Computerized swimming pool security system and method

• US 7,138,921 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John V. Fontaine
• Original Assignee: John V. Fontaine
• Inventors: Fontaine, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/901,712
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.4, 340/573.1, 340/539.15, 340/506, 348/156, 348/152, 348/143
• US Class Current: 340/573.4
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/082 by monitoring electrical characteristics of the water

Abstract

A child security system activates an alarm when an unsupervised child enters a monitored area, including a security camera for receiving video images from a monitored area; a computer; a security camera being linked to send video data from the monitored area to the computer; and system software loaded in the computer enabling the computer to distinguish the image of a child entering the monitored area, distinguishing the image of a child from an image of an adult or an animal, determining whether the image of an adult is simultaneously present within the monitored area, and an alarm linked to the computer so that the computer sends an ON signal to the alarm causing the alarm to activate when the image of a child is detected and no image of an adult is simultaneously detected, indicating that an unsupervised child has entered the monitored area.

Claims

1. A child security system for activating an alarm when an unsupervised child enters a monitored area, comprising:

a security camera for receiving video images from a monitored area;

a computer;

and the security camera being linked to send video data from the monitored area to the computer;

and system software loaded in said computer enabling the computer to distinguish the image of a child entering the monitored area, distinguishing the image of a child from an image of an adult or an animal, determining whether the image of an adult is present within the monitored area simultaneously with a child, and the alarm linked to the computer such that the computer sends an ON signal to the alarm causing the alarm to activate when the image of a child is detected and no image of an adult is simultaneously detected, indicating that an unsupervised child has entered the monitored area.

2. A computer executed method for detecting entry of an unsupervised child into a monitored area using a system including a security camera for receiving video images from a monitored area, a computer, and the security camera being linked to send video data from the monitored area to the computer, and system software, comprising the steps of:

the security camera receiving video images from the monitored area;

the computer distinguishing the image of a child entering the monitored area from other images in the monitored area;

differentiating the image of a child from any image of an adult or of an animal within the monitored area;

determining whether an image of an adult is present within the monitored area simultaneously with a child;

and if an image of a child is detected and an image of an adult is not detected, sending an ON signal to the alarm causing the alarm to activate, indicating that an unsupervised child has entered the monitored area.

3. The system of claim 2, comprising the additional steps of:

detecting an image of an adult in the monitored area;

and sending an OFF signal to the alarm causing the alarm to deactivate.

4. A computer executed method for detecting entry of an unsupervised child into a monitored area using a system including a security camera for receiving video images from the monitored area, a computer, and the security camera being linked to send video data from the monitored area to the computer, and system software, comprising the steps of:

the security camera receiving video images from a monitored area;

the computer distinguishing the image of a child entering the monitored area from other images in the monitored area;

differentiating the image of a child from any image of any of an adult and an animal within the monitored area;

determining whether the image of an adult is present within the monitored area simultaneously with a child;

and if an image of a child is detected and no image of an adult is simultaneously detected, sending an ON signal to the alarm causing the alarm to activate, indicating that a child has entered the monitored area.