Audio/Video Recording and Communication Devices

• US 20170272706A1
• Filed: 03/12/2017
• Published: 09/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bot Home Automation Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jeong, Changsoo
• Granted Patent: US 10,440,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/04 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19615 wherein said pattern is defined by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• 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 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell comprises a camera, a front button, and a motion sensor. The camera and the motion sensor are configured to work in tandem to detect motion in a field of view of the A/V recording and communication doorbell, such that a first one of the camera and the motion sensor detects motion and the other one of the camera and the motion sensor independently verifies the motion detection before an alert is sent to a user'"'"'s client device. In this manner, user alerts from false alarm motion detections are reduced.

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 front button, a motion sensor, and a light sensor, the method comprising:

detecting a level of ambient light using at least one of the camera and the light sensor;

comparing the detected level of ambient light to a threshold value to determine whether the detected level of ambient light is high or low;

when it is determined that the detected level of ambient light is high, detecting motion in a field of view of the A/V recording and communication doorbell using the motion sensor;

attempting to independently verify the motion detection of the motion sensor using the camera; and

sending an alert to a user'"'"'s client device only when the camera independently verifies the motion detection the motion sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor comprises a passive infrared (PIR) sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is integrated within the front button.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the front button comprises a material that is substantially transparent to infrared radiation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the front button comprises a Fresnel lens configured to focus incoming light onto the motion sensor.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein an outer surface of the front button is substantially smooth and curved and an inner surface of the front button includes a plurality of ridges.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further comprises a speaker and a microphone.

8. A method for an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell system, the A/V recording and communication doorbell including a camera, a front button, a motion sensor, and a light sensor, the method comprising:

detecting a level of ambient light using at least one of the camera and the light sensor;

comparing the detected level of ambient light to a threshold value to determine whether the detected level of ambient light is high or low;

when it is determined that the detected level of ambient light is low, detecting motion in a field of view of the A/V recording and communication doorbell using the camera;

attempting to independently verify the motion detection of the camera using the motion sensor; and

sending an alert to a user'"'"'s client device only when the motion sensor independently verifies the motion detection the camera.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the motion sensor comprises a passive infrared (PIR) sensor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the motion sensor is integrated within the front button.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the front button comprises a material that is substantially transparent to infrared radiation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the front button comprises a Fresnel lens configured to focus incoming light onto the motion sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein an outer surface of the front button is substantially smooth and curved and an inner surface of the front button includes a plurality of ridges.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further comprises a speaker and a microphone.

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

a camera;

a front button; and

a motion sensor;

wherein the camera and the motion sensor are configured to work in tandem to detect motion in a field of view of the A/V recording and communication doorbell such that a first one of the camera and the motion sensor detects motion and the other one of the camera and the motion sensor independently verifies the motion detection before an alert is sent to a user'"'"'s client device.

16. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 15, wherein when the motion sensor triggers a motion detection, the camera independently verifies the motion detection before the alert is sent to the user'"'"'s client device.

17. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 15, wherein when the camera triggers a motion detection, the motion sensor independently verifies the motion detection before the alert is sent to the user'"'"'s client device.

18. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 15, wherein the motion sensor comprises a passive infrared (PIR) sensor.

19. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 15, wherein the motion sensor is integrated within the front button.

20. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 19, wherein the front button comprises a material that is substantially transparent to infrared radiation.

21. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 20, wherein the front button comprises a Fresnel lens configured to focus incoming light onto the motion sensor.

22. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 20, wherein an outer surface of the front button is substantially smooth and curved and an inner surface of the front button includes a plurality of ridges.

23. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 15, further comprising a light sensor.

24. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 23, wherein the light sensor is configured to detect light in both the infrared and visible spectrums.

25. The A/V recording and communication doorbell of claim 15, further comprising a speaker and a microphone.