LOW-POWER-CONSUMPTION AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING AND COMMUNICATION DOORBELL

• US 20170272652A1
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bot Home Automation Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bot Home Automation Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siminoff, James, Jeong, Changsoo, Modestine, John, Phillips, Trevor, Siminoff, Mark, Tso, Robert, Westerman, Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 10,070,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19615 wherein said pattern is defined by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• 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

Abstract

An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell, including a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a power manager, a battery, an AC/DC rectifier, and a DC/DC converter. The doorbell is configured for connection to an external AC power source through the AC/DC rectifier and the DC/DC converter. The power manager is configured to draw power, up to a threshold power, from the AC power source and to draw supplemental power from the battery such that the power drawn from the AC power source never exceeds the threshold power. The present A/V recording and communication doorbell can thus be connected to an existing household AC power supply and an existing doorbell signaling device without causing inadvertent sounding of the signaling device.

Claims

1. A method for an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell system, the A/V recording and communication doorbell including a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a power manager, a battery, an AC/DC rectifier, and a DC/DC converter, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is connected to an external AC power source through the AC/DC rectifier and the DC/DC converter, the method comprising:

the power manager drawing power, up to a threshold power, from the AC power source, wherein the threshold power is measured at an output of the DC/DC converter; and

when the power drawn from the AC power source reaches the threshold power, the power manager drawing supplemental power from the battery such that the power drawn from the AC power source never exceeds the threshold power as measured at the output of the DC/DC converter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold power as measured at the output of the DC/DC converter is about 1.4 A.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a button and an electronic switch, wherein when the button is depressed the electronic switch closes, thereby diverting power from the AC power source away from the power manager.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein when the electronic switch closes power from the AC power source is diverted through a signaling device to cause the signaling device to emit a sound.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, prior to the electronic switch closing, the power drawn from the AC power source flows through the signaling device and a shunt connected in parallel with the signaling device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein prior to the electronic switch closing the shunt is in a low impedance state.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein when the electronic switch closes the shunt transitions to a high impedance state.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the signaling device is electro-mechanical or electronic.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the signaling device is external to the A/V recording and communication doorbell.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a timer, wherein when the button is depressed the timer is activated and the electronic switch remains closed until the timer expires, unless the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives a notification that a call to a client device has been answered.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the electronic switch opening when the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives the notification that the call to the client device has been answered.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the timer is a first timer and the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a second timer, the method further comprising the electronic switch opening, the second timer being activated when the electronic switch opens, and the electronic switch being prevented from closing again until after the second timer expires.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the A/V recording and communication doorbell, in response to the button being depressed, sending an alert signal and a video signal to a network device, the video signal including images captured by the camera.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the power drawn from the AC power source is below the threshold power, the power manager directing a portion of the power drawn from the AC power source to the battery to charge the battery.

15. An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell system, comprising:

an A/V recording and communication doorbell including a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a power manager, a battery, an AC/DC rectifier, and a DC/DC converter, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is connected to an external AC power source through the AC/DC rectifier and the DC/DC converter;

wherein the power manager is configured to draw power, up to a threshold power, from the AC power source, wherein the threshold power is measured at an output of the DC/DC converter; and

when the power drawn from the AC power source reaches the threshold power, the power manager is further configured to draw supplemental power from the battery such that the power drawn from the AC power source never exceeds the threshold power as measured at the output of the DC/DC converter.

16. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 15, wherein the threshold power as measured at the output of the DC/DC converter is about 1.4 A.

17. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 15, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a button and an electronic switch, wherein when the button is depressed the electronic switch is configured to close, thereby diverting power from the AC power source away from the power manager.

18. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 17, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that when the electronic switch closes power from the AC power source is diverted through a signaling device to cause the signaling device to emit a sound.

19. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 18, further comprising a shunt, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that, prior to the electronic switch closing, the power drawn from the AC power source flows through the signaling device and the shunt connected in parallel with the signaling device.

20. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 19, wherein prior to the electronic switch closing the shunt is in a low impedance state.

21. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 19, wherein when the electronic switch closes the shunt transitions to a high impedance state.

22. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 18, wherein the signaling device is electro-mechanical or electronic.

23. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 18, wherein the signaling device is external to the A/V recording and communication doorbell.

24. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 17, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a timer, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that when the button is depressed the timer is activated and the electronic switch remains closed until the timer expires, unless the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives a notification that a call to a client device has been answered.

25. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 24, wherein the electronic switch is configured to open when the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives the notification that the call to the client device has been answered.

26. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 24, wherein the timer is a first timer and the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a second timer, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that when the electronic switch opens the second timer is activated and the electronic switch is prevented from closing again until after the second timer expires.

27. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 15, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured to send, in response to the button being depressed, an alert signal and a video signal to a network device, the video signal including images captured by the camera.

28. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 15, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that when the power drawn from the AC power source is below the threshold power, the power manager directs a portion of the power drawn from the AC power source to the battery to charge the battery.