VEHICLE EXTERIOR IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE

• US 20150015706A1
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Access Corp. (Honda Motor Company), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatori, Hiroyuki, Aizawa, Fumihiko, Kato, Tomohisa, Isono, Tokio, Mitsumori, Yasuyo
• Application Number:
  US13/937,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20150015706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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: B60R 1/22 for viewing an area outside the vehicle, e.g. the exterior of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/29 for viewing an area inside the vehicle, e.g. for viewing passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle exterior image capturing device is provided with a detecting unit, such as a sensor microphone and a sensor camera, that detects a predetermined change n conditions of an occupant in a compartment of a vehicle, an exterior image capturing unit that continuously images the exterior of the vehicle compartment and generates a series of exterior images, and a storage unit that stores a part of the series of exterior images when the predetermined occupant'"'"'s condition change is detected by the detecting unit. The vehicle exterior image capturing device may further include an interior image capturing unit that continuously images the interior of the vehicle compartment and generates a series of interior images. In the latter case, the storage unit also stores a part of the series of interior images.

Claims

1. A vehicle exterior image capturing device, comprising:

a detecting unit that detects a predetermined change in conditions of an occupant in a compartment of a vehicle;

an exterior image capturing unit that continuously images the exterior of the compartment and generates a series of exterior images; and

a storage unit that stores a part of the series of exterior images when the predetermined condition change is detected by the detecting unit.

2. The vehicle exterior image capturing device according to claim 1, further comprising an interior image capturing unit that continuously images the interior of the compartment and generates a series of interior images, wherein when the predetermined condition change is detected by the detecting unit, the storage unit also stores a part of the series of interior images.

3. The vehicle exterior image capturing device according to claim 2, wherein the interior image capturing unit is installed on a ceiling of the compartment in such a manner as to be movable in both a forward direction and a rearward direction of the compartment.

4. The vehicle exterior image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit comprises a detection image capturing unit that images the compartment from a front to a rear thereof and generates a detection image, wherein the detection image capturing unit detects the predetermined condition change by detecting a predetermined change of pixels in an area of the detection image where a driver and windows of the vehicle have been removed.

5. The vehicle exterior image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit comprises a detection sound recording unit that records sounds in the compartment and generates a detection sound, wherein the detection sound recording unit detects the predetermined condition change by detecting a predetermined change in sound volume when the detection sound has a volume value equal to or more than a predetermined value.