Communication and surveillance system

• US 8,208,024 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: Dischinger, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ashraf, Waseem
• Application Number:
  US11/948,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 348/158, 348/14.01, 348/14.05, 348/14.07, 348142-143
• US Class Current: 348/158
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19621 Portable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A surveillance and communication system is provided and includes two-way audio communication capabilities and a covert video acquisition system. In one embodiment, a system for acquiring video data within an environment is provided. The system includes a device having an image acquisition component, an audio acquisition component, and a speaker provided within an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a portion of a user. The image acquisition component is configured to be utilized to acquire video data from a first viewpoint within the environment. A local data communication system is configured to receive an electrical signal indicative of video data from the image acquisition component. A surveillance component is fixed to a structure within the environment and configured to acquire video data from a second viewpoint within the environment that is elevated with respect to the first viewpoint. Further, a remote data communication system is provided that is remote from the device and configured to simultaneously receive video data from the local data communication system and video data from the surveillance component.

Claims

1. A system for acquiring video data within an environment, the system comprising:

a device including an image acquisition component, an audio acquisition component, a speaker, and a control interface all provided within an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a portion of a user, wherein the image acquisition component is configured to be utilized to acquire video data from a first viewpoint within the environment;

a local data communication system configured to be mounted to the person and to receive an electrical signal indicative of video data from the image acquisition component and configured to transmit video data;

a surveillance component that is fixed to a structure within the environment and configured to acquire video data from a second viewpoint within the environment that is elevated with respect to the first viewpoint, wherein the environment includes one or more objects, which block dark areas behind the objects from the second viewpoint, and the first viewpoint is mobile and configured to periodically access the dark areas; and

a remote data communication system that is remote from the device and configured to simultaneously receive video data from the local data communication system and video data from the surveillance component;

wherein;

the image acquisition component collects video data independently from the collection of audio data by the audio acquisition component, the controller interface permits the user to independently turn on and off each of video data acquisition by the image acquisition component and audio data acquisition by the audio acquisition component.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the local data communication system is configured to receive an electrical signal indicative of audio data from the audio acquisition component and to transmit an electrical signal indicative of audio data to the speaker, wherein the local data communication system is configured for two-way communication of audio data with the remote data communication system.

3. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of surveillance components that are fixed to one or more structures within the environment, wherein the plurality of surveillance components are configured to acquire video data from the environment at viewpoints that are elevated with respect to the first viewpoint.

4. The system of claim 1, and further comprising at least one additional device configured to be mounted to a portion of a user and utilized to acquire video data, wherein the remote data communication system is remote from the at least one additional device and configured to receive video data acquired by the at least one additional device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the structure is one of a group comprising a ceiling, a wall, and a post associated with a building.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first viewpoint is proximate a torso of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote data communication system includes a display component configured to visually render video data received from the local data communication system and the surveillance component at the same time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote data communication system is configured to visually render video data received from the local data communication system and the surveillance component while the remote data communication system receives additional video data from the local data communication system and the surveillance component.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the local data communication system includes an image data communication element configured to transmit video data to the remote data communication system and an audio data communication element configured to receive audio data from the remote data communication system, wherein the image data communication element and the audio data communication element are configured to transmit video data and receive audio data concurrently.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the local data communication system is configured to receive an electrical signal from the image acquisition component indicative of a first portion of video data, and wherein the local data communication element is configured to transmit the first portion of video data to the remote data communication system while the local data communication system receives a second electrical signal from the image acquisition component indicative of a second portion of video data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the local data communication system is configured to simultaneously receive the electrical signal indicative of video data from the image acquisition component and transmit an electrical signal indicative of audio data to a speaker provided in the enclosure.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the enclosure is in the form of a handheld radio and is mounted to a shirt over a chest area of the person, and

the audio acquisition component functions independently of the video acquisition component and only acquires the audio data when a corresponding button of the control interface is depressed.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the device includes a push button to initiate the audio acquisition component to capture audio data and transmit the audio data to the remote data communication system, and the push button is characterized by an inability to control the image acquisition component.

12. A system for acquiring video data within an environment, the system comprising:

a device including an image acquisition component, an audio acquisition component, and a speaker provided within an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a portion of a user, wherein the image acquisition component is configured to be utilized to acquire video data from a first viewpoint within the environment;

a local data communication system configured to receive an electrical signal indicative of video data from the image acquisition component and configured to transmit video data;

a surveillance component that is fixed to a structure within the environment and configured to acquire video data from a second viewpoint within the environment that is elevated with respect to the first viewpoint, wherein the environment includes one or more objects, which block dark areas behind the objects from the second viewpoint, and the first viewpoint is mobile and configured to periodically access the dark areas; and

a remote data communication system that is remote from the device and configured to simultaneously receive video data from the local data communication system and video data from the surveillance component;

wherein the remote data communication system is configured to transmit a control signal to the local data communication system to turn on and off data acquisition performed by the image acquisition component.

13. A system located within an environment, the system comprising:

a first video acquisition device that is a mobile device configured to be mounted to a portion of a user, wherein the mobile device includes a first video acquisition component provided in an enclosure and configured to acquire a first portion of video data, and wherein the mobile device includes a first transmitter configured to transmit the first portion of video data, and wherein the mobile device includes an audio acquisition device and a speaker that are provided in the enclosure;

a second video acquisition device having a fixed position and including a second image acquisition component configured to acquire a second portion of video data and a second transmitter configured to transmit the second portion of video data, wherein the environment includes one or more objects, which block dark areas behind the objects from being visually captured by the second video acquisition device, and the first video acquisition device is configured to be moved to periodically access the dark areas; and

a station that is remote from the first and second video acquisition devices, wherein the station includes a receiver module having at least one receiver configured to receive the first portion of video data directly from the first transmitter and the second portion of video data directly from the second transmitter, and wherein the station includes a processing component configured to receive the first and second portions of video data and visually render the first and second portions of video data on a display component at the same time;

wherein the station is configured to transmit a first control signal to the first video acquisition device to control a video data acquisition operation of the first video acquisition device, wherein the first control signal includes a command to activate the first video acquisition component to begin capturing the video data and to transmit the first portion of the video data to the station.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device is configured for two-way radio communication of audio data with the station, and the mobile device is configured to only transmit the audio data upon user activation switching the mobile device from an audio data reception mode to an audio data transmission mode.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second video acquisition device is a fixed surveillance camera.

16. A system for acquiring video data within a retail structure, the system comprising:

a mobile device including a camera, a microphone, and a speaker that are provided within an enclosure that is configured to be mounted to a portion of a user, wherein the camera is configured to be utilized to acquire video data from a first viewpoint within the retail structure;

a local data communication system configured to receive an electrical signal indicative of video data from the camera, wherein the local data communication system includes a first transmitter configured to transmit video data acquired by the camera;

a surveillance component that is fixed within the retail structure and configured to acquire video data from a second viewpoint within the retail structure that is elevated with respect to the first viewpoint, wherein the surveillance component includes a second transmitter configured to transmit video data acquired by the surveillance component, the retail structure includes one or more of shelves and racks, which block dark areas behind the shelves and racks from the second viewpoint, and the first viewpoint is mobile and configured to periodically access the dark areas; and

a remote data communication system that is located within the structure and is remote from the mobile device and the surveillance component, the remote data communication system including a receiver module having at least one receiver configured to simultaneously receive video data directly from the local data communication system and video data directly from the surveillance component, and wherein the local data communication system is configured for two-way communication of audio data with the remote data communication system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the remote data communication system receives a first portion of video data from the first transmitter and a second portion of video data from the second transmitter, wherein the remote data communication system is configured to visually render the first and second portions of video data to a display component while the remote data communication system receives additional video data from the first and second transmitters.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the remote data communication system is configured to transmit a control signal to the mobile device to control a data acquisition operation of the camera, wherein the control signal includes a command to activate the camera to initiate capturing of the video data.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the command to activate the camera turns the camera on, and the remote data communication system is configured to provide a second control signal including a second command to turn off the camera.