Integrated Video Camera Module

• US 20160191757A1
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Duffy, Gregory R., McLean, Melissa D., Virani, Aamir S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,942,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

This application discloses a camera module that incorporates a camera portion, a wireless antenna, a wireless transceiver and one or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs). The camera portion is configured to capture video data. The wireless transceiver is coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to communicate in a local wireless network. The wireless transceiver is configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera portion to a client device via a remote server. The client device is remote from the camera module, and the remote server is remote from the camera module and the client device. The IR LEDs are configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light. In some implementations, the wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera portion while the one or more IR LEDs illuminate the field of view with infrared light.

Claims

1. A camera module, comprising:

a camera portion configured to capture video data;

a wireless antenna;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to communicate in a local wireless network, the wireless transceiver being configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera portion to a client device via a remote server, the client device being remote from the camera module, the remote server being remote from the camera module and the client device; and

one or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs) configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light in accordance with a determination that ambient light is low.

2. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a dark-colored IR-transparent material, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are enclosed in the camera module using the dark-colored IR-transparent material such that the IR LEDs are not visible from the exterior of the camera module.

3. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate, to the client device via the remote server, the video data captured by the camera portion while the one or more IR LEDs illuminate the field of view with infrared light.

4. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the client device is a mobile phone, and the captured video data is provided, via the remote server, to a dedicated and/or downloaded application executed by the mobile phone for reviewing the captured video data remotely by a user of the mobile phone.

5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the client device is a computer, and the captured video data is provided, via the remote server, to an Internet browser application executed by the computer for reviewing the captured video data remotely by a user of the computer.

6. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a speaker configured to deliver audio messages from a person viewing the video data captured by the camera to a person being filmed by the camera module.

7. The camera module of claim 6, further comprising a microphone.

8. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the wireless antenna and the wireless transceiver are concealed within the camera module, and are not visible from the exterior of the camera module.

9. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) port configured to power the device and/or to operate as an input/output interface for control and/or display.

10. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a status light, the status light being configured to indicate via a first color that the device is powered on but not recording, to indicate via a second color different than the first color that the device is recording and to indicate via a lack of color that the device is powered off.

11. A system, comprising:

an integrated video camera module, comprising;

a camera configured to capture video data;

a wireless antenna;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to communicate in a local wireless network, the wireless transceiver being configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera portion to a client device via a remote server, the client device being remote from the camera module, the remote server being remote from the camera module and the client device; and

one or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs) configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light in accordance with a determination that ambient light is low.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an arm configured to receive and hold the integrated video camera module;

a base; and

a joint mechanically coupling the arm to the base, the joint being configured to provide at least one degree of motion for the arm and the video camera module held thereby with respect to the base.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being mechanically coupled to the rear portion.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the camera is configured to be exposed via the front portion of the camera module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the IR LEDs are configured to be concealed within the front portion of the camera module.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a status light configured to be exposed via the front portion of the camera module.

17. The system module of claim 16, wherein the status light is configured to provide indications indicating whether the system is powered on, powered off, recording, and/or not recording.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a microphone and a speaker configured to deliver audio messages from a person viewing the video data captured by the camera to a person being filmed by the camera module, the microphone being arranged to be exposed via the front portion of the integrated video camera module, the speaker being arranged to be exposed via the rear portion of the integrated video camera module.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) port, wherein the USB port is configured to be exposed via the rear portion of the camera module.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the USB port is configured to power the device, operate as an interface for control, and/or operate as an interface for display.