Left/right side direction switching mechanism of traveling data recorder for vehicle

• US 20070131755A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Appro Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Appro Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Ching-Shan
• Application Number:
  US11/355,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20070131755A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A traveling data recorder for vehicle is provided. The vehicle traveling data recorder includes an information capturing apparatus having a plurality of data collection modules, a sensor, a display, a storage apparatus and a controller. The data collection modules are disposed on the outer side body of the vehicle for collecting the information of a space surrounding the vehicle. The sensor is adopted for detecting the on/off status of the vehicle'"'"'s turn signals. The control unit is coupled to the sensor, and when a turn signal is turned on, the controller turns on at least one of the data collection modules corresponding to the turn signal to collect the information of a space surrounding the vehicle. The information is displayed on the display and stored in the storage apparatus.

Claims

1. A traveling data recorder for a vehicle, comprising:

a data collection apparatus, having a plurality of data collection modules disposed on an outer side body of a vehicle, used for collecting information regarding the space surrounding the vehicle;

a sensor, adopted for detecting the on/off status of a turn signal of the vehicle;

a display, adopted for displaying the information collected by at least one of the data collection modules;

a storage apparatus, adopted for storing the information collected by at least one of the data collection modules; and

a control unit, coupled to the sensor, wherein when a turn signal of the vehicle is turned on, at least one of the data collection modules corresponding to the turn signal is activated to capture information and then display the collected information on the display and store the collected information into the storage apparatus.

2. The traveling data recorder as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the data collection modules includes:

an image capturing device, adopted for capturing images of the space surrounding a vehicle; and

a receiver, adopted for capturing sounds of the space surrounding the vehicle.

3. The traveling data recorder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image capturing device includes a Charge Coupled Device Camera (CCD).

4. The traveling data recorder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image capturing device includes a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) lens.

5. The traveling data recorder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage apparatus includes a hard disk apparatus.

6. The traveling data recorder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a read-only memory, coupled to the controller, adopted for storing Basic Input/Output System (BIOS);

a user control interface, coupled to the controller, adopted for receiving control instructions input by a user and sending the control instructions to the controller; and

a power supply unit, coupled to a in-car power supply, adopted for providing power for operating the traveling data recorder.

7. The traveling data recorder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data collection modules comprise:

a left side data collection module, disposed on a left side-rear-view mirror of the vehicle for collecting information regarding the space surrounding a left side of the vehicle; and

a right side data collection module, disposed on the right side-rear-view mirror of the vehicle for collecting information of the space surrounding a right side of the vehicle.

8. A method of recording information of the space surrounding a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an on/off status of a turn signal of the vehicle;

turning on a traveling data recorder in response to a detection of an activated status of the turn signal of the vehicle to capture information of the space surrounding the vehicle along a predetermined direction;

displaying the captured information on the display; and

storing the captured information into a storage apparatus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the information includes the images and the sounds.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein when a left turn signal of the vehicle is turned on, a left side data collection module of the vehicle is turned on.

11. The trip recording method as claimed in claim 8, wherein when a right turn signal of the vehicle is turned on, a right side data collection module of the vehicle is turned on.