360 Degree Camera Apparatus with Monitoring Sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020396361-A1
Application number	US-202017008933-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2020
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Dec 17, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods include a camera apparatus. The camera apparatus includes a mounting base and a plurality of sensors. The mounting base is adapted to mount to a structure. The plurality of sensors includes an array of image sensors arranged to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus. The plurality of sensors also includes at least one of infrared sensors, sound sensors, and motion sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A camera apparatus, comprising:
a mounting base adapted to mount to a structure; and a plurality of sensors including
an array of image sensors arranged to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus, and
at least one of infrared sensors, sound sensors, and motion sensors.

2 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the infrared sensors are configured to capture a 360 degree view of thermographic data around the camera apparatus.

3 . The camera apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the camera apparatus is configured to issue an alert in response to the infrared sensors detecting a temperature above a predetermined threshold.

4 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image sensors and the motion sensors are configured to detect motion within the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus.

5 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sound sensors are configured for at least one of communicating with an individual within the combined 360 degree view and monitor sounds emanating from equipment within the combined 360 degree view.

6 . The camera apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the camera apparatus is configured to issue an alert in response to the sound sensors detecting a sound above a predetermined threshold.

7 . The camera apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more RF sensors configured to receive and monitor cellular signals.

8 . A monitoring system for monitoring a commercial location, the monitoring system comprising:
a camera apparatus including
a mounting base adapted to mount to a structure, and
a plurality of sensors including
an array of image sensors arranged to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus, and
at least one of infrared sensors, sound sensors, and motion sensors; and

a server including
a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to obtain data from the plurality of sensors including the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus and facilitate access to the combined 360 degree view to a user and monitor the commercial location using the data.

9 . The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the infrared sensors are configured to capture a 360 degree view of thermographic data around the camera apparatus.

10 . The monitoring system of claim 9 , wherein the data includes the thermographic data, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to compare the thermographic data to a predetermined threshold and issue an alert in response to a temperature within the thermographic data being above the predetermined threshold.

11 . The monitoring system of claim 9 , wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to
obtain a plurality of images from the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus, generate a model of the commercial location using the data, display information from the model within images from the combined 360 degree view to a user while a user is viewing the images in real time, and display thermographic information with the information from the model including identification of equipment being displayed along with a temperature of the equipment being displayed.

12 . The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the image sensors and the motion sensors are configured to detect motion within the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to issue an alert in response to motion detected by at least one of the image sensors and the motion sensors.

13 . The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the sound sensors are configured for at least one of communicating with an individual within the combined 360 degree view and monitor sounds emanating from equipment within the combined 360 degree view, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to issue an alert in response to the sound sensors detecting a sound above a predetermined threshold.

14 . The monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more RF sensors configured to receive cellular signals, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to monitor the cellular signals.

15 . A method for monitoring a commercial location, comprising:
obtaining a data from a camera apparatus including a plurality of images captured using an array of image sensors arranged to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus and at least one of infrared sensors, sound sensors, and motion sensors; and monitoring the commercial location using the data from the array of image sensors and the at least one of the infrared sensors, the sound sensors, and the motion sensors.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the data includes a 360 degree view of thermographic data around the camera apparatus captured by the infrared sensors.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising comparing the thermographic data to a predetermined threshold and issue an alert in response to a temperature within the thermographic data being above the predetermined threshold.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
obtaining a plurality of images from the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus; generating a model of the commercial location using the data; displaying information from the model within images from the combined 360 degree view to a user while a user is viewing the images in real time; and displaying thermographic information with the information from the model including identification of equipment being displayed along with a temperature of the equipment being displayed.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising issuing an alert in response to motion being detected by at least one of the image sensors and the motion sensors.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more RF sensors configured to receive cellular signals, and the method further comprising monitoring the cellular signals.

Assignees

• Etak Systems Llc

Inventors

• Terry Charlie
• Perry James
• Priest Lee

Classifications

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/45 Primary

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title