Device detection camera system
A camera detects devices, such as other cameras, smart devices, and access points, with which the camera may communicate. The camera may alternate between operating as a wireless station and a wireless access point. The camera may connect to and receive credentials from a device for another device to which it is not connected. In one embodiment, the camera is configured to operate as a wireless access point, and is configured to receive credentials from a smart device operating as a wireless station. The camera may then transfer the credentials to additional cameras, each configured to operate as wireless stations. The camera and additional cameras may connect to a smart device directly or indirectly (for instance, through an access point), and the smart device may change the camera mode of the cameras. The initial modes of the cameras may be preserved and restored by the smart device upon disconnection.
1. A camera for detecting wireless devices, the camera comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the camera to:
configure the camera to operate as a wireless access point;
determine the availability of one or more wireless devices configured to operate as wireless stations;
after the passage of a pre-determined interval of time, if no wireless devices configured to operate as wireless stations are determined to be available, configure the camera to operate as a wireless station, wherein the length of the pre-determined interval of time is based on a total length of time since a wireless device was last determined to be available; and
determine the availability of one or more wireless devices configured to operate as wireless access points.
2. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor further cause the camera to:
connect to a wireless device in response to a determination that the wireless device is configured to operate as a wireless station and is available.
3. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor further cause the camera to:
configure the camera to enter a standby mode in response to a determination that no wireless devices configured to operate as wireless access points are available.
4. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor further cause the camera to:
re-configure the camera to operate as a wireless access point in response to a determination that no wireless devices configured to operate as wireless access points are available.
5. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor further cause the camera to:
connect to a wireless device in response to a determination that the wireless is configured to operate as an access point and is available.
6. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to determine the availability of one or more wireless devices either configured to operate as wireless stations or configured to operate as wireless access points comprise instructions that cause the camera to:
detect the presence of one or more wireless devices able to communicate with the camera within a communicative range of the camera.
7. The camera of claim 6 , wherein the instructions to detect the presence of one or more wireless devices able to communicate with the camera within a communicative range of the camera comprise instructions that cause the processor to:
transmit a query signal from the camera within the communicative range of the camera, wherein the query signal is configured to cause a wireless device able to communicate with the camera to transmit an identifying signal from the wireless device to the camera, the identifying signal comprising information identifying the wireless camera; and
receive an identifying signal from one or more wireless devices.
8. The camera of claim 1 , wherein determining the availability of one or more wireless devices either configured to operate as wireless stations or configured to operate as wireless access points comprises using association mode or pre-association mode of the IEEE 802.11 protocol to identify one or more wireless devices able to communicate via the IEEE 802.11 protocol.
9. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the one or more wireless devices configured to operate as wireless stations comprises wireless devices unable to operate as wireless access points.
10. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to configure the camera to operate as a wireless access point comprise instructions to configure the camera to operate in access point mode or in ad hoc mode.
11. A camera-implemented method comprising:
configuring a camera to operate as a wireless access point;
determining the availability of one or more wireless devices configured to operate as wireless stations;
after the passage of a pre-determined interval of time, if no wireless devices configured to operate as wireless stations are determined to be available, configuring the camera to operate as a wireless station, wherein the length of the pre-determined interval of time is based on a total length of time since a wireless device was last determined to be available; and
determining the availability of one or more wireless devices configured to operate as wireless access points.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
connecting to a wireless device in response to a determination that the wireless device is configured to operate as a wireless station and is available.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
configuring the camera to enter a standby mode in response to a determination that no wireless devices configured to operate as a wireless access points are available.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
re-configuring the camera to operate as a wireless access point in response to a determination that no wireless devices configured to operate as wireless access points are available.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
connecting to a wireless device in response to a determination that the wireless device is configured to operate as an access point and is available.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more wireless devices configured to operate as wireless stations comprises wireless devices unable to operate as wireless access points.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein configuring the camera to operate as a wireless access point comprises configuring the camera to operate in access point mode or in ad hoc mode.