Audio/video recording and communication doorbell devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11102457-B1
Application number	US-202016820068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Dec 7, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell device includes an input port, a switch, a first power supply, a second power supply, a button, a first controller, and a second controller. The switch is electrically coupled across the input port. The first power supply receives power from the input port and powers a first power supply rail, and the second power supply powers a second power supply rail. The button, when pressed, activates a signaling device. The first controller is at least partially powered from the first power supply rail and closes the switch in response to the button being pressed. The second controller is at least partially powered from the second power supply rail.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by an audio/video recording and communication doorbell device (A/V doorbell) to characterize an electrical circuit including the A/V doorbell, the method comprising:
electrically coupling a resistor between a first node of the electrical circuit and a second node of the electrical circuit, in a training mode of the A/V doorbell;
determining a first peak absolute value of magnitude of current flowing through the resistor during a positive half-cycle of the current flowing through the resistor;
determining a second peak absolute value of the magnitude of the current flowing through the resistor during a negative half-cycle of the current flowing through the resistor;
determining whether an impedance of the electrical circuit is symmetric based on the first peak absolute value of the magnitude of the current flowing through the resistor and the second peak absolute value of the magnitude of the current flowing through the resistor;
determining an activation time of a signaling device controlled by the A/V doorbell based on whether the impedance of the electrical circuit is symmetric; and
bypassing the resistor in a normal operation mode of the A/V doorbell.

2. An audio/video recording and communication doorbell device (A/V doorbell), comprising:
an input port;
a first switch and a resistor electrically coupled in series across the input port;
a bypass switch electrically coupled in parallel with the resistor;
a first power supply configured to receive power from the input port and at least partially power the A/V doorbell;
a button configured to be pressed to cause a signaling device to activate; and
a first controller configured to:
cause the first switch to close in response to the button being pressed,
cause the bypass switch to be closed in a first operating mode of the A/V doorbell, and
cause the bypass switch to be open in a second operating mode of the A/V doorbell.

3. The A/V doorbell of claim 2 , wherein the first operating mode of the A/V doorbell is a normal operation mode, and the second operating mode of the A/V doorbell is a training mode.

4. The A/V doorbell of claim 2 , wherein the first controller is further configured to:
sample a first voltage of the A/V doorbell while the bypass switch is closed;
sample a second voltage of the A/V doorbell while the bypass switch is open; and
determine an impedance of a circuit including the A/V doorbell from at least the first voltage and the second voltage.

5. The A/V doorbell of claim 4 , wherein the first controller is further configured to determine the impedance of the electrical circuit based on a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.

6. The A/V doorbell of claim 4 , wherein the first power supply comprises:
a bridge rectifier electrically coupled between the input port and a direct current (DC) power rail;
a capacitor electrically coupled across the DC power rail; and
a power converter electrically coupled between the DC power rail and a first power rail.

7. The A/V doorbell of claim 6 , wherein each of the first voltage and the second voltage is a voltage of the DC power rail.

8. The A/V doorbell of claim 2 , wherein:
the first switch comprises a first transistor and a second transistor electrically coupled in series; and
each of the first transistor and the second transistor is electrically coupled together at a reference node.

9. The A/V doorbell of claim 8 , wherein the first controller is further configured to determine whether the impedance of the electrical circuit is symmetric.

10. The A/V doorbell of claim 9 , wherein the first controller is further configured to cause one of the first transistor and the second transistor to continuously operate in its respective on-state, in response to the impedance of the electrical circuit not being symmetric.

11. The A/V doorbell of claim 8 , wherein the first controller is further configured to:
determine a first peak absolute value of magnitude of current flowing through the resistor during a positive half-cycle of the current flowing through the resistor; and
determine a second peak absolute value of the magnitude of the current flowing through the resistor during a negative half-cycle of the current flowing through the resistor.

12. The A/V doorbell of claim 11 , wherein the first controller is further configured to cause the first transistor to continuously operate in its on-state, in response to the first peak absolute value being greater than the second peak absolute value.

13. The A/V doorbell of claim 11 , wherein the first controller is further configured to cause the second transistor to continuously operate in its on-state, in response to the second peak absolute value being greater than the first peak absolute value.

14. A method performed by an audio/video recording and communication doorbell device (A/V doorbell) to characterize an electrical circuit including the A/V doorbell, the method comprising:
sampling a first voltage at the A/V doorbell;
electrically coupling a resistor between a first node of the electrical circuit and a second node of the electrical circuit;
sampling a second voltage at the A/V doorbell while the resistor is electrically coupled between the first node of the electrical circuit and the second node of the electrical circuit; and
determining, from at least the first voltage and the second voltage, an impedance of the electrical circuit.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising sampling each of the first voltage and the second voltage at an internal power rail of the A/V doorbell.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining the impedance of the electrical circuit based on a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising determining whether the impedance of the electrical circuit is symmetric.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising causing a first transistor and a second transistor to operate in their respective on-states, to electrically couple the resistor between the first node of the electrical circuit and the second node of the electrical circuit.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
determining whether the impedance of the electrical circuit is symmetric; and
causing one of the first transistor and the second transistor to continuously operate in its respective on-state, in response to the impedance of the electrical circuit not being symmetric.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
determining a first peak absolute value of magnitude of the current flowing through the resistor during a positive half-cycle of the current flowing through the resistor;
determining a second peak absolute value of the magnitude of the current flowing through the resistor during a negative half-cycle of the current flowing through the resistor; and
in response to the first peak absolute value being greater than the second peak absolute value, causing one of the first transistor or the second transistor to continuously operate in its on-state.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Skeoch James Steven
• Tso Robert
• Lin Chih-Jung

Classifications

• H04N23/65

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

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H03K2217/0081

  Power supply means, e.g. to the switch driver · CPC title

• H03K2217/9651

  the moving element acting on a force, e.g. pressure sensitive element · CPC title

• H03K17/9627

  Optical touch switches · CPC title