Vehicle intrusion monitoring system and method

• US 20050099273A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shimomura, Toshio, Shimonomoto, Ifushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,129,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera

Abstract

A vehicle intrusion monitoring system that eliminates unnecessary image capture and transmission by controlling the timing of image capture by a camera installed inside a vehicle. A control ECU in the vehicle intrusion monitoring system issues a first image capture command to a camera triggered by an abnormality detected by a sensor while the system is in watch state. Then, the control ECU issues a second and further image capture commands only when an intrusion detector picks up an intruder inside the vehicle to eliminate unnecessary image capture and transmission.

Claims

1. A vehicle intrusion monitoring system comprising:

at least one camera on a vehicle;

an abnormality detection means that at least detects an intruder and multiple abnormalities on the vehicle;

a control means that outputs a capture command to the camera based on a signal from the abnormality detection means when the vehicle is in a watch state,

wherein the control means outputs the first capture command whenever the abnormality detection means detects an abnormality regardless of the type of abnormality after the watch state is set on the vehicle, and afterward outputs a second and further capture commands when the abnormality detection means detects an intruder inside the vehicle.

3. The vehicle intrusion monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising:

a transmission means that transmits a captured image data taken by the camera to an external device outside the vehicle with wireless communication; and

a control means that outputs a transmission command to the transmission means to transmit the captured image data acquired as a result of the capture command,

wherein the control means outputs the transmission command of captured image data to the transmission means to send the captured image data to an external device outside the vehicle with wireless communication.

4. The vehicle intrusion monitoring system according to claim 3,

wherein the control means outputs a transmission command of an abnormality identification information that determines the type of abnormality being picked up by the abnormality detection means triggered the camera to capture the image to be transmitted to a user of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle intrusion monitoring system according to claim 3,

wherein the control means outputs the transmission command of information signal to the transmission means when the abnormality detection means detects an abnormality of the vehicle, and

the control means outputs a transmission command of information signal that informs omission of captured image data or the reason of the omission when the control means did not output a capture command to the camera.

6. The vehicle intrusion monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

an additional camera installed on the vehicle,

wherein the control means outputs a transmission command of a camera identification information, that identifies the camera which among those installed on the vehicle originated the captured image data, to the transmission means.

2. A vehicle intrusion monitoring system comprising:

at least one camera on a vehicle;

an abnormality detection means that at least detects an intruder and multiple abnormalities on the vehicle;

a transmission means that transmits a captured image data taken by the camera to an external device outside the vehicle with wireless communication; and

a control means that outputs a capture command to the camera based on a signal from the abnormality detection means when the vehicle is in a watch state,

wherein the control means outputs the capture command to the camera when indication of an abnormality comes from a predetermined sensor or a predetermined combination of sensors that exists in an image capture area of the camera.

7. A vehicle intrusion monitoring method, the method comprising the steps of:

watching out for an abnormality detection signal from an abnormality detecting means provided in a vehicle;

sending a capture command to a camera to capture an image only after the abnormality is determined to be a predetermined type that indicates a possibility of intrusion into the vehicle;

sending notification of the abnormality to a user of the vehicle upon detecting the abnormality;

sending a captured image data to the external device outside the vehicle with wireless communication.

8. The vehicle intrusion monitoring method according to claim 7, the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for the captured image data from the user of the vehicle when the camera captured an image of the abnormality; and

sending a captured image data together with a related information to the user of the vehicle.