Internet surveillance system and method
DC
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a central controller, an indication of a user request for the user to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;
selecting, by the central controller and on behalf of the user, a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks;
receiving, by the central controller and from a sensor at the remote location, an indication of an occurrence of an event; and
causing, by the central controller and based at least in part on the receipt of the indication of the occurrence of the event, a device operated by the user to output information associated with the occurrence of the event.
4 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for a central server to manage remote monitoring tasks performed by users of a data network. An exemplary method comprises: receiving a request from a user of a user device to monitor a remote location; determining a remote location to be monitored; enabling communication between a sensor at the remote location and the user device; and crediting value to the user in accordance with an amount of time the user device has been in communication with the remote sensor for remote monitoring purposes. An alternate exemplary method includes measuring user attentiveness while the user device is in communication with the remote sensor. Thus, the disclosed system and method provide a way for users of a data network such as the Internet to log on at any time and perform remote monitoring tasks for value. Idle time can now be turned into value using the disclosed system and method. Moreover, little or no skill is required of the user to earn value using the disclosed system and method; the user need only be attentive while performing a remote monitoring task. Location owners also benefit from the convenience by which they can now have their properties monitored and by the ability of the disclosed system and method to ensure the attentiveness of the user performing the remote monitoring task.
77 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method, comprising:
-
receiving, by a central controller, an indication of a user request for the user to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment; selecting, by the central controller and on behalf of the user, a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks; receiving, by the central controller and from a sensor at the remote location, an indication of an occurrence of an event; and causing, by the central controller and based at least in part on the receipt of the indication of the occurrence of the event, a device operated by the user to output information associated with the occurrence of the event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A computer readable memory medium, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to:
-
receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;
select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks;receive, from a sensor at the remote location, an indication of an occurrence of an event; and cause, based at least in part on the receipt of the indication of the occurrence of the event, a device operated by the user to output information associated with the occurrence of the event.
-
-
15. An apparatus comprising:
-
a processor; and a storage device that stores a program for directing the processor, the processor being operative with the program to; receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment; select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks; receive, from a sensor at the remote location, an indication of an occurrence of an event; and cause, based at least in part on the receipt of the indication of the occurrence of the event, a device operated by the user to output information associated with the occurrence of the event.
-
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeInventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
-
Original AssigneeWalker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
-
InventorsWalker, Jay S., Tedesco, Daniel E., Alderucci, Dean P., Fincham, Magdalena M.
-
Primary Examiner(s)RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
-
Application NumberUS11/424,731Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,222 DaysField of Search348143-160US Class Current348/143CPC Class CodesG06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing ...H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via ...H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a...H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a...
