APPARATUS FOR HOUSING SURVEILLANCE DEVICES, AND A SURVEILLANCE UNIT COMPRISING THE APPARATUS

• US 20120092504A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Barry Murphy, Joseph Nicholas Murphy
• Original Assignee: David Barry Murphy, Joseph Nicholas Murphy
• Inventors: Murphy, Joseph Nicholas, Murphy, David Barry
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/55 with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft
• 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 13/19643 wherein the cameras play different roles, e.g. different resolution, different camera type, master-slave camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/001 Concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make covert systems

Abstract

A surveillance unit (1) comprises a support pole (3) and apparatus (5) mounted on the support pole (3) for housing surveillance cameras (6,7) and infrared heat detectors (8) in a controlled environment. The apparatus (5) comprises a primary housing (10) defining a primary hollow interior region (11) supported on a main support platform (21) which is mounted on the support pole (3). A secondary housing (14) defining a secondary hollow interior region (15) is coupled to the primary housing (10) by a tubular coupling element (17) which defines a communicating passageway (18) for communicating the primary and secondary hollow interior region (11,15). The secondary housing (14) comprises a lower secondary shell (68) of polycarbonate material and an upper secondary shell (73) which form the secondary hollow interior region (15). A PTZ camera (7) is located in a central first chamber (87) of the secondary hollow interior region (15) and eight first cameras (6) are located in the secondary hollow interior region (15) spaced apart at 45° intervals around the central first chamber (87). Medium and low voltage panels (59,60) are located in the primary hollow interior region (11) for controlling and monitoring data from the cameras (6,7) and the infrared heat detectors (8). An air conditioning unit (31) located in the primary housing (10) controls the temperature of air within the primary and secondary hollow interior regions (11,15) in order to maintain a controlled temperature environment

Claims

1-57. -57. (canceled)

58. Apparatus for housing surveillance devices, the apparatus comprising a primary housing defining a primary hollow interior region for housing control circuitry, and being adapted to communicate with an air conditioning element for receiving conditioned air therefrom to produce a controlled environment in the primary hollow interior region, a secondary housing defining a secondary hollow interior region for housing the surveillance devices, the secondary housing being coupled to the primary housing with the secondary hollow interior region and the primary hollow interior region communicating with each other through a communicating passageway, an air accommodating duct extending between the primary hollow interior region and the secondary hollow interior region through the communicating passageway, a circulating means for circulating air between the primary hollow interior region and the secondary hollow interior region to produce a controlled environment in the secondary hollow interior region, the circulating means being located for circulating the air from the primary hollow interior region to the secondary hollow interior region through one of the air accommodating duct and the communicating passageway externally of the air accommodating duct and returning the air from the secondary hollow interior region to the primary hollow interior region through the other of the air accommodating duct and the communicating passageway externally of the air accommodating duct.

59. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which a central partition element is located in the secondary hollow interior region of the secondary housing forming a central first chamber and an outer chamber extending around the central first chamber, the outer chamber communicating with the central first chamber for accommodating air therebetween.

60. Apparatus as claimed in claim 59 in which at least two radial partition elements located in the secondary hollow interior region of the secondary housing extending from the central partition element divide the outer chamber into at least two outer second chambers, and preferably, the radial partition elements are equi-spaced circumferentially around the central partition element, and preferably, at least four radial partition elements are provided dividing the outer chamber into four outer second chambers.

61. Apparatus as claimed in claim 60 in which the central first chamber communicates with one of the air accommodating ducts and the communicating passageway externally of the air accommodating duct, and each outer second chamber communicates with the other one of the air accommodating duct and the communicating passageway externally of the air accommodating duct, and preferably, the central first chamber communicates with the air accommodating duct, and advantageously, each outer second chamber is adapted for housing at least one surveillance device provided by a first camera, and preferably, each outer second chamber is adapted to house two first cameras.

62. Apparatus as claimed in claim 61 in which a mounting means is provided for mounting each one of the first cameras in the corresponding outer second chamber, and preferably, each mounting means comprises an adjustable mounting means, and advantageously, each mounting means facilitates adjustment of the angle at which the corresponding first camera is directed in a substantially vertical plane, and preferably, an annular mounting disc is located in the secondary hollow interior region of the secondary housing extending around and outwardly from the central partition element into the outer chamber, and dividing the outer chamber into a lower outer chamber and an upper outer chamber, the outer second chambers being formed in the lower outer chamber by the radial partition elements, the mounting means for mounting the first cameras in the outer second chambers being mounted on the mounting disc, and preferably, the mounting disc defines a plurality of air accommodating openings for accommodating air between the outer second chambers and the upper outer chamber.

63. Apparatus as claimed in claim 61 in which the first cameras are provided in the outer second chambers, and preferably, each first camera located in the outer second chambers comprises a vari-focal lens, and advantageously, each first camera provided in the outer second chambers is a 1/3 day/night internet protocol camera.

64. Apparatus as claimed in claim 62 in which each outer second chamber is adapted for housing a surveillance device comprising an infrared heat detector, and preferably, the infrared heat detectors are provided in the outer second chambers.

65. Apparatus as claimed in claim 59 in which the central first chamber is adapted to accommodate a surveillance device provided by a second camera, and preferably, the second camera is located in the central first chamber, and advantageously, the second camera located in the central first chamber comprises a pan tilt and zoom camera.

66. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which the secondary housing is located beneath the primary housing, and preferably, the secondary housing comprises an upper secondary housing element coupled to the primary housing, and a lower secondary housing element of transparent material sealably secured to the upper secondary housing element, and preferably, the lower secondary housing element is releasably secured to the upper secondary housing element, and advantageously, a cable accommodating duct extends between the secondary housing and the primary housing communicating the secondary hollow interior region with the primary hollow interior region for accommodating electrical cables between the secondary hollow interior region and the primary hollow interior region.

67. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which the primary housing comprises an upper primary housing element and a lower primary housing element sealably secured to the upper primary housing element, and preferably, the lower primary housing element is releasably secured to the upper primary housing element.

68. Apparatus as claimed in claim 67 in which the cable accommodating duct extends between the upper secondary housing element and the lower primary housing element, and preferably, the upper primary housing element is of double skinned construction.

69. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which a main support platform is provided for supporting the primary housing, with the secondary housing located beneath the primary housing, the main support platform being adapted for mounting to a support element, and preferably, the main support platform is adapted to accommodate the communicating passageway extending between the primary housing and the secondary housing through the main support platform.

70. Apparatus as claimed in claim 69 in which the main support platform is adapted for mounting on a support element provided by a support pole, and preferably, the main support platform is adapted for mounting on top of a support pole, and advantageously, the main support platform defines a mounting socket for receiving the support element, and preferably, the mounting socket extends downwardly from the support platform and defines a downwardly facing open mouth for accommodating the support element upwardly into the mounting socket, and advantageously, the main support platform is mounted on a support pole.

71. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which a coupling means is provided for coupling the secondary housing with the primary housing, the coupling means defining the communicating passageway, and preferably, the main support platform is adapted for accommodating the coupling means therethrough, and advantageously, the main support platform is adapted for accommodating the cable duct therethrough.

72. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which the primary housing defines a main chamber for accommodating the air conditioning unit, the main chamber being adapted for receiving the air conditioning unit with the primary hollow interior region communicating with the air conditioning unit for receiving the conditioned air therefrom and for returning air to be conditioned thereto with the primary and secondary hollow interior regions, the communicating passageway and the air conditioning unit forming a closed system, and preferably, the air conditioning unit is located in the main chamber.

73. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which the circulating means comprises an electrically powered fan, and preferably, the circulating means is located in the air accommodating duct, and advantageously, the air accommodating duct extends through the primary hollow interior region and terminates adjacent the main chamber, and preferably, the air accommodating duct extends substantially horizontally in the primary hollow interior region, and extends downwardly into the secondary hollow interior region, and advantageously, the downwardly extending portion of the air accommodating duct terminates in the central first chamber.

74. Apparatus as claimed in claim 69 in which a mounting bracket secured to the main support platform carries a mast to which an antenna is mounted.

75. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which an electrical circuit support platform is located in the primary hollow interior region of the primary housing for supporting data processing circuitry for processing data from the surveillance devices for relaying to a remote central monitoring station, and preferably, the electrical circuit support platform is adapted for accommodating a radio transmitter for transmitting data from the data processing circuitry to the central monitoring station, and preferably, the transmitter comprises a radio transmitter, and advantageously, the electrical circuit support platform is adapted for mounting a radio transmitter receiver thereon for receiving control signals from the central monitoring station for controlling the operation of at least one of the surveillance devices, and preferably, the data processing circuitry is adapted for processing signals received from each infrared heat detector.

76. Apparatus as claimed in claim 58 in which a backup power supply is provided in the primary hollow interior region of the primary housing for powering the surveillance devices, and preferably, the backup power supply is adapted for powering the data processing circuitry and the radio transmitter receiver.

77. A surveillance unit comprising an elongated upstanding support pole, and apparatus as claimed in claim 58 mounted thereon, and preferably, the apparatus is mounted on the support pole adjacent the top thereof.