Nodal monitoring device and system
A monitoring device with a board case having an open end and a closed end partially defining a lower housing space; a lid connected to the board case at the closed end to define an upper housing space; a power supply within the first housing space; a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) within the lower housing space and electrically connected through the closed end of the board case to the power supply, the PCBA having a CPU module with computer readable memory; a bracket assembly within the lower housing space; a camera module mechanically fixed to the bracket assembly; and a lens cover at least partially surrounding the camera module. In a network with a plurality of such devices, each device may be configured to communicate directly with each of the other monitoring devices without the use of a centralized server.
1. A monitoring device comprising:
a board case having an open end and a closed end partially defining a lower housing space;
a lid connected to the board case at the closed end to define an upper housing space;
a power supply within the first housing space;
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) within the lower housing space and electrically connected to the power supply, the PCBA having a CPU module with computer readable memory containing a set of computer readable instructions to:
divide blocks of data from a video source;
apply a parity function to each block of data to create a parity block;
detect whether all blocks are received; and
if one or more of the blocks is missing, recreate the missing block from the other blocks;
a bracket assembly within the lower housing space;
a camera module mechanically fixed to the bracket assembly; and
a lens cover at least partially surrounding the camera module.
2. The monitoring device of claim 1 further comprising a lens ring fixed to the housing, wherein a lip of the lens cover is between and in contact with the lens ring and the board case.
3. The monitoring device of claim 1 further comprising a data storage system within the lower housing assembly, the data storage system electrically connected to the PCBA.
4. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly comprises a camera module bracket connected to the camera module.
5. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the PCBA comprises a connectivity module logically connected to the CPU module, the connectively module providing for wired connection or wireless connection to network or to an off-the-shelf camera.
6. The monitoring device of claim 1 wherein the PCBA comprising a general purpose input/output (GPIO) module logically connected to the CPU module.
7. The monitoring device of claim 1 comprising a pressure-compensating valve occupying an opening through a side of the board case.
8. A monitoring system comprising:
a plurality of monitoring devices, each monitoring device comprising:
a board case having an open end and a closed end partially defining a lower housing space;
a lid connected to the board case at the closed end to define an upper housing space;
a power supply within the first housing space;
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) within the lower housing space and electrically connected through the closed end of the board case to the power supply, the PCBA having a CPU module with computer readable memory;
a bracket assembly within the lower housing space;
a camera module mechanically fixed to the bracket assembly; and
a lens cover at least partially surrounding the camera module;
wherein each of the monitoring devices is configured to communicate directly with each of the other monitoring devices without the use of a centralized server; and
a set of computer readable instructions contained within the computer readable memory of at least one of the monitoring devices to:
equally divide blocks of data from a video source by the number of monitoring devices in the system minus one;
apply a parity function to each block of data to create a parity block;
detect whether all blocks are received by the intended monitoring device;
if one or more of the blocks is missing, recreate the missing block from the other blocks.
9. The monitoring system of claim 8 further comprising an alert center configured to communicate directly with each monitoring device of the system.
10. The monitoring system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of monitoring devices contains a set of computer readable instructions to copy data from one unit to the data storage system of each other monitoring device of the system.