Video-monitoring safety systems and methods

Abstract

A system facilitates visual monitoring of a dangerous location. The system includes a stationary camera device ( 110 ) and at least one mobile display device ( 120 ) corresponding to at least one vehicle. The camera device ( 110 ) captures a video image of the dangerous location and transmits video signals representative of the captured video image. The display device ( 120 ) receives the video signals from the camera device ( 110 ) when the corresponding vehicle is in proximity to the camera device ( 110 ) and presents the video signals as a video image of the dangerous location to a driver of the vehicle.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for visually monitoring a dangerous location, comprising: 
 a stationary camera device configured to capture a video image of the dangerous location and transmit video signals representative of the captured video image; and    at least one mobile display device, corresponding to at least one vehicle, configured to receive the video signals from the camera device when the corresponding vehicle is in proximity to the camera device and present the video signals as a video image of the dangerous location to a driver of the vehicle.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera device includes: 
 a camera configured to capture the video image of the dangerous location, and    a transmitter configured to transmit the video signals representative of the captured video image.    
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the camera includes: 
 a security camera with night vision capability.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the transmitter includes: 
 a radio transmitter that transmits the video signals as radio signals on a predetermined radio channel.    
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera device is further configured to transmit the video signals to locations within a predetermined distance of the camera device.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display device includes: 
 a receiver configured to receive the video signals, and    a display configured to present the video signals to the driver.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the camera device is further configured to transmit the video signals as radio signals on a predetermined radio channel; and 
 wherein the receiver includes: 
 a radio receiver configured to receive the radio signals on the predetermined radio channel from the camera device.  
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the display includes: 
 a liquid crystal display configured to present a video image corresponding to the video signals to the driver.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the display includes: 
 a projection-type display configured to project a video image corresponding to the video signals in front of the driver.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a relay configured to receive the video signals transmitted by the camera device and retransmit the video signals to the display device.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the relay includes one of a radio relay and a satellite.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes one of an automobile, a truck, a bus, and a train.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera device is further configured to continuously capture and transmit video images of the dangerous location.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera device is further configured to periodically capture and transmit video images of the dangerous location.  
     
     
         15 . A system for visually monitoring a dangerous location, comprising: 
 means for capturing a video image of the dangerous location from a predetermined stationary position;    means for transmitting video signals representative of the captured video image;    means for receiving the video signals from the transmitting means when the receiving means is in proximity to the transmitting means; and    means for presenting the video signals as a video image of the dangerous location to a user.    
     
     
         16 . A method for visually monitoring a dangerous location, comprising: 
 capturing a video image of the dangerous location by a stationary camera device;    transmitting, by the camera device, video signals representative of the captured video image;    receiving, by at least one mobile display device corresponding to at least one vehicle, the video signals from the camera device when the vehicle is in proximity to the camera device; and    presenting the video signals as a video image of the dangerous location to a driver of the vehicle.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the capturing includes: 
 capturing a video image of the dangerous location using night vision technology.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitting includes: 
 outputting the video signals as radio signals on a predetermined radio channel.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the receiving includes: 
 receiving the radio signals on the predetermined radio channel from the camera device.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitting includes: 
 outputting the video signals to locations within a predetermined distance of the camera device.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the presenting includes: 
 displaying the video signals as a video image on a liquid crystal display.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the presenting includes: 
 projecting a video image of the dangerous location in front of the driver.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 receiving, by a relay, the video signals transmitted by the camera device; and    retransmitting the video signals to the display device.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitting includes: 
 sending the video signals to a satellite; and    wherein the receiving includes:    receiving the video signals from the satellite.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the capturing includes: 
 continuously capturing video images of the dangerous location.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the capturing includes: 
 periodically capturing video images of the dangerous location.    
     
     
         27 . A system for visually monitoring a plurality of dangerous locations, comprising: 
 a plurality of camera devices corresponding to the dangerous locations, each of the camera devices being configured to capture a video image of the corresponding dangerous location and transmit video signals representative of the captured video image; and    at least one mobile display device, corresponding to at least one vehicle, configured to receive the video signals from each of the camera devices when the corresponding vehicle is in proximity to the camera device and present the video signals as a video image of the corresponding dangerous location to a driver of the vehicle.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein each of the camera devices includes: 
 a camera configured to capture the video image of the corresponding dangerous location, and    a radio transmitter configured to transmit the video signals as radio signals on a predetermined radio channel.    
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the radio transmitter in each of the camera devices transmits video signals on the same predetermined radio channel.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the display device includes: 
 a radio receiver tuned to the predetermined radio channel to receive the video signals.    
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the display device includes at least one of a liquid crystal display and a projection-type display.  
     
     
         32 . A system for visually monitoring a dangerous location, comprising: 
 a plurality of camera devices configured to capture different video images corresponding to the dangerous location and transmit video signals representative of the captured video images, each of the camera devices being configured to transmit the video signals on different communication channels;    at least one first mobile display device, corresponding to at least one first type of vehicle, configured to receive the video signals from a first one of the communication channels when the corresponding first type of vehicle is in proximity to a corresponding one of the camera devices and present the video signals as a video image corresponding to the dangerous location to a driver of the first type of vehicle; and    at least one second mobile display device, corresponding to at least one second type of vehicle, configured to receive the video signals from a second one of the communication channels when the corresponding second type of vehicle is in proximity to a corresponding one of the camera devices and present the video signals as a video image corresponding to the dangerous location to a driver of the second type of vehicle.    
     
     
         33 . A method for visually monitoring a dangerous location, comprising: 
 capturing video images of different views corresponding to the dangerous location by a plurality of camera devices;    transmitting video signals representative of the different views on a corresponding plurality of different communication channels;    receiving the video signals from a first one of the communication channels by at least one first mobile display device, corresponding to at least one first type of vehicle, when the corresponding first type of vehicle is in proximity to a corresponding one of the camera devices and presenting the video signals as a video image corresponding to the dangerous location to a driver of the first type of vehicle; and    receiving the video signals from a second one of the communication channels by at least one second mobile display device, corresponding to at least one second type of vehicle, when the corresponding second type of vehicle is in proximity to a corresponding one of the camera devices and presenting the video signals as a video image corresponding to the dangerous location to a driver of the second type of vehicle.