Using remote sensors to resolve start up latency in battery-powered cameras and doorbell cameras

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076099-B1
Application number	US-201916587563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a camera and one or more sensors. The camera generally has a low power deactivated mode. The one or more sensors are generally remotely located with respect to the camera. The one or more sensors may be configured to communicate a signal to the camera in response to a trigger condition. The camera is generally configured to activate in response to receiving the signal from the one or more sensors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a camera having a low power deactivated mode; and
one or more sensors remotely located with respect to the camera, wherein (i) said one or more sensors are configured to communicate a signal to said camera in response to a trigger condition, (ii) said camera is configured to activate in response to receiving said signal from said one or more sensors, and (iii) said camera is further configured to generate a fault report in response to being activated by an onboard sensor instead of said one or more sensors.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said camera comprises a doorbell camera.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said camera is battery powered.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors comprise at least one of a motion sensor and a proximity sensor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors comprise at least one of a passive infrared sensor and a smart motion sensor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors are battery powered.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said one or more sensors are located outside a field of view of said camera.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein activation of said camera in response to said signal from said one or more sensors mitigates a startup latency of said camera.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said camera is configured to generate a history correlating receiving said signal from said one or more sensors and detecting an object in a field of view of said camera.

10. A method of mitigating a startup latency of a camera comprising the steps of:
detecting at least one of motion and proximity of an object outside a field of view of said camera using one or more sensors remotely located from said camera;
sending a trigger signal from said one or more sensors to activate said camera prior to said object entering said field of view of said camera; and
generating a fault report in response to said camera being activated by an onboard sensor instead of said trigger signal from said one or more sensors.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said camera and said sensors are battery powered.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said camera comprises a doorbell camera.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said one or more sensors comprise at least one of a motion sensor and a proximity sensor.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said one or more sensors comprise at least one of a passive infrared sensor and a smart motion sensor.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said smart motion sensor is configured to detect a person.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said smart motion sensor utilizes deep learning technology to detect said person.

17. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
placing said one or more sensors at a distance from said camera, wherein a travel time between said one or more sensors and said field of view of said camera approximately encompasses said startup latency of said camera.

18. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
generating a history correlating receiving said trigger signal from said one or more sensors and detecting said object in said field of view of said camera.

Assignees

• Ambarella Int Lp

Inventors

• Xu Ruian

Classifications

• H04N7/186 Primary

  Video door telephones · CPC title

• H04N23/651 Primary

  for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera · CPC title

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H04N23/6812

  based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/65

  Control of camera operation in relation to power supply · CPC title