Internet surveillance system and method

• US 7,602,414 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Fincham, Magdalena M., Walker, Jay S., Tedesco, Daniel E., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US11/424,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 348142-160
• 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, comprising:

receiving, via a communications device, an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

selecting, by a processing device, a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks based at least in part on a distance between the remote location and a residence of the user;

providing, via the communications device and to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitating, via the processing device and the communications device, communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring task is selected based on the distance between the remote location and the residence of the user being greater than a pre-determined minimum distance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the remote location and the residence of the user is calculated based on at least one zip code associated with at least one of the remote location and the residence of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the remote location and the residence of the user is calculated based on at least one GPS coordinate associated with at least one of the remote location and the residence of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing payment to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring task is randomly selected from a subset of the plurality of remote monitoring tasks that are determined to be associated with remote locations that are greater than a minimum threshold distance from the residence of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote monitoring task is selected at least in part based on one or more characteristics of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an amount of time that the user has monitored the remote location; and

providing payment to the user, the payment based at least in part on the amount of time that the user has monitored the remote location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving and indication that the user is utilizing the emergency reporting information to report an emergency.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the reported emergency is valid; and

dispatching emergency personnel to the remote location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the emergency reporting information comprises a telephone number.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a communications device, an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

selecting, by a processing device, a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being randomly selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks;

providing, via the communications device and to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitating, via the processing device and the communications device, communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting comprises:

determining a monitoring rule associated with the remote monitoring task; and

determining that the user qualifies for the remote monitoring task by satisfying the monitoring rule.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the rule comprises a requirement that any user allowed to monitor the remote location be associated with a user rating that is greater then a pre-determined minimum rating threshold.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the remote monitoring task is selected based at least in part on a minimum number of users required to monitor the remote location and an actual number of users that are currently assigned to monitor the remote location.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, via a communications device, an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

selecting, by a processing device, a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks, wherein the selection is based at least in part on a number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location;

providing, via the communications device and to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitating, via the processing device and the communications device, communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing an indication of the number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

updating, after the facilitating, a stored indication of a number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the selection of the remote monitoring task is based at least in part on a current time of day and a stored indication of times of day that the user has previously monitored the remote location.

20. A system, comprising:

a communication device to receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment and to provide, to the user, an indication of (i) a determined remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

a processing device to select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks, wherein the selection is based at least in part on a distance between the remote location and a residence of the user; and

a sensor at the remote location, the sensor to communicate information associated with the remote location to the user.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises a video camera.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises an audio microphone.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises a motion detector.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises a thermal sensor.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises a light sensor.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a radar sensor or a sonar sensor.

28. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a storage device to store an indication of a location of the remote location and a location of the residence of the user.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing device is further to calculate a distance between the remote location and the residence of the user.

30. A system, comprising:

a communication device to receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment and to provide, to the user, an indication of (i) a determined remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

a processing device to select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being randomly selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks; and

a sensor at the remote location, the sensor to communicate information associated with the remote location to the user.

31. A system, comprising:

a communication device to receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment and to provide, to the user, an indication of (i) a determined remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

a processing device to select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks, wherein the selection is based at least in part on a number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location; and

a sensor at the remote location, the sensor to communicate information associated with the remote location to the user.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a storage device to store an indication of the number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location.

33. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

selecting a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks based at least in part on a distance between the remote location and a residence of the user;

providing, to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitating communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

34. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

selecting a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being randomly selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks;

providing, to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitating communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

35. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

selecting a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks, wherein the selection is based at least in part on a number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location;

providing, to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitating communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

36. 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;

receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks based at least in part on a distance between the remote location and a residence of the user;

provide, to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitate communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

37. 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;

receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being randomly selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks;

provide, to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitate communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.

38. 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;

receive an indication of a user request to monitor any of a plurality of remote locations in exchange for payment;

select a remote monitoring task associated with a remote location from the plurality of remote locations, the remote monitoring task being selected from a plurality of remote monitoring tasks, wherein the selection is based at least in part on a number of times that the user has previously monitored the remote location;

provide, to the user, an indication of (i) the remote monitoring task, and (ii) emergency reporting information; and

facilitate communication between the user and a sensor at the remote location.