Videophone system for scrutiny monitoring with computer control

• US 7,319,477 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Original Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US11/390,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/143, 348/153, 379/37, 379 39- 40, 379/45
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 : Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

In conjunction with the dial-up public telephone system, voice quality lines carry videophone signals for monitoring a multitude of locations from at least one central station for use in a variety of applications, such as for security, surveillance, quality control and inspection, regulation of food and/or other standards in food-related and other facilities, market research, remote monitoring of deposit and withdrawal of funds at bank vaults, grocery chains, convenience stores, and the like. At the central station, telephonic interface apparatus is actuated by a control unit to selectively accomplish a telephonic connection with a remote location. Displays include the scene at the remote location and related graphic data. During routine operation, remote locations are displayed in sequence to at least one operator. Such operation may be interrupted either from a remote location or central station in the event of an urgency. In such an event, the concerned scrutiny location is displayed for further communication involving status, camera selection, camera configuration, audio, video and so on. Incoming calls from scrutiny stations imply an urgent situation for immediate display. The called number, by dialed number identification system (DNIS) may indicate the status while the calling number identifies the location by automatic number identification signals. Alternative signaling and code techniques afford flexible operation as with respect to various graphic and status indications available for displays.

Claims

1. A system for communicating with a plurality of remote locations from a central station utilizing telephonic communication facilities to monitor distinctly different business entities at different remote locations, comprising:

video communication structures located at the plurality of different remote locations for providing full motion video data on scenes at the plurality of different remote locations;

a plurality of video display structures, located at the central station for receiving and displaying the full motion video data on scenes at the plurality of remote locations;

telephonic interface apparatus for interconnecting via a temporary communication channel the video communication structures at the plurality of the remote locations with the plurality of the video display structures at the central station; and

a control unit located at the central station for controlling the telephonic interface apparatus to establish video communication between a select video camera structure at a select one of the plurality of remote locations and one of the plurality of video display structures at the central station, with the central station receiving a display of a scene from the select one of the plurality of remote locations via the telephonic interface apparatus, the control unit providing scenes from the plurality of remote locations in sequence, at programmed intervals, the control unit further including an interrupt structure for receiving an interrupt indication from any particular one of the plurality of remote locations at which a particular circumstance to cause an alert occurs, the interrupt indication configured to interrupt the sequence of scenes displayed in order to provide an alternate display of a scene where the particular circumstance to cause the alert occurs rather than the next one in the sequence.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said telephonic interface apparatus includes the capability for providing “

D”

channel type signals and wherein the control unit establishes communication to a select one of the video display structures including “

D”

channel type apparatus.

3. A system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a printer coupled to the control unit.

4. A system for monitoring a plurality of scrutiny locations from a central station using telephonic communication facilities comprising:

video camera structures located at the plurality of scrutiny locations for providing representative dynamic image signals representative of scenes from the plurality of scrutiny locations wherein the dynamic image signals include audio signals;

at least one video display structure located at the central station;

telephonic interface apparatus for interconnecting the video camera structures at the plurality of scrutiny locations to the at least one video display structure at the central location; and

a control unit located at the central station including a computer and a memory for storing identification designation data and graphic display data for the plurality of scrutiny locations, the control unit programmed to sequentially and automatically actuates, under control of the computer, the telephonic interface apparatus to establish video communication between the central station and the plurality of scrutiny locations to provide a sequence of remote location displays of scenes occurring at the remote locations to the central station, in programmed intervals, the displays showing a scene and graphic display data representative of each of the plurality of scrutiny locations, the control unit further including interrupt structure for receiving an interrupt signal manifesting a predetermined circumstance to interrupt the sequence of remote location displays controlled by the computer and to provide an alternate display of a scene from another of the plurality of scrutiny locations along with graphic display data and to allow two way communication between the central unit and the other of the plurality of scrutiny locations.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

at least one sensor unit at the plurality of scrutiny locations for providing the interrupt signal to the control unit.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit includes means for providing graphic displays on the remote location displays.

7. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

operator control structure at the central station to provide the interrupt signal.

8. A system according to claim 4, wherein video camera structures for at least one of the plurality of scrutiny locations includes a processor for interfacing the control unit at the central station to control the video communication between the central station and the one of the plurality of scrutiny locations.

9. A system according to claim 4 wherein a video camera structure for the one of the plurality of scrutiny locations includes a plurality of sensor units located at the one of the plurality of scrutiny locations for providing interrupt signals to the control unit.

10. A system according to claim 4, wherein the telephonic interface provides “

D”

channel type signals and the control computer addresses said memory units in accordance with said “

D”

channel type signals.