METHOD OF OPERATING AN IN-VEHICLE CAMERA

• US 20150271456A1
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: KOSTEPEN, HAKAN
• Granted Patent: US 10,289,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method of operating an in-vehicle camera includes providing a database of geographic locations of points of interest. It is detected that the vehicle has arrived at one of the geographic locations of the points of interest. In response to the detecting step, capturing of images with the camera is automatically begun.

Claims

1. A method of operating an in-vehicle camera, comprising the steps of:

providing a database of geographic locations of points of interest;

detecting that the vehicle has arrived at one of the geographic locations of the points of interest; and

in response to the detecting step, beginning to capture images with the camera.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of cameras, and, in response to the detecting step, all of the cameras automatically begin to capture images.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of cameras include at least one camera capturing images within a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and at least one camera capturing images outside of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the camera captures images within a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the camera captures images outside of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting step is performed by a GPS module.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising prompting a user to indicate whether he would like the camera to begin capturing images, and the images are begun being captured only if an indication is received from the user that he would like the camera to begin capturing images.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the images are begun being captured automatically in response to the detecting step.

9. A method of operating an in-vehicle camera, comprising the steps of:

detecting that the vehicle has been in a collision; and

in response to the detecting step, automatically beginning to capture images with the camera.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of cameras, and, in response to the detecting step, all of the cameras automatically begin to capture images.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of cameras include at least one camera capturing images within a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and at least one camera capturing images outside of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the detecting is performed by an air bag sensor.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the camera captures images within a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the camera captures images outside of the vehicle.

15. A method of operating an in-vehicle camera, comprising the steps of:

detecting a security breach by use of a security system; and

in response to the detecting step, automatically beginning to capture images with the in-vehicle camera.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the security system comprises an in-vehicle security system.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the security system comprises a building security system, and the vehicle is parked within a garage of the building or on a driveway associated with the building.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the vehicle includes a plurality of cameras, and, in response to the detecting step, all of the cameras automatically begin to capture images.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the plurality of cameras include at least one camera capturing images outside of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the vehicle includes:

a camera within a passenger compartment of the vehicle configured to capture images within the vehicle;

an external wide angle lens forward looking camera;

an external wide angle lens rearward looking camera;

a first external wide angle lens laterally looking camera configured to capture images in a first lateral direction; and

a second external wide angle lens laterally looking camera configured to capture images in a second lateral direction opposite to the first lateral direction.