Systems and methods for remote work sessions

• US 8,401,233 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tedesco, Daniel E., Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Tulley, Stephen C., O'Neil, Vincent M., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire, Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US13/180,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20110286638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/115, 382/209, 348/143, 348/152, 348/169
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19673 Addition of time stamp, i.e. time metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for facilitating the usage of an online workforce to remotely monitor security-sensitive sites and report potential security breaches.

In some embodiments, cameras are configured to monitor critical civilian infrastructure, such as water supplies and nuclear reactors. The cameras are operatively connected to a central computer or series of computers, and images captured by the cameras are transmitted to the central computer. After initially registering with the central computer, Guardians “log on” to a central website hosted by the central computer and monitor the images, thereby earning compensation. In one embodiment, images of “no-man” zones—areas where no humans or vehicles should be present or monitored—are sent to Guardians for a simple determination of whether or not a human exists in the picture. Site owners compensate the operator of the computer system for this monitoring service, and the operator in turn compensates Guardians based on, for example, (i) the amount of time spent monitoring, and/or (ii) the degree of a given Guardian'"'"'s responsiveness to real or fabricated security breaches.

Among other things, systems and methods are disclosed herein for facilitating (a) the registration of monitored sites, (b) the registration of Guardians, and (c) the management of monitoring sessions, including the routing of real and fabricated images to Guardians, the rating of Guardians, and the compensation of Guardians. Many additional and alternative embodiments are contemplated, including the following example of one embodiment.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a central server, a request from a remote viewer for the remote viewer to review images of objects in exchange for payment;

selecting, by the central server and after the receiving of the request to review images of objects, an image of an object from a plurality of available images of objects;

providing, by the central server and after the selecting, the selected image of the object to the remote viewer;

requesting, by the central server and after the receiving of the request to review images of objects, that the remote viewer provide an indication of whether the image of the object matches a reference image of a particular object; and

receiving, by the central server and from the remote viewer, the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording, in the case that the indication from the remote viewer is indicative of a determination that the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object, one or more of a time and a position associated with the image of the object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering, in the case that the indication from the remote viewer is indicative of a determination that the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object, an alarm condition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object is received via a web interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object is received via a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object is received via an interface in which (i) the image of the object comprises one of a series of scrolling images of the plurality of available images of objects which are presented to the remote viewer via a first portion of the interface and (ii) the reference image is presented as a static image via a second portion of the interface that is different than the first portion of the interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object comprises an indication of a selection, by the remote viewer, of one of a first option presented via an interface and a second option presented via the interface, wherein the first option is indicative of a positive indication that the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object, and wherein the second option is indicative of a negative indication that the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is conducted based at least in part on a characteristic of the remote viewer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a human subject in a particular area and wherein the reference image comprises an image of a particular human.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

crediting and account of the remote viewer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the crediting comprises providing an amount of payment based on a number of images reviewed by the remote viewer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the particular area comprises an ATM.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the particular area comprises a toll booth.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the particular area comprises a shopping mall.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference image of the particular human comprises an image of a fugitive.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference image of the particular human comprises an image of a missing person.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises a work session and wherein the request and the indication are received from a mobile devices operated by the remote viewer in association with the work session.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a product in an assembly line and wherein the reference image comprises a quality control image.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to;

receive a request from a remote viewer for the remote viewer to review images of objects;

select, after a receiving of the request to review images of objects, an image of an object from a plurality of available images of objects;

provide, after a selecting, the selected image of the object to the remote viewer;

request, after the receiving of the request to review images of objects, that the remote viewer provide an indication of whether the image of the object matches a reference image of a particular object; and

receive, from the remote viewer, the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object.

20. A computer-readable memory storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

receive a request from a remote viewer for the remote viewer to review images of objects;

select, after a receiving of the request to review images of objects, an image of an object from a plurality of available images of objects;

provide, after the receiving of the request to review images of objects, the selected image of the object to the remote viewer;

request, after a selecting, that the remote viewer provide an indication of whether the image of the object matches a reference image of a particular object; and

receive, from the remote viewer, the indication of whether the image of the object matches the reference image of the particular object.