VIDEO ON DEMAND FOR AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING AND COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20170171516A1
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOT Home Organization Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BOT Home Organization Incorporated
• Inventors: Modestine, John, Roth, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0291 Door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/73 Battery saving arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a battery-powered audio/video recording and communication device having a camera, the length of a preset interval (the interval between instances of the device sending a request to a network to check whether any user requests to access the camera have been received) may be adjusted upward or downward in order to balance the competing interests of reducing latency (e.g. reducing the delay that the user may experience when trying to access the camera) and conserving battery life. The present embodiments advantageously balance these competing interests by initially setting the length of the preset interval to be relatively short to reduce latency, but automatically increasing the length of the preset interval as the battery charge is depleted, thereby extending battery life. The present embodiments also advantageously enable the length of the preset interval to be increased after the battery is recharged, thereby reducing latency.

Claims

1. A method for an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device, the device including a processor, a camera, and a battery, the method comprising:

the processor transitioning from a low-power state to an active state, and then sending a data request to a network device to determine whether a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device;

if a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, then the processor receiving a positive response from the network device, and then the camera capturing video images from a field of view of the camera;

if no user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, then the processor receiving a negative response from the network device, and then the processor reverting from the active state to the low-power state, and then waiting for an interval, and then the processor again transitioning from the low-power state to the active state, and then sending another data request to the network device to determine whether a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device; and

the processor receiving a command from the network device to adjust a length of the interval based on an amount of charge left in the battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interval is 10 seconds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the command instructs the processor to increase the length of the interval if the amount of charge left in the battery is below a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the command instructs the processor to decrease the length of the interval if the amount of charge left in the battery is above a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, the device transmitting the video images to the network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, the camera powering up from a dormant state or powered-off state prior to capturing the video images from the field of view of the camera.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device is a server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data request is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) get.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the positive response from the network device comprises a HTTP 200 status code.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the negative response from the network device comprises a HTTP 404 status code.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a doorbell.

12. An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device, comprising:

a processor;

a camera; and

a battery;

wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions whereby

the processor transitions from a low-power state to an active state, and then sends a data request to a network device to determine whether a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device;

if a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, then the processor receives a positive response from the network device, and then the camera captures video images from a field of view of the camera;

if no user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, then the processor receives a negative response from the network device, and then the processor reverts from the active state to the low-power state, and then the processor waits for an interval, and then the processor again transitions from the low-power state to the active state, and then sends another data request to the network device to determine whether a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device; and

the processor then receives a command from the network device to adjust a length of the interval based on an amount of charge left in the battery.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the interval is 10 seconds.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the processor to increase the length of the interval if the amount of charge left in the battery is below a threshold value.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the processor to decrease the length of the interval if the amount of charge left in the battery is above a threshold value.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions whereby, if a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, the device transmits the video images to the network.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions whereby, if a user request to access the camera has been received by the network device, the camera powers up from a dormant state or powered-off state prior to capturing the video images from the field of view of the camera.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the network device is a server.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the data request is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) get.

20. The device of claim 12, wherein the positive response from the network device comprises a HTTP 200 status code.

21. The device of claim 12, wherein the negative response from the network device comprises a HTTP 404 status code.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is a doorbell.