Patent ID: 7224398
Filing Date: 2007-05-29
Classification: G08B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A surveillance camera apparatus, comprising: a camera unit for taking an image of a specific object and having a lens for passing therethrough light forming said image taken by said camera unit; a camera retaining assembly for retaining said camera unit; a light filtering unit for filtering light forming image taken by said camera unit, said light filtering unit having a filter frame supported by said camera unit, and an optical filter fixed with said filter frame to cut part of light, and said filter frame being movable with respect to said camera unit to assume two different operation positions consisting of a first operation position where said optical filter covers said lens of said camera unit to allow said camera unit to be able to take said image with said optical filter, and a second operation position where said optical filter uncovers said lens of said camera unit to allow said camera unit to be able to take said image without said optical filter; frame stop means held stationary with respect to said camera retaining assembly and designed to stop said filter frame of said light filtering unit from moving with respect to said camera retaining assembly beyond a predetermined range; a camera driving unit supported on said camera retaining assembly to drive said camera unit to have said camera unit moved with respect to said camera retaining assembly in two different areas consisting of a surveillance area where said camera unit is capable of taking said image of said specific object to perform a surveillance operation, and a non-surveillance area where said camera unit is incapable of taking said image of said specific object to perform no surveillance operation, and where said filter frame of said light filtering unit is capable of selectively assuming said two different operation positions, said camera driving unit being adapted to drive said camera unit to have said camera unit moved with respect to said camera retaining assembly to have said filter frame of said light filtering unit move into and out of engagement with said frame stop means; and a drive control unit for controlling said camera driving unit to have said camera driving unit drive said camera unit to have said camera unit moved with respect to said camera retaining assembly in said two different areas, said drive control unit being operative to assume two different operation states consisting of a first operation state under which said camera unit is driven by said camera driving unit to be moved within said surveillance area, and a second operation state under which said camera unit is driven by said camera driving unit to be moved with respect to said camera retaining assembly to have said filter frame of said light filtering unit move into and out of engagement with said frame stop means, and which said filter frame of said light filtering unit is moved with respect to said camera retaining assembly to allow said filter frame of said light filtering unit to selectively assume said two different operation positions under the state that said filter frame of said light filtering unit is in engagement with said frame stop means.