Drive Recorder

• US 20100194549A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Akira, Tonokawa, Fujio, Uetani, Tetsuya, Morimoto, Ryuichi, Ishimizu, Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US12/680,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194549A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a drive recorder that can properly protect the video information being recorded in such cases as when a vehicle-mounted battery is damaged or the connection between the battery and the drive recorder is broken due to a vehicle accident or the like. More particularly, the invention provides a drive recorder includes a first detector which outputs a first voltage drop signal when an input voltage to the drive recorder drops to or below a first voltage, and a control unit which stops recording on a recording device at a normal recording rate, and records the video information on the recording device by reducing the recording rate when the first voltage drop signal is received.

Claims

1. A drive recorder for recording video information received from an image capturing unit onto a recording device, comprising:

a first detector which outputs a first voltage drop signal when an input voltage to said drive recorder drops to or below a first voltage; and

a control unit which stops recording on said recording device at a normal recording rate, and records said video information on said recording device by reducing the recording rate when said first voltage drop signal is received.

2. The drive recorder according to claim 1, wherein when said first voltage drop signal is received, said control unit records said video information on said recording device by reducing the number of frames to be recorded compared with said normal recording rate.

3. The drive recorder according to claim 1, wherein when said first voltage drop signal is received, said control unit records video information for a shorter period on said recording device compared with said normal recording rate.

4. The drive recorder according to claim 1, further comprising a second detector which outputs a second voltage drop signal when an input voltage to said control unit drops to or below a second voltage, and wherein

when said second voltage drop signal is received, said control unit performs a closing operation to complete the recording of said video information to said recording device.

5. The drive recorder according to claim 4, wherein said control unit determines a time interval between the reception of said second voltage drop signal and the start of said closing operation in accordance with a period of time elapsed from the reception of said first voltage drop signal until the reception of said second voltage drop signal.

6. The drive recorder according to claim 1, further comprising a backup battery which supplies a voltage to said control unit.