Systems and methods for controlling devices over a network

• US 7,382,397 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smiths Detection (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Detection (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mottur, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao; Anand S.
• Application Number:
  US10/301,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 348142-160, 348211-214, 725103-109
• US Class Current: 348/142
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Methods and systems that include providing at least one controlled region, at least one controlled region device associated with the controlled region(s), and a processor-controlled user device, the user device having an interface by which a user can select one of controlled region devices, and provide variable speed control commands over a network to the selected controlled region device. The controlled region device can be a device that can be controlled at least in part, based on pan and tilt commands, including devices mounted on a pan/tilt head. Example devices include a camera, an antenna, and a spotlight.

Claims

1. A system, the system comprising,

at least one controlled region,

at least one camera associated with the at least one controlled region,

a processor-controlled user device, the user device having an interface by which a user can select one of the at least one camera, and provide variable speed control commands over a network to the selected camera, and

at least one sensor associated with the at least one controlled region, wherein the sensor is separate from the camera,

wherein the system is adapted to enable the user to usurp control of the selected camera from another user.

2. A system according to claim 1, where the at least one sensor includes a processor and processor instructions.

3. A system according to claim 1, where the at least one sensor communicates with at least one of:

the at least one camera, and at least one playback system.

4. A system according to claim 1, where the at least one camera can be positioned based on a signal from the at least one sensor.

5. A system according to claim 1, where the at least one camera can be associated with instructions to position the camera based on a signal from the at least one sensor.

6. A system according to claim 1, further including at least one playback system associated with the at least one controlled region.

7. A system according to claim 1, further including at least one of:

at least one video recorder, at least one audio recorder, at least one playback video means, at least one playback audio means, and at least one analysis module.

9. A system according to claim 1, where the interface includes configurable options based on at least one of:

information associated with the user, the at least one controlled region, and the at least one camera.

10. A system according to claim 1, further including at least one database to associate a user with at least one of:

identification information and privileges.

11. A system according to claim 10, where the identification information can include at least one of a user name, a password, and biometric data.

12. A system according to claim 10, where the privileges can be based on at least one of:

the at least one controlled region and the at least one camera.

13. A system according to claim 1, further including:

at least one database to associate the at least one camera with at least one protocol, and,

instructions for causing data from the user device to be provided to the at least one camera based on the at least one protocol.

16. A system according to claim 1, where the interface includes a display.

17. A system according to claim 1, where the interface includes at least one of a graphical user interface, a database interface, a scripting interface, a menu driven interface, and a text-based interface.

21. A system according to claim 1, where the variable speed control commands are based on:

an origin, and

a user-designated distance from the origin.

22. A system according to claim 21, where the origin is at least one of:

a designated location, and an initial contact location selected by the user.

40. A system according to claim 1, wherein the variable speed control commands include commands that increases a magnitude of the speed of at least one of a pan and a tilt of the camera in correlation to varying user input, the varying user input including spatial movement of an input device where increased spatial movement corresponds to increased camera speed.

8. A system, the system comprising:

at least one controlled region,

at least one camera associated with the at least one controlled region,

a processor-controlled user device, the user device having an interface by which a user can select one of the at least one camera, and provide variable speed control commands over a network to the selected camera,

wherein the interface is adapted to provide to the user privileges that are based on and vary according to at least one of;

the user device, the user, the at least one controlled region, and the at least one camera, and

wherein the system is adapted to enable the user to usurp control of the selected camera from another user.

14. A system, the system comprising:

at least one controlled region,

the at least one camera associated with the at least one controlled region,

a processor-controlled user device, the user device having an interface by which a user can select one of the at least one camera, and provide variable speed control commands over a network to the selected camera, and

at least one non-camera device associated with the at least one controlled region, the at least one non-camera device at least partially controlled by the interface,

wherein the system is adapted to enable the user to usurp control of at least one of the selected camera and the at least one non-camera from another user.

15. A system according to claim 14, further including:

at least one database to associate the at least one non-camera device with at least one protocol, and,

instructions for causing data from the user device to be provided to the at least one non-camera device based on the at least one protocol.

18. A system, the system comprising:

at least one controlled region,

at least one camera associated with the at least one controlled region,

a processor-controlled user device, the user device having an interface by which a user can select one of the at least one camera, and provide variable speed control commands over a network to the selected camera,

wherein the interface includes a control area, where commands based on at least one of pan and tilt commands are provided to the at least one camera based on a relative position of a cursor in the control area,

wherein the system is adpted to enable the user to usurp control of the selected camera from another user.

19. A system according to claim 18, where the relative position of the cursor is based on an initial cursor position.

20. A system according to claim 18, where the relative position of the cursor is based on an origin of the control area.

23. A system, the system comprising:

at least one controlled region,

at least one sensor associated with the at least one controlled region,

at least one controlled region device associated with the at least one controlled region, the controlled region device being controlled at least in part by at least one of pan and tilt commands, the at least one controlled region device being separate from the at least sensor,

at least one alarm associated with the at least one sensor, and,

a processor-controlled user device for receiving an alarm notification based on the at least one alarm, the user device having an interface by which a user can select one of the at least one controlled region device, and provide commands based on at least one of variable pan and tilt commands over a network to the selected controlled region device,

wherein the system is adapted to enable the user to usurp control of the selected controlled region device from another user.

24. A system according to claim 23, where the at least one sensor includes at least one of:

at least one facial recognition system, at least one image processing instruction, at least one motion sensor, at least one thermal sensor, at least one seismic sensor, at least one acoustic sensor, at least one chemical sensor, at least one gas sensor, at least one biological sensor, at least one biometric sensor, at least one radioactivity sensor, and at least one flow sensor.

25. A system according to claim 23, where the controlled region device includes a microprocessor-controlled device.

26. A system according to claim 23, where the interface is adapted to provide to the user privileges that vary from user to user that are based on user privileges associated with the user.

27. A system according to claim 23, where the interface can be based on at least one of:

the controlled region associated with the selected controlled region device, the user device, and the selected controlled region device.

28. A system according to claim 23, where the interface includes an origin, and the at least one of the pan and tilt commands are based on a user-designated distance from the origin.

29. A system according to claim 23, where the interface includes an origin, and where the origin is at least one of:

a designated location, and an initial contact location selected by the user.

30. A system according to claim 23, where the at least one controlled region device includes at least one of:

a camera, a gun turret, a missile turret, a spotlight, and an antenna.

31. A system according to claim 23, where the interface includes at least one option to perform at least one of:

usurp control, boot control, direct data from the selected controlled region device and redirect data from the selected controlled region device.

41. A system according to claim 23, wherein the variable pan and tilt commands include commands that increases a magnitude of a speed of at least one of pan and a tilt of the camera in correlation to varying user input, the varying user input including spatial movement of an input device where increased spatial movement corresponds to increased camera speed.

32. A method, comprising:

providing at least one controlled region, the at least one controlled region associated with at least one controlled region device,

providing at least one interface to allow at least one user to;

select one of the at least one controlled region devices, and,

generate at least one of pan and tilt commands,

where the at least one interface is provided on a processor-controlled user device, the at least one interface having an origin, where the pan and tilt commands are based on a user-selected distance from the origin, and

converting the generated pan and tilt commands to control the selected controlled region device,

wherein the system is adapted to enable the user to usurp control of the selected controlled region device from another user.

33. A method according to claim 32, further including associating at least one sensor with the at least one controlled region.

34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising providing at least one of an alarm and an alarm notification to the at least one user, the at least one alarm and alarm notification based on the at least one sensor.

35. A method according to claim 32, further comprising,

associating at least one sensor with the at least one controlled region,

based on data from the at least one sensor, providing at least one of an alarm and an alarm notification to the at least one user, the at least one alarm and alarm notification to identify at least one of:

the controlled region associated with the at least one sensor on which the at least one alarm and alarm notification are based, and at least one device associated with the controlled region associated with the at least one sensor on which the at least one alarm and alarm notification are based.

36. A method according to claim 32, where the interface includes at least one control to perform at least one of:

usurp control of the selected controlled region device, boot a user from control of the selected controlled region device, redirect data from the selected controlled region device, and direct data from the selected controlled region device.

37. A method according to claim 32, where the at least one sensor includes at least one of:

at least one facial recognition system, at least one image processing instruction, at least one motion sensor, at least one thermal sensor, at least one seismic sensor, at least one acoustic sensor, at least one chemical sensor, at least one gas sensor, at least one biological sensor, at least onebiometric sensor, at least one radioactivity sensor, and at least one flow sensor.

38. A method according to claim 32, where the interface is adapted to provide to the user privileges that are based on at least one of:

the controlled region associated with the selected controlled region device, the user device, user privileges, and the selected controlled region device.

39. A system according to claim 32, where the at least one controlled region device includes at least one of:

a camera, a gun turret, a missile turret, a spotlight, and an antenna.

42. The method of claim 32, wherein the variable pan and tilt commands include commands that increases a magnitude of a speed of at least one of pan and a tilt of the camera in correlation to varying user input, the varying user input including spatial movement of an input device where increased spatial movement corresponds to increased camera speed.