Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MONITORING APPARATUS AND MONITORING PROGRAM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus and a monitoring
program using a communication network.
Conventionally, monitoring systems have been provided for homes,
buildings, and apartments by security companies. In the conventional types of
monitoring systems, various sensors and operating panels provided in homes or
t o the like are connected to a monitoring center via a communication network.
With such systems, when a sensor operates, abnormality is automatically
notified
to the monitoring center, so that damage by illegal intruders or the like can
be
prevented by rapid and appropriate measures by the security company.
Further, in recent years, a system has been proposed in which a monitored
image by a monitoring camera provided in a home or the like can be checked by
a
remote personal computer, a mobile phone, or the like via the Internet.
For example, in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No.
2002-16521 l, a security monitoring system is disclosed in which a security
sensor
monitors for any abnormality and, when the sensor operates, an image captured
by
a monitoring camera is stored in a database. Furthermore, in this security
monitoring system, when a portable terminal is called via the Internet or the
like
and a response is made, a user authentication is performed so that the
captured
image or the like is distributed if the user is verified.
Further, in "Internet camera @Bell Shop Corporation", (online), Bell Shop
Corporation, 2001 (searched on 28 August, 2002), Internet <URL:
http://www.bellshop-web.co.jp/cyber/index/html>, a monitoring system is
disclosed in which various sensors or cameras are connected to a terminal so
that
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remote monitoring can be accomplished via the Internet. With this monitoring
system, an image captured by the camera is first transmitted from the terminal
to a
server at the monitoring center via the Internet and notified to a mobile
phone or
the like of a monitoring person by e-mail via the server, and the monitoring
person views the monitored image by accessing the server.
In the security system disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent
Publication No. 2002-165211, the procedures such as calling, responding, user
authentication and distributing have to be followed when distributing the
captured
image to the monitoring person, requiring time for the monitoring person to
view
the image.
Further, in the monitoring system disclosed in "Internet camera @Bell
Shop Corporation", the images of the cameras for a plurality of monitoring
persons are subject to central control in the server at the monitoring center
and
each monitoring person accesses the server to view the image from each camera,
t 5 which requires some time when demands on the server are excessive.
It is important for a monitoring system to transmit monitored contents to a
monitoring person more rapidly, but usually an inordinate amount of time is
required with the conventional monitoring systems described above.
2o SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring
apparatus and monitoring program capable of transmitting monitored contents to
a
monitoring person more rapidly.
25 A monitoring apparatus according to the present invention comprises a
detector and an imaging device, a notification destination database for
storing an
e-mail address of a portable terminal of a monitoring person in advance
therein,
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an image database for storing images captured by the imaging device therein,
an
image recording means for recording the images captured by the imaging device
in the image database, a notifying means for transmitting an e-mail containing
monitored information on the basis of a detection result of the detector and
an
identifier for accessing an image in the image database to the e-mail address
in the
notification destination database via a communication network, and an
information providing means for providing the image in the image database in
response to a request on the basis of the identifier from the portable
terminal.
According to the monitoring apparatus of the present invention, when an
t0 abnormality occurs, the e-mail containing the monitored information on the
basis
of the detection results of the detector and the identifier for accessing the
image
captured by the imaging device and recorded in the image database is
transmitted
to the e-mail address of the portable terminal of the monitoring person stored
in
the notification destination database in advance via the communication
network.
~ 5 Thus, the monitoring person can directly know the contents of the
abnormality
that occurred in the monitored place through the monitored information
contained
in the e-mail received by the portable terminal. Further, the monitoring
person
requests the image captured by the imaging device in the monitoring apparatus
on
the basis of the identifier contained in the e-mail received by this portable
2o terminal, so that the monitoring person can directly receive the image in
the image
database provided in the monitoring apparatus and view it on the portable
terminal.
Another monitoring apparatus according to the present invention
comprises a detector and an imaging device, a notification destination
database for
25 storing an e-mail address of a portable terminal of a monitoring person in
advance
therein, an image database for storing images captured by the imaging device
therein, an image recording means for recording the images captured by the
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imaging device in the image database, and a notifying means for transmitting
an
e-mail containing monitored information on the basis of a detection result of
the
detector and an image in the image database to the e-mail address in the
notification destination database via a communication network.
According to this monitoring apparatus, when an abnormality occurs, the
e-mail containing the monitored information on the basis of the detection
results
of the detector and the image captured by the imaging device and recorded in
the
image database is transmitted to the e-mail address of the portable terminal
of the
monitoring person stored in the notification destination database in advance
via
1 o the communication network. Thus, the monitoring person can directly know
the
contents of the abnormality that occurred in the monitored place by the
monitored
information and image contained in the e-mail received by the portable
terminal.
Preferably, the monitoring apparatus according to the present invention
further comprises a monitored information database for storing monitored
information on the basis of the detection result of the detector, and a
monitored
information recording means for recording monitored information on the basis
of
the detection result of the detector in the monitored information database.
Thus,
the monitored information on the basis of the detection result of the detector
is
sequentially recorded in the monitored information database, so that it is
possible
2o to refer to the monitored information stored in the monitored information
database
later.
Preferably, the monitoring apparatus according to the present invention
further comprises a plurality of the detectors, wherein the notifying means
transmits the monitored information after complex analysis of respective
detection
results of the plurality of detectors. Thus, even when one of the detectors
erroneously detects the abnormality, the monitored information is not
transmitted
to the monitoring person's portable terminal as far as other detectors do not
detect
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the abnormality and it is not determined after complex analysis of the
respective
detection results of a plurality of detectors that any abnormality truly
occurred.
Preferably, the image recording means stores the images captured by the
imaging device in the image database with operation of the detector as a
trigger.
s Thus, the captured image synchronized with the operation of the detector can
be
obtained. When the detector is provided in a doorbell, it is possible to
obtain an
image of a visitor when the doorbell is activated or goes into operation.
A monitoring program according to the present invention is directed for
causing a computer to which a detector and an imaging device are connected to
1o function as a notification destination database for storing an e-mail
address of a
portable terminal of a monitoring person in advance therein,. an image
database
for storing images captured by the imaging device therein, an image recording
means for recording images captured by the imaging device in the image
database,
a notifying means for transmitting an e-mail containing monitored information
on
is the basis of a detection result of the detector and an identifier for
accessing an
image in the image database to the e-mail address in the notification
destination
database via a communication network, and an information providing means for
providing the image in the image database in response to a request on the
basis of
the identifier from the portable terminal.
20 Another monitoring program according to the present invention is directed
for causing a computer to which a detector and an imaging device are connected
to function as a notification destination database for storing an e-mail
address of a
portable terminal of a monitoring person in advance therein, an image database
for storing images captured by the imaging device therein, an image recording
2s means for recording images captured by the imaging device in the image
database,
and a notifying means for transmitting an e-mail containing monitored
information on the basis of a detection result of the detector and an image in
the
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image database to the e-mail address in the notification destination database
via a
conununication network.
The above monitoring program is executed on the computer to which the
detectors and the imaging device are connected, so that the computer can
function
similarly to the above monitoring apparatus according to the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a monitoring system according
t 0 to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a personal computer
which functions as a monitoring apparatus;
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing appearances of a remote control of monitoring
operation by a monitoring person's mobile phone;
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of notification of a fire alarm
operation as monitored information;
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of notification of a glass alarm
operation as monitored information;
Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of notification of an electronic
lock release at an entrance as monitored information; and
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of notification of pushing of a
doorbell of a door phone as monitored information.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a monitoring system according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
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In Fig. 1, the monitoring system according to the present embodiment
comprises a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as "PC") 1 which is
installed inside a building to be monitored and functions as a monitoring
apparatus by execution of a monitoring program, a CCD (Charge Coupled
Device) camera 2 as an imaging device, detectors 3 which detect various
statuses,
such as a door phone 3a, a gas sensor 3b, a heat sensor 3c, a smoke sensor 3d
and
a door/window sensor 3e, a modem device 4, and a telephone 5.
The CCD camera 2, the various detectors 3 (the door phone 3a, the gas
sensor 3b, the heat sensor 3c, the smoke sensor 3d, the door/window sensor 3e,
1 o and the like), the modem device 4, and the telephone 5 are connected to
the PC 1.
The PC 1 is connected to an Internet 6 as a communication network via the
modem device 4. Further, the monitoring system according to the present
embodiment utilizes a mobile phone 7, a hand-held computer (hereinafter,
referred to as "HC") 8, or the like as a portable terminal held by a
monitoring
I S person.
The door phone 3a comprises a doorbell, a microphone, a speaker, and the
like to detect pushing of the doorbell. The door phone 3a may incorporate the
CCD camera 2 therein. The gas sensor 3b is directed for detecting gas leakage.
The heat sensor 3c is directed for detecting heat generation due to fire or
the like.
2o The smoke sensor 3d is directed for detecting generation of smoke due to
fire or
the like. The door/window sensor 3e is directed for detecting opening/closing,
vibration, breaking, and the like of doors and windows.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the PC 1 functioning
as a monitoring apparatus.
25 As shown in Fig. 2, the PC 1 comprises various databases (hereinafter,
referred to as "DB") including a notification destination DB 11, a monitored
information DB 12, and an image DB 13, a monitored information recording
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means 14, an image recording means 15, a notifying means 16, and an
information providing means 17.
The notification destination DB 11 stores an e-mail address of the
monitoring person's mobile phone 7 in advance as a notification destination to
s which detection results and the like by the various detectors 3 are
notified. The
e-mail address registered in the notification destination DB 11 can be
arbitrarily
set by the monitoring person through the PC 1. In addition, an e-mail address
of
the HC 8 can be registered other than the e-mail address of the mobile phone ?
as
an e-mail address of the notification destination.
to The monitored information DB 12 stores monitored information on the
basis of the detection results by the respective detectors 3 therein. The
monitored information includes a monitoring result analyzed on the basis of
the
detection result by each detector 3 in addition to the detection result itself
of each
detector 3. The image DB 13 stores images captured by 'the CCD camera 2
t 5 therein.
The monitored information recording means 14 is a means for sequentially
recording the monitored information on the basis of the detection results of
the
respective detectors 3 in the monitored information DB 12. The image recording
means 15 is a means for sequentially recording the images captured by the CCD
2o camera 2 in the image DB 13. The image recording means 15 has a function of
storing the images captured by the CCD camera 2 in the image DB 13 with
operation of the detector 3 as a trigger, such as detection of pushing of the
doorbell by the door phone 3a.
The notifying means 16 is a means for transmitting m e-mail containing
2s the monitored information on the basis of the detection result of each of
the above
detectors 3 and URL (Uniform Resource Locator) as an identifier for accessing
the image in the image DB 13 or the image information itself in the image DB
13
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to the e-mail address registered in the notification destination DB 11 via the
Internet 6.
Furthermore, the notifying means 16 has a function of transmitting the
monitored information only when it is determined after complex analysis of the
respective detection results of a plurality of the detectors 3 that an
abnormality
truly occurred. Here, the URL for accessing the image in the image DB 13 is
directed for performing an information providing request from the mobile phone
7
to the information providing means 17 described below.
The information providing means 17 is directed for providing the image in
to the image DB 13 in response to the information providing request on the
basis of
the URL from the mobile phone 7. Further, the information providing means 17
has a function of providing not only the image in the image DB 13 but also
details
of the monitored information stored in the monitored information DB 12 in
response to the request from the mobile phone 7.
Next, an example of monitoring by the monitoring system having the
above configuration will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 7.
When monitoring by the monitoring system according to the present
embodiment is performed, at first, a monitoring program is executed on the PC
1
to initiate monitoring operation. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 3, it is
possible
2o to remotely control ON/OFF of the operations of the respective detectors 3
by
connecting to the PC 1 via the Internet 6 and the modem device 4 by the
monitoring person's mobile phone 7.
During monitoring by the monitoring apparatus, the CCD camera 2 is
capturing images at a predetermined timing at any time, and the image
recording
means 15 is sequentially recording the images captured by the CCD camera 2 in
the image DB 13. Alternatively, the image recording means 15 may be
configured to store the images captured by the CCD camera 2 in the image DB 13
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with the detection operation of each of the detectors 3 as a trigger.
When each of the detectors 3 detects an abnormality, the monitored
information recording means 14 records the monitored information on the basis
of
the detection result by the detectors 3 in the monitored information DB 12.
Then,
s the notifying means 16 transmits an e-mail containing the monitored
information
in the monitored information DB 12 and the URL for accessing the image in the
image DB 13 to the e-mail address of the mobile phone 7 registered in the
notification destination DB 11 via the Internet 6.
Fig. 4 shows an example of notification of a fire alarm operation as the
1 o monitored information. When a temperature not less than the temperature
which
is determined as fire is detected by the heat sensor 3c, the e-mail in Fig. 4
is
transmitted to the mobile phone 7 by the notifying means 16. A detection
result
by the heat sensor 3c and a telephone number 21 to contact a fire station,
security
company, or the like as a suggested response thereto are described in this e-
mail.
15 Further, a link button 22 attached on the URL for accessing the image
captured by the CCD camera 2 and stored in the image DB 13 is embedded in this
e-mail. When this link button 22 is designated by the mobile phone 7, an
information providing request on the basis of the URL of the link button 22 is
made from the mobile phone 7 to the PC 1. The PC 1 performs processing by
2o the information providing means 17 on the basis of this request.
In response to the information providing request on the basis of the URL
from the mobile phone 7, the information providing means 1 ~~ provides the
image
in the image DB 13 and a Web page (not shown) indicating details of the
monitored information stored in the monitored information I)B 12 to the mobile
25 phone 7. The latest image captured by the CCD camera 2 and stored in the
image DB 13 is displayed on the web page.
Fig. 5 shows an example of notification of a glass alarm operation as the
CA 02423510 2003-03-26
monitored information. The e-mail in Fig. S is transmitted to the mobile phone
7
by the notifying means 16 when breaking of a window is detected by the
door/window sensor 3e and an intruder is detected by an infrared sensor as the
detector 3. A detection result by the door/window sensor 3e and a contact
telephone number 31 for a police station, the family, or the like as a
suggested
response thereto are described in this e-mail.
Further, a link button 32 attached on the URL for accessing the image
captured by the CCD camera 2 and stored in the image DB 13 is embedded in this
e-mail. When the link button 32 is designated by the mobile phone 7, an
l0 information providing request on the basis of the URL of the link button 32
is
made from the mobile phone 7 to the PC 1. The PC 1 performs processing by
the information providing means 17 on the basis of this request.
In response to the information providing request on the basis of the URL
from the mobile phone 7, the information providing means 17 provides the image
in the image DB 13 and a Web page 33 indicating details of the monitored
information stored in the monitored information DB 12 to the mobile phone 7.
The latest image (not shown) captured by the CCD camera 2 and stored in the
image DB 13 is displayed in the Web page 33.
As shown in Fig. 5, the detection results by a plurality of the detectors 3
2o (the door/window sensor 3e, the infrared sensor) are displayed in the Web
page 33.
In the example in Fig. 5, the notifying means 16 transmits the monitored
information to the mobile phone 7 after complex analy:>is of the respective
detection results of a plurality of the detectors 3. In this manner, in the
present
system, even when one of the detectors 3 erroneously detecta an abnormality,
the
monitored information is not transmitted to the monitoring person's mobile
phone
7 as far as other detectors do not detect the abnormality and it is not
determined
that the abnormality truly occurred as a result of complex analysis of the
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respective detection results of a plurality of the detectors 3, so that
erroneous
information can be prevented from being transmitted to the mobile phone 7.
Fig. 6 shows an example of notification of an electronic lock release at an
entrance as the monitored information. The e-mail in Fig. 6 is transmitted to
the
mobile phone 7 by the notifying means 16 when the electronic lock release at
the
entrance is detected by an electronic lock sensor as the detector 3. A
detection
result by the electronic lock sensor is described in the e-mail.
Further, a link button 41 attached on the URL for accessing the image
captured by the CCD camera 2 and stored in the image DB 13 is embedded in this
1o e-mail. When the link button 41 is designated by the mobile phone 7, an
information providing request on the basis of the URL of the link button 41 is
made from the mobile phone 7 to the PC 1. The PC 1 performs processing by
the information providing means 17 on the basis of this request. The
processing
by the information providing means 17 is performed as described above.
t s Fig. 7 shows an example of notification of pushing of the doorbell of the
door phone 3a as the monitored information. The monitored information
recording means 14 stores the image captured by the CCD camera 2 in the image
DB 13 with the detection of pushing of the doorbell of the door phone 3a as a
trigger. At this time, the notifying means 16 transmits an e-mail containing
the
2o monitored information indicating that the doorbell of the door phone 3a has
been
pushed and the URL for accessing the image stored in the image DB 13 to the
mobile phone 7. When the first e-mail is transmitted to the mobile phone 7 by
the notifying means 16, the image itself in the image DB 1.3 may be attached
to
the e-mail instead of transmitting the e-mail containing the I:JRL for
accessing the
25 image stored in the image DB 13.
In response to an information providing request on the basis of the URL
contained in the e-mail, the information providing means 17 provides the image
in
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the image DB 13 and a Web page 51 indicating details of the monitored
information stored in the monitored information DB 12 to the mobile phone 7.
A latest image 52 captured by the CCD camera 2 and stored in the image DB 13
is
displayed in the Web page 51.
Furthermore, in the monitoring system according to the present
embodiment, it is possible to respond to the pushing of the doorbell of the
door
phone 3a by the mobile phone 7 (refer to Figs. 7(a) and 7(b)). When responding
by the mobile phone 7, the mobile phone 7 and the telephone S are connected.
The telephone S is connected to the PC 1 to be connected to the microphone and
to the speaker of the door phone 3a via the PC 1, so that a call can be made
between
the mobile phone 7 and the door phone 3a.
Here, when the monitoring person wants to check the past visitors by the
mobile phone 7 (refer to Fig. 7(c)), an information request is made from the
mobile phone 7 to the PC 1. The information providing means 7 in the PC 1
refers to the monitored information DB 12 and the image DB 13 on the basis of
the request from the mobile phone 7 and provides the monitored information and
the image at the time the doorbell of the door phone 3a was pushed to the
mobile
phone 7.
As described above, the monitoring person can directly know the contents
of the abnormality occurred in the monitored place by the monitored
information
contained in the e-mail received by the mobile phone 7. Additionally, the
monitoring person requests the image captured by the CCI) camera 2 into the PC
1 on the basis of the link button 22 attached on the URL contained in the e-
mail
received by the mobile phone 7, so that the monitoring person can directly
receive
the image in the image DB 13 provided in the PC 1 and view it on the mobile
phone 7.
Therefore, in the monitoring system according to the present embodiment,
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when an image is captured for the monitoring person, the monitored
information,
the image, or the like is directly transmitted from the PC 1 to the monitoring
person's mobile phone 7 without following the processes of calling,
responding,
user authenticating, and distributing that are required in the conventional
systems,
s so that the monitoring person can obtain the information in a short time.
Furthermore, the images by the cameras of a plurality of monitoring persons
are
no longer subjected to central control in the server of the monitoring center,
but
the images by the CCD camera 2 and the respective sensors 3 are controlled by
the individual PC 1 of each monitoring person and the information is
transmitted
1o from the PC I to the monitoring person's mobile phone 7. Accordingly, time
loss for information acquisition due to excessive accesses does not occur.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown
and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to
those
skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited
only
15 by the appended claims.
14
