Video recording apparatus for vehicle and video recording method for vehicle

• US 9,369,665 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Han Sung, Moon, Dae Sung, Choi, Jin Woo, Moon, Ki Young, Yoo, Jang Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendmagegn, Girumsew
• Application Number:
  US13/921,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20140178030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 386/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

Disclosed is a video recording apparatus for a vehicle, which includes a camera unit formed so as to change a capturing direction; a driver'"'"'s viewing direction detecting unit configured to detect a driver'"'"'s viewing direction; a control unit configured to control the camera unit so that the detected viewing direction corresponds to the capturing direction; and a storing unit configured to store a video obtained by the camera unit. Therefore, a video in a direction at which the driver views is obtained and stored without mounting a plurality of cameras so that it is possible to obtain a video for a situation of an accident of a vehicle of the driver or a vehicle of another driver occurring not only in the front of the driver'"'"'s vehicle but also in the side of the driver'"'"'s vehicle.

Claims

1. A video recording apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera unit formed so as to change a capturing direction;

a driver'"'"'s viewing direction detecting unit configured to detect a driver'"'"'s viewing direction, wherein the driver'"'"'s viewing direction detecting unit detects the driver'"'"'s viewing direction using video information on a face direction, pupil direction, and posture information of a driver, wherein the posture information of the driver is based on a gyro sensor attached to an accessory which is worn on a head of the driver;

a control unit configured to control the camera unit so that the detected viewing direction corresponds to the capturing direction; and

a storing unit configured to store a video obtained by the camera unit,

wherein the control unit stores a video from a first camera in the storing unit, and

wherein the control unit stores a video from a second camera in the storing unit if the driver'"'"'s viewing direction meets a predetermined condition.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera unit is configured to be panned and tilted.

3. A video recording method for a vehicle, comprising:

recognizing a capturing direction of a camera unit;

detecting a viewing direction of a driver, wherein the viewing direction is detected using video information on a face direction, pupil direction, and posture information of the driver,

wherein the posture information of the driver is based on a gyro sensor attached to an accessory which is worn on a head of the driver;

changing the capturing direction of the camera unit so as to match the capturing direction of the camera unit and the viewing direction of the driver; and

storing a video obtained by the camera unit,

wherein a video obtained from a first camera is stored, and

wherein a video obtained from a second camera is stored if the viewing direction of the driver meets a predetermined condition.