Communication and monitoring system

• US 9,485,478 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SB IP Holdings LLC (Skybell Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eyetalk365, LLC
• Inventors: Carter, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Stella
• Application Number:
  US14/670,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20150222852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1402- 1405, 348/156, 379/102.06, 37916701-16715
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method for receiving a person at an entrance, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting the presence of a person at the entrance;

(b) transmitting, to a computerized controller running a software application, real-time streaming digital video of the person at the entrance recorded using a wireless device located proximate the entrance; and

(c) providing, with the application software running at the computerized controller, a graphic user interface to a remote peripheral device comprising a cell phone by which a user of the remote peripheral device may view the real-time streaming digital video of the person at the entrance;

wherein said detecting of step (a) comprises using the wireless device comprising a proximity sensor, a microphone, a speaker, a video camera, a keypad having one or more buttons, and a playing component that records audio and video communication from the person at the entrance;

wherein said transmitting of step (b) comprises transmitting, through the internet, real-time streaming digital video wirelessly.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said computerized controller is a personal computer and wherein said transmitting video wirelessly comprises RF transmission.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said computerized controller is located on an interior side of said entrance.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of performing two-way audio communication using an interior transceiver comprising a speaker and a microphone located on the interior of a business or residence.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said video is streaming video received by the peripheral device and further comprising the step of performing wireless two-way communication using an interior transceiver located within a residence or business comprising a microphone and a speaker as well as a touch screen for display of text associated with a security system;

and broadcasting the person is at the entrance to the peripheral device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting further comprises use of a wireless router to transmit the video to the computerized controller and wherein the method further comprises wireless transceiver on the interior of a residence or business comprising a touch screen for displaying and receiving text from a remote computer.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a text message to the remote peripheral device having a predetermined address upon occurrence of a security breach.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising remotely actuating the camera located proximate the entrance using the remote peripheral device;

and further comprising step of remotely actuating an electronic lock associated with the entrance.

9. A detection and viewing system comprising:

a wireless device comprising a video camera, a speaker, a microphone, and a keypad having one or more buttons, wherein the wireless device is operable to wirelessly transmit real-time digital streaming video;

a software application running on at least one peripheral device, each of said at least one peripheral devices associated with a respective user;

a computer configured for wireless communication with the wireless device to receive digital real-time digital streaming video data, wherein said computer is configured for communication with each of said at least one peripheral devices to transmit the digital real-time digital video data to at least one peripheral device;

and wherein said peripheral device comprises a cellular phone and is configured to display the video transmitted wirelessly by the camera using the software application running on the cell phone.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the computer executes software, in accordance with which,

(i) the association of each of the at last one peripheral device with a respective user is maintained,

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

(iii) a graphical user interface is provided through which video data from the wireless device is accessible by each respective user using at least one peripheral device comprising the cell phone.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said wireless device comprises a proximity sensor located within the wireless device for detecting the presence of a person.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising an interior transceiver having a touch screen display for receiving and sending text to a remote computer associated with the detection and viewing system, wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to lock or unlock an electronically actuated lock associated with a residence or business.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said camera is further operable to detect audio using a microphone located on the camera.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said cellular phone comprises a touch screen used to access the video and an icon associated with the software application running on the cellular phone.

15. The system of claim 9 further comprising a wireless router, wherein said wireless router enables communication between said wireless device and said computer and is located proximate the wireless device.

16. The system of claim 9 further comprising a wireless transceiver located on the interior of a residence or business wherein the transceiver comprises a touch screen display for controlling the viewing and detection system and wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to transmit and receive data associated with the detection and viewing system.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein said computer is a server.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein said wireless device comprising the system is further configured to use video image recognition of a person.

19. The system of claim 9 further comprising a database application associated with the computer, said database application comprising at least one user password to access the database application, at least one telephone number where an occupant can be reached, and a defined hierarchy of storage of audio or video data;

wherein the system further comprises a wireless transceiver module comprising a touch screen for controlling the viewing and detection system.

20. The system of claim 9 wherein said wireless device comprises a proximity sensor located on said wireless device, wherein the detection and viewing system further comprises a wireless transceiver comprising a touch screen used for sending and receiving text to the computer that is remote to the wireless device comprising the camera, using the touch screen;

wherein the wireless device is located on the interior of a business or residence, and wherein said peripheral device is configured to receive streaming video.

21. A method for receiving a person at an entrance, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) executing a software application on a remote peripheral device comprising a cell phone that is configured to display digital video of a person located proximate an entrance wherein real-time streaming video is transmitted wirelessly by a wireless device comprising a camera, a microphone, a proximity detector, a speaker, and a keypad having one or more buttons, the wireless device located proximate the entrance;

(b) receiving video wirelessly on said remote peripheral device from the wireless device located proximate an entrance upon detection of a person at an entrance by the proximity detector; and

(c) providing a graphical user interface through the software application on said remote peripheral device by which a user of the remote peripheral device can view said digital video from said camera.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the peripheral device is further configured to receive a text message upon detection of a person at the entrance;

wherein the detection of the person is determined using the proximity sensor.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said remote peripheral device is operable to send audio or video wirelessly from said remote peripheral device to said wireless device;

wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving video and audio of a person located proximate the entrance.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of using voice recognition through use of a voice recognition module associated with the peripheral device to access the camera located proximate the entrance.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of actuating an electronic lock associated with a business or residence through use of the peripheral device.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of actuating an electronic lock associated with the business or residence through the use of a voice recognition module on the peripheral device.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of performing facial recognition on the video transmitted by the camera.

28. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of using the peripheral device further comprising a touch screen to access video received from the camera located at the entrance and to receive video from the camera that is streamed to the cellular phone.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising a second remote peripheral device comprising an in-car communications system comprising the steps of:

(a) executing a software application on the second remote peripheral device comprising an in-car communication system that is configured to display digital video associated with a camera located proximate an entrance;

(b) receiving video wirelessly on said second remote peripheral device from the camera located at an entrance; and

(c) providing a graphical user interface through the software application on said second remote peripheral device by which a user of the remote peripheral device can view said digital video from said camera.

30. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of communicating with a wireless transceiver having a touch screen located in the interior of a business or residence using the remote peripheral device.