmitted from a central security monitoring facility and indicative of approaching adverse weather conditions.

21. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of prerecorded messages, stored within the memory of the covert surveillance and communications device, wherein one or more of the plurality of prerecorded messages is broadcast through the audible output device, as triggered by a locally attached sensor or a received signal sent by a central security monitoring facility.

22. The covert surveillance and communications device to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of expansion bays integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to accept add-on, external sensors.

23. A network security system for covert surveillance and communications, the system comprising:

a plurality of covert surveillance and communications devices, located in a plurality of diverse sites desired to be monitored and alerted for security and safety, in order to provide real-time, remote audio and video monitoring and alerting, each device comprising.

a housing in the shape of a familiar, non-security object;

a video capturing device concealed within the housing and configured to secretly capture video data;

an audio capturing device concealed within the housing and configured to secretly capture audio data;

an audible output device concealed within the housing and configured to broadcast audio tones and verbal commands;

a visual display device located inconspicuously on the housing and configured to visually display an alert; and

a processor concealed within the housing and configured to control the video capturing device and the audio capturing device, to provide remote audio and video monitoring, and to provide audible and visual alerts and audible commands; and

a memory, concealed within the housing and electronically coupled to the processor, configured to store captured audio data and captured video data; and

a means for bidirectional network connectivity, for both transmitting and receiving data, concealed within the housing, wherein each of the plurality of covert surveillance and communications devices is electronically connected to a central security monitoring facility.

24. The network security system for covert surveillance and communications of claim 23, wherein the housing in each covert surveillance and communications device is comprised of an exterior formed in the shape of a clock and an interior that comprises an instrument for measuring and displaying time.

25. The network security system for covert surveillance and communications of claim 24, wherein the plurality of covert surveillance and communications devices is synchronized to a master clock to ensure time synchronization of the network security system.

26. A security clock device for covert surveillance and communications, the device comprising:

a wall mounted clock comprising a plurality of inconspicuous ports;

a video capturing device concealed within the clock and configured to secretly capture video data through one or more of the inconspicuous ports;

an audio capturing device concealed within the clock and configured to secretly capture audio data through one or more of the inconspicuous ports;

an audible output device concealed within the clock and configured to broadcast audio tones and verbal commands through one or more of the inconspicuous ports;

a visual display device located inconspicuously on the clock and configured to visually display an alert;

a processor concealed within the clock and configured to control the video capturing device and the audio capturing device, to provide remote audio and video monitoring, and to provide audible and visual alerts and audible commands; and

a means for bidirectional network connectivity, for both transmitting and receiving data, concealed within the housing, wherein the covert surveillance and communications device is electronically connected to a central security monitoring facility.

27. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, further comprising:

a memory, concealed within the housing and electronically coupled to the processor, configured to store captured audio data and captured video data.

28. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, further comprising:

a removable media device configured to store captured audio data and captured video data, the removable media device being detachable from the covert surveillance and communications device for manual transport of the data.

29. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to digitize the captured video data and the captured audio data, wherein the captured video and the captured audio is digitized and subsequently transmitted to the central security monitoring facility over the means for bidirectional network connectivity.

30. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, further comprising:

a motion detector concealed within the housing, integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to detect motion, thereby triggering audio and/or video recording.

31. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, wherein the video capturing device is a video camera with a wide-angle lens concealed within the clock and configured to secretly capture visual information in an area surrounding clock through one or more of the inconspicuous ports.

32. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, wherein the wherein the audio capturing device concealed within the clock is an omni-directional microphone configured to secretly capture audio information in an area surrounding the clock through one or more of the inconspicuous ports.

33. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, further comprising:

an audio reproduction device concealed within the clock and configured to receive digital audio data from a central security monitoring facility, provide digital-to-analog conversion, and provide audio amplification;

wherein the audible output device concealed within the clock and configured to broadcast audio tones and verbal commands is a speaker to broadcast the received audio data, through one or more of the inconspicuous ports, once it is converted to analog and amplified.

34. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, further comprising:

a wireless receiver concealed within the housing, integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to receive a transmitted panic alarm, thereby triggering audio and/or video recording and transmitting an alert signal to a central security monitoring facility.

35. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 27, further comprising:

a plurality of prerecorded messages, stored within the memory of the covert surveillance and communications device, wherein one or more of the plurality of prerecorded messages is broadcast through the audible output device, as triggered by a locally attached sensor or a received signal sent by a central security monitoring facility.

36. The security clock device for covert surveillance and communications of claim 26, further comprising:

a plurality of expansion bays integrated within the covert surveillance and communications device, and configured to accept add-on, external sensors.