Surveillance devices

• US 5,495,370 A
• Filed: 01/14/1994
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advance Visual Optics Limited
• Original Assignee: Advance Visual Optics Limited
• Inventors: Tuffen, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/181,057
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 359/399, 359/400, 359/401, 359/402, 359/405, 359/857, 359/862, 359/403
• US Class Current: 359/402
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/642 Optical derotators, i.e. systems for compensating for image rotation, e.g. using rotating prisms, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A surveillance device in the form of a fake radio aerial which projects from the roof of a vehicle. There is an upright periscope in the aerial which can rotate through 360°. In the vehicle the light from the periscope is bent through 90° and viewed by a camera all of which fits in the headliner space of the vehicle and so is not visible.

Claims

1. A surveillance device mounted in a vehicle having a roof, a headliner beneath the roof and a space between the headliner and the roof, the surveillance device comprising:

a fake radio aerial;

means for mounting said fake radio aerial to the roof of the vehicle so that said fake radio aerial projects from the roof of the vehicle;

a periscope means attached to a lower part of said fake radio aerial, said periscope means having a light inlet at a lower part of said fake radio aerial;

means for rotating the said periscope through 360°

so that the periscope can observe a scene at any orientation relative a fore and an aft portion of the vehicle;

a light outlet provided in said periscope means; and

means for bending a beam of light received by said light inlet at substantially right angles to provide a light path extending substantially parallel to the roof and out said light outlet,

wherein said periscope means is located between the roof of the vehicle and the headliner of the vehicle at an area wherein the distance between the roof of the vehicle and the headliner of the vehicle is no more than 60 mm.

2. A surveillance device as claimed in claim 1 in which light rotating means are provided in said light path for contra-rotating an image as said periscope means are rotated an equal and opposite amount.

3. A surveillance device as claims in claim 2 in which said light rotating means comprises a dove prism.

4. A surveillance device as claimed in claim 1 in which said fake radio aerial includes a rod shaped upper part and a thicker base, said periscope means being mounted in said base and said light inlet comprising an opening in a side wall of said base.

5. A surveillance device as claimed in claim 4 in which said fake radio aerial is removable and replaceable by another fake radio aerial which has a different field of view.

6. A surveillance device as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for mounting comprise upper and lower clamp members fitted to said fake radio aerial for clamping said device to the roof of the vehicle.