Audio/Video Monitoring Service Using Set-top Boxes and Application Servers

• US 20110030021A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Campagna, Theresa, Chavez, David Lee JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,875,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An audio/video monitoring system is disclosed, comprising a combination of one or more set-top boxes and application servers in a service provider'"'"'s network. The set-top boxes and applications services are part of a multiple services operator'"'"'s (MSO) network, such as that of a cable company. Cameras and/or microphones which are directly connected to a set-top box are the sources of media signals, which the set-top box transmits to an application server. The application server continually receives the media signals from one or more set-top boxes, and determines which subset of the received media signals to forward to a selected output device, such as a television connected to another set-top box or a cellular telephone. The application server then forwards media signals of interest to the output device, such as when motion or a loud noise is detected in a media signal received from the set-top box or boxes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server;

i) a first identifier of an input device, the input device being situated at a first customer premises equipment location and being capable of generating a first media signal,

ii) a second identifier of an output device, the output device being capable of presenting the first media signal to a user, and

iii) a trigger condition for evaluating the first media signal,

the server being situated at a location that is different from the first customer premises equipment location;

receiving, at the server, the first media signal originating at the input device represented by the first identifier; and

when the trigger condition is met, transmitting the first media signal to the output device represented by the second identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the input device is a camera and the output device is one of a video monitor and a television.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the input device is a camera and the output device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising mapping the second identifier to a predetermined address, wherein transmitting the first media signal comprises routing it to the predetermined address.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the address based upon a telephone number.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the address is based upon an Internet Protocol address.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the input device and the output device is directly connected to a set-top box.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server, i) an identifier of a predetermined output device and ii) a media signal from a set-top box, the output device being situated at a different location than the customer premises equipment location of the set-top box;

determining whether a trigger condition has been met, wherein the trigger condition is for evaluating the media signal; and

when the trigger condition has been met, transmitting the media signal to the output device represented by the identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the output device is a cellular telephone.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the output device is one of a video monitor and a television.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the media signal conveys video content, and wherein the trigger condition relates to whether motion has been detected in the video content.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the media signal conveys audio content, and wherein the trigger condition relates to whether a predetermined characteristic of the audio content has exceeded a threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the predetermined characteristic is signal level.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the trigger condition is based upon calendrical time.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising selecting the output device represented by the identifier, from a plurality of output devices that are capable of receiving the media signal, wherein the selecting is based upon calendrical time.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the determining of whether the trigger condition has been met is performed at the set-top box.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the determining of whether the trigger condition has been met is performed at the server.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server;

i) an identifier of a display-capable device,

ii) a first media signal from a first set-top box situated at a first customer premises equipment location, and

iii) a second media signal from a second set-top box,

the server being situated at a location that is different from the first customer premises equipment location;

establishing a first threshold based upon the first media signal and a second threshold based upon the second media signal; and

when either threshold is exceeded, transmit the media signal that corresponds to the exceeded threshold to the display-capable device that corresponds to the identifier.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the display-capable device is a cellular telephone.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the display-capable device is one of a video monitor and a television.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the display-capable device is paired with a third set-top box.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the display-capable device is situated at a second customer premises equipment location.