Patent ID: 8780201

Claim:
A method for using a doorbell that is configurable to wirelessly communicate with a remotely located computing device, the method comprising: obtaining the doorbell that comprises a speaker, a microphone, and a camera, wherein the doorbell is configurable for mounting near an entryway; entering a sleep mode, wherein the sleep mode consumes less power than a standby mode and wherein wireless communication, the camera, and the microphone are disabled during the sleep mode; exiting the sleep mode and entering the standby mode in response to detecting a first indication of a visitor, wherein the first indication is detected using the doorbell, the standby mode consumes less power than an alert mode, and the standby mode increases electrical activities of the camera and the microphone relative to the sleep mode; and entering the alert mode in response to detecting a second indication of the visitor, wherein the second indication is detected using the doorbell, and the doorbell records an image using the camera during the alert mode and the wireless communication is enabled during the alert mode to send an alert to the remotely located computing device; wherein detecting the first indication comprises detecting a signal indicative of the visitor above a first threshold and detecting the second indication comprises detecting the signal indicative of the visitor above a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold, and wherein the doorbell comprises a first sensor, and the signal indicative of the visitor is sensed by the first sensor of the doorbell; wherein the first sensor of the doorbell comprises a proximity sensor and the signal is related to proximity of the visitor; and wherein the method further comprises shipping the doorbell in a shipping mode that consumes power, wherein during the shipping mode the doorbell is configured to detect whether the doorbell is electrically coupled to an external power source, and then entering the sleep mode in response to detecting electricity from the external power source, wherein the shipping mode consumes less power than the sleep mode.