Security system

• US 6,429,893 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1998
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alfred X. Xin
• Inventors: Xin, Alfred X.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US09/090,501
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/155, 348/152, 348/153, 348/154, 348/156
• US Class Current: 348/155
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19632 Camera support structures, e.g. attachment means, poles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A new security system for monitoring and recording activity within the range of a proximity detector is disclosed. The security system also enables an occupant of a house, building or other structure to communicate orally with a person who approaches a door or other threshold either through means disposed at the door or other threshold or remotely. A remote unit allows a person to monitor the activity at the door or other threshold remotely as well as to play back recorded activity. The inventive device includes a video camera for generating a video signal, a video monitor operably coupled to the video camera, a proximity detector for generating a first signal representative of motion proximate the video camera, a microcontroller operably coupled to the proximity detector wherein the microcontroller is further operably coupled to the video camera and to the video monitor through a video recording and playback device and wherein the microcontroller further includes firmware for activating the video camera and the video recording and playback device in response to the first signal.

Claims

1. A security system comprising:

a video camera for generating a video signal, the video camera being operably coupled to a first means for displaying video signals;

a means for detecting motion, the means for detecting motion being for generating a first signal representative of motion proximate the video camera;

a microcontroller operably coupled to the means for detecting motion, the microcontroller further being operably coupled to the video camera and the first means for displaying video signals through a means for recording and playing back video signals; and

wherein the microcontroller further comprises a means for activating the video camera and the means for recording and playing back video signals in response to the first signal.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the video camera is mountable within a door of a structure in such manner that a lens thereof faces the outside of the structure and wherein the first means for displaying video signals is mountable upon an inside surface of a wall adjacent the door.

3. The security system of claim 2, wherein the means for recording and playing back video signals further comprise a means for simultaneously recording a first audio signal, the first audio signal being generated by an outside microphone operably coupled thereto and disposed proximate the video camera on an outside surface of the door.

4. The security system of claim 3 further comprising an inside speaker disposed proximate the first means for displaying video signals and operably coupled to the outside microphone through a first amplifier, the first amplifier being for receiving the first audio signal and generating a first amplifier output signal, the first amplifier output signal being receivable by the inside speaker.

5. The security system of claim 3 further comprising an inside microphone for generating a second audio signal, the inside microphone being disposed proximate the first means for displaying video signals and operably coupled to an audio mixer through a second amplifier, the second amplifier being for receiving the second audio signal and generating a second amplifier output signal, the second amplifier output signal being receivable by the audio mixer, the audio mixer being operably coupled to an outside speaker disposed proximate the outside microphone.

6. The security system of claim 3 further comprising a radio frequency audio/video transmitter operably coupled to the microcontroller through the means for recording and playing back video signals, the radio frequency audio/video transmitter being for receiving the video signal and the first audio signal and generating an audio/video signal, the audio/video signal being transmissible through a first antenna operably coupled to the radio frequency audio/video transmitter through a first duplexer.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller further comprises a means for generating an alarm signal.

8. The security system of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller further comprises a means for programmably controlling the means for recording and playing back video signals.

9. The security system of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller further comprises a means for generating a telephone signals.

10. The security system of claim 3, wherein the means for recording and playing back video signals further comprise a video cassette recorder.

11. The security system of claim 1, wherein the first means for displaying video signals further comprise a liquid crystal display.

12. The security system of claim 6 further comprising a remote unit having a remote microphone operably coupled to an audio transmitter, the audio transmitter being for generating a remote audio signal, the remote audio signal being transmissible through a second antenna operably coupled to the audio transmitter through a second duplexer and being receivable by the first antenna, the first antenna being operably coupled to an audio receiver through the first duplexer, the audio receiver being operably coupled to the mixer.

13. The security system of claim 12, wherein the remote unit further comprises a radio frequency audio/video receiver operably coupled to a second means for displaying video signals and to a remote speaker, the radio frequency audio/video receiver being for receiving the audio/video signal and generating a third audio signal receivable by the remote speaker and a second video signal receivable by the second means for displaying video signals.

14. The security system of claim 13, wherein the remote unit further comprises a first data transceiver operably coupled to a means for generating data, the first data transceiver being for generating a data signal transmissible through a first control antenna operably coupled thereto, the data signal further being receivable by a second control antenna operably coupled to a second data transceiver operably coupled to the microcontroller.

15. The security system of claim 12, wherein the remote unit further comprises a means for generating an audible signal operably coupled to the first data transceiver.

16. The security system of claim 13, wherein the,second means for displaying video signals further comprises a liquid crystal display.

17. The security system of claim 2 further comprising an infrared video camera for generating a third video signal, the infrared video camera being mountable within the door in such manner that a lens thereof faces the outside of the structure, the infrared video camera being operably coupled to the means for displaying video signals through a video switch, the video switch being responsive to a light sensor operably coupled thereto.

18. The security system of claim 14 further comprising a telephone line interface operably coupled to the microcontroller, a video digitizer operably coupled to the microcontroller, the video digitizer being operable to digitize and store the video signal into video frames, a cellular telephone transceiver disposed in the remote unit, the cellular telephone transceiver being operable to receive the video frames and the audio signal, the cellular telephone transceiver further being operably coupled to a second microcontroller disposed in the remote unit, a modem operably coupled to the second microcontroller and to the cellular telephone transceiver, and a video circuit operably coupled to the second microcontroller, the video circuit being operable to hold a video frame for transmission to the second means for displaying video signals, the second microcontroller further being operably coupled to the means for generating data.

19. The security system of claim 5 further comprising a means for recording and playing back a pre-recorded message, the means for recording and playing back a pre-recorded message being operably disposed between the microcontroller and the audio mixer.

20. The security system of claim 1 further comprising a light emitting diode operable coupled to the microcontroller through a resistor, the microcontroller energizing the light emitting diode in response to the first signal.