Wireless Peephole Camera and Door Status Indicator

Abstract

The present application is directed to methods and devices for detection and notification of door status events. A camera may be coupled to a peephole in a door and one or more images may be captured when a door status event occurs. The images may be uploaded to a computer network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for detection and notification of door status events, comprising:
 a mounting bracket comprising a hole adapted to receive therein an interior portion of a peephole device such that the interior portion of the peephole device couples the mounting bracket to a door when the interior portion of the peephole is coupled to an exterior portion of the peephole device in the door;   a camera apparatus coupled to the mounting bracket, the camera apparatus comprising:
 a camera positioned such that the camera is capable of capturing images or video through the peephole device; 
 a sensor capable of sensing motion in proximity of the door; 
 a wireless transmitter/receiver capable of communicating with a wireless network and transmitting digital information via the wireless network; 
 a central processing unit capable of storing and executing computer code to initiate operation of the camera to capture one or more images or video visible through the peephole when the motion in proximity of the door as sensed by the sensor exceeds a predetermined level, and to transmit the images or video using the wireless transmitter/receiver to a predetermined destination on the wireless network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an electromagnetic radiation sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined destination on the wireless network is a cloud-based server such that the transmitted images or video are available for download at a later time by a user. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined destination on the wireless network is a mobile device application. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer code further comprises one or more algorithms to determine if the image or video captured by the camera contains useful information and only transmitting the image or video when the image or video contains useful information. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the camera is configured to record a plurality of images or videos, the algorithm determines a highest quality image or video, and the highest quality image or video is transmitted. 
     
     
         7 . A method for detection and notification of door status events, comprising:
 coupling a camera apparatus to a peephole in a door such that the camera unit is optically aligned with the peephole, the camera apparatus comprising a sensor unit, a camera unit, a wireless transmitter/receiver unit, and a processing unit;   sensing by the sensor unit a door status event at the door or in proximity to the door;   initiating an algorithm stored in memory in the processing unit to determine whether the sensed event exceeds a predetermined threshold; and   activating the camera unit when the sensed event exceeds the predetermined threshold and recording one or more images or video visible through the peephole.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising establishing a Wi-Fi connection to a computer network with the wireless transmitter/receiver unit and uploading the one or more images or video to the network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising delivering the one or more uploaded images or video to an electronic device for viewing by a user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensing unit is an accelerometer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the door status event is a knock on the door, and the accelerometer senses vibrations in the door caused by the knock. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the algorithm determines whether the vibrations sensed by the accelerometer exceed the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the door status event is an opening or closing of the door, and the accelerometer senses spatial movement of the door caused by the opening or closing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the algorithm determines whether the movement sensed by the accelerometer exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the door status event is an attempt to operate a door handle, and the accelerometer senses vibrations in the door caused by the attempted operation of the door handle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor unit comprises one or more of an accelerometer, an acoustic sensor, a thermal sensor, a motion sensor, an electromagnetic radiation sensor, a metal detector, or a smoke detector. 
     
     
         17 . A coupling apparatus, comprising:
 a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket comprising:
 a mounting surface having a first peripheral edge; 
 a first sidewall extending generally perpendicular from the first peripheral edge, the first sidewall and the mounting surface defining a receiving space therebetween; 
 a first coupling device; and 
 an alignment member; 
   a device housing, the device housing comprising:
 a coupling surface having a second peripheral edge; 
 a second sidewall extending generally perpendicular from the second peripheral edge, the second sidewall and the coupling surface defining an insert, the insert adapted for releasable placement in the receiving space; 
 a second coupling device that acts with the first coupling device to couple the device housing to the mounting bracket when the insert is placed in the receiving space; and
 a guide member that engages the alignment member to align the device housing relative to the mounting bracket when the insert is placed in the receiving space. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first and second coupling devices comprises a magnet. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the first coupling device comprises a first magnet and the second coupling device comprises a second magnet, the first and second magnets operative to couple the device housing to the mounting bracket. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the device housing further comprises a camera, and the camera is optically aligned with an opening in the mounting bracket when the alignment member engages the guide member.