Surveillance method and system

• US 7,202,884 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2001
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Barraclough, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/885,298
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.05, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/143, 348/153, 340/539.11, 340/539.25, 340/539.1, 725105-108, 709203-205
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a low-cost, remotely accessible surveillance method and system easily adaptable for personal or small-entity use. In one example embodiment, a request for image data is delivered via a first communications system, such as a telephone system, to a programmable surveillance system. The programmable surveillance system has a camera adapted to capture images that are processed as data by a first computer arrangement. In response to the request from the first communications system, the programmable surveillance system automatically accesses and delivers image data captured by the camera to a second communications system. A second computer arrangement is adapted to communicatively couple with the second communications system and to receive and process data including the image data delivered by the first computer arrangement. The received image data is displayed using the second computer arrangement, facilitating on-demand, remote image monitoring.

Claims

1. A surveillance system comprising:

a first communications system communicatively coupled and adapted to deliver a request for image data;

a second communications system communicatively coupled and adapted to transmit image data;

a programmable surveillance system including a first computer arrangement for processing data including image data, and including a camera configured and arranged to capture images, wherein the captured images are processed as data by the first computer arrangement, and wherein the programmable system is configured and arranged to receive the request for image data from the first communications system, and, in response to the request, to automatically access and deliver image data to the second communications system; and

a second computer arrangement for communicatively coupling with the second communications system, and for processing data including image data, and configured and arranged to retrieve image data delivered by the first computer arrangement.

2. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second communications systems includes the Internet, and wherein the programmable surveillance system accesses the Internet by logging on to the Internet via an internet service provider (ISP).

3. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second communications systems include a plain-old-telephone-system (POTS).

4. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second communications systems include a wireless system.

5. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second communications systems include a paging system.

6. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second communications systems include an email system.

7. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the first communications system includes a telephone, wherein the programmable surveillance system is adapted to receive a telephone call from the telephone and, in response to the telephone call, offer an audio menu of choices for delivery of the video data, wherein the telephone is adapted to deliver a response to the audio menu, and wherein the programmable surveillance system is further adapted to respond to the response to the audio menu.

8. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the request for image data includes the provision of a caller ID number, wherein the programmable surveillance system is programmed with at least one stored caller ID number, and wherein the programmable surveillance system is adapted to detect the caller ID number of the request and compare the caller ID number with the at least one stored caller ID number and, in response to detecting a match, automatically access and deliver image data.

9. A surveillance system, according to claim 8, wherein each of the at least one stored caller ID numbers includes a programmed communications delivery method, and wherein the programmable surveillance system is adapted to automatically access and deliver image data via the programmed communications delivery method corresponding to the matched caller ID number.

10. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the first communications system includes a telephone, wherein the programmable surveillance system is programmed with an access code and adapted to receive a telephone call from the telephone and, in response to the telephone call, request the access code and, in response to the access code being entered via the telephone, automatically access and deliver image data to the second communications system.

11. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the first and second communications system are included in a single communications system.

12. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the communications system includes at least two communication forms.

13. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the programmable surveillance system is further configured and arranged to gather and deliver image data to the second communications system responsive to the request.

14. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the camera includes a video camera, and wherein the image data includes video data.

15. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the programmable surveillance system further includes a microphone configured and arranged to capture audio, wherein the captured audio is processed as data by the first computer arrangement for transfer over the second communications system, and wherein the second computer arrangement processes audio data.

16. A surveillance system, according to claim 15, wherein the programmable surveillance system is further configured and arranged to gather audio in response to the request.

17. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the programmable surveillance system includes a videoconferencing device.

18. A surveillance system, according to claim 17, wherein the videoconferencing device has a multi-processor architecture that processes video data using a specialized DSP arrangement.

19. A surveillance system, according to claim 18, wherein the videoconferencing device includes a built-in display.

20. A surveillance system, according to claim 18, wherein the programmable surveillance system includes a built-in, integrated Internet circuit-access arrangement.

21. A surveillance system, according to claim 18, wherein the second computer arrangement includes a videoconferencing device.

22. A surveillance system, according to claim 1, wherein the programmable surveillance system is further configured to encode the image data prior to delivering the image data to the second communications system, and wherein the second computer arrangement is further adapted to decode the encoded image data.

23. A surveillance system, according to claim 22, wherein the encoded data includes a password, and wherein the second computer arrangement is adapted to decode the data using the password.

24. A surveillance system comprising:

a first communications system communicatively coupled and adapted to deliver a request for image data and including a telephone that is adapted to deliver a response to an audio menu;

a second communications system communicatively coupled and adapted to transmit image data;

a programmable surveillance system adapted to receive a telephone call from the telephone and including a first computer arrangement for processing data including image data, and including a camera configured and arranged to capture images, wherein the captured images are processed as data by the first computer arrangement, and wherein the programmable system is configured and arranged to receive the request for image data from the first communications system, and, in response to the request, to automatically access and deliver image data to the second communications system and in response to the telephone call, offer an audio menu of choices for delivery of the video data, and wherein the programmable surveillance system is further adapted to respond to the response to the audio menu; and

a second computer arrangement for communicatively coupling with the second communications system, and for processing data including image data, and configured and arranged to retrieve image data delivered by the first computer arrangement;

wherein the audio menu choices comprise at least one of;

requesting the initiation of a streaming video feed via the second communications system;

requesting the initiation of the delivery of images via the second communications system;

requesting that the programmable surveillance system hang up and dial into the second communications system;

requesting that the programmable surveillance system hang up and redial the number called from the first communications system;

requesting the initiation of the delivery of images to at least one of a plurality of locations; and

requesting the initiation of the delivery of images via at least one of a plurality of communications systems.

25. A surveillance system comprising:

means for generating a request and delivering the request via a first communications system;

means for automatically accessing image data via a first communication terminal having a first means for processing data including image data, responsive to the request;

means for transferring the image data over a second communications system; and

means for receiving the image data via a second means for processing data including image data, coupled communicatively with the means for transferring the image data over the second communications system.

26. A method for surveillance, comprising:

generating a request and delivering the request via a first communications system;

in response to receiving the request, automatically accessing image data via a first communication terminal having a first computer arrangement for processing data including image data;

transferring the image data over a second communications system; and

receiving the image data via a second computer arrangement for processing data including image data, and coupled communicatively with the first computer arrangement over the second communications system.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising gathering image data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the image data includes video data.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising delivering the video as streaming video over the Internet.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the request includes a caller ID number.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising protecting the image data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the image data is protected with a password.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the image data is encrypted.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising including the dynamic address of the first communications terminal as a part of the password.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

accessing audio data via the first communications terminal in response to receiving the request;

transferring audio data over the second communications system; and

receiving the audio data via the second computer arrangement, wherein the second computer arrangement is adapted to process the audio data.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

generating an audio menu of choices at the first communications terminal in response to receiving the request; and

selecting a choice from the audio menu via the first communications system, wherein transferring the image data includes transferring the image data in response to the choice made via the audio menu.

37. A surveillance system comprising:

a first communications system including a telephone and communicatively coupled and adapted to deliver a request for image data;

a second communications system communicatively coupled and adapted to transmit image data;

a programmable surveillance system including a first computer arrangement for processing data including image data, and including a camera configured and arranged to capture images, wherein the captured images are processed as data by the first computer arrangement, and wherein the programmable system is configured and arranged to receive a telephone call via the first communications system and, in response to the telephone call, to offer an audio menu of choices for delivery of the image data including the delivery of images via the second communications system, wherein the telephone is adapted to deliver a response to the audio menu, and wherein the programmable surveillance system is further adapted to respond to the response to the audio menu by accessing and delivering image data to the second communications system corresponding to the response to the audio menu delivered from the telephone; and

a second computer arrangement for communicatively coupling with the second communications system, and for processing data including image data, and configured and arranged to retrieve image data delivered by the first computer arrangement.