Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02210~72 1997-07-16
Our Reference: LDR-103-A-Canada PATENT
I-OOR Fl~ IF, SURVFTTJT,~NCF CAl~F.R~ SYSTF,l~
BACKGROUND OF TT-TF TNVFNTION
Field of the Inv~ntion
The present invention relates generally to surveillance systems. More
particularly, the present invention relates to video-based surveillance systems. And even
more particularly, the present invention relates to secreted surveillance systems.
nescr~tion of the Prior ~rt:
Surveillance systems, in general, are well known. Today, thousands of
residences and bll~inesses employ such systems to protect prop~l Iy and life. More
particularly, many stores, both large and small, have a plurality of video cameras disposed
thereabout. Each of the cameras is tied to a video recorder to establish a rçcord of activity
within the store. If someone enters the store and steals property, or injures other patrons
or the store clerk, a record of the activity, hopefully inc.l~-ling the face of the ~s~ nt will
have been recorded.
Additionally, surveillance systems are currently employed in casinos.
Unlike the surveillance systems that are used in most stores, the surveillance systems
utilized in casinos are a bit more complex. A plurality of cameras are disposed within
reflective housings which themselves are disposed about the casino. In this fashion,
patrons are not able to detect where the cameras are trained and thelerole, the patrons
cannot know if they are being watched. However, patrons still know that the "surveillance
globes" are there.
Additionally, the location of the "surveillance globes", usually dowll~aLdly
dependillg from the ceiling, provides a skewed view of the en~ ol~melll. It must be
appreciated that the purpose of such a surveillance system is to catch patrons rh~ting at
the various gaming tables in the casino. Thelerole, it is advantageous to have the cameras
pointed in a downward direction and trained upon the gaming tables. This, however, does
not provide a good view of peoples' faces.
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Thererore, what is needed in the art is a surveillance system that may be hid
from view of people. Additionally, what is needed in the art is a surveillance system that
can capture clear images of peoples' faces and actions. It is to the solution of these
problems to which the present invention is directed.
SU~Il~A~Y OF T~F T~VF~TION
The present invention provides a secreted surveillance system, the system
compnsing:
(a) a door frame, the door frame comprising:
(i) a top wall having a front surface;
(ii) at least one side wall downwardly e~tçnl1ing from the top wall,
the at least one side wall having a front sllrf~ce, and wherein the at least one side wall has
an aperture formed through its front surface;
(b) a power source;
(c) means for capturing images disposed anterior the at least one side wall
such that the means for capturing images is trained through the aperture in the at least one
side wall, the means for caplulh-g images in electrical connection with the power source;
(d) means for generating video signals indicative of the images capLured by
the means for capturing images, the means for genel~ g signals in electrical
communication with the means for capturing images; and
(e) means for lli~n~ g video signals, the means for ll~ns.~ g video
signals in electrical communication with the means for genel ~ling video signals.
The secreted surveillance system is, prerelably, employed in conjunction
with a door frame. The door frame should have an aperture formed therethrough at one
of its side walls. A video camera, prt;rel~bly very small or mini~t~lre, is disposed behind
the side wall and is attached to either the side wall itself or the wall which lies therebehind.
The video camera is attached to a power source. Generally, a battery, or
the electrical system of the building in which the system is deployed may be used to
provide power to
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the camera. The camera should include a means for genel~ling video signals indicative of
the images captured by the camera.
The present invention will be more clearly understood with reference to the
accomp&"ying drawings and the following detailed description, in which lil~e reference
numerals refer to like parts and where:
RRIF,~ nF~CR~PTION OF THF, nR~w~NG~
Figure 1 is a plan envil onl "P~ 1 view of a door frame surveillance camera
system in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a pel ~ecli~e view of a door frame surveillance camera system
in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a view of the envirolh"e"l adjacent a door frame surveillance
camera system in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 5 is a view of the envirolh"elll adjac~nt a well-known camera
surveillance system.
I)FT~,F,n nF~CRTPTION OF T~F, PRF,~F,RRFn F~ RonlMFNT
Referring now to Figures 1-3 there is depicted therein a door frame
surveillance camera system in accordance with the present invention, and generally
denoted at 10. The system 10 is intçn-led to be installed in the space between a door
frame and a wall and generally incl~des means 12 for capturing images, means 14 for
gene,ating video signals, and mea~s 16 for outputting video signals.
Although the ensuring description will be made l~rer~l1cillg a door jamb, it
is to be understood that the present invention is applicable to a window frame or similar
framed openings.
In the plere"t;d embodiment, the means for capturing
images 12 generally comprises a camera 20. The camera 20 is preferably a video camera,
such as that under the trade names Ultrax, S~m.clmg or Bischke. The camera 20 includes a
lens 21 and plt;r~l~bly requires a twelve volt direct current power source. However,
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cameras that require other power sources such as alternating current, or voltages on the
order of one hundred and twenty volts may be used. If a twelve volt camera is used, it
may be powered by a battery disposed ~ c.~nt the camera 20. Alternatively, a step down
.,rollller or adapter may be connected to the camera 20 and to the electrical wiring
contained in the wall which would alter the generally available 120v to 12v. Such
srollllers are well known and are available at most haldw~le stores. If a 120v camera
is used, it may be tied directly into the 120v wiring generally available in most bl-ildings.
The camera 20 is mounted to a wall 22 and extends fOl~aldly thelerlolll.
The camera 20 may be mounted to the wall 22 via screws, bolts, a mounting plate or the
like. A door frame 24 is mounted to the wall 22 so that it encomp~ses the camera 20 and
provides a housing Lllerefor. Door frames are well known and may be formed from metal,
wood, plastic, or the like. Door frames are generally mounted to a wall about a doorway
using glue, nails, brackets or the like. Additionally, door frames may be hollow which
provides the space or cavity within which the camera 20 is placed. As such, it is required
that there is provided a space between the wall and the door frame.
If the door frame is mounted directly to the wall with no space available
therebetween, then a portion of the wall 22 where the camera 20 is to seat may be cut
away, the camera 20 seated in the resllltin~ aperture in the wall and mounted to either a
stud located anterior thereto, or mounted to the wall surrounding the aperture formed
therein.
The door frame 24 includes a horizontally aligned top wall 26, and two
subst~nti~lly parallel vertically aligned side walls or door jambs 28, 30. An aperture 32 is
pler~l~bly formed through at least one ofthe side walls 28, 30 so that the camera lens 21
may view an area external the door frame 24. The aperture 32 is pl~r~l~bly formed
through side wall 30 which is the side that is not hingedly ~ c~ed to the door 34. In this
fashion, the camera 20 does not have a restricted view if the door 34 is opened. Although
the aperture 32 is shown as formed through vertical side wall 30, it may also be formed
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through side wall 28. However, this is not prerelable, because when the door 34 is open,
it may block the view of the camera 20.
The camera 20 is mounted such that the lens 21 is disposed directly behind
the aperture 32. In this way, the lens 21 is provided a view ofthe area surrounding the
door frame 24. If a wide field of view is desired, a fish-eye lens may be disposed upon the
camera. Fish-eye lenses are well known and as such will not be ~ c~lc~ed further herein.
To ensure that no damage is done to the lens 21 ofthe camera 20, a
l,~1spare,lt cover 36 may be placed into the aperture 32 thus en~/iroll".enl~lly sep~ing
the camera 20 and lens 21 from the environmelll exterior the door frame 24. The cover 36
is ple~,~bly formed from some strong scratch resistant material such as a hard plastic,
pleAiglass, glass or the like.
Additionally, the Gover 36 may be tinted or have a one-way mirrored
surface formed thereon to restrict the view into the aperture 32. In this fashion, curious
persons who notice the aperture 32 on the door frame 26 will not be able to see a camera
20 disposed therein. As such, persons near the camera will not know that they are being
monitored unless they are informed of such. It is CAII enlely difficult to see a small
aperture in a door jamb, Especially if the door jamb is of a dark color.
In accordance with the present invention, the camera 20 is supplied a
means 14 for gene,~lil1g video signals. Means for genelaliilg video signals are well-known
and are included in collllllelcially available video cameras such as those described
hereinabove. Generally, the means 14 for gel~l~lh1g video signals is contained within the
housing of the camera 20.
The present invention 10 additionally incllldes means 16 for outputting
video signals. F.ssenti~lly, the lens 21 ofthe camera 20 captures images, the means 14 for
generating video signals tran~l~tes the images into video signals, the means 16 for
outputting video signals then outputs the signals either to a l ecording device 42 such as a
video recorder or to a display device 44 such as a television monitor. Therefore,
depending upon where the signals are to be output, the means 16 for outputting video
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signals may be wire, coaxial cable, or the like, which would be directly connected to means
46 for inputting video signals which is in electrical communication with the recording
device 42 or the display device 44. Both video recorders and monitors have input ports
which can serve as the means 46 for inputting video signals.
Preferably though, the means 16 for outputting video signals incl~des an
RF lli.n~".;ller 48. In this fashion, a remotely located recording device 42 or display
device 44 may receive the video signals output from the Lliln~ er 48 via an RF receiver
50 which is attached to the means 46 for inputting video signals. The RF receiver used
herein is well-known and co~ ,ercially available. The RF receiver may be directly
conn~led to the input port of either a display device 44 or a recordillg device 42
depending upon whether the images need only be observed or recorded as well.
Additionally, separate RF receivers may be ~tt~clled to and in electrical
communication with both a recording device 42 and a monitoring device 44 as shown in
Figure 3. In this way, a record may be produced separate from the display that is
produced. Additionally, the recording may be produced at a remote location. Thisplt;sellls a novel way to ensure that even if the camera and the display equipment are
destroyed, a record will still be available of any incid~nts that occurred as captured on the
remote recording device.
As such, if a crime takes place within view ofthe camera lens 21, and the
display equipment is destroyed by the criminal, the recording device 44 which iselectrically connected to a receiver will contain a record of the events unbeknownst to the
c~rimin~l
Although an RF ~ slll;ller 48 and an RF receiver 50 are the prerelled
means 16 for outputting video signals and means 46 for inputting video signals, it is to be
appreciated that IR ~ n~ ;llers and receivers may also be used as well as other known
;~n~ ;llers and receivers.
Because the camera is seated anterior the door frame and more particularly
one of the vertically aligned door jambs, the images captured by the lens are not skewed or
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distorted. The camera is positioned preferably at general eye level within the door jamb
which provides a subst~nti~lly clear and undistorted view of the area surrounding the
camera. Additionally, the camera is in position to record the faces of those persons who
are nearby.
As such, the position of the camera is important to ensure that the lens
thereof has a subst~nti~lly straight-on view of the area surrounding the camera. This is in
opposition to the generally known practice of placing a camera in a corner of the room
adjacent the ceiling which produces skewed views of the environment.
Figure 4 shows a view of the area adjacent a surveillance system in
accordance with the present invention, while Figure 5 shows a view of the same area
adjacent a camera placed in the corner of the room. It is apparellL that the view provided
by the present system is much less distorted and provides a better view of an area that
would include most peoples' faces (as indicated by the area delin~ated by a dashed line).
That same area is subst~n~ ly smaller using known systems and as shown by the area
delineated by the dashed line in Figure 5.
The present invention has several advantages over the prior art. First, the
present invention is much less noticeable than currently known surveillance systems.
Additionally, it provides a clearer, less distorted view of the en~hol~ elll than currently
known surveillance systems.
The foregoing embodiment has been presented for the purpose of
illustration and should not be taken to limit the scope of the present invention. It should
be applecialed that such embodiment is capable of additional variations and modifications
which, with those suggested, are likewise to be in~ ded within the scope of the invention
as set forth in the appended claims.
What is claimed is:
