Patent Abstract:
A wildlife surveillance camera has a housing and first and second battery compartments located in the housing, which battery compartments are sized to receive at least two batteries in end-to-end fashion. The battery compartments are separated from each other by a gap which contains the electronics for the camera. The camera unit has an inner door that closes the access openings into the battery compartments. An outer door is provided to provide access to the inner door. The camera image sensor, the triggering device and the display are all mounted to the rear portion of the housing.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to cameras that are used to scout wildlife. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Cameras are used to scout or survey wildlife. For example, a camera is set up near a game trail, feeder, watering hole or other area where wildlife pass or gather on a frequent basis. The camera is mounted to a tree, post, etc. It has a sensor to detect the presence of wildlife. Thus, the camera automatically takes pictures when wildlife are detected. The automatic operation of the camera is useful because a human operator need not monitor the camera for long periods of time in order to operate it. Also, there is no human operator present which might repel wildlife. 
         [0003]    These cameras are known as game scouting cameras or trail cameras. The cameras can be film or digital and can take still pictures or movies (video). The cameras can also be equipped with a flash. The flash can be of white light, infrared light or a camera may have both types of flashes. 
         [0004]    The earliest cameras used to scout wildlife were believed to be conventional cameras mounted in housings to protect the camera from the weather. As scouting cameras have evolved, the cameras are specifically designed units for the particular task. The evolution of scouting cameras continues. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A wildlife surveillance camera comprises a housing, first and second battery compartments and camera electronics. The first and second battery compartments are located in the housing with each of the first and second battery compartments sized to receive at least two batteries in an end-to-end orientation. Each of the first and second battery compartments has an opening adjacent to and end of the respective battery compartment so as to allow for the insertion and removal of batteries into the respective compartment. The first and second battery compartments are separated from each other by a gap. The camera electronics are located in the housing and comprise a processor and externally facing components. The externally facing components comprise an image sensor, a display and a triggering sensor. The externally facing components are located in the gap between the first and second battery compartments. 
         [0006]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, each of the first and second battery compartments comprise a channel formed in the housing and a cover over the channel, with the cover being coupled to the housing. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another aspect, the camera further comprises an inner door and an outer door. The inner door is movable between open and closed positions. When the inner door is in the closed position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are closed and when the inner door is in the open position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are open. The outer door is movable between open and closed positions. When the outer door is in the closed position, the inner door is inside of the housing and when the outer door is in the open position, the inner door is exposed to the exterior of the housing. 
         [0008]    In accordance with another aspect, the housing has a top end and a bottom end. The inner and outer doors are located at one of the ends. 
         [0009]    In accordance with still another aspect, when the outer door is in the open position, a user input device is exposed to the exterior. 
         [0010]    In accordance with still another aspect, when the outer door is in the open position, a data output port and a receptacle for external memory is exposed to the exterior. 
         [0011]    In accordance with still another aspect, the camera further comprises inner and outer doors. The inner door is movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the inner door is in the closed position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are closed and when the inner door is in the open position, the openings to the first and second battery compartments are open. The outer door is movable between open and closed positions, wherein when the outer door is in the closed position, the inner door is inside of the housing and when the outer door is in the open position, the inner door is exposed to the exterior of the housing. Each of the first and second battery compartments comprise a channel formed in the housing and a cover over the channel. The cover is coupled to the housing. The housing has a top end and a bottom end, with the inner and outer doors being located at one of the ends. When the outer door is in the open position, a user input device is exposed to the exterior. When the outer door is in the open position, a data output port and a receptacle for external memory is exposed to the exterior. 
         [0012]    In accordance with still another aspect, the externally facing components are arranged in a column on a front of the housing. 
         [0013]    A wildlife surveillance camera comprises a housing, an image sensor, a triggering sensor, a display, a processor, a user input device and at least one battery compartment. The housing has a front, a rear, and sides, as well as ends. The processor is for processing images from the image sensor when the triggering sensor is activated and for providing information to the display. The user input device is connected to the processor. The image sensor, the triggering sensor and the display face the exterior of the front of the housing. The user input device and the battery compartments are accessible by a door on one of the ends of the housing. The image sensor, the triggering sensor and the display are unblanketed by the door. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another aspect, a power on switch is located on the front of the unit, which switch turns on the display on when activated. The power on switch is exposed to the exterior of the housing. 
         [0015]    In accordance with another aspect, a data port and an external memory receptacle are accessible by the door. 
         [0016]    A wildlife surveillance camera comprises a housing and camera electronics. The housing has front and rear portions which couple together to form an interior cavity. The housing front portion has an opening. The camera electronics comprises an image sensor, a triggering device, a display and a processor. The processor is connected to the image sensor, the triggering device and the display. The camera electronics are located in the interior cavity. The display is mounted to the housing rear portion such that the display is adjacent to the opening and such that when the housing front portion is removed from the housing rear portion, the display remains with the housing rear portion. 
         [0017]    In accordance with one aspect, a transparent pane is across the opening. The display is separated from the pane by a gap. 
         [0018]    In accordance with still another aspect, the image sensor and the triggering device are aligned with the respective openings in the housing front portion. The image sensor and the triggering device are mounted to the housing rear portion. 
         [0019]    In accordance with still another aspect, a camera lens is adjacent to the image sensor. The lens has a focal axis. The display is angled below the focal axis. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the front of the camera unit, in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the electrical components of the camera unit. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the front and rear portions of the camera housing. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the interior of the rear portion of the camera housing. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken through lines V-V of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bottom of the camera unit showing the external door open and the interior battery compartment door in the closed position. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bottom of the camera unit showing the external door open and the interior battery compartment door in the open position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view, taken through lines VIII-VIII of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the interior of the front portion of the camera housing. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0029]    In  FIG. 1 , there is shown a view of a camera unit  11 . The camera operates automatically and can be used to photograph wildlife. When an animal moves in front of the camera, the animal is sensed and the camera takes a picture. The camera unit  11  has a housing  13 , camera electronics  15  (see  FIG. 2 ) and batteries  17  (see  FIGS. 2 and 4 ). 
         [0030]    The housing  13  has front and rear portions  19 ,  21 . The front and rear portions  19 ,  21 , when coupled together, have an interior cavity  23  (see  FIG. 3 ) for the camera electronics and the batteries. As shown in  FIG. 1 , which shows the front of the camera unit, there is a camera lens  25 , a flash assembly  27 , a triggering sensor  29 , a status light  31 , a light sensor  33 , a display  35  and a power on button  37  for the display  35 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of the electronics  15  is shown. A central processing unit (CPU)  39  is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the CPU incorporates features of a video processor. An image sensor  41  provides inputs to the CPU. The image sensor  41  can be a CCD or a CMOS type sensor. The image sensor is located behind the lens  25 . Memory  43  is connected to the CPU  39 . The memory  43  can be NAND flash memory, STRAM memory or a combination thereof, or some other type of memory. In addition, removable memory devices  45  such as memory cards, can be used. Memory cards are referred to as external memory. The memory card  45  is inserted into a slot  77  in the bottom of the camera (see  FIG. 7 ). The lens  25 , image sensor  41 , CPU  39  and memory  43  make up the major components of the camera. The camera described herein is a digital camera. In the preferred embodiment, the camera takes still photographs. However, the camera can be configured to make video images. 
         [0032]    The camera can take pictures in daylight and also in lowlight conditions, such as night, using a flash  27 . In the preferred embodiment, the flash is an infrared flash. The infrared flash  27  is provided by a series of infrared LED&#39;s, which are powered by a flash driver  47 . The flash driver is connected to the CPU  39 . 
         [0033]    An infrared filter  49  is removably provided between the lens  25  and the image sensor  41 . In daylight conditions, the infrared filter  49  is located in front of the image sensor  41 . Thus, light passes through the infrared filter to reach the image sensor. In low light conditions, the infrared filter  49  is moved out of the light path of the image sensor so as to be out of the way. (In  FIG. 2 , the IR filter  49  is shown in solid lines out of the light path between the lens  25  and image sensor  41  and shown in dashed lines in the light path.) A motor  51  and a motor driver  53  move the infrared filter  49  in front of and out of the way of the image sensor. The motor driver  53  is connected to the CPU  39 . The motor  51  has a speed reducer  91  in the form of gearing that moves the IR2 filter  49  (see  FIG. 8 ). 
         [0034]    The camera could be equipped with a white light flash for night and low light photography using visible light. The camera can be equipped with one or both types of flashes. 
         [0035]    The camera, and if needed the flash, is triggered by the triggering, or trigger, sensor  29 . In the preferred embodiment, the triggering sensor is a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, or a motion sensor. The PIR sensor is located behind a cover that is transparent to infrared. The PIR sensor  29  is connected to the CPU  39  by way of a driver  55 . An indicator light  31  is provided on the front of the unit to illuminate when the PIR sensor  29  is affected by motion. This allows the PIR sensor operation to be tested and verified. 
         [0036]    The camera unit  11  has a display  35  for providing information. In the preferred embodiment, the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD). The LCD  35  is connected to the CPU  39  by way of an LCD driver  57 . In the preferred embodiment, the display shows the strength of the battery charge, the date and time, the number of pictures taken and the number of pictures remaining that can be stored with the available memory  43 ,  45 . 
         [0037]    The power on button  37 , located on the front of and exterior of the unit, turns the display  35  on. 
         [0038]    The camera unit  11  has a user input  59  in the form of several buttons for an operator to program the camera. The user input will be discussed in more detail below with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0039]    Referring to the orientation of  FIG. 1 , the housing  13  has a top end  13 T, a bottom end  13 B and sides  13 S, as well as a front side and a rear side (on the respective front and rear portions  19 ,  21 ). The front portion  19  has openings, which openings provide access for the camera lens  25  and flash  27 , as well as the PIR sensor  29  and the display  35 . These openings are shown in  FIG. 3 , where the front portion  19  is shown without any covers or panes over the openings.  FIG. 3  also shows the interior cavity formed by the front and rear portions  19 ,  21 , as well as a circuit board  60  with some (but not all) of the electronic components. 
         [0040]    The batteries  17  provide an onboard power supply. The batteries are connected to a control circuit  61  (see  FIG. 2 ) that regulates the electrical power provided to the CPU  39  and various other components. The batteries  17  are located in two battery compartments  63  (see  FIGS. 3-5 ), which battery compartments are separated from each other by a gap or a space. Occupying the space between the battery compartments  63  are the remaining electronics and corresponding support structure. Each battery compartment  63  is made of a channel  65  located in the rear housing portion  21 . Referring to the orientation shown in  FIG. 3 , the channel extends from the bottom end  13 B of the housing portion up towards the top end  13 T; where the channel ends at a stop. A battery terminal  66  is coupled to the stop (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Each battery compartment  63  has a cover  67 . The channel  65  and the cover  67  form a battery compartment  63  cavity for receiving batteries. In the preferred embodiment, the batteries are cylindrical in shape. The bottom end of each battery compartment  63  has an opening  68 . The batteries are loaded shotgun style, or in end-to-end fashion in the battery compartments through the opening. The batteries  17  are shown in dashed lines in the drawings. Each battery compartment  63  receives two batteries  17 . 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the bottom ends of the battery compartment  63  are closed by an internal door  69 . The internal door has a hinge  71  on one end for swinging the door  69  open to provide access to the openings  68  for the battery compartments  63 . The other end of the door has a releasable latch  73  for securing the door in the closed position, wherein the battery compartments are closed. The internal door  69  and latch  73  are strong enough to support the weight of the batteries when the unit is mounted and installed. When closed, the internal door  69  is flush with a bottom wall  75 , which bottom wall has the user input  59 , a slot  77  for receiving the external memory card and a data port  79 . The unit has an external door  81  that is hinged on the back side and can swing down to open and expose the internal door  69  and bottom wall  75 . The external door has releasable wire latches  83  (see  FIG. 1 ) to close the internal door (the latches  83  are not shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , also, due to the oblique angle, the lens and flash are not shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). 
         [0042]    The external door  81  and the housing front portion  19  has aligned loops  85  for receiving a lock or other security device. 
         [0043]    A gasket (not shown) is provided in the external door, which provides a barrier to moisture. When the external door  81  is closed, the batteries, user input  59 , external memory and data port cannot be accessed. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , in the preferred embodiment, the user input  59  comprises buttons, namely “mode”, “+”, “−”. The user programs the camera by pressing the power on button  37  on the camera front to turn on the display  35  and then pressing the mode button to select which data is to be programmed. For example, one mode could be to program date (month-day-year), while another mode could program time (hours-minutes-am/pm). The user uses the “+” and “−” buttons, to input the proper date. 
         [0045]    Most of the electronics are mounted to the rear portion  21  of the housing. As shown in  FIG. 8 , most of the electronics are mounted to the circuit board  60  that is in turn mounted to the rear portion  21  of the housing by way of supports  87 . The image sensor  41 , lens  25  and IR filter  49  are in an image sensor housing  89 , shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , which housing is mounted to the board  60 . The motor  51  for moving the IR filter  49  is located below the board  51 . A drive mechanism  91 , comprising gearing and shafts, couples the motor to the IR filter. A hole  93  is provided in the board  60  to allow a portion of the drive mechanism to pass therethrough and into the image sensor housing  89 . 
         [0046]    The LCD  35  is mounted in an assembly  93 , which assembly is in turn mounted to the board  60 . A bracket  94  is around the edges of the LCD and secures the LCD and some other components to the assembly  93 . The LCD  35  is tilted or angled relative to the board. This tilt has the effect of angling the LCD when viewed from the exterior of the housing. The LCD assembly  93  has supports  95  that space the LCD from the board  60  and that provide the angle. In the preferred embodiment, the plane B of the LCD (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 8 ) is tilted relative to the focal axis A (shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 8 ) the camera and is not perpendicular thereto. With the camera oriented in a typical manner, wherein the exterior door  81  is at the bottom of the unit, the LCD is tilted downwardly relative to the focal axis A. When the camera unit is disassembled, the LCD  35  and the LCD assembly  93  are coupled to the housing rear portion  21 ; the housing front portion  19  can be removed therefrom. The housing front portion  19  has a transparent cover  97  or window, which cover is mounted to the housing front portion  21 . The LCD assembly  93  is located relative to the transparent cover  97  so that the LCD can be seen from the exterior of the camera unit. There is a gap or space  99  between the LCD  35  and the transparent cover  97 . 
         [0047]    The trigger sensor  29 , the status light  31  and the light sensor  33  are mounted to the board  60  (see  FIG. 3 ). When the housing front and rear portions  19 ,  21  are assembled, these components align with their respective openings, which openings are provided with transparent covers. The cover for the trigger sensor  29  need not be transparent to visible light, but is transparent to infrared light. In the preferred embodiment, the cover for the triggering sensor  29  has a Fresnel lens (not shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
         [0048]    The flash  27  is mounted to a board  101 , that is in turn mounted to the housing front portion  19  (see  FIG. 9 ). The board  101  has an opening  102  for receiving a cylindrical portion  103  of the image sensor housing  89 . The opening on the housing front portion  19  for the flash and camera has a transparent cover  105 . Thus, the LCD  35 , the lens  25 , the flash  27 , the trigger sensor  29 , the status light  31  and the light sensor  33  are externally facing and visible, either with visible light or infrared light, from the exterior of the camera unit. The exterior door  81  does not cover or blanket these components, as the exterior door is located on a different part of the camera unit. Furthermore, the externally facing components  35 ,  25 ,  27 ,  29 ,  31 ,  33  are arranged in a column on a front of the housing. That is to say that the lens  25  and flash  27 , which are nested together in the preferred embodiment, are in one location along the column, with the trigger sensor  29 , status light  31  and light sensor  33  are at another location along the column, and the LCD  35  at a third location along the column. 
         [0049]    The power on switch  37  is exposed on the exterior of the housing and is not covered or blanketed by the exterior door  81 . The power on button  37  is mounted to the housing front portion  19  (see  FIG. 9 ). A circuit board  107  is mounted to the housing front portion  19 . The board  107  interacts with the power on button  37 . 
         [0050]    The housing has an external power port  109  on one of the sides. The power port allows the use of an external power supply. When the port is not in use, it is covered by an elastomeric plug. 
         [0051]    The rear of the housing is curved as shown by  FIG. 5  and is provided with projections or bosses  111 . The projections  111  serve to prevent the unit from sliding down a pole or tree. Loops  113  (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) are provided on the unit sides, which loops are used to secure the unit to a mounting structure, such as a tree or post. 
         [0052]    The unit is easily made operational and installed. The battery compartments  63  are accessed by opening the external door  81  and the internal door  69 . The batteries are loaded into the battery compartments. The shotgun style loading simplifies installing batteries in the respective compartments. The internal door  69  is closed and latched. The operator uses the user input buttons  59  to set the date and time. A memory card  45  may be inserted into the unit by the slot  77 . The external door is then closed and latched. 
         [0053]    The camera unit  11  is mounted by hooking straps or bungee cords into the side loops  113  and around a tree or post. The camera unit can be mounted to the mounting structure by other mounting arrangements as well. The camera is pointed in the desired direction. The operator can wave a hand or walk in front of the unit to activate the trigger or motion sensor  29 . The light  31  on the front of the unit will illuminate when the motion sensor is activated. 
         [0054]    Once the camera is set up, the operator can leave. The camera operates automatically. When the motion sensor  29  detects motion, a signal is provided to the CPU  39 . The CPU reads the input from the light sensor  33  and determines if the flash  27  is needed for the level of light. If no flash is needed, then the image sensor  41  captures an image. The CPU  39  processes the image data from the image sensor and stores it in memory. If a flash is needed, the CPU operates the motor driver which causes the motor  51  to move the infrared filter  49  out of the light path to the image sensor. The CPU then causes the flash driver to operate the flash. While the flash provides illumination, the image sensor captures an image, which is then processed by the CPU and stored memory. The camera is then ready to take another picture if the motion sensor is triggered again. The camera can have a minimum time delay between pictures. 
         [0055]    The operator can easily check the camera from time to time. The power on button  37  is pushed to turn on the display  35 . The operator need not open the exterior door  81  or any cover to turn on and read the display  35 . The display stays on for a predetermined period of time before being turned off to preserve battery power. The operator reads the display to see how many pictures have been taken and how many can be taken with the available memory. The operator can open the exterior door  81  and remove the memory card from the camera. The operator can also plug a cable into the data port  79  to access the internal memory and access any pictures stored in the internal memory. Once the pictures have been offloaded or downloaded from the camera, the pictures can be viewed on a computer. 
         [0056]    Note that although the preferred embodiment has been described as having the openings to the battery compartments on one end of the housing, namely the bottom, the openings could be on the front, rear or sides. The openings would be slots or elongated to allow the batteries to be inserted and removed from the battery compartments. 
         [0057]    The foregoing disclosure and showings made in the drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7