Method and apparatus for hosting a network camera

• US 7,024,488 B1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: IPIX Corporation
• Inventors: Sah, Adam D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): NANO, SARGON N
• Application Number:
  US09/834,689
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709201-202, 709/208, 709/209, 709/228, 709/229, 709/223, 709/231, 709/234, 709/238, 709/239, 709/240
• US Class Current: 709/240
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing an improved Internet camera is provided. The method of sending data to a client comprises sending the data through a first path to the client and periodically refreshing the data, the refreshing data sent through a second path to the client.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of sending images to a recipient, the method comprising:

(a) sending a first image package to a system of a recipient via a first network path, the first image package comprising;

(i) a first container page, and

(ii) a first image within the container page, wherein the first image has been captured with a camera;

(b) selecting a second network path from a plurality of paths for sending at least a first portion of a subsequent image package to the recipient, the subsequent image package comprising a subsequent image, wherein the subsequent image has been captured by the same camera as the first image, wherein the first container page further comprises instructions to perform the act of selecting a second network path, wherein the instructions to perform the act of selecting a second network path are transmitted with the first container page to the system of the recipient; and

(c) sending the at least a first portion of the subsequent image package to the recipient via the second network path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a second network path comprises considering at least one of:

(i) feedback performance information,

(ii) location information regarding the system of the recipient,

(iii) cost information for the paths within the plurality of paths, or

(iv) information regarding one or more preferences of the recipient.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the feedback performance information includes information regarding a load time of the first image on the system of the recipient.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the system of the recipient has an IP address, wherein the location information regarding the system of the recipient comprises the IP address.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the system of the recipient has a physical location, wherein the information regarding the system of the recipient comprises information regarding the physical location of the system of the recipient.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more preferences of the recipient includes a preference relating to at least one of network speed or cost.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a second portion of the subsequent image package to the recipient via a third path, the second portion being different from the first portion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of sending the at least a first portion of the subsequent image package is performed periodically at a first rate.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first path and the third path are the same path.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second path and the third path are the same path.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the second portion comprises one of the first container page or a subsequent container page.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the container page comprises one of:

(i) hypertext markup language,

(ii) extensible markup language, or

(iii) extensible hypertext markup language.

13. A system for sending images to a recipient via a plurality of paths, the system comprising:

(a) a routing logic configured to send a first image package to a system of a recipient via a first network path, wherein the first image package comprises;

(i) a first container page, and

(ii) a first image, wherein the first image has been captured by a camera; and

(b) a path setting logic in communication with the routing logic, the path setting logic being configured to select a second network path from a plurality of network paths, wherein the routing logic is further configured to send at least a first portion of a second image package to the system of the recipient via the second network path selected by the path setting logic; and

wherein the second image package comprises a second image and a second container page, wherein the second image has been captured by the camera,

wherein the second image and the second container page are sent along separate paths.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a recipient address analysis logic in communication with the path setting logic, the recipient address analysis logic being configured to communicate location data to the path setting logic, wherein the location data relates to the location of the system of the recipient, wherein the path setting logic is configured to select the second network path based at least in part on the location data.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a feedback analysis logic in communication with the path setting logic, the feedback analysis logic being configured to communicate feedback data to the path setting logic, wherein the feedback data relates to performance of the system of the recipient, wherein the path setting logic is configured to select the second network path based at least in part on the feedback data.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a cost analysis logic in communication with the path setting logic, the cost analysis logic being configured to communicate cost data to the path setting logic, wherein the cost data relates to cost information for the network paths of the plurality of network paths, wherein the path setting logic is configured to select the second network path based at least in part on the cost data.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the first container page includes instructions for the path setting logic to select the second network path.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the routing logic is further configured to send a second portion of the second image package to the system of the recipient via a third network path.

19. A computer-implemented method of sending images to a recipient, the method comprising:

(a) sending a first image package to a system of a recipient via a first network path, the first image package comprising;

(i) a first container page, and

(ii) a first image, wherein the first image has been captured with a camera;

(b) selecting a second network path from a plurality of paths for sending at least a portion of a subsequent image package to the recipient, the subsequent image package comprising a subsequent image and a subsequent container page, wherein the subsequent image has been captured by the same camera as the first image;

(c) sending the subsequent image to the recipient via the second network path, wherein the act of sending the subsequent image is performed at a first time; and

(d) sending the subsequent container page to the recipient via the first network path, the second network path, or a third network path, wherein the act of sending the subsequent container page is performed at a second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first container page comprises instructions to perform the act of selecting a second network path, wherein the instructions to perform the act of selecting a second network path are sent with the first container page to the system of the recipient.