Assembly, and associated method, for remotely monitoring a surveillance area

US 6,288,641 B1
Filed: 09/15/1999
Issued: 09/11/2001
Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
Status: Expired due to Term

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1. An assembly for remotely monitoring at least a portion of a surveillance area, said assembly comprising:

at least one transducer selectably positionable at the at least selected portion of the surveillance area, said transducer selectably operable for transducing human-perceptible signals into transduced signals;

a controller containing a listing identifying positioning of said at least one transducer at the surveillance area, the listing dynamically configurable responsive to positioning of the at least one transducer at the surveillance area, said controller coupled at least selectably to receive the transduced signals generated by said at least one transducer, and said controller for controlling selection of operation of said transducer to transduce the human-perceptible signals into the transduced signals;

a mobile terminal operable to transceive communication signals, said mobile terminal selectably operable to communicate with said controller and, in turn, to receive the transduced signals generated by a selected one of said at least one transducer, the selected one selected from the listing contained at said controller thereby to monitor the at least the selected portion of the surveillance area.

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Abstract

An assembly, and an associated method, by which to remotely monitor a surveillance area. Wireless microphones are positioned at selected locations in the surveillance area, and signals generated by the microphones are detectable by a controller. A mobile terminal operable in a cellular, or other radio, communication system forms a communication link with the controller and signals generated by the wireless microphone are routed to the mobile terminal.

153 Citations

22 Claims

1. An assembly for remotely monitoring at least a portion of a surveillance area, said assembly comprising:
- at least one transducer selectably positionable at the at least selected portion of the surveillance area, said transducer selectably operable for transducing human-perceptible signals into transduced signals;
  
  a controller containing a listing identifying positioning of said at least one transducer at the surveillance area, the listing dynamically configurable responsive to positioning of the at least one transducer at the surveillance area, said controller coupled at least selectably to receive the transduced signals generated by said at least one transducer, and said controller for controlling selection of operation of said transducer to transduce the human-perceptible signals into the transduced signals;
  
  a mobile terminal operable to transceive communication signals, said mobile terminal selectably operable to communicate with said controller and, in turn, to receive the transduced signals generated by a selected one of said at least one transducer, the selected one selected from the listing contained at said controller thereby to monitor the at least the selected portion of the surveillance area.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- - 2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the human-perceptible signals which are transduced by said transducer comprise audio signals.
  - 3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the transduced signals into which said transducer transduces the human-perceptible signals comprise electromagnetic signals transmittable upon a radio-link formed between said controller and said transducer.
  - 4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said electromagnetic signals comprise Bluetooth signals.
  - 5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said mobile terminal is operable in a radio communication system having network infrastructure, wherein said mobile terminal is operable to transceive the communication signals with the network infrastructure, wherein a communication path is formed between said mobile terminal and the network infrastructure, and, in turn, with said controller, said mobile terminal selectably operable to communicate by way of the communication path to receive the transduced signals.
  - 6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one transducer comprises a first transducer and at least a second transducer, said first transducer positioned at a first selected portion of the surveillance area and said second transducer positioned at a second selected portion of the surveillance area.
  - 7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein selection is made at said mobile terminal as to which of said first and at least second transducers, respectively, is operable to transduce the human-perceptible signals into the transduced signals.
  - 8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said mobile terminal is operable to generate SMS (short message service) messages and wherein the selection made by said mobile terminal is communicated to said controller as an SMS message.
  - 9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said controller maintains a listing of each of said first and at least second transducers, respectively, and wherein selection is made at said mobile terminal as to which of said first and at least second transducers is operable to transduce the human-perceptible signals responsive to accessing of the listing by said mobile terminal.
  - 10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said mobile terminal is operable to generate SMS (short message service) messages, wherein a first SMS message is generated by the mobile terminal to access the listing and wherein a second SMS message is generated by the mobile terminal to indicate the selection as to which of said first and at least second transducers is operable to transduce the human-perceptible signals.
  - 11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said controller is operable to generate SMS messages and wherein said controller is further operable to provide a response-SMS message containing the listing responsive to receipt of the first SMS message.
  - 12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein, responsive to the selection by said mobile terminal, said controller initiates effectuation of a voice channel allocation between said controller and said mobile terminal.
  - 13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein, further responsive to the selection by said mobile terminal, said controller initiates effectuation of a communication link with a selected one of the first and at least second transducers, respectively and to direct the transduced signals received therefrom upon the voice channel.
  - 14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said mobile terminal is further selectably operable to terminate connection thereof to the voice channel and wherein, responsive to termination of the connection of said mobile terminal with the voice channel, said controller terminates the communication link with the selected one of the transducers.

15. A method for remotely monitoring at least a portion of a surveillance area, said method comprising:
- positioning at least one transducer at the at least the selected portion of the surveillance area, each of the at least one transducer selectably operable to transduce human-perceptible signals into transduced signals maintaining a listing identifying the at least one transducer positioned, during said operation of positioning, at the surveillance area;
  
  selecting which of the at least one transducer identified at the listing maintained during said operation of maintaining to operate to transduce the human-perceptible signals into the transduced signals;
  
  forwarding the transduced signals to a mobile terminal, thereby to monitor the portion of the surveillance area.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- - 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one transducer positioned during said operation of transducing transduces audio signals into electromagnetic signals.
  - 17. The method of claim 15 wherein said operation of selecting comprises sending a first message from the mobile terminal to inquire which of the at least one transducer is available to select, requesting providing thereto a listing to the mobile terminal indicating which of the at least one transducer is available, and sending a second message by the mobile terminal with a selection from the listing.
  - 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the operation of authenticating the mobile terminal prior to providing the listing thereto.
  - 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first message and the second message are formatted according to a WAP (wireless access protocol) standard and transmitted over SMS.
  - 20. The method of claim 17 wherein the mobile terminal is operable in a cellular communication system permitting of communication of SMS (short message service) messages, wherein the first message, and the second message are SMS messages and wherein the transduced signals are forwarded during said operation of forwarding upon a voice channel.
  - 21. The method of claim 20 comprising the further operation of terminating from the mobile terminal the voice channel, thereby to terminate forwarding of the transduced signals to the mobile terminal.

22. In a radio communication system having a mobile terminal and network infrastructure between which a voice channel is formable to communicate therebetween, an improvement of apparatus for permitting a surveillance area to be remotely monitored by the mobile terminal, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one transducer positioned at the surveillance area, said transducer for transducing human-perceptible signals at the surveillance area into electromagnetic signals; and
  
  a controller containing a listing identifying positioning of said at least one transducer at the surveillance area, said controller coupled to the network infrastructure and to receive the electromagnetic signals generated by said at least one transducer, and said controller for effectuating a communication link with the mobile terminal to forward the electromagnetic signals thereto.

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Litigation Data

Current Assignee
Iron Gate Security, Inc. (XpresSpa Group, Inc. (f/k/a FORM Holdings Corp.))
Original Assignee
Nokia Corporation
Inventors
Casais, Eduardo
Primary Examiner(s)
Crosland, Donnie L.

Application Number

US09/396,692
Time in Patent Office

727 Days
Field of Search

340/539, 340/505, 340/506, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/566, 340/825.25, 340/540, 340/541, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 367/197-199, 379/37, 379/38, 381/56, 381/58
US Class Current

340/539.26
CPC Class Codes

B60R 2025/1016   Remote signals alerting own...

B60R 2325/101   Bluetooth

B60R 25/1012   Zone surveillance means, e....

G08B 25/10   using wireless transmission...

H04W 24/00   Supervisory, monitoring or ...

H04W 88/02   Terminal devices

Assembly, and associated method, for remotely monitoring a surveillance area

First Claim

4 Assignments

Litigations

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

153 Citations

22 Claims

Specification

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Assembly, and associated method, for remotely monitoring a surveillance area

First Claim

4 Assignments

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Litigations

0 Petitions

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Accused Products

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Abstract

153 Citations

22 Claims

Specification

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Use Cases

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Others