Integrated video camera module

• US 9,942,525 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Duffy, Gregory R., McLean, Melissa D., Virani, Aamir S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, CHIA WEI A
• Application Number:
  US15/062,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20160191757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 348143-159, 348373
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19619 Details of casing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

This application discloses a camera module that incorporates a camera portion, a wireless antenna, a wireless transceiver and one or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs). The camera portion is configured to capture video data. The wireless transceiver is coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to communicate in a local wireless network. The wireless transceiver is configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera portion to a client device via a remote server. The client device is remote from the camera module, and the remote server is remote from the camera module and the client device. The IR LEDs are configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light. In some implementations, the wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera portion while the one or more IR LEDs illuminate the field of view with infrared light.

Claims

1. A camera module, comprising:

a camera portion configured to capture video data;

a microphone and a speaker configured to, while the camera portion captures the video data, exchange audio messages between a person remotely viewing the video data captured by the camera portion and a person being filmed by the camera module substantially in real time;

a wireless antenna; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to upload the video data captured by the camera portion and audio messages received by the microphone to a remote server, and communicate, via the remote server, the video data captured by the camera portion to one or more remote client devices including a smart phone configured to execute a downloaded software application, the one or more client devices being remote from the camera module, and the remote server being remote from the camera module and the one or more client devices;

wherein;

the camera module is configured to stream to the remote server the video data and received audio messages via the wireless transceiver of the camera module substantially in real time while the video data is captured;

the remote server is configured to store the video data and audio messages, and the smart phone is configured to access the video data and audio messages stored in the remote server after logging into the remote server; and

the remote server is configured to analyze the stored video data to determine whether a characteristic of the video data exceeds a threshold value, and in response to determining that the characteristic of the video data exceeds the threshold value, send a notification to the smart phone indicative of the characteristic of the video data exceeding the threshold value.

2. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs) configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light in accordance with a determination that ambient light is low; and

a dark-colored IR-transparent material, wherein the one or more IR LEDs are enclosed in the camera module using the dark-colored IR-transparent material such that the IR LEDs are not visible from the exterior of the camera module.

3. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the wireless transceiver is further configured to communicate, to the one or more client devices via the remote server, the video data captured by the camera portion while the one or more IR LEDs illuminate the field of view with infrared light.

4. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the one or more client devices include a mobile phone, and the captured video data is provided, via the remote server, to a dedicated and/or downloaded application executed by the mobile phone for reviewing the captured video data remotely by a user of the mobile phone.

5. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the one or more client devices include a computer, and the captured video data is provided, via the remote server, to an Internet browser application executed by the computer for reviewing the captured video data remotely by a user of the computer.

6. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the wireless antenna and the wireless transceiver are concealed within the camera module, and are not visible from the exterior of the camera module.

7. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) port configured to power the device and/or to operate as an input/output interface for control and/or display.

8. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a status light, the status light being configured to indicate via a first color that the camera module is powered on but not recording, to indicate via a second color different than the first color that the camera module is recording, and to indicate via a lack of color that the camera module is powered off.

9. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the smart phone is directly coupled to the camera module via a local area network.

10. A system, comprising:

an integrated video camera module, comprising;

a camera configured to capture video data;

a microphone and a speaker configured to, while the camera portion captures the video data, exchange audio messages between a person remotely viewing the video data captured by the camera portion and a person being filmed by the camera module substantially in real time;

a wireless antenna; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to upload the video data captured by the camera portion and audio messages received by the microphone to a remote server, and communicate, via the remote server, the video data captured by the camera portion to one or more remote client devices including a smart phone configured to execute a downloaded software application first client device, the one or more client devices being remote from the camera module, and the remote server being remote from the camera module and the one or more client devices;

wherein;

the camera module is configured to stream to the remote server the video data and received audio messages via the wireless transceiver of the camera module substantially in real time while the video data is captured;

the remote server is configured to store the video data and audio messages, and the smart phone is configured to access the video data and audio messages stored in the remote server after logging into the remote server; and

the remote server is configured to analyze the stored video data to determine whether a characteristic of the video data exceeds a threshold value, and in response to determining that the characteristic of the video data exceeds the threshold value, send a notification to the smart phone indicative of the characteristic of the video data exceeding the threshold value.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an arm configured to receive and hold the integrated video camera module;

a base; and

a joint mechanically coupling the arm to the base, the joint being configured to provide at least one degree of motion for the arm and the video camera module held thereby with respect to the base.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion being mechanically coupled to the rear portion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the camera is configured to be exposed via the front portion of the camera module.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

one or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs) configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light in accordance with a determination that ambient light is low, wherein the IR LEDs are configured to be concealed within the front portion of the camera module.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a status light configured to be exposed via the front portion of the camera module.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the status light is configured to provide indications indicating whether the system is powered on, powered off, recording, and/or not recording.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a microphone and a speaker, the microphone being arranged to be exposed via the front portion of the integrated video camera module, the speaker being arranged to be exposed via the rear portion of the integrated video camera module.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) port, wherein the USB port is configured to be exposed via the rear portion of the camera module.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the USB port is configured to power the camera module, operate as an interface for control, and/or operate as an interface for display.

20. A camera device, comprising:

means for capturing video data;

means for exchanging audio messages between a person remotely viewing the captured video data and a person being filmed by the camera device substantially in real time and while capturing video data;

means for uploading the video data captured by the camera portion and audio messages received by the microphone to a remote server, and streaming the captured video data via the remote server to one or more remote client devices including a smart phone configured to execute a downloaded software application, the one or more client devices being remote from the camera device, and the remote server being remote from the camera device and the one or more client devices;

wherein;

the captured video data and received audio messages are streamed to the remote server substantially in real time while the video data is captured;

the remote server is configured to store the video data and audio messages, and the smart phone is configured to access the video data and audio messages stored in the remote server after logging into the remote server; and

the remote server is configured to analyze the stored video data to determine whether a characteristic of the video data exceeds a threshold value, and in response to determining that the characteristic of the video data exceeds the threshold value, send a notification to the smart phone indicative of the characteristic of the video data exceeding the threshold value.

21. The camera device of claim 20, further comprising:

means for illuminating a field of view with infrared light in accordance with a determination that ambient light is low, wherein the video data is captured while the field of view is illuminated with infrared light and streamed to the one or more client devices substantially in real time while the video data is captured.

22. The camera device of claim 21, wherein the means for streaming the captured video data are concealed within the camera device and are not visible from the exterior of the camera device, and the camera device further comprises means for indicating via a first color that the camera device is powered on but not recording, and indicating via a second color different than the first color that the camera device is recording, and indicating via a lack of color that the device is powered off.