System and method for modifying onboard event detection and/or image capture strategy using external source data

• US 10,686,976 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Nalepka, Michael D., Ochsendorf, Ricky L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anyikire, Chikaodili E
• Application Number:
  US14/829,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A system for use on a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer comprises a communications device that effects communications between the system and a remote system. The communications device is configured to receive data from the remote system. An event detector is configured to generate a trigger signal in response to detecting occurrence of predetermined events. An onboard computer is coupled to the communications device, the event detector, a media recorder, and a computer of the vehicle. One or more image capture devices at the vehicle are communicatively coupled to one or both of the onboard computer and the media recorder. The onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more parameters of the image capture devices and/or modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on the data received from the remote system.

Claims

1. A system for use on a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the system comprising:

an onboard computer configured to communicate with a computer of the vehicle and a central office;

an event detector coupled to the onboard computer and configured to generate a trigger signal in response to detecting an occurrence of predetermined events impacting performance of the vehicle or of the driver during vehicle operation;

one or more image capture devices situated at the vehicle and communicatively coupled to the onboard computer; and

a media recorder coupled to the one or more image capture devices;

wherein the onboard computer is configured to;

adjust an image capture strategy affecting the one or more image capture devices based at least in part on data received from the central office;

dynamically modify a hierarchy of one or more detection threshold parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data received from the central office, wherein the data received from the central office include at least one of current or projected operating conditions of the vehicle, and wherein image data captured by the one or more image capture devices are compared to the one or more detection threshold parameters for detecting an occurrence of predetermined events;

prioritize, based on the dynamically modified hierarchy, at least one detection threshold parameter and corresponding image data captured by at least one image capturing device of the one or more image capture devices;

determine, based on the image data captured by the at least one image capturing device, that the prioritized detection threshold parameter is exceeded;

in response to determining that the prioritized detection threshold parameter is exceeded, generate, via the event detector, the trigger signal; and

effect storing of image data on the media recorder received from the at least one image capturing device and storing of event data in a memory in response to the trigger signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to:

modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data received from the central office.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to one or both of:

adjust the image capture strategy affecting the one or more image capture devices based at least in part on data received from a client of the central office; and

modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data received from the client of the central office.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust panning or orientation of the one or more image capture devices based at least in part on data received from the central office.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more of a field of view, zoom, resolution, light mode, and frame rate of the one or more image capture devices based at least in part on data received from the central office.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to add or subtract image capture devices as data sources based at least in part on data received from the central office.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to one or both of:

adjust the image capture strategy affecting the one or more image capture devices based at least in part on data received from a user interface at the vehicle; and

modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data received from the user interface at the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to one or both of:

adjust the image capture strategy based at least in part on data pertaining to one or both of cargo within the trailer and a bill of lading received from the central office; and

modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data pertaining to one or both of cargo within the trailer and a bill of lading received from the central office.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to one or both of adjust the image capture strategy and modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on one or more of a value of cargo, volume of the cargo, weight of the cargo, fragility of the cargo, orientation of the cargo within the trailer, location of cargo items within the trailer, position of cargo items relative to other cargo items within the trailer, hazardous material classification of the cargo, and special handling instructions concerning the cargo.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to one or both of adjust the image capture strategy and modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on one or more of driver ID, driver certification data, driver history, driver education, driver specialization, driver hours of service (HOS) status, and Carrier Safety Administration (CSA) scoring data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more detection thresholds of the event detector based at least in part on data pertaining to cargo within the trailer.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more detection thresholds of the event detector based at least in part on one or more of driver data, weather data, sun position data, traffic data, route or mapping data, road conditions data, insurance or risk data, vehicle maintenance data, and fuel or re-fueling data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to effect real-time transmission of at least image capture device data to the central office in response to a command received from the central office.

14. A system for use on a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the system comprising:

a communications device configured to effect communications between the system and a remote system, the communications device configured to receive data from the remote system;

an event detector configured to generate a trigger signal in response to detecting occurrence of predetermined events;

a media recorder;

an onboard computer coupled to the communications device, the event detector, and the media recorder, the onboard computer configured to communicate with a computer of the vehicle; and

one or more image capture devices situated at the vehicle and communicatively coupled to one or both of the onboard computer and the media recorder;

wherein the onboard computer is configured to;

adjust one or more parameters of the image capture devices based at least in part on the data received from the remote system;

dynamically modify a hierarchy of one or more detection threshold parameters of the event detector based at least in part on the data received from the remote system, wherein the data received include at least one of current or projected operating conditions of the vehicle;

prioritize, based on the dynamically modified hierarchy, at least one detection threshold parameter and image data captured by at least one image capturing device of the one or more image capture devices;

determine, based on the image data captured by the at least one image capturing device, that the prioritized detection threshold parameter is exceeded;

in response to determining that the prioritized detection threshold parameter is exceeded, generate, via the event detector, the trigger signal; and

coordinate recording of the image data on the media recorder and storing of event data in response to the trigger signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the onboard computer is configured to effect real-time transmission of at least the image data to the remote system in response to a command received from the remote system or other remote source.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the onboard computer is configured to:

adjust one or more parameters of one or more image capture devices based at least in part on data received from a user interface at the vehicle; and

modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data received from the user interface at the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more parameters of one or more image capture devices or modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on one or more of a type of cargo within the trailer, a value of the cargo, volume of the cargo, weight of the cargo, fragility of the cargo, orientation of the cargo within the trailer, location of cargo items within the trailer, position of cargo items relative to other cargo items within the trailer, hazardous material classification of the cargo, and special handling instructions concerning the cargo.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more parameters of one or more image capture devices or modify one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on one or more of driver ID, driver certification data, driver history, driver education, driver specialization, driver hours of service (HOS) status, and Carrier Safety Administration (CSA) scoring data.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the onboard computer is configured to adjust one or more detection thresholds of the event detector based at least in part on one or more of data pertaining to cargo within the trailer, driver data, weather data, sun position data, traffic data, route or mapping data, road conditions data, insurance or risk data, vehicle maintenance data, and fuel or re-fueling data.

20. A method for use on a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the method comprising:

detecting, via an event detector at the vehicle, occurrences of predetermined events impacting the vehicle or the driver during vehicle operation;

recording image data acquired by one or more image capture devices at the vehicle in response to detecting a predetermined event by the event detector;

storing vehicle data associated with the detected event; and

adjusting an image capture strategy affecting the one or more image capture devices at least in part in response to data received from a source external to the vehicle;

wherein detecting, via the event detector, occurrences of predetermined events comprising;

dynamically modifying a hierarchy of one or more parameters of the event detector based at least in part on data received from the external source, wherein the data received from the external source include at least one of current or projected operating conditions of the vehicle;

prioritizing, based on the dynamically modified hierarchy, at least one parameter of the event detector and image data captured by at least one image capturing device of the one or more image capture devices;

determining, based on the image data captured by the at least one image capturing device, that the prioritized parameter is exceeded; and

in response to determining that the prioritized parameter is exceeded, generating, via the event detector, a trigger signal.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising effecting real-time transmission of at least the image data to the external source in response to a command received from the external source.