GB2354900A

GB2354900A - Presence sensitive photographic device

Info

Publication number: GB2354900A
Application number: GB9923249A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Lucas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-02
Filing date: 1999-10-02
Publication date: 2001-04-04
Also published as: GB9923249D0

Abstract

The photographic device comprises a main body 1 having means for receiving and storing digital images and a sub-body 2 which has a sensor 4 for detecting the presence of a being and means for taking a series of images of the being over period of time. The device is activated using a remote radio frequency transmitter. The sub-body 2 may be attached to the main body by means of an adjustable rod or may be detachable from the main body 1. The sensor 4 may be heat or motion sensitive, means may be provided to include the date and time on the images.

Description

2354900 Page 1 Presence Sensitive Photographic Device This invention is a

lightweight, portable, presence sensitive, remotely activated photographic device for use within a building or outside.

The invention relates to the sensing and photographing of a body or bodies who have entered a property or encroached upon an outside area, thus providing photographic evidence of their presence. Its small, lightweight portability enables it to be placed undetected.

Conventional CCTV video cameras can provide photographic evidence for the detection of a body or bodies passing within the field of view of the camera. The installation of CCTV cameras and recording equipment can be expensive and often, has to record for long periods, up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Once installed, this equipment is fixed in a permanent position. It can require a length of time before the photographic evidence stored on the video tape can be located.

This invention can be placed in any location within a property or outside and can subsequently be relocated easily. The invention operates silently. The invention can be remotely activated into a standby mode at any time. The invention is then triggered by the detection of a moving presence or detection of body heat, and takes a predetermined number of photographs of the body/bodies in the field of view over a specified period of time. The digitally stored pictures on the invention can then be downloaded to a PC or similar computer equipment for viewing. The invention provides unobtrusive recording of photographic evidence stored in a digital picture format that can be rapidly accessed and reproduced upon demand.

The invention ("the unit") consists of a main body (1) with a detachable subbody (2). The detachable sub-body comprises of a lens apparatus (3), movement sensor or heat sensor (4) and light level sensor (5). The main body and sub body are activated into a standby mode by a remote activator radio frequency transmitter (6) The main body contains a DC battery compartment (7) DC input socket for alternative power supply (8) main processor/control circuit (9) to convert photographic data received through the lens apparatus into digital format and to control data output to digital output socket (10) a storage circuit for digital storage of pictures (11) an interval timer circuit to determine the time interval between each photograph (12) remote activator radio frequency sensor and receiver (13) reset button (14) an internal battery (25) to maintain storage on the digital data storage circuit and to supply date and time circuit (15) that records date and time onto the recorded digital pictures.

Page 2 The detachable sub-body is connected to the main body by means of a flexible, conducting wire bundle of a given length (24). This allows the subbody to be positioned away from the main body.

The sub-body can be attached to the main body by means of grooved slots (16) within the main body. The main body can be attached to a solid surface by means of an adjustable fixing bracket (17) which can be angled through 90 degrees into a chosen position in either the vertical or horizontal plane dependent on the rotation of the main body The sub-body can be attached at an adjustable distance from the main body by a mounting rod (18) which is inserted into a ball swivel socket (19) on the sub-body and a ball swivel socket(l 9) within the main body. By means of lying the main body on any of its available five sides, the sub- body can be angled and positioned to provide the most discrete and most suitable position for use of the sub-body. The direction of the sub-body can be aligned in the intended direction of use by an alignment sight (20) on the sub-body. The sight is looked through from behind the sub- body to ensure that the sub-body is pointed in the intending direction of use. If it is not possible to align the subbody by viewing from behind there is a detachable alignment rod (21) which is attached in front of and used to position the sub-body in the intended direction.

The unit has three modes of operation i) Dormant Mode - the de-activated dormant mode when the unit has not been activated or has been deactivated by the remote activator radio frequency transmitter ("the remote activator") ii) Standby Mode - the activated standby mode whereby the unit has been activated by the remote activator and has not sensed any movement within the arc and distance of the movement sensor or heat sensor. iii) Operational Mode - when movement or heat has been detected by the movement sensor or heat sensor in standby mode and the unit becomes operational and a series of digital photographs are captured by and recorded onto the unit.

The main body is activated into standby mode with the remote activator (6) by pressing the activate button (22) which transmits a radio frequency over a given distance and is received by the remote sensor and receiver on the main body The unit can use a plurality of remote activators, all of which are assigned the same radio frequency as the main body activator sensor and receiver, thus enabling more than one individual to activate or deactivate the main body of the unit.

Page 3 A plurality of units can be assigned the same radio frequency as one remote activator so enabling one remote activator to activate one or more units from dormant mode into standby mode.

When the remote sensor and receiver on the main body receives the radio signal from the remote activator, the unit is activated and the main processor will set the unit into a standby mode whereby the motion sensor or heat sensor is sensitised to detect any subsequent movement or heat that occurs within a predetermined arc and distance of the sub-body.

Once movement is detected, the unit is in operational mode, where the light level sensor will adjust the level of sensitivity of the lens apparatus to suit a range of ambient light conditions. The main processor then initiates the taking of photos via the lens apparatus on the subbody into digital format on the main body, at a time interval between each photo set by the interval timer circuit, up to a number of photographs specified by the storage space available on the digital data storage circuit.

Once the lens apparatus is operational, the unit will continue to take photographs until the digital data storage circuit is full. When the sequence of photos has been captured and stored, the processor control reverts the unit to dormant mode whilst maintaining ail digitally stored data on the digital data storage circuit. The storage of the photos in digital format within the unit can be maintained by means of an internal battery which will supply the main processor and digital data storage circuit even if the main battery supply or external DC supply is disconnected. The internal battery supplies the date and time circuit which records date and time onto the digitally stored photograph.

As the unit is light and portable, it can be easily moved to a convenient location to be connected, via the digital output socket and suitable cable, to a PC or similar computer for the copying of the digital data from the digital data storage circuit within the unit onto the computer. The digital data can then be stored on the computer as picture files for analysis.

The original digital data stored within the unit remains stored until such time as the reset button is pressed on the main body. Once pressed, the reset button will erase any stored data and resets the unit, via the main processor into a dormant mode, ready to be used again by activating the remote activator.

The small size of the main body and the sub-body will allow the invention to be concealed so that its presence and use as a detection and recording device will not be apparent.

Page 4 The remote activator has an activate and de-activate mode so that when leaving a given area where the unit has been positioned, an individual(s) who possess(es) the remote activator(s) can activate the main body and sub-body into a standby mode. The unit will then take photographs upon any intrusion into the area covered by the arc and range of the movement sensor or heat sensor on the sub-body and upon returning to that area, the individual(s) who activated the unit can by using the de-activate switch, put the unit into a dormant mode and the photos that were taken are then stored on the digital data storage circuit for copying onto a PC or any other suitable computer.

When there are no photographs taken during the activated standby mode, operating the de-activator button (23) on the remote activator switch will set the main body back to a dormant mode, ready to be re-activated to standby mode at a chosen time.

S.

Claims

1 A presence sensitive photographic device of silent operation comprising of a main body which receives and stores digital photographs from data received from the sub-body, a sub-body which detects the presence of a being and photographs the being over a predetermined period, a remote activator radio frequency transmitter which activates both the main body and sub-body into and out of operational mode.

2. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sub-body is adapted to reside with the main body and is detachable from the main body.

3. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the main body comprises a central processor control, digital data storage circuit, digital output socket, reset switch, remote activator radio frequency sensor and receiver, date and time circuit, internal timer circuit, DC battery compartment, DC input power socket, internal battery, angled mounting bracket, ball swivel socket, mounting rod.

4. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claim 1 and 2 wherein the sub-body comprises of a lens apparatus, movement sensor or heat sensor, light level sensor, ball swivel socket, alignment sight, alignment rod.

5. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the remote activator comprises of an activate button, de-activate button, radio frequency transmitter.

6. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claims 1 - 5 wherein the main body and sub-body are activated to standby mode and deactivated to dormant mode by remote use of the remote activator radio frequency transmitter.

7. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claims 1 - 6 wherein once activated, the device will upon intrusion by a moving body within the arc and range of sensitivity of the sub-body record photographs and store the data digitally within the main body.

8. A presence sensitive photographic device as claimed in claims 1 - 7 wherein digitally stored photographs within the main body can be outputted to a PC or similar device via the digital output socket.

9. A presence sensitive photographic device substantially described herein with reference to figures 1 - 3 of the accompanying drawing.