Method and Apparatus for Facilitating Accessing Home Surveillance Data by Remote Devices

Abstract

Method and apparatus for facilitating accessing home surveillance device data, preferably an IP camera video stream, by a remote user device at the remote user device's instigation, over the Internet through a home router, the facilitating including incorporating a smart gateway in local communication with the home router and in persistent or intermittent communication with a remote Internet server to facilitate communication of data over the Internet at the remote user device's request through direct communication between the remote user device and the smart gateway, the smart gateway in local communication with the home surveillance device such as an IP camera, the direct communication facilitated by a “hole punch” type of technique.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A smart gateway for facilitating accessing home surveillance data by a remote user device over the Internet, the smart gateway comprising:
 (1) a processing unit and a memory;   (2) the smart gateway connected to communicate directly or indirectly with a home surveillance device and to communicate with the Internet through a home router;   (3) the smart gateway structured and/or programmed to participate in direct Internet communication with the remote user device, including:
 (a) to participate in a persistent or intermittent Internet connection with a remote Internet server; 
 (b) to transmit a UDP message to the remote Internet server; 
 (c) to receive at least remote user device IP port information from the remote Internet server; 
 (d) to access home surveillance data from an indicated home surveillance device; and 
 (e) to stream by UDP accessed data over the Internet using at least the received IP port information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The smart gateway of  claim 1  wherein the smart gateway is connected to communicate with the home surveillance device through the home router. 
     
     
         3 . The smart gateway of  claim 1  wherein the smart gateway is structured, connected and/or programmed to establish a persistent Internet connection with the remote Internet server. 
     
     
         4 . The smart gateway of  claim 1  wherein the smart gateway is structured, connected and/or programmed to access data locally from a home surveillance device upon receipt over the Internet connection with the remote Internet server of an indication to access data from an indicated home surveillance device. 
     
     
         5 . A remote Internet server for facilitating directly accessing, by a remote user device over the Internet, home surveillance data through a home router, the remote Internet server comprising:
 (1) a processing unit and memory;   (2) the remote Internet server structured, connected and/or programmed
 (a) to participate in a persistent or intermittent Internet connection with a smart gateway through the home router, the smart gateway in communication, directly or indirectly, with a home surveillance device; 
 (b) to communicate over the Internet with a remote user device having an Internet Service Provider and an app; and 
 (c) to extract from a UDP communication at least remote user device IP port information and to forward the information to the smart gateway and to extract from a UDP communication at least smart gateway IP port information and to forward the latter information to the remote user device. 
   
     
     
         6 . The remote Internet server of  claim 5  structured, connected and/or programmed to forward to the smart gateway an indication received from the remote user device of data desired from an indicated home surveillance device. 
     
     
         7 . A remote user device app for viewing on the remote user device surveillance data from a surveillance device located on proprietary premises having a home router and a smart gateway, comprising:
 (1) the remote user device app structured and/or programmed
 (a) to transmit over the Internet to a remote Internet server a request for home surveillance data from an indicated home surveillance device; 
 (b) to transmit a UDP message to the remote Internet server; 
 (c) to receive at least IP port information of the smart gateway from the remote Internet server; and 
 (d) to receive UDP video feed from the smart gateway. 
   
     
     
         8 . The remote user device app of  claim 7  structured and/or programmed to establish and keep alive a direct Internet communication with the smart gateway by transmitting UDP messages to the smart gateway using at least the received IP port information. 
     
     
         9 . A process for facilitating accessing home surveillance data by a remote user device over the Internet, comprising:
 by a smart gateway having a processing unit and memory and being connected locally to a home router and directly or indirectly to a home surveillance device
 (1) participating in a persistent or intermittent Internet connection with a remote Internet server through the home router; 
 (2) accessing data from an indicated home surveillance device over a local connection; 
 (3) establishing direct Internet communication with the remote user device through the home router using at least remote user device IP port information communicated to the smart gateway by the remote Internet server, the establishing including:
 (a) transmitting a UDP message to the remote Internet server, 
 (b) receiving at least remote user device IP port information from the remote Internet server; and 
 (c) streaming the accessed data through the home router to the remote user device using at least the received remote user device IP port information. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the smart gateway is connected to the home surveillance device through the home router. 
     
     
         11 . A process for facilitating accessing, over the Internet, home surveillance data from a home premises by a remote user device, comprising:
 by a remote Internet server having a processing unit and memory and being connected to the Internet
 (a) participating in a persistent or intermittent Internet connection with a smart gateway device at the premises through a home router, the smart gateway communicating locally with a home surveillance device; 
 (b) communicating over the Internet with the remote user device having an Internet Service Provider and an app; and 
 (c) extracting from a UDP communication at least remote user device IP port information and forwarding the information to the smart gateway and extracting from a UDP communication at least smart gateway IP port information and forwarding the latter information to the remote user device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  including the remote Internet server forwarding to the smart gateway an indication received from the remote user device of data desired from an indicated home surveillance device. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the smart gateway is connected to the home surveillance device through the home router. 
     
     
         14 . A process for viewing surveillance data from a home surveillance device located on a proprietary premises, the home surveillance device in local communication with a home router and a smart gateway, the smart gateway communicating with the Internet through the home router, the process comprising:
 by an app of a remote device having an Internet service provider
 (a) initiating an Internet connection with a remote Internet server and indicating a request for surveillance data from an identified home surveillance device; 
 (b) transmitting a UDP message to the remote Internet server; 
 (c) receiving at least current IP port information of the smart gateway from the remote Internet server; and 
 (d) participating in direct Internet communication with the smart gateway through the home router by messaging the smart gateway using at least the received IP port information. 
   
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the smart gateway is connected to the home surveillance device through the home router.