Doorbell camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11671683-B2
Application number	US-202117562678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2021
Priority date	Jan 4, 2017
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

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. A video doorbell device comprising:
a housing that encloses a plurality of electronic components and includes a front cover plate and a body, the front cover plate mechanically coupled to the body of the housing via an elastic sealing structure effective to seal an enclosed region from an ambient environment, the housing having:
an elongated shape with a first rounded end and a second rounded end opposite the first rounded end; and
a rear exterior surface, the rear exterior surface opposite of the front cover plate;
a battery disposed within the enclosed region proximate to the rear exterior surface of the housing;
a temperature sensor disposed within the enclosed region, the temperature sensor configured to measure a battery temperature of the battery;
a main board disposed within the enclosed region, the main board including a central processing unit and a memory system, the main board configured to:
receive a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor, the temperature measurement indicating the battery temperature; and
in response to a determination that the battery temperature has exceeded a first threshold temperature, disable charging of the battery.

2. The video doorbell device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor board including the temperature sensor, the temperature sensor being disposed adjacent to the battery.

3. The video doorbell device of claim 1 , further comprising a heater disposed within the enclosed region, wherein:
the heater is configured to generate heat and increase the battery temperature of the battery; and
the main board is further configured to, in response to a determination that the battery temperature is less than a second threshold temperature, enable the heater to generate heat and increase the battery temperature of the battery.

4. The video doorbell device of claim 3 , wherein the main board is further configured to, responsive to a determination that the battery temperature of the battery is equal to or greater than the second threshold temperature, disable the heater from heating the battery.

5. The video doorbell device of claim 4 , wherein the main board includes a charger circuit configured to manage operations of the battery by performing one or more of disabling the charging of the battery, enabling the heater to heat the battery, and disabling the heater from heating the battery.

6. The video doorbell device of claim 1 , further comprising a heat spreader disposed within the enclosed region, the heat spreader configured to dissipate heat generated by one or more of the plurality of electronic components within the enclosed region.

7. The video doorbell device of claim 6 , wherein the heat spreader is further configured to provide electromagnetic interference shielding to isolate one or more of the plurality of electronic components within the enclosed region.

8. The video doorbell device of claim 6 , wherein the heat spreader is configured to dissipate the heat via conductive heat transfer from the one or more of the plurality of electronic components to the body of the housing.

9. The video doorbell device of claim 8 , wherein one or more portions of the body are configured to conduct and dissipate the heat into an ambient environment.

10. The video doorbell device of claim 6 , wherein the heat spreader extends from within the enclosed region to the rear exterior surface.

11. The video doorbell device of claim 10 , wherein the heat spreader dissipates the heat to the ambient environment.

12. The video doorbell device of claim 6 , wherein the heat spreader is thermally coupled to one or more of the plurality of electronic components within the enclosed region using a thermally conductive gel.

13. The video doorbell device of claim 12 , wherein the heat spreader is disposed within the enclosed region proximate to the rear exterior surface of the housing and adjacent to one or more infrared illuminators.

14. The video doorbell device of claim 13 , wherein the heat spreader is thermally coupled to the rear exterior surface of the housing and the one or more infrared illuminators.

15. The video doorbell device of claim 12 , wherein the heat spreader is disposed within the enclosed region proximate to the rear exterior surface of the housing and adjacent to an image processor.

16. The video doorbell device of claim 15 , wherein the heat spreader is thermally coupled to the image processor and configured to dissipate heat generated while images are captured and processed.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:
measuring, at a temperature sensor of a video doorbell device, a battery temperature of a battery;
receiving, at a main board of the video doorbell device, a temperature measurement from the temperature sensor;
determining, at the main board, that a temperature measurement exceeds a first threshold temperature; and
in response to determining that the temperature measurement has exceeded a first threshold temperature, disabling charging of the battery.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining, at the main board, that the temperature measurement is below a second threshold temperature; and
in response to determining that the temperature is below the second threshold temperature, causing a heater to generate heat to increase the battery temperature of the battery.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , further comprising:
determining, at the main board, that the battery temperature of the battery is equal to or greater than the second threshold temperature; and
responsive to determining that the battery temperature is equal to or greater than the second threshold temperature, disabling the heater from heating the battery.

20. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 17 , further comprising, at a power management integrated circuit of the video doorbell device, managing electrical power provided by the battery and a sensor board of the video doorbell device.

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

• G08B13/19619

  Details of casing · CPC title

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• G08B3/10

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• H04N7/186 Primary

  Video door telephones · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title