Managing the camera acquiring interior data

• US 9,358,926 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lytx, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambert, Daniel, Van Nortwick, John, Shirey, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/559,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20150183372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 348/222.1, 348/333.01, 348/333.11, 379/142.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

A system for managing a camera is comprises an input interface configured to detect a change in state; a processor configured to block transfer of data from an inward facing video camera; and an output interface configured to indicate that transfer of data is blocked.

Claims

1. A system for managing a camera, comprising:

an input interface configured to;

detect a change in state;

a processor configured to;

determine whether to block transfer of an image of a driver based at least on the change in state, wherein the driver image is captured by the camera; and

responsive to a determination to block transfer of the driver image, block transfer of the driver image from the camera to a recording device; and

an output interface configured to;

indicate that transfer of the driver image to the recording device is blocked.

2. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a physical shutter for blocking the camera.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface comprises an indicator light for indicating that the transfer of the driver image is blocked.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises a driver weight sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input interface comprises the camera.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the blocking transfer of the driver image comprises closing a shutter.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the blocking transfer of the driver image comprises blurring at least a portion of the driver image.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the blocking transfer of the driver image comprises not saving the driver image to a non-transitory memory.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the blocking transfer of the driver image comprises blocking a face image captured by the camera.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the blocking transfer of the driver image comprises indicating that data is not to be uploaded.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the change in state comprises a change in a driver ID associated with the driver of a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a driver ID state.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the driver ID state is determined from one or more of the following:

a driver schedule, a driver image, a RFID, and/or a card swipe.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a vehicle ID state.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on an electronic on-board recorder state.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a driver score.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a driver'"'"'s on the clock status.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a driver legal status.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a vehicle legal status.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on a probation.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is additionally configured to determine facial geometry data.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to block transfer of the driver image is based at least in part on compliance with privacy regulations.

23. A method for managing a camera, comprising:

detecting a change in state;

determining whether to block transfer of an image of a driver based at least on the change in state, wherein the driver image is captured by the camera;

responsive to a determination to block transfer of the driver image, blocking, using a processor, transfer of the driver image from the camera to a recording device; and

indicating that transfer of the driver image to the recording device is blocked.

24. A computer program product for managing a camera, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

detecting a change in state;

determining whether to block transfer of an image of a driver based at least one rules for the change in state, wherein the image of the driver is captured by the camera;

responsive to a determination to block transfer of the driver image, blocking transfer of the driver image from the camera to a recording device; and

indicating that transfer of the driver image to the recording device is blocked.