Videophone system for scrutiny monitoring with computer control
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring a plurality of scrutiny locations from a central station using dial-up telephone facilities comprising:
- television camera structures at said plurality of scrutiny locations for providing representative dynamic image television signals representative of scenes;
at least one television display structure at said central station;
telephonic interface apparatus for interconnecting said television structures at said scrutiny locations to said central location; and
a control unit at said central station including memory for storing scrutiny location call data and graphic display data, said control unit for actuating said telephonic interface apparatus to establish television communication between said central station and said scrutiny locations to provide a sequence of remote location displays at said central station showing a scene and graphic display data, said control unit further including interrupt structure for receiving an interrupt signal manifesting a predetermined circumstance to interrupt said sequence and to provide an alternate display of a scene from one of said scrutiny locations along with graphic display data, further including sensor units at said scrutiny locations for providing said interrupt signal to said control unit, wherein said sensor units are priority coded to provide interrupt signals of different priorities and wherein said central unit provides displays in accordance with said priorities.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In conjunction with the dial-up public telephone system, voice quality lines carry videophone signals for monitoring a multitude of security locations from a central station. At the central station, telephonic interface apparatus is actuated by a control unit to selectively accomplish a telephonic connection with a remote location. Displays include the scene at the security location and related graphic data. During routine operation, security locations are displayed in sequence. Such operation may be interrupted either from a security location or central station in the event of an urgency. In such an event, the concerned scrutiny location is displayed for further communication involving status, camera selection, camera configuration, audio, video and so on. Incoming calls from scrutiny stations imply an urgent situation for immediate display. The called number, by dialed number identification system (DNIS) may indicate the status while the calling number identifies the location by automatic number identification (ANI) signals. Alternative signalling and code techniques afford flexible operation as with respect to various graphic and status indications available for displays.
416 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring a plurality of scrutiny locations from a central station using dial-up telephone facilities comprising:
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television camera structures at said plurality of scrutiny locations for providing representative dynamic image television signals representative of scenes; at least one television display structure at said central station; telephonic interface apparatus for interconnecting said television structures at said scrutiny locations to said central location; and a control unit at said central station including memory for storing scrutiny location call data and graphic display data, said control unit for actuating said telephonic interface apparatus to establish television communication between said central station and said scrutiny locations to provide a sequence of remote location displays at said central station showing a scene and graphic display data, said control unit further including interrupt structure for receiving an interrupt signal manifesting a predetermined circumstance to interrupt said sequence and to provide an alternate display of a scene from one of said scrutiny locations along with graphic display data, further including sensor units at said scrutiny locations for providing said interrupt signal to said control unit, wherein said sensor units are priority coded to provide interrupt signals of different priorities and wherein said central unit provides displays in accordance with said priorities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for monitoring a plurality of scrutiny locations from a central station utilizing dial-up telephone facilities comprising:
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a plurality of television camera structures with control structure at said plurality of scrutiny locations for providing representative image television signals and for receiving control signals; a plurality of switch structures for at least one of said scrutiny locations for providing alert signals; a memory apparatus at said one scrutiny location for storing line designations addressable by said alert signals to provide line designation signals; at least one television display structure at said central station for providing a display from image television signals; at least one telephonic keypad structure at said central station for providing control signals and being associatively coupled to said television display structure; telephonic interface apparatus for interconnecting said television structures at said scrutiny locations and said central location for two-way communications; and a control computer at said one scrutiny location coupled to said memory apparatus and said telephonic interface apparatus for actuating said telephonic interface apparatus in accordance with said line designation signals to selectively communicate with one of said television display structures and to control said television display structures in accordance with said control signals from a keypad structure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification