US6385772B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Monitoring system having wireless remote viewing and control
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1999-04-15
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Granted: 2002-05-07
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Expires: 2019-04-15
Abstract
Abstract A monitoring apparatus ( 10 ) includes a video camera ( 12 ) with a section ( 16 ) that permits remote control of the camera. A computer 24 subjects video images from the camera to video processing ( 61-63 ), which includes temporal sampling, spatial sampling, and dithering. The processed image ( 71 ) is integrated into a document in hypertext mark-up language format. A portable unit ( 46 ) is operatively coupled to the computer through a wireless link ( 49 ), a cellular base station ( 36 ), and a network ( 38 ) or telephone line ( 41 ). An infrared sensor ( 19 ) can detect an event of interest in the monitored area, causing the computer to place a telephone call to the portable unit. The person possessing the portable unit can then use the portable unit to access the document which contains the processed image through the network, in order to observe or verify the event. The person can also use the portable unit to remotely control the operation of the video camera.
Inventors
- 👤 Jonathan D. Courtney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:42
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/18; H04N7/181; G; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/18; G08B13/189; G08B13/194; G08B13/196; G08B13/19602; G08B13/19639; G08B13/19641; G08B13/19654; G08B13/1966; G08B13/19665; G08B13/19667; G08B13/19678; G08B13/19684; G08B13/19695; G08B25/00; G08B25/01; G08B25/10; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/21; H04N21/218; H04N21/21805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
An apparatus, comprising: a detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive the detected image from said detector; a portable unit having a display; and a wireless communication link which includes portions of said system and said portable unit and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit, including transmission of the detected image from said system to said portable unit; said portable unit being operative to present the detected image on said display; and said system being further operative to detect an occurrence of an event of interest in the monitored area, and to automatically transmit through said wireless communication link to said portable unit an indication of the occurrence of the event of interest.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
130 words
An apparatus, comprising: a detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive the detected image from said detector; a portable unit having a display; and a wireless communication link which includes portions of said system and said portable unit and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit, including transmission of the detected image from said system to said portable unit; said portable unit being operative to present the detected image on said display; and said system being further operative to detect an occurrence of an event of interest in the monitored area, and to automatically transmit through said wireless communication link to said portable unit an indication of the occurrence of the event of interest.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the event of interest is detected through image processing of a succession of the images detected by said detector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , including a sensor which is separate and independent from said detector and which monitors said area, said sensor producing an output signal in response to the occurrence of the event of interest, and said system being operative to effect the transmission of the indication of the occurrence of the event in response to the output signal from said sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said sensor is an infrared sensor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said portable unit includes a telephone, said wireless communication link includes a wireless telephone link, and the transmission of the indication is effected by placing a telephone call through said wireless telephone link to said telephone in said portable unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said system includes a computer which integrates the detected image into a hypertext markup language document, and includes a computer network operatively coupled to said computer, said wireless communication link communicating with said computer through said computer network; and wherein said portable unit includes a network browser which is operative to retrieve the hypertext markup language document from said computer through said wireless communication link and said computer network, and to present the document and the image therein on said display.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus, comprising: a detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive the detected image from said detector; a portable unit having a display and having an operator input portion; a wireless communication link which includes portions of said system and said portable unit and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit, including transmission of the detected image from said system to said portable unit; and a control section coupled to said system and operative to adjust a predetermined characteristic of the image detected by said detector; said portable unit being operative to present the detected image on said display, being operative to permit an operator to use said operator input portion to specify a change in the predetermined characteristic, and being operative to transmit to said control section through said wireless communication link and said system an indication of the specified change in the predetermined characteristic; and said control section being operative to respond to the indication received from said portable unit by effecting the specified change in the predetermined characteristic.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus, comprising: a detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive the detected image from said detector; a portable unit having a display and having an operator input portion; a wireless communication link which includes portions of said system and said portable unit and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit, including transmission of the detected image from said system to said portable unit; and a control section coupled to said system and operative to adjust a predetermined characteristic of the image detected by said detector; said portable unit being operative to present the detected image on said display, being operative to permit an operator to use said operator input portion to specify a change in the predetermined characteristic, and being operative to transmit to said control section through said wireless communication link and said system an indication of the specified change in the predetermined characteristic; and said control section being operative to respond to the indication received from said portable unit by effecting the specified change in the predetermined characteristic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the predetermined characteristic is an orientation of said detector with respect to the monitored area, said control section being operative to change a physical position of said detector relative to the monitored area in response to the indication received from said portable unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the predetermined characteristic is a field of view of said detector with respect to the monitored area, said control section being operative to change the field of view of said detector relative to the monitored area in response to the indication received from said portable unit.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
176 words
An apparatus, comprising: a first detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a second detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive the detected images from each of said first and second detectors; a portable unit having a display and having an operator input portion; and a wireless communication link which includes portions of and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit; said portable unit being operative to permit an operator to identify one of said first and second detectors as a currently selected detector, and being operative to transmit to said system through said wireless communication link an indication of the currently selected detector; said system being operative to respond to the indication received from said portable unit by transmitting to said portable unit through said wireless communication link the detected image from the currently selected detector; and said portable unit being operative to present on said display the detected image from the currently selected detector.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
176 words
An apparatus, comprising: a first detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a second detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive the detected images from each of said first and second detectors; a portable unit having a display and having an operator input portion; and a wireless communication link which includes portions of and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit; said portable unit being operative to permit an operator to identify one of said first and second detectors as a currently selected detector, and being operative to transmit to said system through said wireless communication link an indication of the currently selected detector; said system being operative to respond to the indication received from said portable unit by transmitting to said portable unit through said wireless communication link the detected image from the currently selected detector; and said portable unit being operative to present on said display the detected image from the currently selected detector.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
133 words
An apparatus, comprising: a detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive a detected image from said detector, and to process the detected image in order to obtain a processed image; a portable unit having a display; and a wireless communication link which includes portions of said system and said portable unit and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit, including transmission of each of the processed images from said system to said portable unit; said portable unit being operative to successively present the processed images on said display as they are received, said processed images having a resolution which is less than a resolution of the detected images and which corresponds to a resolution of said display.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
133 words
An apparatus, comprising: a detector operative to periodically detect an image of a monitored area; a system operative to receive a detected image from said detector, and to process the detected image in order to obtain a processed image; a portable unit having a display; and a wireless communication link which includes portions of said system and said portable unit and which is operative to facilitate wireless communication between said system and said portable unit, including transmission of each of the processed images from said system to said portable unit; said portable unit being operative to successively present the processed images on said display as they are received, said processed images having a resolution which is less than a resolution of the detected images and which corresponds to a resolution of said display.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said system is operative to select a subset of the detected images produced by said detector, and to carry out the image processing only on the detected images which are selected for said subset.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said system is operative to carry out the image processing by reducing the resolution of each of the detected images in said subset.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the pixels of the processed image each have one of two predetermined colors which are different.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: said system is further operative to form a compressed image from said periodically detected images, whereby said wireless communication link transmits said compressed image from said system to said portable unit.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein: said system forms said compressed image by temporal sampling of said detected image by selection of a subset of said periodically detected images.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein: said system forms said compressed image by spatial sampling of said detected image by selection of a subset of pixels of said detected image.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein: said system forms said compressed image by dithering of said detected image by selection of either black or white for each pixel of said detected image.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-05-06 | 2005-11-05 | 2006-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-05-06 | 2009-11-05 | 2010-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-05-06 | 2013-11-05 | 2014-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |