Systems and methods for video capture, user feedback, reporting, adaptive parameters, and remote data access in vehicle safety monitoring

• US 8,930,040 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashmore, Chad, Reid, C. Shane, Gompert, Jeff M., Durie, William E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US13/910,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/73 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• 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: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A method for vehicle data management according to embodiments of the present invention includes receiving an accelerometer signal from an accelerometer mounted in a vehicle, determining an accelerometer specific force based on the accelerometer signal, receiving a speed signal from a speed sensor or GPS or other source on the vehicle, wherein the speed signal indicates a speed of the vehicle, determining an instantaneous acceleration of the vehicle by calculating a rate of change of the speed based on the speed signal, selecting a current observed acceleration as a lower value of the accelerometer specific force and the instantaneous acceleration, capturing video footage with a camera mounted on the vehicle, and flagging the video footage corresponding to a time when the current observed acceleration exceeds a preset safe force value.

Claims

1. A method for vehicle data management, the method comprising:

receiving an accelerometer signal from an accelerometer mounted in a vehicle;

determining an accelerometer specific force based on the accelerometer signal;

receiving a speed signal from a speed sensor on the vehicle, wherein the speed signal indicates a speed of the vehicle;

determining an instantaneous acceleration of the vehicle by calculating a rate of change of the speed based on the speed signal;

selecting a current observed acceleration as a lower value of the accelerometer specific force and the instantaneous acceleration;

capturing video footage with a camera mounted on the vehicle; and

flagging the video footage corresponding to a time when the current observed acceleration exceeds a preset safe force value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a front cabin and a rear cabin, wherein the camera is mounted in the rear cabin, and wherein capturing video footage comprises capturing video footage including at least a portion of a patient in the rear cabin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a front cabin and a rear cabin, wherein the camera is mounted in the rear cabin, and wherein capturing video footage comprises capturing video footage including at least a portion of an emergency services technician in the rear cabin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the time is a range of time when the current observed acceleration exceeds a present safe force value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising flagging the video footage corresponding to a time when the speed exceeds a preset safe speed value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reverse signal from a reverse activation indicator, the reverse signal indicating whether the vehicle is in reverse drive;

receiving a spotter switch signal from a spotter switch, the spotter switch signal indicating whether a spotter is present behind the vehicle; and

flagging the video footage corresponding to a time when the vehicle is in reverse drive and a spotter is not present.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the camera is mounted on or near a rear of the vehicle facing in a rearward direction.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle record comprises the video footage in a vehicle video record, and wherein the vehicle data management device is further configured to mark the vehicle video record to indicate a time when the force value is outside of the safe force range.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data management device is further configured to mark the vehicle video record to indicate range of time when the force value is outside of the safe force range.

8. A system for vehicle data management, the system comprising:

an accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer is mounted in a vehicle and is configured to measure an accelerometer specific force of the vehicle;

a speed sensor, wherein the speed sensor is configured to measure a speed of the vehicle;

a video capture device;

a vehicle data management device communicably coupled to the accelerometer, the speed sensor, and the video capture device, the vehicle data management device configured to establish a vehicle record, wherein the vehicle record comprises video footage captured by the video capture device, wherein the vehicle data management device is further configured to;

determine an instantaneous acceleration based on a rate of change of the speed of the vehicle,

determine a current observed acceleration as a lower value of the accelerometer specific force and the instantaneous acceleration,

mark the vehicle record to indicate a time when the instantaneous acceleration exceeds a preset safe force value.

11. A method comprising simultaneously:

displaying a map showing a route taken by a particular emergency vehicle during an emergency medical services event and a representation of the vehicle at a position along the route; and

displaying video data captured from the emergency vehicle during the emergency medical services event corresponding to a time at which the vehicle was at the position along the route.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the video data is video footage, wherein displaying the video data comprises playing the video footage, the method further comprising synchronizing moving the representation of the vehicle along the route to correspond to the vehicle position at the time represented by the playing video footage.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the position is a first position, the method further comprising:

receiving a request to move the representation of the vehicle to a second position along the route;

updating the map to show the representation of the vehicle at the second position; and

based on the request, displaying the video data corresponding to the time at which the vehicle was at the second position.

14. A system for vehicle data management, the system comprising:

a driver identification device located on an emergency vehicle, the driver identification device configured to receive an indication of an identity of a current driver of the emergency vehicle, wherein the emergency vehicle has a front cabin configured to seat the current driver, and a rear cabin configured to accept a patient and at least one emergency medical technician;

an accelerometer located on the emergency vehicle, the accelerometer configured to indicate a specific force undergone by the emergency vehicle;

a speed sensing device located on the emergency vehicle, the speed sensing device configured to indicate a speed of the emergency vehicle;

a video capture device located in the rear cabin and configured to capture visual information about the rear cabin; and

a vehicle data management device communicably coupled to the driver identification device, the accelerometer, the speed sensing device, and the video capture device, the vehicle data management device configured to establish a vehicle record, wherein the vehicle record comprises video footage captured by the video capture device, wherein the vehicle data management device is further configured to;

determine whether one or both of the specific force and the speed fall outside of certain ranges, and

create a flag in the vehicle record based on the determination.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the video capture device is a first video capture device, and wherein the driver identification device is a second video capture device located in the front cabin and configured to receive visual information about the current driver.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the driver identification device is a magnetic card reader.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the driver identification device is an RFID transceiver.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a seatbelt sensor configured to indicate fastening of a seatbelt, the vehicle data management device further configured to determine whether the seatbelt is not fastened, and create the flag in the vehicle record based on the determination.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a spotter switch configured to indicate presence of a backing spotter, and a reverse activation signal configured to indicate whether the vehicle is in reverse drive, the vehicle data management device further configured to determine whether the backing spotter is not present, and create the flag in the vehicle record based on the determination.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising an audio device, wherein the vehicle data management device is further configured to play an audio message with the audio device based on the determination.