Camera for monitoring utilizing power line communication

• US 6,924,732 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yokoo, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/662,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20040066465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 34031001-31008, 340/538, 340/693.2, 340/541, 348/143, 348150-156
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19634 Electrical details of the system, e.g. component blocks for carrying out specific functions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/06 using power transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A power monitoring section detects the interruption of AC electric power from a power line, and switches operating power within a camera to power from a battery. A control section sets control of the camera to a different mode at the power stopping time. The operation is controlled to pick-up one static image at constant time intervals, and sequentially stores the static image to a data storage section. A voice section stops collecting sounds. The control section stops communication with a master set. When the AC electric power is restored the operating power is switched to the electric power from the power line. When a user utilizing the master set knows the restoration of the power, the user gives commands for reading image information stored during the power stoppage to the camera, and monitors the state during the interruption of the AC electric power.

Claims

1. A camera for monitoring able to transmit a video signal to a master set by using power line communication, and comprising a power control section for switching operating power to power from a secondary battery when supply of electric power from a power line is monitored and is interrupted;

a picture section for picking-up a static image every constant time at the interrupting time of the power line electric power; and

a data storage section for storing the static image from the picture section;

wherein the static image every constant time stored to said data storage section is transmitted to the master set as a monitoring terminal by using the power line communication when the power line electric power is restored.

2. The camera for monitoring according to claim 1, wherein said picture section photographs a dynamic image and the photographed dynamic image is transmitted to the master set as said monitoring terminal when the electric power is supplied from the power line.

3. The camera for monitoring according to claim 1, wherein the camera for monitoring further comprises a voice section for collecting voice information of a monitoring place, and the voice information from said voice section is transmitted to the master set as said monitoring terminal when the electric power is supplied from the power line.

4. The camera for monitoring according to claim 3, wherein said data storage section stores a dynamic image photographed by said picture section and the voice information from said voice section for a first constant time, and a previous dynamic image and voice information are transmitted to the master set for a second constant time by commands from the master set as said monitoring terminal when the electric power is supplied from the power line.