Conservation of power while providing for controlled high capacity data transmission on demand in camera units and peripheral devices for a smart home system.
대표청구항▼
1. A video subsystem for a smart home ecosystem comprising a wireless internet access point, the subsystem comprising: a dispatch unit comprising a wireless receiver operable on a Wi-Fi protocol, a wireless transmitter operable on the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless protocol, and an interface ad
1. A video subsystem for a smart home ecosystem comprising a wireless internet access point, the subsystem comprising: a dispatch unit comprising a wireless receiver operable on a Wi-Fi protocol, a wireless transmitter operable on the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless protocol, and an interface adapted and configured to operate the wireless transmitter to transmit an activation signal via the BLE protocol in response to an activation request received by the wireless receiver;a wire-free camera unit, comprising a wireless receiver operable on the BLE protocol, a camera sensor module, a self-contained power source, a Wi-Fi transmitter controllable to either of a default power-off state or an operating state, and a controller adapted and configured to, in response to an activation signal received directly from the dispatch unit via the wireless receiver of the camera unit, control the Wi-Fi transmitter to an operating state and operate the camera sensor and Wi-Fi transmitter to transmit a high-definition video transmission directly to the wireless internet access point, and thereafter return the Wi-Fi transmitter to its default power-off state;wherein the video subsystem implements a communication path comprising: Wi-Fi to Bluetooth Low Energy in the dispatch unit, then Bluetooth Low Energy to Bluetooth Low Energy wirelessly from the dispatch unit to the camera unit, then Bluetooth Low Energy to Wi-Fi in the camera unit, then Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi wirelessly from the camera unit to the wireless internet access point. 2. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the self-contained power source comprises at least one battery and the maintenance-free battery life of the wire-free camera unit is at least 18 months in normal usage with continuous monitoring for activation signals and video transmission averaging 5 minutes per day. 3. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the power consumption figure of merit of the camera unit is at least 2:1. 4. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the range of the wireless transmitter of the dispatch unit is extended by relaying transmissions over a mesh network. 5. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the operating range of the transmission of the activation signal by the dispatch unit to the camera unit is at least 43 meters. 6. The video subsystem of claim 1, further comprising an alert sensor adapted and configured to detect an event and thereupon communicate an alert signal to the controller of the camera unit, and the controller of the camera unit is adapted and configured to, upon receiving an alert signal, control the Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit to an operating state and operate the camera sensor and Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit to transmit a high-definition video transmission and thereafter return the Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit to its default power-off state, wherein the alert sensor comprises an event sensor selected from a motion sensor, an infrared sensor, a switch, a doorbell button, a temperature sensor, a smoke detector, an intrusion sensor, and an audio sensor. 7. The video subsystem of claim 1, further comprising a smart phone application operable, when installed on a smart phone, to receive from a user a command to activate the camera unit, and thereupon relay a control signal to the dispatch unit over a communication channel comprising an internet access point. 8. The video subsystem of claim 1, further comprising a smart phone application operable, when installed on a smart phone, to receive from a user a command to activate the camera unit, and thereupon relay a control signal to the dispatch unit via a direct wireless transmission from the smart phone to the dispatch unit. 9. The video subsystem of claim 1, further comprising a smart phone application operable, when installed on a smart phone, to receive a video transmission transmitted by the camera unit and relayed to the smart phone over a communication channel comprising an internet access point. 10. The video subsystem of claim 1, further comprising a smart phone application operable, when installed on a smart phone, to receive a video signal transmission transmitted by the camera unit and relayed directly to the smart phone using a Wi-Fi protocol. 11. The video subsystem of claim 1, further comprising one or more smart home peripheral devices, each smart home peripheral device comprising a wireless receiver operable on a Bluetooth Low Energy wireless protocol, a controller for detecting an instruction signal received by the wireless receiver, and a functional unit controllable by the controller to perform a function in response to an instruction signal received via the wireless receiver. 12. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the dispatch unit and the camera unit are installable and operable with no permanent physical alteration of the installation site. 13. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit is operable to transmit continuous video at a frame rate of at least 12 frames per second and a resolution selected from 1080p, 720p, 480p, and 360p. 14. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the average power drain on the self-contained power source of the camera unit is less than 150 uA when the Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit is in its default power-off state. 15. The video subsystem of claim 1, wherein the dispatch unit further comprises a wireless receiver adapted and configured to receive via a Bluetooth Low Energy wireless protocol a message transmitted by a source selected from: the camera unit, a smart home peripheral device, a smart phone, a tablet, and a computer. 16. A wire-free camera unit, comprising a wireless receiver operable on a Bluetooth Low Energy wireless protocol, a camera sensor module, a self-contained power source, a Wi-Fi transmitter controllable to either of a default power-off state or an operating state, and a controller adapted and configured to monitor the wireless receiver and, in response to an activation signal received via the wireless receiver, control the Wi-Fi transmitter to an operating state and operate the camera sensor and Wi-Fi transmitter to transmit a high-definition video transmission directly to a wireless internet access point and thereafter return the Wi-Fi transmitter to its default power-off state; wherein the wire-free camera unit is adapted and configured to be compatible with a communication path comprising conversion from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth Low Energy, then wireless transmission from a Bluetooth Low Energy transmitter to the Bluetooth Low Energy receiver of the camera unit, then Bluetooth Low Energy to Wi-Fi by the camera unit, then transmission by Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi wirelessly from the camera unit to a wireless internet access point. 17. The wire-free camera unit of claim 16, wherein the self-contained power source comprises at least one battery and the maintenance free battery life of the camera unit is at least 18 months in normal usage with continuous monitoring for activation signals and video transmission averaging 5 minutes per day. 18. The wire-free camera unit of claim 16, wherein the power consumption figure of merit of the camera unit is at least 2:1. 19. The wire-free camera unit of claim 16, wherein the Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit is operable to transmit continuous video at a frame rate of at least 12 frames per second and a resolution selected from 1080p, 720p, 480p, and 360p. 20. The wire-free camera unit of claim 16, wherein the average power drain on the self-contained power source of the camera unit is less than 150 uA when the Wi-Fi transmitter of the camera unit is in its default power-off state. 21. A method of using the wire-free camera unit of claim 16, the method comprising: via the wireless receiver, receiving an activation signal;in response thereto, controlling the Wi-Fi transmitter to its operating state;controlling the Wi-Fi transmitter to transmit a high-definition video transmission; andafter completion of the high-definition video transmission, returning the Wi-Fi transmitter to its default power-off state. 22. A method of using the video subsystem of claim 1, the method comprising: from the wireless internet access point, transmitting a first wireless communication via a Wi-Fi protocol;in the dispatch unit, receiving the first wireless communication and in response thereto transmitting a second wireless communication via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol;in the wire-free camera unit, receiving the second wireless communication and in response thereto transmitting a third wireless communication via a Wi-Fi protocol;at the wireless internet access point, receiving the third wireless communication.
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