VEHICLE MOUNTED DEVICE, SERVER DEVICE, AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110010435A1
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Socionext Inc.
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: OKAYA, Yoshihisa, KISHIMOTO, Mao
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/804 : involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals

Abstract

A first local communication part of a vehicle mounted device transmits a first data including at least one of a first video data or a first audio data generated by an AV input/output unit of the vehicle mounted device to a server device. The first local communication unit receives a second data including at least one of a second video data or a second audio data from the server device. A first recording unit of the vehicle mounted device records therein the first data, the second data, and a unique information relating to a vehicle or a user of the vehicle. The first local communication unit further transmits the unique information to the server device.

Claims

1. A vehicle mounted device mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

an AV input/output unit including at least a camera, a microphone, a display monitor, and a speaker;

a first local communication unit for transmitting a first data including at least one of a first video data and a first audio data generated by the AV input/output unit to a server device, the first local communication unit further receiving a second data including at least one of a second video data and a second audio data from the server device;

a first recording unit for recording therein the first data and the second data; and

a first controller for controlling the AV input/output unit, the first recording unit, and the first local communication unit, wherein

the first recording unit further records therein a unique information which can identify the vehicle or a user of the vehicle, and

the first local communication unit transmits the unique information to the server device.

2. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first local communication unit receives a communication addressee information indicating a communication addressee uniquely assigned to the vehicle mounted device from the server device, and

the first local communication unit imparts the communication addressee information to the first data to be transmitted to the server device.

3. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the unique information includes at least one of a car registration number plate information and a car number plate information.

4. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first controller includes an encryptor for encrypting the first data using the unique information recorded in the first recording unit.

5. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the encryptor selectively encrypts a data region of the first data where an information indicating data type and characteristics of the first data is stored.

6. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second data is encrypted by an encryption technique similar to the first data, and the first controller further includes a decryptor for decrypting the second data using the unique information recorded in the first recording unit.

7. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first data includes the first video data, the second data includes the second video data, and the first controller further includes a first image quality adjuster for changing image qualities of the first and second video data.

8. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first data includes the first audio data, the second data includes the second audio data, and the first controller further includes a first sound quality adjuster for changing sound qualities of the first and second audio data.

9. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second data includes the second video data, and

the first controller further includes a received image switcher, the received data changer storing a first still image data and outputting the second data read from the first recording unit to the AV input/output unit while switching to and from the second video data included in the second data and the first still image data depending on needs.

10. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first data includes the first video data, and

the first controller further includes a transmitted image switcher, the transmitted data changer storing a second still image data and outputting the first data to the server device by way of the first local communication unit while switching to and from the first video data included in the first data and the second still image data depending on needs.

11. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the first data includes the first video data, and the second data includes the second video data, and

the first controller further includes:

a simultaneous reproducer for simultaneously reproducing a plurality of the first and second video data respectively included in the first and second data recorded in the first recording unit; and

a split display unit for synthesizing the plurality of the first and second video data simultaneously reproduced by the simultaneous reproducer into a synthesized video data which can be displayed on the display monitor of the AV input/output unit in a split manner.

12. The vehicle mounted device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the second data includes the second audio data, and the first controller further includes a first sounding body detector, the first sounding body detector analyzing the second audio data to identify a sounding body of the analyzed second audio data.

13. A server device comprising:

a second local communication unit for communicating with the vehicle mounted device claimed in claim 1;

a global communication unit to be constantly connected to a network including at least one of telephone network and IP communication network to transmit and receive data;

a second recording unit for recording therein the first and second data; and

a second controller for controlling the second recording unit, the global communication unit, and the second local communication unit, wherein

the second controller includes a communication controller, and the communication controller carries out the following processing steps;

receive the second data from an information communication apparatus connected through the network by way of the global communication unit and record the received second data in the second recording unit;

identify the vehicle mounted device based on the unique information received by the second local communication unit and record the first data of the vehicle mounted device received by the second local communication unit in the second recording unit;

read the first data from the second recording unit and identify the vehicle mounted device relevant to the read first data, and then transmit the read first data to the information communication apparatus by way of the global communication unit; and

read the second data from the second recording unit and transmit the read second data to the identified vehicle mounted device by way of the second local communication unit.

14. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the vehicle mounted device is the vehicle mounted device claimed in claim 2, the communication controller transmits the communication addressee information to the vehicle mounted device by way of the second local communication unit, and the communication controller identifies the vehicle mounted device based on the communication addressee information imparted to the first data.

15. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the second controller includes a communication selector, and, when the second local communication unit is connected to the vehicle mounted device and the global communication unit is connected to the information communication apparatus to allow communication therebetween, the communication selector arbitrarily selects one of communication with the vehicle mounted device and communication with the information communication apparatus.

16. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the second recording unit records the unique information received from the vehicle mounted device, and the second controller includes an encryptor/decryptor, the encryptor/decryptor decrypting the first data recorded in the second recording unit using the unique information recorded in the second recording unit, the encryptor/decryptor further encrypting the second data recorded in the second recording unit using the unique information recorded in the second recording unit.

17. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the first data includes the first video data, the second data includes the second video data, and the second controller further includes a second image quality adjuster for changing image qualities of the first and second video data.

18. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the first data includes the first audio data, the second data includes the second audio data, and the second controller further includes a second sound quality adjuster for changing sound qualities of the first and second audio data.

19. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the second recording unit further records therein a performance information indicating a performance of the vehicle mounted device and a performance of the information communication apparatus communicatably connected thereto through the network.

20. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the first data includes the first video data, the second data includes the second video data, and the second controller further includes a moving image/still image switcher, the moving image/still image selector storing therein a third still image data, and reading the second data from the second recording unit and transmitting the read second data to the vehicle mounted device by way of the second local communication unit while switching to and from the second video data included in the second data and the third still image data depending on needs, the moving image/still image switcher further storing therein a fourth still image data, and reading the first data from the second recording unit and transmitting the read first data to the information communication apparatus by way of the global communication unit while switching to and from the first video data included in the first data and the fourth still image data depending on needs.

21. The server device as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the second recording unit records a plurality of the first and second data at a time, and the second controller further includes a second sounding body detector, the second sounding body detector analyzing a plurality of the first and second audio data included in the plurality of the first and second data recorded in the second recording unit to identify a sounding body of the analyzed the first and second audio data.

22. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of the vehicle mounted devices claimed in claim 1;

the server device claimed in claim 15; and

a plurality of information communication apparatuses connected to the global communication unit through the network to enable data transmission and reception therebetween, wherein

communication transfer requesters for transmitting a first request to the server device are respectively provided in the vehicle mounted devices and the information communication apparatuses, the first request being requested by one of the communication transfer requesters to shift communication currently ongoing between the server device and the vehicle mounted device or the information communication apparatus provided with the one of the communication transfer requesters to communication between the server device and the other vehicle mounted device or the other information communication apparatus, and

the communication selector of the server device which receives the first request selects one of communication with the vehicle mounted device and communication with the information communication apparatus depending on the first request.

23. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of the vehicle mounted devices claimed in claim 1;

the server device claimed in claim 15; and

a plurality of information communication apparatuses connected to the global communication unit through the network to enable data transmission and reception therebetween, wherein

communication acceptance requesters for transmitting a second request to the server device are respectively provided in the vehicle mounted devices and the information communication apparatuses, the second request being requested by one of the communication acceptance requesters to shift communication currently ongoing between the server device and the other vehicle mounted device or the other information communication apparatus to communication between the server device and the vehicle mounted device or the information communication apparatus provided with the one of the communication acceptance requesters, and

the communication selector of the server device which receives the second request selects one of communication with the vehicle mounted device and communication with the information communication apparatus depending on the second request.

24. The communication system as claimed in claim 22, wherein

the information communication apparatus is a mobile telephone terminal.

25. The communication system as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the information communication apparatus is a mobile telephone terminal.

26. The communication system as claimed in claim 22, wherein

the information communication apparatus is a teleconference terminal.

27. The communication system as claimed in claim 23, wherein

the information communication apparatus is a teleconference terminal.

28. A communication system communication system, comprising:

the vehicle mounted device claimed in claim 2; and

the server device claimed in claim 13, wherein

the second recording unit of the server device records therein the unique information, and

the second controller of the server device further includes an authenticator for authenticating the vehicle based on the unique information.

29. A communication system, comprising:

the vehicle mounted device claimed in claim 1; and

the server device claimed in claim 13, wherein

the first controller of the vehicle mounted device further includes a synchronous reproducer for synchronously reproducing a plurality of the first and second data based on recording (imaging) start time or recording (imaging) end time information of the first and second video data included in the plurality of the first and second data, and

the second recording unit of the server device further includes a time information recorder for recording the first and second data received by the second local communication unit and the global communication unit with the recording (imaging) start time and recording (imaging) end time information appended thereto.