ACCESS POINT DEVICE AND MONITOR SYSTEM USING THE ACCESS POINT DEVICE

• US 20110231526A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hsieh, Ming-Chih
• Application Number:
  US12/826,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A monitor system includes at least one network camera distributed in an area to be monitored, an access point device connected to the at least one network camera. The access point device includes ports, a central processing unit (CPU), and a storage device containing an information table. Each of the ports is connected to the CPU, and the CPU is connected to the storage device. The table records a serial number, a media access control (MAC) address, and an area monitored by each camera in the system, and records an Internet protocol (IP) pool previously assigned to each monitored area. After an IP request from one of the cameras, the CPU searches an associated IP pool in the table according to the MAC address, and randomly assigns an IP address from the IP pool to a corresponding network camera.

Claims

1. An access point device, comprising:

a plurality of ports, each of the ports connected to a plurality of network cameras distributed in an area to be monitored;

a storage device configure for storing an information table; and

a central processing unit (CPU) connected to each of the ports and the storage device, and

the CPU configured for receiving an Internet protocol (IP) request from any of the network cameras, capturing a corresponding media access control (MAC) address or addresses, searching an associated IP pool for each of the requesting network cameras in the information table according to the captured MAC address or addresses, and assigning an IP address from the IP pool to each of the requesting network cameras.

2. The access point device as described in claim 1, wherein the information table is operable to record a serial number, a MAC address, and an area monitored by each network camera, and record an IP pool previously assigned to each monitored area.

3. The access point device as described in claim 1, wherein the CPU assigns the IP address using a dynamic host configuration protocol method.

4. The access point device as described in claim 1, wherein the CPU is further configured for communicating with each of the requesting network cameras according the IP addresses, and detecting whether the IP address assigned to each of the requesting network cameras is correct.

5. The access point device as described in claim 4, wherein the CPU is further configured for saving the IP address assigned to each of the requesting network cameras in the information table upon a condition that the IP address assigned to each of the requesting network cameras is correct.

6. The access point device as described in claim 4, wherein the CPU is further configured for updating the IP address to the information table upon a condition that the IP address assigned to the network camera is incorrect.

7. The access point device as described in claim 1, wherein each of the network cameras comprises:

a lens module operable to capturing images of an area to be monitored;

a processor configured for saving the captured images in a memory; and

a switch, comprising;

a first port connected to the processor, and configured for receiving the captured images;

a second port being an extension port of the network camera for connecting to an external device; and

a third port configured for transmitting the captured images to a monitor device.

8. The access point device as described in claim 7, wherein the external device is a network camera.

9. The access point device as described in claim 7, wherein the monitor device is a personal computer, a mobile phone, or a personal digital assistant.

10. The access point device as described in claim 7, wherein the switch is an ethernet switch.

11. A method for monitoring an area using an access point (AP) device, the method comprising:

receiving an IP request from a network camera;

capturing a media access control (MAC) address of the network camera by a central processing unit (CPU) of the AP device;

searching an associated Internet protocol (IP) pool for the network camera in an information table according to the captured MAC address of the network camera; and

assigning an IP address from the IP pool to the network camera by the CPU.

12. The method as described in claim 11, further comprising:

communicating with the network camera according the IP address;

detecting whether the IP address assigned to the network camera is correct by comparing the captured serial number and the captured MAC address of the network camera with that recorded in the information table;

saving the IP address of the network camera in the information table upon a condition that the IP address assigned to the network camera is correct; and

updating the IP address assigned to the network camera to the information table upon a condition that the IP address assigned to the network camera is incorrect.

13. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the CPU assigns the IP address using a dynamic host configuration protocol method.

14. The method as described in claim 11, wherein each of the network cameras comprises:

a lens module operable to capturing images of an area to be monitored;

a processor configured for saving the captured images in a memory; and

a switch, comprising;

a first port connected to the processor, and configured for receiving the captured images;

a second port being an extension port of the network camera for connecting to an external device; and

a third port configured for transmitting the captured images to a monitor device.

15. The method as described in claim 14, wherein the switch is an ethernet switch.

16. The method as described in claim 11, wherein the information table is operable to record a serial number, a MAC address, and an area monitored by each network camera, and record an IP pool previously assigned to each monitored area.