Remote monitoring device and process
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A wireless communications system which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the wireless communication system comprising:
- (a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for a wireless communications transmitter;
(b) a detection routine executing on an Internet based server for detecting sensory data signals transmitted by said wireless communications transmitter and originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled;
(c) a set of selectable monitor mode control options, which options include a user selectable threshold required for an alert to be triggered;
wherein said monitor mode includes an option for controlling the detection circuit to enable said monitor mode only during a specified period, which begins at a first time and lasts for a first time duration;
further wherein monitor mode control options permit a user to receive alerts over a low bandwidth text-based communications network;
(d) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds said user selectable threshold and when said monitor mode is enabled.
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Abstract
A remote monitoring device is integrated as part of a cell phone or personal digital assistant. By sharing computing resources of a communications transceiver, the cost of a monitoring device can be significantly reduced, while still permitting sufficient functionality to effectively observe an area of interest, such as a child'"'"'s sleeping area. An alert is generated and transmitted to an observer using a separate transceiver when activity at the monitored area (i.e., sound or video activity) meets a specified threshold.
43 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A wireless communications system which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the wireless communication system comprising:
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(a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for a wireless communications transmitter; (b) a detection routine executing on an Internet based server for detecting sensory data signals transmitted by said wireless communications transmitter and originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled; (c) a set of selectable monitor mode control options, which options include a user selectable threshold required for an alert to be triggered; wherein said monitor mode includes an option for controlling the detection circuit to enable said monitor mode only during a specified period, which begins at a first time and lasts for a first time duration; further wherein monitor mode control options permit a user to receive alerts over a low bandwidth text-based communications network; (d) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds said user selectable threshold and when said monitor mode is enabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A cellular telephone which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the cellular telephone comprising:
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(a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the cellular telephone; (b) a detection circuit for detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled; (c) a journaling circuit for storing an archive of said sensory data signals; wherein said archive can be configured to located on said cellular telephone and/or on a remote server; (d) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds a threshold when said monitor mode is enabled; wherein said set up circuit, said detection circuit and said alert generator circuit are implemented in part by sharing a digital signal processor (DSP) and a firmware memory which are also used by the cellular telephone for communications tasks associated with receiving and transmitting voice and data signals over a wireless communications channel; (e) a transmission circuit for transmitting said sensory data signals and said alert to a remote transceiver; wherein said sensory data signals can be processed by the DSP and transmitted over a voice wireless communications channel used by the cellular telephone for transmitting voice data signals; further wherein said transmission circuit includes a configurable option to transmit alerts at the same time as said sensory data signals over said voice wireless communications channel or a separate lower bandwidth communications channel. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A personal digital assistant (PDA) which includes a wireless transceiver communications capability and an integrated monitoring circuit, the PDA comprising:
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(a) a setup circuit for configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the PDA; (b) a detection circuit for detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled; said detection circuit being configurable to selectively disable PDA functions which could interfere with said detecting of said sensory data signals; (c) a journaling circuit configured at said PDA and/or a remote server to store a monitoring session of data sensory signals, which monitoring session only includes a selected time period in which said monitor mode is enabled; (d) an alert generator circuit for generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds a threshold when said monitor mode is enabled; wherein said set up circuit, said detection circuit and said alert generator circuit are implemented in part by sharing a digital signal processor (DSP) and a firmware memory which are also used by the PDA for communications tasks associated with receiving and transmitting voice and data signals over a wireless communications channel; (e) a transmission circuit for transmitting said sensory data signals and said alert to a remote transceiver; wherein said sensory data signals are processed by the DSP and transmitted over a voice wireless communications channel used by the PDA for transmitting voice data signals; further wherein said remote server can present email and/or advertising to said remote transceiver along with said sensory data signals and/or said alerts.
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15. A method of remotely monitoring an area using a wireless communications transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the wireless communications transmitter; (b) specifying monitor mode control options within a control menu, which options include a user selectable threshold required for an alert to be triggered; wherein said monitor mode control options include an option for enabling said monitor mode only during a specified period, which begins at a first time and lasts for a first time duration; (c) detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled; (d) generating an alert when said sensory data exceeds said user selectable threshold and when said monitor mode is enabled; wherein said sensory data signals are processed by a detection circuit at an Internet server; further wherein monitor mode control options permit the user of the transmitter to receive alerts with a transceiver over a separate communications channel from that used to receive voice data signals. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of remotely monitoring an area using a wireless communications transceiver which includes an integrated monitoring circuit, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) configuring and enabling a monitor mode for the wireless communications transceiver for a subscriber; (b) detecting sensory data signals originating from a monitored area when said monitor mode is enabled and transmitting the same continuously over a first wireless communications network adapted for sending real-time data signals; (c) generating an alert to said subscriber when said sensory data exceeds a predetermined threshold when said monitor mode is enabled; (d) transmitting said alert over a second wireless communications message-based network and to a communications link controlled by an Internet server; wherein said alerts can be configured to be sent at the same time as said sensory data signals over said first wireless communications network or separately over said second wireless communications message based network; (e) combining said sensory data signals and/or said alert with provided by the Internet server relating to the subscriber, including email and/or advertising, and communicating the same to a second wireless communications transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification