U.S. patent application number 16/906657 was filed with the patent office on 2020-10-08 for parcel theft deterrence for audio/video recording and communication devices.
The applicant listed for this patent is Amazon Technologies, Inc.. Invention is credited to Elliott Lemberger, Joshua Roth, James Siminoff.
Application Number | 20200320837 16/906657 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004905973 |
Filed Date | 2020-10-08 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200320837 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lemberger; Elliott ; et
al. |
October 8, 2020 |
PARCEL THEFT DETERRENCE FOR AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING AND COMMUNICATION
DEVICES
Abstract
Some aspects of the present embodiments provide a method for
setting an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device in
a parcel protection mode. The method receives, form the A/V
recording and communication device, a notification about a parcel
being placed within an area about the A/V recording and
communication device. The method receives a request for activating
the parcel protection mode. Upon receiving the request, the method
sends an activation signal to the A/V recording and communication
device to set the A/V recording and communication device in the
parcel protection mode.
Inventors: |
Lemberger; Elliott; (Santa
Monica, CA) ; Siminoff; James; (Pacific Palisades,
CA) ; Roth; Joshua; (Pacific Palisades, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Amazon Technologies, Inc. |
Seattle |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004905973 |
Appl. No.: |
16/906657 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15669393 |
Aug 4, 2017 |
10726690 |
|
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16906657 |
|
|
|
|
62479060 |
Mar 30, 2017 |
|
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62374505 |
Aug 12, 2016 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02D 30/70 20200801;
H04W 52/0209 20130101; H04N 5/765 20130101; H04N 7/188 20130101;
G08B 13/19693 20130101; G08B 13/1966 20130101; H04N 5/77 20130101;
G06T 7/246 20170101; G06T 2207/10016 20130101; G08B 13/19608
20130101; G08B 13/19604 20130101; G08B 13/19695 20130101; H04M
1/7253 20130101; G08B 13/19656 20130101; H04N 7/185 20130101; G08B
13/19684 20130101; H04N 7/186 20130101; H04M 11/025 20130101; G06T
2207/30204 20130101; G08B 13/19602 20130101; G06T 2207/30232
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G08B 13/196 20060101
G08B013/196; H04N 5/77 20060101 H04N005/77; G06T 7/246 20060101
G06T007/246; H04N 5/765 20060101 H04N005/765; H04N 7/18 20060101
H04N007/18; H04M 11/02 20060101 H04M011/02 |
Claims
1. A method for parcel protection, the method comprising:
determining, at a network device, that a parcel has been left in an
area about an audio/video recording and communication device (A/V
device); sending an activation signal to set the A/V device in a
parcel protection mode; receiving, from the A/V device while in the
parcel protection mode, at least one image depicting a face of a
person removing the parcel from the area about the A/V device;
comparing the image to at least one other image stored in a
database, the database including images of previously-identified
persons involved in an activity; and generating an alert when the
at least one image matches the at least one other image.
2. The method of claim 1, the activity including criminal
activity.
3. The method of claim 1, the activity including parcel theft.
4. The method of claim 1, the database including images of
previously-identified persons involved in the activity within a
defined area about a location of the A/V device.
5. The method of claim 1, the database including images previously
published and captured by other A/V devices within a defined
area.
6. The method of claim 1, the alert indicating that removal of the
parcel is unauthorized.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the alert to a
client device associated with the A/V device.
8. The method of claim 7, the alert comprising audio and/or video
data generated by the A/V device.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a signal to
cause the A/V device to emit audio from a speaker of the A/V
device.
10. The method of claim 9, the audio comprising one of an audible
alarm or an announcement.
11. The method of claim 1, the determining that the parcel has been
left comprising: receiving, from the A/V device, information of an
object near the A/V device; and comparing the information with
other information in one or more databases to determine whether the
object is a parcel.
12. A method for automatic parcel protection, the method
comprising: determining that a parcel has been left in an area
about an audio/video recording and communication device (A/V
device); transitioning the A/V device into a parcel protection
mode; capturing at least one image of a person removing the parcel;
sending the at least one image to a network device; receiving, from
the network device, a signal; and in response to the signal,
generating audio from a speaker of the A/V device.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the
parcel is being removed.
14. The method of claim 12, the determining that the parcel has
been left comprising: capturing an image of an object using a
camera of the A/V device; and determining, within a vision
processing unit of the A/V device, that the object is a parcel.
15. The method of claim 14, the vision processing unit comprising
an artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator.
16. The method of claim 14, the vision processing unit running a
machine vision algorithm selected from the group comprising a
convolutional neural network and smart information flow
technologies (SIFT).
17. The method of claim 12, the determining that the parcel has
been left comprising: sending information of the object to a
network device; and receiving, from the network device, an
indication that the object is a parcel.
18. The method of claim 12, the determining that the parcel has
been left comprising receiving, from a network device, a signal
indicating that the parcel has been left.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/669,393, filed on Aug. 4, 2017, which
claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 62/479,060,
filed on Mar. 30, 2017, and provisional application Ser. No.
62/374,505, filed on Aug. 12, 2016. The entire contents of the
priority applications are hereby incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present embodiments relate to audio/video (A/V)
recording and communication devices, including A/V recording and
communication doorbell systems. In particular, the present
embodiments relate to improvements in the functionality of A/V
recording and communication devices that strengthen the ability of
such devices to deter parcel theft and/or to identify and apprehend
parcel thieves.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Home security is a concern for many homeowners and renters.
Those seeking to protect or monitor their homes often wish to have
video and audio communications with visitors, for example, those
visiting an external door or entryway. Audio/Video (A/V) recording
and communication devices, such as doorbells, provide this
functionality, and can also aid in crime detection and prevention.
For example, audio and/or video captured by an A/V recording and
communication device can be uploaded to the cloud and recorded on a
remote server. Subsequent review of the A/V footage can aid law
enforcement in capturing perpetrators of home burglaries and other
crimes. Further, the presence of one or more A/V recording and
communication devices on the exterior of a home, such as a doorbell
unit at the entrance to the home, acts as a powerful deterrent
against would-be burglars.
SUMMARY
[0004] The various embodiments of the present parcel theft
deterrence for audio/video (A/V) recording and communication
devices have several features, no single one of which is solely
responsible for their desirable attributes. Without limiting the
scope of the present embodiments as expressed by the claims that
follow, their more prominent features now will be discussed
briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after
reading the section entitled "Detailed Description," one will
understand how the features of the present embodiments provide the
advantages described herein.
[0005] One aspect of the present embodiments includes the
realization that parcel pilferage is a pernicious and persistent
problem. Parcel carriers frequently leave parcels near the front
door of a home when no one answers the door at the time of
delivery. These parcels are vulnerable to theft, as they are often
clearly visible from the street. This problem has only gotten worse
with the proliferation of online commerce, and is particularly
common around major holidays when many consumers do their holiday
shopping online. It would be advantageous, therefore, if the
functionality of A/V recording and communication devices could be
leveraged to deter parcel theft and/or to identify and apprehend
parcel thieves. It would also be advantageous if the functionality
of A/V recording and communication devices could be enhanced in one
or more ways to deter parcel theft and/or to identify and apprehend
parcel thieves. The present embodiments provide these advantages
and enhancements, as described below.
[0006] In a first aspect, a method for an audio/video (A/V)
recording and communication device, the device including a camera,
is provided, the method comprising determining that a parcel has
been left within an area about the A/V recording and communication
device, determining that the parcel has been removed from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device, determining
whether removal of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording
and communication device was authorized, and when the removal of
the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and communication
device is determined to have been unauthorized, generating an
alert.
[0007] In an embodiment of the first aspect, determining that the
parcel has been left within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device comprises comparing video frames recorded by
the camera of the A/V recording and communication device.
[0008] In another embodiment of the first aspect, determining that
the parcel has been left in the area about the A/V recording and
communication device comprises receiving information from a carrier
that delivered the parcel.
[0009] In another embodiment of the first aspect, determining that
the parcel has been left within the area about the A/V recording
and communication device comprises automatic identification and
data capture (AIDC).
[0010] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the AIDC
comprises at least one of a barcode, a matrix code, a bokode, and
radio frequency identification (RFID).
[0011] In another embodiment of the first aspect, determining that
the parcel has been removed from the area about the A/V recording
and communication device comprises comparing video frames recorded
by the camera of the A/V recording and communication device.
[0012] In another embodiment of the first aspect, determining that
the parcel has been removed from the area about the A/V recording
and communication device comprises automatic identification and
data capture (AIDC).
[0013] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the AIDC
comprises radio frequency identification (RFID).
[0014] In another embodiment of the first aspect, determining
whether removal of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording
and communication device was authorized comprises detecting a
direction of movement of the parcel.
[0015] In another embodiment of the first aspect, determining
whether removal of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording
and communication device was authorized comprises automatic
identification and data capture (AIDC).
[0016] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the AIDC
comprises at least one of a barcode, a matrix code, a bokode, radio
frequency identification (RFID), a smart card, a magnetic stripe,
optical character recognition (OCR), biometrics, voice recognition,
facial recognition, three-dimensional facial recognition, and skin
texture analysis.
[0017] Another embodiment of the first aspect further comprises
comparing information received through the AIDC to information
about one or more persons.
[0018] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the one or more
persons comprise at least one perpetrator of one or more parcel
thefts.
[0019] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the one or more
parcel thefts occurred within a defined radius about the A/V
recording and communication device.
[0020] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the alert
comprises an alert signal sent to a client device.
[0021] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the alert
comprises an audible alarm emitted from a speaker of the A/V
recording and communication device.
[0022] In another embodiment of the first aspect, the alert
comprises an announcement emitted from a speaker of the A/V
recording and communication device, the announcement comprising a
warning that the area about the A/V recording and communication
device is being recorded.
[0023] Another embodiment of the first aspect further comprises
identifying the parcel.
[0024] In another embodiment of the first aspect, identifying the
parcel comprises the camera of the A/V recording and communication
device capturing an image of an identifying mark on the parcel.
[0025] In a second aspect, a method for an audio/video (A/V)
recording and communication device, the device including a camera,
is provided, the method comprising determining that a parcel has
been left within an area about the A/V recording and communication
device, after the parcel has been left within the area about the
A/V recording and communication device, detecting a person within
the area about the A/V recording and communication device,
recording, with the camera of the A/V recording and communication
device, video images of the person within the area about the A/V
recording and communication device, and emitting an alert from the
speaker of the A/V recording and communication device.
[0026] In an embodiment of the second aspect, the alert comprises
an audible alarm.
[0027] In another embodiment of the second aspect, the alert
comprises an announcement warning the detected person that he or
she is being recorded.
[0028] In a third aspect, a method for an audio/video (A/V)
recording and communication device, the device including a camera,
is provided, the method comprising determining that a parcel has
been left within an area about the A/V recording and communication
device, wherein determining that the parcel has been left within
the area about the A/V recording and communication device comprises
comparing video frames recorded by the camera of the A/V recording
and communication device, determining that the parcel has been
removed from the area about the A/V recording and communication
device, wherein determining that the parcel has been removed from
the area about the A/V recording and communication device comprises
comparing video frames recorded by the camera of the A/V recording
and communication device, determining whether removal of the parcel
from the area about the A/V recording and communication device was
authorized, wherein determining whether removal of the parcel from
the area about the A/V recording and communication device was
authorized comprises automatic identification and data capture
(AIDC), and when the removal of the parcel from the area about the
A/V recording and communication device is determined to have been
unauthorized, generating an alert.
[0029] In an embodiment of the third aspect, the AIDC comprises at
least one of radio frequency identification (RFID) and
biometrics.
[0030] In another embodiment of the third aspect, the AIDC
comprises the camera of the A/V recording and communication device
capturing an image of a person in the area about the A/V recording
and communication device.
[0031] In another embodiment of the third aspect, the image of the
person comprises an image of the person's face.
[0032] Another embodiment of the third aspect further comprises
comparing the image of the person to at least one image of at least
one other person.
[0033] In another embodiment of the third aspect, the removal of
the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and communication
device is determined to have been unauthorized when there is a
match between the image of the person captured by the camera of the
A/V recording and communication device and the at least one image
of the at least one other person.
[0034] In a fourth aspect, a method for an audio/video (A/V)
recording and communication device, the device including a
processor and a camera, the device being communicatively connected
to at least one network device, is provided, the method comprising
determining that a parcel has been left within an area about the
A/V recording and communication device, wherein determining that
the parcel has been left within the area about the A/V recording
and communication device comprises the processor of the A/V
recording and communication device comparing video frames recorded
by the camera of the A/V recording and communication device,
determining that the parcel has been removed from the area about
the A/V recording and communication device, wherein determining
that the parcel has been removed from the area about the A/V
recording and communication device comprises the processor of the
A/V recording and communication device comparing video frames
recorded by the camera of the A/V recording and communication
device, determining whether removal of the parcel from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device was authorized,
wherein determining whether removal of the parcel from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device was authorized
comprises automatic identification and data capture (AIDC), and
when the removal of the parcel from the area about the A/V
recording and communication device is determined to have been
unauthorized, generating an alert.
[0035] In an embodiment of the fourth aspect, the AIDC comprises at
least one of radio frequency identification (RFID) and
biometrics.
[0036] In another embodiment of the fourth aspect, the AIDC
comprises the camera of the A/V recording and communication device
capturing an image of a person in the area about the A/V recording
and communication device.
[0037] In another embodiment of the fourth aspect, the image of the
person comprises an image of the person's face.
[0038] Another embodiment of the fourth aspect further comprises
the at least one network device receiving the image of the
person.
[0039] Another embodiment of the fourth aspect further comprises
the at least one network device comparing the image of the person
to at least one image of at least one other person.
[0040] In another embodiment of the fourth aspect, the removal of
the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and communication
device is determined to have been unauthorized when there is a
match between the image of the person captured by the camera of the
A/V recording and communication device and the at least one image
of the at least one other person.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] The various embodiments of the present parcel theft
deterrence for audio/video (A/V) recording and communication
devices now will be discussed in detail with an emphasis on
highlighting the advantageous features. These embodiments depict
the novel and non-obvious parcel theft deterrence for A/V recording
and communication devices shown in the accompanying drawings, which
are for illustrative purposes only. These drawings include the
following figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts:
[0042] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a system
for streaming and storing A/V content captured by an audio/video
(A/V) recording and communication device according to various
aspects of the present disclosure;
[0043] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process for streaming
and storing A/V content from an A/V recording and communication
device according to various aspects of the present disclosure;
[0044] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an A/V recording and communication device according
to the present disclosure;
[0045] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of an
A/V recording and communication device according to the present
disclosure;
[0046] FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the A/V recording and
communication device of FIG. 4;
[0047] FIG. 6 is a partially exploded front perspective view of the
A/V recording and communication device of FIG. 4 showing the cover
removed;
[0048] FIGS. 7-9 are front perspective views of various internal
components of the A/V recording and communication device of FIG.
4;
[0049] FIG. 10 is a right-side cross-sectional view of the A/V
recording and communication device of FIG. 4 taken through the line
10-10 in FIG. 4;
[0050] FIGS. 11-13 are rear perspective views of various internal
components of the A/V recording and communication device of FIG.
4;
[0051] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a
process for deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and
communication device according to various aspects of the present
disclosure;
[0052] FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram illustrating an embodiment of
a process for deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and
communication device according to various aspects of the present
disclosure;
[0053] FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of a barcode;
[0054] FIG. 17 is a front elevation view of a matrix code;
[0055] FIG. 18 is a front elevation view of a bokode;
[0056] FIG. 19 is a front elevation view of a radio frequency
identification (RFID) tag;
[0057] FIG. 20 is a sequence diagram illustrating an embodiment of
a process for deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and
communication device according to various aspects of the present
disclosure;
[0058] FIG. 21 is a front elevation view of a smart card;
[0059] FIG. 22 is a rear elevation view of a magnetic stripe
card;
[0060] FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a
process for deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and
communication device according to various aspects of the present
disclosure;
[0061] FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a
process for deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and
communication device according to various aspects of the present
disclosure;
[0062] FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram of a client device on
which the present embodiments may be implemented according to
various aspects of the present disclosure; and
[0063] FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram of a general-purpose
computing system on which the present embodiments may be
implemented according to various aspects of present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0064] The following detailed description describes the present
embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the drawings,
reference numbers label elements of the present embodiments. These
reference numbers are reproduced below in connection with the
discussion of the corresponding drawing features.
[0065] The embodiments of the present parcel theft deterrence for
audio/video (A/V) recording and communication devices are described
below with reference to the figures. These figures, and their
written descriptions, indicate that certain components of the
apparatus are formed integrally, and certain other components are
formed as separate pieces. Those of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that components shown and described herein as being
formed integrally may in alternative embodiments be formed as
separate pieces. Those of ordinary skill in the art will further
appreciate that components shown and described herein as being
formed as separate pieces may in alternative embodiments be formed
integrally. Further, as used herein the term integral describes a
single unitary piece.
[0066] With reference to FIG. 1, the present embodiments include an
audio/video (A/V) device 100 (e.g., a doorbell or a security
camera). While the present disclosure provides numerous examples of
methods and systems including A/V recording and communication
doorbells, the present embodiments are equally applicable for A/V
recording and communication devices other than doorbells. For
example, the present embodiments may include one or more A/V
recording and communication security cameras instead of, or in
addition to, one or more A/V recording and communication doorbells.
An example A/V recording and communication security camera may
include substantially all of the structure and functionality of the
doorbells described herein, but without the front button and
related components.
[0067] The A/V recording and communication device 100 is typically
located near the entrance to a structure (not shown), such as a
dwelling, a business, a storage facility, etc. The A/V recording
and communication device 100 includes a camera 102, a microphone
104, and a speaker 106. The camera 102 may comprise, for example, a
high definition (HD) video camera, such as one capable of capturing
video images at an image display resolution of 1080p or better.
While not shown, the A/V recording and communication device 100 may
also include other hardware and/or components, such as a housing,
one or more motion sensors (and/or other types of sensors), a
button, etc. The A/V recording and communication device 100 may
further include similar componentry and/or functionality as the
wireless communication doorbells described in US Patent Application
Publication Nos. 2015/0022620 (application Ser. No. 14/499,828) and
2015/0022618 (application Ser. No. 14/334,922), both of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entireties as if fully
set forth.
[0068] With further reference to FIG. 1, the A/V recording and
communication device 100 communicates with a user's network 110,
which may be for example a wired and/or wireless network. If the
user's network 110 is wireless, or includes a wireless component,
the network 110 may be a Wi-Fi network compatible with the IEEE
802.11 standard and/or other wireless communication standard(s).
The user's network 110 is connected to another network 112, which
may comprise, for example, the Internet and/or a public switched
telephone network (PSTN). As described below, the A/V recording and
communication device 100 may communicate with the user's client
device 114 via the network 110 and the network 112 (Internet/PSTN).
The user's client device 114 may comprise, for example, a mobile
telephone (may also be referred to as a cellular telephone), such
as a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or another
communication device. The user's client device 114 comprises a
display (not shown) and related components capable of displaying
streaming and/or recorded video images. The user's client device
114 may also comprise a speaker and related components capable of
broadcasting streaming and/or recorded audio, and may also comprise
a microphone. The A/V recording and communication device 100 may
also communicate with one or more remote storage device(s) 116 (may
be referred to interchangeably as "cloud storage device(s)"), one
or more servers 118, and/or a backend API (application programming
interface) 120 via the network 110 and the network 112
(Internet/PSTN). While FIG. 1 illustrates the storage device 116,
the server 118, and the backend API 120 as components separate from
the network 112, it is to be understood that the storage device
116, the server 118, and/or the backend API 120 may be considered
to be components of the network 112.
[0069] The network 112 may be any wireless network or any wired
network, or a combination thereof, configured to operatively couple
the above-mentioned modules, devices, and systems as shown in FIG.
1. For example, the network 112 may include one or more of the
following: a PSTN (public switched telephone network), the
Internet, a local intranet, a PAN (Personal Area Network), a LAN
(Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a MAN
(Metropolitan Area Network), a virtual private network (VPN), a
storage area network (SAN), a frame relay connection, an Advanced
Intelligent Network (AIN) connection, a synchronous optical network
(SONET) connection, a digital T1, T3, E1 or E3 line, a Digital Data
Service (DDS) connection, a DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
connection, an Ethernet connection, an ISDN (Integrated Services
Digital Network) line, a dial-up port such as a V.90, V.34, or
V.34bis analog modem connection, a cable modem, an ATM
(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) connection, or an FDDI (Fiber
Distributed Data Interface) or CDDI (Copper Distributed Data
Interface) connection. Furthermore, communications may also include
links to any of a variety of wireless networks, including WAP
(Wireless Application Protocol), GPRS (General Packet Radio
Service), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), LTE, VoLTE,
LoRaWAN, LPWAN, RPMA, LTE Cat-"X" (e.g. LTE Cat 1, LTE Cat 0, LTE
CatM1, LTE Cat NB1), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), TDMA
(Time Division Multiple Access), FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple
Access), and/or OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple
Access) cellular phone networks, GPS, CDPD (cellular digital packet
data), RIM (Research in Motion, Limited) duplex paging network,
Bluetooth radio, or an IEEE 802.11-based radio frequency network.
The network can further include or interface with any one or more
of the following: RS-232 serial connection, IEEE-1394 (Firewire)
connection, Fibre Channel connection, IrDA (infrared) port, SCSI
(Small Computer Systems Interface) connection, USB (Universal
Serial Bus) connection, or other wired or wireless, digital or
analog, interface or connection, mesh or Digi.RTM. networking.
[0070] According to one or more aspects of the present embodiments,
when a person (may be referred to interchangeably as "visitor")
arrives at the A/V recording and communication device 100, the A/V
recording and communication device 100 detects the visitor's
presence and begins capturing video images within a field of view
of the camera 102. The A/V communication device 100 may also
capture audio through the microphone 104. The A/V recording and
communication device 100 may detect the visitor's presence using a
motion sensor, and/or by detecting that the visitor has depressed
the button on the A/V recording and communication device 100.
[0071] In response to the detection of the visitor, the A/V
recording and communication device 100 sends an alert to the user's
client device 114 (FIG. 1) via the user's network 110 and the
network 112. The A/V recording and communication device 100 also
sends streaming video, and may also send streaming audio, to the
user's client device 114. If the user answers the alert, two-way
audio communication may then occur between the visitor and the user
through the A/V recording and communication device 100 and the
user's client device 114. The user may view the visitor throughout
the duration of the call, but the visitor cannot see the user
(unless the A/V recording and communication device 100 includes a
display, which it may in some embodiments).
[0072] The video images captured by the camera 102 of the A/V
recording and communication device 100 (and the audio captured by
the microphone 104) may be uploaded to the cloud and recorded on
the remote storage device 116 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the
video and/or audio may be recorded on the remote storage device 116
even if the user chooses to ignore the alert sent to his or her
client device 114.
[0073] With further reference to FIG. 1, the system may further
comprise a backend API 120 including one or more components. A
backend API (application programming interface) may comprise, for
example, a server (e.g. a real server, or a virtual machine, or a
machine running in a cloud infrastructure as a service), or
multiple servers networked together, exposing at least one API to
client(s) accessing it. These servers may include components such
as application servers (e.g. software servers), depending upon what
other components are included, such as a caching layer, or database
layers, or other components. A backend API may, for example,
comprise many such applications, each of which communicate with one
another using their public APIs. In some embodiments, the API
backend may hold the bulk of the user data and offer the user
management capabilities, leaving the clients to have very limited
state.
[0074] The backend API 120 illustrated FIG. 1 may include one or
more APIs. An API is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for
building software and applications. An API expresses a software
component in terms of its operations, inputs, outputs, and
underlying types, defining functionalities that are independent of
their respective implementations, which allows definitions and
implementations to vary without compromising the interface.
Advantageously, an API may provide a programmer with access to an
application's functionality without the programmer needing to
modify the application itself, or even understand how the
application works. An API may be for a web-based system, an
operating system, or a database system, and it provides facilities
to develop applications for that system using a given programming
language. In addition to accessing databases or computer hardware
like hard disk drives or video cards, an API can ease the work of
programming GUI components. For example, an API can facilitate
integration of new features into existing applications (a so-called
"plug-in API"). An API can also assist otherwise distinct
applications with sharing data, which can help to integrate and
enhance the functionalities of the applications.
[0075] The backend API 120 illustrated in FIG. 1 may further
include one or more services (also referred to as network
services). A network service is an application that provides data
storage, manipulation, presentation, communication, and/or other
capability. Network services are often implemented using a
client-server architecture based on application-layer network
protocols. Each service may be provided by a server component
running on one or more computers (such as a dedicated server
computer offering multiple services) and accessed via a network by
client components running on other devices. However, the client and
server components can both be run on the same machine. Clients and
servers may have a user interface, and sometimes other hardware
associated with them.
[0076] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process for streaming
and storing A/V content from the A/V recording and communication
device 100 according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
At block B260, the A/V recording and communication device 100
(e.g., a wireless A/V recording and communication device, such as a
doorbell) detects the visitor's presence and captures video images
within a field of view of the camera 102. The A/V recording and
communication device 100 may also capture audio through the
microphone 104. As described above, the A/V recording and
communication device 100 may detect the visitor's presence by
detecting motion using the camera 102 and/or a motion sensor,
and/or by detecting that the visitor has pressed a front button of
the A/V recording and communication device 100 (if the A/V
recording and communication device 100 is a doorbell). Also, as
described above, the video recording/capture may begin when the
visitor is detected, or may begin earlier, as described below.
[0077] At block B262, a communication module of the A/V recording
and communication device 100 sends a request, via the user's
network 110 and the network 112, to a device in the network 112.
For example, the network device to which the request is sent may be
a server such as the server 118. The server 118 may comprise a
computer program and/or a machine that waits for requests from
other machines or software (clients) and responds to them. A server
typically processes data. One purpose of a server is to share data
and/or hardware and/or software resources among clients. This
architecture is called the client-server model. The clients may run
on the same computer or may connect to the server over a network.
Examples of computing servers include database servers, file
servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers,
and application servers. The term server may be construed broadly
to include any computerized process that shares a resource to one
or more client processes. In another example, the network device to
which the request is sent may be an API such as the backend API
120, which is described above.
[0078] In response to the request, at block B264 the network device
may connect the A/V recording and communication device 100 to the
user's client device 114 through the user's network 110 and the
network 112. At block B266, the A/V recording and communication
device 100 may record available audio and/or video data using the
camera 102, the microphone 104, and/or any other device/sensor
available. At block B268, the audio and/or video data is
transmitted (streamed) from the A/V recording and communication
device 100 to the user's client device 114 via the user's network
110 and the network 112. At block B270, the user may receive a
notification on his or her client device 114 with a prompt to
either accept or deny the call.
[0079] At block B272, the process determines whether the user has
accepted or denied the call. If the user denies the notification,
then the process advances to block B274, where the audio and/or
video data is recorded and stored at a cloud server. The session
then ends at block B276 and the connection between the A/V
recording and communication device 100 and the user's client device
114 is terminated. If, however, the user accepts the notification,
then at block B278 the user communicates with the visitor through
the user's client device 114 while audio and/or video data captured
by the camera 102, the microphone 104, and/or other devices/sensors
is streamed to the user's client device 114. At the end of the
call, the user may terminate the connection between the user's
client device 114 and the A/V recording and communication device
100 and the session ends at block B276. In some embodiments, the
audio and/or video data may be recorded and stored at a cloud
server (block B274) even if the user accepts the notification and
communicates with the visitor through the user's client device
114.
[0080] FIGS. 3-13 illustrate one embodiment of a
low-power-consumption A/V recording and communication device 130
according to various aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a
functional block diagram illustrating various components of the A/V
recording and communication device 130 and their relationships to
one another. For example, the A/V recording and communication
device 130 includes a pair of terminals 131, 132 configured to be
connected to a source of external AC (alternating-current) power,
such as a household AC power supply 134 (may also be referred to as
AC mains). The AC power 134 may have a voltage in the range of
16-24 VAC, for example. The incoming AC power 134 may be converted
to DC (direct-current) by an AC/DC rectifier 136. An output of the
AC/DC rectifier 136 may be connected to an input of a DC/DC
converter 138, which may step down the voltage from the output of
the AC/DC rectifier 136 from 16-24 VDC to a lower voltage of about
5 VDC, for example. In various embodiments, the output of the DC/DC
converter 138 may be in a range of from about 2.5 V to about 7.5 V,
for example.
[0081] With further reference to FIG. 3, the output of the DC/DC
converter 138 is connected to a power manager 140, which may
comprise an integrated circuit including a processor core, memory,
and/or programmable input/output peripherals. In one non-limiting
example, the power manager 140 may be an off-the-shelf component,
such as the BQ24773 chip manufactured by Texas Instruments. As
described in detail below, the power manager 140 controls, among
other things, an amount of power drawn from the external power
supply 134, as well as an amount of supplemental power drawn from a
battery 142, to power the A/V recording and communication device
130. The power manager 140 may, for example, limit the amount of
power drawn from the external power supply 134 so that a threshold
power draw is not exceeded. In one non-limiting example, the
threshold power, as measured at the output of the DC/DC converter
138, may be equal to 1.4 A. The power manager 140 may also control
an amount of power drawn from the external power supply 134 and
directed to the battery 142 for recharging of the battery 142. An
output of the power manager 140 is connected to a power sequencer
144, which controls a sequence of power delivery to other
components of the A/V recording and communication device 130,
including a communication module 146, a front button 148, a
microphone 150, a speaker driver 151, a speaker 152, an audio CODEC
(Coder-DECoder) 153, a camera 154, an infrared (IR) light source
156, an IR cut filter 158, a processor 160 (may also be referred to
as a controller 160), a plurality of light indicators 162, and a
controller 164 for the light indicators 162. Each of these
components is described in detail below. The power sequencer 144
may comprise an integrated circuit including a processor core,
memory, and/or programmable input/output peripherals. In one
non-limiting example, the power sequencer 144 may be an
off-the-shelf component, such as the R15024 chip manufactured by
Richtek.
[0082] With further reference to FIG. 3, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises an electronic switch 166
that closes when the front button 148 is depressed. When the
electronic switch 166 closes, power from the AC power source 134 is
diverted through a signaling device 168 that is external to the A/V
recording and communication device 130 to cause the signaling
device 168 to emit a sound, as further described below. In one
non-limiting example, the electronic switch 166 may be a triac
device. The A/V recording and communication device 130 further
comprises a reset button 170 configured to initiate a hard reset of
the processor 160, as further described below.
[0083] With further reference to FIG. 3, the processor 160 may
perform data processing and various other functions, as described
below. The processor 160 may comprise an integrated circuit
including a processor core, memory 172, non-volatile memory 174,
and/or programmable input/output peripherals (not shown). The
memory 172 may comprise, for example, DDR3 (double data rate type
three synchronous dynamic random-access memory). The non-volatile
memory 174 may comprise, for example, NAND flash memory. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the memory 172 and the
non-volatile memory 174 are illustrated within the box representing
the processor 160. It is to be understood that the embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and in some embodiments
the memory 172 and/or the non-volatile memory 174 are not
necessarily physically incorporated with the processor 160. The
memory 172 and/or the non-volatile memory 174, regardless of their
physical location, may be shared by one or more other components
(in addition to the processor 160) of the present A/V recording and
communication device 130.
[0084] The transfer of digital audio between the user and a visitor
may be compressed and decompressed using the audio CODEC 153, which
is operatively coupled to the processor 160. When the visitor
speaks, audio from the visitor is compressed by the audio CODEC
153, digital audio data is sent through the communication module
146 to the network 112 via the user's network 110, routed by the
server 118 and delivered to the user's client device 114. When the
user speaks, after being transferred through the network 112, the
user's network 110, and the communication module 146, the digital
audio data is decompressed by the audio CODEC 153 and emitted to
the visitor through the speaker 152, which is driven by the speaker
driver 151.
[0085] With further reference to FIG. 3, some of the present
embodiments may include a shunt 176 connected in parallel with the
signaling device 168. The shunt 176 facilitates the ability of the
A/V recording and communication device 130 to draw power from the
AC power source 134 without inadvertently triggering the signaling
device 168. The shunt 176, during normal standby operation,
presents a relatively low electrical impedance, such as a few ohms,
across the terminals of the signaling device 168. Most of the
current drawn by the A/V recording and communication device 130,
therefore, flows through the shunt 176, and not through the
signaling device 168. The shunt 176, however, contains electronic
circuitry (described below) that switches the shunt 176 between a
state of low impedance, such as a few ohms, for example, and a
state of high impedance, such as >1K ohms, for example. When the
front button 148 of the A/V recording and communication device 130
is pressed, the electronic switch 166 closes, causing the voltage
from the AC power source 134 to be impressed mostly across the
shunt 176 and the signaling device 168 in parallel, while a small
amount of voltage, such as about 1V, is impressed across the
electronic switch 166. The circuitry in the shunt 176 senses this
voltage, and switches the shunt 176 to the high impedance state, so
that power from the AC power source 134 is diverted through the
signaling device 168. The diverted AC power 134 is above the
threshold necessary to cause the signaling device 168 to emit a
sound. Pressing the front button 148 of the device 130 therefore
causes the signaling device 168 to "ring," alerting any person(s)
within the structure to which the device 130 is mounted that there
is a visitor at the front door (or at another location
corresponding to the location of the device 130). In one
non-limiting example, the electronic switch 166 may be a triac
device.
[0086] With reference to FIGS. 4-6, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises a housing 178 having an
enclosure 180 (FIG. 6), a back plate 182 secured to the rear of the
enclosure 180, and a shell 184 overlying the enclosure 180. With
reference to FIG. 6, the shell 184 includes a recess 186 that is
sized and shaped to receive the enclosure 180 in a close fitting
engagement, such that outer surfaces of the enclosure 180 abut
conforming inner surfaces of the shell 184. Exterior dimensions of
the enclosure 180 may be closely matched with interior dimensions
of the shell 184 such that friction maintains the shell 184 about
the enclosure 180. Alternatively, or in addition, the enclosure 180
and/or the shell 184 may include mating features 188, such as one
or more tabs, grooves, slots, posts, etc. to assist in maintaining
the shell 184 about the enclosure 180. The back plate 182 is sized
and shaped such that the edges of the back plate 182 extend outward
from the edges of the enclosure 180, thereby creating a lip 190
against which the shell 184 abuts when the shell 184 is mated with
the enclosure 180, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In some embodiments,
multiple shells 184 in different colors may be provided so that the
end user may customize the appearance of his or her A/V recording
and communication device 130. For example, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may be packaged and sold with multiple
shells 184 in different colors in the same package.
[0087] With reference to FIG. 4, a front surface of the A/V
recording and communication device 130 includes the button 148 (may
also be referred to as front button 148, FIG. 3), which is
operatively connected to the processor 160. In a process similar to
that described above with reference to FIG. 2, when a visitor
presses the front button 148, an alert may be sent to the user's
client device to notify the user that someone is at his or her
front door (or at another location corresponding to the location of
the A/V recording and communication device 130). With further
reference to FIG. 4, the A/V recording and communication device 130
further includes the camera 154, which is operatively connected to
the processor 160, and which is located behind a shield 192. As
described in detail below, the camera 154 is configured to capture
video images from within its field of view. Those video images can
be streamed to the user's client device and/or uploaded to a remote
network device for later viewing according to a process similar to
that described above with reference to FIG. 2.
[0088] With reference to FIG. 5, a pair of terminal screws 194
extends through the back plate 182. The terminal screws 194 are
connected at their inner ends to the terminals 131, 132 (FIG. 3)
within the A/V recording and communication device 130. The terminal
screws 194 are configured to receive electrical wires to connect to
the A/V recording and communication device 130, through the
terminals 131, 132, to the household AC power supply 134 of the
structure on which the A/V recording and communication device 130
is mounted. In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal screws 194
are located within a recessed portion 196 of the rear surface 198
of the back plate 182 so that the terminal screws 194 do not
protrude from the outer envelope of the A/V recording and
communication device 130. The A/V recording and communication
device 130 can thus be mounted to a mounting surface with the rear
surface 198 of the back plate 182 abutting the mounting surface.
The back plate 182 includes apertures 200 adjacent its upper and
lower edges to accommodate mounting hardware, such as screws (not
shown), for securing the back plate 182 (and thus the A/V recording
and communication device 130) to the mounting surface. With
reference to FIG. 6, the enclosure 180 includes corresponding
apertures 202 adjacent its upper and lower edges that align with
the apertures 200 in the back plate 182 to accommodate the mounting
hardware. In certain embodiments, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may include a mounting plate or bracket
(not shown) to facilitate securing the A/V recording and
communication device 130 to the mounting surface.
[0089] With further reference to FIG. 6, the shell 184 includes a
central opening 204 in a front surface. The central opening 204 is
sized and shaped to accommodate the shield 192. In the illustrated
embodiment, the shield 192 is substantially rectangular, and
includes a central opening 206 through which the front button 148
protrudes. The shield 192 defines a plane parallel to and in front
of a front surface 208 of the enclosure 180. When the shell 184 is
mated with the enclosure 180, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, the
shield 192 resides within the central opening 204 of the shell 184
such that a front surface 210 of the shield 192 is substantially
flush with a front surface 212 of the shell 184 and there is little
or no gap (FIG. 4) between the outer edges of the shield 192 and
the inner edges of the central opening 204 in the shell 184.
[0090] With further reference to FIG. 6, the shield 192 includes an
upper portion 214 (located above and to the sides of the front
button 148) and a lower portion 216 (located below and to the sides
of the front button 148). The upper and lower portions 214, 216 of
the shield 192 may be separate pieces, and may comprise different
materials. The upper portion 214 of the shield 192 may be
transparent or translucent so that it does not interfere with the
field of view of the camera 154. For example, in certain
embodiments the upper portion 214 of the shield 192 may comprise
glass or plastic. As described in detail below, the microphone 150,
which is operatively connected to the processor 160, is located
behind the upper portion 214 of the shield 192. The upper portion
214, therefore, may include an opening 218 that facilitates the
passage of sound through the shield 192 so that the microphone 150
is better able to pick up sounds from the area around the A/V
recording and communication device 130.
[0091] The lower portion 216 of the shield 192 may comprise a
material that is substantially transparent to infrared (IR) light,
but partially or mostly opaque with respect to light in the visible
spectrum. For example, in certain embodiments the lower portion 216
of the shield 192 may comprise a plastic, such as polycarbonate.
The lower portion 216 of the shield 192, therefore, does not
interfere with transmission of IR light from the IR light source
156, which is located behind the lower portion 216. As described in
detail below, the IR light source 156 and the IR cut filter 158,
which are both operatively connected to the processor 160,
facilitate "night vision" functionality of the camera 154.
[0092] The upper portion 214 and/or the lower portion 216 of the
shield 192 may abut an underlying cover 220 (FIG. 10), which may be
integral with the enclosure 180 or may be a separate piece. The
cover 220, which may be opaque, may include a first opening 222
corresponding to the location of the camera 154, a second opening
(not shown) corresponding to the location of the microphone 150 and
the opening 218 in the upper portion 214 of the shield 192, and a
third opening (not shown) corresponding to the location of the IR
light source 156.
[0093] FIGS. 7-10 illustrate various internal components of the A/V
recording and communication device 130. FIGS. 7-9 are front
perspective views of the device 130 with the shell 184 and the
enclosure 180 removed, while FIG. 10 is a right-side
cross-sectional view of the device 130 taken through the line 10-10
in FIG. 4. With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises a main printed circuit
board (PCB) 224 and a front PCB 226. With reference to FIG. 8, the
front PCB 226 comprises a button actuator 228. With reference to
FIGS. 7, 8, and 10, the front button 148 is located in front of the
button actuator 228. The front button 148 includes a stem 230 (FIG.
10) that extends into the housing 178 to contact the button
actuator 228. When the front button 148 is pressed, the stem 230
depresses the button actuator 228, thereby closing the electronic
switch 166 (FIG. 8), as described below.
[0094] With reference to FIG. 8, the front PCB 226 further
comprises the light indicators 162, which may illuminate when the
front button 148 of the device 130 is pressed. In the illustrated
embodiment, the light indicators 162 comprise light-emitting diodes
(LEDs 162) that are surface mounted to the front surface of the
front PCB 226 and are arranged in a circle around the button
actuator 228. The present embodiments are not limited to the light
indicators 162 being LEDs, and in alternative embodiments the light
indicators 162 may comprise any other type of light-emitting
device. The present embodiments are also not limited by the number
of light indicators 162 shown in FIG. 8, nor by the pattern in
which they are arranged.
[0095] With reference to FIG. 7, the device 130 further comprises a
light pipe 232. The light pipe 232 is a transparent or translucent
ring that encircles the front button 148. With reference to FIG. 4,
the light pipe 232 resides in an annular space between the front
button 148 and the central opening 206 in the shield 192, with a
front surface 234 of the light pipe 232 being substantially flush
with the front surface 210 of the shield 192. With reference to
FIGS. 7 and 10, a rear portion of light pipe 232 includes a
plurality of posts 236 whose positions correspond to the positions
of the LEDs 162. When the LEDs 162 are illuminated, light is
transmitted through the posts 236 and the body of the light pipe
232 so that the light is visible at the front surface 234 of the
light pipe 232. The LEDs 162 and the light pipe 232 thus provide a
ring of illumination around the front button 148. The light pipe
232 may comprise a plastic, for example, or any other suitable
material capable of transmitting light.
[0096] The LEDs 162 and the light pipe 232 may function as visual
indicators for a visitor and/or a user. For example, the LEDs 162
may illuminate upon activation or stay illuminated continuously. In
one aspect, the LEDs 162 may change color to indicate that the
front button 148 has been pressed. The LEDs 162 may also indicate
that the battery 142 needs recharging, or that the battery 142 is
currently being charged, or that charging of the battery 142 has
been completed. The LEDs 162 may indicate that a connection to the
user's wireless (and/or wired) network is good, limited, poor, or
not connected. The LEDs 162 may be used to guide the user through
setup or installation steps using visual cues, potentially coupled
with audio cues emitted from the speaker 152.
[0097] With further reference to FIG. 7, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises a rechargeable battery
142. As described in further detail below, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 is connected to an external power source
134 (FIG. 3), such as AC mains. The A/V recording and communication
device 130 is primarily powered by the external power source 134,
but may also draw power from the rechargeable battery 142 so as not
to exceed a threshold amount of power from the external power
source 134, to thereby avoid inadvertently sounding the signaling
device 168. With reference to FIG. 3, the battery 142 is
operatively connected to the power manager 140. As described below,
the power manager 140 controls an amount of power drawn from the
battery 142 to supplement the power drawn from the external AC
power source 134 to power the A/V recording and communication
device 130 when supplemental power is needed. The power manager 140
also controls recharging of the battery 142 using power drawn from
the external power source 134. The battery 142 may comprise, for
example, a lithium-ion battery, or any other type of rechargeable
battery.
[0098] With further reference to FIG. 7, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises the camera 154. The
camera 154 is coupled to a front surface of the front PCB 226, and
includes a lens 238 and an imaging processor 240 (FIG. 9). The
camera lens 238 may be a lens capable of focusing light into the
camera 154 so that clear images may be captured. The camera 154 may
comprise, for example, a high definition (HD) video camera, such as
one capable of capturing video images at an image display
resolution of 720p or better. In certain of the present
embodiments, the camera 154 may be used to detect motion within its
field of view, as described below.
[0099] With further reference to FIG. 7, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises an infrared (IR) light
source 242. In the illustrated embodiment, the IR light source 242
comprises an IR light-emitting diode (LED) 242 coupled to an IR LED
printed circuit board (PCB) 244. In alternative embodiments, the IR
LED 242 may not comprise a separate PCB 244, and may, for example,
be coupled to the front PCB 226.
[0100] With reference to FIGS. 7 and 10, the IR LED PCB 244 is
located below the front button 148 (FIG. 7) and behind the lower
portion 216 of the shield 192 (FIG. 10). As described above, the
lower portion 216 of the shield 192 is transparent to IR light, but
may be opaque with respect to light in the visible spectrum. In
alternative embodiments of the IR LED PCB 244, the IR LED PCB 244
may include more than one IR LED 242. For example, the IR LED PCB
244 may include three IR LEDs 242, or any other number of IR LEDs
242. In embodiments including more than one IR LED 242, the size of
the third opening in the cover may be increased to accommodate the
larger size of the IR LED PCB 244.
[0101] The IR LED 242 may be triggered to activate when a low level
of ambient light is detected. When activated, IR light emitted from
the IR LED 242 illuminates the camera 154's field of view. The
camera 154, which may be configured to detect IR light, may then
capture the IR light emitted by the IR LED 242 as it reflects off
objects within the camera 154's field of view, so that the A/V
recording and communication device 130 can clearly capture images
at night (may be referred to as "night vision").
[0102] With reference to FIG. 9, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises an IR cut filter 158.
The IR cut filter 158 is a mechanical shutter that can be
selectively positioned between the lens 238 and the image sensor of
the camera 154. During daylight hours, or whenever there is a
sufficient amount of ambient light, the IR cut filter 158 is
positioned between the lens 238 and the image sensor to filter out
IR light so that it does not distort the colors of images as the
human eye sees them. During nighttime hours, or whenever there is
little to no ambient light, the IR cut filter 158 is withdrawn from
the space between the lens 238 and the image sensor, so that the
camera 154 is sensitive to IR light ("night vision"). In some
embodiments, the camera 154 acts as a light detector for use in
controlling the current state of the IR cut filter 158 and turning
the IR LED 242 on and off. Using the camera 154 as a light detector
is facilitated in some embodiments by the fact that the A/V
recording and communication device 130 is powered by a connection
to AC mains, and the camera 154, therefore, is always powered on.
In other embodiments, however, the A/V recording and communication
device 130 may include a light sensor separate from the camera 154
for use in controlling the IR cut filter 158 and the IR LED
242.
[0103] With reference back to FIG. 6, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 further comprises a reset button 170. The
reset button 170 contacts a reset button actuator 246 (FIG. 8)
coupled to the front PCB 226. When the reset button 170 is pressed,
it may contact the reset button actuator 246, which may trigger the
erasing of any data stored at the non-volatile memory 174 and/or at
the memory 172 (FIG. 3), and/or may trigger a reboot of the
processor 160. In some embodiments, the reset button 170 may also
be used in a process to activate the A/V recording and
communication device 130, as described below.
[0104] FIGS. 11-13 further illustrate internal components of the
A/V recording and communication device 130. FIGS. 11-13 are rear
perspective views of the device 130 with the back plate 182 and
additional components removed. For example, in FIG. 11 the back
plate 182 is removed, while in FIG. 12 the back plate 182 and the
main PCB 224 are removed, and in FIG. 13 the back plate 182, the
main PCB 224, and the front PCB 226 are removed. With reference to
FIG. 11, several components are coupled to the rear surface of the
main PCB 224, including the communication module 146, the processor
160, memory 172, and non-volatile memory 174. The functions of each
of these components are described below. With reference to FIG. 12,
several components are coupled to the rear surface of the front PCB
226, including the power manager 140, the power sequencer 144, the
AC/DC rectifier 136, the DC/DC converter 138, and the controller
164 for the light indicators 162. The functions of each of these
components are also described below. With reference to FIG. 13,
several components are visible within the enclosure 180, including
the microphone 150, a speaker chamber 248 (in which the speaker 152
is located), and an antenna 250 for the communication module 146.
The functions of each of these components are also described
below.
[0105] With reference to FIG. 7, the antenna 250 is coupled to the
front surface of the main PCB 224 and operatively connected to the
communication module 146, which is coupled to the rear surface of
the main PCB 224 (FIG. 11). The microphone 150, which may also be
coupled to the front surface of the main PCB 224, is located near
the opening 218 (FIG. 4) in the upper portion 214 of the shield 192
so that sounds emanating from the area around the A/V recording and
communication device 130 can pass through the opening 218 and be
detected by the microphone 150. With reference to FIG. 13, the
speaker chamber 248 is located near the bottom of the enclosure
180. The speaker chamber 248 comprises a hollow enclosure in which
the speaker 152 is located. The hollow speaker chamber 248
amplifies the sounds made by the speaker 152 so that they can be
better heard by a visitor in the area near the A/V recording and
communication device 130. With reference to FIGS. 5 and 13, the
lower surface 252 of the shell 184 and the lower surface (not
shown) of the enclosure 180 may include an acoustical opening 254
through which the sounds made by the speaker 152 can pass so that
they can be better heard by a visitor in the area near the A/V
recording and communication device 130. In the illustrated
embodiment, the acoustical opening 254 is shaped generally as a
rectangle having a length extending substantially across the lower
surface 252 of the shell 184 (and also the enclosure 180). The
illustrated shape is, however, just one example. With reference to
FIG. 5, the lower surface 252 of the shell 184 may further include
an opening 256 for receiving a security screw (not shown). The
security screw may extend through the opening 256 and into a
similarly located opening in the enclosure 180 to secure the shell
184 to the enclosure 180. If the device 130 is mounted to a
mounting bracket (not shown), the security screw may also maintain
the device 130 on the mounting bracket.
[0106] With reference to FIG. 13, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may further include a battery heater 258.
The present A/V recording and communication device 130 is
configured for outdoor use, including in cold climates. Cold
temperatures, however, can cause negative performance issues for
rechargeable batteries, such as reduced energy capacity, increased
internal resistance, reduced ability to charge without damage, and
reduced ability to supply load current. The battery heater 258
helps to keep the rechargeable battery 142 warm in order to reduce
or eliminate the foregoing negative performance issues. In the
illustrated embodiment, the battery heater 258 comprises a
substantially flat, thin sheet abutting a side surface of the
rechargeable battery 142. The battery heater 258 may comprise, for
example, an electrically resistive heating element that produces
heat when electrical current is passed through it. The battery
heater 258 may thus be operatively coupled to the power manager 140
and/or the power sequencer 144 (FIG. 12). In some embodiments, the
rechargeable battery 142 may include a thermally sensitive resistor
("thermistor," not shown) operatively connected to the processor
160 so that the battery 142's temperature can be monitored and the
amount of power supplied to the battery heater 258 can be
adaptively controlled to keep the rechargeable battery 142 within a
desired temperature range.
[0107] As discussed above, the present disclosure provides numerous
examples of methods and systems including A/V recording and
communication doorbells, but the present embodiments are equally
applicable for A/V recording and communication devices other than
doorbells. For example, the present embodiments may include one or
more A/V recording and communication security cameras instead of,
or in addition to, one or more A/V recording and communication
doorbells. An example A/V recording and communication security
camera may include substantially all of the structure and
functionality of the device 130, but without the front button 148,
the button actuator 228, and/or the light pipe 232.
[0108] The present disclosure also provides numerous examples of
methods and systems including A/V recording and communication
devices that are powered by a connection to AC mains, but the
present embodiments are equally applicable for A/V recording and
communication devices that are battery powered. For example, the
present embodiments may include an A/V recording and communication
device such as those described in US Patent Application Publication
Nos. 2015/0022620 (application Ser. No. 14/499,828) and
2015/0022618 (application Ser. No. 14/334,922), both of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entireties as if fully
set forth.
[0109] As discussed above, parcel theft is an increasingly common
problem. Parcel carriers frequently leave parcels near the front
door of a home when no one answers the door at the time of
delivery. These parcels are vulnerable to theft, as they are often
clearly visible from the street. This problem has only gotten worse
with the proliferation of online commerce, and is particularly
common around major holidays when many consumers do their holiday
shopping online. It would be advantageous, therefore, if the
functionality of A/V recording and communication devices could be
leveraged to deter parcel theft and/or to identify and apprehend
parcel thieves. It would also be advantageous if the functionality
of A/V recording and communication devices could be enhanced in one
or more ways to deter parcel theft and/or to identify and apprehend
parcel thieves. The present embodiments provide these advantages
and enhancements, as described below.
[0110] For example, some of the present embodiments deter parcel
theft and/or facilitate the identification and apprehension of
parcel thieves by determining that a parcel has been delivered,
determining that the parcel has been removed from the delivery
area, determining whether removal of the parcel was authorized,
and, when the removal of the parcel is determined to have been
unauthorized, generating an alert. Further, because the present
embodiments include A/V recording and communication devices, acts
of parcel theft are recorded by the camera of the A/V recording and
communication device. These images are useful in identifying and
apprehending parcel thieves.
[0111] Some of the present embodiments comprise computer vision for
one or more aspects, such as object recognition. Computer vision
includes methods for acquiring, processing, analyzing, and
understanding images and, in general, high-dimensional data from
the real world in order to produce numerical or symbolic
information, e.g. in the form of decisions. Computer vision seeks
to duplicate the abilities of human vision by electronically
perceiving and understanding an image. Understanding in this
context means the transformation of visual images (the input of the
retina) into descriptions of the world that can interface with
other thought processes and elicit appropriate action. This image
understanding can be seen as the disentangling of symbolic
information from image data using models constructed with the aid
of geometry, physics, statistics, and learning theory. Computer
vision has also been described as the enterprise of automating and
integrating a wide range of processes and representations for
vision perception. As a scientific discipline, computer vision is
concerned with the theory behind artificial systems that extract
information from images. The image data can take many forms, such
as video sequences, views from multiple cameras, or
multi-dimensional data from a scanner. As a technological
discipline, computer vision seeks to apply its theories and models
for the construction of computer vision systems.
[0112] One aspect of computer vision comprises determining whether
or not the image data contains some specific object, feature, or
activity. Different varieties of computer vision recognition
include: Object Recognition (also called object
classification)--One or several pre-specified or learned objects or
object classes can be recognized, usually together with their 2D
positions in the image or 3D poses in the scene. Identification--An
individual instance of an object is recognized. Examples include
identification of a specific person's face or fingerprint,
identification of handwritten digits, or identification of a
specific vehicle. Detection--The image data are scanned for a
specific condition. Examples include detection of possible abnormal
cells or tissues in medical images or detection of a vehicle in an
automatic road toll system. Detection based on relatively simple
and fast computations is sometimes used for finding smaller regions
of interesting image data that can be further analyzed by more
computationally demanding techniques to produce a correct
interpretation.
[0113] Several specialized tasks based on computer vision
recognition exist, such as: Optical Character Recognition
(OCR)--Identifying characters in images of printed or handwritten
text, usually with a view to encoding the text in a format more
amenable to editing or indexing (e.g. ASCII). 2D Code
Reading--Reading of 2D codes such as data matrix and QR codes.
Facial Recognition. Shape Recognition Technology
(SRT)--Differentiating human beings (e.g. head and shoulder
patterns) from objects.
[0114] Typical functions and components (e.g. hardware) found in
many computer vision systems are described in the following
paragraphs. The present embodiments may include at least some of
these aspects. For example, with reference to FIG. 3, embodiments
of the present A/V recording and communication device 130 may
include a computer vision module 163. The computer vision module
163 may include any of the components (e.g. hardware) and/or
functionality described herein with respect to computer vision,
including, without limitation, one or more cameras, sensors, and/or
processors. In some embodiments, the microphone 150, the camera
154, and/or the imaging processor 240 may be components of the
computer vision module 163.
[0115] Image acquisition--A digital image is produced by one or
several image sensors, which, besides various types of
light-sensitive cameras, may include range sensors, tomography
devices, radar, ultra-sonic cameras, etc. Depending on the type of
sensor, the resulting image data may be a 2D image, a 3D volume, or
an image sequence. The pixel values may correspond to light
intensity in one or several spectral bands (gray images or color
images), but can also be related to various physical measures, such
as depth, absorption or reflectance of sonic or electromagnetic
waves, or nuclear magnetic resonance.
[0116] Pre-processing--Before a computer vision method can be
applied to image data in order to extract some specific piece of
information, it is usually beneficial to process the data in order
to assure that it satisfies certain assumptions implied by the
method. Examples of pre-processing include, but are not limited to
re-sampling in order to assure that the image coordinate system is
correct, noise reduction in order to assure that sensor noise does
not introduce false information, contrast enhancement to assure
that relevant information can be detected, and scale space
representation to enhance image structures at locally appropriate
scales.
[0117] Feature extraction--Image features at various levels of
complexity are extracted from the image data. Typical examples of
such features are: Lines, edges, and ridges; Localized interest
points such as corners, blobs, or points; More complex features may
be related to texture, shape, or motion.
[0118] Detection/segmentation--At some point in the processing a
decision may be made about which image points or regions of the
image are relevant for further processing. Examples are: Selection
of a specific set of interest points; Segmentation of one or
multiple image regions that contain a specific object of interest;
Segmentation of the image into nested scene architecture comprising
foreground, object groups, single objects, or salient object parts
(also referred to as spatial-taxon scene hierarchy).
[0119] High-level processing--At this step, the input may be a
small set of data, for example a set of points or an image region
that is assumed to contain a specific object. The remaining
processing may comprise, for example: Verification that the data
satisfy model-based and application-specific assumptions;
Estimation of application-specific parameters, such as object pose
or object size; Image recognition--classifying a detected object
into different categories; Image registration--comparing and
combining two different views of the same object.
[0120] Decision making--Making the final decision required for the
application, for example match/no-match in recognition
applications.
[0121] One or more of the present embodiments may include a vision
processing unit (not shown separately, but may be a component of
the computer vision module 163). A vision processing unit is an
emerging class of microprocessor; it is a specific type of AI
(artificial intelligence) accelerator designed to accelerate
machine vision tasks. Vision processing units are distinct from
video processing units (which are specialized for video encoding
and decoding) in their suitability for running machine vision
algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, SIFT, etc. Vision
processing units may include direct interfaces to take data from
cameras (bypassing any off-chip buffers), and may have a greater
emphasis on on-chip dataflow between many parallel execution units
with scratchpad memory, like a manycore DSP (digital signal
processor). But, like video processing units, vision processing
units may have a focus on low precision fixed point arithmetic for
image processing.
[0122] FIG. 14 illustrates an example embodiment of a process for
deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and communication
device according to various aspects of the present disclosure. At
block B300, the process determines that a parcel has been left
within an area about an A/V recording and communication device,
such as the A/V recording and communication device 130 described
above. The present embodiments encompass any method of determining
that a parcel has been left within an area about an A/V recording
and communication device, and several examples are provided below.
The present embodiments are not, however, limited to these
examples, which are provided for illustration only. Any of the
examples described below, as well as any of the present
embodiments, may include one or more aspects of computer
vision.
[0123] In one example embodiment, determining that the parcel has
been left within the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130 may comprise comparing video frames recorded by the
camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication device 130, e.g.
using computer vision. For example, before a parcel is left within
the area about the A/V recording and communication device 130, the
field of view of the camera 154 may remain largely static.
Different objects may occasionally (or frequently) pass through the
camera's field of view, such as people, animals, cars, etc., but
these objects generally do not remain within the camera's field of
view for very long (on the order of seconds) and, if they stop
within the camera's field of view, they typically begin moving
again soon after stopping. By contrast, when a parcel is left
within the camera's field of view, it typically remains within the
camera's field of view for a significant amount of time (on the
order of minutes or hours), and the parcel typically remains
motionless throughout the time that it remains within the camera's
field of view (at least until someone picks it up and carries it
away). Thus, comparing video frames from a time before a parcel is
left within the camera's field of view with video frames from a
time after the parcel is left within the camera's field of view may
enable a reliable determination to be made as to whether an object
that is present within the camera's field of view is a parcel or
not.
[0124] The present embodiments contemplate numerous methodologies
for determining whether an object that is present within the
camera's field of view is a parcel or not. Any or all of these
methodologies may include one or more aspects of computer vision.
For example, in some embodiments an object within the camera's
field of view may be determined to be a parcel if the object is not
present within the camera's field of view at a first time (in a
first video frame), the object is present within the camera's field
of view at a second time after the first time (in a second video
frame), and the object remains within the camera's field of view
for at least a threshold amount of time. Determining whether the
object remains within the camera's field of view for at least the
threshold amount of time may comprise review of one or more video
frames that are recorded after the second video frame. In other
embodiments, an object within the camera's field of view may be
determined to be a parcel if the object is not present within the
camera's field of view at a first time (in a first video frame),
the object is present within the camera's field of view at a second
time after the first time (in a second video frame), and the object
remains motionless within the camera's field of view for at least a
threshold amount of time. Determining whether the object remains
motionless within the camera's field of view for at least the
threshold amount of time may comprise review of one or more video
frames that are recorded after the second video frame.
[0125] In other embodiments, an object within the camera's field of
view may be determined to be a parcel if the object is not present
within the camera's field of view at a first time (in a first video
frame), a person is detected approaching the A/V recording and
communication device 130 at a second time after the first time (in
a second video frame), the person is detected moving away from the
A/V recording and communication device 130 at a third time after
the second time (in a third video frame), and the object is present
within the camera's field of view at a fourth time after the third
time (in a fourth video frame).
[0126] In other embodiments, an object within the camera's field of
view may be determined to be a parcel if the object is not present
within the camera's field of view at a first time (in a first video
frame), a stationary vehicle (which may be a delivery vehicle, for
example) is detected within the camera's field of view at a second
time after the first time (in a second video frame), the object is
present within the camera's field of view at a third time after the
second time (in a third video frame), and the vehicle is no longer
present within the camera's field of view at a fourth time after
the third time (in a fourth video frame).
[0127] In other embodiments, an object within the camera's field of
view may be determined to be a parcel if the object is not present
within the camera's field of view at a first time (in a first video
frame), the object is present within the camera's field of view at
a second time after the first time (in a second video frame), and
the object meets one or more criteria, such as having one or more
physical characteristics. Examples of physical characteristics that
may be examined to determine whether the object is a parcel
include, without limitation, size, shape, color, and material (or
materials). For example, if the object is made of cardboard and is
brown or white (common colors for cardboard shipping boxes), it may
be determined to be a parcel.
[0128] The present embodiments contemplate many processes for
examining physical characteristics of the object and making a
determination as to whether the object is a parcel. For example,
some embodiments may comprise gathering information about the
object using computer vision, and then comparing the gathered
information about the object to stored information about parcels to
determine whether there is a match. For example, the present
embodiments may include a database of parcels and/or physical
characteristics of parcels. The database may include pictures of
known parcels, and comparing the gathered information about the
object to the stored information about parcels may comprise
comparing a picture of the object to the pictures of known parcels.
Gathering information about the object using computer vision may
comprise using one or more cameras, scanners, imagers, etc. and/or
one or more sensors, such as sonar.
[0129] With reference to FIG. 15, information received by the
computer vision module 163 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130 may be sent to one or more network devices, such as the
server 118 and/or the backend API 120, in a computer vision query
signal 310. The one or more network devices may then analyze the
sent information and/or compare the sent information with other
information in one or more databases to determine whether there is
a match, for example in order to identify the parcel. In one
example embodiment, comparing the sent information about the parcel
with other information in one or more databases to determine
whether there is a match may comprise comparing the sent
information, such as one or more photos or images, about the parcel
with photos and/or images of known parcels. If there is a match,
then one or more actions may occur, such as the A/V recording and
communication device 130 transitioning to a different operational
mode. For example, the network device, such as the server 118
and/or the backend API 120, may send a computer vision response
signal 312 to the A/V recording and communication device 130. The
computer vision response signal 312 may include a command to the
A/V recording and communication device 130 to change the
operational mode of the A/V recording and communication device 130.
For example, the command to the A/V recording and communication
device 130 may cause the A/V recording and communication device 130
to transition to an "armed" mode in which the A/V recording and
communication device 130 is configured to take one or more actions
when the parcel is removed from the area about the A/V recording
and communication device 130, as described below.
[0130] In another example embodiment, determining that the parcel
has been left within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may comprise receiving information from a
carrier (e.g. the postal service, FedEx, UPS, etc.) that delivered
the parcel. For example, when the parcel carrier delivers the
parcel, or at some time after the parcel carrier has delivered the
parcel, the carrier may update a delivery status of the parcel in
the carrier's parcel tracking system to indicate that the parcel
has been delivered. The carrier's parcel tracking system may then
forward that information to one or more network devices, such as
the server 118 and/or the backend API 120, which may then forward
the information to the A/V recording and communication device
130.
[0131] In another example embodiment, determining that the parcel
has been left within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may comprise automatic identification and
data capture (AIDC). For example, the parcel may include at least
one of a barcode 320 (FIG. 16), a matrix code 322 (FIG. 17), a
bokode 324 (FIG. 18), and a radio frequency identification (RFID)
tag 326 (FIG. 19). AIDC refers to methods of automatically
identifying objects, collecting data about them, and entering that
data directly into computer systems (e.g. without human
involvement). Technologies typically considered part of AIDC
include barcodes, matrix codes, bokodes, RFID, biometrics (e.g.
iris recognition, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc.),
magnetic stripes, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and smart
cards. AIDC is also commonly referred to as "Automatic
Identification," "Auto-ID," and "Automatic Data Capture."
[0132] AIDC encompasses obtaining external data, particularly
through analysis of images and/or sounds. To capture data, a
transducer may convert an image or a sound into a digital file. The
file is then typically stored and analyzed by a computer, and/or
compared with other files in a database, to verify identity and/or
to provide authorization to enter a secured system. AIDC also
refers to methods of recognizing objects, getting information about
them, and entering that data or feeding it directly into computer
systems without any human involvement. In biometric security
systems, capture may refer to the acquisition of and/or the process
of acquiring and identifying characteristics, such as finger
images, palm images, facial images, or iris prints, which all may
involve video data, or voice prints, which may involve audio
data.
[0133] A barcode, such as the example barcode 320 shown in FIG. 16,
is an optical machine-readable representation of data relating to
the object to which it is attached. Barcodes systematically
represent data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel
lines, and may be referred to as linear or one-dimensional (1D)
barcodes.
[0134] A matrix code, such as the example matrix code 322 shown in
FIG. 17, is a two-dimensional matrix barcode consisting of black
and white "cells" or modules arranged in either a square or
rectangular pattern. The information encoded can be text and/or
numeric data. Quick response (QR) codes and Data Matrix codes are
specific types of matrix codes.
[0135] A bokode, such as the example bokode 324 shown in FIG. 18,
is a type of data tag that holds much more information than a
barcode over the same area. The bokode pattern is a tiled series of
matrix codes. Bokodes may be circular, and may include an LED
covered with a mask and a lens.
[0136] Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic
fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to
objects. The tags, such as the example RFID tag 326 shown in FIG.
19, contain electronically stored information, and may be passive
or active. Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader's
interrogating radio waves. Active tags have a local power source,
such as a battery, and may operate at hundreds of meters from the
RFID reader. Unlike a barcode, the tag need not be within the line
of sight of the reader, so it may be embedded in the tracked
object.
[0137] The A/V recording and communication device 130 may capture
information embedded in one of these types (or any other type) of
AIDC technologies. For example, with reference to FIG. 3, the A/V
recording and communication device 130 may include an AIDC module
165 operatively connected to the processor 160. The AIDC module 165
may include hardware and/or software configured for one or more
types of AIDC, including, but not limited to, any of the types of
AIDC described herein. For example, the AIDC module 165 may include
an RFID reader (not shown), and the camera 154 of the A/V recording
and communication device 130 may in some embodiments be considered
to be part of the AIDC module 165. For example, with respect to
barcodes, matrix codes, and bokodes (or any other type code), the
camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication device 130 may
scan the code, and any information embedded therein. To facilitate
scanning the code, the parcel carrier may hold the parcel up to the
camera 154. With respect to RFID, the RFID reader of the AIDC
module 165 may interrogate an RFID tag 326 on, or embedded in, the
parcel. In some embodiments, the processor 160 of the A/V recording
and communication device 130 may be considered to be part of the
AIDC module 165 and/or the processor 160 may operate in conjunction
with the AIDC module 165 in various AIDC processes.
[0138] AIDC and computer vision have significant overlap, and use
of either one of these terms herein should be construed as also
encompassing the subject matter of the other one of these terms.
For example, the computer vision module 163 and the AIDC module 165
may comprise overlapping hardware components and/or functionality.
In some embodiments, the computer vision module 163 and the AIDC
module 165 may be combined into a single module.
[0139] With reference to FIG. 20, information received by the AIDC
module 165 of the A/V recording and communication device 130 from
one or more codes or tags may be sent to one or more network
devices, such as the server 118 and/or the backend API 120, in an
AIDC query signal 330. The one or more network devices may then
analyze the sent information and/or compare the sent information
with other information in one or more codes databases to determine
whether there is a match, for example in order to identify the
parcel. If there is a match, then one or more actions may occur,
such as the A/V recording and communication device 130
transitioning to a different operational mode. For example, the
network device, such as the server 118 and/or the backend API 120,
may send an AIDC response signal 332 to the A/V recording and
communication device 130. The AIDC response signal 332 may include
a command to the A/V recording and communication device 130 to
change the operational mode of the A/V recording and communication
device 130. For example, the command to the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may cause the A/V recording and
communication device 130 to transition to an "armed" mode in which
the A/V recording and communication device 130 is configured to
take one or more actions when the parcel is removed from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device 130, as described
below.
[0140] With further reference to FIG. 14, at block B302 the process
determines that the parcel has been removed from the area about the
A/V recording and communication device 130. The present embodiments
encompass any method of determining that a parcel has been removed
from the area about an A/V recording and communication device, and
several examples are provided below. The present embodiments are
not, however, limited to these examples, which are provided for
illustration only. Any of the examples described below, as well as
any of the present embodiments, may include one or more aspects of
computer vision.
[0141] In one example embodiment, determining that the parcel has
been removed from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may comprise comparing video frames
recorded by the camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130. For example, after a parcel has been determined to have
been left within the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130, the parcel is likely to remain motionless in the
position where it was left. Thus, if the parcel is present within
the camera's field of view at a first time (in a first video
frame), and is no longer present within the camera's field of view
at a second time after the first time (in a second video frame),
then the parcel may be determined to have been removed from the
area about the A/V recording and communication device 130.
[0142] In another example embodiment, determining that the parcel
has been removed from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may comprise AIDC. For example, if the
parcel includes an RFID tag, then an RFID reader of the AIDC module
165 may detect that the RFID tag no longer responds to
interrogation signals. In some embodiments, if the RFID reader
sends a threshold number of interrogation signals and receives no
response from the RFID tag of the parcel, the process may determine
that the parcel has been removed from the area about the A/V
recording and communication device 130. In some embodiments, the
threshold number of interrogation signals with no response may be
one interrogation signal, or two interrogation signals, or three
interrogation signals, or any other number of interrogation
signals.
[0143] With further reference to FIG. 14, at block B304 the process
determines whether removal of the parcel from the area about the
A/V recording and communication device 130 was authorized. The
present embodiments encompass any method of determining whether
removal of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 was authorized, and several examples are
provided below. The present embodiments are not, however, limited
to these examples, which are provided for illustration only. Any of
the examples described below, as well as any of the present
embodiments, may include one or more aspects of computer
vision.
[0144] In one example embodiment, determining whether removal of
the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130 was authorized may comprise detecting (or tracking) a
direction of movement of the parcel. For example, when a parcel is
left outside the front entrance of a home, the homeowner (or other
occupant) will typically pick up the parcel and bring it inside the
home. A parcel thief, by contrast, will typically pick up the
parcel and carry it away from the home. Thus, if the A/V recording
and communication device 130 detects that the parcel is moving
toward a structure to which the A/V recording and communication
device 130 is secured (or with which the A/V recording and
communication device 130 is associated), then the process may
determine that the removal of the parcel from the area about the
A/V recording and communication device 130 is authorized. But, if
the A/V recording and communication device 130 detects that the
parcel is moving away from the structure to which the A/V recording
and communication device 130 is secured (or with which the A/V
recording and communication device 130 is associated), then the
process may determine that the removal of the parcel from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device 130 is
unauthorized.
[0145] In another example embodiment, determining whether removal
of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 was authorized may comprise AIDC and/or
computer vision. For example, if an authorized person (e.g. the
addressee of the parcel) removes the parcel from the area about the
A/V recording and communication device 130, the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may receive information from the
authorized person. For example, the authorized person may present
identification or credentials to the A/V recording and
communication device 130. The camera 154 and/or the AIDC module 165
and/or the processor 160 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130 may receive information from the identification or
credentials for use in determining that the person removing the
parcel from the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130 is an authorized person. If no identification or
credentials are presented when the parcel is removed from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device 130, or if
identification or credentials are presented but they do not match
an expected identification or credentials, then the process may
determine that the person removing the parcel from the area about
the A/V recording and communication device 130 is not an authorized
person. In some embodiments, the A/V recording and communication
device 130 may provide a prompt, such as a voice prompt emitted
through the speaker, requesting identification or credentials when
a person is detected within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 and/or when the A/V recording and
communication device 130 detects that the parcel has been moved or
picked up.
[0146] Examples of identification or credentials that could be used
in the foregoing processes include, without limitation, a card (or
other carrier or substrate) bearing a barcode 320, or a matrix code
322, or a bokode 324, or an RFID tag 326, or an embedded integrated
circuit (such as in a smart card, a chip card, or an integrated
circuit card (ICC)), or a magnetic stripe. FIG. 21 illustrates an
example of a smart card 340 including an embedded integrated
circuit 342, and FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a card 344
including a magnetic stripe 346.
[0147] A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC),
such as the example smart card 340 shown in FIG. 21, is any
pocket-sized card that has one or more embedded integrated
circuits. Smart cards may be either contact or contactless. Contact
smart cards include a contact area comprising contact pads. These
pads provide electrical connectivity when inserted into a reader,
which serves as a communication medium between the smart card and a
host (e.g., a computer, or a point of sale terminal). Contact smart
cards do not contain batteries. Instead, power is supplied by the
card reader. With contactless smart cards, the card communicates
with and is powered by the reader through RF induction technology.
These cards require only proximity to an antenna to communicate.
Like contact smart cards with, contactless cards do not have an
internal power source. Instead, they use an inductor to capture
some of the incident radio-frequency interrogation signal, rectify
it, and use it to power the card's electronics.
[0148] A magnetic stripe card, such as the example card 344 shown
in FIG. 22, is a type of card capable of storing data by modifying
the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles on a band of
magnetic material on the card. The magnetic stripe, sometimes
called a magstripe, is read by swiping past a magnetic reading
head.
[0149] Further examples of identification or credentials that could
be used in the foregoing processes include, without limitation, a
card (or other carrier or substrate) bearing text that can be
received as input by the AIDC module 165 and/or the camera 154
and/or the processor 160 through optical character recognition
(OCR). OCR is the mechanical or electronic conversion of images of
typed, handwritten, or printed text into machine-encoded text.
[0150] Further examples of AIDC and/or computer vision that can be
used in the present embodiments to verify the identity and/or
authorization of a person include, without limitation, biometrics.
Biometrics refers to metrics related to human characteristics.
Biometrics authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in
various forms of identification and access control. Biometric
identifiers are the distinctive, measurable characteristics used to
label and describe individuals. Biometric identifiers can be
physiological characteristics and/or behavioral characteristics.
Physiological characteristics may be related to the shape of the
body. Examples include, but are not limited to, fingerprints, palm
veins, facial recognition, three-dimensional facial recognition,
skin texture analysis, DNA, palm prints, hand geometry, iris
recognition, retina recognition, and odor/scent recognition.
Behavioral characteristics may be related to the pattern of
behavior of a person, including, but not limited to, typing rhythm,
gait, and voice recognition.
[0151] The present embodiments may use any one, or any combination
of more than one, of the foregoing biometrics to identify and/or
authenticate a person who removes the parcel from the area about
the A/V recording and communication device 130. For example, the
computer vision module 163, the AIDC module 165, and/or the camera
154 and/or the processor 160 may receive information about the
person using any one, or any combination of more than one, of the
foregoing biometrics.
[0152] Another aspect of determining whether removal of the parcel
from the area about the A/V recording and communication device 130
was authorized may comprise comparing information received through
the AIDC (and/or computer vision) to information about one or more
persons. With reference to FIG. 20, information received by the
AIDC module 165 (and/or the computer vision module 163) and/or the
camera 154 and/or the processor 160 of the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may be sent to one or more network
devices, such as the server 118 and/or the backend API 120, in an
AIDC query signal 330. The one or more network devices may then
compare information in the AIDC query signal 330 about the person
detected in the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130 with information from one or more sources. These
information sources may include one or more databases and/or
services. For example, a database and/or service may include a
smart list of authorized persons. If a person who removed the
parcel is on the smart list of authorized persons, then the removal
of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may be determined to be authorized.
[0153] In some embodiments, the information in the AIDC query
signal 330 may be compared with information about one or more
persons who are authorized to remove parcels from the area about
the A/V recording and communication device 130. For example,
biometric information (or other AIDC/computer vision information)
about one or more authorized persons may be uploaded and stored at
one or more databases and/or services accessible to the one or more
network devices, such as the server 118 and/or the backend API 120.
Comparison(s) between this information and the information in the
AIDC query signal 330 may determine whether a person detected in
the area about the A/V recording and communication device 130 is an
authorized person or not. The comparison(s) may be performed by one
or more network devices, such as the server 118 and/or the backend
API 120, for example.
[0154] In other embodiments, the information in the AIDC query
signal 330 may be compared with information about one or more
persons who have been reported in connection with one or more
crimes and/or suspicious events. In some embodiments, the crime(s)
and/or suspicious event(s) may have occurred within a defined
radius of the A/V recording and communication device 130. For
example, a first user of an A/V recording and communication device
may view video footage that was recorded by his or her device and
determine that the person or persons in the video footage are, or
may be, engaged in suspicious activity and/or criminal activity.
The first user may then share that video footage with one or more
other people, such as other users of A/V recording and
communication devices, and/or one or more organizations, including
one or more law enforcement agencies. The present embodiments may
leverage this shared video footage for use in comparing with the
information in the AIDC query signal 330 to determine whether a
person detected in the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 is the same person that was the subject of
(and/or depicted in) the shared video footage. If a person detected
in the area about the A/V recording and communication device 130 is
the same person that was reported in connection with one or more
crimes and/or suspicious events, then that person is probably not a
person who is authorized to remove parcels from the area about the
A/V recording and communication device 130. In some embodiments,
the person (or persons) depicted in the shared video footage may be
a perpetrator(s) of one or more parcel thefts. Further, those
parcel thefts may have occurred within a defined radius about the
A/V recording and communication device 130. Further description of
sharing video footage from A/V recording and communication devices
is provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/387,471 (filed
on Dec. 12, 2016 and entitled "SHARING VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM
AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING AND COMMUNICATION DEVICES") and Ser. No.
15/387,444 (filed on Dec. 12, 2016 and entitled "SHARING VIDEO
FOOTAGE FROM AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING AND COMMUNICATION DEVICES"),
both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties as if fully set forth.
[0155] In another example embodiment, AIDC and/or computer vision
may comprise the camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130 capturing an image of a person in the area about the A/V
recording and communication device 130. The image of the person may
comprise an image of the person's face. The image of the person's
face may be compared with image(s) of the face(s) of at least one
other person. In some embodiments, the at least one other person
may be a person or persons who were reported in connection with
suspicious activity and/or criminal activity, such as parcel theft.
The comparison(s) may be performed by one or more network devices,
such as the server 118 and/or the backend API 120. If a match is
found between the image of the person's face captured by the camera
154 of the A/V recording and communication device 130 and the at
least one image of the face(s) of at least one other person, then
the process may determine that removal of the parcel from the area
about the A/V recording and communication device 130 was
unauthorized. The process may then generate an alert, which may
comprise any or all of the alert types described herein.
[0156] With further reference to FIG. 20, the network device, such
as the server 118 and/or the backend API 120, may send an AIDC
response signal 332 to the A/V recording and communication device
130. In some embodiments, the AIDC response signal 332 may be sent
after a comparison has been made between the information in the
AIDC query signal 330 and the information about one or more persons
who are authorized to remove parcels from the area about A/V
recording and communication device 130 and/or the information about
one or more persons who have been reported in connection with one
or more crimes and/or suspicious events. The AIDC response signal
332 may comprise an indicator (and/or information) about whether a
person detected in the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 is authorized to remove parcels from that
area or not.
[0157] With further reference to FIG. 14, at block B306, when the
removal of the parcel from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 is determined to have been unauthorized,
the process may generate an alert. In some embodiments, the alert
may comprise an alert signal sent to a client device. For example,
the alert may be similar to, or the same as, the process described
above with respect to block B268 of FIG. 2, in which audio and/or
video data is transmitted (streamed) from the A/V recording and
communication device 130 to the user's client device 114 via the
user's network 110 and the network 112. The streaming video may
include images of the person(s) who was/were determined to have
been unauthorized. The user can then determine whether to take
further action, such as alerting law enforcement and/or sharing the
video footage with other people, such as via social media.
[0158] In some embodiments, the alert may comprise an audible alarm
emitted from the speaker 152 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130. The audible alarm may be any loud noise likely to
attract attention and/or startle the unauthorized person, making it
more likely that he or she will flee without absconding with the
parcel(s). In some embodiments, the alert may comprise an
announcement emitted from the speaker 152 of the A/V recording and
communication device 130. The announcement may comprise a verbal
warning that the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130 is being recorded. The unauthorized person, upon being
informed that the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130 is being recorded, may decide to flee the scene without
absconding with the parcel(s). In some embodiments, the alert may
comprise both an audible alarm and an announcement in combination.
Also in some embodiments, the alert may comprise any combination of
an alert signal sent to a client device, an audible alarm emitted
from the speaker 152 of the A/V recording and communication device
130, and an announcement emitted from the speaker 152 of the A/V
recording and communication device 130.
[0159] Some of the present embodiments may comprise identifying a
parcel within the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130. In some embodiments, identifying the parcel may
comprise the camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130 capturing an image of an identifying mark on the parcel.
In various embodiments, the identifying mark may be, for example, a
company logo or other identifying symbol. The identifying mark on
the parcel may be compared with a plurality of identifying marks in
a database. If a match is found, the parcel may be identified as
originating with the sender associated with the matching
identifying mark. In other embodiments, the identifying mark may
be, for example, a barcode, a matrix code, a bokode, etc. In some
embodiments, RFID (or other similar technology) may be used to
identify a parcel.
[0160] FIG. 23 illustrates an example embodiment of a process for
deterring parcel theft with an A/V recording and communication
device according to various aspects of the present disclosure. At
block B350, the process may determine that a parcel has been left
within an area about an A/V recording and communication device,
such as the A/V recording and communication device 130 described
above. The present embodiments encompass any method of determining
that a parcel has been left within an area about an A/V recording
and communication device, including any of the examples described
above. The present embodiments are not, however, limited to these
examples, which are provided for illustration only.
[0161] With further reference to FIG. 23, at block B352, after the
parcel has been left within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130, the process may detect a person within
the area about the A/V recording and communication device 130. The
detection of the person within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130 may be according to any of the processes
described herein, such as, for example, comparing video frames
recorded by the camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130.
[0162] With further reference to FIG. 23, at block B354 the process
may record, with the camera 154 of the A/V recording and
communication device 130, video images of the person within the
area about the A/V recording and communication device 130. At block
B356, the process may emit an alert from the speaker 152 of the A/V
recording and communication device 130. The alert may comprise an
audible alarm and/or an announcement, similar to the example
embodiments described above.
[0163] In some of the present embodiments, the processes described
above, including the processes described with reference to FIGS. 14
and 23, may be performed automatically when a parcel is detected
within the area about the A/V recording and communication device
130. In other embodiments, processes similar to those described
above may only be performed in response to a user command. For
example, one aspect of the present embodiments may provide an
option to a user for enabling and/or disabling a parcel protection
feature or mode. An option to enable/disable the parcel protection
mode may be presented to the user, for example, through a graphical
user interface (GUI) of an application executing on the user's
client device 114. The GUI may also provide other options (e.g.,
receiving motion alerts, etc.), in addition to the parcel
protection mode, for the user to select or unselect (e.g., to
enable or disable).
[0164] In one example embodiment, the user may manually enable
parcel protection mode in response to a notification that a parcel
has been delivered. For example, with reference to FIG. 24, at
block B360 the user may receive a notification that a parcel has
been delivered (e.g., left within the field of view of the camera
154). The notification may be received in several different ways.
For example, the parcel carrier may press the front button 148 of
the A/V recording and communication device 130, thereby initiating
a call to the user's client device 114. The user may answer the
call and speak to the parcel carrier, who may inform the user that
his or her parcel has been delivered and left in the area about the
A/V recording and communication device 130. In another example, the
call to the user's client device 114 may be initiated automatically
by the A/V recording and communication device 130 in response to
detecting the presence of the parcel carrier, such as by using the
camera 154 for motion detection and/or a separate motion sensor.
The user may then view live streaming video of the parcel delivery
event (or subsequently view recorded video of the parcel delivery
event) and thereby be informed of the parcel delivery without
actually speaking to the parcel carrier. In yet another example,
the A/V recording and communication device 130 may detect the
delivery of the parcel, for example using any of the techniques
described herein, and may then send a notification to the user's
client device 114, for example in the form of an alert (e.g., a
push notification).
[0165] Regardless of the form of notification, and with further
reference to FIG. 24, at block B362 the user may manually enable
parcel protection mode, such as, for example, using an application
executing on the user's client device 114, as described above. In
some embodiments, the option to enable parcel protection mode may
be presented to the user in conjunction with the notification sent
to the user's client device 114, for example in the form of an
alert (e.g., a push notification). If the user enables parcel
protection mode, then at block B364 the process of FIG. 24 advances
to block B302 of FIG. 14 and/or block B352 of FIG. 23. In some
embodiments, however, if the user declines to enable parcel
protection mode, then parcel protection mode may remain inactive,
and the operations shown in blocks B302-B306 of FIG. 14 and blocks
B352-B356 of FIG. 23 would not be performed.
[0166] As described above, a user may disable the parcel protection
mode manually in the same manner that the user enables this
feature/mode (e.g., through a GUI of an application that is
associated with the A/V recording and communication device). Some
of the present embodiments may also disable the parcel protection
mode automatically (e.g., without a user's intervention). Some such
embodiments may disable the parcel protection mode when a parcel is
removed from an area about an A/V recording and communication
device by an authorized person (e.g., the homeowner, a friend or
family member of the homeowner, or any other person authorized by
the homeowner). Different embodiments may realize that a parcel is
removed (e.g., from the field of view of a camera of an A/V
recording and communication device) by an authorized person through
different methods. Some aspects of the present embodiments may
verify a person as an authorized person by authenticating the
person's biometrics. As an example, one aspect of the present
embodiments identifies the person's face (e.g., by performing a
face recognition process, as described above) and compares the
identification data with one or more databases that contain
authorized persons' identification data.
[0167] Some of the present embodiments may disable a parcel
protection mode when these embodiments determine that an authorized
user is at, or within a threshold vicinity of, the location of the
parcel. Some embodiments make such a determination by comparing a
current location of the authorized user (e.g., by locating a client
device that the user carries) and the location of the parcel. Some
other embodiments may determine that a parcel is picked up by an
authorized person when the parcel moves in a specific direction
(e.g., toward the house instead of away from the house). Some of
the present embodiments may realize that the parcel is being moved
toward the house, e.g., by comparing a sequence of video images of
the moving parcel captured by a camera of the A/V recording and
communication device. Some other embodiments may use an AIDC module
(e.g., an RFID reader) of the A/V recording and communication
device to determine the direction of movement of a parcel (e.g.,
when the parcel includes a barcode, a matrix code, an RFID tag,
etc.).
[0168] In any of the present embodiments, various aspects of
methods may be performed locally, e.g. by one or more components of
the A/V recording and communication device 130, and/or remotely,
e.g. by one or more network devices, such as the server 118 and/or
the backend API 120, for example. For example, the processor 160 of
the A/V recording and communication device 130 may perform various
aspects such as, but not limited to, comparing video frames
recorded by the camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130 to determine whether a parcel has been left within the
area about the A/V recording and communication device 130 and/or
that the parcel has been removed from the area about the A/V
recording and communication device 130.
[0169] Many of the present embodiments have been described with
reference to persons detected by, or present in the area about, the
A/V recording and communication device 130. The present embodiments
are not limited, however, to scenarios involving humans. For
example, the present embodiments contemplate that a parcel thief
need not be a human. A parcel theft bot or drone, for example, may
be encompassed by any of the present embodiments. For example, in a
process similar to any process described herein, after a parcel has
been left within the area about the A/V recording and communication
device 130, the process may detect a parcel theft bot or drone
within the area about the A/V recording and communication device
130. The process may also record, with the camera 154 of the A/V
recording and communication device 130, video images of the parcel
theft bot or drone within the area about the A/V recording and
communication device 130.
[0170] Any of the present embodiments may comprise a designated
parcel delivery area. For example, a user may designate a
particular area about the A/V recording and communication device
130 as a parcel delivery area. The parcel delivery area may be
demarcated in any suitable manner, such as with markings and/or
text provided on the pavement and/or adjacent wall(s). Processes of
determining whether a parcel has been left within the area about
the A/V recording and communication device 130 and/or determining
whether the parcel has been removed from the area about the A/V
recording and communication device 130 may comprise determining
whether an object has been left within and/or removed from the
designated parcel delivery area. The user may, in some embodiments,
direct or aim the camera 154 of the A/V recording and communication
device 130 toward the designated parcel delivery area to facilitate
determining whether an object has been left within and/or removed
from the designated parcel delivery area.
[0171] As described above, the present embodiments advantageously
leverage the functionality of A/V recording and communication
devices to deter parcel theft and/or to identify and apprehend
parcel thieves. Various embodiments may determine when one or more
parcels have been left within and/or removed from the area about
the A/V recording and communication device. When one or more
parcels are removed from the area about the A/V recording and
communication device, various embodiments may determine whether
such removal was authorized and, if desired, generate an alert. The
user may then determine what, if anything, to do in response to the
alert, such as notifying law enforcement and/or sharing video
footage of the parcel theft, such as via social media.
[0172] FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram of a client device 800
on which the present embodiments may be implemented according to
various aspects of the present disclosure. The user's client device
114 described with reference to FIG. 1 may include some or all of
the components and/or functionality of the client device 800. The
client device 800 may comprise, for example, a smartphone.
[0173] With reference to FIG. 25, the client device 800 includes a
processor 802, a memory 804, a user interface 806, a communication
module 808, and a dataport 810. These components are
communicatively coupled together by an interconnect bus 812. The
processor 802 may include any processor used in smartphones and/or
portable computing devices, such as an ARM processor (a processor
based on the RISC (reduced instruction set computer) architecture
developed by Advanced RISC Machines (ARM).). In some embodiments,
the processor 802 may include one or more other processors, such as
one or more conventional microprocessors, and/or one or more
supplementary co-processors, such as math co-processors.
[0174] The memory 804 may include both operating memory, such as
random access memory (RAM), as well as data storage, such as
read-only memory (ROM), hard drives, flash memory, or any other
suitable memory/storage element. The memory 804 may include
removable memory elements, such as a CompactFlash card, a
MultiMediaCard (MMC), and/or a Secure Digital (SD) card. In some
embodiments, the memory 804 may comprise a combination of magnetic,
optical, and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, for example,
RAM, ROM, flash drive, and/or a hard disk or drive. The processor
802 and the memory 804 each may be, for example, located entirely
within a single device, or may be connected to each other by a
communication medium, such as a USB port, a serial port cable, a
coaxial cable, an Ethernet-type cable, a telephone line, a radio
frequency transceiver, or other similar wireless or wired medium or
combination of the foregoing. For example, the processor 802 may be
connected to the memory 804 via the dataport 810.
[0175] The user interface 806 may include any user interface or
presentation elements suitable for a smartphone and/or a portable
computing device, such as a keypad, a display screen, a
touchscreen, a microphone, and a speaker. The communication module
808 is configured to handle communication links between the client
device 800 and other, external devices or receivers, and to route
incoming/outgoing data appropriately. For example, inbound data
from the dataport 810 may be routed through the communication
module 808 before being directed to the processor 802, and outbound
data from the processor 802 may be routed through the communication
module 808 before being directed to the dataport 810. The
communication module 808 may include one or more transceiver
modules capable of transmitting and receiving data, and using, for
example, one or more protocols and/or technologies, such as GSM,
UMTS (3GSM), IS-95 (CDMA one), IS-2000 (CDMA 2000), LTE, FDMA,
TDMA, W-CDMA, CDMA, OFDMA, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, or any other protocol
and/or technology.
[0176] The dataport 810 may be any type of connector used for
physically interfacing with a smartphone and/or a portable
computing device, such as a mini-USB port or an
IPHONE.RTM./IPOD.RTM. 30-pin connector or LIGHTNING.RTM. connector.
In other embodiments, the dataport 810 may include multiple
communication channels for simultaneous communication with, for
example, other processors, servers, and/or client terminals.
[0177] The memory 804 may store instructions for communicating with
other systems, such as a computer. The memory 804 may store, for
example, a program (e.g., computer program code) adapted to direct
the processor 802 in accordance with the present embodiments. The
instructions also may include program elements, such as an
operating system. While execution of sequences of instructions in
the program causes the processor 802 to perform the process steps
described herein, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of, or
in combination with, software/firmware instructions for
implementation of the processes of the present embodiments. Thus,
the present embodiments are not limited to any specific combination
of hardware and software.
[0178] FIG. 26 is a functional block diagram of a general-purpose
computing system on which the present embodiments may be
implemented according to various aspects of the present disclosure.
The computer system 900 may be embodied in at least one of a
personal computer (also referred to as a desktop computer) 900A, a
portable computer (also referred to as a laptop or notebook
computer) 900B, and/or a server 900C. A server is a computer
program and/or a machine that waits for requests from other
machines or software (clients) and responds to them. A server
typically processes data. The purpose of a server is to share data
and/or hardware and/or software resources among clients. This
architecture is called the client-server model. The clients may run
on the same computer or may connect to the server over a network.
Examples of computing servers include database servers, file
servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers,
and application servers. The term server may be construed broadly
to include any computerized process that shares a resource to one
or more client processes.
[0179] The computer system 900 may execute at least some of the
operations described above. The computer system 900 may include at
least one processor 910, memory 920, at least one storage device
930, and input/output (I/O) devices 940. Some or all of the
components 910, 920, 930, 940 may be interconnected via a system
bus 950. The processor 910 may be single- or multi-threaded and may
have one or more cores. The processor 910 may execute instructions,
such as those stored in the memory 920 and/or in the storage device
930. Information may be received and output using one or more I/O
devices 940.
[0180] The memory 920 may store information, and may be a
computer-readable medium, such as volatile or non-volatile memory.
The storage device(s) 930 may provide storage for the system 900,
and may be a computer-readable medium. In various aspects, the
storage device(s) 930 may be a flash memory device, a hard disk
device, an optical disk device, a tape device, or any other type of
storage device.
[0181] The I/O devices 940 may provide input/output operations for
the system 900. The I/O devices 940 may include a keyboard, a
pointing device, and/or a microphone. The I/O devices 940 may
further include a display unit for displaying graphical user
interfaces, a speaker, and/or a printer. External data may be
stored in one or more accessible external databases 960.
[0182] The features of the present embodiments described herein may
be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, and/or in computer
hardware, firmware, software, and/or in combinations thereof.
Features of the present embodiments may be implemented in a
computer program product tangibly embodied in an information
carrier, such as a machine-readable storage device, and/or in a
propagated signal, for execution by a programmable processor.
Embodiments of the present method steps may be performed by a
programmable processor executing a program of instructions to
perform functions of the described implementations by operating on
input data and generating output.
[0183] The features of the present embodiments described herein may
be implemented in one or more computer programs that are executable
on a programmable system including at least one programmable
processor coupled to receive data and/or instructions from, and to
transmit data and/or instructions to, a data storage system, at
least one input device, and at least one output device. A computer
program may include a set of instructions that may be used,
directly or indirectly, in a computer to perform a certain activity
or bring about a certain result. A computer program may be written
in any form of programming language, including compiled or
interpreted languages, and it may be deployed in any form,
including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component,
subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing
environment.
[0184] Suitable processors for the execution of a program of
instructions may include, for example, both general and special
purpose processors, and/or the sole processor or one of multiple
processors of any kind of computer. Generally, a processor may
receive instructions and/or data from a read only memory (ROM), or
a random access memory (RAM), or both. Such a computer may include
a processor for executing instructions and one or more memories for
storing instructions and/or data.
[0185] Generally, a computer may also include, or be operatively
coupled to communicate with, one or more mass storage devices for
storing data files. Such devices include magnetic disks, such as
internal hard disks and/or removable disks, magneto-optical disks,
and/or optical disks. Storage devices suitable for tangibly
embodying computer program instructions and/or data may include all
forms of non-volatile memory, including for example semiconductor
memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices,
magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks,
magneto-optical disks, and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor
and the memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, one or
more ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits).
[0186] To provide for interaction with a user, the features of the
present embodiments may be implemented on a computer having a
display device, such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor,
for displaying information to the user. The computer may further
include a keyboard, a pointing device, such as a mouse or a
trackball, and/or a touchscreen by which the user may provide input
to the computer.
[0187] The features of the present embodiments may be implemented
in a computer system that includes a back-end component, such as a
data server, and/or that includes a middleware component, such as
an application server or an Internet server, and/or that includes a
front-end component, such as a client computer having a graphical
user interface (GUI) and/or an Internet browser, or any combination
of these. The components of the system may be connected by any form
or medium of digital data communication, such as a communication
network. Examples of communication networks may include, for
example, a LAN (local area network), a WAN (wide area network),
and/or the computers and networks forming the Internet.
[0188] The computer system may include clients and servers. A
client and server may be remote from each other and interact
through a network, such as those described herein. The relationship
of client and server may arise by virtue of computer programs
running on the respective computers and having a client-server
relationship to each other.
[0189] The above description presents the best mode contemplated
for carrying out the present embodiments, and of the manner and
process of practicing them, in such full, clear, concise, and exact
terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which they
pertain to practice these embodiments. The present embodiments are,
however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions
from those discussed above that are fully equivalent. Consequently,
the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments
disclosed. On the contrary, the present invention covers all
modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit
and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the steps in the
processes described herein need not be performed in the same order
as they have been presented, and may be performed in any order(s).
Further, steps that have been presented as being performed
separately may in alternative embodiments be performed
concurrently. Likewise, steps that have been presented as being
performed concurrently may in alternative embodiments be performed
separately.
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