System and method for managing a surveillance system

• US 9,697,428 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Medina, Douglas, Heath, Jon, Jones, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERORAZIO, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/301,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20160314356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 348143, 725 37
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• 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

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a network device including a controller programmed to receive security video content associated with a premises where the security video content has been captured by one or more cameras located within or in proximity to the premises and where the premises have one or more digital video recorders, and transmit the security video content to the digital video recorders for forwarding to a communication device that is remote from the premises, where the security video content is wirelessly transmitted over a wireless television channel dynamically selected from available wireless television channels associated with the premises. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A network device comprising:

a memory to store computer instructions; and

a controller coupled with the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving security video content associated with a premises, the security video content having been captured by a camera located within or in proximity to the premises, wherein the security video content is provided to a surveillance network having subscribers, wherein transceivers located at the premises are coupled with a group of digital video recorders, each subscriber at the premises having a transceiver and a digital video recorder;

receiving television spectrum data from a target transceiver from among the transceivers, wherein the television spectrum data is based on monitoring at the premises by the target transceiver of available television spectrum space comprising unused channels to determine a channel for wirelessly transmitting the security video content, where the channel is determined by the target transceiver to have reduced interference with respect to other channels;

transmitting the security video content to the target transceiver among the transceivers for storage at a digital video recorder from among the group of digital video recorders, wherein the transmitting of the security video content causes the digital video recorder to forward the security video content to a communication device that is remote from the premises, wherein the security video content is wirelessly transmitted over a wireless television channel dynamically selected by the controller from available wireless television channels associated with the premises according to the television spectrum data, wherein the communication device is associated with an entity other than the subscribers at the premises;

presenting the security video content at a display device associated with the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder is provided with the security video content by the target transceiver in a first format for presentation at the display device and in a second format for forwarding to the communication device; and

delivering media content to the digital video recorder for presentation at the display device simultaneously with the security video content, wherein the media content is provided by a content network distinct from the surveillance network,

wherein the transmitting of the security video content to the digital video recorder is performed independent of delivery of media content to the digital video recorder from an interactive television network, and

wherein the security video content is forwarded to a mobile device associated with a user of the digital video recorder.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to generate a graphical user interface for presentation on the display device associated with the digital video recorder.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the graphical user interface occupies a portion of a screen of the display device and allows presentation of the media content on another portion of the screen.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a toolbar that allows for controlling of the camera.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is selected based on presence information.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the security video content is according to the 802.22 standard.

7. A tangible computer readable storage device comprising instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a broadcast of security video content from a base station, the security video content being associated with a premises having a plurality of dwelling units each having a transceiver device and a digital video recorder, the broadcast being received at the digital video recorder of a dwelling unit, the security video content having been captured by a camera located within or in proximity to the premises, the broadcast of the security video content having been performed at least in part wirelessly on a surveillance network over a wireless television channel dynamically selected by the base station from available wireless television channels associated with the premises,

wherein the transceiver device of the dwelling unit monitors available television spectrum space at the premises, the available television spectrum space comprising unused channels, to determine a channel for wirelessly transmitting the security video content, where the channel is determined by the transceiver to have reduced interference with respect to other channels,

wherein the transceiver device provides data indicating the wireless television channel to the base station, and

wherein the transceiver device is connected with the digital video recorder;

transmitting the security video content stored in the digital video recorder to a communication device that is remote from the premises and associated with an entity other than a dwelling unit;

presenting the security video content at a display device associated with the digital video recorder, wherein the digital video recorder is provided with the security video content by the transceiver device in a first format for presentation at the display device and in a second format for transmission to the communication device; and

delivering media content to the digital video recorder for presentation at the display device simultaneously with the security video content, wherein the media content is provided by a content network distinct from the surveillance network,

wherein the broadcast of the security video content is performed independently of interactive television services provided to the dwelling units, and

wherein the security video content is converted, prior to receipt by the digital video recorder, to a format compatible with display devices of each of the dwelling units.

8. The storage device of claim 7, wherein the security video content is forwarded to another communication device, wherein the other communication device is a mobile device associated with a user of the digital video recorder.

9. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the mobile device is selected based on presence information.

10. The storage device of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise performing video recognition on the security video content to determine an undesired condition associated with the premises.

11. The storage device of claim 10, wherein the undesired condition includes unauthorized behavior, a probability of unauthorized activity, or presence of an unauthorized individual.

12. The storage device of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise generating an alert message for display on the display device, wherein the alert message is generated when the undesired condition is recognized.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, at a base station, security video content associated with a premises having a plurality of display devices connected to a plurality of transceivers, the security video content having been captured by a camera located within or in proximity to the premises; and

multicasting the security video content from the base station to the display devices,

wherein the security video content is wirelessly multicast on a surveillance network over a wireless television channel dynamically selected by a transceiver of the plurality of transceivers from available wireless television channels associated with the premises,

wherein the transceiver monitors available television spectrum space at the premises, the available television spectrum space comprising unused channels, to determine a channel for wirelessly transmitting the security video content, where the channel is determined by the transceiver to have reduced interference with respect to other channels,

wherein the transceiver provides data indicating the wireless television channel to the base station;

presenting the security video content at the display devices,

wherein each of the plurality of transceivers provides the security video content in a first format for presentation at the corresponding display device and in a second format for transmission to a communication device outside the premises and associated with an entity other than a user of a display device at the premises; and

delivering media content for presentation at the display devices simultaneously with the security video content,

wherein the media content includes interactive television services and is provided by a content network distinct from the surveillance network,

wherein the multicast of the security video content is performed independently of providing the interactive television services,

wherein the security video content is transmitted to another communication device, and

wherein the other communication device is a mobile device associated with a user of a display device of the plurality of display devices; and

performing video recognition on the security video content to determine an undesired condition associated with the premises.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising converting the security video content to a format compatible with the display devices after receipt and before multicasting to the display devices.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the undesired condition includes unauthorized behavior, a probability of unauthorized activity, or presence of an unauthorized individual.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless multicast of the security video content is according to the 802.22 standard.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the mobile device is selected based on presence information.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a graphical user interface for presentation on a display device of the plurality of display devices.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface occupies a portion of a screen of the display device and allows presentation of media content on another portion of the screen.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a toolbar that allows for controlling of the camera.