Door camera unit having a video memory

• US 6,466,261 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1998
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/044,832
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/143-172, 348/715, 340/555, 382/2, 382/8, 367/93, 360/5, 386/112
• US Class Current: 348/151
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19634 Electrical details of the system, e.g. component blocks for carrying out specific functions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A door camera unit with a video memory is provided. The camera unit is set so that its imaging direction is directed to a neighborhood of an entrance of a building. The camera unit is configured so that only necessary video images are recorded. When a visitor operates a chime switch, video images are recorded in memory. Video images are also recorded in memory when a human body is detected but the chime switch is not operated within a predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. In combination, a door camera unit and an information inputting section, said door camera unit comprising:

a video camera for receiving video signals;

a video memory for storing said video signals;

a controller for recording said video signals into said video memory; and

means for recording a video image from said video signals in said video memory every time an information signal inputted from said information inputting section to said controller meets video recording execution conditions; and

said information inputting section comprising a chime switch operated by a visitor and a human body detecting sensor for detecting access of said visitor;

wherein said video recording execution conditions include recording said video signal in said video memory unless an operation signal is inputted to said controller from said chime switch in a predetermined period of time after a detection signal has been inputted to said controller from said human body detecting sensor.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein an imaging direction of said video camera is directed to a neighborhood of an entrance of a building.