PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,185,964
`
`Exacq Technologies, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
`
`                        
`
`

`
`Ulllted States Patent [19]
`Acosta et al.
`
`[54] REMOTE DIGITAL IMAGE VIEWING
`SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`[75] Inventors. Edward Acosta, Austin, Tex; Frank
`Kao’ Fremont’ Cahf'
`
`-
`
`_
`[*1 Notlcel
`
`.
`_
`.
`.
`[73] Assignee. BroadCloud Communications, Inc.,
`Ausnm TeX-
`_
`_
`_
`Thls Patent Issued on a Contlnued PYOS-
`ecution application ?led under 37 CFR
`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
`patent term provisions of 35 U_S_C_
`154(aX2)‘
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 08/852,557
`[22] Filed:
`May 7, 1997
`
`Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... .. H04N 7/10
`[51]
`[52] US. Cl. .............................. .. 345/327; 709/219; 348/7
`[58] Field Of Search ............................. .. 348/6, 7, 12, 13,
`348/723; 345/327; 709/217, 219; 455/3-1,
`3.2, 4.2; 370/310, 338, 466, 467, 469
`_
`References Clted
`
`[56]
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0/1982
`4,356,387 1
`4,528,679
`7/1985
`4,825,457
`4/1989
`4,839,631
`6/1989
`4,845,682
`7/1989
`4,942,464
`7/1990
`2/1990
`4,975,771 1
`5,131,508
`7/1992
`5,138,638
`8/1992
`0/1993
`5,255,301 1
`
`Tsubota et a1.
`ShahbaZ et a1. ..
`
`Lebowitz .... ..
`
`Tsuji ............ ..
`
`377/6
`377/6
`
`348/143
`
`.. 340/541
`
`Boozer et a1. .......................... .. 367/93
`
`MilatZ ................................... .. 358/108
`
`...... .. 348/6
`Kassathy
`187/132
`Suzuki ..
`377/6
`Frey ................ ..
`Nakamura et a1. ....................... .. 377/6
`
`/10
`
`16
`
`CENTRAL
`OFFICEVIDEO
`MANAGEMENT
`SYSTEM
`
`14
`
`WIRELESS
`NETWORK
`
`WORLD WIDE
`WEB SERVER
`
`US006166729A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`6,166,729
`*Dec. 26, 2000
`
`5,305,390
`5,321,514
`5,331,312
`
`4/1994 Frey et a1. ................................ .. 382/2
`6/1994 Martinez ..
`..
`7/1994 Kudoh ..
`..
`
`2,215,423 Z1332 .Eotty ..t....l ................................ .. 32/77/53
`5,568,205 10/1996 HurwitZ ........ ..
`348/723
`
`,
`
`,
`
`oss e a .
`
`.............................. ..
`
`348/6
`8/1997 Hendricks et a1.
`5,659,350
`348/723
`9/1997 Parulski et a1‘ '
`576667159
`348/723
`9/1997 Bossard ..... ..
`5,668,610
`345/328
`1/1998 Shaw et al.
`5,706,290
`348/158
`1/1998 Coles ............ ..
`5,712,679
`348/21
`3/1998 Kostreski et a1.
`5,729,825
`348/17
`5/1998 Ludwig, Jr.
`5,751,338
`6/1998 Vuong et a1. ........................... .. 463/25
`5,762,552
`Primary Examiner—Victor R. Kostak
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—The Law Firm of H. Dale
`Langley, Jr” PC
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A remote Viewing System is for Viewing digital images of
`remote locations_ The Viewing System includes a plurality of
`digital image acquisition devices, The devices are located at
`remote locations. The system also includes a plurality of
`digital image transmission devices connected to respective
`ones of the digital image acquisition devices. Adigital image
`receiving device is communicatively connected to each of
`the digital image transmission devices. A digital image
`server device is connected to the digital image receiving
`device. The digital image server device is connected to a
`network, such as the Internet. A network-enabled computer
`can access select ones of the digital images over the net
`work. The digital image receiving device and the digital
`image server device cooperate to make available to the
`network-enabled computer the select ones of the digital
`images for download from the network.
`
`8 Claims, 27 Drawing Sheets
`
`12
`
`$1586
`5|GNAL 26
`24
`CCTV
`VIDEO
`DW/LENS
`DIGITIZER
`
`POWER
`
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`OMNI-DIRECTIONAL
`RG5 24 B“ / 555328
`egg" 2a
`COMMILINK 31h ANTENNA
`PROCESSOR
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`CARD
`ATCMD, LINKMODULE
`SET
`
`32
`
`POWER
`SUPPLY \34
`+I-12VDC
`+/»5VDC
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 1 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`N)
`
`0)
`
`14
`
`WIRELESS
`NETWORK
`
`12
`
`10
`
`/ 16
`
`CENTRAL
`OFFICE VIDEO
`MANAGEMENT
`SYSTEM
`
`WORLD WIDE
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`
`12
`
`EXTERNAL
`/ _
`NTSC
`RG5 24 B”
`OMNI-DIRECTIONAL
`S3 @328
`ANALOG
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`U CCTV
`: VIDEO
`i PRQCESSOR
`: REMOTE COMM.
`32
`W/ LENS
`DIGITIZER :
`CARD
`AT CMD LINK MODULE
`POWER
`SET
`
`POWER
`SUPPLY D34
`+/- 12VDC
`+/- 5VDC
`
`EEO], 2
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 2 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`40 l
`486W
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`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 3 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`ALL HOSTS
`CoMFICuRED ‘=a
`WITH FDDI
`ADAPTER CARDS
`(PCLSBUS?tCJuu
`
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`72
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`
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`
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`IMAGE
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`
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`
`BEFORE AFI'ER
`QUEUE QUEUE SERIALBIT
`"WAGE
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`PAYLOAD
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 4
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 4 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`120
`
`ACQUIRE IMAGE
`
`PROCESS IMAGE
`
`102
`
`1 4
`
`'
`COMPRESS IMAGE
`
`10s
`
`YES
`
`NO
`
`UPDATE
`INTERVAL
`EXPIRED '?
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`7
`
`124
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`TRANSMIT IMAGE U Q.
`
`620g], 77
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 5
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 5 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`130
`
`/
`
`ENTER
`
`132
`\ PROCESS SERVER
`COMMANDS
`
`I
`
`134
`K DELAY DELVAL
`MSEC.S
`
`136
`
`138
`
`140
`
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`SERVICE
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`SERVICE
`
`I
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`142
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`I
`
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`IN BFIFO
`
`144
`
`RUN TRANSMIT
`
`I
`
`SERVICE U
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 6
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 6 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`150
`
`/
`
`ENTER
`
`V
`PROCESS SERVER
`COMMANDS
`
`152
`
`‘Y
`
`DELAY DELVAL
`MSEC.S
`
`J54
`
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`
`158
`
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`
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`
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`
`U
`
`163
`UPDATE BFIFO /
`PTR.S
`
`RUN TRANSMIT
`SERVICE
`
`"
`C CLEAR BFIFO
`
`168
`
`170
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 7
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 7 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`ENTER
`A’
`PROCESS SERVER
`COMMANDS
`
`182
`
`DELAY DELVAL Q84
`MSEC.S
`186
`
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`
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`
`I
`226
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`
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`
`PUT RESULT IN
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`19
`
`198
`
`200
`
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`
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`
`22
`II
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`
`LE8
`
`7
`( CLEAN FIFOS
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 8
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 8 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`ENTER
`t"
`232
`PROCESS sERvER J
`
`230
`/
`
`Y
`236
`DELAY DELVAL J
`
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`SERVICE )
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`
`238
`
`240
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`
`242
`
`244
`
`246
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`266
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`INCREMENT J
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`
`268
`
`PUT RESULT IN
`AFIFO
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 9
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 9 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`ACTUATING
`EVENT
`
`BDELVAL
`
`ADELVAL
`DELVAL
`F00], ‘d 2
`
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`
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`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 10
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 10 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`300
`
`SYSTEM vERIFICATIoN
`AND ALLOCATION
`/
`
`V
`MATCHING HARDWARE ['- 302
`AND SOFTWARE vERSIoNS
`
`II
`MEASUREMENT OF MEMORY AND I..- 304
`PROCESSING; PARAMETERS SET
`
`I
`TESTING AND DETECTIONS; ,_ 305
`CRDINAI. ID ASSIGNMENT
`
`II
`SUB-PROCESS
`OPENS MASTER CAMERA DATABASE /-- 303
`AND CREATES ACTIVE CAMERA TABLE / START-UP
`
`STARTS-UP COMLINK MANAGER \
`AND PROVIDES PARAMETERS \
`-\
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`
`EPR ES IN MANAGER
`TART- Pl
`8
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`I
`LOOKS FOR PENDING CONNECTION REQUEST
`
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`8
`WEB SERvER
`/ 31/5 CoMMuNICATIoN
`INTER-LOCK MESSAGlNG / MANAGER
`
`I
`BEGIN MAIN PROCESSING LOGS /— 320
`
`Fig, TI?)
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 11
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 11 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`320
`\
`
`Y
`
`332
`
`334 \
`
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`
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`354
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`
`336 \
`L RETURN TO TOP '
`
`[5W3]: W5
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 12
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 12 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`BEGIN
`
`CREATE NEW RECORD FOR NET M j
`IN IMAGE OUTPUT MAPPING TA
`
`348
`/
`
`I
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`IN ACTIVE OUTPUT LINK TABLE \
`404
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`
`FEE], T] 7
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 13
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 13 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`BEGIN
`
`K’ 450
`COMPARE REQUEST
`PARAMETERS AGAINST
`NETCAM RECORD IN
`MASTER NETCAM
`DATABASE
`
`344
`
`452 /
`
`NETCAM CAPABLE
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`REQUEST?
`
`456
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`
`454
`v /.
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`TO REQUESTING PARTY
`
`V
`
`I FINISH I
`
`F003,. 0183
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 14 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`BEGIN
`
`I K470
`
`RECEIVE CUSTOMER OR
`WEB SITE CONNECTION
`REQUEST ON WELL-KNOWN
`PUBLIC PORT
`
`‘V f 472
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`SOURCE
`
`476
`I
`I
`LOG FAILURE,
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`ADMINISTRATOR
`
`II
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`MAIN LOOP
`
`477 f
`CREATE CONTROL,
`COMMAND, AND DATA
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`WITH SOURCE
`
`v f 478
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`
`‘ K480
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`
`Fig, 00
`
`340
`
`/
`
`482 \
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`MAPPING TABLE TO
`INCLUDE SOURCE BASED
`ON PERMISSIONS
`
`484
`
`IS
`
`488 \ CONTINUOUS
`
`ENABLE SOURCE IN
`ACTIVE LINK OUTPUT
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`
`486 \ A
`II
`SEND MESSAGE ON
`COMMAND PORT TO
`REMOTE HOST CONNECTION
`IS COMPLETE AND READY
`FOR SERVICE
`
`II
`
`RETURN TO MAIN LOOP
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 15
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 15 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`513
`
`ASSIGN COVMS
`\ PRIVATE PORT FOR
`NETCAM TO uSE
`
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`
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`
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`
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`\ 522
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`
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`TuRN OvER
`CONTROL TO IT.
`T
`SEND BROADCAST
`SYSTEM TO REST OF
`\ COvMS ANNOUNCING
`NEW NETCAM'S
`PRESENCE
`
`GO TO TOP OF
`PROCESSING LOOP
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 16
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`6
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`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 17
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 17
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 17 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`702
`INITIALIZE THE IMAGE j
`PROCESSING MANAGER
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`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 18
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 18 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`l f 802
`LOOKUP NETCAM
`RECORD IN ACTIVE
`NETCAM TABLE
`
`II K- 816 /
`MALLOC NEW
`PROCESSOR_OUE_REC FOR
`NEWE IMAGE PROCESSOR
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`800
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`FAILURE MESSAGE TO
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`POINTER FROM LIST
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`UPDATE ACTIvE NETCAM
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`POINTER TO IMAGE
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`II
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`I F'N'SHI
`FIG], 23
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 19
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 19 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`BEIGIN
`
`902
`LOOKUP NETCAM IN /
`ACTIVE NETCAM TABLE,
`GET INPUT QUEUE
`POINTER (s)
`
`V
`904
`FIND EACH PROCESSOR/
`coMPREssoR RECORD 1
`IN ACTIVE PRoGEssoR
`LIST THAT HAD NETCAM
`AS AN INPUT
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`FIND EACH NETCAM
`REcoRD IN
`PRocEssoRs
`IMAGE LIST
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`906
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`SPAWN NEW j
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`LINK MANAGER TO
`COMMAND GAMERA
`TO NEW RESOLUTION
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`V
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`FOR NEW sERvIcE LEVER
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`TO BUSINESS
`MANAGER
`
`FINISH U [50g], 243
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 20
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 20 of 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`WEB SERVER COMM. MANAGER PROCESS
`IS LAUNCHED BY THE BUSINESS MANAGER
`
`950
`
`REQ. TO BUS. MGR. TO FILL
`OUTPUT MAPPING TABLE
`
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`HOSTS
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`ESTABLISH CTRL/DATA
`CONNECTIONS WITH
`EACH REMOTE HOST
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`DUMMY IMAGE FILE
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`TEST PATH MTU'S ALONG
`EACH LINK, ADJUST TCP/
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`COMMANDS
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`962
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`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 21
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 21
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 21 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`
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`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 22
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 22
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 22 0f 27
`
`6,166,729
`
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`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 23
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 23
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 23 of 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`1010
`
`950 /
`
`INITIALIZE THE PROCESS
`
`
`
`GET IMAGE REC.
`PTR. FROM HEAD
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`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 24
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 24
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26, 2000
`
`Sheet 24 of 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`1030
`
`/
`
`1032
`
`
`ADJUST QUEUE DWELL
`PERIODS
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`QUEUE TABLE, AND
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`
`
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`
`
`
`Fig], Q9
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 25
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 25
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 25 of 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`
`
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`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 26
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 26
`
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 26 of 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`
`
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`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 27
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 27
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 26,2000
`
`Sheet 27 of 27
`
`6,166,729
`
`START INIT.
`PROCEDURE
`
`
`
`1100
`
`1102 /
`
`
`
`RECOVER
`PAST STATE
`TRUE?
`
`
`
`
`1104
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`?
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`
`
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`
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`
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`LIST FROM THE COVMS
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`
`Page 28
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1004
`Page 28
`
`

`
`6,166,729
`
`1
`REMOTE DIGITAL IMAGE VIEWING
`SYSTEM AND METHOD
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention generally relates to remote visual monitor-
`ing systems and methods and, more particularly, relates to
`cameras and communications network systems and methods
`providing for remote viewing of live visual information over
`the network.
`
`Visual monitoring for security and other reasons is pres-
`ently employed and generally known. In conventional visual
`monitoring systems, a camera is directed at an area to be
`viewed. The camera is wired to a monitor. The monitor is
`
`located at a remote geographic location to the camera.
`Wireless digital communications are common. Present
`wireless digital cellular networks, for example, provide for
`such communications. Typical cellular systems support
`voice calls and data communications. Various protocols and
`packeted information formats are employed in cellular com-
`munications to achieve various results. Data transmission
`
`and reception rates in cellular networks have typically been
`limited. The limitation has not been particularly suitable for
`communication of visual information data, particularly live
`visual images. New protocols, compression techniques, and
`communications equipment are continually being devel-
`oped.
`Wide area networks, including, for example, the Internet,
`are widely known and accessible. Communications over
`such networks take a variety of forms. In the case of the
`Internet, individual consumers, as well as large business,
`employ the giant network for communications. Those com-
`munications include everything from information, to voice,
`to images, to live video, all communicated in the form of
`digital data. Wireless communications with the Internet and
`other networks is possible with the advent of digital
`modems, and these and other communication devices and
`methods continue to be evolving.
`Although many aspects of networks, digital cellular
`communications, and remote visual monitoring systems are
`conventional, those aspects have not provided satisfactory
`remote acquisition of a variety of live visual information and
`transmission of that information via wireless and network
`
`access, with switching to make the information available to
`select viewers. Such systems and methods for remotely
`viewing live visual information, however, would be desir-
`able. Limitations on the prior art that have prevented net-
`work access viewing of remotely monitored visual occur-
`rences have included rates of wireless communications of
`
`information, accessibility to networks capable of
`visual
`providing such information, specialized equipment and soft-
`ware required for communicating such information, and
`complexity, expense, and capabilities of available cameras,
`networks, and related systems and operations.
`Therefore what is needed is systems and methods for
`providing remote viewing over a network, such as the
`Internet, of select live visual images.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The embodiments of the present invention, accordingly,
`provide systems and methods for acquisition and transmis-
`sion of live images over the Internet or dedicated networks
`with switching to make the information available to select
`viewers at locations remote from the images. These systems
`and methods provide wide area visual monitoring by use of
`cameras, wireless communications, back-end image pro-
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`cessing software, and wide area wired networks systems,
`together with speedy and efficient protocols and operations.
`To this end, an embodiment of the invention is a remote
`viewing system for viewing a digital image of a remote
`location. The system includes a digital image acquisition
`device located at the remote location, a digital image trans-
`mission device, connected to the digital image acquisition
`device, a digital image receiving device, communicatively
`connected to the digital transmission device, and a digital
`image server device, connected to the digital image receiv-
`ing device.
`Another embodiment of the invention is a camera. The
`
`camera includes an image acquisition device for acquiring
`an image in real-time, a video digitizer for digitizing the
`image, and a processor for compressing the image.
`Yet another embodiment of the invention is a system for
`viewing an image of a remote location. The system includes
`a digital camera for acquiring the image as a real-time, live
`image, a switch, means for communicating the image to the
`switch, so that the digital camera and the switch are com-
`municatively interconnected, and a network including at
`least one customer computer, the network being communi-
`catingly connected to the switch. The switch processes the
`image and transmits the image to selective ones of the at
`least one customer computer.
`Another embodiment of the invention is a method for
`
`remotely viewing a digital image of a location. The method
`includes steps of acquiring a digital image of the location,
`transmitting the digital image, receiving the digital image,
`and serving the digital image to a select computer connected
`to a network served.
`Yet another embodiment of the invention is a method of
`
`photography. The method includes steps of acquiring an
`image in real-time, digitizing the image, and compressing
`the image.
`Another embodiment of the invention is a method of
`
`viewing an image of a remote location. The method includes
`steps of acquiring the image as a real-time,
`live image,
`communicating the image to the remote location, and
`switching to selectively deliver the image to at least one
`select network-enabled computer.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a system for viewing live images, in real-time,
`from multiple remote locations by communicating the
`images over wireless and wired networks and by accessing
`the images from multiple user computers connected to the
`networks, according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 2 is a camera element for acquiring the images for
`the system of FIG. 1 and for communicating the images over
`wireless networks, according to embodiments of the inven-
`tion.
`
`FIG. 3 is a processor card of the camera element of FIG.
`2, according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 4 is a wireless network of the system of FIG. 1, over
`which the camera elements communicate the images,
`according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 5 is a central office video management system of the
`system of FIG. 1, which selectively receives, manages, and
`distributes the images received from the camera elements to
`the multiple user computers, according to embodiments of
`the invention.
`
`FIG. 6 is a method of operation of an image acquisition
`cycle of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to embodi-
`ments of the invention.
`
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`3
`FIG. 7 is a simplified flow diagram of a method of
`operation of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to
`embodiments of the invention.
`
`FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a broadcast mode sequence of
`the camera element of FIG. 2, according to embodiments of
`the invention.
`
`FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a demand-mode sequence of
`the camera element of FIG. 2, according to embodiments of
`the invention.
`
`FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an event-driven mode
`sequence of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to
`embodiments of the invention.
`
`FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a trigger-driven mode
`sequence of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to
`embodiments of the invention.
`
`FIG. 12 is a simplified illustration of an “around” sub-
`mode of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to embodi-
`ments of the invention.
`
`6,166,729
`
`4
`FIG. 27 is a simplified illustration of operations of the
`Web Server Communications Manager of the system of FIG.
`1, according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 28 is a flow diagram of a method of normal opera-
`tions of the Web Server Communications Manager of the
`system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the inven-
`tion.
`
`10
`
`FIG. 29 is a flow diagram of a process maintenance
`routine of the Web Server Communications Manager of the
`system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the inven-
`tion.
`FIG. 30 is an illustration of data structures and their
`
`relationship, as used by the Web Server Communications
`Manager of the system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments
`of the invention.
`
`15
`
`FIG. 31 is a simplified illustration of a web site of the
`system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the inven-
`tion.
`
`FIG. 32 is a flow diagram of an initialization process of
`the web site of FIG. 31, according to embodiments of the
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`The Remote Viewing System
`Referring to FIG. 1, a remote viewing system 10 includes
`camera devices 12, a wireless network 14, a central office
`video management system (COVMS) 16, a World Wide Web
`server 18, a network 20, and a computer 22. The camera
`devices 12 are operatively connected via radio frequency
`with the wireless network 14 for communications therebe-
`
`tween. The wireless network 14 is connected by communi-
`cations wire with the COVMS 16. The COVMS 16 is
`
`35
`
`connected by communications wire with the World Wide
`Web server 18. The World Wide Web server 18 is connected
`
`FIG. 13 is a simplified illustration of a “before” sub-mode
`of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to embodiments
`of the invention.
`
`20
`
`FIG. 14 is a simplified illustration of an “after” sub-mode
`of the camera element of FIG. 2, according to embodiments
`of the invention.
`
`FIG. 15 is a flow diagram of an initialization method of
`the central office video management system of FIG. 1,
`according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 16 is a method of normal operations of the Business
`Manager main processing loop of the central office video
`managemnent system of the system of FIG. 1, according to
`embodiments of the invention.
`
`25
`
`30
`
`FIG. 17 is a method of operations of the Business Man-
`ager when a CommLink Manager of the central office video
`management system of the system of FIG. 1 indicates that a
`new camera element is available to the system of FIG. 1,
`according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 18 is a method of operations of the Business Man-
`ager when a service level change is requested from a user
`computer of the system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments
`of the invention.
`
`FIG. 19 is a method of registering a new customer or
`display web-site for the system of FIG. 1, according to
`embodiments of the invention.
`
`40
`
`FIG. 20 is a method of operation of a CommLink Man-
`ager of the system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of
`the invention.
`
`45
`
`FIG. 21 is an illustration of primary data structures
`employed by an Image Processing Manager of the system of
`FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 22 is a method of operation of the Image Processing
`Manager of the system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments
`of the invention.
`
`FIG. 23 is a method of operation of a sub-process of
`adding new camera elements of the Image Processing Man-
`ager of the system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of
`the invention.
`
`FIG. 24 is a method of operation of a sub-process of
`changing a service level for the Image Processing Manager
`of the system of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the
`invention.
`FIG. 25 is a method of initialization of a Web Server
`
`Communications Manager of the system of FIG. 1, accord-
`ing to embodiments of the invention.
`FIG. 26 is an illustration of an outbound image queue of
`the Web Server Communications Manager of the system of
`FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the invention.
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`by communications wire with the network 20, such as the
`Internet. The computer 22 is operatively connected with the
`network 20 for communications between the computer 22
`and the network 20. The computer 22 i