Motion detector camera

• US 8,254,776 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Good Sportsman Marketing LLC
• Original Assignee: IP Holdings Incorporated (IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Schnell, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, William B
• Application Number:
  US13/005,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20110150450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 396/153, 396/263, 396/279, 396/301, 396/427, 348/143, 348/154, 348/155, 348/372
• US Class Current: 396/153
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04

Abstract

A motion detector camera includes a camera mechanism mounted inside a housing, a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing, and a controller for controlling the camera mechanism in response to signals received from the motion detector. The camera can include an activity counter mounted to the housing. The controller activates the camera mechanism when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector, or the controller activates the activity counter and does not activate the camera mechanism when a triggering activity occurs. The camera can include digital camera electronics. A camera support can be used to removably mount the camera to an object such as a tree.

Claims

1. A motion detector camera comprising:

a camera mechanism mounted inside a housing;

a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing;

a controller for controlling the camera mechanism in response to signals received from the motion detector; and

a DC jack mounted to the housing to receive external DC power.

2. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein the motion detector further includes a flash mounted to the housing.

3. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmable to cause the camera mechanism to take a pre-determined number of exposures per triggering event.

4. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein the camera mechanism includes digital camera electronics.

5. The motion detector camera of claim 1, wherein when put into a pause state, the controller ignores any triggering event signals received from the motion detector until a pre-determined amount of time has elapsed.

6. The motion detector camera of claim 1, including an activity counter which is programmable to display at least a predetermined number of triggering events detected by the motion detector.

7. The motion detector camera of claim 1, further including batteries within the housing as a power source.

8. A motion detector camera comprising:

a housing;

a camera mechanism mounted within the housing;

a power source connected to the camera mechanism;

a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing;

a controller operatively coupled to the camera mechanism and the motion detector, wherein the controller is adapted to send an activation signal to the camera mechanism when the controller receives a triggering signal from the motion detector; and

an indicator on a surface of the housing to indicate when the power source is low on power; and

wherein the controller includes a test mode, wherein when put into the test mode, the controller causes a test indicator to activate but does not cause the camera mechanism to take a picture.

9. The motion detector camera of claim 8, wherein the power source includes one or more batteries mounted within the housing.

10. The motion detector of claim 8, wherein the indicator includes a light.

11. The motion detector camera of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a pause state, wherein when put into the pause state, the controller does not activate the camera mechanism after receiving a triggering event signal from the motion detector.