Remotely controlling camera functionality

• US 9,491,224 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2015
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rezvani, Babak, Kalin, Edward B., Chen, Jack L., Jalili, Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US14/856,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/505, 340/3.1, 340/539.1, 340/10.1, 705/80, 705/224, 715/500.1, 709/208, 709/217, 709/219, 345/473, 345/530
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/02 Mechanical actuation of the alarm, e.g. by the breaking of a wire
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 : Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 : Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 : Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 : characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 : Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 : providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 : Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 : Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 : Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 : Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 : using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing registration at a remote site that may include, for example, a monitoring module that may communicate with a remote site. A registration protocol may be used by the monitoring module and the remote site in generating the messages communicated during the registration process. The monitoring module may gather and generate various identification information to be included in the registration protocol messages. The registration information provided by the monitoring module maybe stored at the remote site in a database server having a database. A confirmation message may be communicated from the remote site to the monitoring module that may either acknowledge successful registration or report that an error occurred during the registration process.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a camera being configured to capture an image or video at a location remote from a remote site, the camera being associated with a user and identifiable by an identifier that is used at least in part to facilitate registration of the camera at the remote site, wherein the camera is located remote from the remote site;

wherein the remote site is configured to;

maintain a plurality of identifiers including the identifier that identifies the camera;

maintain a plurality of user accounts including a user account that is associated with the user; and

register the camera at the remote site including associating the identifier that identifies the camera with the user account that is associated with the user;

a client application being configured to execute on a client device of the user to;

output, via the client device, a graphical user interface having a display component that corresponds to the camera;

receive, via the client device, a user input that corresponds to a user interaction with the display component of the graphical user interface that corresponds to the camera; and

output, via a network interface of the client device, a command that corresponds to the user input and that, when received and executed by the camera, at least partially controls the camera according to an intention of the user as indicated by the user interaction with the display component of the graphical user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the command outputted by the client device turns on/off the camera or a function or component of the camera.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the command outputted by the client device at least partially specifies a schedule, an alarm condition, or a trigger condition that controls operation of the camera or a function or component of the camera.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the command outputted by the client device at least partially specifies or controls a resolution, a brightness, a frame rate, a zoom level, an angle, a volume, or an audio quality level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a function of the camera is capturing audio.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a function of the camera is detecting or sensing motion, sound, temperature, humidity, smoke, or carbon monoxide.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a function of the camera is providing an alarm or notification.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera at least partially supports operation of a thermostat, a radio, a smoke or fire detector, a contact sensor, a light, a lamp, a light switch, an audio device, a video device, a display device, a washer, a dryer, a microwave oven, a cooking range, a car alarm, a plant watering device, a sprinkler, a carbon monoxide detector, a humidistat, or a rain gauge.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is included in or communicatively coupled to a thermostat, a radio, a smoke or fire detector, a contact sensor, a light, a lamp, a light switch, an audio device, a video device, a display device, a washer, a dryer, a microwave oven, a cooking range, a car alarm, a plant watering device, a sprinkler, a carbon monoxide detector, a humidistat, or a rain gauge.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the client device is or includes a cellular mobile telephone.

11. A method, comprising:

outputting, by a client application executing on a client device of a user, a graphical user interface having a display component that corresponds to a function that a camera is configured to perform, the client application outputting the graphical user interface via a display of the client device, the camera being located remote from a remote site, the camera being associated with the user and identifiable by an identifier that at least partially facilitates registration of the camera at the remote site, the remote site being configured to;

maintain a plurality of identifiers including the identifier that identifies the camera;

maintain a plurality of user accounts including a user account that is associated with the user; and

register the camera at the remote site including associating the identifier that identifies the camera with the user account that is associated with the user;

receiving, by the client application executing on the client device, a user input that corresponds to a user interaction with the display component of the graphical user interface that corresponds to the function that the camera is configured to perform, the client application receiving the user input via the client device; and

outputting, by the client application executing on the client device, a command that corresponds to the user input and that, when received and executed by the camera, at least partially controls the camera according to an intention of the user as indicated by the user interaction with the display component of the graphical user interface, the client application outputting the command via a network interface of the client device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the command outputted by the client device turns on/off the camera or the function of the camera.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the command outputted by the client device at least partially specifies a schedule, a trigger condition, or an alarm condition that controls operation of the camera or the function of the camera.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the function of the camera is capturing an image, a video recording, or an audio recording.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the command outputted by the client device at least partially specifies or controls a resolution, a brightness, a frame rate, a zoom level, an angle, a volume, or an audio quality level.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the function of the camera is detecting or sensing motion, sound, temperature, humidity, smoke, or carbon monoxide.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the function of the camera is providing an alarm or notification.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the client device is or includes a cellular mobile telephone.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the camera at least partially supports operation of a thermostat, a radio, a smoke or fire detector, a contact sensor, a light, a lamp, a light switch, an audio device, a video device, a display device, a washer, a dryer, a microwave oven, a cooking range, a car alarm, a plant watering device, a sprinkler, a carbon monoxide detector, a humidistat, or a rain gauge.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the camera is included in or communicatively coupled to a thermostat, a radio, a smoke or fire detector, a contact sensor, a light, a lamp, a light switch, an audio device, a video device, a display device, a washer, a dryer, a microwave oven, a cooking range, a car alarm, a plant watering device, a sprinkler, a carbon monoxide detector, a humidistat, or a rain gauge.