Low-power-consumption audio/video recording and communication doorbell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9819867-B2
Application number	US-201715459087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell, including a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a power manager, a battery, an AC/DC rectifier, and a DC/DC converter. The doorbell is configured for connection to an external AC power source through the AC/DC rectifier and the DC/DC converter. The power manager is configured to draw power, up to a threshold power, from the AC power source and to draw supplemental power from the battery such that the power drawn from the AC power source never exceeds the threshold power. The present A/V recording and communication doorbell can thus be connected to an existing household AC power supply and an existing doorbell signaling device without causing inadvertent sounding of the signaling device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell system, the A/V recording and communication doorbell including a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a button, and an electronic switch, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is connected to an external power source, the method comprising:
the A/V recording and communication doorbell drawing power from the power source;
the power flowing through a signaling device and a shunt connected in parallel with the signaling device, wherein the shunt is in a low impedance state; and
when the button is depressed, the electronic switch closing and the shunt transitioning to a high impedance state, thereby diverting power from the power source through the signaling device to cause the signaling device to emit a sound.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signaling device is electro-mechanical or electronic.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signaling device is external to the A/V recording and communication doorbell.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a timer, wherein when the button is depressed the timer is activated and the electronic switch remains closed until the timer expires, unless the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives a notification that a call to a client device has been answered.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising the electronic switch opening when the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives the notification that the call to the client device has been answered.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the timer is a first timer and the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a second timer, the method further comprising the electronic switch opening, the second timer being activated when the electronic switch opens, and the electronic switch being prevented from closing again until after the second timer expires.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the A/V recording and communication doorbell, in response to the button being depressed, sending an alert signal and a video signal to a network device, the video signal including images captured by the camera.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further comprises a rechargeable battery.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, in response to the button being depressed, comparing a power level of the rechargeable battery to a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the electronic switch closing only if the power level of the rechargeable battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

11. An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell system, comprising:
an A/V recording and communication doorbell including a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a button, and an electronic switch, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is connected to an external power source;
wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is configured to draw power from the power source such that the power flows through a signaling device and a shunt connected in parallel with the signaling device, wherein the shunt is in a low impedance state; and
when the button is depressed, the electronic switch is configured to close, thereby transitioning the shunt to a high impedance state and diverting power from the power source through the signaling device to cause the signaling device to emit a sound.

12. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 11 , wherein the signaling device is electro-mechanical or electronic.

13. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 11 , wherein the signaling device is external to the A/V recording and communication doorbell.

14. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 11 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a timer, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that when the button is depressed the timer is activated and the electronic switch remains closed until the timer expires, unless the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives a notification that a call to a client device has been answered.

15. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 14 , wherein the electronic switch is configured to open when the A/V recording and communication doorbell receives the notification that the call to the client device has been answered.

16. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 14 , wherein the timer is a first timer and the A/V recording and communication doorbell further includes a second timer, wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured such that when the electronic switch opens the second timer is activated and the electronic switch is prevented from closing again until after the second timer expires.

17. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 11 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured to send, in response to the button being depressed, an alert signal and a video signal to a network device, the video signal including images captured by the camera.

18. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 11 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell further comprises a rechargeable battery.

19. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 18 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured to, in response to the button being depressed, compare a power level of the rechargeable battery to a threshold value.

20. The A/V recording and communication doorbell system of claim 19 , wherein the A/V recording and communication doorbell is further configured to close the electronic switch only if the power level of the rechargeable battery is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

Assignees

• Bot Home Automation Inc

Inventors

• Siminoff James
• Jeong Changsoo
• Modestine John
• Phillips Trevor
• Siminoff Mark
• Tso Robert
• Westerman Stuart

Classifications

• H04N23/661

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

• H04N23/65

  Control of camera operation in relation to power supply · 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

• G08B3/10 Primary

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• G08B13/19615

  wherein said pattern is defined by the user · CPC title