Multi-purpose side camera

• US 9,129,495 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Katsuhiko, Stewart, Patrick, Archambeau, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hancock, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US14/294,986
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 396/427
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves

Abstract

A side camera of a vehicle, including a camera housing rotatable in a first axis and a second axis each relative to an exterior surface of the vehicle, and a camera attached to the camera housing that captures image data. The camera is positioned in a plurality of positions by rotating the camera housing along the first axis and the second axis.

Claims

1. A side camera of a vehicle, comprising:

a camera housing rotatable in a first axis and a second axis each relative to an exterior surface of the vehicle;

a camera attached to the camera housing that captures image data; and

a first motor that rotates the camera housing around the first axis, rotating the camera housing inward and outward relative to the exterior of the vehicle,

wherein the camera has a range of motion along the first axis which includes a closed position in which a front face of the camera housing is flush with an exterior surface of the vehicle.

2. The side camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotation disk attached to a rear side of the camera housing, the rotation disk being rotatable in the second axis; and

a second motor that rotates the camera housing around the second axis by rotating the rotation disk.

3. The side camera according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first stopper that prevents the camera housing from rotating inward to define the closed position; and

a second stopper that prevents the camera housing from rotating further outward to define an open position in which the front face of the camera housing is extended beyond the exterior surface of the vehicle.

4. The side camera according to claim 2, wherein a peripheral edge of the rotation disk includes teeth that mesh with a gear of the second motor.

5. The side camera according to claim 2, wherein the rear side of the camera housing is opposite to a side of the camera housing in which the camera is attached.