IP CAMERA HAVING REPEATER FUNCTIONS AND METHOD FOR SETTING THE SAME

• US 20140376448A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: D-Link Corporation
• Inventors: LIN, Chi-Chou, KAO, Ho-Hsien, CHEN, Jui-Chang
• Granted Patent: US 9,144,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

The present invention is to provide an IP camera having repeater functions, which includes an image-capturing module for capturing images, an image processor for processing the images, a central processor including a network communication module for activating the repeater functions and mediating communication between a root wireless access point (WAP) and an external device, and an antenna electrically connected to the network communication module in order for the IP camera to make wireless connection to the root WAP, upload the images to the Internet and serve as a repeater between the two WAPs, and a memory configured for storing operating software, a plurality of service set identifiers (IDs) and an authentication key. Due to the repeater functions of the IP camera, the external device can identify the IP camera by the IDs and then connect to the Internet, even if the external device is outside coverage of a wireless LAN.

Claims

1. An Internet protocol (IP) camera having repeater functions, the IP camera being provided in a network system comprising a root wireless access point (WAP), a terminal device, and at least an external device, the root WAP being connected to the Internet and configured for transmitting a wireless communication signal to form a wireless local area network (LAN), the IP camera and the terminal device being located within coverage of the wireless LAN, the IP camera comprising:

an image-capturing module comprising a lens set and an image sensor in order to capture an image;

an image processor electrically connected to the image-capturing module in order to receive the image transmitted from the image sensor and perform a color-related process, a pixel-related process, and a compression process on the image;

a central processor comprising a network communication module, the network communication module defining a mechanism for activating the repeater functions so that, when the mechanism is activated, the IP camera activates the repeater functions and can therefore mediate the communication signal and forward a packet between the root WAP and the external device, thereby eliminating dead zones in wireless communication therebetween;

an antenna electrically connected to the network communication module in order for the IP camera to make wireless connection to the root WAP or the external device and thereby upload the captured image to the Internet or forward to the Internet a data packet transmitted from the external device;

a network connection port connected to the network communication module in order for the IP camera to connect to the terminal device in a wired manner through the network connection port; and

a memory for storing operating software, a first service set identifier (SSID), a first basic service set ID, an authentication key, and a second basic service set ID, wherein the first SSID serves to enable identification of the root WAP, the authentication key matches a private key in the root WAP, the first basic service set ID corresponds to a media access control address (MAC address) of the root WAP, and the second basic service set ID corresponds to a MAC address of the IP camera.

2. The IP camera of claim 1, wherein the network communication module is further provided with a wired Ethernet network connection module complying with the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3 network protocols, and the central processor is configured for performing wired communication with the terminal device through the wired Ethernet network connection module.

3. The IP camera of claim 2, wherein the network communication module is further provided with a wireless client module complying with the IEEE 802.11 network protocols in order for the central processor to detect the root WAP in the wireless LAN and make wireless connection to the root WAP through the wireless client module.

4. The IP camera of claim 3, wherein the network communication module is further provided with a wireless access point module and a distribution system service module, both complying with the IEEE 802.11 network protocols, in order for the central processor to start the mechanism for activating the repeater functions in the network communication module through the wireless access point module and the distribution system service module.

5. The IP camera of claim 1, wherein the mechanism for activating the repeater functions corresponds to the physical layer and the data-link layer in the International Organization for Standardization Open System Interconnection (ISO/OSI) model or the link layer in the Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) model.

6. The IP camera of claim 2, wherein the mechanism for activating the repeater functions corresponds to the physical layer and the data-link layer in the International Organization for Standardization Open System Interconnection (ISO/OSI) model or the link layer in the Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) model.

7. The IP camera of claim 3, wherein the mechanism for activating the repeater functions corresponds to the physical layer and the data-link layer in the International Organization for Standardization Open System Interconnection (ISO/OSI) model or the link layer in the Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) model.

8. A method for setting an Internet protocol (IP) camera having repeater functions, the method being applied to the IP camera and comprising the steps, to be performed by a central processor of the IP camera when the IP camera is activated, of:

activating a wired Ethernet network connection module in a network communication module of the central processor in order for the IP camera to perform wired communication with a terminal device;

activating a wireless client module in the network communication module according to a first command transmitted through a web control user interface of the terminal device, in order for the wireless client module to conduct a site survey over a wireless local area network (LAN) covering the IP camera; and

reading a first service set identifier (SSID) and a first basic service set ID of a root wireless access point (WAP) thus detected, wherein the first basic service set ID corresponds to a media access control address (MAC address) of the root WAP;

receiving an authentication key transmitted through the web control user interface and, after the root WAP determines that the authentication key matches a private key in the root WAP, storing the first SSID, the first basic service set ID, and the authentication key into a memory of the IP camera, wherein the memory is provided with a second basic service set ID corresponding to a MAC address of the IP camera, thus allowing the IP camera to make wireless connection to the root WAP or an external device through data stored in the memory and thereby upload a captured image to the Internet or forward to the Internet a data packet transmitted from the external device; and

activating a wireless access point module and a distribution system service module in the network communication module according to a second command transmitted through the web control user interface, in order for the wireless access point module and the distribution system service module to start a mechanism defined in the network communication module for activating the repeater functions, thereby enabling the IP camera to serve as a repeater between the root WAP and the external device by mediating a communication signal and forwarding a packet therebetween.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step, to be performed by the central processor after the central processor activates the wireless access point module and the distribution system service module, of:

generating a second SSID according to a third command transmitted through the web control user interface, in order for the external device to identify, by the second SSID, a second wireless LAN formed by the IP camera.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wired Ethernet network connection module complies with the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3 network protocols.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless client module complies with the IEEE 802.11 network protocols.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the wireless access point module and the distribution system service module comply with the IEEE 802.11 network protocols.