Abstract: Introduced here are technologies for examining content generated by electronic devices in real time to optimize the quality of the content. The content may be examined in batches to address some of the drawbacks of real-time analysis. For instance, a series of videos may be examined to collect data on how well security system(s) that are presently employed are working. Each security system can include one or more electronic devices, such as cameras or microphones, and parameters of the electronic devices can be altered to improve the quality of content generated by the electronic devices.

Abstract: An electronic monitoring system implements a coordination of power state changes amongst multiple battery-powered monitoring devices, which may simultaneously wake multiple monitoring devices from lower powered sleep states to higher powered awake states upon detection of a triggering event by a single monitoring device. This implementation may be achieved with the initial event-detecting device awakening upon detecting the triggering event and transmitting a peer-wake signal to command the waking of the non-detecting monitoring devices. The initial event-detecting device may define an awake-active state in which it performs a response action, which may include capturing images, video, sound, or transmitting corresponding data within the system. Each non-detecting device may define an awake-ready state in which the non-detecting device is fully capable of performing the response action upon detection of a subsequent triggering event by the non-detecting device.

Abstract: A smart camera for an electronic monitoring system is provided. The smart camera includes an imaging device having a field of view and being configured to capture an image. The imaging device has a variable exposure. A detector is operatively connected to the imaging device and configured to generate a trigger signal in response to activity within the field of view. A first processor is operatively connected to the detector and the imaging device, and a second processor is operatively connected to the detector and the imaging device. A computer-readable memory is operatively connected to the first processor and the secondary processor. The computer-readable memory is configured to store a map of ambient light levels in the field of view at selected times of day. The second processor varies the exposure of the imaging device in response to the trigger signal.

Abstract: A method of and system are disclosed for detecting various gestures by an imaging device and executing a task assigned to these gestures. For instance, the task could include a number of smart home functions, as well as various text and other communication transmissions. The imaging device, which can be a digital camera, is wirelessly communicable with one or more base stations and/or access points over a wireless local area network. The imaging device transmits images and/or videos, which can be reviewed by a computer vision program (“CV”). CV can identify potential gestures in the images and/or videos and compare any such images and/or videos to a database of known gestures. When a gesture is detected, a corresponding task, such as a smart home action, may be executed. Additionally, CV may use facial recognition to first identify an individual, and then execute a task specific to the identified individual based on a detected gesture.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to adaptive transcoding of video streams from a camera. A camera system includes a camera and a base station connected to each other in a first communication network, which can be a wireless network. When a user requests to view a video from the camera, the base station obtains a video stream from the camera, transcodes the video stream, based on one or more input parameters, to generate a transcoded video stream, and transmits the transcoded video stream to a user device. The base station can transcode the video stream locally, e.g., within the base station, or in a cloud network based on transcoding location factors. Further, the camera system can also determine whether to stream the video to the user directly from the base station or from the cloud network based on streaming location factors.

Abstract: A method of dynamic masking of variably selected portions of the media content based upon real-time audience composition is provided. The method includes the steps of identifying one or more members of an audience for playback of media content. Upon identifying one or more audience members, retrieving corresponding preselected preferences for media playback. Generating a media masking instruction according to the preselected preferences, and outputting to a user device a masked media content correlating to the instruction. The invention additionally relates to a system that implements such a method.

Abstract: Adjusting communication channels used by camera to communicate with a base station are described. In one aspect, characteristics of communication channels can be determined and the operation of the camera can be adjusted to use a communication channel based on a comparison of the characteristics of multiple communication channels.

Abstract: A camera of a monitoring system detects electromagnetic radiation in at least two different spectrums. The system includes a database of stored images, where the stored images are stored in pairs of images corresponding to each spectrum and to a common face. A controller identifies a match from among the stored images by comparing the first image obtained by the camera in the first spectrum to each of the first images in the database and by comparing the second image obtained from the camera in the second spectrum to the corresponding second image stored in the database. A match is identified when the first image and the second image from the camera match the first image and the corresponding second image for a pair of images in the database.

Abstract: An electronic monitoring system and a method of monitoring an activity zone are provided. A monitor monitors for an activity within an activity zone. The monitor is configured to generate a data packet corresponding to the activity. The data packet is transmitted to a control system that may be cloud-based, and the data packet is stored in computer-readable memory associated with the control system. The data packet is encrypted utilizing a public key prior to storage in computer-readable memory. The encrypted data packet may be decrypted on a user device using a private key.

Abstract: A networked electronic system and method are provided. The system includes a hub primary radio being defined within a primary communication path. The primary communication path has an operational state wherein data is transmittable therethrough and a fault state. Communication of data between a device primary radio of an electronic device and the hub primary radio through a primary communication path is monitored such that communication of the data is transferred to a secondary communication path between a device secondary radio of the device and a hub secondary radio in response to detection of a fault state on the primary communication path. The secondary communication path has a different frequency than the primary communication path. The system may be a monitoring system, and the device may be a monitoring device such as an imaging device including a camera.

Abstract: An electronic monitoring system implements a bifurcated video storage strategy, which reduces reliance on offsite such as cloud storage demands by storing videos with different resolutions at different locations. Default storage of high-quality such as high-resolution videos of a monitored zone occurs onsite on an archive storage system, which may be provided by a data storage device(s) of a video camera or other imaging device that detects and video-captures the event(s). Default storage of reduced-quality such as low-resolution videos of monitored zone includes remote storage on a preview storage system, which may be provided by a cloud-based server that facilitates remote preview by a user. At a user's request, at least portions of the high-quality video(s) may be transmitted to the cloud-based server to allow remote preview by the user. The system facilitates preserving or archiving the high-resolution video based on user input following the preview.

Abstract: A method and a smart security camera system are provided for automatically adjusting an activity zone relative to a field of view of a security system imaging device such as video camera. The activity zone is within an initial field of view of the imaging device's camera and includes a monitored area of interest. An image of the activity zone is compared with an image of the updated field of view to determine a position of the activity zone relative to the area of interest in the updated field of view. The activity zone is automatically moved in the updated field of view to the determined position, if necessary. The activity zone thus is shifted a necessary within the updated field of view to encompass the area of interest.

Abstract: A method is provided for on-boarding/integrating a monitoring device, such as a smart camera, into an electronic monitoring system. A plurality of access points to a wireless network are displayed on a user device such as a smartphone. Each of the plurality of access points has a corresponding credential associated therewith. Some or all of the plurality of access points are selected. A computer-readable code including information for the selected access points and associated credentials is generated. The monitoring device reads the computer-readable code to obtain the information for the selected access points and associated credentials. Access points may be prioritized for connection to the wireless network based on signal strength.

Abstract: An electronic monitoring system for secure image code generation and a method of activating devices in the electronic monitoring system via the secure image codes are provided. The electronic monitoring system includes a base station in communication with a monitoring device. The monitoring device includes a camera to obtain images of a monitored area. A controller for the electronic monitoring system receives a request for a desired interaction with the electronic monitoring system from a first device and generates multiple image codes corresponding to the desired interaction. The controller transmits the image codes to a mobile device and then receives each of the image codes from the camera when the image codes are displayed on the mobile device while the mobile device is positioned in front of the camera. The controller activates the desired interaction with the electronic monitoring system responsive to receiving the image codes from the camera.