System and Method for Remote Home Monitoring Utilizing a VoIP Phone

• US 20090225750A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Johnny D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,687,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system and method for remote monitoring through a voice over Internet Protocol phone. An indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VoIP phone is received. A determination is made whether the indicator authorizes the video interface. The video interface of the VoIP phone is activated in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface. Video communications are sent and received between the VoIP phone utilized by a receiving party and a communications device utilized by a calling party. An action is performed in response to recognizing a response from the receiving party.

Claims

1. A method for remote monitoring through a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, the method comprising:

receiving an indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VoIP phone;

determining whether the indicator authorizes the video interface;

activating the video interface of the VoIP phone in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface;

sending and receiving video communications between the VoIP phone utilized by a receiving party and a communications device utilized by a calling party;

performing an action in response to recognizing a response from the receiving party.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is a pass code wherein the method further comprises:

prompting the calling party for the pass code;

determining whether the pass code is correct;

signaling the VoIP phone to play a monitor alert; and

monitoring the VoIP phone through the video communications.

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

dialing the VoIP phone;

entering the pass code; and

entering a command to terminate the video communications.

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

establishing a connection from the communications device to the VoIP phone automatically based on a preference of the calling party; and

playing a message within the video communications through the VoIP phone to the receiving party by the communications device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the performing further comprises:

receiving the response to the message;

determining the action linked with the response; and

performing the action linked with the response.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the response is a facial gesture or a body gesture.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the response is a voice response indicating the action to be performed.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the action is a message sent to one or more recipients.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the action is a call linked between the VoIP phone and one or more recipients.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the message is a question whether the receiving party has taken a medication, and wherein the response indicates whether the receiving party has taken the medication for performing the action.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the performing further comprises:

searching a video image retrieved by the VoIP phone for the response; and

deterini g the response based on previously provided user input.

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

receiving user input linking the response with the action.

13. A VoIP monitoring system, said system comprising:

a function trigger for intercepting an incoming call destined for the VoIP monitoring system, the function trigger configured to receive a user selection to enable an video interface of the VoIP monitoring system; and

logic configured to determine whether a pass code entered by the calling party authorizes video communications with the VoIP monitoring system, wherein the logic enables the video interface to perform the video communications based on the user selection, and wherein the logic performs an action in response to recognizing a response from a receiving party.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the video interface further comprises:

a video camera for recording audio and video signals from a receiving party.

15. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a handset configured to wirelessly communicate the video communications to the VoIP monitoring system for communicating with a calling party.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the VoIP monitoring system is a VoIP phone in communication with another communications device enabled to perform the video communication.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the VoIP monitoring system plays a message received from the communications device and receives a response, and wherein the communications device or VoIP monitoring system performs an action based on the response.

18. A VoIP phone comprising:

a processing unit for processing a set of instructions; and

a memory configured to store the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions receives an indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VoIP phone, determines whether the indicator authorizes the video interface, activates the video interface of the VoIP phone in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface, sends and receives video communications between the VoIP phone utilized by a receiving party and a communications device utilized by a calling party, and performs an action in response to recognizing a response from the receiving party.

19. The VoIP phone according to claim 18, wherein the set of instructions is configured to receives a response to a message sent to the VoIP phone from another communications device, and wherein the communications device or VoIP monitoring system performs a pre-programmed action based on the response.

20. The VoIP phone according to claim 18, wherein the set of instructions further plays a selection prompt to a calling device, and plays a monitor alert in response to the user selection commanding the home communication device to enter a monitor mode, and wherein the indicator is a pass code configured to command the home communication device to enter a monitor mode.