Wildlife surveillance camera

• US 8,421,861 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WGI Innovations Limited (Good Sportsman Marketing LLC)
• Original Assignee: WGI Innovations Limited (Good Sportsman Marketing LLC)
• Inventors: Barley, Christopher B., Roach, James Brandon, Mantooth, Geoffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Owens, Tsion B
• Application Number:
  US12/752,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20110242315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/373, 348/155
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A wildlife surveillance camera has a housing and first and second battery compartments located in the housing, which battery compartments are sized to receive at least two batteries in end-to-end fashion. The battery compartments are separated from each other by a gap which contains the electronics for the camera. The camera unit has an inner door that closes the access openings into the battery compartments. An outer door is provided to provide access to the inner door. The camera image sensor, the triggering device and the display are all mounted to the rear portion of the housing.

Claims

1. A wildlife surveillance camera, comprising:

a) a housing;

b) first and second battery compartments located in the housing with each of the first and second battery compartments comprising a side wall that forms an elongated interior cavity that extends between two ends, with each of the cavities sized to receive at least two batteries in an end-to-end orientation, with one of the cavity ends of each of the first and second battery compartments being open so as to allow for the insertion and removal of batteries into the respective compartment with the respective side wall blocking insertion and removal of batteries into the respective compartment;

c) the first and second battery compartments being separated from each other by a gap;

d) camera electronics located in the housing and comprising a processor and externally facing components, the externally facing components comprising an image sensor, a display and a triggering sensor;

e) the externally facing components being located in the gap between the first and second battery compartments

f) an inner door movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the inner door is in the closed position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are closed and when the inner door is in the open position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are open;

g) an outer door movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the outer door is in the closed position, the inner door is inside of the housing and when the outer door is in the open position, the inner door is exposed to the exterior of the housing.

2. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the side wall of each of the first and second battery compartments comprise a cover over a channel formed in the housing, the cover coupled to the housing.

3. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the housing has a top end and a bottom end, the inner and outer doors being located at one of the ends.

4. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein when the outer door is in the open position, a user input device is exposed to the exterior.

5. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein when the outer door is in the open position, a data output port and a receptacle for external memory is exposed to the exterior.

6. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a) the side wall of each of the first and second battery compartments comprise a channel formed in the housing and a cover over the channel, the cover coupled to the housing;

b) the housing has a top end and a bottom end, the inner and outer doors being located at one of the ends;

c) when the outer door is in the open position, a user input device is exposed to the exterior;

d) when the outer door is in the open position, a data output port and a receptacle for external memory is exposed to the exterior.

7. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the externally facing components are arranged in a column on a front of the housing.

13. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the image sensor and the triggering device are aligned with the respective openings in the housing front portion, the image sensor and the triggering device being mounted to the housing rear portion.

8. A wildlife surveillance camera, comprising:

a) a housing having a front, a rear and sides, as well as ends;

b) an image sensor;

c) a triggering sensor;

d) a display;

e) a processor for processing images from the image sensor when the triggering sensor is activated, and for providing information to the display;

f) a user input device connected to the processor;

g) at least one battery compartment accessible by an opening;

h) the image sensor, the triggering sensor and the display facing the exterior of the front of the housing;

i) the user input device and the battery compartment being accessible by an outer door on one of the ends of the housing, the image sensor, the triggering sensor and the display being unblanketed by the outer door;

j) an inner door movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the inner door is in the closed position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are closed and when the inner door is in the open position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are open;

k) the outer door movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the outer door is in the closed position, the inner door is inside of the housing and when the outer door is in the open position, the inner door is exposed to the exterior of the housing.

9. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 8, further comprising a power on switch located on the front of the unit, the power on switch turning the display on when activated, the power on switch being exposed to the exterior of the housing.

10. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 8, further comprising a data port and an external memory receptacle accessible by the door.

11. A wildlife surveillance camera, comprising:

a) a housing having front and rear portions which couple together to form an interior cavity, the housing front portion having an opening;

b) camera electronics comprising an image sensor, a triggering device, a display and a processor, the processor connected to the image sensor, the triggering device and the display, the camera electronics located in the interior cavity;

c) the display being mounted to the housing rear portion such that the display is adjacent to the opening and such that when the housing front portion is removed from the housing rear portion, the display remains with the housing rear portion

d) a battery compartment accessible by an opening;

e) an inner door movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the inner door is in the closed position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are closed and when the inner door is in the open position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are open;

f) an outer door movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the outer door is in the closed position, the inner door is inside of the housing and when the outer door is in the open position, the inner door is exposed to the exterior of the housing.

12. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 11, further comprising a transparent pane across the opening, the display separated from the pane by a gap.

14. The wildlife surveillance camera of claim 11, further comprising a camera lens adjacent to the image sensor, the lens having a focal axis, the display angled below the focal axis.