Remote Sensor Triggering for Battery Camera Startup Latency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery-powered doorbell cameras experience startup latency, which limits their ability to capture clear footage of intruders, as they take time to power up and may only capture the back of a thief before they can cover their face or turn away.

Innovation Solution

Implementing remote sensors that communicate with the camera using low power radio frequency signals to trigger its activation before the intruder enters its field of view, allowing the camera to power up and begin capturing video before the event occurs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the battery-powered camera remains in ultra-low power standby mode to conserve energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but startup latency increases causing the camera to miss critical events

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidstartup latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The remote sensor detects motion or events before they enter the camera's field of view and triggers the camera to wake up in advance. This preliminary detection and triggering action allows the camera to complete its startup sequence before the actual event occurs, eliminating startup latency without requiring the camera to remain continuously powered.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A remote sensor acts as an intermediary between the event being monitored and the camera system. The sensor detects events remotely and communicates with the camera to trigger activation, serving as a mediator that enables the camera to respond to events without being continuously powered, thus resolving the contradiction between energy conservation and rapid response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the camera is positioned to face the path a person walks up toward the door, then the view of approaching persons is improved, but startup latency still causes the camera to only capture the back of the head of a thief

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefootage qualityVSAvoidstartup latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The remote sensor positioned along the walkway detects persons approaching the door before they reach the camera's field of view. This early detection triggers the camera to wake up and begin recording in advance, ensuring that when the person enters the frame, the camera is already capturing clear footage of their face rather than just the back of their head.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of time

If the camera activates immediately when motion is detected within its field of view, then response time is reduced, but energy consumption increases due to frequent wake-ups

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The remote sensor serves as an energy-efficient intermediary that performs the initial motion detection at a distance. It only triggers the camera to wake up when relevant events are detected, rather than requiring the camera itself to continuously monitor its field of view. This significantly reduces the camera's energy consumption while maintaining fast response times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses partial action by having only the remote sensor remain active in low-power mode while the camera stays in deep sleep. The sensor performs sufficient detection function to trigger the camera only when needed, avoiding the excessive energy consumption that would result from keeping the full camera system continuously active.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces startup latency by activating the camera ahead of time, enabling it to capture clear, uninterrupted footage of events, such as package thefts, by using remote sensors to detect motion and initiate camera operation before the object enters the camera's field of view.

Implementation Method 1

The one or more sensors may be configured to detect motion and/or objects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMotion detection:

Implementation Method 2

The one or more sensors may be configured to communicate a signal to the camera using low power radio frequency signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadio frequency communication:

Data Source

PatentUS11570358B1Using remote sensors to resolve start up latency in battery-powered cameras and doorbell cameras

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 AMBARELLA INT LP

AI summary

An apparatus comprises a camera and one or more sensors. The camera generally has a low power deactivated mode. The one or more sensors are generally remotely located with respect to the camera. The one or more sensors may be configured to communicate a signal to the camera in response to a trigger condition. The camera is generally configured to activate in response to receiving the signal from the one or more sensors.