WIRELESS SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEM

• US 20130208109A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Landry, Lawrence B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,152,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A security camera system, comprising wireless communication components for communicating over first and second wireless communications, and a digital camera system. A data processing system implements a method for providing digital images to an image receiving system. The method includes: establishing a first wireless connection between the security camera system and an external electronic device using the first wireless communication system. Configuration information pertaining to the second wireless communication system is transmitted from the security camera system to the external electronic device using the first wireless connection. Instructions for configuring the security camera system to communicate using the second wireless communication system are transmitted by the external electronic device to the security camera system over the first wireless connection. Captured digital images are then transmitted to the image receiving system over the second wireless communication system.

Claims

1. A security camera system, comprising:

first wireless communication components for communicating over a first wireless communication system;

second wireless communication components for communicating over a second wireless communication system;

a digital camera system;

a data processing system;

a program memory communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for providing digital images to an image receiving system, wherein the method includes;

establishing a first wireless connection between the security camera system and an external electronic device using the first wireless communication system;

transmitting configuration information pertaining to the second wireless communication system from the security camera system to the external electronic device using the first wireless connection;

receiving configuration instructions on the security camera system transmitted by the external electronic device over the first wireless connection;

using the configuration instructions to configure the security camera system to communicate using the second wireless communication system;

establishing a second wireless connection between the security camera system and the image receiving system using second wireless communication system; and

transmitting a digital image captured using the digital camera to the image receiving system using the established second wireless connection.

2. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the method further includes terminating the first wireless connection between the security camera system and an external electronic device after the second wireless connection has been established.

3. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the first wireless communication system is a Bluetooth communication system.

4. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the second wireless communication system is a WiFi communication system.

5. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the security camera system does not include any user controls that enable a user to provide configuration instructions pertaining to configuring the security camera system to communicate using the second wireless communication system.

6. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the external electronic device provides user controls that enable a user to provide configuration instructions pertaining to configuring the security camera system to communicate using the second wireless communication system.

7. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the external electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

8. The security camera system of claim 7 wherein the handheld electronic device is a smart phone or a tablet computer.

9. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the configuration instructions transmitted from the external electronic device to the security camera system are provided using information that was previously stored in the external electronic device.

10. The security camera system of claim 1 wherein the configuration instructions include network identification information or network security information.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

first wireless communication components for communicating over a first wireless communication system;

second wireless communication components for communicating over a second wireless communication system;

a data processing system;

a program memory communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for configuring the first electronic device, wherein the method includes;

establishing a first wireless connection between the first electronic device and a second electronic device using the first wireless communication system;

transmitting configuration information pertaining to the second wireless communication system from the first electronic device to the second electronic device using the first wireless connection;

receiving configuration instructions on the first electronic device transmitted by the second electronic device over the first wireless connection; and

using the configuration instructions to configure the first electronic device to communicate using the second wireless communication system.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 further including establishing a second wireless connection between the first electronic device and a third electronic device using the second wireless communication system.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 further including transmitting data from the first electronic device to the third electronic device using the established second wireless connection.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 further including terminating the first wireless connection between the first electronic device and the second electronic device after the second wireless connection has been established.