Motion detector camera

• US 7,149,422 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Good Sportsman Marketing LLC
• Original Assignee: IP Holdings Incorporated (IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Schnell, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US10/876,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 396263-266, 396/287, 396/292, 396/284, 396/285, 396/429, 396/502, 396/59, 396/61, 396/153, 396/419, 396/421, 396422-425, 396/143, 396/150, 396/152, 396/155, 396163-166, 396/204, 396/373, 396/427, 348/64, 348152-155
• US Class Current: 396/153
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04

Abstract

A motion detector camera includes a camera mechanism mounted inside a housing, a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing, and a controller for controlling the camera mechanism in response to signals received from the motion detector. The camera can include an activity counter mounted to the housing. The controller activates the camera mechanism when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector, or the controller activates the activity counter and does not activate the camera mechanism when a triggering activity occurs. The camera can include digital camera electronics. A camera support can be used to removably mount the camera to an object such as a tree.

Claims

1. A motion detector camera comprising:

a camera mechanism located inside a housing;

a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing;

a controller to receive triggering signals from the motion detector, wherein when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector, the controller activates the camera mechanism;

a viewfinder mounted to the housing; and

a shutter button mounted to the housing for manual activation of the camera mechanism, wherein the controller includes a test mode, wherein when put into the test mode the controller activates a test indicator and does not activate the camera mechanism when a triggering activity occurs.

2. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a burst state such that the controller causes the camera mechanism to take two or more pictures in response to a single triggering signal.

3. The motion detector of claim 1, wherein the camera mechanism includes digital camera electronics.

4. The motion detector camera of claim 1, including a flash exposed on a surface of the housing and having a range of at least 23 feet.

5. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a pause state, wherein when put into the pause state, the controller does not activate the camera mechanism after receiving a triggering event signal from the motion detector.

6. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein the camera mechanism does not include a separate, stand-alone camera.

7. The motion detector camera of claim 1, further including a display mounted on a front outer surface of the housing.

8. A motion detector camera comprising:

a housing;

a camera mechanism mounted within the housing;

a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing;

a controller operatively coupled to the camera mechanism and the motion detector, wherein the controller is adapted to send an activation signal to the camera mechanism when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector;

a memory connected to the controller;

an external viewfinder mounted to the housing; and

an external shutter button mounted to the housing for manual activation of the camera mechanism, wherein the controller includes at least two operating modes, wherein in a first mode the controller activates the camera mechanism when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector, and wherein in a second mode the controller stores the triggering signal in the memory and does not activate the camera mechanism when the controller receives the triggering signal from the motion detector.

9. The motion detector camera of claim 8, wherein the controller can be programmed to time and date stamp each of the triggering signals in the memory.

10. The motion detector camera of claim 9, wherein a user can retrieve the time and date of each of the triggering signals from the memory.

11. The motion detector camera of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a burst state such that the controller causes the camera mechanism to take two or more pictures in response to a single triggering signal.

13. The motion detector camera of claim 8, further including a display mounted on a front outer surface of the housing.

12. A motion detector camera comprising:

a housing;

a camera mechanism mounted within the housing;

a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing;

a controller operatively coupled to the camera mechanism and the motion detector, wherein the controller is adapted to send an activation signal to the camera mechanism when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector;

a memory connected to the controller;

an external viewfinder mounted to the housing; and

an external shutter button mounted to the housing for manual activation of the camera mechanism, wherein the controller includes a test mode wherein the controller activates a test indicator and does not activate the camera mechanism when a triggering signal is received from the motion detector.

14. A motion detector camera comprising:

a camera mechanism located inside a housing;

a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing;

a controller to receive triggering signals from the motion detector, wherein when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector, the controller activates the camera mechanism, and wherein the controller includes a burst state such that the controller causes the camera mechanism to take two or more pictures in response to a single triggering signal; and

a viewfinder mounted to the housing.

15. The motion detector camera of claim 14, wherein the controller includes a test mode, wherein when put into the test mode the controller activates a test indicator and does not activate the camera mechanism when a triggering activity occurs.

16. The motion detector camera of claim 14, further including a display mounted on a front outer surface of the housing.

17. The motion detector camera of claim 14, further including a flash exposed on a surface of the housing and operatively coupled to the controller.