Field of the invention The present invention relates to a device for receiving and displaying an electrically collected and transmitted image of a defined environment, and methods for monitoring a defined environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transportable device for housing means to monitor an environment.

Background of the Invention In various industries, it is generally necessary to inspect, monitor and/or observe certain defined areas. For example, a security guard is generally required to monitor and guard a location from suspicious activity. The monitoring is typically conducted by using closed circuit video cameras and/or microphones to collect video images and/or audio images of a defined area. The video and/or audio images are then typically transmitted to an area which is distinct from the defined area where the images are collected. The transmitted images, for example, video images and/or audio images, are subsequently monitored on a video image display device, such as a television monitor, and/or from an audio signal display device, such as an audio speaker.

The use of a closed circuit video camera and/or a microphone to collect video and/or audio images of a first defined area and transmit the video and/or audio image to a second defined area for monitoring is advantageous in that (1) the first area may be monitored from a position of relative safety; and (2) several different areas may be monitored at any one given time.

In connection with the safety considerations, the area to be monitored is often hazardous to a person's health, including the person conducting the monitoring procedures. For example, a security guard monitoring a closed circuit video image of a defined area may observe suspicious activity, such as a burglary. By monitoring the suspicious activity from a position of relative safety, the security guard may act to suppress the suspicious activity, for example, by enlisting the aid of a fellow security guard, alerting the police, and the like, without endangering his health or safety.

The monitoring of a defined area, for example, a workplace, from a position of relative safety is particularly desirable in industries where operations and procedures are conducted which are hazardous or potentially hazardous to a person's health or safety. Such industries include, for example, the nuclear power industry and the chemical industry. Operations and procedures which are conducted within nuclear power plants and chemical plants generally involve nuclear reactors and radiation, or chemical reactors and hazardous chemicals, respectively. These operations and procedures are preferably monitored to assure that the operations and procedures are being conducted in a safe manner, as well as to assure that the operations and procedures are generally being conducted in a satisfactory and efficient manner. This helps to protect the health of the workers in the nuclear and chemical plants and those persons generally who are proximate the nuclear and chemical plants, and also assures that the plants themselves are functioning satisfactorily and efficiently.

However, the health of the person conducting the monitoring procedures may be jeopardized from exposure to hazards, for example, harmful radiation and poisonous chemicals, which may attend the areas requiring monitoring. In addition, there are generally a multitude of areas within a nuclear power plant or chemical plant which may require monitoring. For example, nuclear power plants generally comprise a plurality of nuclear reactors, each of which may require monitoring. Moreover, each reactor generally comprises several areas which require monitoring, including, for example, the core area, and areas wherein apparatus which are used to cool the core, such as cooling jackets, and the turbines which are used to generate electricity are found. Conventional monitoring systems are generally not readily transported from one area to another. Moreover, conventional monitoring systems suffer from serious drawbacks when used for monitoring a plurality of discrete areas.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,727,000 is directed to a multi-directional video display console in the shape of an upright pillar. Casters support the console and provide movability thereto. The disclosed console is large and bulky, and movement thereof is generally confined to rolling the console on the supporting casters. Thus, the disclosed console may generally not be used as a transportable device for monitoring a plurality of areas wherein movement from one discrete area to another requires horizontal and vertical movement as is typically encountered, for example, upon carrying the monitoring device up and down a stairwell. Areas which are connected by stairwells and which are generally not accessible by other transporting means, for example, elevators, are common in chemical and nuclear power plants. U.S. Patent No. 3,450,454 discloses a television monitor rack and stand which is designed to house a large number of television monitors, for example, about sixteen television monitors. The rack disclosed in this patent is large and bulky and is generally not movable.

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In view of the difficulty associated with transporting the conventional monitoring systems, a multitude of video cameras must feed into a single monitoring system which contains a multitude of video display units and which is placed, for example, in a central location. This results in increased costs from the additional wiring of electrical cables, electrical connecting means, and the like, which are needed to electrically communicate the video display devices with the video cameras, external sources of electricity, and. the like. Added expense is also incurred from the increased demand of electricity which is required to simultaneously power the multitude of video display units.

Thus, conventional monitoring systems suffer from several drawbacks, including their inability to be readily transported and the added expense which is incurred when conventional monitoring systems are used to monitor a plurality of discrete areas.

Summary of the Invention One aspect of the present invention relates to a transportable device comprising a housing which includes a base panel forming a bottom for supporting the housing and which gives the housing a defined width and depth. The housing further includes two substantially vertically disposed side panels and substantially vertically disposed front and rear panels giving the housing a defined height, and a substantially horizontally disposed top panel forming an upper surface. The base, side, front, rear and top panels together define an exterior and an interior of the housing, wherein the interior has a volume to house means for receiving and displaying an electrically collected and transmitted image of a defined environment and the front panel has an opening for monitoring the receiving and displaying means. The device further includes means for electrically connecting the device to an external source of electrical signals, including signals associated with the electrically collected and transmitted image of the defined environment. The connecting means are

fixedly mounted on at least one of the panels and are accessible from the exterior of the device.

In preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to a device comprising electrical receiving and displaying means and a transportable housing which includes a base panel, two substantially vertically disposed side panels, substantially vertically disposed front and rear panels wherein the front panel has an opening therein, and a substantially horizontally disposed top panel. Electrical connecting means are fixedly mounted on at least one of the panels of the housing.

Yet another preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a method for monitoring an environment comprising collecting an electrical signal which is representative of a state of the environment. The collected electrical signal is transmitted and displayed on a transportable device for receiving and displaying the electrical signal at a first location. The state of the environment is observed by monitoring the displayed and transmitted signal after which the device is transported to a second location and an electrical signal of a defined environment is again collected. The steps of transmitting, displaying and monitoring the environment are subsequently repeated, at a second location. Preferred embodiments of methods and apparatus for monitoring an environment taught and claimed herein enable a person to conveniently and inexpensively monitor a first discrete area with a transportable device from a first discrete location, after which the device may be readily transported to a second discrete location to monitor a second discrete area wherein the first discrete location is distinct from the second discrete location and the first discrete area is distinct from the second discrete area.

In connection with the methods and apparatus for monitoring an environment taught and claimed herein, a device is provided which includes receiving and displaying means for receiving and displaying an electrically recorded image of an environment. There is thus provided an apparatus and method

for receiving and displaying an image of an environment which is readily monitored on the receiving and displaying means. In addition, the methods and apparatus taught and claimed herein preferably involve a device which comprises a housing and electrical connecting means mounted thereto. The device may therefore be connected to, and disconnected from, a source of electrical signals quickly and conveniently, without engaging in complicated wiring procedures.

Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment the methods and apparatus taught and claimed herein teach a device which is self-contained, comprising a housing, means for receiving and displaying an electrically collected image of an environment, and electrical connecting means for conveniently connecting the device to an external source of electrical signals.

Definitions To aid in understanding the present invention, the following terms have the indicated meaning throughout the written description and the claims. "Transported", "transporting", "transportable" or

"transportability", as used herein, means that an object is capable of being lifted and carried from a first discrete location to a second discrete location by a person without using mechanical lifting devices, for example, forklifts, dollies, pulley systems and the like.

"Environment," as used herein, means an area that comprises parameters which may be electrically collected, including visual and audio parameters, which are indicative of the state of the area. Preferred environments include hazardous areas in nuclear power and chemical plants.

Brief Description of the Drawings For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentality shown.

Figure 1 is an isometric view from in front and to one side showing a device according to the present invention; and

Figure 2 is an isometric view from in back and to one side showing a device according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views. Figures 1 and 2 are isometric views of a transportable device 10 for receiving and displaying an electrically collected and transmitted image of an environment. The device 10 includes a housing 12 for housing means 14 for receiving and displaying an electrically collected image of an environment (discussed more fully hereinafter) . In accordance with the present invention, the housing 12 preferably comprises a base panel 16 which forms a bottom for supporting the housing 12 and which gives the housing 12 a defined width and depth. The housing 10 also includes two substantially vertically disposed side panels 18, 20 and a substantially vertically disposed front panel 22 and a substantially vertically disposed rear panel 24. The side panels 18, 20 and the front and rear panels 22, 24 provide the housing 12 with a defined height.

The front panel 22 of the housing 12 also preferably includes an opening 26 which is sized to permit monitoring of the receiving and displaying means 14. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises a television monitor for receiving and displaying a video picture of an environment. In accordance with this preferred embodiment, the opening 26 in the front panel 22 is sized to permit monitoring of an environment by viewing the video picture which is displayed on the television monitor.

Preferably, the opening 26 is sized such that substantially all of the image which is displayed on the receiving and displaying means 14, for example, a video

picture which is displayed on a television monitor, may be monitored through the opening 26.

The housing 12 further comprises a substantially horizontally disposed top panel 28 which forms an upper surface of the housing 12. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top panel 28 comprises a door 30. The door 30 is preferably releasably engagable to the top panel 28 such that the door 30 may be opened and closed. For example, the door 30 may be hingedly engaged to the top panel 28 of the housing 12. The hingedly engaged door 30 is opened and closed by pivotally rotating the door about the hinge.

The panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28 which together define the housing 12 are constructed of any suitable material, such that the device 10 is sufficiently sturdy to support the weight of the receiving and displaying means 14 housed therein and to generally withstand the weight of objects which may be placed on top of the device 10, including heavy objects. These objects could include, for example, machinery used in the environment, a second transportable device of the type described and claimed herein, and tools and the like. The device 10 is also preferably adapted to generally tolerate any harsh conditions which may be associated with the environment being monitored, including environments which involve chemicals and temperature fluctuations, such as nuclear power and chemical plants.

Non-limiting examples of suitable materials from which the panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28 may be made include metals and metal alloys, for example, stainless steel, and polymeric materials, for example, durable plastics.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one handle 38 is securely mounted on at least one of the panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28. The handle 38 provides means for conveniently transporting the device 10 to other discrete areas. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of handles 38 are securely mounted on at least one of the panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28.

In an even further preferred embodiment of the present invention, two handles 38 are securely mounted on opposing ends of the top panel 28 and proximate the side panels 18, 20. The panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28 together define an exterior and an interior 32 of the housing 12. The interior 32 comprises a volume which is defined by the dimensions (i.e., length, width and height) of the panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28. The volume of the interior 32 is at least sufficient to house the receiving and displaying means 14. In addition to having a volume which is sufficient to house the receiving and displaying means 14, the volume of the interior 32 may be sufficient to house additional objects, for example, electrical wiring, tools, sources of energy for powering the television and audio monitor, such as batteries, and the like. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interior 32 of the housing 12 may be accessed through the door 30. This permits ready access of the interior 32 of the housing 12 to work on the device 10, for example, to repair and/or replace the receiving and displaying means 14, and the like.

When the interior 32 of the housing 12 is not being accessed, for example, to effect repairs, the door 30 is preferably kept in a substantially closed position. This helps prevent the introduction of foreign materials, for example, dust, moisture, chemicals and the like, into the interior 32 of the housing 12 which may harm the electronic circuitry associated with the receiving and displaying means 14.

In connection with the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 preferably comprises at least one television monitor which receives and displays an electrically collected and transmitted image, in the form of a video picture, of an environment. The electrically collected and transmitted image of the environment may be electrically collected and transmitted to the television monitor with, for example, a closed circuit camera.

The television monitors to be used as receiving and displaying means 14 are generally those monitors which are capable of receiving and displaying an electrically collected and transmitted image of an environment in the form of a video picture. Preferably, the television monitor displays a satisfactory video picture, as measured by the clarity of the picture displayed on the television monitor and the contrast, brightness, and/or color of the displayed video picture. In addition, the television monitors to be used in the device 10 are those monitors which are sized to fit within the interior 32 of the housing 12 and comprise a weight such that the device 10 is transportable.

In connection with the size and weight of the television monitors, an extremely large television monitor would require a correspondingly large housing to house the large television monitor. The resulting monitoring device would be extremely large and bulky and the transportability thereof would be limited. Similarly, an extremely heavy television monitor would result in an extremely heavy, substantially non-transportable monitoring device.

Suitable television monitors for use in accordance with the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure.

The receiving and displaying means 14 may comprise two or more television monitors without departing from the scope of the present invention. This would permit the monitoring of a plurality of environments with one device. The number of television monitors housed within the housing 12 is limited only by the requirements that the interior 32 of the housing 12 have a volume which is sufficient to house the plurality of television monitors and that the device 10, comprising the plurality of television monitors, is transportable.

It should be noted, however, that increasing the number of television monitors which are housed within the housing 12 beyond a defined maximum number would result in a monitoring device which is excessively large and heavy. As

described hereinbefore, the excessively large and heavy monitoring device would generally not be transportable.

The maximum number of television monitors, N _m , which may be housed within the housing 12 is the highest number of television monitors at which the device 10 maintains the characteristic of being transportable, and is a function of S^, the size of each of the individual television monitors, and W^, the weight of each of the individual television monitors. In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises two television monitors for receiving and displaying two electrically collected and transmitted images, in the form of video pictures, of an environment. In this particularly preferred embodiment, two different environments may be simultaneously monitored with the transportable device 10.

In accordance with an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises at least one audio speaker which receives and displays an electrically collected and transmitted image, in the form of an audio signal, of the environment. The image of the environment may be electrically collected and transmitted to the audio speaker with, for example, a microphone. As with the television monitors described hereinbefore, a speaker which is large and extremely heavy may limit the transportability of the device 10 which comprises the heavy speaker and which is housed within the housing 12. Thus, the audio speakers to be used in accordance with the present invention are those speakers which are sized to fit within the housing 12 and which comprise a weight such that the device 10 is transportable.

In addition, the audio speakers to be used as receiving and displaying means 14 are generally those speakers which are capable of playing a satisfactory audio signal as measured, for example, by the bass, treble and clarity of the audio signal which is emitted by the speaker.

Suitable speakers for use in accordance with the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure.

The receiving and displaying means 14 may comprise a plurality of audio speakers without departing from the scope of the present invention. The number of audio speakers which may be housed within the housing 12 is limited only by the requirements that the interior 32 of the housing 12 have a volume which is sufficient to house a plurality of audio speakers and that the device 10, comprising a plurality of audio speakers, is transportable.

However, as with the television monitors described hereinbefore, increasing the number of audio speakers beyond a maximum number would result in a monitoring device which is substantially not transportable. Accordingly, the maximum number of audio speakers, N _^ , which may be housed within the housing 12 and which together comprise the receiving and displaying means 14 is a number at which the device 10 maintains its transportability and is a function of S _ω , the size of each of the individual audio speakers, and W _l the weight of each of the individual audio speakers.

In a particularly preferred alternate embodiment of the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises two audio speakers for receiving and displaying two electrically collected and transmitted images, in the form of audio signals, which are representative of parameters indicative of the state of the environment.

In accordance with a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises at least one television monitor and at least one audio speaker associated therewith. This provides a device which is capable of displaying both a video picture of the environment and an audio signal representative of the state of the environment, thereby furnishing both visual and audio information of the environment. In an even further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises two

television monitors, each monitor having an audio speaker associated therewith.

The device 10 thus provides means for monitoring an environment. The monitoring of an environment comprises 5 collecting an electrical signal of a parameter indicative of the state of the environment. This involves, for example, collecting an electrical image in the form of a video image of an environment with a closed circuit camera and/or collecting an electrical image in the form of an audio signal of an

10 environment with a microphone. The collected image is transmitted, displayed and monitored on the device 10 (discussed more fully hereinafter) .

In connection with yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device 10 comprises

15 means 34 for adjusting the electrically collected and transmitted image which is displayed on the receiving and displaying means 14. For example, where the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises a television monitor, the video picture displayed thereon will have, for example, contrast, 0 brightness or color controls. Adjusting means 34 may comprise controls, such as knobs, levers and the like, for adjusting the contrast, brightness or color of the video picture displayed on the television monitor.

Alternatively, the receiving and displaying means 14

25 may comprise an audio speaker for playing an audio signal which will have, for example, volume, bass or treble controls. Accordingly, the adjusting means 34 may comprise controls, such as knobs, levers and the like, for adjusting the volume, bass or treble of the audio signal played on the audio

30 speaker.

In connection with still a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention and where the receiving and displaying means 14 comprises a plurality of television monitors and/or audio speakers, the adjusting means

35 34 comprises controls, such as knobs, levers and the like, which are associated with each of the television monitors and/or audio speakers for adjusting each of the video pictures

and/or audio signals displayed thereon.

The adjusting means 34 thereby provides a means for adjusting the electrical signals of parameters which are indicative of the environment and which are collected, for example with a closed circuit camera and/or microphone. Thus, the video picture and/or audio signal displayed on the receiving and displaying means 14 may be adjusted with the adjusting means 34 by the user, for example, a worker in a nuclear power plant, to provide a satisfactory video picture and/or a satisfactory audio signal. The user may therefore readily monitor and adjust, if necessary, a video picture and/or audio signal displayed on the receiving and displaying means 14 and thus readily observe the state of the environment. With particular reference to Figure 2, the device 10 comprises means 36 for electrically connecting the device 10 to an external source (not shown) of electrical signals which are representative of an environment. In particular, the connecting means 36 provides means for electrically connecting, for example, the receiving and displaying means 14 and the adjusting means 34, to an external source of the electrical signals. The electrical signals representative of the environment include, for example, the electrically collected and transmitted image of the environment, as-well as other electrical signals, such as alternating current, direct current, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting means 36 comprises means to input a video signal, for example, a video signal of an environment which is collected and transmitted to the device 10 by a closed circuit camera. In an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting means 36 comprises means to input an audio signal, for example, an audio signal of the environment which is collected and transmitted to the device 10 by a microphone. In yet another alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting means 36 comprises means to input voltage. Thus, electricity, for example, alternating

current, may be communicated to the device 10 to provide a source of energy to power, for example, the receiving and displaying means 14.

The electrical connecting means 36, for example, means for inputting a video signal, audio signal and/or voltage, comprises those electrical connecting means which are typically used to electrically communicate with an electrical apparatus, for example, a television monitor, and means for collecting and transmitting an electrical image of an environment, such as a closed circuit camera or a microphone. Accordingly, the electrical connecting means 36 may comprise connectors for coaxial cables, sockets for line cords, and the like. Other suitable electrical connecting means, in addition to those exemplified above, will be apparent in view of the present disclosure.

In accordance with the present invention, the connecting means 36 is fixedly mounted on at least one of the panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28 which together comprise the housing 12. The connecting means 36 is mounted to the housing 12 in any desirable manner, for example, by screwing, gluing, soldering or welding the connecting means 36 on at least one of the panels 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28 such that the connecting means 36 is fixedly and securely mounted thereon.

The connecting means 36 is preferably accessible from the exterior of the device 10. Thus, the device 10 may be quickly and conveniently arranged to electrically communicate with an external source of electrical signals, for example, video signals, audio signals, and electrical voltage, thereby eliminating the need to engage in complicated, time- consuming and expensive wiring procedures, for example, by threading wires, electrical cables and the like, through an opening in the housing 12 for connection with the receiving and displaying means 14 housed within the housing 12.

The device 10 thus provides means for monitoring several different environments. In particular, the device 10 may be readily transported to a first discrete location and arranged with electrical connecting means 36 to electrically

communicate with a source of electrical signals, for example, video signals and/or audio signals of an environment, which are transmitted to the device 10 via electrical cables and/or wires. After observing the state of the environment by monitoring the video picture and/or audio signal which is displayed on the receiving and displaying means 14, the device 10 may be disconnected from the source of electrical signals and transported to a second discrete location. The second location is preferably a location which is different from the first location. At the second location, the device 10 may again be arranged with the electrical connecting means 36 to electrically communicate with a source of electrical signals, for example, video signals and/or audio signals of an environment which are transmitted to the device 10 via electrical cables and/or wires. The environment monitored at the second location is preferably different from the environment monitored at the first location, thereby enabling the user, for example, a worker in a nuclear power plant, to observe the states of several different environments. Accordingly, a single device 10 may be readily used to monitor a plurality of environments.

The environment which is monitored by collecting and transmitting an electrical image thereof to the receiving and displaying means 14 is any area which may be monitored through the use of the transportable device 10 of the present invention. Preferably, the environment will contain parameters indicative of the state of the environment which may be monitored by collecting, transmitting and displaying video and/or audio signals of the parameters. Device 10 preferably monitors an environment from a remote location. Particularly preferred environments are those environments which are hazardous or potentially hazardous to a person's health. Such hazardous environments include, for example, hazardous areas which are present in a nuclear power plant, such as radioactive areas, and hazardous areas which are present in a chemical plant, such as areas contaminated with poisonous chemicals.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing description as indicating the scope of the invention.