Detection and viewing system

• US 8,144,184 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SB IP Holdings LLC (Skybell Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Revolutionary Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Carter, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US11/929,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 379/102.06, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.01, 348/14.06, 348/143, 348/152, 348/155
• US Class Current: 348/14.06
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An audio-video communication system comprises a wireless exterior module located proximate an entrance, a computerized controller running a software application, and a remote peripheral device. The wireless exterior module includes a proximity sensor for detecting a person at the entrance, a video camera for recording an image of the person at the entrance, a microphone for recording the person at the entrance, a speaker for playing audio to the person at the entrance, a transmitter for communicating sounds and images of the person at the entrance, and a receiver for receiving communications at the wireless exterior module. The computerized controller is disposed in wireless electronic communication with the wireless exterior module via the transmitter and the receiver of the wireless exterior module. The remote peripheral device is configured to electronically communicate with the computerized controller for viewing an image from the video camera communicated from the wireless exterior module.

Claims

1. A detection and viewing system, comprising:

(a) a wireless device associated with a door and configured to communicate video data, the wireless device including a camera for providing the video data;

(b) a sensor for activating the camera;

(c) a plurality of peripheral devices, each peripheral device associated with a respective user; and

(d) a computer configured for communication with the wireless device and configured for communication with each of the peripheral devices;

(e) wherein the computer executes software, in accordance with which,

(i) the association of each of the peripheral devices with a respective user is maintained,

(ii) video data from the wireless device is received by the computer upon actuation of the sensor, and

(iii) a graphical user interface is provided through which video data from the wireless device is accessible by each respective user using one of the peripheral devices.

2. The detection and viewing system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device further includes a microphone, a speaker, an RF transmitter, and an RF receiver.

3. The detection and viewing system according to claim 2, wherein audio data is communicated with the video data.

4. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein, in accordance with the software, video data received from the wireless device is recorded, and access to the recorded video data is provided through the graphical user interface.

5. The detection and viewing system according to claim 4, wherein the video data is recorded to a storage device selected from the group of a CD-ROM R/W, a DVD R/W, a camera card, a tape drive, and a hard drive.

6. The detection and viewing system according to claim 1, wherein, in accordance with the software, the computer associates one of various levels of access privileges to each user.

7. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein, in accordance with the software, the computer contacts a particular one of the users by sending a communication to the respective peripheral device associated with that user upon the triggering of the sensor.

8. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein, in accordance with the software, the computer facilitates audio communications between a person using the wireless device, and a particular one of the users, by initiating communications with the respective peripheral device associated with that user.

9. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured for communication, via the Internet, with one or more of the plurality of peripheral devices such that audio and video data from the wireless device is remotely accessible via the Internet by a respective user using one of the peripheral devices.

10. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured for communication, via a public switching telephone network, with one or more of the plurality of peripheral devices such that audio and video data from the wireless device is remotely accessible via the public switching telephone by a respective user using one of the peripheral devices.

11. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured for communication, via a local area network, both with the wireless device and with one or more of the plurality of peripheral devices such that audio and video data from the wireless device is accessible via the local area network by a respective user using one of the peripheral devices.

12. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripheral devices each comprises a digital communication device.

13. The detection and viewing system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of peripheral devices comprises a cell phone, telephone, video-cell phone, computer, personal digital assistant, video-personal digital assistant, satellite telephone, or pager.

14. The detection and viewing system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device and at least one of the peripheral devices are configured for communications via text messaging.

15. The detection and viewing system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is portable, has a locking mechanism, and an electrical receptacle for quickly attaching to a source of electricity, and wherein the wireless device further includes a portable energy source.

16. The detection and viewing system according to claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a module for authenticating a user based on a biometric of the user.

17. The detection and viewing system according to claim 16, wherein the biometric comprises at least one of the group of a user'"'"'s face, eye, voice, and fingerprint.

18. The detection and viewing system according to claim 1, wherein the computer comprises a voice-generation apparatus.

19. A detection and viewing system, comprising:

(a) a wireless device associated with a door and configured to communicate video data;

(b) a sensor associated with the door for activating of the camera upon triggering of the sensor;

(c) a plurality of peripheral devices, each peripheral device associated with a respective user; and

(d) a computer configured for communication with the wireless device and configured for communication, via the Internet, with each of the peripheral devices;

(e) wherein the computer executes software, in accordance with which,

(i) the association of each of the peripheral devices with a respective user is maintained,

(ii) video data from the wireless device is received and stored by the computer,

(iii) a graphical user interface is provided through which video data from the wireless device is accessible, via the Internet, by each respective user using one of the peripheral devices, and

(iv) each user is authenticated based on a biometric of the user.

20. A detection and viewing system, comprising:

(a) a wireless device associated with a door and configured to communicate audio and video data, the wireless device including a sensor, a camera, a microphone, a speaker, an RF transmitter, and an RF receiver, the wireless device communicating the audio and video data upon triggering of the sensor;

(b) a plurality of peripheral devices, each peripheral device associated with a respective user; and

(c) a computer configured for communication with the wireless device and configured for communication via the Internet with each of the peripheral devices;

(d) wherein the computer executes software, in accordance with which,

(i)the association of each of the peripheral devices with a respective user is maintained,

(ii) audio and video data from the wireless device is received by the computer,

(iii) a graphical user interface is provided through which audio and video data from the wireless device is accessible via the Internet by each respective user using one of the peripheral devices, and

(iv) audio and video data received from the wireless device is recorded, and access to the recorded audio and video data is provided through the graphical user interface.