Videophone system for scrutiny monitoring with computer control

• US 5,412,708 A
• Filed: 03/12/1993
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Original Assignee: Ronald A. Katz
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US08/031,235
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 379/53, 379/54, 379/40, 379/38, 379/39, 379/42, 379/43, 379/44, 379/45, 379/49, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/92, 379/96, 379/93, 379/94, 379/142, 379/205, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 358/85, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/13
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• 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 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

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.

Claims

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.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor units include a manual switch device.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor units include an infrared device.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor units include a metal detector device.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said telephonic interface includes means for providing "D" channel type signals, as ANI and DNIS signals to manifest said interrupt signals.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said control unit includes means for providing graphic displays on said remote location displays.

7. A system according to claim 1 further including operator control structure at said central station to provide said interrupt signal.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said television camera structures for at least one of said plurality of security locations includes a processor for interfacing said control unit at said central station to control said television communication between said central station and said one scrutiny location.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said television camera structure for said one scrutiny location includes a plurality of sensor units at said scrutiny locations for providing interrupt signals to said control unit.

10. A system for monitoring a plurality of scrutiny locations from a central station utilizing dial-up telephone facilities comprising:

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.

11. A system according to claim 10 further including a memory coupled to a control unit at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to further control said telephonic interface.

12. A system according to claim 10 further including a memory coupled to a control unit at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to provide data for supplementing said dynamic image signals for various graphic displays.

13. A system according to claim 10 further including a control unit and memory at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to provide control signals for said television camera structure at said scrutiny locations.

14. A system according to claim 10 further including a control unit and memory at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to provide an initial operating sequence of graphic displays from a television camera structure to a select television display structure.

15. A system according to claim 10 further including a control unit and memory at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to formulate a record for billing purposes.

16. A system according to claim 10 wherein said telephonic interface apparatus receives "D" channel type signals and said control computer includes means responsive to said "D" channel type signals.

17. A system according to claim 16 further including a memory coupled to a control unit at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to further control said telephonic interface in accordance with said "D" channel type signals.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said control unit supplements said dynamic image signals for various graphic displays.

19. A system according to claim 17 wherein said control unit controls said television camera structures at said scrutiny locations.

20. A system according to claim 19 further including a control unit and memory at said central station, and said control unit further including means to address said memory to further control said telephonic interface.

21. A system according to claim 17 wherein said control unit provides an initial operating sequence of graphic displays.

22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said telephonic interface apparatus receives "D" channel type signals and said control unit includes means responsive to said "D" channel signals.