Pan, tilt, zoom dome camera with optical data transmission method

• US 8,305,439 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, WeiCheng, Wang, Hao, Xu, Xin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Assistant Examiner(s): SISON, JUNE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/327,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20100141760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/197, 348/207.99, 348/359, 398/115, 398/114, 398/117
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 Adaptations for optical transmission

Abstract

A surveillance camera that includes a device for capturing video signals and that converts the video signals to optical signals. The surveillance camera has a first component with a first aperture and a second component with a second aperture. The second component engages the first component such that the first component rotates relative to the second component. The surveillance camera has a first optical component that extends through the first aperture of the first component. The surveillance camera also has a second optical component that extends through the second aperture of the second component. The first optical component is separated from the second optical component by a gap. The first optical component is operatively connected to the device. The first optical component receives the optical signals and transmits the optical signals to the second optical component across the gap to permit a continuous rotation of the first component relative to the second component. The second optical component communicates the optical signals to a destination.

Claims

1. A surveillance camera comprising:

a rotatable housing;

a device supported by the rotatable housing that captures video signals;

a laser transmitter supported by the rotatable housing that receives the video signals from the device and that converts the video signals to optical signals;

a first component of a protective material having a cylindrical shape disposed in an aperture of the rotatable housing, the first component including a first aperture where the first component and first aperture are coaxial with an axis of rotation of the rotatable housing;

a stationary housing;

a second component of a protective material having a cylindrical shape disposed within an aperture of the stationary housing, the second component including a second aperture, wherein one of the first and second components is recessed into the corresponding aperture of the rotatable and stationary housings and the other of the first and second components has a portion that projects from the corresponding aperture of the rotatable and stationary housings wherein the corresponding aperture with the recessed component provides a receptacle that engages the projecting portion of the other component such that the first component rotates relative to the second component;

a first optical fiber that extends through the first aperture of the first component; and

a second optical fiber that extends through the second aperture of the second component, the first optical fiber separated from the second optical fiber by a gap within the receptacle, the first optical fiber operatively connected to the device, the first optical fiber receiving the optical signals and transmitting the optical signals to the second optical fiber across the gap to permit a continuous rotation of the first component relative to the second component with the second optical component communicating the optical signals to a destination.

2. The surveillance camera of claim 1, further comprising a conductor supported by at least one of the first component and the second component, the conductor receiving power from a power supply.

3. The surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the surveillance camera is supported on a ceiling by the first component or the second component.

4. The surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the first optical component is disposed through the first component.

5. The surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the laser transmitter is connected to a video camera that captures images and communicates video signals to the laser transmitter.

6. The surveillance camera of claim 5, wherein video signals are converted to optical signals, and transmitted by the laser transmitter at about 820 nm wavelength.

7. The surveillance camera of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrical leads extending through at least one of the first component or the second component.

8. The surveillance camera of claim 2, wherein the conductor transfers power to a motor associated with the device that captures video signals.

9. The surveillance camera of claim 1, further comprising a protection material surrounding at least one of the first and the second optical components.

10. The surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first optical component and the second optical component transmits data across the gap in a range that includes about 100 Megabits through about 10 Gigabits.

11. The surveillance camera of claim 2, wherein the conductor comprises a plurality of conductive rings disposed between the first component and the second component.

12. The surveillance camera of claim 1, further comprising a receiver that is connected to the second optical component and that receives the optical signals.

13. The surveillance camera of claim 1, further comprising a laser transmitter that communicates with a laser receiver across the gap.

14. The surveillance camera of claim 1, wherein the laser transmitter transmits optical signals to an Ethernet switch, the data being communicated across the gap to a receiver being operatively coupled to the Ethernet switch.

15. An apparatus for capturing images and transmitting images to a destination by transferring optical signals between a target location to the destination, the apparatus comprising:

a rotatable housing;

a surveillance camera supported by the rotatable housing, the surveillance camera comprising a lens;

a laser transmitter supported by the rotatable housing;

a plurality of motor drives coupled to the rotatable housing and surveillance camera that are operable to move the surveillance camera in at least two planes;

the rotatable housing that supports the surveillance camera with the rotatable housing including a first component of a protective material having a cylindrical shape disposed within an aperture of the rotatable housing, the first component having a first aperture where the first component and first aperture are coaxial with an axis of rotation of the rotatable housing;

a conductor;

a second component of a protective material having a cylindrical shape, the second component including a second aperture, the second component is disposed within an aperture of a stationary housing wherein one of the first and second components is recessed into the corresponding aperture of the rotatable and stationary housings and the other of the first and second components has a portion that projects from the corresponding aperture of the rotatable and stationary housings wherein the corresponding aperture with the recessed component provides a receptacle that engages the projecting portion of the other component such that the first component and rotatable housing rotates relative to the second component and stationary housing;

the conductor being supported by at least one of the rotatable housing and the stationary housing, the conductor transferring electrical power from a power supply to the conductor and to at least one of the surveillance camera and motor drive;

a first optical fiber that extends through the first aperture of the housing;

a second optical fiber that extends through the second aperture in the second component, the first optical component being separated by the second optical component by a gap within the receptacle to permit the housing to rotate about three hundred sixty degrees relative to the second component; and

the images captured by the surveillance camera are received by the laser transmitter and are converted from a video signal to an optical format and to optical signals communicated through the first optical fiber across the gap to the second optical fiber at a predetermined bandwidth being greater than 100 Megabits.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the surveillance camera is adapted to have a zoom function.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a dome structure, and wherein the surveillance camera or a portion thereof is housed in the dome structure.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical signals are suitable to transmit at a predetermined bandwidth being in a range that includes 10 Gigabits.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical signals resist interference from electrical or magnetic sources.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first optical component is coupled to the laser transmitter where the laser transmitter is rated at about 820 nm.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second optical component is coupled to a laser receiver rated at about 820 nm.

22. A method for capturing video, and transmitting a signal from the surveillance camera to a remote location, the method comprising:

capturing an image using the surveillance camera in a predetermined format;

converting the image within a laser transmitter from the predetermined format to an optical format;

supporting the surveillance camera and laser transmitter within a rotatable housing;

providing a first component of a protective material disposed in an aperture of the rotatable housing;

providing a second component of a protective material disposed in an aperture of a stationary housing;

recessing one of the first and second components into the corresponding aperture of the rotatable and stationary housings and the other of the first and second components has a portion projecting from the corresponding aperture of the rotatable and stationary housings wherein the corresponding aperture with the recessed component providing a receptacle engaging the projecting portion of the other component such that the first component rotates relative to the second component; and

transmitting an optical signal across a gap within the receptacle from the rotatable housing to the remote location.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing power to the surveillance camera from a conductor with the surveillance camera operatively coupled to the conductor;

and providing power to at least one motor operatively coupled to the surveillance camera with the motor adapted to articulate the surveillance camera at least two planes.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising communicating the optical signal by a laser signal across the gap at a predetermined bandwidth being in a range that is greater than 100 Megabits.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising capturing the image with functionality selected from the group consisting of a pan function, a zoom function and a tilt function.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising communicating the optical signal across the gap by transmitting the data via a laser signal at a predetermined bandwidth being greater than 10 Gigabits.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising protecting the surveillance camera in a dome shaped enclosure.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing the gap between the rotatable housing that supports the surveillance camera and the surveillance camera so a portion of the surveillance camera can rotate continuously three hundred and sixty degrees relative to the rotatable housing.