Secure, vehicle mounted, surveillance system

• US 6,211,907 B1
• Filed: 06/08/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Evicam International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey A. Hamilton, Robert Jeff Scaman
• Inventors: Hamilton, Jeffrey A., Scaman, Robert Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US09/327,828
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 360/5
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A novel system for gathering, analyzing and storing information for the purpose of motor vehicle theft and vandalism investigations. An on board secure vehicle mounted surveillance system, that can monitor the vehicle for brief or extended periods of time that can operate whether the vehicle is on or off, having a video camera for generating video signals of an incident proximate the vehicle, having an audio device for monitoring events proximate the vehicle, motion sensor to activate the system and lights activated by the system to illuminate the area viewed by the camera. The video signals are digitized into a synchronized data file, carrying a unique vehicle identification and a time indicator with other input data occurring on or about the vehicle such as audio recordings and the like. The file is encrypted and stored on a large capacity, code accessible device or transmitted, via a transceiver, real time to authorities and/or an off vehicle storage site. Once written, the encrypted file cannot be altered or corrupted, decrypted without the encryption key, or accessed without the access authorization code. The stored data file can be down loaded to be used as evidence.

Claims

1. An on board secure vehicle mounted surveillance system comprising:

a) at least one video camera monitoring the interior and the exterior of the vehicle and for generating video signals of an incident proximate the vehicle;

b) a recording device for capturing and securely storing said video signals having a coded access;

c) a code for providing coded access to said recording device;

d) means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is at least two video cameras.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said at least two video cameras comprise at least one interior looking video camera and at least one exterior looking video camera.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted on the exterior of said vehicle and positioned to view said incidents occurring outside the said vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted interior said vehicle and positioned to view said incidents occurring inside the said vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video camera has infra-red lenses.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one lighting source for illuminating areas to be viewed by said cameras.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said lights are placed for illuminating the interior of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said lights are placed for illuminating the exterior of said vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one audio device in communication with said system for monitoring areas proximate the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said audio device is mounted on the vehicle to monitor the interior of said vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said audio device is mounted on the vehicle to monitor the exterior of said vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one motion sensor in communication with said system for monitoring areas proximate the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one motion sensor is mounted on the vehicle to monitor the exterior of said vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said at least one motion sensor is mounted on the vehicle to monitor the interior of said vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said video signals of an incident proximate the vehicle are digitized.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said recording device for capturing said video signals is selected from the group consisting of video tape, a hard disk, a CD ROM and a solid state means.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said video signals of an incident proximate to the vehicle contain monitor data selected from the group consisting of time and date, vehicle identifier and audio recording.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said video signals of an incident proximate to the vehicle are contained in a crash proof, explosion proof repository.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device is an LED.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said down loading is acomplished by a transceiver.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said transceiver down loads said video signal in real time.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said transceiver down loads said video signal from said coded access recording device on a programmed schedule.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said transceiver down loads said video signals from said coded access recording device on command received by said transceiver.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein said transceiver communicates with a ground station by means of satellite system is a GPS system.

26. A method for the secure surveillance of incidents involving vehicles comprising:

a) activating an on board secure vehicle mounted surveillance system having at least one video camera for generating video signals of an incident proximate to the vehicle;

b) generating a video signal of an incident proximate to the vehicle;

c) storing said video signal of an incident proximate to the vehicle on a secure large capacity, code accessible device; and

d) accessing the stored video signal by means of the access code.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said video signal is digitized into a synchronized data file, carrying a unique vehicle identification and a time indicator.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said digitized data is stored on a large capacity hard drive which prevents data from being overwritten for very extended periods of time.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is at least two video cameras.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted inside said vehicle and positioned to view said incidents occurring inside the said vehicle.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein said at least one video camera has infra-red lenses.

32. The method of claim 26 wherein mounted on the exterior of the said vehicle are lights.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein lights are mounted on the interior of said vehicle.

35. The method of claim 26 wherein an audio recording device is mounted to the exterior of said vehicle.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said audio recording device is mounted on the interior of said vehicle.

37. The method of claim 26 wherein a motion sensor is mounted to the exterior of said vehicle.

38. The method of claim 26 wherein a motion sensor is mounted to the interior of said vehicle.

39. The method of claim 26 wherein said recording device for capturing said video signals is selected from the group consisting of video tape, a hard disk, a CD ROM and a solid state means.

40. The method of claim 26 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle contain monitor data selected from the group consisting of time and date, vehicle identifier and audio recorded.

41. The method of claim 26 wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are contained in a crash proof, explosion proof repository.

42. The method of claim 26 wherein said means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device is an LED.

43. The method of claim 26 wherein said down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device is performed by a transceiver.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said transceiver down loads said video signal from said coded access recording device in real time.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein said transceiver down loads said video signal from said coded access recording device on a programmed schedule.

46. The method of claim 43 wherein said transceiver down loads said video signals from said coded access recording device via a satellite system.

47. The method claim 46 wherein said satellite system is a GPS system.

48. The method of claim 43 wherein said receiver down loads said video signals from said coded access recording device by transmitting a signal to said satellite system.

49. The method of claim 43 wherein said satellite transmits said signal to an off site location.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said satellite transmits said signal to other satellites.

33. A method for the secure surveillance of incidents involving vehicles comprising:

a) activating an on board secure vehicle mounted surveillance system having at least one video camera for generating video signals of an incident proximate to the vehicle;

b) generating a video signal of an incident proximate to the vehicle;

c) storing said video signal of an incident proximate to the vehicle on a large capacity, code accessible device; and

d) accessing the stored video signal by means of the access code

wherein mounted on the exterior of said vehicle are lights and wherein said lights are facing toward the interior of said vehicle.