Car-mounted image record system

• US 6,580,373 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tuner Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tuner Corporation
• Inventors: Ohashi, Tamaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/450,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/903, 340/435, 340/425.5, 340/436, 348/148, 348/149, 348/143, 348/135, 348/113, 701/301, 382/104
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted image record system for ensuring safe driving of a vehicle by recording images of a portion of the vehicle and a surface of a road in the vicinity of the vehicle so as to monitor the driving habits of a driver. The system includes one or more cameras mounted at suitable positions on the vehicle and a recording device for recording the images captured by the cameras. The captured and recorded images include a portion of the vehicle and part of the surface of the road on which the vehicle is driving so as to serve as proof of safe driving in the event of an accident. The system also includes a display for displaying the captured images so that the driver of the car can see objects forward or reverse of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A car-mounted image record system comprising:

image capture means provided on a body of a car for capturing an image of scenery outside of the car including at least an image of a portion of the car and a surface of a road extending from directly below the portion of the car and directly adjacent thereto;

image record means provided at a suitable position of the car for recording the captured image;

image display means provided in the interior of the car for displaying the captured image or the recorded image and having a display and a switch;

manual operation means connected to the image record means for manually operating the image record means;

automatic drive means connected to the image record means for causing the image record means to be automatically driven in response to the start-up of an engine of the car; and

time/date information write means arranged between the image record means and the image display means for writing information on date and time, the information on date and time being displayed on the display means with the captured image, while the captured image with the information on date and time is recorded by the image record means.

2. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means includes cleaning means for cleaning a lens of the image capture means.

3. The car-mounted image record system as defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means for capturing the image outside of the car is provided in the backward and downward directions on the upper surface at the front portion of the car, the image capture means protruding sideward from the upper surface, the captured image including images of a surface of a road in the vicinity of a front wheel of the car and a part of a body of the car.

4. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 3, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

5. The car-mounted image record system as defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the forward and downward directions on the upper surface at the rear portion of the car, the image capture means protruding sideward from the upper surface, the captured image including images of a surface of a road in the vicinity of a front wheel of the car and a part of a body of the car.

6. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 5, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

7. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the forward and downward directions on the side surface of a side mirror, the captured image including images of a front wheel, a surface of a road in vicinity of the front wheel, and a part of a body of the car.

8. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 7, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

9. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the backward and downward directions on a side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the front portion of the roof of the car, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, and a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the vicinal area around the car.

10. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 9, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

11. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the forward and downward directions on a side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the rear portion of the roof of the car, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, and a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the vicinal area around the car.

12. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 11, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

13. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the backward and downward directions on a side surface of the car, the side surface being at the vicinal portion to a fender of a front wheel of the car, the captured image including images of a part of the side surface of the car, and the surface of the road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car.

14. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 13, wherein the image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

15. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the backward and downward directions on the side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the front portion of a roof of the car, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, and a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car.

16. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 15, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

17. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means for capturing the image of vision outside of a car is provided in the forward and downward directions on the side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the rear portion of a roof of the car, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, and the surface of the road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car.

18. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 17, wherein said image capture device has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

19. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means includes a pair of image capture means, said paired image capture means are mounted in the backward and downward directions on the upper surface at the front portion of the car, and in the forward and downward directions on the upper surface at the rear portion of the car, respectively, each of the image capture devices protruding form the upper surface, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car, and a backward vision from the car.

20. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 19, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

21. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means includes a pair of image capture means, one of the image capture means is mounted to a side mirror of the car and oriented in the forward and downward directions of the car so that the capture image includes a front wheel of the car, a surface of a road directly adjacent to the front wheel, and a part of a body of the car.

22. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 21, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

23. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means includes a pair of image capture means, said paired image capture means are mounted in the backward and downward directions on a side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the front portion of the roof of the car, and in the forward and downward directions on a side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the rear portion of the roof of the car, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, and a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the vicinal area around the car.

24. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 23, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

25. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image capture means includes a pair of image capture means, said paired image capture means are provided in the backward and downward directions on a side surface of the car, the side surface being at the vicinal portion to a fender of a front wheel of the car, and in the forward and downward directions on the side surface of the car, the side surface being at the vicinal portion to a back bumper, the captured image including images of a part of the side surface of the car, and the surface of the road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car.

26. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

27. A car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means includes a pair of image capture means, one of which is oriented in the backward and downward directions of the car and is mounted proximate to a door of the car, and the other of which is oriented in the forward and downward directions of the car and is mounted proximate a door of the car, the image capture means including a wide-angle lens, so that the captured image includes a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of the road extending from directly below the car to the area in vicinity of the car, and scenery behind the car.

28. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 27, wherein the image capture device has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

29. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein said image record means comprises two image record devices;

and a protective box having sufficient mechanical strength to protect one of the image record devices in the event of a car accident.

30. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 1, wherein the image capture means is mounted to a door of the car and oriented in the backward and downward directions of the car, the image capture means including a wide-angle lens, so that the captured image includes a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of the road extending from directly below the car to the area directly adjacent thereto, and scenery behind the car.

31. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 30, wherein said image capture mans is provided in the forward and downward directions at the vicinal position form a door of the car, said image capture device including a wide-angle lens, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car, and a forward vision from the car.

32. A car-mounted image record system comprising:

a plurality of image capture means provided on a body of a car for capturing an image of scenery outside of the car including at least an image of a portion of the car and a surface of a road extending from directly below the portion of the car and directly adjacent to the portion of the car, each image capture means being paired with another image capture means, and an image captured by a respective image capture means overlapping with an image captured by another image capture means;

image record means provided at a suitable position of the car for recording the captured images;

image display means provided in the interior of the car for displaying the captured images and having a display and switch means, the switch means being connected with each of the image capture means and one or more external image signal output devices for enabling selective display of the images captured by the respective image capture means or external image signal output devices on the display of the image display means;

manual operation means connected to the image record means for manually operating the image record means;

automatic drive means connected to the image record means for causing the image record means to be automatically driven in response to the start-up of an engine of the car; and

time/date information write means arranged between the image record means and the image display means, the time/date information means for additionally writing information on date and time, the information on date and time being displayed on the said display with the captured image, while the captured image with the information on date and time is recorded by the image record means.

33. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein the image display means displays all of the images captured by the plurality of the image capture means, a scope of the display being divided into plural areas of equal size, the respective images being displayed on the plural areas of the display.

34. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, said system further including a composite means for compounding images captured by the plurality of image capture means, the composite means being connected to said image record means and said switch of the image display means, the record means composite comprising a single construction, the record means recording the composite image, said display of the image display means displaying the composite image.

35. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein one of a pair of the image capture means is mounted on an upper surface of the car at a front portion of the car and is oriented in the backward and downward directions of the car, and the other one of the pair is mounted on the upper surface at a rear portion of the car and is oriented in the forward and downward directions of the car, each of the image capture means protruding from the upper surface, so that the captured image includes a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of the road extending from directly below the car to the area directly adjacent thereto, and scenery behind the car.

36. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 35, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

37. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein one of said paired image means device is provided in the forward and downward directions on the side surface of a side mirror, the captured image including images of a front wheel, a surface of a road in vicinity of the front wheel, and a part of a body of the car.

38. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 37, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

39. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein the pair of the image capture means are mounted in the backward and downward directions on a side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the front portion of the roof of the car, and in the forward and downward directions on a side surface adjoining to the upper surface at the rear portion of the roof of the car, the captured image including images of a part of a side surface of the car, and a surface of a road extending from the area under the car to the vicinal area around the car.

40. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 39, wherein said image capture means has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

41. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein the pair of image capture means are provided in the backward and downward directions on a side surface of the car, the side surface being at the vicinal portion to a fender of a front wheel of the car, and in the forward and downward directions on the side surface of the car, the side surface being at the vicinal portion to a back bumper, the captured image including images of a part of the side surface of the car, and the surface of the road extending from the area under the car to the area in vicinity of the car.

42. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 41, wherein the image capture device has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

43. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein one of a pair of the image capture means is mounted proximate a door of the car and is oriented in the backward and downward directions of the car, and the other is mounted proximate a door of the car and is oriented in the forward and downward directions of the car, the image capture means including a wide-angle lens, so that the capture image-includes a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of a road extending from directly below the car to the area in vicinity of the car, and scenery behind the car.

44. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 43, wherein the image capture device has angle of view at 50 to 85 degrees.

45. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein the image capture means is mounted proximate a door of the car and is oriented in the forward and downward directions of the car, the image capture means including a wide-angle lens, so that the captured image includes a part of a side surface of the car, a surface of a road extending from directly below the car to the area in vicinity of the car, and scenery forward of the car.

46. The car-mounted image record system defined in claim 32, wherein said image record means comprises two image record devices;

and a protective box having sufficient mechanical strength to protect one of the image record devices in the event of a car accident.

47. A vehicle-mounted image recording system comprising:

one or more cameras mounted to a body of a vehicle for capturing an image of scenery outside the vehicle including an image of a portion of the vehicle and a surface of a road in the vicinity of the portion of the vehicle;

a recording device provided in the vehicle for recording the captured image along with a date and time of the captured image, the recording device for continuously recording over captured images but permanently retaining recorded images immediately before, during and after an accident involving the vehicle; and

a switch connected to the recording device for causing the recording device to start recording the image when an engine of the vehicle is started.

48. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

further comprising a display provided in the vehicle for displaying images captured by the one or more cameras and the date and time of the captured images.

49. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

further comprising a manual operation switch connected to the recording device for manually turning on the recording device to record the captured images.

50. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

further comprising a lens cleaning device for cleaning a lens of the one or more cameras.

51. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

wherein the one or more cameras are directed so that the captured image includes a wheel of the vehicle and the surface of the road in the vicinity of the wheel.

52. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 51;

wherein selected ones of the one or more cameras have a wide angle lens so that the captured images include scenery in a direction of forward or reverse movement of the vehicle.

53. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

wherein the one or more cameras have an angle of view within the range of 50 to 85 degrees.

54. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

wherein the one or more cameras comprise one or more pairs of cameras mounted to opposite lateral sides of the vehicle at a front or rear portion of the vehicle.

55. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

wherein the one or more cameras comprise one or more pairs of cameras, each pair mounted to a lateral side of the vehicle at front and rear portions of the vehicle.

56. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 47;

wherein the one or more cameras comprise one or more pairs of cameras arranged such that images captured by cameras of a respective pair overlap.

57. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 56;

further comprising a display for displaying the captured images;

a first switch connected to each of the cameras for selecting one or more of the images captured by the cameras for display;

a second switch connected to the recording device for manually turning on the recording device; and

a third switch connected to the recording device for causing the recording device to be automatically driven in response to the start-up of an engine of the vehicle.

58. A vehicle-mounted image recording system according to claim 57;

wherein the display is divided into a plurality of display areas of equal size each for displaying an image captured by a respective camera.