U.S. patent application number 16/914180 was filed with the patent office on 2020-11-05 for integrated video camera module.
The applicant listed for this patent is GOOGLE LLC. Invention is credited to Gregory R. Duffy, Melissa D. McLean, Aamir S. Virani.
Application Number | 20200351418 16/914180 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004961093 |
Filed Date | 2020-11-05 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200351418 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Duffy; Gregory R. ; et
al. |
November 5, 2020 |
Integrated Video Camera Module
Abstract
This application discloses a camera module that incorporates a
camera portion, a wireless antenna, a wireless transceiver and one
or more infrared light emitting diodes (IR LEDs). The camera
portion is configured to capture video data. The wireless
transceiver is coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to
communicate in a local wireless network. The wireless transceiver
is configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera
portion to a client device via a remote server. The client device
is remote from the camera module, and the remote server is remote
from the camera module and the client device. The IR LEDs are
configured to illuminate a field of view with infrared light. In
some implementations, the wireless transceiver is further
configured to communicate the video data captured by the camera
portion while the one or more IR LEDs illuminate the field of view
with infrared light.
Inventors: |
Duffy; Gregory R.; (San
Francisco, CA) ; McLean; Melissa D.; (Novato, CA)
; Virani; Aamir S.; (San Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GOOGLE LLC |
Mountain View |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004961093 |
Appl. No.: |
16/914180 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15928004 |
Mar 21, 2018 |
10708470 |
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16914180 |
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15062016 |
Mar 4, 2016 |
9942525 |
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15928004 |
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14701283 |
Apr 30, 2015 |
9871953 |
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15062016 |
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13604399 |
Sep 5, 2012 |
9071740 |
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14701283 |
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61552821 |
Oct 28, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B 13/1963 20130101;
G08B 13/19619 20130101; G08B 13/19656 20130101; G08B 13/19658
20130101; H04N 5/23241 20130101; H04N 5/2251 20130101; H04N 7/183
20130101; H04N 5/77 20130101; H04N 5/2252 20130101; H04N 5/33
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/225 20060101
H04N005/225; H04N 5/232 20060101 H04N005/232; H04N 5/33 20060101
H04N005/33; H04N 5/77 20060101 H04N005/77; G08B 13/196 20060101
G08B013/196; H04N 7/18 20060101 H04N007/18 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. A camera device, comprising: a housing; a power adapter enclosed
in the housing, wherein the power adapter is configured to convert
an alternating current (AC) power input to a direct current (DC)
power output; a light port that is electrically coupled to the AC
power input and configured to receive a light element and provide a
light power output to power the light element; and a camera portion
coupled to the power adapter, wherein the camera portion is
configured to receive and be powered by the DC power output and
capture video data from a field of view of the camera portion.
3. The camera device of claim 2, wherein the light port is coupled
to the AC power input via the power adapter, and the power adapter
is configured to generate the light power output from the AC power
input.
4. The camera device of claim 2, further comprising a microphone
and a speaker configured to, while the camera portion captures the
video data, exchange audio messages between a person remotely
viewing the video data captured by the camera portion and a person
in the field of view of the camera portion.
5. The camera device of claim 2, further comprising: a wireless
antenna; and a wireless transceiver coupled to the wireless antenna
and configured to upload the video data captured by the camera
portion to a remote server, and communicate, via the remote server,
the video data captured by the camera portion to one or more client
devices including a smart phone configured to execute a downloaded
software application; wherein the one or more client devices are
remote from the camera portion, and the remote server is remote
from the camera portion and the one or more client devices.
6. The camera device of claim 5, wherein the wireless antenna and
the wireless transceiver are concealed within the camera portion,
and are not visible from an exterior of the camera portion.
7. The camera device of claim 5, wherein the downloaded software
application executed on the smart phone is configured to provide a
notification in response to a determination that a characteristic
of the video data exceeds a threshold value, the notification being
indicative of the determination that the characteristic of the
video data exceeds the threshold value.
8. The camera device of claim 2, further comprising an ambient
light sensor, wherein the outdoor camera device is configured to
turn on and off the light element received by the light port
automatically in accordance with a determination by the ambient
light sensor that an ambient is bright or dark, respectively.
9. The camera device of claim 2, wherein the camera portion further
includes one or more infrared light emitting diodes configured to
illuminate a field of view with infrared light in accordance with a
determination that an ambient light level is low.
10. The camera device of claim 9, wherein the one or more infrared
light emitting diodes are enclosed in and not visible from an
exterior of the camera portion, and the exterior of the camera
portion is dark-colored, infrared-transparent.
11. The camera device of claim 2, further comprising a battery
configured to power the camera portion when the DC power output is
not available.
12. The camera device of claim 2, further comprising a light cover
that is physical separated from the housing, wherein the light port
is exposed from the housing, and the light cover is configured to
cover the light element and the light port.
13. The camera device of claim 2, further comprising a status light
configured to provide indications indicating whether the camera
portion is powered on, powered off, recording, and/or not
recording.
14. The camera device of claim 2, wherein the camera portion is
coupled to the power adapter via at least a universal serial bus
(USB) port configured to power the camera portion and/or to operate
as an input/output interface for controlling the camera
portion.
15. The camera device of claim 2, wherein the camera portion is
mechanically supported by the housing, and at least a front side of
the camera portion is exposed from the housing to allow light from
a field of view to enter a lens of the camera portion.
16. An electronic device, comprising: a housing; a power adapter
enclosed in the housing, wherein the power adapter is configured to
convert an alternating current (AC) power input to a direct current
(DC) power output; a light port that is electrically coupled to the
AC power input and configured to receive a light element and
provide a light power output to power the light element; and a DC
port coupled to the power adapter, wherein the DC port is
configured to receive a power connector of a secondary device to
power the secondary device with the DC power output via the power
connector.
17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the light port is a
light bulb socket, and the AC power input is electrically coupled
to a wall power.
18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the captured video
data is provided, via a remote server, to an Internet browser
application executed by a computer for reviewing the captured video
data remotely by a user of the computer.
19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the DC port includes
a USB port.
20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the captured video
data is provided, via a remote server, to a dedicated and/or
downloaded application executed by a mobile phone for reviewing the
captured video data remotely by a user of the mobile phone.
21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the mobile phone is
directly coupled to the camera portion via a local area network.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/928,004, filed Mar. 21, 2018, titled
"Integrated Video Camera Module," issued on Jul. 7, 2020 as U.S.
Pat. No. 10,708,470, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/062,016, filed Mar. 4, 2016, titled
"Integrated Camera Module," issued on Apr. 10, 2018 as U.S. Pat.
No. 9,942,525, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 14/701,283, filed on Apr. 30, 2015, titled "Modular Camera
System," issued on Jan. 16, 2018 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,871,953, which
is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/604,399,
filed Sep. 5, 2012, titled "Modular Camera System," issued on Jun.
30, 2015 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,071,740, which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/552,821, filed Oct. 28, 2011,
titled "Modular Camera System." Content of each of the above
applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
[0002] The present application is related to U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/062,006, filed on Mar. 4, 2016, titled
"Camera Module," now U.S. Pat. No. 9,866,800; U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/084,407, filed on Mar. 29, 2016, titled
"Home Video Capturing and Monitoring System," now U.S. Pat. No.
9,866,801; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/862,515, filed
on Jan. 4, 2018, titled "Home Video Capturing and Monitoring
System." Each of these three applications is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Internet Protocol (IP) cameras connect to a network and
transmit data using networking protocols. Many IP cameras are
designed to be placed on a surface (e.g., a desktop) and as such
include a flat base (which comes into contact with the desktop or
other surface) which supports the camera. IP cameras so constructed
cannot be easily mounted to different locations or surfaces (e.g.,
to a wall where drilling a hole is not possible or permitted) or
used in different conditions (e.g., indoor/outdoor, night/day,
mobile/stationary, etc.). New cameras and/or camera accessories
which overcome some or all of these shortcomings would be
desirable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the
following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing which
includes an arm, joint, and base.
[0006] FIG. 2 shows a front view and a side view of an embodiment
of a camera inserted in a housing.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an outdoor
housing for a camera with an AC power plug.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an outdoor
housing for a camera with light bulb connectors.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an outdoor
housing with a solar panel.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing with
side grippers.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing with
hook and loop fasteners.
[0012] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing with
a clip.
[0013] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing which
is configured to be connected to a port of a display.
[0014] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing
which is configured o be connected to a display using hooks and
loops.
[0015] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing and
a tripod prior to being coupled together.
[0016] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing and
a tripod after being coupled together.
[0017] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing
associated with a clock.
[0018] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing
associated with a pet collar.
DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATIONS
[0019] The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including
as a process; an apparatus; a system; a composition of matter; a
computer program product embodied on a computer readable storage
medium; and/or a processor, such as a processor configured to
execute instructions stored on and/or provided by a memory coupled
to the processor. In this specification, these implementations, or
any other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as
techniques. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed
processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Unless
stated otherwise, a component such as a processor or a memory
described as being configured to perform a task may be implemented
as a general component that is temporarily configured to perform
the task at a given time or a specific component that is
manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term
`processor` refers to one or more devices, circuits, and/or
processing cores configured to process data, such as computer
program instructions.
[0020] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the
invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that
illustrate the principles of the invention. The invention is
described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is
not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention is
limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous
alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Numerous specific
details are set forth in the following description in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the invention. These details
are provided for the purpose of example and the invention may be
practiced according to the claims without some or all of these
specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material
that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has
not been described in detail so that the invention is not
unnecessarily obscured.
[0021] Various embodiments of housings for a video camera are
described herein. Oftentimes video cameras (especially high
definition (HD) video cameras) are relatively expensive (e.g., as
high as $500) and a user may not want to buy multiple cameras for
different purposes. In some embodiments, a user purchases multiple
housings (e.g., priced on the order of $30 or less) and uses the
same camera with a selected one of the housings when a certain
utility or application is desired (e.g., depending upon the
location to be captured by the camera or the nature of the video
recording). In some cases, a housing is semi-permanently installed
or mounted in a location. For example, a user may use a camera as a
security camera when the user is away on vacation or traveling for
work. An outdoor housing may be kept installed or mounted near a
front door or other entrance to the home, even though the user may
not always use the camera as a security monitor and/or the camera
may not always be in the outdoor housing. This may make it easier
when the camera is used for that purpose since the camera will be
pointing in the desired direction and the user does not have to
re-mount the outdoor housing each time.
[0022] The housings described herein are exemplary and are not
intended to be limiting. For example, any dimensions, shapes,
styles, and/or materials described herein are exemplary and are not
intended to be limiting. Drawings are not to scale. For brevity,
features or characters described in association with one embodiment
may not necessarily be repeated or reiterated when describing
another embodiment. Even though it may not be explicitly described
therein, a feature or characteristic described in association with
one embodiment may be used by another embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing which
includes an arm, joint, and base. In the example shown, camera 100
is a camera which is configured to be housed in or otherwise
coupled to a variety of enclosures or housings, for example, at
least temporarily until it is removed from a first housing and (if
desired) placed in another housing. In some embodiments, module
camera 100 is used as-is, without any housing.
[0024] Housing 102 and wall mount 104 show embodiments of a housing
and mounting hardware, respectively. Housing 102 includes arm 106,
joint 108, and base 110. Housing 102 is one example of a camera
holder which includes a (in this case, circular) cutout configured
to hold or otherwise support the video camera and/or point the
video camera in a desired direction. To mount the camera on a wall,
screws are drilled through the mounting screw holes to attach wall
mount 104 to a wall in the desired location. Then, housing 102 is
"popped" into wall mount 104. The proper angle for video recording
by camera 100 is achieved by rotating the housing within mount 104
and/or by pivoting housing 102 forwards or backwards (e.g., bending
at joint 108). In various embodiments, camera 100 is inserted into
housing 102 before housing 102 is coupled with mount 104, or
afterwards as desired.
[0025] Compared to some other cameras, camera 100 when used with
housing 102 and mount 104 may have a much lower profile, so that it
is closer to the wall than some other cameras. Also, installation
may be much easier using housing 102 and mount 104. Some other
cameras may require screws to be installed alone (e.g., without any
guide or mount as shown here) and then the camera is positioned so
that the screw heads fit into openings in the housing of the
camera, mounting the camera to the wall. One problem with this is
that it may be difficult to insert the screw heads into the opening
and get the camera to mount to the wall snugly (e.g., because the
user cannot see inside the camera). In contrast, the example system
shown herein permits housing 102 to rotate within mount 104.
[0026] In this embodiment, camera 100 includes a Wi-Fi antenna and
includes a Wi-Fi transceiver (not shown) for communicating in a
Wi-Fi network. In some embodiments, a user is able to view video
captured by camera 100 remotely and/or via a network, for example
from an Internet browser application (e.g., Microsoft's Internet
Explorer or Mozilla Firefox) running on a computer, from a
dedicated and/or downloaded application running on a smart phone,
etc. Camera 100 includes a status light, indicating when the device
is powered on and/or filming. For example, one color light may
indicate the device is powered on but not recording and another
color light may indicate filming; no light may indicate the device
is powered off Camera 100 further includes an HD (e.g., 720p,
1080p, or higher) camera, microphone, and 12 infrared (IR) light
emitting diodes (LEDs). (Exemplary configurations or features
described in association with this figure (such as the pixel
resolution of camera 100 or the number of LEDs) are exemplary and
are not intended to be limiting.) If light is low, camera 100 is
configured to use the IR LEDs to operate in a nighttime mode. In
this particular example, the IR LEDs are not visible from the
exterior since they are enclosed with a dark-colored,
IR-transparent plastic. Since the plastic permits infrared light to
pass through it, the camera can function when the lighting is poor
and the IR LEDs are used. Camera 100 further includes a speaker
(e.g., so a person viewing video from the camera can talk to
someone being filmed by the camera). Camera 100 includes a
Universal Serial Bus port (i.e., female adapter) to which a USB
plug (i.e., male adapter) is able to be coupled in order to supply
power and (during an installation mode) is used as an input/output
interface via which information about the Wi-Fi network is supplied
to camera 100 (e.g., name of the Wi-Fi network to become a member
of, an encryption key, etc.). In various embodiments, a USB
connector is a Type A, Type B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, or Micro-B
connector. The USB port may be used at other times and/or for other
purposes. For example, batteries or solar power generators with USB
connections may be used to power the device and make it portable.
The USB port may also be used as an I/O interface for control or
display. In some embodiments, video captured by camera 100 is
stored and may be accessed and manipulated (e.g., copied to another
storage devices, etc.) as desired.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a front view and a side view of an embodiment
of a camera inserted in a housing. In the example shown, camera 100
and housing 102 from FIG. 1 are shown. Camera 100 combined with
housing 102 (and optionally further combined with mount 104, not
shown) may be used in a variety of applications. In some
embodiments, camera 100 is used as a baby camera, for example to
monitor an already-sleeping child or to confirm that a child has
gone to sleep. Camera 100 may be free standing (e.g., on a dresser)
or may be mounted on a wall using mount 104. Other example uses
include monitoring unsupervised nannies or maids, monitoring
latchkey children before parents come home from work, video
conferencing, pet cameras, as a store security camera to deter
shoplifting or record evidence, etc.
[0028] Although the embodiments described herein show a circular
camera and circular cutouts, in some embodiments, a camera may be
some other shape. In such embodiments, the housings which are
configured to house the camera correspondingly have different
cut-outs or couplings for the camera.
[0029] In some cases, it may be desirable to use a camera outdoors
and a housing is designed to withstand the elements and/or for
outdoor mounting. The following figures show some embodiments of an
outdoor housing for a camera.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an outdoor
housing for a camera with an AC power plug. In the example shown,
views 300a-300c show an outdoor housing for a camera from first,
second, and third side views, respectively. As shown in view 300a,
the housing includes AC power plug 302, power adapter and battery
304, and mini-USB plug 306 Electrically, power is received from AC
power plug 302 which is used to charge a battery within power
adapter and battery 304. AC power plug 302 and power adapter and
battery 304 are two examples of a power supply which is
electrically coupled to a video camera.
[0031] In the event there is a power outage (or, for whatever
reason, AC power plug 302 no longer supplies power), camera 308
will be able to operate for at least some additional time with the
power stored in power adapter and battery 304. Power is supplied to
camera 308 from power adapter and battery 304 via USB plug 306. As
described above, the configurations and features described in
association with this figure are merely exemplary and are not
intended to be limiting. For example, although this exemplary
camera system has a USB connection, other embodiments use other
types of connections to exchange power (e.g., Power over Ethernet
(POE)) and/or to exchange data (e.g., Ethernet).
[0032] Mechanically, camera 308 is coupled to the housing in view
300a by inserting camera 308 into an opening of the housing so that
USB plug 306 is inserted into the USB port (not shown) of camera
308. USB plug 306 is one example of a connector in a housing which
is configured to be physically coupled to a camera. In this
particular example, USB plug 306 is not designed to be pulled out
of the housing in view 300a and the housing of view 300a has a
cutout matching the shape of camera 308 to aid in insertion of
camera 308. In some other embodiments, there is some slack in a
wire connecting a USB plug to a power adapter and battery; this
permits a USB plug to be pulled out of a housing (e.g., for
improved visibility and easy insertion). Connection occurs by
pulling out a USB plug, inserting the plug into a camera (while
being able to view and align the USB plug and port), and then
inserting the coupled USB plug and camera into the opening of the
outdoor housing. To attach or connect the system to a wall or other
surface, AC power plug 302 is inserted into an AC power outlet. AC
power plug 302 is one example of a surface mount which is
configured to (at least temporarily) connect the system to a wall
or other surface.
[0033] Since outdoor power outlets are located at various heights
above ground, USB plug 306 is adjustable and the outdoor housing in
view 300a has a slanted surface, permitting camera 308 to be angled
forward or backward. If the housing in view 300a is coupled to an
outdoor power outlet which is relatively high above ground (e.g.,
close to a roofline), then camera 308 may be angled forward using
adjustable USB plug 306 in order to monitor things below.
Conversely, camera 308 may be angled backwards if an outdoor power
outlet is located relatively low to the ground. In various
embodiments, a housing may be configured to permit a variety of
adjustments in a variety of directions or axes (e.g., horizontally
from left to right).
[0034] Although view 300a shows AC power plug 302 as being side
mounted, in some other embodiments, some other orientation or
placement is used (e.g., a top mounted or a side mounted AC power
plug).
[0035] View 300b shows a second side view of the example housing,
looking at it from the side that includes AC power plug 302. View
300c shows a third side view of the example housing, looking at it
from the side that includes camera 308. For clarity, camera 308 is
shaded.
[0036] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an outdoor
housing for a camera with light bulb connectors. In the example
shown, housing 400 includes light bulb outlet plug 402, power
adapter and battery 404, USB plug 406, and light bulb port 408.
Housing 400 is designed to screw into a light bulb outlet, such as
a porch light or other outdoor lighting fixture, using light bulb
outlet plug 402. Since many outdoor light outlets are designed to
have a light bulb oriented upwards, light bulb outlet plug 402 is
on the bottom of housing 400. Alternatively, a light bulb outlet
plug may be on some other surface (e.g., side or top mounted).
Light bulb outlet plug 402 is another example of a surface mount
which (at least temporarily) connects the system to a lighting
fixture (or, more generally, a surface).
[0037] Electrically, power goes from light bulb outlet plug 402 to
power adapter and battery 404. As in the housing embodiments
described above, the battery in power adapter and battery 404
permits a camera to operate even if power from light bulb outlet
plug 402 is lost. Power adapter and battery 404 powers both USB
plug 406 and light bulb port 408. Light bulb 414 is coupled to and
powered by light bulb port 408. This permits a camera to be powered
using an outdoor lighting fixture (such as a porch light), without
depriving the area of light.
[0038] Camera 410 is coupled to housing 400 via USB plug 406. As
described above, USB plug 406 and/or the wire between power adapter
and battery 404 and USB plug 406 may be configured in a variety of
ways to make insertion of camera 410 easier. For example, porch
lights tend to be relatively high off the ground and even tall
people may have difficulty inserting camera 410 into housing 400
when housing 400 is already coupled to an outdoor lighting fixture.
(Housing 400 may, for example, be coupled to a lighting fixture all
the time and camera 410 is only inserted when the homeowners plan
to be away from home for an extended period of time.) Easy
insertion and removal of camera 410 would be desirable.
[0039] In this particular example, USB plug 406 is able to be bent
forward so that camera 410 can be angled forward. As described
above, most outdoor lighting fixtures are relatively high off the
ground and an expected configuration may be to angle camera 410
downwards. Although not shown herein, in some embodiments a housing
is configured so that a camera can be angled backwards (i.e., to
look up) and/or adjusted horizontally (i.e., left/right).
[0040] Dome 412 encloses light bulb 414 and is connected to housing
400. The rounded shape of dome 412 is merely exemplary and in some
embodiments a variety of covers in different colors, styles,
finishes, and so on are available so that people can choose the
cover that suites the style of a house and/or a homeowner's taste.
Similarly, housing 400 may be available in a variety of colors,
styles, and finishes. Universal connectors 416 ensure that any of
the housings will be able to fit any of the covers. The shape of
universal connectors 416 is merely exemplary and a variety of
connectors (e.g., nuts and bolts, clamps, etc.) may be used.
[0041] In some embodiments, housing 400 further includes a light
sensor (not shown) which turns off the power supplied to light bulb
port 408 (and thus light bulb 414) from power adapter and battery
404 when it is light outside and turns on power when it is dark
outside. This (for example) permits a light switch controlling a
porch light or other outdoor light fixture to always be on without
wasting power to power light bulb 414 when not needed.
[0042] If left outdoors for an extended period of time, dome 412
may become dirty and affect the quality of the video captured by
camera 410. In some embodiments, a monitoring process is performed,
which alerts a user when the monitoring process determines a dome
or other cover to be too dirty. In various embodiments, a
monitoring process is performed on camera 410 or at a server to
which video is uploaded (e.g., www.dropcam.com). In some
embodiments, video captured by camera 410 is analyzed to detect
when dome 412 is too dirty. For example, an amount of light may be
measured or otherwise determined from the video. In some
embodiments, if an amount of light at a fixed or predefined time of
day (e.g., noon) drops below a threshold, then it is determined a
cover is getting dirty. The threshold may vary based on location
and/or time of year (e.g., Ohio in winter versus Florida in
summer). In some embodiments, a monitoring process looks for a drop
in light levels by comparing amounts of light at the same time of
day and/or time of year (e.g., an amount of light at 2 PM on Aug.
1, 2012 versus an amount of light at 2 PM on Aug. 1, 2009, or an
amount of light at 2 PM on August of 2012 versus an amount of light
at 2 PM on August of 2009). In some embodiments, the first few
minutes captured by the camera are set to be a clean image or clean
level and a monitoring process measures a change between current
conditions and the clean image or level. In various embodiments, an
email notification is sent and/or a user is presented with a
warning message when logging on to a (e.g., cloud-based) video
system.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an outdoor
housing with a solar panel. In the example shown, views 500a and
500b show the first and second side view, respectively, of an
outdoor housing with a solar panel. In some embodiments, the
housing shown is used where there is no outdoor AC power outlet or
outdoor lighting fixture (e.g., a shed or other structure with no
power supply).
[0044] As shown in view 500a, the exemplary housing includes wall
mounting hardware 502, power adapter and battery 504, USB plug 506,
and solar panel 508. The position of solar panel 508 is able to be
adjusted (e.g., forwards/backwards as well as pivoting on the
stand) so that light exposure is maximized. Power from solar panel
508 is passed to and stored by power adapter and battery 504. From
there, power is supplied to USB plug 506 for camera 510
operation.
[0045] View 500b shows how wall mounting hardware 502 is used to
mount the exemplary housing to an outdoor wall or other surface. In
this example, screws are used to hold the housing of view 500b in
place. In some other embodiments, some other connectors or hardware
may be used.
[0046] In some cases, it may be desirable to use a camera indoors
but a flat surface is not available. Alternatively, a flat surface
is available but it is undesirable to place a camera there. The
following figures show some embodiments of indoor housings which
may be used in such situations.
[0047] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing with
side grippers. In the example shown, view 600a shows a front view
of the exemplary housing, which includes side grippers 602 which
are designed to wrap around vertical poles or bars. Some examples
include attaching the exemplary housing to the side of a crib, or
to the handrail of a staircase, balcony, or landing. Side grippers
602 (and in some embodiments, the entire housing) are made of
flexible and/or material that grips, such as rubber. Side grippers
602 are bent backwards, wrapped around the desired poles or bars,
and released. The exemplary housing and the camera are relatively
light so the surface friction of side grippers 602 is sufficient to
hold the housing in place.
[0048] View 600b shows a bottom view. As shown in view 600b, camera
612 is inserted from the back of the housing through a hole in the
housing. Battery 604 is inside of the housing in view 600b and is
not visible from the exterior. Wire 608 connects battery 604 to USB
plug 610, which in turn is plugged into camera 612 to supply power.
View 600b includes opening 606 where excess wire can be tucked back
into the body of the housing in view 600b. In some embodiments, the
edge of 606 is elastic so that opening 606 can be stretched open
when wire 608 is being inserted or removed but otherwise remains
relatively closed, keeping excess wire inside the exemplary
housing.
[0049] In some embodiments, battery 604 is charged using USB plug
610. In some embodiments, battery 604 is removable so that charged
batteries can be swapped in for discharged batteries with minimal
interruption to camera 612. In such embodiments, opening 606 may be
wider to accommodate the insertion and removal of battery 604. In
some embodiments, power is able to be supplied from an AC power
source and/or via a power cord (e.g., in addition to or as an
alternative to battery power). For example, when used as a baby
monitor, it may be desirable to have an unlimited power supply
without worrying about how long a battery will last.
[0050] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing with
hook and loop fasteners. In the example shown, the housing is
similar to that shown in FIG. 6, in that they both are designed to
be attached to vertical poles or bars, with some differences. View
700a shows a front view of the exemplary housing. Camera 710 is top
loaded into a pocket or cavity in the housing of view 700a via
opening 702. A round, front cutout in the housing permits at least
part of camera 710 to be exposed on the front side of the housing.
As described above, in some embodiments, the opening is
elasticized. Since camera 710 is top loaded and not rear-loaded
through a hole in the housing, battery 704 in this figure may be
larger than battery 604 in FIG. 6. Another benefit to top loading
is that the camera may be less likely to fall out of the
housing.
[0051] View 700b shows a bottom view of the exemplary housing. When
coupling camera 710 to the housing, USB plug 708 is pulled out of
the body of the housing (e.g., via opening 702) and is connected to
the USB port (not shown) of camera 710. Once coupled, USB plug 708
and camera 710 (plus any excess wire 706) are put in the body of
the housing.
[0052] Hooks 712 and loops 714 (e.g., Velcro) are used to fasten
the housing to vertical bars or poles by wrapping hooks 712 around
the bar or pole and attaching it to loops 714. Naturally, the
positioning of hooks 712 and loops 714 may be reversed. In some
cases, hooks and loops may be preferred over the side grippers
shown in FIG. 6 because hooks and loops may permit a wider range of
distances between the bars or poles to which a housing is attached
and/or a wider range of circumferences of such bars or poles.
[0053] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing with
a clip. In the example shown, housing in views 800a and 800b
include clip 804 which is used to attach the housing to a display
(e.g., a television or a computer monitor). Naturally, housing in
views 800a and 800b may be attached to some other surfaces or
things besides televisions or computer monitors.
[0054] Electrically, power is input from AC power plug 810. The
power is passed to power adapter 808. In some embodiments, power
adapter 808 includes a battery (e.g., in case there is a power
outage). Power is passed from power adapter 808 to USB plug 806 of
the housing in view 800a, which is connected to the USB port (not
shown) of camera 850.
[0055] View 800a shows that the example housing has no top, which
may be attractive for a variety of reasons. Camera 850 is
relatively light, so the coupled USB port and plug are sufficient
to hold camera 850 in place even when the coupled camera 850 and
the housing in view 800a are attached to the left side or right
side of the display. This design feature may make insertion/removal
easier, may keep costs down, and produces a smaller and easier to
store housing.
[0056] View 800b shows a side view of the example housing. To
attach the housing of view 800b, the arms of clip 804 are pinched
and the housing of view 800b is attached to the desired surface or
object. Joint 802 permits the housing of view 800b (and camera 850,
when coupled to the housing) to be angled forward or backward, so
that the camera (when inserted in the housing) can be aimed at a
desired object or space. View 800b also shows plug 809, which
connects AC power plug 810 to power adapter 808. In this example,
the wire which includes plug 809 and AC power plug 810 may be
decoupled from the housing in view 800b for easier storage or
transport. In some embodiments, a housing includes storage space
for excess wire, such as a cavity with guides around which excess
wire can be wrapped.
[0057] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing which
is configured to be connected to a port of a display. In the
example shown, display 908 includes port 902. Wire 906 connects
housing 900 and display 908. In this particular example, wire 906
may be decoupled from housing 900 and/or display 908 (e.g., for
easy storage).
[0058] In various embodiments, port 902 includes a power connection
(e.g., from which camera 904 can be powered by display 908) and/or
a data connection (e.g., via which video data captured by camera
904 can be sent over or to a network via display 908). Some
examples of port 902 include (but are not limited to) a USB port
(e.g., in a computer monitor), an Ethernet port (e.g., in a
television with built-in networking capabilities), or a
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port.
[0059] As an example of a port (902) which is capable of exchanging
data, a user may subscribe to both television service and
cable-based Internet service from a cable company and display 908
includes a built-in cable modem (not shown) or, more generally, a
transceiver. In some such configurations, video data from camera
904 is uploaded to a server (e.g., www.dropcam.com) via port 902
and the built-in cable transceiver (not shown). A user may then
(e.g., at some later time) access the uploaded video data by
logging on to the server (not shown). In another example, display
908 may have built-in wireless capabilities (e.g., a built-in IEEE
802.11 a/b/g/n, also referred to as WiFi, transceiver). Display 908
may (e.g., if the system is so configured) send video data from
camera 904 to a local display and/or receiver, such as a computer
or smart phone on the same WiFi network as display 908 and/or a
computer or smart phone in the same room or house as display 908.
In yet another example, video data from camera 904 may be shown
(e.g., directly) on display 908. The examples above are not
intended to be mutually exclusive and the system may be configured
to perform any combination of the above.
[0060] In order to communicate according to the protocols and/or
communications interfaces supported by port 902, housing 900 may
include appropriate components (e.g., encoders/decoders,
modulators/demodulators, and/or communications interfaces) as
needed. For example, housing 900 may include components and/or
hardware associated with HDMI, USB, and so on. In some embodiments,
these components are implemented as semiconductor devices, such as
an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a
field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
[0061] A housing which is configured to be connected to a power
and/or data port of a display may be attractive for a variety of
reasons. For example, it may be unsightly to have cables or wires
running from camera 904 to an AC power outlet (e.g., if display 908
is a wall-mounted television and there are no other visible wires).
AC power outlets may also be at a premium and using display 908 to
power camera 904 frees up an AC power outlet for another device.
Although camera 904 includes wireless capabilities and can transmit
video data wirelessly, it may be desirable to transmit video data
over a wire line connection via display 908 (e.g., over cable-based
Internet service) since a wire line connection may be less noisy
and/or may have higher data transmission rates than a wireless
connection.
[0062] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing
which is configured to be connected to a display using hooks and
loops. In the example shown, loops 1002 are coupled to housing 1000
and hooks 1004 are coupled to display 1006. In some embodiments, an
easily detachable adhesive (e.g., 3M Command.TM. strips) adheres
loops 1002 to housing 1000 and hooks 1004 to display 1006. Loops
1002 and hooks 1004 are coupled to attach display 1006 to housing
1000 (and camera 1050, when further connected). The combined weight
of camera 1050 and housing 1000 is relatively light, so hooks and
loops are sufficient to hold camera 1050 and housing 1000 in place.
Although this figure shows housing 1000 attached to the top of
display 1006, housing 1000 and camera 1050 may be attached to a
side, front, bottom, or back surface of display 1006 if
desired.
[0063] In some embodiments, a housing for a camera may be (if
desired) further coupled to other accessories or add-ons. The
following figures show some examples of housing 102 from FIGS. 1
and 2 to which an add-on may be further coupled.
[0064] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing and
a tripod prior to being coupled together. In the example shown,
camera 1100 is coupled to housing 1102; housing 1102 is similar to
housing 102 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The bottom of housing 1102 is
screwed into tripod 1104 when desired. In some embodiments, some
other connector is used to couple housing 1102 and tripod 1104.
Tripod 1104 may provide a more stable base than housing 1102 alone
and/or permit usage of camera 1100 on an uneven surface.
[0065] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing and
a tripod after being coupled together. As shown in the front view,
housing 1102 may be pivoted on tripod 1104 so that camera 1100 can
be directed (e.g., to the left or right) to point in a desired
direction. As shown in the side view, housing 1102 may be angled
forwards or backwards, also to direct camera 1100 in a desired
direction.
[0066] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to house a camera
in a discreet or hidden housing. For example, a person may wish to
monitor their cubicle or office to ensure that someone is not going
through their possessions at night. Alternatively, a parent of a
toddler (who is able to get out of bed by themselves) may wish to
hide a camera so the child is not attracted to the camera and plays
with it. In some cases, it may be desirable to have a multipurpose
housing which performs some other task (e.g., in addition to
housing a camera and/or supplying power to the camera).
Multi-purpose housings may be attractive because of their ability
to reduce clutter and/or if there is a limited amount of space. The
following figure shows one embodiment of a housing which may be
used in such scenarios.
[0067] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing
associated with a clock. In the example shown, housing 1300
includes a clock which displays the time, day of the week, and
date. It is not necessary for camera 1302 to be coupled to or
inserted in housing 1300 in order for the time and date features of
housing 1300 to operate properly. For brevity and clarity,
components (e.g., electronic components) of housing 1300 associated
with displaying the exemplary time and date information are not
shown in FIG. 13.
[0068] In this particular example, the housing of housing 1300
includes an opening or hole via which camera 1302 is exposed. In
some embodiments, the material and/or color of the base of housing
1300 matches the material and/or color of camera 1302 so that
camera 1302 is not as noticeable. In some embodiments, a housing
has no hole or opening through which a camera is exposed (e.g., the
base of housing 1300 is smooth and unbroken and camera 1302 resides
completely within the base of housing 1300). In some embodiments,
the base of housing 1300 is made of a transparent material (e.g.,
so that if needed, the camera is able to capture video through
housing 1302).
[0069] Pet owners may wish to use their cameras to capture what
their pet does throughout the day. The following figure shows an
embodiment of a housing which may be used to record the indoor or
outdoor activities of a pet, such as a dog or a cat.
[0070] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a housing
associated with a pet collar. In the example shown, housing 1400 is
designed to be worn by a pet, such as a dog or a cat. Camera 1450
is coupled to housing 1400 and is exposed via a hole or opening in
housing 1400. This permits camera 1450 to record what a pet is
looking at or facing towards. For brevity, some details associated
with a collar are not shown herein but are not necessarily excluded
from the housing. For example, a variety of fasteners (not shown
herein) may be used to close a collar, including buckles, hooks and
loops, clips, etc.
[0071] Housing 1400 includes battery 1402, wire 1404, and USB plug
1406. In some embodiments, the material of housing 1400 is washable
and battery 1402, wire 1404, USB plug 1406, and camera 1450 may be
removed from housing 1400 so that it can be washed in a washing
machine. For example, housing 1400 may have one or more zippers or
hook and loop fasteners which, when opened, permit the removal of
delicate components before cleaning. In some embodiments, this also
permits battery 1402 and/or camera 1450 to be easily removed or
inserted (e.g., in order to download video captured by camera 1450
or replace a depleted battery with a charged battery).
[0072] Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in
some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention
is not limited to the details provided. There are many alternative
ways of implementing the invention. The disclosed embodiments are
illustrative and not restrictive.
* * * * *
References