US 7583191

US Patent 7583191, titled "Security system and method for use of same," was filed on November 14, 2006, and issued on September 1, 2009. The original assignee was an Individual, and the inventor is Duke W. Zinser. As of recent reassignments, the current assignee is Zinser Duke, effective June 18, 2024. Previous assignees included ALARM.COM INCORPORATED (October 5, 2018) and SkyBell Technologies, Inc. (March 11, 2019).

Abstract:
The patent describes a security system and method for remote surveillance of a property's entry point, such as a doorway. The system includes a video camera, an external microphone, and an external speaker located at the entry point. A homeowner, who is away from the property, uses a cellular telephone to receive audio and visual data captured by the camera and microphone when a person arrives. The system also relays audio data from the homeowner's cellular phone to the person at the entry point, enabling two-way communication and remote monitoring without disclosing the homeowner's location.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (System Claim): This claim describes a doorbell monitoring system. It includes a doorway with a doorbell that acts as a triggering event. A video camera and an external microphone in the entry point capture visual and audio communications when the doorbell rings, and transmit this data. An external speaker in the entry point plays audio received from a cellular telephone. A control unit communicates with these components, relaying the captured entry point data to a remote cellular telephone and relaying audio from the cellular telephone to the external speaker. The cellular telephone captures its own audio, transmits it to the control unit, and displays the received visual and audio from the entry point.

• Claim 8 (Method Claim): This claim outlines a method for providing doorbell monitoring. It involves the ringing of a doorbell at an entry point, which triggers the capturing of visual and audio communications there. At least a portion of these captured communications is then relayed to and rendered on a cellular phone. Simultaneously, audio communications are captured at the cellular phone, relayed back to the entry point, and rendered there.

• Claim 14 (System Claim - Means-Plus-Function): This claim describes a doorbell monitoring system using "means-plus-function" language. It includes a doorbell at an entry point and "means" for capturing visual and audio communications responsive to the doorbell ringing. It also includes "means" for relaying and rendering these communications to and at a cellular phone, respectively. Additionally, there are "means" for capturing audio at the cellular phone and "means" for relaying and rendering this audio back at the entry point.

• Claim 19 (System Claim - Specificity for Home): This claim details a doorbell monitoring system specifically for a home, including a doorway. It specifies a doorbell within the doorway as a triggering event for a video camera and external microphone, which then capture and transmit visual and audio. A proximity detector is also included to actuate the camera and microphone when an individual approaches. An external speaker renders received cellular audio communications. A control unit facilitates communication between the camera, doorbell, microphone, and a remote cellular telephone in the homeowner's possession. This setup allows the homeowner to monitor the home and communicate with an individual as if they were present, without revealing their actual location.

Litigation Status:
As of April 26, 2026, US Patent 7583191 is involved in ongoing legal proceedings. A PTAB case, IPR2026-00300, was filed and is currently pending, with a document filed on May 13, 2026. Additionally, there are US district court cases filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (case number 4:25-cv-01030) and the California Central District Court (case number 8:22-cv-00033). No direct dockets for US7583191 were found in the CAFC May 2026 scheduled cases.