Videophone system for scrutiny monitoring with computer control

Abstract

In conjunction with the dial-up public telephone system, voice quality lines carry videophone signals for monitoring a multitude of locations from at least one central station for use in a variety of applications, such as for security, surveillance, quality control and inspection, regulation of food and/or other standards in food-related and other facilities, market research, remote monitoring of deposit and withdrawal of funds at bank vaults, grocery chains, convenience stores, and the like. At the central station, telephonic interface apparatus is actuated by a control unit to selectively accomplish a telephonic connection with a remote location. Displays include the scene at the remote location and related graphic data. During routine operation, remote locations are displayed in sequence to at least one operator. Such operation may be interrupted either from a remote location or central station in the event of an urgency. In such an event, the concerned scrutiny location is displayed for further communication involving status, camera selection, camera configuration, audio, video and so on. Incoming calls from scrutiny stations imply an urgent situation for immediate display. The called number, by dialed number identification system (DNIS) may indicate the status while the calling number identifies the location by automatic number identification (ANI) signals. Alternative signaling and code techniques afford flexible operation as with respect to various graphic and status indications available for displays.

1 . A system for communicating with a plurality of remote locations from a central station utilizing telephonic communication facilities comprising:
 video communication structures located at the plurality of remote locations for providing representative image signals of scenes at the plurality of remote locations and for receiving and sending audio signals to carry voice over the telephonic communication facilities;   a plurality of video display structures, including audio capability, located at the central station for receiving and displaying the representative image video signals of the plurality of remote locations;   telephonic interface apparatus for interconnecting the video communication structures at the plurality of the remote locations with the plurality of the video display structures at the central station and including two way audio communication capability at the central station; and   a control unit for controlling the telephonic interface apparatus to establish video and audio communication between a select video camera structure at a select one of the plurality of remote locations and one of the plurality of video display structures at the central station, with the central station receiving a display of a scene from the select one of the plurality of remote locations and the same select one of the plurality of remote locations receiving audio communication from the central station via the telephonic interface apparatus.