System and Method for Capturing and Preserving Vehicle Event Data

• US 20140297058A1
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Barker, Lisa, Knight, Leonard, Chamberlin, James
• Application Number:
  US13/852,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297058A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for capturing and preserving vehicle event data. A vehicle-mount computer is adapted to capture video and other data relating to the operation of the vehicle. Event sensors inform the system of the occurrence of a vehicle event, which may include a sudden deceleration or change in yaw indicative of a vehicle accident. Upon the occurrence of a vehicle event, the system preserves the data for later use in the investigation of the vehicle event.

Claims

1. A system for capturing and preserving vehicle event data comprising:

an imaging device for capturing images;

an event sensor for detecting a vehicle event;

a vehicle-mount computer comprising a central processing unit and memory;

wherein said central processing unit is configured for, in response to the detection of a vehicle event by the event sensor, storing on said memory a designated duration of images captured by said imaging device before the detected vehicle event and a designated duration of images captured by said imaging device after the detected vehicle event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle-mount computer comprises a network interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said event sensor comprises an accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said event sensor comprises a gyroscope.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said event sensor comprises an impact sensor.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said event sensor comprises a user-activated switch.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said imaging device comprises a video camera.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said imaging device comprises a universal serial bus video camera.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein said imaging device comprises a barcode scanner adapted to capture video images.

10. A method of capturing and preserving vehicle event data comprising:

capturing images with an imaging device;

detecting a vehicle event;

after detecting a vehicle event, storing a designated duration of images captured by the imaging device before the detected vehicle event; and

after detecting a vehicle event, storing a designated duration of images captured by the imaging device after the detected vehicle event.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

transmitting the designated duration of images captured by the imaging device before the detected vehicle event via a communications network; and

transmitting the designated duration of images captured by the imaging device after the detected vehicle event via a communications network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the imaging device comprises a video camera.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the imaging device comprises a barcode scanner.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of detecting a vehicle event comprises detecting a vehicle event with an accelerometer.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of detecting a vehicle event comprises detecting a vehicle event with a gyroscope.

16. A method of capturing and preserving vehicle event data comprising:

capturing images with an imaging device;

detecting a vehicle event;

after detecting a vehicle event, transmitting a designated duration of images captured by the imaging device before the detected vehicle event via a communications network; and

after detecting a vehicle event, transmitting a designated duration of images captured by the imaging device after the detected vehicle event via a communications network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the imaging device comprises a video camera.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the imaging device comprises a barcode scanner.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of detecting a vehicle event comprises detecting a vehicle event with an accelerometer.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of detecting a vehicle event comprises detecting a vehicle event with a gyroscope.