Using an imaging device for security/emergency applications

• US 6,741,165 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Falconer, Maynard, Hoekstra, Matthew Eldon, Langfahl, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/325,947
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/937, 340/425.5, 701/36, 307/10.2, 348/148, 348/152, 348/143
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method are provided for using an imaging device for surveillance. According to one embodiment, a sensor is triggered when a situation occurs, the triggered sensor is detected, the imaging device is turned in the direction of the triggered sensor, and the imaging device is activated to capture an image.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an imaging device, the imaging device having a control unit; and

a server coupled with the imaging device to;

receive an image having a code,

decode the code,

determine using the decoded code one of the following;

a first response in accordance with a first situation, a second response in accordance with a second situation, and a third response in accordance with a third situation,

store the image on a web site, and

transmit a message to a communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first response comprises an emergency response, the second response comprises a security response, and the third response comprises a failsafe response.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises at least one of the following:

a telephone, a pager, and a computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further to:

contact an emergency response team;

transmit the image to an image receiving device; and

send a pager signal to a pager.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further to:

transmit the image to an image receiving device; and

send a pager signal to a pager.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the control unit to;

generate the code having the indicator bits, the indicator bits having information indicative of the type of response needed;

associate the code with the image; and

transmit the image having the code.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprises a transmitter to receive the image from the control unit and to transmit the image to the server.

28. The apparatus of claim 2l, wherein the server is further to:

transmit the image to an image receiving device; and

send a pager signal to a pager.

8. A method, comprising:

detecting a triggered sensor from at least one sensor coupled with an object;

turning an imaging device coupled with the object in the direction of the triggered sensor in response to a signal from the triggered sensor;

activating the imaging device to capture an image and

determining one of the following;

a first situation having an emergency situation, a second situation having a security situation, and a third situation having a failsafe situation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the emergency situation comprises an emergency response, the security situation comprises a security response, and the failsafe situation comprises a failsafe response.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting an emergency message in accordance with the emergency response;

transmitting a security message in accordance with the security response, and

transmitting a failsafe message in accordance with the failsafe response.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprises generating a code in accordance with the emergency situation, the security situation, and the failsafe situation, the code having indicator bits indicating the corresponding situation.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the emergency response comprising:

contacting an emergency response team;

transmitting the image to an image receiving device; and

sending a pager signal to a pager.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the security response comprising:

contacting an emergency response team;

transmitting the image to an image receiving device; and

sending a pager signal to a pager.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the failsafe response comprising:

transmitting the image to an image receiving device; and

sending a pager signal to a pager.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a vehicle.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving an image having a code;

decoding the code; and

determining using the decoded code one of the following;

a first response in accordance with a first situation having an emergency situation, a second response in accordance with a second situation having a security situation, and a third response in accordance with a third situation having a failsafe situation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the code comprises indicator bits having information indicative of the type of response needed.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing the image on a web site; and

transmitting a message to an external device, the message having a uniform resource locator (URL) to retrieve the stored image on the web site.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprises performing one of the following:

the first response, the second response, and the third response.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating the code having the indicator bits, the indicator bits having information indicative of the type of response needed;

associating the code with the image; and

transmitting the image having the code.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

an imaging device, the imaging device having a control unit; and

a server coupled with the imaging device to

receive an image having a code,

decode the code, and

determine using the decoded code one of the following;

a first response in accordance with a first situation, a second response in accordance with a second situation, and a third response in accordance with a third situation.

22. The apparatus of claims 21, wherein the server is further to:

store the image on a web site; and

transmit a message to a communication device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first response comprises an emergency response, the second response comprises a security response, and the third response comprises a failsafe response.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the communication device comprises a telephone.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the communication device comprises a pager.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the communication device comprises a computer.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the server is further to:

contact an emergency response team;

transmit the image to an image receiving device; and

send a pager signal to a pager.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the control unit is further to:

generate the code having the indicator bits, the indicator bits having information indicative of the type of response needed;

associate the code with the image; and

transmit the image having the code.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprises a transmitter to receive the image from the control unit and to transmit the image to the server.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the server comprises a remote server wirelessly coupled with the imaging device.