Rotatable camera

• US 10,421,412 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hertz Corporation (Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hertz Corporation (Hertz Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mouser, Michael James, Finney, Jr., Donald James
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Shan E
• Application Number:
  US14/689,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20160082896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A camera assembly in a vehicle includes a housing installed in the vehicle. A camera is mounted to the housing and movable relative to the housing between a first position where the camera can take an image of an occupant of the vehicle and a second position where the camera is blocked by a portion of the housing. In one example, the camera can be moved from the first position to the second position by rotating a knob mounted to the housing.

Claims

1. A camera assembly comprising:

a housing; and

a camera movably mounted to the housing, the camera movable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position, wherein the camera can record an image out of the housing in the first position and wherein the camera faces a portion of the housing in the second position.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein the camera is movable by a user between the first position and the second position.

3. The camera assembly of claim 2 wherein the camera is rotatable relative to the housing between the first position and the second position.

4. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein the camera is part of an authentication system installed in a vehicle.

5. The camera assembly of claim 1 further including at least one position sensor within the housing.

6. The camera assembly of claim 5 wherein the at least one position sensor includes a GPS receiver.

7. The camera assembly of claim 5 further including a processor within the housing, the processor receiving position information from the at least one position sensor and digital image information from the camera.

8. The camera assembly of claim 7 wherein the processor is programmed to provide navigation instructions based upon the position information.

9. The camera assembly of claim 1 further including a knob mounted to the camera, wherein the knob is rotatable relative to the housing to selectively move the camera between the first and second positions.

18. The camera assembly of claim 1 wherein a lens of the camera is directed toward and an opaque portion of the housing in the second position.

19. The camera assembly of claim 18 wherein the lens of the camera is directed through an opening in the housing in the first position.

20. The camera assembly of claim 19 wherein the camera is rotatably mounted to the housing, such that the camera can be rotated relative to the housing between the first position and the second position.

21. The camera assembly of claim 20 wherein the camera is mounted within the housing.

10. An authentication system comprising:

a housing installed in a vehicle;

at least one position sensor;

a camera mounted to the housing, the camera movable relative to the housing between a first position where the camera can take an image of an occupant of the vehicle and a second position where the camera is blocked by a portion of the housing; and

a processor within the housing, the processor receiving position information from the at least one position sensor, the processor receiving the image from the camera, the processor programmed to authenticate operation of the vehicle based upon the image of the occupant.

11. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein the camera is movable by a user between the first position and the second position.

12. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein the camera is rotatable relative to the housing between the first position and the second position.

13. The authentication system of claim 12 wherein the at least one position sensor includes a GPS receiver.

14. The authentication system of claim 13 wherein the processor is programmed to provide navigation instructions based upon the position information.

15. The authentication system of claim 14 wherein the camera is movable by a user between the first position and the second position.

16. A method for taking an image in a vehicle including the steps of:

a) presenting an object to a camera in a housing in a vehicle while the camera is in a first position relative to the housing;

b) causing the camera to take an image of the object; and

c) after said steps a) and b), moving the camera to a second position relative to the housing, wherein the camera is blocked by a portion of the housing in the second position.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step c) includes the step of rotating the camera relative to the housing from the first position to the second position.