SISTEMA DE MONITORAMENTO DE SEGURANÇA, UNIDADE DE CONTROLE E NÓ DE CÂMERA PARA O DITO SISTEMA E MÉTODOS DE OPERAÇÃO
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- BR · BR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VERISURE SARL
- Filing Date
- 2020-11-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-04
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
DESCRIPTIVE REPORT “SECURITY MONITORING SYSTEM, CONTROL UNIT AND CAMERA NODE FOR SAID SYSTEM AND OPERATING METHODS” FIELD OF TECHNIQUE
[001] The present invention relates to a security monitoring system for monitoring facilities, a camera node and a control unit for such a system, and a method for controlling the transmission of data from a camera node to a control unit in such a system. BACKGROUND
[002] Security monitoring systems for monitoring facilities typically provide a means to detect the presence and / or actions of people on the premises and to react to detected events. Typically, these systems include sensors to detect the opening and closing of doors and windows, motion detectors to monitor spaces for signs of movement, microphones to detect sounds such as broken glass, and image sensors to capture still or moving images of monitored areas. Such systems may be stand-alone, with alarm indicators such as sirens and flashing lights that can be activated if an alarm condition is detected.
[003] Alternatively, a security monitoring system may include an installation at a location, domestic or commercial, that is connected to a Central Monitoring Station (CMS), where typically human operators manage the responses required by different types of alarms and notifications.
[004] Such installations typically include a central unit (also known as a control unit) that is coupled to the sensors, detectors, cameras, etc. (“nodes”), and which processes received notifications and determines a response. The central unit is commonly connected to the various nodes wirelessly, rather than by wires, as this simplifies installation and can also provide some safeguards against sensors / detectors being effectively disabled by disconnecting them from the central unit. Similarly, for ease of installation and Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, page 86 / 126 2 / 29 To improve safety, the nodes of such systems typically include a self-contained power source, such as a battery, instead of being powered by the electrical grid.
[005] In centrally monitored systems, the central unit at the facility typically processes notifications received from the nodes at the facility and notifies the Central Monitoring Station of only some of them, depending on the system configurations and the nature of the events detected. In such a configuration, the facility's central unit effectively acts as a communication gateway between the nodes and the Central Monitoring Station.
[006] In both centrally managed and autonomous security monitoring systems, one of the most important issues, from a practical perspective, is the battery life of the installation's nodes – that is, the battery life of the various detectors, sensors, and cameras. Obviously, if a node's battery loses enough power, the node may be unable to sense a change of state or contact the central unit, and consequently, the security installation develops a weak point where an intruder can gain access to the premises undetected or without their actions being detected. For centrally managed systems, it is generally the responsibility of the company, rather than the owner or occupant of the premises, to replace the batteries, and obviously, the shorter the battery life in the nodes, the more frequently site visits need to be made and the higher the administrative cost.Consequently, controlling energy consumption at the nodes is a high priority.
[007] Furthermore, it is very important to ensure a fast and timely delivery of notifications and alarms from the node to the CMS so that necessary and appropriate actions and interventions can be organized. Perhaps surprisingly, from a practical perspective, delaying the initial distribution of an incident notification to the CMS by even a second or less can have very significant consequences – and this is due to the effective quantization of the availability of response options. For example, there will always be a limited number of first responders available, Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, page 87 / 126 3 / 29 and response vehicles (collectively “first responder resources”) and, in general, once a first responder is allocated to a first incident, that resource will not be available for allocation to another incident until it withdraws from the first. In other words, even a momentary delay during the distribution of the initial incident report to the CMS can lead to delays of minutes or hours in the distribution of the response required for the incident – and, obviously, the consequence of a delayed response can be relatively and literally fatal.
[008] It is known that video cameras for security monitoring systems are equipped with Wi-Fi radios to enable them to transmit video data to a central monitoring system unit via Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi radio and the video camera are activated if a PIR associated with the video camera detects motion. Finally, Wi-Fi radios tend to consume batteries relatively quickly, and such an arrangement typically requires high-capacity batteries and / or an external power source if frequent battery replacement or power loss is to be avoided.
[009] Another disadvantage of using Wi-Fi in a security system is that an individual needs to monitor or supervise the system nodes. This is done through periodic messages, and Wi-Fi consumes significant power in performing this simple task.
[010] It would be beneficial if an alternative approach could be provided to enable, for example, video data to be transmitted at high speed between a node and a central unit of a security monitoring system, to enable timely action to be taken based on the information contained in the video data, in such a way as to avoid excessive power consumption at the node, thus extending the node's battery life. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[011] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a station of Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 88 / 126 4 / 29 monitoring, where the system includes: a control unit for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system, and which has a first radio frequency transceiver that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate, and a controller for controlling the radio frequency transceivers; a camera node having a node controller; an image sensor for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver, for communication with the control unit; a secondary node radio frequency transceiver, for receiving control messages from the control unit, wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver; The camera node controller is configured to: activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver to transmit a captured image as a first image file over a communications channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver; The control unit is configured, upon receiving the first image file, to transmit the first image file to the monitoring station. This system is advantageous because the updated / current credentials needed to access a communications channel via the primary node's radio frequency transceiver can be received via the secondary node's radio frequency transceiver, without the primary transceiver needing to be switched on during the likely long interval between transmission sessions. This can contribute to significant power savings, which is particularly beneficial where the node Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 89 / 126 The 5 / 29 camera relies on a standalone power source, such as a battery power supply.
[012] Typically, the primary node radio frequency transceiver is a Wi-Fi transceiver, and the secondary node radio frequency transceiver is a non-Wi-Fi transceiver operating in one or more of the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical bands.
[013] In the first aspect security monitoring system, the control unit can be configured: In response to receiving an event notification from a system node, to transmit, using the second radio frequency transceiver, a control message to the camera node for the camera node to transmit a captured image, the control message including credentials for use by the primary node's radio frequency transceiver to access the communication channel; and the camera node's node controller is configured, in response to receiving the control message, to: Activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver and use the provided credentials to access the communication channel to transmit the captured image as the first image file over the communication channel. This approach has the advantage that the primary transceiver can avoid scanning for an available channel, for example, before it can transmit an image file.
[014] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method is provided for operating a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station, and the system includes: a control unit for controlling, arming, and disarming the security monitoring system, and which has a first radio frequency transceiver that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second transceiver of Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 90 / 126 6 / 29 radio frequency that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate and a controller to control the radio frequency transceivers; a camera node having a node controller; an image sensor for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver, for communication with the control unit; a secondary node radio frequency transceiver, for receiving control messages from the control unit, wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver; where the method includes: The camera node's node controller activates the primary node's radio frequency transceiver to access a communication channel; transmit a captured image as a first image file over the communications channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver; The control unit, upon receiving the first image file, transmits that first image file to the monitoring station.
[015] According to a further aspect of the present invention, a control unit is provided for a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station, and the system includes a camera node that has: a node controller; an image sensor for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver, for communication with the control unit; Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 91 / 126 7 / 29 a secondary node radio frequency transceiver, for receiving control messages from the control unit, wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver; the control unit having: a first radio frequency transceiver that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate, and a controller to control the radio frequency transceivers; The control unit is configured: In response to receiving an event notification from a system node, to transmit, using the second radio frequency transceiver, a control message to the camera node for the camera node to transmit a captured image, wherein the control message includes credentials for use by the primary node's radio frequency transceiver in accessing a communication channel; The control unit is configured, upon receiving an image file captured from the camera node, to transmit the received image file to the monitoring station.
[016] According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for operating a control unit for a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station, and the system includes a camera node that has: a node controller; an image sensor for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver, for communication with the control unit; Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 92 / 126 8 / 29 a secondary node radio frequency transceiver, for receiving control messages from the control unit, wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver; the control unit having: a first radio frequency transceiver that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate, and a controller to control the radio frequency transceivers; where the method includes: In response to receiving an event notification from a system node at the control unit, transmit, using the second radio frequency transceiver, a control message to the camera node for the camera node to transmit a captured image, wherein the control message includes credentials for use by the primary node's radio frequency transceiver to access a communication channel; A control unit, upon receiving an image file captured from the camera node, transmits the received image file to the monitoring station.
[017] According to a further aspect of the present invention, a camera node is provided for a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system includes a control unit for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system; the camera node that includes: a node controller; an image sensor for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver, for communication with the control unit; Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 93 / 126 9 / 29 a secondary node radio frequency transceiver, to receive control messages from the control unit, wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver; and the node controller is configured to: Activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver to access a communication channel; and transmit a captured image as a first image file over the communication channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver.
[018] According to the additional aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for operating a camera node of a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system includes a control unit for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system; the camera node that includes: a node controller; an image sensor for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver, for communication with the control unit; a secondary node radio frequency transceiver, for receiving control messages from the control unit, wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver; and wherein the method comprises: activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver to access the communication channel; and Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 94 / 126 10 / 29 transmit a captured image as a first image file over the communications channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[019] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an overview of a security monitoring system according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic drawing that shows in more detail the features of the communication port or control unit of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic drawing showing features of a two-transceiver camera node of the security monitoring system according to one embodiment of the invention. SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
[020] One of the main components of power consumption nodes is the activity of the circuitry responsible for wireless communication, typically RF, with the control unit 110. Generally, in high-security systems, the nodes are in bidirectional contact with the control unit, being able to receive and send information to the control unit 110. For example, some security monitoring installations may operate on a synchronized basis, where each node has an internal clock that must be kept synchronized with the master clock in the control unit 110. To maintain synchronization, the central unit may send periodic warning signals, and the nodes listen to them periodically and adjust their clock synchronization as needed. This synchronization can help ensure that multiple nodes can communicate with the central unit in the event of an incident detection without node transmissions colliding.Power consumption considerations also influence the choice of RF communication mode, and regular speed transmission is typically possible between nodes and the central unit, and vice versa. Typically, Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 95 / 126 11 / 29 These low-power radio systems use ISM radio channels and protocols designed to reduce power consumption.
[021] When not listening for synchronization signals and when not sending an event notification, the node radios are typically in a low-power hibernation state. Some detectors and sensors, such as magnetic switches used on doors and windows and PIR detectors, consume virtually no power while waiting to detect an event. But other detectors, such as cameras, need to have high-power functionality turned off to avoid power consumption, typically being turned on only when triggered by the detector's low-power functionality, when another sensor detects movement, or when instructed to turn on by the 110 control unit.
[022] The use of regular speed transmission is possible and, in many cases, advantageous due to the fact that, in general, we can notify the event control unit with only very modest amounts of data. The main exceptions are sensors that provide image data, image sensors generally cameras of some kind, and those that provide sound data, microphones, which can each produce significant amounts of data. Although it is naturally possible to send large amounts of data over a low bit rate channel, this takes considerable time and, consequently, consumes a lot of energy.If an event has been detected by a sensor, such as a PIR or a door / window opening sensor, and there is, for example, a video camera capable of monitoring an area that includes the event's location, it would be desirable to be able to transfer usable images and video frames to the control unit as quickly as possible so that the nature and scale of the threat can be determined – and so that in a centrally monitored system the images / video sequence can be forwarded to the CMS 200 for analysis and action. Currently, such analysis is typically performed by human operators, but it is likely that, in the near future, artificial intelligence will be used for this purpose. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 96 / 126 12 / 29 supplementary, and eventually perhaps replace or greatly replace human operators. But in any case, the need exists for images and video sequences to be available for analysis in the CMS as soon as possible after an incident is first detected.
[023] Figure 1 is an overview of a security monitoring system according to a first aspect of the invention. The figure shows a stylized home installation 100 of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the invention, and a monitoring center (Central Monitoring Station) 200 that supports the home installation. The installation 100 includes a communication port or control unit, 110, which is connected to the monitoring center 200 by means of a data connection 150. The data connection 150 may be provided via a telephone line, a broadband internet connection, Ethernet, a dedicated data connection or wirelessly, for example, using an LTE or GSM network, and in general, several of these options will exist for any installation, so that there is secure connection between the communication port 110 and the monitoring center 200.For added security, the central unit 110 or a sensor communicating with the central unit 110 and the monitoring center may be equipped with means to support an ISM radio connection, for example, in the European frequency band from 863 to 870 MHz, preferably configured to resist interference.
[024] The domestic installation 100 involves a typical arrangement in which the external doors 120 and windows 124 are fitted with sensors 114, for example magnetic contact sensors, to detect the opening of the door or window. Each of the rooms in the building that has the installation can be fitted with a combined fire / smoke detector 116, as shown in the Figure. In addition, several rooms have motion detectors 118, such as passive infrared (PIR) detectors, to detect movement within an observed zone within the room. The front door 120 of the building leads to a corridor which also has internal doors to various rooms of the house. The corridor is monitored by a camera of Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 97 / 126 13 / 29 video 125 which has an associated motion detector. Similarly, the kitchen, which is accessed through the back door 121, is monitored by a video camera 126 that includes a motion detector. Each of the sensors, detectors, and video cameras, which may be generically referred to as nodes throughout this descriptive report, includes a wireless interface through which it can communicate with the central unit 110. The central unit 110 includes the first and second antennas 130 and 132 for communication with the sensors, detectors, and video cameras. In addition, the central unit 110 may include at least one additional antenna 134 for wireless communication with the monitoring center. Each of these antennas may be connected to a corresponding transceiver, not shown.In addition, the central unit 110 may include a dedicated antenna array for Wi-Fi, for example, to connect to camera nodes 125 and also to connect to a home Wi-Fi access point 180. The Wi-Fi access point may also provide one of the means of access to the monitoring center 200. Optionally, the central unit 110 may itself function as a Wi-Fi access point, with a connection (e.g., a wired connection) to an Internet service provider, to provide Wi-Fi coverage within the building in place of the Wi-Fi access point 180.
[025] Some installations may include more than one control unit (CU), for example, two control units, to provide a backup against failures. In general, in these multi-CU installations, the two CUs work together in parallel. However, in some installations the two CUs may work in parallel in communication with some of the nodes of the home installation and individually in communication with other nodes of the home installation. The latter may be the case when the CU is used as a range extender in home installations that span larger installations. That is, if there are two CUs, they work in parallel, but a node is only connected to one of the CUs at a time, and that CU is responsible for all communication with the node, while the other CU can listen to and understand all communication between the other two – if that is not the case. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 98 / 126 14 / 29 for a reach extension scenario.
[026] In a home installation 100, the control unit 110 typically has knowledge of all nodes comprised in the installation 100. Each node may have a unique node identifier or serial number that is used to identify the node. Each node may have different functionalities associated with it, such as, for example, video capabilities, motion detection, still images, audio recording, communication speeds, etc. Some or all of the capabilities may be communicated from the node to the control unit during a logon procedure during the installation 100 setup. Alternatively and / or additionally, some or all of the capabilities may be communicated to the control unit from the node, upon request from the control unit 110. Alternatively and / or additionally, some or all of the capabilities may be retrieved by the control unit 110 from the CMS 200.
[027] Figure 2 is a schematic drawing showing in more detail the features of a communication port or control unit 110 of Figure 1. The control unit 110 includes a first transceiver 230 coupled to the first antenna 130. The transceiver 230 can both transmit and receive, but cannot transmit and receive simultaneously. Thus, the transceiver 230 operates in duplex mode, and can use the same frequency to transmit and receive, or different frequencies. The transceiver 230 is coupled to a controller 250 by a bus. The controller 250 is also connected to a network interface 260 through which the controller 250 can be wired to the Internet and thus to the monitoring center 200.The 250 controller is also coupled to a 270 memory that can store data received from the various nodes of the installation – for example, event data, sounds, images and video data, as well as stored programs to control the operation of the control unit. In general, the control unit acts as a router that provides a path to the central monitoring station for audio and video data (more generally, image); storage of such data in the control unit is optional. The unit of... Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 99 / 126 The 15 / 29 control unit 110 includes a power supply 262 that can be coupled to a main household power supply, from which the control unit 110 usually derives power, and a backup battery pack 264 that provides power to the control unit in the event of a failure of the main power supply.
[028] Control unit 110 also includes a second transceiver 240 which, unlike the first transceiver, supports the use of Wi-Fi protocols (using some variant of IEEE 802.11), and the associated antenna array 242, which can be used for communication with any of the Wi-Fi enabled nodes, for example, with one or more camera nodes. A Wi-Fi enabled camera node may include or be associated with a motion detector and have video and / or stationary image capabilities. Such a Wi-Fi node (whether a camera node or not) may include, and preferably will include, both means for Wi-Fi communication and means for regular ISM (non-Wi-Fi) communication.
[029] The control unit 110 may also include an interface enabling bidirectional communication via a Public Terrestrial Mobile Network (PLMN), such as GSM or LTE, and one is shown in the Figure as interface 244 with antenna arrangement 246. Optionally, a third antenna 134 and associated ISM transceiver 234 may be provided for communication with the monitoring center 200 via, for example, the European frequency band from 863 to 870 MHz.
[030] Throughout this descriptive report, references to Wi-Fi relate to systems and elements that operate according to some variant of the 802.11 standard. On the other hand, systems, devices and elements referred to as ISM should not be considered as adopting Wi-Fi, unless the context requires otherwise.
[031] The first transceiver is a tunable ISM device that operates, for example, in the European frequency band from 863 to 870 MHz or in the 915 MHz band (which may cover 902-928 MHz or 915-928 MHz depending on the country). The first transceiver may be tunable, that is, it is tunable to frequencies within the regulatory-agreed sub-bands within that frequency band. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 100 / 126 16 / 29 defined. As will be explained, the first 230 transceiver generally provides a control channel for communication between the control unit and the system nodes, but it can also be used for other purposes. While the Wi-Fi 240 transceiver is used to support a high-speed channel (that is, one that has a higher symbol rate or bit rate compared to the control channel provided by the first transceiver) which is not supported by the first transceiver. But the communication port controller can be configured to offer one or more communication channels operated by the first transceiver that provide a higher transmission speed than that provided by the control channel provided by the first transceiver.
[032] Figure 3 is a schematic drawing showing the features of a Wi-Fi enabled node of the security monitoring system according to one embodiment of the invention. In this case, the node is a camera node like the video camera 126 that is mounted in the kitchen, as shown in Figure 1, although it could instead be a camera for producing only still images or sequences of still images. The Wi-Fi node includes a radio frequency node transceiver 340, coupled to an antenna 330, primarily for exchanging control messages with the control unit. This transceiver can be referred to as the secondary transceiver. The camera node also includes a primary radio frequency node transceiver 350, coupled to an antenna 355, which supports the use of Wi-Fi protocols and which can then communicate with the second control unit transceiver 110.A 360 controller is coupled to the node's primary and secondary transceivers, and also to the video camera's image sensor 310. The 360 controller can also be coupled to a motion sensor 320, which can be an integral motion sensor, as shown, or a remotely mounted one, and to a memory 370. A standalone power supply, for example, a battery 380, provides power to the node, in particular, powering the controller, transceivers, image sensor, and integral motion sensor (if present). The standalone power supply may include one or more elements for this purpose. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 101 / 126 17 / 29 to enable energy to be obtained from the environment – such as one or more photovoltaic elements, an RF energy harvesting arrangement, and even a compact wind turbine arrangement. The video camera also includes a lens arrangement 315 to form an image on the image sensor 310. Optionally, the node includes an infrared light source 325, and possibly a visible light source, suitable for illuminating images detectable by the image sensor. The secondary node transceiver 340 is tunable. In particular, the node transceiver 340 can be tuned to frequencies to match those transmitted by or received by the first transceiver of the communication port 110. Similarly, the secondary node transceiver 350 is tunable. In particular, the secondary node transceiver 350 can be tuned to frequencies to match those transmitted by or received by the second transceiver of the control unit 110.
[033] When a motion detector, for example, a PIR (passive infrared) sensor on or associated with a camera node, detects motion, it transmits a signal to control unit 110 using the secondary node transceiver in control channel mode. Depending on the system settings, control unit 110 may forward this motion detection signal to the central monitoring station. If the motion detector reporting the motion detection is, for example, on or associated with a video camera, control unit 110 will know this from the identity of the node that transmitted the motion detection signal.Control unit 110 can then send a message to the video camera using the first transceiver of the control unit in control channel mode, where the message requests that the video camera transmit video data to the central unit 110 at high speed (e.g., a bit rate higher than that used for control signals). Such a request may be for the video camera to continuously transmit video data. More generally, the control unit can send a message to an image source, such as a camera, requesting that it transmit image data, in the form of a... Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 102 / 126 18 / 29 image file, at high speed. Alternatively, if the
[034] Trigger events other than the triggering of a motion sensor can also be used to initiate the process. For example, the activation of a node that monitors the situation of an entrance to the building or a controlled space in the building, for example, a magnetic switch on a door or window, or the detection of a sound, such as that of breaking glass, by a node comprising a microphone, will be transmitted by the relevant node to control unit 110. Control unit 110 can, depending on its programming and situation, report the event to CMS 200. Alternatively, a trigger event can be sent from CMS 200 requesting image or audio data from a particular node; this trigger can be used by control unit 110 to instruct that particular node to transmit the requested image or audio data. FIRST EXAMPLE
[035] A first approach to reducing the time required to transmit particular image data to the central monitoring station will now be described.
[036] If a motion detector on or associated with a camera node detects movement, the camera is activated to capture an image (or images) or video. The camera node will then prepare two images or cuts. One of the images or cuts will have a relatively low resolution (e.g., standard VGA or QVGA) in the form of a modestly sized image file (e.g., 30 kB once compressed), while the other image will be of significantly higher resolution (e.g., 1080P or 4K) and in the form of a considerably larger image file (which may have a file size possibly in the range of 600 kB - 2 MB) (although the size of the image file once compressed may be in the range of 4 to 10 times the size of the compressed low-resolution image file).The smaller image file (hereinafter, the second image file) is transmitted using the node's secondary transceiver, while the larger image file (hereinafter, the first image file). Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 103 / 126 19 / 29 is transmitted using the node's primary Wi-Fi transceiver. The node controller provides the two image files with the same ID.
[037] The system can be configured so that when the control unit receives an event notification from the motion sensor, the control unit sends a message to the camera node (via a non-Wi-Fi channel) instructing the camera node to transmit image data.
[038] The idea is that, although it is better for the CMS (more particularly the analyst in the CMS) to receive the more detailed image file, it may be that the smaller file sent using the secondary transceiver may actually arrive earlier than the one sent via the Wi-Fi transceiver, for example, due to Wi-Fi network congestion or interference (intentional or not) with transmission over the Wi-Fi network) - and then the CMS may be able to make a decision earlier based on the smaller image file than would be the case if the CMS had to wait for the larger file sent via Wi-Fi.
[039] It will be observed that when the system is configured so that when the control unit receives an event notification from the motion sensor, the control unit sends a message to the camera node (via a non-Wi-Fi channel) instructing the camera node to transmit image data, the secondary transceiver of the node will already be active - having been used to receive the message from the control unit, the secondary transceiver is likely to have the capacity to start transmitting its smaller image file before the node's Wi-Fi transceiver is activated, configured and registered with the control unit's Wi-Fi transceiver (effectively, the Wi-Fi base station).Therefore, it may be the case that, even if the node controller nominally initiates both transmission processes at the same time, the smaller image file transmitted by the node's secondary transceiver may actually arrive before the larger image file sent via Wi-Fi, even if the current radio environment supports high-speed transmission over a Wi-Fi channel.
[040] Control unit 110 forwards the first to arrive to the CMS. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 104 / 126 20 / 29 among the first or second image files. Subsequently, if the first file obtained was the second smaller image file, upon arrival of the first larger image file, the control unit will forward the first image file to the CMS. Conversely, obviously, the control unit does not forward the second smaller image file to the CMS if the first larger image file with the same ID has already been forwarded to the CMS.
[041] In the CMS, the human (or AI) analyst reacts to the arrival of the first image file. If another image file with the same ID arrives in the CMS while the relevant event is still being handled by the analyst, the CMS system replaces the later-arriving image file with the first one. The CMS system can be configured to notify the operator of the availability of a higher-resolution image file. For example, a human operator's workstation could provide an on-screen warning and / or an audible announcement of the available image update. SECOND EXAMPLE
[042] In an alternative approach, with a camera node that has a primary transceiver that supports a first maximum bandwidth, and a secondary transceiver that supports a second maximum bandwidth lower than the first and that is used to exchange control signals with the control unit, the secondary transceiver can be used to provide the redundancy that enables an image file to be transmitted to the control unit even if the image file sent using the primary transceiver has failed to reach the control unit.
[043] A camera node can be configured to transmit, possibly in response to receiving a message from the control unit to transmit image data, the image file using only the primary transceiver, or it can be configured, as in the first example, to transmit image data by transmitting the image file using both primary and secondary transceivers. The control unit can be configured to respond to Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pages 105 / 126 21 / 29 receiving an image file by transmitting an acknowledgment message (“ack”), so that the camera node knows whether or not the transmission of an image file was successful. If the camera node fails to receive an expected ack message regarding the transmission of an image file using the primary transceiver, it can be configured to attempt to transmit the image file (or a smaller image file) using the secondary transceiver instead.
[044] With the camera node set as in the first example, if an ack message is received regarding an image file transmitted using the secondary transceiver, but not regarding an image file transmitted using the primary transceiver, the camera node can be configured to transmit the higher resolution image file using the secondary transceiver. Although the lower bandwidth of the secondary transceiver will mean that the transmission of the larger file will take longer than with the use of the primary transceiver, if transmission problems affect the higher bandwidth channel, the larger file may actually reach the CMS faster using the lower bandwidth transceiver instead of the primary transceiver.
[045] So, for example, in a camera node that has a Wi-Fi enabled primary transceiver and a non-Wi-Fi control channel transceiver, an image file intended for transmission using the primary transceiver may instead be sent using the control channel transceiver in the event that an expected ack message in response to the attempted transmission of the image file using the primary transceiver is not received.
[046] It will be observed that a low-resolution image may allow a person / non-person decision to be made – for example, distinguishing between the presence of a non-human animal or another source of movement, such as vegetation being moved by the wind, whereas a higher-resolution image file may allow a description to be given of the person or persons captured by the image, or allow the identity of the person or persons captured by the image to be determined. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 106 / 126 22 / 29 - for example, enabling the homeowner to be informed that one or more children from the residence are present. And it is clearly useful, therefore, to provide a higher resolution file than the CMS even after providing a low-resolution image (for example, despite the availability of a low-resolution thumbnail). THIRD EXAMPLE
[047] In an alternative approach, a camera node that has a transceiver that supports one or more control channels and another primary transceiver that supports a higher bit rate, is arranged to keep the primary transceiver in an inactive state (e.g., unpowered, switched off) until the control channel transceiver (which may be termed the secondary transceiver) receives a message from the system control unit after receiving an event notification from a system node, or the primary transceiver is activated as a result of a motion sensor (or other) of or associated with the camera node being triggered, causing the camera to capture one or more video sequences or images.
[048] The system control unit message includes credentials for use by the primary transceiver in accessing a higher bit rate channel for transmitting an image file.
[049] For example, when the primary transceiver is configured to access a Wi-Fi channel, the message from the control unit may contain the SSID, PSK, and channel ID to enable the primary transceiver to reduce the waiting time required to access a transmission channel. Although Wi-Fi enabled devices typically store the corresponding SSID and PSK of the last Wi-Fi connection they used, the channel identifier is usually not stored – due to the fact that Wi-Fi devices generally switch between different channels of an SSID very frequently. Therefore, it is normal for a Wi-Fi enabled device to need to search for a free channel with the correct SSID before it can start transmitting data. Because the unit of Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 107 / 126 23 / 29 System control, which in this case also functions as a WiFi base station, provides not only the relevant SSID and PSK, but also the identifier of an available channel, potentially avoiding several seconds of delay. It is also necessary to keep in mind that there may be months or potentially years between events where the system control unit sends a message to a particular camera node for image data. Therefore, there is a possibility that when a subsequent camera node needs to activate its primary transceiver, the SSID and / or PSK may have changed since the last time the transceiver was activated – so the SSID and / or PSK in the camera node's memory may no longer be correct. It will be noted that, in general, most installed Wi-Fi devices maintain some level of connectivity with the Wi-Fi Base Station / Access Point.In this example, and generally for all examples, the camera node completely turns off its Wi-Fi transceiver when not in use.
[050] By providing the secondary control channel (non-Wi-Fi), it is possible to send all access credentials, including the channel ID, to the camera node, meaning that the camera node does not need to waste several precious seconds scanning for an available channel before it can send its image file. The secondary control channel also enables the control unit to transmit any changes to the Wi-Fi credentials as and when they occur, so that the updated credentials are stored in a camera node memory for use when the next camera node needs to use its Wi-Fi transceiver. Consequently, even if changes have occurred in the credentials required to access a suitable Wi-Fi channel since the last time the camera node's Wi-Fi transceiver was in use, the camera node will be able to quickly access a suitable channel.Clearly, Wi-Fi credential transmissions must be encrypted so that their content (the credentials) is not discernible by eavesdroppers. Therefore, the following approach is also supported in this example: 1. PIR detects movement. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 108 / 126 24 / 29 2. The image is captured by the camera. 3. The necessary Wi-Fi credentials must be stored (the last known ones are stored) on the node and available for use when needed. a. If the Wi-Fi channel changes while the primary node receiver is offline, then the updated Wi-Fi credentials must be communicated by the CU to the node via 868 during that time, so that they are available when needed. 4. The node's Wi-Fi connects to the network. 5. The image is sent via Wi-Fi without waiting for a change via 868, which ends in the CU control message requesting the image. FOURTH EXAMPLE
[051] In an alternative approach, which can work even if the camera node has only one transceiver (but which works equally well on transceivers that have two transceivers as in the other examples), a target distribution time is determined within which a camera image will be distributed to the central monitoring station. The camera node uses an uplink bandwidth estimate to determine the parameters for the image file to ensure that the image file is distributed in time at a quality level that satisfies a known quality requirement.
[052] The control unit and the camera node periodically exchange control messages over a control channel; for example, they may exchange control messages every 10 minutes. The control channel will typically be provided in the 868 MHz band. During the transmission of such a control message, each of the control unit and the camera node will determine an RSSI level and provide the determined level to its counterpart. These provided RSSI levels are stored until the next control packet is received.
[053] When the control unit wants the camera node to transmit an image file, the control unit can send a message requesting an image file, and this message can include an RSSI measurement of Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 109 / 126 25 / 29 control unit. The camera node can then use this provided RSSI measurement to estimate the uplink bandwidth. The camera node can perform an RSSI or similar check at each of the various RF frequencies to determine if local signal conditions / background noise (e.g., interference or obstruction) prevent or otherwise make undesirable the selection of particular frequencies from among the various RF frequencies. Based on this determination, the camera node can compose an acceptance message, and the node transmits this message to the control unit at a usual control signal frequency / speed. The control unit controller then sets the controls to the second unit to adjust the parameters corresponding to the node's choice.Control unit 110 can then subsequently transmit this data to CMS 200 using an available connection, so that an automated system or human operator can determine an appropriate response – such as dispatching human intervention (e.g., security team, firefighters, police, ambulance, etc.) or similar, and / or it can occur locally to enable an appropriate response to be determined locally. When the high-speed data transmission is complete, the node sends notification to control unit 110 (in any appropriate form) to enable control unit 110 to redirect the second transceiver. This will generally involve control unit 110 returning the second transceiver to a regular speed mode until the second transceiver is needed for some other purpose. In this way, the second transceiver can again be considered as providing diversity.
[054] The camera node controller can then determine a resolution and compression ratio to be used to produce an image file that can be distributed to the CMS within the target distribution at an acceptable resolution. For example, the camera node controller might refer to a table that, for a given target distribution time, maps the uplink bandwidth to the target image file size and then the ratio. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 110 / 126 26 / 29 compression. Clearly, if the uplink bandwidth is low, for a given resolution, the compression ratio can be high enough to ensure fast distribution. With higher uplink bandwidth, a lower compression ratio and / or higher resolution can be used – and the table will include the relevant parameters. The goal is to distribute something as quickly as possible.
[055] The important input is the estimated target size based on the uplink. When the target size is known, it is possible, based on experience, to make an assumption of a satisfactory quality value for compression. If the target is missed, a second assumption can be made, and if that also misses the target, linear extrapolation can be used (even if it is not 100% linear). As a rule of thumb, it is always better to compress than to modify attributes. This preserves more information in the image.
[056] It can be seen that the camera node is configured to transmit a captured image as an image file using a node radio frequency transceiver, the transmission of the image file to the control unit being subject to a predetermined maximum transmission duration, wherein the node controller is configured to determine the resolution and compression of the image file based on the predetermined maximum transmission duration and an estimate of the uplink bandwidth between the camera node and the control unit in order to enable the image file to be transmitted to the control unit within the predetermined maximum transmission duration.
[057] It may also be that installation 100 is configured so that a user of installation 100 can request images, audio data, or other relevant data from particular nodes of installation 100 to be distributed to, for example, a user's mobile device. The request can be generated from the mobile device and sent to CMS 200, which can then forward it to control unit 110. Control unit 110 can, if configured to Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 111 / 126 27 / 29 This involves formulating an instruction and sending that instruction to the node from which the user requested data.
[058] The message from control unit 110 requesting high-speed video transmission may specify the parameters of at least one high-speed channel. The parameters may include the SSID and PSK for connection to the control unit's Wi-Fi transceiver, and may also include an identifier for a particular channel provided by the SSID.
[059] The packet structure of the communications described in this document is of known structures comprising a preamble, synchronization word, and data. Depending on the transmission structure used, for example, block transmission, etc., the data messages may contain packet identifiers, sender identification, recipient identifier, and / or counters, and the packet length may be, for example, predetermined, configurable, negotiable, etc. Packets may be encrypted, and a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) may be included in the packet. A person skilled in the art will know how to form packets that will enable the implementation of the modalities described in this document.
[060] When it comes to choosing frequencies and transmission speeds, the regulations in force in the region where the security system is deployed must be taken into account. In Europe, radio systems for security monitoring systems generally use ISM (Industrial Scientific and Medical) radio frequencies around 868 MHz (the 863-870 MHz band). Similar bands, but centered on different frequencies, are similarly allocated for the same purposes in other territories. For example, in the USA, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay, the 915 MHz band covers 902-928 MHz, while in Australia, Peru and Brazil it covers 915-928 MHz, and in other countries other portions of a 915-928 MHz band are available. In Europe, duty cycles on ISM bands are regulated by the relevant sections of the latest harmonized revision of the ETSI EN300 220 standard. Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 112 / 126 28 / 29 This standard defines, at the time of this request, the following sub-bands and their permitted duty cycles: g (863.0 - 868.0 MHz): 1% g1 (868.0 - 868.6 MHz): 1% g2 (868.7 - 869.2 MHz): 0.1% g3 (869.4 - 869.65 MHz): 10% g4 (869.7 - 870.0 MHz): 1%
[061] Embodiments of the invention implemented in Europe can make use of the g1 and g2 sub-bands, where the permitted Effective Radiated Power (ERP) is 25 mW (+14 dBm), with a duty cycle of 1% for communication between the Central Unit 110 and the nodes. Typically, the systems are configured to provide choices of predefined frequencies in each of the g1 and g2 bands. In such systems, high-speed channels can be offered in the g3 sub-band, which has a permitted ERP of 500 mW (+27 dBm) with a duty cycle of 10%. Again, more than one frequency can be pre-selected in this band to allow alternative options. But it will be noted that the invention does not depend on the use of the g3 sub-band for the high-speed channel; channels can be reserved for high-speed use within the g1 or g2 sub-bands.If the security monitoring system is deployed in another territory, it is anticipated that the RF bands allocated in security and alarm systems, or available for such use, even if not specifically allocated, will also provide opportunities to pre-select some frequencies for control functions and regular speed messages, while allowing others to be pre-selected for use as high-speed channels in the context of the invention.
[062] Typically, regular speed channels or configurations can operate at around 30 to 45 kbit / s - for example, 38.4 kbit / s. “High speed” can reach 128 to 500 kbit / s, for example, 200 kbit / s.
[063] The aforementioned frequencies and their corresponding maximum permitted duty cycles may optionally be used by Control Unit 110 Petition 870220043285, dated 05 / 18 / 2022, pp. 113 / 126 29 / 29 during the formulation for offering to a node. Control Unit 110 may have at least one counter per band and node tracking how much time each node has transmitted for each frequency band during a configurable time period. If the time used during transmission is close to or at the maximum allowed duty cycle of the associated band, Control Unit 110 may decide against making an offer for a high-speed channel in that band. Consequently, and optionally, each node may have similar counters that track its respective time spent transmitting in each band and may consequently reject certain offers if they are in a band where the node is close to or at the maximum allowed duty cycle.
[064] In a configuration of installation 100, more than one Unit of Control Unit 110 is part of the installation. The Control Units communicate with each other and are synchronized. In this mode, the Control Unit 110 in use for high-speed data can be chosen as the Control Unit that has the most suitable data connection 150 to CMS 200, for example, Ethernet over Wi-Fi over cellular.
[065] References made to nodes that have, for example, video capabilities or audio capabilities are understood to be easily replaced by nodes that have other relevant functionality that will benefit from high bitrate transfers such as, but not limited to, stationary imaging, thermal imaging, etc.
Claims
1. Security monitoring system (100) for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station (200), the system including: a control unit (110) for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system, and which has a first radio frequency transceiver (230) that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver (240) that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate and a controller (250) for controlling the radio frequency transceivers (230, 240); a camera node (126) which has: a node controller (360); an image sensor (310) for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver (350), for communication with the control unit (110);a secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340), to receive control messages from the control unit (110), wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340); the camera node (126) node controller (360) being configured to activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) to transmit a captured image as a first image file over a communications channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350);the control unit (110) is configured, upon receiving the first image file, to transmit the first image file to the monitoring station (200), the security monitoring system (100) characterized by the control unit (110) being configured: Petition 870260010809, dated 04 / 02 / 2026, page 19 / 28 2 / 8 in response to receiving an event notification from a node (114, 118) of the system, to transmit, using the second radio frequency transceiver (240), a control message to the camera node (126) for the camera node (126) to transmit a captured image, the control message including credentials for use by the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) in accessing the communication channel;and the camera node controller (360) (126) be configured, in response to receiving the control message, to: activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) and use the provided credentials to access the communication channel to transmit the captured image as the first image file over the communication channel.; 2. Security monitoring system, according to claim 1, characterized in that the first radio frequency transceiver (230) and the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) are Wi-Fi transceivers.
3. Security monitoring system, according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the second radio frequency transceiver (240) and the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) are non-Wi-Fi transceivers configured to operate in one or more Industrial Scientific and Medical bands.
4. Method for operating a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station (200), wherein the system includes: a control unit (110) for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system, and which has a first radio frequency transceiver (230) that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver (240) that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate and a controller (250) for controlling radio frequency transceivers (230, 240); a camera node (126) that has a node controller (360); an image sensor (310) for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver (350), for communication with the control unit (110);a secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340), to receive control messages from the control unit (110), wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340); the method being characterized by comprising: in response to receiving at the control unit (110) an event notification from a node (114, 118) of the system, transmitting using the second radio frequency transceiver (240) a control message to the camera node (126) for the camera node (126) to transmit a captured image, the control message including credentials for use by the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) in accessing a communication channel;The camera node controller (360) (126), in response to receiving the control message, activates the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) and, using the provided credentials, accesses the communication channel, transmitting the captured image as the first image file over the communication channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350); and the control unit (110), upon receiving the first image file, transmits the first image file to the monitoring station (200).
5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the first radio frequency transceiver (230) and the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) are Wi-Fi transceivers. Petition 870260010809, dated 04 / 02 / 2026, page 21 / 28 4 / 8 6. Method, according to any one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that the second radio frequency transceiver (240) and the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) are non-Wi-Fi transceivers configured to operate in one or more Industrial Scientific and Medical bands.
7. Control unit (110) for a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station (200), and the system includes a camera node (126) which has: a node controller (360); an image sensor (310) for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) for communication with the control unit (110); a secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) for receiving control messages from the control unit (110), wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340);the control unit (110) having: a first radio frequency transceiver (230) that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver (240) that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate and a controller (250) to control the radio frequency transceivers (230, 240); the control unit (110) characterized by being configured: in response to receiving an event notification from a system node (114, 118), to transmit, using the second radio frequency transceiver (240), a control message to the camera node (126) for the camera node (126) to transmit a captured image, the control message including credentials for use by the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) in accessing a communication channel;Petition 870260010809, dated 04 / 02 / 2026, page 22 / 28 5 / 8 the control unit (110) is configured, upon receiving an image file captured from the camera node (126), to transmit the received image file to the monitoring station (200).; 8. Method for operating a control unit (110) for a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system is operatively connected to a monitoring station (200), and the system includes a camera node (126) that has: a node controller (360); an image sensor (310) for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) for communication with the control unit (110); a secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) for receiving control messages from the control unit (110), wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340);the control unit (110) having: a first radio frequency transceiver (230) that can support a first maximum bit rate, and a second radio frequency transceiver (240) that can support a second maximum bit rate lower than the first bit rate and a controller (250) to control the radio frequency transceivers (230, 240); wherein the method is characterized by comprising: in response to receiving in the control unit (110) an event notification from a node (114, 118) of the system, transmitting, using the second radio frequency transceiver (240), a control message to the camera node (126) for the camera node (126) to transmit a captured image, wherein the control message includes credentials for use by the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) in accessing a communication channel;Petition 870260010809, dated 04 / 02 / 2026, page 23 / 28 6 / 8 a control unit (110), upon receiving an image file captured from the camera node (126), which transmits the received image file to the monitoring station (200).; 9. Control unit according to claim 7, or method according to claim 8, characterized in that the first radio frequency transceiver (230) and the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) are Wi-Fi transceivers.
10. Control unit (110), according to claim 7 or 9, or the method, according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the second radio frequency transceiver (240) and the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) are non-Wi-Fi transceivers configured to operate in one or more Industrial Scientific and Medical bands.
11. Camera node (126) for a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system includes a control unit (110) for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system; the camera node (126) comprising: a node controller (360); an image sensor (310) for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) for communication with the control unit (110); a secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) for receiving control messages from the control unit (110), wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340);and the camera node (126) characterized by the node controller (360) being configured, in response to receiving a control message from the control unit (110), the control message including credentials for use by the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) in accessing a communication channel, to: activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) and use the provided credentials to access the communication channel; and transmit the captured image as the first image file over the communication channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350).
12. Method for operating a camera node (126) of a security monitoring system for a building or a secure space within a building, wherein the system includes a control unit (110) for controlling, arming and disarming the security monitoring system; the camera node (126) comprising: a node controller (360); an image sensor (310) for capturing images; a primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) for communication with the control unit (110); a secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340) for receiving control messages from the control unit (110), wherein the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) supports a higher maximum bit rate than the secondary node radio frequency transceiver (340);and whereby the method is characterized by comprising: in response to receiving at the node controller (360) a control message from the control unit (110), wherein the control message includes credentials for use by the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) in accessing a communication channel, to: activate the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350) and using the provided credentials to access the communication channel; and Petition 870260010809, dated 04 / 02 / 2026, page 25 / 28 8 / 8 transmit the captured image as the first image file over the communication channel using the primary node radio frequency transceiver (350).;