Mobile object information recording apparatus

• US 6,324,450 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Iwama, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/680,174
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/301, 701/300, 340/436, 340/440, 340/937, 340/541, 340/539, 358/909
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera

Abstract

A mobile object information recording apparatus includes first and second cameras and various vehicle condition sensors for detecting mobile object information representing the status of a vehicle. An abnormal level detector detects an abnormal level of the vehicle on the basis of the acceleration detected by a 3-dimensional sensor. A data amount setting unit sets the amount of data to be stored in a file area to a value corresponding to the detected abnormal level, and memory controller stores, into the file area, mobile object information with a length of time corresponding to the determined amount of data, including periods immediately before and after the moment at which the abnormal level is detected, such as when a collision occurs, whereby the mobile object information is stored in a highly efficient fashion.

Claims

1. A mobile object information recording apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting mobile object information on a status of a mobile object;

storing means for storing the mobile object information detected by the detecting means;

abnormality level detecting means for detecting an abnormality level of the mobile object in accordance with at least one kind of mobile object information detected by the detecting means;

data amount setting means for setting an amount of information to be stored in a predetermined area within the storing means based on the abnormality level detected by the abnormality level detecting means; and

storage controlling means for controlling the storing means so as to store mobile object information of a predetermined length of time into a predetermined area within the storing means, the length including at least a first period immediately before the abnormality.

2. The mobile object information recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein;

the mobile object comprises a travelling vehicle;

the detecting means comprises at least one camera for taking an image around the vehicle; and

the abnormality level detecting means comprises an acceleration sensor detecting as an abnormality a particular acceleration of the vehicle.

3. The mobile object information recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storing means which includes a flash memory comprises both a first storage area for continuously storing the mobile object information in a predetermined amount during movement of the mobile object and a second storage area for storing the information in the amount set by the data amount setting means.

4. The mobile object information recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second storage area includes a plurality of areas each of which stores the information corresponding to respective abnormalities.

5. The mobile object information recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the level detected by the abnormality level detecting means is classified into a plurality of level states in accordance with a value of the level, and the amount to be stored is determined in accordance with the states.

6. The mobile object information recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a relationship between the level values and state are stored with a table-form in the storing means.

7. A mobile object information recording method including the steps of:

continuously detecting and storing mobile object information on a status of a mobile object;

detecting an abnormality level of the mobile object in accordance with at least one kind of detected mobile object information;

setting an amount of data regarding the stored information to be separately stored form the information having been stored based on the detected abnormality level; and

storing the information in the set amount around the occurrence of the abnormality, the information to be stored including at least information on a status of the mobile object immediately before the detected abnormality.

8. An information recording system for a vehicle comprising:

a detector unit for detecting a plurality of information representative of the status and surrounding scene of a vehicle;

a storing unit for continuously storing the detected information;

an abnormality level detecting unit for detecting the occurrence of an abnormality characteristic of an accident from at least one of the plurality of information and providing an output signal representative of the level of detection;

data amount setting unit for setting an amount of detected information to be permanently stored in a predetermined area of the storing unit based on the output signal of the abnormality level detecting unit; and

a storage controlling unit for controlling the storing unit to store a predetermined amount of information into the predetermined area including information representative of a first period of time immediately before the detected abnormality.

9. The information recording system of claim 8, wherein the detector unit includes a first camera and an acceleration sensor.

10. The information recording system of claim 9, wherein the detector includes a second camera for recording exterior scenes relative to the vehicle, while the first camera records internal scenes relative to the vehicle.