Wireless network camera systems

• US 9,640,053 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axis AB (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Axis AB (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Siann, Jon, Espey, Dennis James
• Primary Examiner(s): JAIN, RAJ K
• Application Number:
  US14/991,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and techniques associated with battery powered wireless camera systems. One aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a system that includes a battery powered wireless camera including an internal battery to provide energy and a burst transmission unit to transmit information during burst periods. The system includes a base station, separated from the battery powered wireless camera, in wireless communication with the battery powered wireless camera to receive information from the battery powered wireless camera. The base station is configured to process the received information and includes a web server to transmit the processed information to a client. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.

Claims

1. A wireless camera system comprising:

a camera capable of transmitting video data and information, the camera being permanently mounted and powered with solar energy, the camera including a high-bandwidth radio and a low-bandwidth radio; and

a computer running a software application that analyzes and stores video data and information from the camera for a security or surveillance purpose, the computer receiving the video data from the camera via cellular communication, wherein the computer is located away from the camera, wherein the computer indicates that a channel is open to the camera via the low-bandwidth radio of the camera, and wherein the computer receives the video data over the open channel via the high-bandwidth radio of the camera;

wherein the camera also includes a burst transmission unit configured to transmit the video data over the open channel to the computer during burst periods, wherein the burst periods are based on at least one of a wireless link channel average bandwidth capacity, a fidelity of images transmitted, and a latency of establishing and terminating a wireless connection between the camera and a base station;

wherein an alert is transmitted to a user based on an indication of a trigger event in the video data or the information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to be powered up or to obtain information in response to a trigger event caused by one of a sound detection, an infrared motion detection, an ultrasonic detection, a video processing based movement detection, a relay switch, a micro switch, and a radio signaling circuitry.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a network camera comprising:

an internal battery;

a networking module configured to communicate with a network;

an image capturing module configured to capture images; and

an image compression circuit configured to compress the captured images.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is located at a remote client site or a base station.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the remote client site is a mobile phone or a smartphone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a base station is configured to perform operations comprising:

scanning one or more communication channels for channel availability between the base station and the camera;

obtaining an available channel for data transmission based on the scanning of channel availability; and

associating the available channel with the camera.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the associating comprises:

reserving the available channel for a predetermined period of time; and

assigning the reserved available channel to the camera.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein during the predetermined period of time, the available channel appears to other cameras as unavailable for wireless communication.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera includes an uncompressed image capture module configured to operate based on periods that are different from the burst periods.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera includes a compression module configured to operate based on periods that are different from the burst periods.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an internal battery, wherein an output voltage of the internal battery is boosted or regulated by an active power management circuitry.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising;

an internal battery coupled to the camera and providing power to the camera; and

a solar panel coupled to the internal battery and configured to recharge the internal battery.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the burst periods are determined based on a trigger event.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera continuously captures and stores the video data and information of the immediately previous seconds, minutes or hours of the trigger event.

15. The system of claim 1,

wherein the video data indicates motion;

and

wherein the motion is the trigger event.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is transmitted from the camera.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein video data and information stored on the camera is transmitted to a base station in response to the trigger event.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein a video image capture rate is increased or decreased in response to the trigger event.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the video data is streamed at (i) a slower bit rate during periods of inactivity and (ii) a faster bit rate in response to the trigger event.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein each burst period includes a connection set-up event and does not include a discovery sequence.

21. A method for a wireless camera system comprising:

transmitting, by a camera, video data and information, the camera being permanently mounted and including a high-bandwidth radio and a low-bandwidth radio, wherein the video data is transmitted during burst periods, wherein the burst periods are based on at least one of a wireless link channel average bandwidth capacity, a fidelity of images transmitted, and a latency of establishing and terminating a wireless connection between the camera and a base station;

running, by a computer, a software application that analyzes and stores video data and information from the camera for a security or surveillance purpose, the computer receiving the video data from the camera via cellular communication, wherein the computer indicates that a channel is open to the camera via the low-bandwidth radio of the camera, and wherein the computer receives the video data over the open channel via the high-bandwidth radio of the camera; and

transmitting, by the computer, an alert to a user based on an indication of a trigger event in the video data or the information;

wherein the computer is located away from the camera.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each burst period includes a connection set-up event and does not include a discovery sequence.