Abstract: A camera can include a box housing, a rotatable mechanical mechanism carried within the box housing, and a sensor board carried by the rotatable mechanical mechanism. The rotatable mechanical mechanism can rotate the sensor board from a first orientation to a second orientation to switch the camera from operating in a normal mode to operating in a corridor mode. Additionally or alternatively, the camera can include a CMOS sensor and an accelerometer sensor carried by the sensor board and firmware carried by the box housing. The firmware can identify a first direction of the CMOS sensor, receive a signal from the accelerometer sensor identifying a second direction of gravity, compare the first direction and the second direction, and, responsive thereto, rotate an image captured by the camera to switch the camera from operating in the normal mode to operating in the corridor mode.

Abstract: A surveillance camera system having a specialized camera assembly with a fixed-angle lens is provided in a housing designed to reduce the size and weight of the camera assembly and reduce the identifiability of the system as a surveillance camera. The camera assembly can include an integrated ball joint assembly to support the camera assembly at arbitrary angles. The ball joint can further provide a standard threaded mating component to secure the camera assembly. The surveillance camera system can employ a recessed housing partially shrouding the camera assembly in a ceiling installation and further reducing the observability of the camera assembly without obstructing the camera lens. Installed in the recessed housing with an integrated ball joint, the camera assembly retains pan and tilt adjustments common to current recessed dome surveillance cameras. The camera assembly supports attachment of a customizable front cover further obscuring the camera assembly.

Abstract: A camera can include a box housing, a rotatable mechanical mechanism carried within the box housing, and a sensor board carried by the rotatable mechanical mechanism. The rotatable mechanical mechanism can rotate the sensor board from a first orientation to a second orientation to switch the camera from operating in a normal mode to operating in a corridor mode. Additionally or alternatively, the camera can include a CMOS sensor and an accelerometer sensor carried by the sensor board and firmware carried by the box housing. The firmware can identify a first direction of the CMOS sensor, receive a signal from the accelerometer sensor identifying a second direction of gravity, compare the first direction and the second direction, and, responsive thereto, rotate an image captured by the camera to switch the camera from operating in the normal mode to operating in the corridor mode.

Abstract: A surveillance camera system having a specialized camera assembly with a fixed-angle lens is provided in a housing designed to reduce the size and weight of the camera assembly and reduce the identifiability of the system as a surveillance camera. The camera assembly can include an integrated ball joint assembly to support the camera assembly at arbitrary angles. The ball joint can further provide a standard threaded mating component to secure the camera assembly. The surveillance camera system can employ a recessed housing partially shrouding the camera assembly in a ceiling installation and further reducing the observability of the camera assembly without obstructing the camera lens. Installed in the recessed housing with an integrated ball joint, the camera assembly retains pan and tilt adjustments common to current recessed dome surveillance cameras. The camera assembly supports attachment of a customizable front cover further obscuring the camera assembly.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a camera having a housing, a camera lens disposed at an end of the housing, a box camera mounting part provided on the housing to mount the camera in a box camera configuration, and a dome camera mounting part provided at a front end of the housing to mount the camera in a dome camera configuration. Providing the box and dome camera mounting parts on the housing of the camera enables mounting of the camera in box and dome camera configurations, and allows the user to delay the decision of choosing which configuration, thereby reducing the complexity of engineering design and installation. Furthermore, inclusion of both mounting parts facilitates purchasing and stocking only one configuration of camera, thereby simplifying management of the stocked parts and reducing costs.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a camera having a housing, a camera lens disposed at an end of the housing, a box camera mounting part provided on the housing to mount the camera in a box camera configuration, and a dome camera mounting part provided at a front end of the housing to mount the camera in a dome camera configuration. Providing the box and dome camera mounting parts on the housing of the camera enables mounting of the camera in box and dome camera configurations, and allows the user to delay the decision of choosing which configuration, thereby reducing the complexity of engineering design and installation. Furthermore, inclusion of both mounting parts facilitates purchasing and stocking only one configuration of camera, thereby simplifying management of the stocked parts and reducing costs.