Patent Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention may provide a system and method for providing airflow through a video surveillance system enclosure. A video surveillance system enclosure may have a first hole and a second hole. An incoming conduit may have a first incoming opening fitted into the first hole. A first plurality of holes may along at least a portion of a length of the incoming conduit. An outgoing conduit may have a first outgoing opening fitted into the second hole. A second plurality of holes may run along at least a portion of a length of the outgoing conduit.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a video surveillance recording system, and more specifically relates to a weather-proof and vandal resistant video surveillance recording system that may be used outdoors and that may communicate wirelessly to capture and playback surveillance video. 
         [0002]    Currently, most video surveillance recording systems are designed to be used indoors, where these systems may not be exposed to extreme temperatures or the elements. However, there may be situations where it is desirable or necessary to place video surveillance recording systems outdoors, such as when there is no place to house video surveillance recording systems indoors. When these video surveillance recording systems are used outdoors and exposed to the elements, the systems may not be able to operate efficiently. However, if a video surveillance system is sealed in an air-tight enclosure in order to protect the system from the elements outdoors, it may not be able to normally operate and may overheat. 
         [0003]    As can be seen, there is a need for a video surveillance recording system that may be sufficiently protected from the elements, in order to be used outdoors. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In one aspect of the present invention, a system may comprise an enclosure having a first hole and a second hole; an incoming conduit having a first incoming opening fitted into the first hole; a first plurality of holes running along at least a portion of a length of the incoming conduit; an outgoing conduit having a first outgoing opening fitted into the second hole; and a second plurality of holes running along at least a portion of a length of the outgoing conduit. 
         [0005]    In another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing airflow within an enclosure may comprise receiving air into a first plurality of holes running along at least a portion of a length of an incoming conduit; circulating the air within the enclosure attached to the incoming conduit at a first opening of the enclosure via a first fan situated near the first opening, thereby cooling a computer component within the enclosure; circulating the air out of the enclosure and into an outgoing conduit at a second opening of the enclosure via a second fan situated at the second opening after the air has cooled the computer component; and expelling the air from the outgoing conduit via a second plurality of holes running along at least a portion of a length of the outgoing conduit. 
         [0006]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a video surveillance recording system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with the door of the weather proof cabinet opened; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is perspective view of the video surveillance recording system of  FIG. 1  showing the airflow direction inside the secretly-ventilated cabinet forced cool outside air drawn in by a fan into cabinet while another fan expels the hot air to the outside of the cabinet; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded top elevation view of the structural components of the video surveillance system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded top elevation view of the working components of the video surveillance system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0012]    Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
         [0013]    Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a weather-proof and vandal resistant video surveillance recording system that may be used outdoors. Because the video surveillance recording system may be weather-proof and vandal resistant, the video surveillance recording system may be used outdoors, thereby eliminating the need for an office-type enclosure that houses a typical video surveillance recording system. To cool the video surveillance system, conduits may feed air into the system via a series of holes drilled into the conduits while fans may circulate that air within the system, thereby allowing the system to stay cool enough that it may be used in all temperature extremes. 
         [0014]    Further, because the video surveillance recording system may communicate wirelessly with users and surveillance cameras, the video surveillance system may both capture and playback surveillance video without the need to physically access the system. 
         [0015]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a video surveillance recording system  10  may comprise an enclosure  12  that houses a computer chassis  36  that controls surveillance cameras (not shown). The enclosure  12  may, for example, be a standard large fiberglass and weather-proof electrical cabinet enclosure or case approximately fourteen inches wide, fourteen inches high, and eight inches deep, or any other appropriate weatherproof enclosure, that may be opened via latches  14 . For security, the enclosure  12  may be secured via a padlock or any other measures in order to ensure that unauthorized persons are unable to access the interior of the enclosure  12 . For added cooling, the enclosure may also be painted with a ceramic thermal-reflective material to prevent sunlight from being absorbed by the enclosure  12 , thereby preventing additional heat from being introduced to the enclosure  12 . The enclosure  12  may also contain the computer chassis  36  and a wireless router  38 . The computer chasses  36  and the wireless router  38  may be mounted via mounting accessories  34  onto a sheet  18  secured to the interior of the enclosure  12 . The sheet  18  may be a 0.25-inch thick plywood sheet that is used as a mounting plate for all components within the enclosure  12 , thus preventing any screw-related holes from compromising the waterproof characteristics of the enclosure  12 . 
         [0016]    The computer chassis  36  may be powered by a power cube  40  a power distributor  42 . The computer chassis  36  may also comprise an industry-standard personal computer powered by an INTEL™ microprocessor. A LINUX™ operating system may be installed on the personal computer because such an operating system may be operable without a hard drive, but any other appropriate computer operating systems may also be used. The computer chassis  36  may communicate via the wireless router  38  with multiple video cameras in order to capture and process video coming from the video cameras. Because the computer chassis  36  may also communicate over the Internet via the wireless router  38 , an administrator may be able to view surveillance video or configure the computer chassis  36  remotely without physical access to the video surveillance recording system  10 . The computer chassis  36  may optionally comprise a hard drive that is used to store surveillance video captured by the video cameras that communicate with the computer chassis  36 . 
         [0017]    The two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  may fit into two circulation holes  16   a  on the enclosure in order to promote airflow  46  within the enclosure  12 . Each of the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  may be a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube approximately 4 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length, and may have a plurality of holes  16   c , approximately ¾-inch in diameter, drilled along approximately two feet of the length of the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a . The two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  may also comprise screening  24 , attached with, for example, an adhesive  22 , on the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a . The screening  24  may cover the plurality of holes  16   c , thereby preventing foreign objects such as dust or pests from entering the plurality of holes  16   c  while still allowing air to flow into and out of the plurality of holes  16   c . The two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  may then be capped by pipe caps  26  to ensure that only air may enter the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  through the plurality of holes  16   c.    
         [0018]    To securely connect the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  with the enclosure  12 , tightening collars  28  may be attached to the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a , thereby allowing the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  to be securely inserted through the two circulation holes  16   a , thereby ensuring that there are no gaps between the two circulation holes  16   a  and the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a . The tightening collars  28  may further be attached to unions  30  to further securely attach the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  to the enclosure  12 . 
         [0019]    Plumbing pipe adaptors  32  may be attached to the unions  30  within the interior of the enclosure  32 . The plumbing pipe adaptors  32  may be a 4-inch to 6-inch adaptor that may promote airflow  46  within the enclosure  12  using its increased 6-inch diameter. Fans  44 , which may be standard 120-milimeter computer box fans, may be attached to the plumbing pipe adaptors  32  and may circulate airflow  46 , including cool air flowing into the enclosure  12  through the plurality of holes  16   c  from one of the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  to cool the components within the enclosure  12 . Hot air may be expelled out of the enclosure  12  through the plurality of holes  16   c  from the other of the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a.    
         [0020]    A second conduit  20   b  may be attached to the enclosure  12  through a wiring hole  16   b  in order to carry any necessary wiring for the computer chassis  36 , the wireless router  38 , or any other components within the enclosure  12 . The length of the second conduit  20   b  maybe a length of PVC piping approximately 2-inches in diameter while the wiring hole  16   b  may be a hole approximately 2-inches in diameter that is drilled into or otherwise cut out of the enclosure  12 . 
         [0021]    In use, the video surveillance recording system  10  may be mounted on an outdoor wall or pole. The system  10  may be mounted in such a way so that the plurality of holes  16   c  faces the wall with an approximate gap of a half inch between the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  and the wall. By mounting the system  10  closely to the wall, foreign material such as water may be prevented from entering the plurality of holes  16   c  while the plurality of holes  16   c  may be disguised, thereby enabling the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  to appear as generic pipes and helping to disguise the system  10  so that unauthorized users may not recognize that the system is indeed a video surveillance recording system  10 . To further disguise the system  10 , the two lengths of the first conduit  20   a  and the second conduit  20   b  may extend all the way into the ground, thereby further disguising the conduits  20   a  and  20   b  as regular piping that normally carries water, wires, or another common medium. 
         [0022]    The system  10  may communicate with one or more surveillance cameras placed outside of the system  10  in order to receive and store video captured by the surveillance cameras. The computer chassis  36  within the system  10  may comprise a digital video recorder (DVR) for recording and playing back surveillance video captured by the surveillance cameras. In an exemplary embodiment, the system may communicate with four or more surveillance cameras. An authorized user may also communicate wirelessly with the system  10  to view captured surveillance footage or to control the surveillance cameras, such as changing the field of view of the surveillance cameras. 
         [0023]    The system  10  and the computer chassis  36  within the system  10  may also be able to connect to the Internet via CAT- 5  cables using an on-board Ethernet connector in the computer chassis  36  via a cable modem. The cable modem may be used in lieu of the wireless router  38  or in conjunction with the wireless router  38  in order to connect to the Internet. The computer chassis  36  within the system  10  may be connected to via the Internet, such as by entering the IP address of the computer chassis into a web browser in order to communicate with the computer chassis  36  remotely over the Internet, or via a wireless laptop computer in range of the wireless router  38  that may directly communicate with the wireless router  38  in a local network arrangement even when the computer chassis  36  is not accessible over the internet, such as when the internet connection to the computer chassis  36  is out of operation. The wireless router  38  may be configured to operate in a non-broadcasting mode, so that the computer chassis  38  may not be visible to casual wireless listeners. 
         [0024]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6