Television door intercom apparatus

• US 7,015,946 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aiphone Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Aiphone Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US10/130,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 348143-160
• US Class Current: 348/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A television door intercom apparatus improves recognition performance for a resident inside a house to recognize a visitor conducting a call operation at the entrance and security in responding to the call. A call detection circuit 31 of a residential master station 2 detects a call when a visitor pushes a call button 11 of a door intercom substation 1, activates a signal generator circuit 32 and causes a master station speaker 39 to output a call sound so that a communication can be exchanged between a substation microphone 16 and a substation speaker 17 of the door intercom substation and a master station microphone 38 and the master station speaker of the residential master station. When a picture monitor 36 of the residential master station displays a picture taken by a camera 13 of the door intercom substation, the residential master station further includes a message transmission circuit 34 activated when the call detection circuit detects the call, for causing the substation speaker to output a message content of a message storage circuit 33 storing in advance a predetermined message.

Claims

1. A television door apparatus comprising:

a door intercom substation comprising;

a call button;

a substation microphone;

a camera having a field-of-view angle; and

a substation speaker; and

a residential master station comprising;

a master station speaker;

a call detection circuit for detecting a push operation of said call button by a visitor;

a signal generator circuit for outputting a call sound through the master station speaker, responsive to detection of a push operation of said call button, so that communication can be established between (1) the substation microphone and the substation speaker and (2) the master station microphone and the master station speaker;

a picture monitor for displaying a picture taken by said camera;

a message storage circuit for storing in advance a predetermined message that urges the visitor conducting the push operation to stand in front of the door intercom substation and to move into range of the field-of-view angle of the camera; and

a message transmission circuit, activated responsive to detection of a push operation, for causing said substation speaker to output the predetermined message from said message storage circuit.

2. A television door apparatus comprising:

a door intercom substation comprising;

a call button;

a substation microphone;

a camera having a field-of-view angle;

a substation speaker; and

a passive sensor for outputting an out-of-field-of-view angle signal responsive to detection of a visitor outside the range of the field-of-view angle of said camera;

a residential master station comprising;

a master station speaker;

a call detection circuit for detecting a push operation of said call button by a visitor;

a signal generator circuit for outputting a call sound through the master station speaker, responsive to detection of a push operation of said call button, so that communication can be established between (1) the substation microphone and the substation speaker and (2) the master station microphone and the master station speaker;

a picture monitor for displaying a picture taken by said camera;

a message storage circuit for storing in advance a predetermined message that urges the visitor conducting the push operation to stand in front of the door intercom substation and to move into range of the field-of-view angle of the camera; and

a message transmission circuit, activated responsive to the out-of-field-of-view angle signal, for causing said substation speaker to output the predetermined message from said message storage circuit.

3. The television door apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said passive sensor stops outputting the out-of-field-of-view angle signal responsive to the visitor moving into the range of the field-of-view angle of said camera, whereby said message transmission circuit discontinues output of the predetermined message.

4. A television door apparatus comprising:

a door intercom substation comprising;

a call button;

a substation microphone;

a camera having a field-of-view angle; and

a substation speaker; and

a residential master station comprising;

a master station speaker;

a call detection circuit for detecting a push operation of said call button by a visitor;

a signal generator circuit for outputting a call sound through the master station speaker, responsive to detection of a push operation of said call button, so that communication can be established between (1) the substation microphone and the substation speaker and (2) the master station microphone and the master station speaker;

a picture monitor for displaying a picture taken by said camera;

a picture amount comparison circuit for determining if an amount of a visitor pictured on said picture monitor is less than a predetermined reference picture amount and, if less than the predetermined reference picture amount is determined, outputting an out-of-field-of-view angle signal;

a message storage circuit for storing in advance a predetermined message that urges the visitor conducting the push operation to stand in front of the door intercom substation and to move into range of the field-of-view angle of the camera; and

a message transmission circuit, activated responsive to the out-of-field-of-view angle signal, for causing said substation speaker to output the predetermined message from said message storage circuit.

5. The television door apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said picture amount comparison circuit, responsive to a determination that the amount of the visitor pictured on said picture monitor is greater than the predetermined reference picture amount, discontinues output of the out-of-field-of-view angle signal, whereby said message transmission circuit stops output of the predetermined message.