Non-intrusive data transmission network for use in an enterprise facility and method for implementing

• US 7,477,285 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Careview Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Careview Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron; Wanda M
• Application Number:
  US10/735,307
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 348/155, 725/108, 725/111, 725/133
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19686 Interfaces masking personal details for privacy, e.g. blurring faces, vehicle license plates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a non-intrusive data transmission network for use in a healthcare facility and method for implementing such network. Each individual patient'"'"'s room is equipped with a set-top control device, a separate camera, microphone, control module camera control device. The SCD allows for a non-intrusive installation within a minimum amount of time. By utilizing the existing cable television infrastructure, the device creates a high-speed data network throughout the facility. The interface between the SCD and the CCD is accomplished through a standard interface for universally connecting auxiliary devices, such as USB, for enabling expandable, hot-pluggable Plug and Play serial device interfaces. These ports allow external devices such as the camera, microphone, infrared keyboard and privacy control unit to communicate with the SCD. Additional USB ports on the SCD allow for other devices to be connected to the network at a future time. Such devices include those for instrument monitoring, doctor information access or pharmaceutical prescription ordering. Visual information such as e-mail, web browsing, video and audio communications via web camera applications from family members, friends or other parties may be viewed by the patient from the in-room TV set by way of the internal RF modulator (and connecting to the Internet via the patient Internet server). The SCD switches from the standard cable TV channels to the SCD by way of an internal switch controlled by the patient from an infrared control. This control also enables or disables the camera to allow for privacy at times when such privacy is required from external Internet access. The system is configurable to offer this privacy to be layered from specific Internet or external users to the nurses, doctors or security department as the hospital desires.

Claims

1. A device for implementing video surveillance on an existing coaxial network, wherein the existing coaxial network supports data transmitted over a first carrier signal, a second carrier signal and a plurality of other carrier signals, the device comprising:

a data port for connecting to the existing coaxial network;

a modulator for modulating first digital signals onto the first carrier signal, wherein at least some of said first digital signals representing sensory electrical signals, said modulator electrically coupled to the data port;

a demodulator for demodulating second digital signals off the second carrier signal, said demodulator electrically coupled to the data port;

a memory for storing sensory electrical signals as data;

a video sensor for capturing image frames of a surveillance area and for converting said image frames to video sensory electrical signals;

a motion detector for detecting motion in at least a portion of the surveillance area and issuing a motion indication; and

a video processor for receiving the video sensory electrical signals representative of the image frames and determining which image frames to save in the memory based on receiving a motion indication.

2. The device recited in claim 1 further comprises:

an output port for outputting at least said plurality of other carrier signals.

3. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said second carrier signal operates on a carrier frequency between 500 MHz and 1000 MHz.

4. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said second carrier signal is a downstream data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) carrier.

5. The device recited in claim 1, wherein at least some of said plurality of other carrier signals operate on carrier frequencies between 50 MHz and 750 MHz.

6. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the video processor is one of a physical component residing in the device, a physical component residing in the video sensor and video processing executable instructions residing in the memory for processing by the logic circuitry.

7. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

an RFID reader for reading RF tags.

8. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

a universal serial bus port.

9. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

an infrared (IR) sensor for receiving infrared signals.

10. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

a medical monitoring device port.

11. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

one of an RF output port, video output port and audio output port.

12. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

a data bus for carrying video information coupled between the video sensor, said data bus being compliant with one of a digital video standard, NTSC video standard, Agile RF NTSC standard, RF Agile digital video standard, DSL telephone standard and USB standard.

13. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the video sensor further comprises:

a quasi night vision sensor for operating in low light.

14. The device recited in claim 1, wherein said first carrier signal operates on a carrier frequency between 0 MHz and 50 MHz.

15. The device recited in claim 14, wherein said first carrier signal is an upstream data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) carrier.

16. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

a wireless access point for sending and receiving wireless signals.

17. The device recited in claim 16, wherein the wireless access point is compliant with one of IEEE 802.11, Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), Bluetooth, HOME Radio Frequency (HomeRF) and HIPERLAN standards.

18. The device recited in claim 1, further comprises:

a remote user interface for receiving user commands.

19. The device recited in claim 18, wherein the remote user interface further comprises a “

PRIVACY”

key for disabling the video sensor.

20. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the motion detector is incorporated in the video processor and the video processor compares image frames for changes indicating the presence of motion in the surveillance area between capture of the image frames.

21. The device recited in claim 20, wherein the video processor analyzes a first portion of image frames for changes and disregards a second portion of the image frames.

22. The device recited in claim 20, wherein the video processor selects at least some image frames for discarding based on the comparison of image frames for changes.

23. The device recited in claim 20, wherein the video processor selects at least some image frames for storage in the memory based on an amount of change detected between a current frame and a previous image frame being above a predetermined threshold amount of change.

24. The device recited in claim 1, wherein the memory stores a plurality of executable instructions, the device further comprises:

logic circuitry, said logic circuitry operably coupled to said memory for responding to and processing at least some of said plurality of executable instructions.

25. The device recited in claim 24 further comprises:

an output port for outputting at least said plurality of other carrier signals.

26. The device recited in claim 25 further comprises:

a second modulator;

a switch, said switch electrically coupled between said data port, said output port, and said second modulator.

27. The device recited in claim 26 further comprises:

a tuner for tuning one carrier signal of said plurality of other carrier signals, said tuner coupled to said output port; and

a display for displaying a representation of information on said one carrier signal of the at least said plurality of other carrier signals, said display coupled to said tuner.

28. The device recited in claim 24, wherein said logic circuitry is a central processing unit.

29. The device recited in claim 24 further comprises:

a second sensor for receiving second sensory inputs and for converting said second sensory inputs to second sensory electrical signals, wherein said logic circuitry responds to and processes said second sensory electrical signals for controlling said sensory electrical signals.

30. The device recited in claim 29, wherein the second sensor is the motion detector.

31. The device recited in claim 25 further comprises:

a user interface for converting user interacts to electrical signals, said user interface operably coupled to said logic circuitry.

32. A method for implementing video surveillance on an existing coaxial network having a head-end node and a plurality of distribution nodes, wherein the existing coaxial network supports data transmitted over a first carrier signal, a second carrier signal and a plurality of other carrier signals, the method comprising:

connecting a surveillance device to at least some of the plurality of distribution nodes, said surveillance device comprising;

a data port for connecting to the existing coaxial network;

a first modulator for modulating first digital signals onto the first carrier signal, wherein at least some of said first digital signals representing sensory electrical signals, said modulator electrically coupled to the data port;

a first demodulator for demodulating second digital signals off the second carrier signal, said demodulator electrically coupled to the data port;

a memory for storing sensory electrical signals as data;

a video sensor for capturing image frames of a surveillance area and for converting said image frames to video sensory electrical signals;

a motion detector for detecting motion in at least a portion of the surveillance area and issuing a motion indication; and

a video processor for receiving the video sensory electrical signals representative of the image frames from the video sensor and determining which image frames to save as data in the memory based on the motion indication from the motion detector;

connecting a second demodulator to the head-end node, said second demodulator for demodulating the first digital signals off the first carrier signal;

connecting a second modulator to the head-end node, said second modulator for modulating the second digital signals onto the second carrier signal,

capturing a first image frame from the surveillance area;

converting the first captured image frame to video sensory electrical signals;

modulating the video sensory electrical signals representative of the first captured image frame onto the first carrier signal;

transmitting the video sensory electrical signals onto the existing coaxial network;

capturing a second image frame from the surveillance area;

converting the second captured image frame to video sensory electrical signals;

receiving a motion indication; and

saving the second captured image frame to the memory;

capturing a third image frame from the surveillance area;

converting the third captured image frame to video sensory electrical signals;

receiving a second motion indication; and

saving the third captured image frame to the memory.

33. The method recited in claim 32 further comprises:

connecting a network server to the second modulator and the second demodulator at the head-end node.

34. The method recited in claim 32, wherein the motion detector is incorporated in the video processor and the video processor analyzes a first portion of an image frame for changes and disregards a second portion of the image frame, the method further comprises:

comparing a portion of the second captured image frame to a corresponding portion of the first captured image frame for changes between the images frames in the portion of the captured image frames indicating the presence of motion in the surveillance area; and

issuing a motion indication.

35. The method recited in claim 32, the method further comprises:

receiving a transmission error for the video sensory electrical signals; and

saving the first captured image frame to the memory.

36. The method recited in claim 32, wherein the motion detector is incorporated in the video processor and the video processor compares image frames for changes indicating the presence of motion between capture of the image frames, the method further comprises:

comparing the second captured image frame to the first captured image frame for changes indicating the presence of motion in the surveillance area; and

issuing a motion indication.

37. The method recited in claim 36, wherein issuing a motion indication from comparing the second captured image frame to the first captured image frame for change between the second captured image frame and the first captured image frame further comprises:

measuring an amount of change between the second captured image frame and the first captured image frame; and

comparing the measured amount of change to a predetermined threshold amount of change.

38. A system for implementing video surveillance on an existing coaxial network, comprising:

a coaxial network;

a plurality of a surveillance control devices coupled to the coaxial network, each control device comprising;

a data port for connecting to the coaxial network;

a modulator for modulating first digital signals onto the first carrier signal, wherein at least some of said first digital signals representing sensory electrical signals, said modulator electrically coupled to the data port;

a demodulator for demodulating second digital signals off the second carrier signal, said demodulator electrically coupled to the data port;

a memory for storing sensory electrical signals as data;

a video sensor for capturing image frames of a surveillance area and for converting said image frames to video sensory electrical signals;

a motion detector for detecting motion in at least a portion of the surveillance area and issuing a motion indication; and

a video processor for receiving the video sensory electrical signals representative of the image frames from the video sensor and determining which image frames to save as data in the memory based on the motion indication from the motion detector;

a monitor control device coupled to the coaxial network, comprising;

a second data port for connecting to the coaxial network;

one of an RF output port and a video output port;

a second modulator electrically coupled to the second data port for modulating first digital signals onto the first carrier signal;

a second demodulator electrically coupled to the second data port for demodulating second digital signals off the second carrier signal;

a second memory; and

a video monitor coupled to the one of an RF output port and a video output port; and

a head-end, comprising;

a cable modem termination system for receiving first digital signals on the first carrier signal and transmitting second digital signals on the second carrier signal; and

a temporary storage for storing image frames of a surveillance area.

39. The system recited in claim 38, wherein the video processor in each of the plurality of surveillance control devices is one of a physical component residing in the device, a physical component residing in the video sensor and video processing executable instructions residing in the memory for processing by the logic circuitry.

40. The system recited in claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of surveillance control devices further comprises an RFID reader for reading RF tags.

41. The system recited in claim 38, wherein the video sensor in each of the plurality of surveillance control devices is a quasi night vision sensor for operating in low light.

42. The system recited in claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of surveillance control devices further comprises a medical monitoring device port.

43. The system recited in claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of surveillance control devices further comprises a wireless access point for sending and receiving wireless signals.

44. The system recited in claim 43, wherein the wireless access point is compliant with one of IEEE 802.11, Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), Bluetooth, HOME Radio Frequency (HomeRF) and HIPERLAN standards.

45. The system recited in claim 38, wherein each of the plurality of surveillance control devices further comprises a remote user interface for receiving user commands.

46. The system recited in claim 45, wherein the remote user interface further comprises a “

PRIVACY”

key for disabling the video sensor.

47. The system recited in claim 38, wherein the motion detector in each of the plurality of surveillance control devices is incorporated in the respective video processor and the video processor compares image frames for changes indicating the presence of motion in the surveillance area between capture of the image frames.

48. The system recited in claim 47, wherein the video processor analyzes a first portion of an image frame for changes and disregards a second portion of the image frame.

49. The system recited in claim 47, wherein the video processor selects at least some image frames for discarding based on the comparison of image frames for changes.

50. The system recited in claim 47, wherein the video processor selects at least some image frames for storage in the memory based on an amount of change detected between a current frame and a previous frame being above a predetermined threshold amount of change.