Internet surveillance system and method

• US 6,720,990 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1998
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Tedesco, Daniel E., Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena, Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US09/221,250
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 725/105, 348/143-160, 348/4-15
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for a central server to manage remote monitoring tasks performed by users of a data network. An exemplary method comprises: receiving a request from a user of a user device to monitor a remote location; determining a remote location to be monitored; enabling communication between a sensor at the remote location and the user device; and crediting value to the user in accordance with an amount of time the user device has been in communication with the remote sensor for remote monitoring purposes. An alternate exemplary method includes measuring user attentiveness while the user device is in communication with the remote sensor. Thus, the disclosed system and method provide a way for users of a data network such as the Internet to log on at any time and perform remote monitoring tasks for value. Idle time can now be turned into value using the disclosed system and method. Moreover, little or no skill is required of the user to earn value using the disclosed system and method; the user need only be attentive while performing a remote monitoring task. Location owners also benefit from the convenience by which they can now have their properties monitored and by the ability of the disclosed system and method to ensure the attentiveness of the user performing the remote monitoring task.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a remote location, comprising:

obtaining at a server from a sensor located at a remote location, an image of the remote location;

providing the image to a remote viewer of a viewer device;

determining a response of the remote viewer to the image;

determining, based on the response, a status of the remote location,

wherein the status of the remote location is determined to be

a first status if the response is a first response, and

a second status if the response is a second response.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating an action if the status is determined to be the first status.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of initiating comprises:

notifying a predetermined person of the status.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of notifying comprises:

notifying a person charged with ensuring the security of the remote location of the status.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of initiating comprises:

providing the image to at least one other viewer of another viewer device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a payment to be provided to the remote viewer of the viewer device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of causing comprises:

causing a payment to be provided to the remote viewer, wherein the payment is in exchange for time the remote viewer spent viewing at least the image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the status of the remote location to be a first status if the response is a first response comprises:

determining that the security of the remote location has potentially been impaired if the response is a first response.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is received at the server and in response to a query provided to the remote viewer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the query comprises a query of whether the remote viewer perceives in the image an apparent impairment in the security of the remote location.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor, and

a storage device that stores a program for directing the processor;

the processor being operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 1.

12. A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to:

perform the method of claim 1.

13. A method for monitoring a remote location, comprising:

receiving, at a server from a user of a remote user device, a response to data descriptive of a remote location that was provided to the user;

determining, by the server, a status of the remote location based on the response,

wherein the status is determined to be

a first status if the response is a first response,

a second status if the response is a second response; and

initiating a predetermined action if the status is determined to be a first status.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data descriptive of the remote location comprises an image of the remote location.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the data had been provided to the user by the server.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the data had been provided to the user by a computing device other than the server at which the response is received.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining the status of the remote location comprises:

determining, by the server and based on the response, whether the security of the remote location has potentially been impaired,

wherein it is determined that

the security of the remote location has potentially been impaired if the response is a first response, and

the security of the remote location has not been impaired if the response is a second response.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of initiating comprises:

notifying a predetermined person of the first status.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of initiating comprises:

notifying a person charged with ensuring the security of the remote location of the first status.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of initiating comprises:

transmitting an alarm signal to a predetermined computing device.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

causing a payment to be provided to the user in exchange for the user viewing the image.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor, and

a storage device that stores a program for directing the processor;

the processor being operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 13.

23. A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to:

perform the method of claim 13.

24. A method for monitoring the security of a remote location, comprising:

obtaining, at a server from a sensor at a remote location, a first image of the remote location;

forwarding the image to a first viewer of a first viewer device;

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives in the first image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location;

receiving a response to the query from the first viewer;

determining that the security of the remote location has apparently been impaired if the response indicates that the first viewer does perceive an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location; and

initiating a predetermined action if the response indicates that the first viewer does perceive an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of querying comprises:

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives an image of a person accessing the remote location.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of querying comprises:

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives an image of a person attempting to access the remote location.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of querying comprises:

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives an image of a person present at the remote location.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of querying comprises:

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives an image of a vehicle at the remote location.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of initiating an action comprises:

notifying a predetermined person that the first viewer does perceive an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of notifying comprises:

notifying a person charged with ensuring the security of the remote location that the first viewer does perceive an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

31. The method of claims 29, wherein the step of notifying comprises:

transmitting an alarm to a computing device of the predetermined person.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of initiating an action comprises:

forwarding the first image to a second viewer of a second viewer device; and

querying the second viewer to determine whether the second viewer perceives in the first image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

notifying a predetermined person if a response to the query of the second viewer indicates that the second viewer does perceive in the first image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

transmitting an alarm from the server to a predetermined computing device if a response to the query of the second viewer indicates that the second viewer does perceive in the first image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of initiating an action comprises:

obtaining, at the server from the sensor at the remote location, a second image of the remote location.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of initiating an action further comprises:

forwarding the second image to the first viewer of the first viewer device; and

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives in the second image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of initiating an action further comprises:

forwarding the second image to a second viewer of a second viewer device; and

querying the second viewer to determine whether the second viewer perceives in the second image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

notifying a predetermined person if a response to the query of the second viewer indicates that the second viewer does perceive in the second image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

transmitting an alarm, from the server to a predetermined computing device, if a response to the query of the second viewer indicates that the second viewer does perceive in the second image an apparent impairment of the security of the remote location.

40. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of querying comprises:

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives in the first image at least one of an apparently unauthorized person and an apparently unauthorized vehicle present at the remote location.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of querying comprises:

querying the first viewer to determine whether the first viewer perceives in the first image at least one of an apparently unauthorized person and an apparently unauthorized vehicle attempting to access the remote location.

42. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

providing to the first viewer a payment in exchange for the first viewer'"'"'s viewing of the first image.

43. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor, and

a storage device that stores a program for directing the processor;

the processor being operative with the program to;

perform the method of claim 24.

44. A computer readable medium encoded with instructions for directing a processor to:

perform the method of claim 24.