Communication and Monitoring System

• US 20160360163A1
• Filed: 08/16/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SB IP Holdings LLC (Skybell Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eyetalk365, LLC
• Inventors: Carter, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 10,097,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An audio-video communication system comprises a wireless exterior module located proximate an entrance, a computerized controller running a software application, and a remote peripheral device. The wireless exterior module includes a proximity sensor for detecting a person at the entrance, a video camera for recording an image of the person at the entrance, a microphone for recording the person at the entrance, a speaker for playing audio to the person at the entrance, a transmitter for communicating sounds and images of the person at the entrance, and a receiver for receiving communications at the wireless exterior module. The computerized controller is disposed in wireless electronic communication with the wireless exterior module via the transmitter and the receiver of the wireless exterior module. The remote peripheral device is configured to electronically communicate with the computerized controller for viewing an image from the video camera communicated from the wireless exterior module.

Claims

1. A method for receiving a person at an entrance, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting the presence of a person at the entrance using a first exterior module located proximate the entrance, the first exterior module comprising a video camera, a proximity sensor, a microphone, an RF transmitter, an RF receiver, a keypad having one or more buttons, and a speaker;

(b) wirelessly transmitting, to a software application, real-time digital streaming video of the person at the entrance recorded using the first exterior module;

(c) providing, with the software application, a graphical user interface to a remote peripheral device by which a user of the remote peripheral device may view the video of the person at the entrance;

(d) broadcasting that the person is present at the entrance;

(e) receiving audio from the peripheral device, wherein the audio is output by the speaker of the first exterior module; and

(f) transmitting the audio received by the first exterior module from the person at the entrance to the peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises detecting movement via the proximity sensor of the first exterior module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step is performed using the video camera, the microphone and the proximity detector of the first exterior module.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising a second exterior module comprising at least one of a microphone or a proximity detector, wherein the second exterior module receives what is detected by the first exterior module.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

prompting, via the software application, the first exterior module to record audio-video communication after detection via the second exterior module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises receiving an indication that the keypad is pressed by the visitor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording audio-video communications at a second exterior module after the keypad is pressed by the visitor.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing real-time video from one or more cameras located proximate the first exterior module and associated with a business or residence.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

capturing an image through use of the software application.

10. The method claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing images in a database related to the first exterior module; and

providing via the software application a stored image associated with the first exterior module;

creating a hierarchy of storage for video or audio captured by the first exterior module.

11. A system for receiving a person at an entrance comprising:

a software application that provides a graphical user interface to a remote peripheral device, which is a cell phone; and

a first exterior module comprising;

(i) a video camera that captures video of the person at the entrance;

(ii) a proximity sensor for detecting the person at the entrance;

(iii) a microphone that receives audio from the person at the entrance;

(iv) an RF transmitter that transmits, to the software application, digital streaming video that a user of the remote peripheral device may view;

(v) an RF receiver that receives audio from the peripheral device; and

(vi) a speaker that outputs the audio received by the RF receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor of the first exterior module detects the person at the entrance when the proximity sensor detects movement.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising a second exterior module, wherein the second exterior module detects a person at the entrance or another location proximate to the entrance.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second exterior module detects the person using the proximity sensor and provides video to the peripheral device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the software application prompts the first exterior module to record audio-video communications after the second exterior module detects the person at the entrance.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a database application associated with the peripheral device, the database application comprising at least one user password to access the database application and a defined hierarchy of storage of audio or video data that has been time-stamped,

wherein the system is redundant such that a plurality of storage devices are used to store the audio or video data.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising a second exterior module, wherein the second exterior module records audio-video communications after the keypad of the first exterior module is pressed by the visitor.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a database application associated with the peripheral device, the database application comprising at least one user password to access the database application and a defined hierarchy of storage of audio or video data that has been time-stamped;

wherein the system is redundant such that a plurality of storage devices are used to store the audio or video data, and

wherein the system maintains a network designated for a plurality of exterior modules.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a first interior transceiver comprising a keypad for use with the system; and

a second interior transceiver comprising a video camera for capturing video on an interior of a residence or business.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an interior transceiver comprising a keypad for use with the system; and

a second exterior module comprising a video camera for capturing video on an exterior of a residence or business and providing the video to the peripheral device via the software application.