GB2455157A

GB2455157A - Remote Surveillance System

Info

Publication number: GB2455157A
Application number: GB0807170A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Mallia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-11-28
Filing date: 2008-04-21
Publication date: 2009-06-03
Also published as: GB0807170D0; GB0723308D0

Abstract

A remotely operated surveillance system comprises a camera 4, solar panel and rechargeable battery 3. A preferred embodiment employs the device within a nest box for observing wildlife. Optional features include an artificial light source and an infer-red camera.

Description

/ 2455157

SOLAR POWERED RF-REMOTE CONTROLLEDJIEST BOX

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to surveillance systems, particularly, but not exclusively, to observe the nest lifecycle of wildlife, with the main aim of minimal disturbance.

BACKGROUND

Observing wildlife has become increasingly popular and specifically important for proper and accurate scientific assessments of wildlife nest lifecycle performances and surveying. To be able to log daily and even hourly nest box activities for scientific purposes, a way needs to be found to do this with minimal disturbances, namely: 1. The surveillance system needs to be electrically self-sufficient for some weeks/months without any dose human intervention, but has the ability to watch wildlife whenever necessary.

2. The surveillance system may have to be used in areas without conventional/household electricity supply, thereby requiring solar power.

3. The surveillance system needs to be switched on and off remotely and unobtrusively. This is needed to ensure that there is no change in normal wildlife behaviour, due to human activity in the near vicinity.

4. There is an educational aspect to this invention, whereby people who want to observe and learn about the nesting lifecycle of wildlife, can do this as often as desired, but with minimal danger and disturbance, while taking all the appropriate care and precautions to safeguard the interests of the same wildlife.

To ensure that the above four main aims are satisfied, the solar powered remote controlled nest box has been invented.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is a need for a solar powered remote controlled nest box.

Therefore It is an object of the present invention to provide a solar powered remote controlled nest box.

This nest box is completely remote controlled, completely wireless, and a completely self powered surveillance system.

Although the solar power remote controlled nest box, is the preferred embodiment of this invention, the electronic circuitry, namely the mainboard, which helps In realising this Invention can also be adapted to any other DC based, electronic, household devices, which specifically need solar power energy combined with remote control facilities, to switch on/off such DC powered devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put Into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of the nest box mainboard, showing how each external component is interfacing, as well as the various electronic PCB components used.

Figure 2 is an overall perspective view of the nest box, showing where all the external, visible components will be placed. It also shows the placement of the electronic housing, the placement of the solar panel, the placement of openings at the sides of the nest box to provIde natural day ftght for the camera, the placement of a drain hole which allows for water drainage. There is also an inter-changeable part of the bird hole, which provides for different bird hole sizes. Such different bird hole sizes will allow the nest box to be used for different bird species. Another interchangeable part is the technical shelf/housing. This is useful because this housing can be removed from one nest box and placed into another similar one very easily and with minimal disturbance.

Figure 3 is a detailed plan of the interchangeable technical shelf/housing, showing the placements of all the electilcal components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the preferred embodiment, this invention makes use of the following parts and technology, which are already available on the market and so invented: 1. Wireless camera -mandatory item 2. Remote control device 3. Re-chargeable batteries 4. Solar panels 5. OPTIONAL: Suitable light sources for better camera output clarity (such as LEDs) can be used, however the provision of side openings (as shown in Flgure:2, Item 9) to allow natural daylight is also catered for In the design.

The invention is the combination of all these parts to create one electrically viable and completely self-sufficient unit, from any external conventional power supply. At the core of the Invention, there is the nest box PCB mainboard, hereinafter referred to as the mainboard, which connects all these electrical parts together, making it into a completely remote controlled and completely wireless surveillance system. The mainboard is the backbone and electronic interface of this invention, and it is the item which creates the whole system.

Detailed Description of Figure 1: The mainboard

The mainboard has two modes of operation, a standby mode and an active mode, with the following features: Dunng standby mode, the mainboard has to: 1. Firstly use solar energy and convert it to a DC power source with the use of the solar panels, and 2. To use this DC power source to charge conventional re-chargeable batteries as backup DC electrical energy, during sunlight, and 3. Take care of any reverse charges coming from the re-chargeable batteries towards the solar panels, and 4. To continuously power an RF remote control receiver circuitry at standby mode. In turn, the RF remote control receiver is listening' for any switch on' RF signal coming from the remote transmitter. As soon as a switch on' RF signal is received by the receiver, the mainboard changes to active mode.

During active mode, the mainboard will: 1. Still use solar energy coming from the solar panels to continue charging the re- chargeable batteries during sunlight, and 2. Still takes care of any reverse charges coming from the re-chargeable batteries towards the solar panels, and 3. Optionally power the light sources. In this preferred embodiment, two LEDs are used.

4. Power the wireless camera. The camera will, in turn, transmit images to any appropriate VHF Receiver.

5. The RF remote control receiver Is listening for any "switch off", RF signal coming from the remote transmitter. As soon as a "switch off" RF signal is received by the receiver, the mainboard changes back to standby mode This cycle of changing back and forth, from standby to active modes, continues. Electrically, the solar powered nest box is always switched on.

The mainboard still works properly, without using the solar panels and Its corresponding solar circuitry. So the use of solar panels is technically optional, depending on the mainboard's application.

The mainboard still works properly, without using re-chargeable batteries, but an appropriate DC power source, such as an AC/DC transformer, has to be applied instead.

The mainboard still works property, without applying any light sources. This could be applied in the case when the wireless camera is infra-red and so no light sources would be needed for picture quality. Also, as per drawings provided, the nest box can make use of natural day light, because two openings are incorporated in the design (see figure 2, Item 9) which gives access to more natural daylight These openings are covered by appropriate plastic covers, which protects the nest box contents from wind and rain, but allows natural daylight inside the nest box.

The mainboard still works properly, without using the remote control receiver, so using a remote control receiver is technically optional, but an alternative way to switch on/off the surveillance system must be found and so this depends on the mainboard's application.

Here follows a detailed description of the mainboard layout (see Figure 1) and its electronic components: A 12VDC solar panel is attached to connector 1, and its current passes through a diode Dl to avoid any reverse charges, especially during non-sun hours such as during the night. The solar panel will be connected to charge the backup batteries 2, permanently. The batteries and the solar panels are connected to a remote control receiver input 3. The remote control receiver is therefore permanently switched on but on standby, "listening" for an on-signal from its transmitter. This is the first part of the circuitry.

As soon as the remote control receiver receives an on-signal, the second part of the circuitry kicks in. The output of the remote control receiver is connected to 4, and will switch-on this circuitry.

The second part of the circuitry will first power up a voltage regulator IC1 which will convert the 12VDC to 9VDC. This 9VDC will in turn power up LED1 and LED2, which are used to light up the inside of the nest box. This is optional to implement, and LEDs need not be connected here. The variable resistor VR2, will dim the lights LED1 and LED2 according to preference, and will act like a dimmer. At connector 5, the wireless camera is connected at 9VDC.

The rest of the circuitry provides the facility to monitor the 9VDC input on the wireless camera. If the 9VDC input to the wireless cam, decreases to 7VDC due to usage of the battery backup, the wireless cam will not function properly anymore. So LED3 is used, as a warning light and will switch on as soon as this threshold in power is detected, indicating that the batteries are NOT supptylng enough electricity to the wireless cam. This threshold of 7VDC depends on the device attached, which in this preferred embodiment Is the wireless cam. Other devices may have different thresholds.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those I, areas where, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

Detailed Descriotion of Figure 2: The nest box Dersoective view The nest box has two roofs; an outside roof, 5, and an internal roof also called the Technical Shelr, 4. On the outside roof, a 12VDC solar panel, 2, is stuck. The solar panel is wired to the water-proofed housing found on the technical shelf. This panel will supply enough electricity to supply 8AA re-chargeable batteries, placed in series, inside the technical shelf, as electrical backup.

As soon as the nest box is switched on with the help of the RF Remote control circuitry (inside technical shelf), electricity will pass to the wireless cam and the LEDs. The scope of the LEDs, is to light up the nest box from Inside, giving a better vision quality for the wireless cam. The wireless cam can be switched off by the remote control again, thereby preserving electricity, but keeping the batteries charged continually via the solar panel.

There is also a drain hole, 6, at the bottom of the nest, for any water that may come in through the bird hole.

At the front of the nest box, there Is also an Interchangeable part 7. This is to accommodate different bird hole sizes, 8, whIch will in turn accommodate different bird species requirements.

The outside roof of the nest box will swing up due to a hinge 3, to facilitate the maintenance of the technical shelf, 4, of the nest box. The outside roof, 5, remains secured. The whole nest box is supported to a wall or tree with the help of a spine backing 1, which has suitable holes for easy attachment.

The whole technical shelf/housing, 4, can be physically removed from the nest box for easier maintenance purposes, as well as to be used interchangeably with other similar nest boxes, according to preference.

Another option to lighting inside the nest box is the creation of side windows, 9. These side windows will enable natural light to reach the inside of the nest box. These windows can be covered with a black plastic cover initially, especially at the stage when birds are building the nest and laying eggs. Once the eggs hatch, then these windows can be changed to white plastic covers, letting in more natural light inside the nest box.

Dark window covers are less disturbing for the breeding pair and chicks, plus it is more interesting to watch the chick stage of the life cyde on the wireless cam, when these covers are changed to white.

L

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas where, In combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

Detailed Description of Flaure 3: The technical shelf/water-proofed housing This water-proofed housing will contain all the sensitive electronic components (see Fig. 3), namely: * The mainboard, 1 * 8 X AA Re-chargeable Battenes, 3 * Wireless Camera, 4 * 2 x LED, tight sources, 5 * Remote control receiver circuitry, 2 As can be seen on the diagram, the technical shelf has three holes, a camera hole in the centre and two LED holes.

If a wireless infra-red camera is used at 4, then the LED displays would not be necessary, and the natural daylight openings can also be covered with a dark plastic cover which does not let in any natural daylight.

The solar panel,6, powers the mainboard, which in turn charges the backup batteries 3 via power leads 7 and 8. The remote control circuitry 2, will switch on the second part of the mainboard (see figi) via leads as shown, which in turn will power up the wireless camera and all LEDs simultaneously.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas where, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any Inventive combination of the features disclosed herein. tl

Claims

A surveillance system (see figure 2) which includes a wireles5 camera, solar panels, battery backup, and a remote control facility. This arrangement will put the surveillance system electrically self-sufficient, independent and completely wireless.
2. A surveillance system according to claim 1, which also includes a specific system mainboard (figure 1), which, in its preferred embodiment, will connect all this equipment together, and also gives the options to: * Use or not use the solar panel * Use or not use the remote control facility * Use or not use the light sources such as LEDs for lighting inside the nest box * Use or not use a light source, such as an LED, or any other warning method, as a warning indicator to show the power status of the mainboard.
3. A system mainboard as per figure 1 and according to claim 2, whereby its same circuitry can be used for any other electronic requirement, especially, but not exclusively, where the requirement is the use of solar panels, battery backup and a remote control facility combined to create a completely wireless system.
4. The design of the nest box, in its preferred embodiment, whereby: It gives the interchange ability and easy option of re-sizing the nest box bird hole to different sizes to accommodate different bird species.

* It gives the interchange ability and easy option of taking out and putting In the nest box, the mobile housing/technical shelf, whenever necessary, for putting this housing in other similar nest boxes as well as for maintenance purposes.

* The placement of the technical shelf/housing and of the solar panel as shown in figure 2.

* The addition of side holes/window panels, (see Figure2, Item 9), at the sides of the nest box, to let in natural light in replacement of, or additionally to other light sources, inside the nest box.

* To optionally place the solar panel on a separate stand on its own for better sunlight purposes, but In proximity to the nest box, to allow for wire connections.