Abstract:
A method of setting up a network camera to communicate with a network includes connecting a cable to both the network camera and a computing device, the computing device being in communication with the network. The method also includes transmitting network configuration data from the computing device to the network camera via the cable, and adjusting network settings of the network camera according to the received network configuration data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a method of configuring a network camera to work with a local area network, and more particularly to a method of configuring the network camera by transmitting network configuration data from a computing device to the network camera via a cable connected between the computing device and the network camera. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Network cameras are becoming more and more popular due to advantages like utilizing existing internet protocol (IP) infrastructure, being highly scalable in the number of network cameras that can be used, enjoying flexible camera placement, and supporting remote viewing from anywhere and anytime via standard web browsers, mobile devices, etc. 
         [0005]    There are currently many network cameras on the market, and many of them are similar in how they operate. Aside from hardware differences among the network cameras on the market, one of the biggest differences is the user experience. For the typical user, properly setting up and connecting a network camera to an existing network such as a local area network is a serious burden for the user, and a large learning curve is often needed to complete setup. 
         [0006]    Currently, the normal setup steps include: the user accessing the network camera via a wired or wireless connection, and connecting to a router or access point; configuring a proper static or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) IP address for the network camera; setting up the proper communication mode, time, date, video, and audio configurations; and programming the service set identifier (SSID) and security key for a wireless network that the network camera will be connected to. Furthermore, depending on the specifics of the setup software for the network camera, additional setup data maybe needed such as the network camera&#39;s name, necessary Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) information, sub-net mask data, gateway data, main Domain Name System (DNS) server data, backup DNS server data, etc. 
         [0007]    Generally, all network camera manufacturers try to make this configuration process easier, and there are several solutions commonly employed. First of all, some manufacturers write software applications to provide a full configuration table for users to fill in. This configuration table is used to configure the network camera. Second, some manufacturers generate a barcode from the network configuration, and have the network camera scan and interpret the barcode for configuring the network camera. Third, some manufacturers may require the user to connect the network camera to a personal computer for configuring the network camera. Fourth, some manufacturers may involve ad-hoc wireless connections for configuring wireless settings. 
         [0008]    Despite the variety of different methods employed for helping users to configure network cameras, the process still suffers from overly complicated procedures that are difficult for users to deal with when setting up a network camera. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It is therefore one of the primary objectives of the claimed invention to provide an improved method for helping users to set up network cameras through a simple and streamlined procedure. 
         [0010]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, a method of setting up a network camera to communicate with a network is disclosed. The method includes connecting a cable to both the network camera and a computing device, the computing device being in communication with the network. The method also includes transmitting network configuration data from the computing device to the network camera via the cable, and adjusting network settings of the network camera according to the received network configuration data. 
         [0011]    According to another exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, a method of setting up a network camera to communicate with a network is disclosed. The method includes launching an application program (app) on a computing device, requesting, through the app, assistance with setting up the network camera, and prompting, with the app, a user to connect the network camera to the computing device with a cable. The method also includes connecting the cable to both the network camera and a computing device, the computing device being in communication with the network, and upon determining the cable is connected to both the network camera and the computing device, prompting, with the app, the user to enter a password for the network. The method further includes retrieving the network configuration data with the app after the user enters the password for the network, transmitting the network configuration data from the app to the network camera via the cable, and adjusting network settings of the network camera according to the received network configuration data. 
         [0012]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a local area network in which a network camera is to be installed according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart describing the method of configuring the network camera according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a setup screenshot shown in the app during the process of setting up the network camera. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a setup screenshot shown in the app during the process of setting up the network camera. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  illustrates a setup screenshot shown in the app during the process of setting up the network camera. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  illustrates a setup screenshot shown in the app during the process of setting up the network camera. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The present invention provides an easy method of helping users quickly set up network cameras. The method involves using a cable such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable to connect a network camera to a computing device for transferring network configuration data from the computing device to the network camera. 
         [0020]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a local area network  10  in which a network camera  12  is to be installed according to the present invention. The local area network  10  contains a router  18  for sharing a connection to the Internet  20  among the devices contained in the local area network  10 . In this example, a computing device  16  is in wireless communication with the router  18 . The computing device  16  can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, or any similar such computing device  16  that is capable of connecting to the local area network  10 . Furthermore, the computing device  16  can connect to the router  18  through either a wired network connection using a network cable or through a wireless internet connection, as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    To avoid the conventional difficulties experienced in setting up prior art network cameras, the present invention makes use of a USB cable  14  and an application program (app)  15  installed on the computing device  16  for transferring network configuration data from the app  15  to the network camera  12  for setting up the network camera  12 . It should be known that any kind of USB cable  14  can be used, including any type of female or mail USB connectors. In addition, other cable standards can also be used such as IEEE 1394 standards. The present invention is not limited in the type computing device  16  used or the type of cable that is used to connect the computing device  16  to the network camera  12 . 
         [0022]    The app  15  can be a mobile app if the computing device  16  is a mobile phone or a tablet computer, or can be a conventional computer program if the computing device  16  is a notebook computer or a desktop computer. In either case, the computing device  16  should be able to connect to the local area network  10 . The purpose of the app  15  is to obtain all of the necessary network configuration data and transmit this data to the network camera  12  via the USB cable  14 . The network camera  12  then uses this network configuration data to complete setup of the network camera  12 . 
         [0023]    By using the USB cable  14  to transfer the network configuration data from the app  15  to the network camera  12 , the user of the network camera  12  is able to avoid complicated setup procedures that usually plague new installations of the network camera  12 . The user does not need to scan any barcodes with the network camera  12  or use any complicated ad-hoc wireless connections for configuring the wireless settings. Instead, the app  15  is programmed to handle all of the responsibility of obtaining the necessary network configuration data that is needed to setup the network camera  12 . 
         [0024]    Please refer to  FIGS. 2 to 6 .  FIG. 2  is a flowchart describing the method of configuring the network camera  12  according to the present invention.  FIGS. 3 to 6  illustrate setup screenshots shown in the app  15  during the process of setting up the network camera  12 . Steps in the flowchart will be explained as follows. 
         [0025]    Step  100 : When the user wishes to set up a network camera  12 , the user first launches the app  15  on the computing device  16 . The user then indicates in the app  15  that the user wishes to receive assistance in adding the network camera  12  to the local area network  10 . 
         [0026]    Step  102 : The app  15  prompts the user to connect the computing device  16  to the network camera  12  via the USB cable  14 . A screenshot  200  of this is shown in  FIG. 3 , where the user is instructed to connect the USB cable  14 . 
         [0027]    Step  104 : Following the instructions in the app  15 , the user connects the USB cable  14  to both the network camera  12  and the computing device  16 , and the computing device  16  begins communicating with the network camera  12 . A screenshot  210  of this is shown in  FIG. 4 , where the user is shown that the computing device  16  and the network camera  12  are communicating. 
         [0028]    Step  106 : Once the app  15  determines that the USB cable  14  is connected to the computing device  16  and the network camera  12 , the app  15  prompts the user to enter a password for a located SSID so that the app  15  can obtain wireless network settings that the app  15  can transmit to the network camera  12 . Before the user is prompted to enter the password, the app  15  automatically detects SSID associated with the corresponding Wi-Fi access point or router, and displays this SSID on the app  15  for the user to see. In this way, the user does not need to select the SSID for the corresponding access point or router, and the user can simply enter the password directly. A screenshot  220  of this is shown in  FIG. 5 , where the user is instructed to enter the password for the located SSID. The user then enters the password. 
         [0029]    Step  108 : The app  15  retrieves the network configuration data after the user enters the password for the located SSID. This network configuration data is then transmitted from the app  15  executed on the computing device  16  to the network camera  12  via the USB cable  14 . 
         [0030]    Step  110 : The network camera  12  uses the received network configuration data to adjust the network settings of the network camera  12 . 
         [0031]    Step  112 : Setup of the network camera  12  is complete. A screenshot  230  of this is shown in  FIG. 6 , where the app  15  indicates that setup is complete. The app  15  may ask if the user wishes to setup another new network camera  12 , or if the user is done with setup. 
         [0032]    If the user wishes to set up another network camera  12 , the process will perform the steps shown in  FIG. 2  again. However, the setup process for the additional new cameras will not need to perform step  106  since the app  15  will remember the password for the SSID. 
         [0033]    The network camera  12  can be connected to the local area network  10  via a wired connection or a wireless connection such as a regular Wi-Fi connection, a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) connection, or an ad-hoc wireless connection. If a wired connection is used, the network camera  12  can be connected to the router  18  using a conventional network cable, also known as an Ethernet cable. If a wired connection is to be used, and a wireless connection is not available, then the computing device  16  can be connected to a wired network cable, and the user will not need to input the password for the SSID in step  106 . After the setup process for the network camera  12  is finished, the app  15  can then prompt the user to plug a network cable into the network camera  12  for connecting the network camera  12  to the local area network  10 . 
         [0034]    Once the network camera  12  has been set up, the app  15  can prompt the user to disconnect the USB cable  14  from the network camera  12 , and the network camera  12  does not need to be connected to the computing device  16  any longer. The network camera  12  can connect to the local area network  10  directly via either a wired or wireless connection to the router  18 . 
         [0035]    In summary, the app  15  obtains the network configuration data for the user and conveniently passes the network configuration data to the network camera  12  via the USB cable  14 . The user is thus spared from having to endure complicated setup procedures when installing the new network camera  12 . The app  15  can run on any kind of computing device  16 , and run in any kind of operating system. The use of the app  15  and the USB cable  14  greatly simplifies the setup process of the network camera  12 , and makes the setup process easy enough for virtually every user to handle. 
         [0036]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.