Internet camera

• US 6,965,398 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Axis AB (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Arakt, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Villecco, John M.
• Application Number:
  US09/790,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/552, 348/211.99, 348/211.3, 348/207.1, 348/231.6, 348/231.3, 345/742, 396/300, 712/37, 717/168, 717/169, 717/170, 717/171, 717/172, 717/173
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

An Internet camera, which operates in accordance with parameters contained in configuration data, is provided with a storage that stores the configuration data, a network interface for connecting the Internet with a predetermined site on the Internet. The Internet camera is further provided with a mail receiving system that receives an e-mail message through the Internet. The e-mail message may contain configuration data. If the configuration data is contained in the received e-mail message, it replaces the configuration data currently stored in the storage.

Claims

1. An Internet camera that operates in accordance with parameters contained in configuration data, comprising:

a storage that stores said configuration data;

a network interface, said Internet camera being connected with a predetermined site on the Internet;

a mail receiving system that receives an e-mail message through the Internet, said e-mail message carrying modified configuration data;

a controller that retrieves the modified configuration data from said e-mail message and stores the modified configuration data in said storage, said Internet camera operating in accordance with said modified configuration data.

2. The Internet camera according to claim 1, further comprising an uploading system that uploads image data corresponding to images captured by said Internet camera to a predetermined site on the Internet through said network interface.

3. The Internet camera according to claim 2, wherein said controller interrupts uploading of the image data if said mail receiving system receives the e-mail message containing said modified configuration data.

4. The Internet camera according to claim 3, wherein said controller resumes transferring of said image data when said controller has stored the modified configuration data in said storage.

5. The Internet camera according to claim 1, further comprising a mail analyzing device that analyzes the received e-mail message to check whether the received e-mail message contains the modified configuration data.

6. The Internet camera according to claim 1, wherein said configuration data includes a schedule script which defines schedule of capturing of images and/or transferring of image data.

7. An Internet camera that operates in accordance with parameters contained in configuration data, comprising:

a storage that stores said configuration data;

a network interface including a modem, said Internet camera being connected with a predetermined site on the Internet;

a mail receiving system that receives an e-mail message through the Internet, said e-mail message carrying a predetermined command;

a controller that controls said network interface to disconnect said Internet camera from the Internet when said predetermined command is received;

a sound detecting system that detects a predetermined sound, said predetermined sound being generated by said modem when said modem receives a call, wherein said controller connects said Internet camera when said predetermined sound is detected; and

a downloading system that downloads modified configuration data from said predetermined site if said predetermined sound is detected, wherein said controller stores the downloaded modified configuration data in said storage, said Internet camera operating in accordance with said modified configuration data.

8. The Internet camera according to claim 7, further comprising an uploading system that uploads image data corresponding to images captured by said Internet camera to said predetermined site on the Internet through said network interface.

9. The Internet camera according to claim 8, wherein said controller interrupts uploading of the image data when said predetermined command is received while the image data is being uploaded to said predetermined site.

10. The Internet camera according to claim 9, wherein, if uploading of the image data has been interrupted as said predetermined command has been received, said controller resumes uploading of the image data after said modified configuration data is downloaded and stored in said storage.

11. The Internet camera according to claim 7, further comprising a mail analyzing device that analyzes the received e-mail message to check whether the received e-mail message contains the predetermined command.

12. The Internet camera according to claim 7, wherein said sound detecting system determines that said predetermined sound is generated if a predetermined number of ringing tones are generated by said modem.

13. The Internet camera according to claim 7, wherein said sound detecting system determines that said predetermined sound is generated if the number of ringing tones generated by said modem is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.

14. An Internet camera that operates in accordance with parameters contained in configuration data, comprising:

a storage that stores said configuration data;

a network interface including a modem, said Internet camera being connected with a predetermined site on the Internet;

a mail receiving system that receives an e-mail message through the Internet, said e-mail message carrying a predetermined command;

a controller that controls said network interface to disconnect said Internet camera from the Internet when said predetermined command is received;

a timer that measure time duration since said Internet camera is disconnected from the Internet, wherein said controller disconnects said Internet camera when a predetermined time duration has elapsed form the disconnection; and

a downloading system that downloads modified configuration data from said predetermined site when said predetermined time has elapsed and said Internet camera is re-connected to the Internet,

wherein said controller stores the downloaded modified configuration data in said storage, said Internet camera operating in accordance with said modified configuration data.

15. The Internet camera according to claim 14, further comprising an uploading system that uploads image data corresponding to images captured by said Internet camera to said predetermined site on the Internet through said network interface.

16. The Internet camera according to claim 15, wherein said controller interrupts uploading of the image data when said predetermined command is received while the image data is being uploaded to said predetermined site.

17. The Internet camera according to claim 16, wherein, if uploading of the image data has been interrupted as said predetermined command has been received, said controller resumes uploading of the image data after said modified configuration data is downloaded and stored in said storage.

18. The Internet camera according to claim 14, further comprising a mail analyzing device that analyzes the received e-mail message to check whether the received e-mail message contains said predetermined command.

19. An Internet camera that operates in accordance with parameters contained in configuration data, comprising:

a storage that stores said configuration data;

a network interface including a modem, said Internet camera being connected with a predetermined site on the Internet;

a mail receiving system that receives an e-mail message through the Internet, said e-mail message carrying a predetermined command;

a controller that controls said network interface to disconnect said Internet camera from the Internet when said predetermined command is received;

a sound detecting system that detects a predetermined sound, said sound detecting system including an answering machine that answers a call to said modem, said predetermined sound including touch tones, said controller connecting said Internet camera when said predetermined sound is detected; and

a downloading system that downloads modified configuration data from said predetermined site if said predetermined sound is detected,

wherein said controller stores the downloaded modified configuration data in said storage, said Internet camera operating in accordance with said modified configuration data.

20. An Internet camera which operates in accordance with parameters contained in configuration data, comprising:

a storage which stores said configuration data;

a network interface permitting said Internet camera to be connectible to a predetermined site on the Internet via a first type of connection;

a message receiving system which receives a message via a second type of connection that is different from said first type of connection; and

a controller which, in response to a message received via said message receiving system, retrieves modified configuration data from said predetermined site and stores the modified configuration data in said storage, said Internet camera operating in accordance with said modified configuration data.

21. The Internet camera according to claim 20, wherein the message receiving system includes at least one of a telephone modem or an E-mail system.

22. The Internet camera according to claim 20, wherein the first type of connection includes a file transfer system.

23. The Internet camera according to claim 20, wherein the message does not include the configuration file.

24. The Internet camera according to claim 20, wherein the second type of connection connects to the network interface when the first type of connection is active.

25. The Internet camera according to claim 20, wherein the first and second types of connection each include an Internet-protocol connection.