Video system and method for data communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039055-B2
Application number	US-201816136423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2018
Priority date	Jun 4, 2002
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A camera system and method capture image data with a camera, a data storage device electrically connected to the camera and configured to store the video data and/or a communication device electrically connected to the camera and configured to communicate the image data to a system receiver located remote from the camera. The system receiver may be located onboard a vehicle such that an operator can carry the camera off board the vehicle and communicate the image data back to the vehicle, when performing, for example, work on the vehicle or inspecting the vehicle or the environs of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a camera configured to capture at least image data;
a data storage device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to store the image data,
a communication device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to communicate the image data to a system receiver;
a camera supporting object coupled to the camera;
a locator device configured to detect a location of the camera supporting object; and
a control unit configured to communicate with the system receiver and the locator device, and to control the camera based at least in part on the location of the camera supporting object,
wherein the camera supporting object is coupled to a garment configured to be worn by a worker, and the control unit is configured to control the camera to a first mode of operation responsive to the location of the worker indicating that the worker is at an operator terminal and to control the camera to a different, second mode of operation responsive to the location of the worker indicating that the worker is not at the operator terminal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system receiver comprises a transportation system receiver disposed onboard a vehicle, wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to communicate network data other than the image data to at least one of onboard or off-board the vehicle and to switch to a mode for receiving the image data from the camera responsive to the camera being active to communicate the image data.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the network data off-board of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to transmit one or both of the network data and the image data onboard of the vehicle through an Ethernet network that is configured for the communication of data between the vehicle and one or more other vehicles.

5. A system, comprising:
a camera configured to capture at least image data; and
a data storage device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to store the image data, a communication device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to communicate the image data to a system receiver;
a camera supporting object coupled to the camera;
a locator device configured to detect a location of the camera supporting object; and
a control unit configured to communicate with the system receiver and the locator device, and to control the camera based at least in part on the location of the camera supporting object detected, and
the system receiver disposed onboard a vehicle, wherein the system receiver is configured to communicate network data other than the image data to at least one of onboard or off-board the vehicle and to switch to a mode for receiving the image data from the camera responsive to the camera being active to communicate the image data.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle dock for coupling the aerial device to the vehicle, and when the aerial device is in the vehicle dock the camera is positioned to view the ground vehicle route.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle dock for coupling the aerial device to the vehicle, and the vehicle dock is configured to charge a battery of the aerial device from a power source of the vehicle when the aerial device is docked in the vehicle dock.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle dock for coupling the aerial device to the vehicle, wherein when the aerial device is in the vehicle dock the camera is positioned to view the ground vehicle route, and wherein the vehicle dock is configured to charge a battery of the aerial device from a power source of the vehicle when the aerial device is docked in the vehicle dock.

9. The system of claim 5 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the network data off-board of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to transmit one or both of the network data and the image data onboard of the vehicle through an Ethernet network that is configured for the communication of data between the vehicle and one or more other vehicles.

11. The system of claim 5 , wherein the system comprises the communication device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to communicate the image data to a system receiver, the system receiver comprising a transportation system receiver disposed onboard the vehicle, wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to communicate network data other than the image data to at least one of onboard or off-board the vehicle and to switch to a mode for receiving the image data from the camera responsive to the camera being active to communicate the image data.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the network data off-board of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to transmit one or both of the network data and the image data onboard of the vehicle through an Ethernet network that is configured for the communication of data between the vehicle and one or more other vehicles.

14. A system, comprising:
a camera configured to capture at least image data; and
at least one of a data storage device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to store the image data, or a communication device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to communicate the image data to a system receiver;
a camera supporting object coupled to the camera;
a locator device configured to detect a location of the camera supporting object; and
a control unit configured to communicate with the system receiver and the locator device, and to switch between a first mode of operation wherein the image data is stored within the camera on the data storage device, and a second mode of operation wherein the image data is transmitted off the camera to a remote storage device based at least in part on the location of the camera supporting object detected,
wherein the camera supporting object is a first ground vehicle configured for at least one of remote control or autonomous movement relative to a second ground vehicle along a route for the second vehicle, wherein the first ground vehicle is intended to travel along the route ahead of the second vehicle and to transmit the image data back to the second ground vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system comprises the communication device electrically coupled to the camera and configured to communicate the image data to a system receiver, the system receiver comprising a transportation system receiver disposed onboard the first ground vehicle, wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to communicate network data other than the image data to at least one of onboard or off-board the first ground vehicle and to switch to a mode for receiving the image data from the camera responsive to the camera being active to communicate the image data.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to wirelessly transmit the network data off-board of the first ground vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the transportation system receiver is configured to transmit one or both of the network data and the image data onboard of the first ground vehicle through an Ethernet or wireless network that is configured for the communicatio

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Transp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Kraeling Mark Bradshaw
• Miner Michael Scott
• Clouse Shannon Joseph
• Azam Anwarul
• Blair Matthew Lawrence
• Naithani Nidhi
• Rao Dattaraj Jagdish
• Bind Anju
• Chaki Sreyashi Dey
• Nelson Scott Daniel
• Naphade Nikhil Uday
• Chung Wing Yeung
• Ballesty Daniel Malachi
• Shaffer Glenn Robert
• Kisak Jeffrey James

Classifications

• H04N23/66 Primary

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• H04N23/661

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• B60R1/002

  specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like (integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08) · CPC title

• H04N7/185

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title

• H04N5/23203 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic