Communication device and auxiliary device for communication

• US 6,633,231 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Horiba Limited
• Original Assignee: Horiba Limited
• Inventors: Ebi, Hiroyuki, Okamoto, Kazutaka, Hayakawa, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/589,017
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/531, 348/14.01, 348/14.1, 348/158, 348/309, 379/37-39, 379/51, 379/40, 379/455, 379/43, 379/42, 455/575
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals

Abstract

A surveillance system utilizing a plurality of communication devices that are operative with portable telephones to permit an easily reconfigurable remote surveillance area. The portable telephones can have audio and imaging transmitting functions and at least one has an audio and imaging receiving function. An image sensor can sense images within a predetermined area and is operatively connected to a portable telephone for providing an output signal upon detection of a predetermined amount of change in the image area. An auto-dialing section is connected to a first telephone for calling a second remote telephone automatically based on the output signal. Infrared detecting sensors can also image within the surveillance area and be utilized to activate the auto-dialing function. The portable telephones can further include an image sensor for providing an image of the surveillance area.

Claims

1. A surveillance system comprising:

a plurality of portable telephones, at least a first telephone having audio and image transmitting functions and a second telephone having audio and image receiving functions;

an image sensor assembly for sensing images within a predetermined image area operatively connected to the first telephone and providing a first output signal upon detection of a predetermined amount of image change in the image area;

a target setting unit for setting a predetermined sub-area of the predetermined image area as the area monitored for a predetermined amount of image change in the image area;

an infrared detecting unit for detecting infrared rays from the monitored area and separately identifying the presence of a human body and a flame in the monitored area, and providing respective second and third output signals;

an auto-dialing instruction originating section operatively connected to the first telephone for calling the second telephone automatically based on the first output signal whereby the second telephone is automatically sent an image of the image area upon the occurrence of the predetermined change in the image area; and

a first judging unit for determining when the second and third output signals of the infrared detecting unit indicate an occurrence whereby the auto-dialing instruction originating section is activated to call pre-set telephones.

2. The surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor assembly is mounted on the first telephone.

3. The surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the first telephone has a chargeable battery and further including a holder for mounting the first telephone for charging the chargeable battery.

4. The surveillance system of claim 3 wherein the holder further includes an infrared sensor for mounting a second predetermined area and for providing an output signal to activate the auto-dialing instruction originating section.

5. The surveillance system of claim 4 wherein the infrared sensor is one of a pyroelectric sensor and a thermopile sensor.

6. The surveillance system of claim 4 wherein the infrared sensor senses infrared rays of at least 10 μ

m in wavelength to detect a human body.

7. The surveillance system of claim 1 wherein a third portable telephone having audio and image transmitting functions is set to provide a second predetermined image area whereby a network of surveillance portable telephones is provided.

8. The surveillance system of claim 7 wherein the target settling unit defines at least a straight line of pixels within the image area.

9. The surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor is mounted on a daughter device that is separate from and operatively connected to the first telephone.

10. The surveillance system of claim 1 further including a holder assembly for mounting the first telephone to provide a rotational adjustment of the telephone to define the predetermined image area.

11. The surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor is pivotally mounted on the first telephone to enable the user to subjectively define the predetermined image area.

12. The surveillance system of claim 11 further including an adjustable holder for mounting the first telephone at different positions relative to a supporting surface.

13. The surveillance system of claim 12 wherein the adjustable holder includes a support base, a pivotal holder body that is movably connected to the support base and a support link that can adjustably fix the pivotal holder body above the support base wherein the pivotal holder body can mount the first telephone.

14. The surveillance system of claim 1 wherein the image sensor assembly includes a second judging unit for determining the occurrence of the predetermined change in the image area.

15. A method of providing remote surveillance to a security object space, comprising:

providing a plurality of portable telephones including a first telephone having audio and image transmitting functions and a second telephone having audio and image receiving functions, the first telephone having an image sensor for sensing images within a predetermined area operatively connected to the first telephone, an image target setting unit for defining less than the entire pixels defining the predetermined area as a target image area, a judging unit for determining when the image changes within the target image area, and an auto dialing instruction originating section for calling the second telephone automatically based on an output signal from the judging unit;

positioning the portable first telephone to define a security area covered by the predetermined area of the image sensor by adjusting the position of the image sensor;

setting the target image area to define a threshold of image change, within the target area, necessary to require surveillance;

carrying the second telephone to a remote location;

automatically dialing the second telephone when the threshold of image change is judged; and

providing the image of the predetermined area directly to the second portable telephone at the remote location.

16. The method of claim 15 further including providing and positioning a third portable telephone to provide a network of surveillance portable telephones each capable of automatically calling and providing images to the second telephone.

17. A communication device for monitoring an area, comprising:

a portable telephone having audio and image transmitting functions;

a support holder for positioning the portable telephone;

an infrared detecting unit for detecting infrared rays from the monitored area, and separately identifying the presence of a human body and a flame in the monitored area, and providing respective output signals;

an auto-dialing instruction originating section connected to the portable telephone for calling a pre-set telephone having an image display function; and

a judging unit for determining when output signals of the infrared detecting unit indicates an occurrence whereby the auto-dialing instruction originating section is activated to call the pre-set telephones.

18. The communication device of claim 17 wherein the infrared detecting unit is mounted on the support holder.

19. The communication device of claim 17 wherein the infrared detecting unit is remote from the portable telephone and the support holder.

20. A communication device, which is equipped with a telephone conversation function used on commercial electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an image sensor;

transmitting means for transmitting an image shot using the image sensor to a recipient;

detecting means for detecting infrared rays to particularly identify the presence of either a human body or a flame; and

dialing setting means for calling a preset telephone with an image display function of the recipient, wherein a predetermined output signal from the infrared detecting means is entered into the dialing setting means, so that the preset telephone with an image display function of the recipient is automatically called.

21. A communication device according to claim 20 wherein an infrared sensor mounted to the detecting means for detecting infrared rays is a pyroelectric type or a thermopile type, and at least one of a sensor sensing infrared rays of 10 μ

m in wavelength radiated from a human body and a sensor sensing infrared rays in the vicinity of 4.3 μ

m in wavelength radiated from a flame equipped.

22. An auxiliary device for communication comprising:

detecting means for detecting infrared rays and particularly identifying at least one of a human body and a fire equipped to a vessel connected to an external connecting terminal of a portable telephone provided with a speech and image transmitting function using commercial electromagnetic waves; and

an auto-dialing instruction originating section for calling a specified telephone of the recipient based on a predetermined output signal from the detecting means automatically depending on whether a human body is identified or a flame is identified while specifying the telephone equipped with an image display function for the recipient is equipped to one of a portable telephone, a holder for the portable telephone and the vessel connected to the holder.

23. An auxiliary device for communication according to claim 22 wherein a sensor as a human body detecting means comprises at least one of a pyroelectricity type or a thermopile type infrared detector detecting infrared rays in the vicinity of 10 μ

m in wavelength, an ultrasonic wave type detector and a near infrared detector detecting near infrared rays in the vicinity of 1 μ

m in wavelength.

24. An auxiliary device for communication according to claim 23 wherein the detecting means includes a fire sensor comprising at least one of a pyroelectricity type or a thermopile type infrared flame detector detecting infrared rays in the vicinity of 4.3 μ

m in wavelength, a thermal detector, a smoke detector and an ultraviolet detector.

25. An auxiliary device for communication according to claim 22 further including an image means for providing shot image information from a sender side to a specified telephone is operatively connected to the portable telephones.

26. A method of providing remote surveillance to a security object space, comprising:

providing a portable telephone having a human body detecting sensor for sensing infrared rays radiated by a human body, a fire detecting sensor for sensing infrared rays radiated by a flame, a judging unit for judging whether a human body or a flame has been detected, and an auto dialing instruction originating section for calling a predetermined location automatically based on an output signal from the judging unit;

positioning the portable telephone to define a security area covered by the human body detecting and fire detecting sensors;

detecting the presence of at least one of a human body and a flame in the security area; and

automatically dialing a respective predetermined location based on whether a human body or a flame is detected in the security area.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said portable phone further includes an image sensor for sensing image information within said security area, the method further comprising:

sensing image information of said security area upon the detection of either a human body or a flame in said security area;

transmitting said sensed image information of said security area to the respectively dialed predetermined location.

28. A surveillance system comprising:

a plurality of portable telephones, at least a first telephone having audio and image transmitting functions and a second telephone having audio and image receiving functions;

an image sensor assembly for sensing images within a predetermined image area operatively connected to the first telephone;

a target setting unit for setting a first predetermined sub-area of the predetermined image area as the area monitored for a predetermined amount of image change in the image area and providing a first output signal upon detection of a predetermined amount of image change in the first predetermined sub-area image area of the predetermined image area;

an infrared sensor unit for monitoring a second predetermined area including a first infrared detector with a first filter for providing a pass through of radiation of approximately 10 mm in wavelength to receive radiation from a human body and a second infrared detector with a second filter for providing a pass through of radiation of approximately 4.3 mm in wavelength to receive radiation from a flame;

a judging unit connected to the infrared sensor unit for receiving an input from the first infrared detector and determining when a human body is within the second predetermined area and providing a second output signal, and for receiving an input from the second infrared detector and determining when a flame is within the second predetermined area and providing a third output segment; and

an auto-dialing instruction originating section operatively connected to the first telephone for calling the second telephone automatically based on the receipt of one of the first output signal, second output signal and third output signal.

29. The surveillance system according to claim 28 wherein the first telephone has a chargeable battery and further including a holder assembly for removably mounting the first telephone for charging the chargeable battery, the infrared sensor unit and judging unit is mounted on the holder assembly and operatively connected to the auto-dialing instruction originating section.

30. The surveillance system of claim 29 wherein the image sensor assembly is mounted on a daughter device that is separate from and operatively connected to the first telephone.

31. The surveillance system of claim 29 wherein the holder assembly for mounting the first telephone provides a rotational adjustment of the first telephone to define the predetermined image area.