Systems and methods for proximity-activated voice recording

• US 9,042,524 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Casey Brutin
• Original Assignee: John Joel Brutin
• Inventors: Brutin, John Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/919,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 704/246, 455/575, 379/68
• US Class Current: 379/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656

Abstract

According to one aspect, a proximity-activated voice recording system having at least two proximity-activated voice recording devices. Each voice-activated recording device may include a first proximity sensor for detecting a proximity defined by a device communications distance, and an identification token that contains first identification information for identifying the voice-activated recording device. In some cases, each device may have a second proximity sensor for detecting a proximity defined by a vocal communications distance.

Claims

1. A proximity-activated voice recording system comprising at least two proximity-activated voice recording devices, each device comprising:

at least one of a control system and a wireless transceiver for detecting a proximity defined by a device communications distance; and

,

an identification token for identifying the voice-activated recording device;

at least one of the devices comprising a microphone; and

at least one of the devices comprising a speaker for detecting a proximity defined by a vocal communications distance;

wherein the system is configured to;

detect when two devices are within the proximity as defined by the device communication distance, and then facilitate exchanging identification tokens between the two devices and enable pairing thereof;

detect when the two devices are within the proximity defined by the vocal communications distance by receiving an audio test signal sent from the speaker of one of the two devices using the microphone of the other of the two devices;

determine that the two devices are within the proximity defined by the vocal communications distance if the audio test signal is successfully received by the other of the two devices, and if so then activate one of the two device to record sounds.

2. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 1, wherein the control system of at least one device comprises second identification information pertaining to another voice-activated recording device such that the second identification information can be used to pair the at least one voice-activated recording device with the other voice-activated recording device.

3. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 1, wherein at least one proximity-activated voice recording device further comprises a human-device interface with which a user can receive information from or provide information to the at least one proximity-activated voice recording device.

4. The proximity-activated voice recording system claim 1, wherein at least one proximity-activated voice recording device further comprises a battery for powering the device.

5. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 1 wherein at least one proximity-activated voice recording device further comprises a video camera.

6. A method for operating a proximity-activated voice recording system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a second proximity-activated voice recording device when it is within a proximity to a first proximity-activated voice recording device, the proximity being defined by a device communications distance;

exchanging identification tokens between the first proximity-activated voice recording device and the second proximity-activated voice recording device to enable pairing of the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices;

pairing the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices;

detecting a second proximity-activated voice recording device when it is within a proximity to a first proximity-activated voice recording device defined by a vocal communications distance, comprising the steps of;

sending an audio test signal from a speaker of the first proximity-activated voice recording device;

receiving the audio test signal with the microphone of the second proximity-activated voice recording device;

determining that the second proximity-activated voice recording device is within the proximity to the first proximity-activated voice recording device defined by the vocal communications distance if the audio test signal is successfully received by the second proximity-activated voice recording device; and

,

activating at least one of the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices when the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices are within a mutual proximity defined by a vocal communications distance.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining that the second proximity-activated voice recording device is not within a proximity to a first proximity-activated voice recording device defined by a vocal communications distance if and only if the audio test signal is not successfully received by the second proximity-activated voice recording device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the steps of detecting second proximity-activated voice recording device when it is within a proximity to a first proximity-activated voice recording device, the proximity being defined by a device communications distance;

exchanging identification tokens between the first proximity-activated voice recording device and the second proximity-activated voice recording device to enable pairing of the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices; and

pairing the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices are performed by a control system using a defined communications protocol.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the defined communications protocol is Bluetooth.

10. A method for operating a proximity-activated voice recording system, the method comprising the steps of:

recording a conversation between a first user having a first proximity-activated voice recording device and a second user having a second proximity-activated voice recording device when the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices are within a proximity defined by a vocal communications distance;

periodically verifying that the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices and the second proximity-activated voice recording device are within a mutual proximity defined by the vocal communications distance; and

,

ending the recording of the conversation when the first and second proximity-activated voice recording devices are separated by a distance greater than the vocal communications distance.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

at least one of uploading or downloading a voice recording from the first or second proximity-activated voice recording devices to a computing device or communications device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the computing device or communications device is a cloud-based networking device.

13. A proximity-activated voice recording system comprising at least two proximity-activated voice recording devices, each recording device wherein:

at least one device comprises a first proximity sensor for detecting a proximity defined by a device communications distance;

at least one device comprises an identification token that contains first identification information for identifying the voice-activated recording device; and

,

at least one device comprises a second proximity sensor for detecting a proximity defined by a vocal communications distance;

at least one device comprises a control system and a recorder, the control system configured to;

activate the recorder to record a conversation between a first user having a first device and a second user having a second device when the first and second devices are within the proximity defined by the vocal communications distance;

periodically verify that the first and second devices are within the proximity defined by the vocal communications distance; and

,

end the recording of the conversation when the first and second devices are separated by a distance greater than the vocal communications distance.

14. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 13, wherein the identification token of at least one device comprises second identification information pertaining to another voice-activated recording device.

15. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the devices is operable to use the second identification information to pair the at least one voice-activated recording device and the other voice-activated recording device.

16. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 13, wherein at least one proximity-activated voice recording device further comprises a wireless transceiver for communicating with another proximity-activated voice recording device.

17. The proximity-activated voice recording system of claim 13, wherein at least one proximity-activated voice recording device further comprises at least one of input and output ports for providing various input and output functions.