DOOR MOUNTABLE CAMERA SURVEILLANCE DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20110292213A1
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: James H. Lacey
• Original Assignee: James H. Lacey
• Inventors: Lacey, James H.
• Application Number:
  US13/115,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292213A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/153
• 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

One embodiment pertains to a surveillance device having at least two video cameras contained within a housing of the surveillance device. The device is configured to couple to at least one side of a door. One of the two cameras is positioned on one side of the surveillance device in order to record video images on one side of the door while the another camera is positioned on an opposite side of the surveillance device to record video images on the other side of the door. As the door opens and closes, the two video cameras are able to record a wider, sweeping angle of the interior and exterior areas of the door. The surveillance device may be mounted onto the door at a height near the average height of a human in order to maximize image capture of people'"'"'s faces as they enter or exit through the door.

Claims

1. A surveillance device, comprising:

a first camera; and

a housing defining a cavity that secures and contains, at least partially, the first camera, the housing having a first camera opening and adapted to mount onto a first side of a door, wherein the first camera is adapted to capture images through the first camera opening when the door is swung.

2. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the first camera is further adapted to capture images intermittently at a preset interval of time.

3. The surveillance device of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor, wherein the first camera is further adapted to capture images after the motion sensor is triggered by movement of an object within range of the motion sensor.

4. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to mount to the first side of the door in a horizontal orientation.

5. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the housing has a length that extends to a first edge of the door, the length of the housing adapted to protect a power line and a communications line contained within the cavity of the housing, the power line adapted to provide power to the first camera, and the communications line adapted to transmit images captured by the first camera to an external storage device.

6. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the first camera is further adapted to capture images when the door is in a stationary position.

7. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a first end and a second end, the second end located opposite to the first end, and wherein at least one of the first end and the second end is a telescoping end.

8. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

a first end and a second end, the second end located opposite to the first end, the first end having a first end bracket adapted to couple the first end of the housing to a first perimeter portion of the door, and the second end having a second end bracket adapted to couple the second end of the housing to a second perimeter portion of the door.

9. The surveillance device of claim 1, further comprising:

a video data storage apparatus adapted to store images captured by the first camera on at least one memory circuit housed within the storage apparatus, wherein the video data storage apparatus is removably coupled to the surveillance device.

10. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the first camera is positioned at a height between four (4) feet six (6) inches and six (6) feet six (6) inches to capture facial images of humans.

11. The surveillance device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second camera contained, at least partially, within the cavity of the housing and adapted to capture additional images through a second camera opening in the housing when the door is swung, the second camera positioned within the cavity in a direction substantially opposite the first camera such that the images captured by the first camera are on the first side of the door, and the additional images captured by the second camera are on a second side of the door, the second side of the door being an opposite side of the first side of the door.

12. The surveillance device of claim 11, wherein the first camera is positioned adjacent to the second camera along the length of the housing to reduce the thickness of the housing.

13. The surveillance device of claim 11, wherein the surveillance device is adapted to mount to a substantially transparent door.

14. The surveillance device of claim 1, wherein the first camera is adapted to capture the images within a viewing angle α

₁ on the first side of the door when the door is in a stationary position, and the first camera is adapted to capture the images located within a viewing angle β

₁ when the door is in motion, wherein β

₁ is greater than α

₁.

15. The surveillance device of claim 14, wherein the viewing angle β

₁ includes images located on both sides of a doorway securing the door.

16. The surveillance device of claim 15, further comprising:

a second camera contained, at least partially, within the cavity of the housing and adapted to capture additional images through a second camera opening in the housing when the door is swung, the second camera positioned within the cavity in a direction substantially opposite the first camera, the second camera adapted to capture the additional images located within a viewing angle β

₂ when the door is in motion, wherein β

₁+β

₂ is greater than 180 degrees.

17. A method for capturing surveillance images, the method comprising:

mounting a housing onto a first side of a door, the housing defining a cavity that secures and contains, at least partially, a first camera; and

capturing images on the first side of the door via the first camera when the door is in a stationary position and when the door is swung.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

positioning a second camera adjacent to the first camera along a length of the housing, the second camera facing a substantially opposite direction relative to the first camera, wherein the cavity of the housing further secures and contains the second camera; and

capturing images on a second side of the door via the second camera when the door is in a stationary position and when the door is swung, the second side of the door being an opposite side of the first side of the door.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein mounting the housing onto the first side of the door comprises:

mounting a first end of the housing to a first perimeter portion of the door via a first bracket; and

mounting a second end of the housing to a second perimeter portion of the door via a second bracket, the second end of the housing opposite the first end, wherein mounting the first end to the first perimeter portion of the door and mounting the second end to the second perimeter portion of the door aligns the housing in a substantially horizontal direction across the door.

20. A surveillance device, comprising:

a first camera adapted to capture images on a first side of a door;

a second camera adapted to capture additional images on an opposite side of the door;

a first housing defining a first cavity that contains, at least partially, the first camera, the first housing adapted to mount to the first side of the door at a first height between four (4) feet six (6) inches and six (6) feet six (6) inches from a bottom edge of the door;

a second housing defining a second cavity that contains, at least partially, the second camera, the second housing adapted to mount to the second side of the door at a second height between four (4) feet six (6) inches and six (6) feet six (6) inches from the bottom edge of the door; and

a connecting communications line communicatively coupling the second housing to the first housing, wherein the first camera is adapted to transmit the images captured to an external storage device, and the second camera is adapted to transmit the additional images captured to the external storage device via, at least, the connecting communications line.