Doorbell camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10708472-B2
Application number	US-201715710783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 4, 2017
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

This application is directed to a doorbell camera for illuminating and capturing scenes. The doorbell camera includes at least a subset of processors for operating a camera module, an image sensor having a field of view of a scene and configured to capture video of a portion of the scene, one or more infrared (IR) illuminators for providing illumination, a waterproof button assembly, and a microphone and a speaker for enabling a real-time conversation between a visitor located at the doorbell camera and a user of a remote client device. The waterproof button assembly is configured to receive a user press on a button top, block water from entering the electronic device, and display a visual pattern uniformly at a peripheral region of the button assembly using LEDs and light guide component that are disposed under the button top.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a device housing that encloses at least a plurality of electronic components and includes a front cover plate having an opening; and
a waterproof button assembly formed in the opening on the front cover plate of the device housing, the waterproof button assembly including:
a button top;
a flexible gasket mounted below the button top, the flexible gasket having a top surface impermeable to water and edges that extend beyond sides of the button top, the edges of the flexible gasket including a first peripheral edge and a peripheral region located in proximity to the first peripheral edge, wherein:
the flexible gasket is configured to deflect in response to a press on the button top of the button assembly;
the first peripheral edge of the flexible gasket makes a water tight seal with a second edge of the opening of the front cover plate, and
the peripheral region of the flexible gasket is substantially transparent to visible light;

a button structure mounted below a center region of the flexible gasket and configured to be actuated in response to the press on the button top;
a plurality of LEDs mounted below the flexible gasket and in proximity to the button structure; and
a light guide component mounted below the flexible gasket and in proximity to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the light guide component is configured to distribute light of the LEDs to the peripheral region of the flexible gasket;
wherein the light guide component includes a central opening that contains the button structure and the plurality of LEDs, and the light guide component further includes one or more alternative openings surrounding the central opening, each alternative opening corresponding to at least one full color LED and having a shape configured according to locations of color LEDs of the at least one full color LED.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a camera module and a doorbell system that are enclosed in the device housing, wherein the camera module further includes a lens assembly and an image sensor array that are configured to capture images, and a wireless transceiver that is configured to exchange data with a remote server over one or more wireless communication networks, and the doorbell system is configured to ring a remote chime device in response to the press on button top of the button assembly.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the device housing has a substantially elongated shape, and the lens assembly and the button assembly are disposed within a top half and a bottom half of the device housing, respectively, such that a field of view of the lens assembly remains clear when a user presses the waterproof button.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising:
an array of IR illuminators covered by a substantially opaque area of the front cover plate and configured to illuminate a field of view of the lens assembly with infrared light in a night mode, wherein an interior surface of the substantially opaque area is painted with dark ink that is opaque to visible light and transparent to infrared light.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the lens assembly is supported by a lens holder within the device housing, and the lens holder has a raised top edge in proximity to the front cover plate for blocking the infrared light generated by the array of IR illuminators from entering the lens assembly directly.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the button structure is surrounded by the plurality of LEDs.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each LED includes a full color LED, and the light guide component is configured to mix colored light from color LEDs of the full color LED while guiding the light of the full color LED to the peripheral region of the flexible gasket, and a predetermined color is displayed substantially uniformly in the peripheral region of the flexible gasket.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rechargeable battery enclosed within the device housing, wherein the rechargeable battery is disabled from being charged in accordance with a determination that a temperature of the rechargeable battery is greater than a first threshold temperature; and
a heater disposed in proximity to the rechargeable battery, the heater being enabled to heat the rechargeable battery in accordance with a determination that the temperature of the rechargeable battery is less than a second threshold temperature, the heater being disabled from heating the rechargeable battery in accordance with a determination that the temperature of the rechargeable battery is not less than the second threshold temperature.

9. A camera device, comprising:
a device housing that encloses at least a camera module and includes a front cover plate having an opening; and
a waterproof button assembly formed in the opening on the front cover plate of the device housing, the waterproof button assembly further including:
a button top;
a flexible gasket mounted below the button top, the flexible gasket having a top surface impermeable to water and edges that extend beyond sides of the button top, the edges of the flexible gasket including a first peripheral edge and a peripheral region located in proximity to the first peripheral edge, wherein:
the flexible gasket is configured to deflect in response to a press on the button top of the button assembly;
the first peripheral edge of the flexible gasket makes a water tight seal with a second edge of the opening of the front cover plate, and
the peripheral region of the flexible gasket is substantially transparent to visible light;

a button structure mounted below a center region of the flexible gasket and configured to be actuated in response to the press on the button top;
a plurality of LEDs mounted below the flexible gasket and in proximity to the button structure; and
a light guide component mounted below the flexible gasket and in proximity to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the light guide component is configured to distribute light of the LEDs to the peripheral region of the flexible gasket;

wherein the light guide component includes a central opening that contains the button structure and the plurality of LEDs, and the light guide component further includes one or more alternative openings surrounding the central opening, each alternative opening corresponding to at least one full color LED and having a shape configured according to locations of color LEDs of the at least one full color LED.

10. The camera device of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more alternative openings has an asymmetric shape.

11. The camera device of claim 10 , wherein the colors of the color LEDs of the at least one full color LED are mixed by the respective asymmetric alternative opening, such that a white color is displayed at the peripheral region of the flexible gasket of the waterproof button assembly.

12. The camera device of claim 9 , wherein a predetermined color is displayed at the peripheral edge in accordance with a determination that an object is approaching the camera device.

13. The camera device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a mounting plate including a first open slot and a second open slot that are perpendicular to each other, each of the first and second open slots being configured to receive a body of a fastener and block an enlarged head of the fastener, wherein when the mounting plate is being mounted to a surface, the respective fasteners are fastened onto the surface, thereby holding the mounting plate to the surface, and a position of the mounting plate is adjus

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Jeong Haerim
• Aravamudhan Rengarajan
• Grillo Jacobi
• Dixon Michael
• Lien Yu-An
• Kim Minjung
• Bérubé Etienne
• Jacob Rochus
• Conner Brian
• Mullins Scott

Classifications

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N7/186 Primary

  Video door telephones · CPC title

• H05K1/144

  Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards · CPC title

• G08B3/10

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title