US 6,970,183 · Granted 2005-11-29

The 2005 Patent That Imagined Today's Cloud-Based Security Cameras

Imagine a security system where cameras, sensors, and alarms all talk to each other over the internet and wireless networks — no expensive phone lines required. This patent describes a blueprint for a surveillance network that could stretch across the world, letting security guards monitor multiple locations from one central control room.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a integrated surveillance system architecture that combines digital cameras and sensors with networked computers and servers, where video, audio, and sensor data flow over both wired and wireless networks (including the internet). What's protected here is the specific combination of megapixel cameras, GPS-based dispatch, centralized server-based monitoring, automatic alarm detection, and the ability to distribute all that data across local and wide-area networks without relying on traditional telecom carriers.

Why it matters

Filed in 2000 and granted in 2005, this patent captured an early vision of what modern cloud-based security systems would become — networked surveillance without heavy reliance on expensive dedicated phone lines or carrier infrastructure. By locking down the architecture of distributed, internet-connected monitoring stations with central control, E-Watch positioned itself in a market that would explode as broadband became ubiquitous and security companies moved away from analog systems toward digital networks.

Real-world use

When a retail chain monitors dozens of stores from a single headquarters office through IP cameras and gets automatic alerts sent to a manager's phone with GPS location data, that chain is using the kind of architecture this patent describes.

Original USPTO abstract

A comprehensive, wireless multimedia surveillance and monitoring system provides a combination of megapixel digital camera capability with full motion video surveillance with a network, including network components and appliances such as wiring, workstations, and servers with the option of geographical distribution with various wide area carriers. The full service, multi-media surveillance system is capable of a wide range of monitoring techniques utilizing digital network architecture and is adapted for transmitting event data, video and/or image monitoring information, audio signals and other sensor and detector data over significant distances using digital data transmission over a LAN, wireless LAN, Intranet or Internet for automatic assessment and response including dispatch of response personnel. Both wired and wireless appliance and sensor systems may be employed. GPS dispatching is used to locate and alert personnel as well as to indicate the location of an event. Automatic mapping and dispatch permits rapid response. The wireless LAN connectivity permits local distribution of audio, video and image data over a relatively high bandwidth without requirement of a license and without relying on a common carrier and the fees associated therewith. The surveillance system may be interfaced with a WAN (wide area Network) or the Internet for providing a worldwide, low cost surveillance system with virtually unlimited geographic application. Centralized monitoring stations have access to all of the surveillance data from various remote locations via the Internet or the WAN. A server provides a centralized location for data collection, alarm detection and processing, access control, dispatch processing, logging functions and other specialized functions. The server may be inserted virtually anywhere in the Intranet/Internet network. The topology of the network will be established by the geographic situation of the installation. Appropriate firewalls may be set up as desired. The server based system permits a security provider to have access to the appliance and sensor and surveillance data or to configure or reconfigure the system for any station on the network.

Patent details

Publication number: US 6,970,183
Filing date: 2000-06-14
Grant date: 2005-11-29
Assignee: E-Watch, Inc.
Inventor(s): MONROE DAVID A.
CPC class: G08B25/016

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