Remote monitoring system

• US 5,717,379 A
• Filed: 04/03/1996
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel NV (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Peters, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/627,105
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/531, 348/143, 348/152, 348/153, 379/59, 379/45, 379/37, 379/38, 379/39, 379/49
• US Class Current: 340/539.25
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A remote monitoring system for monitoring properties of persons to be protected includes at least one video pickup device (C) positioned at the property (1) to be protected. The video pickup device can either be continuously operable or activated via a datalink by a central station. The person to be protected who is approaching the property (1) is informed about conditions at the property via a mobile telephone (MT) before arriving at the property being protected based on surveillance data provided to the central station by the video pickup device.

Claims

1. A monitoring method comprising the steps of:

transmitting an activation signal from an information station situated at a first location via a first network to a monitoring station,

transmitting, in response to said activation signal, a further activation signal from said monitoring station to an object situated at a second location via a second network,

transmitting, in response to said further activation signal, a video signal from said object at said second location back to said monitoring station via said second network, and then

transmitting, in response to said video signal, an information signal from said monitoring station to said information station situated at said first location via said first network, and wherein said first location and said second location are mutually different.

2. A monitoring method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing at said monitoring station, a first videophone for transmitting said further activation signal and for receiving said video signal via said second network, and

providing at said object situated at said second location, a second videophone for receiving said further activation signal and for generating said video signal via said second network.

3. A monitoring method according to claim 2, wherein said second network comprises an ISDN network.

4. A monitoring method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing at said monitoring station a first mobile telephone for receiving said activation signal and for transmitting said information signal via said first network, and

providing at said information station situated at said first location, a second mobile telephone for transmitting said activation signal and for receiving said information signal via said first network, and wherein said first network comprises a mobile radio network.

5. A monitoring method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing at said monitoring station a first videophone for receiving said further activation signal and for receiving said video signal via said second network, and

providing at said object situated at said second location, a second videophone for receiving said further activation signal and for generating said video signal via said second network.

6. A monitoring method according to claim 5, wherein said second network comprises an ISDN network.

7. A monitoring station comprising:

a first receiver for receiving an activation signal via a first network from an information station situated at a first location,

a first transmitter coupled to said first receiver which, in response to said activation signal, transmits a further activation signal via a second network to an object situated at a second location,

a second receiver for receiving a video signal via said second network from said object situated at said second location, said video signal being transmitted in response to said further activation signal, and

a second transmitter, coupled to said second receiver, and which is responsive to said video signal, for transmitting an information signal via said first network to said information station situated at said first location, and wherein said first location and said second location are different from each other.

8. A monitoring station according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first videophone comprising said first transmitter and said second receiver, and

a second videophone, provided at said object situated at said second location, for receiving said further activation signal and for generating said video signal via said second network.

9. A monitoring station according to claim 8, wherein said second network comprises an ISDN network.

10. A monitoring station according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first mobile telephone comprising said first receiver and said second transmitter, and

a second mobile telephone, provided at said information station situated at said first location, for transmitting said information signal and for receiving said information signal via said first network, and wherein said first network comprises a mobile radio network.

11. A monitoring station according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first videophone comprising said first transmitter and said second receiver, and

a second videophone provided at said object situated at said second location, for receiving said further activation signal and for generating said video signal via said second network.

12. A monitoring station according to claim 11, wherein said second network comprises an ISDN network.