Camera activation response to vehicle safety event

• US 9,902,355 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Baker, Charles R., Abdel-Rahman, Akram M., Murad, Mohannad, Kreiner, Gerard R., Machak, Joseph, McGarry, Daniel C, Zakhem, Samer, Videtich, Matt C
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOFI, YAZAN A
• Application Number:
  US15/167,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20170341611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0273 automatically movable to an operative position, e.g. in case of collision or impending collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for transmitting video data associated with a vehicle. In one exemplary embodiment, a vehicle processor determines a vehicle safety event based on one or more safety sensors, activates one or more vehicle cameras that capture video data in response to the determined vehicle safety event, records the video data in a vehicle data storage device, and, if the vehicle processor determines that a suitable connection to a telecommunications network is available when the video data is being captured, then transmits the video data over the telecommunications network in substantially real time.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting video data associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, via a vehicle processor, a vehicle security event based on one or more security sensors, the vehicle security event pertaining to theft or vandalism pertaining to the vehicle;

activating, via the vehicle processor, one or more vehicle cameras that capture video data in response to the determined vehicle security event;

recording, via the vehicle processor, the video data in a vehicle data storage device upon occurrence of the vehicle safety event; and

if the vehicle processor determines that a suitable connection to a telecommunications network is available when the video data is being captured, then, upon the occurrence of the vehicle safety event, transmitting, via the vehicle processor, the video data over the telecommunications network in substantially real time to a remote user of the vehicle that is remote from the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more security sensors comprise at least one of a force sensor, a door sensor, a trunk sensor, a hood sensor and a key copy sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

activating a vehicle alarm including noise and/or light in response to the vehicle security event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the video data to a remote computing device, wherein the remote computing device displays, via a processor and a display unit, the video data for the remote user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method comprises transmitting a notification to the remote computing device concerning the vehicle security event and requesting acceptance of transmission of the video data, wherein the video data transmission step is performed after acceptance has been returned from the remote computing device to the vehicle processor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded video data stored in the vehicle data storage device is labelled to indicate video data relating to the vehicle security event, and the method further comprises prohibiting overwriting of the video data so labelled.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle security event pertains to theft or vandalism pertaining to the vehicle while the vehicle is parked.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the vehicle processor, a frame rate for the video data to be transmitted to the remote user, based on the occurrence of the vehicle safety event.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the vehicle processor, a data rate for the video data to be transmitted to the remote user, based on the occurrence of the vehicle safety event.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the vehicle processor, a color for the video data to be transmitted to the remote user, based on the occurrence of the vehicle safety event.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the vehicle processor, a resolution for the video data to be transmitted to the remote user, based on the occurrence of the vehicle safety event.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the vehicle processor, each of the following;

a frame rate, a data rate, a color, and a resolution for the video data to be transmitted to the remote user, based on the occurrence of the vehicle safety event.

7. A vehicle control system for transmitting video data associated with a vehicle, the control system comprising:

one or more security sensors responsive to a vehicle security event, the vehicle security event pertaining to theft or vandalism pertaining to the vehicle; and

a vehicle processor configured to;

activate one or more vehicle cameras to capture video data in response to the vehicle security event;

record the video data in a vehicle data storage data device, upon the occurrence of the vehicle safety event; and

if the processor determines that a suitable telecommunications network connection is available when the video data is being captured, then the vehicle processor is configured to transmit, upon the occurrence of the vehicle safety event, the video data over the telecommunications network in substantially real time to a remote user of the vehicle that is remote from the vehicle.

8. The vehicle control system of claim 7, wherein the one or more security sensors comprise at least one of a force sensor, a door sensor, a gate sensor, a hood sensor, and a key copy sensor.

9. The vehicle control system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle processor is configured to activate a vehicle alarm including noise and/or light in response to the vehicle security event.

10. The vehicle control system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle processor is configured to transmit a notification to a remote computing device concerning the vehicle security event and requesting acceptance of transmission of the video data, and wherein the vehicle processor is configured to await receipt of the request acceptance from the remote computing device and thereafter to transmit the video data.

11. A vehicle, comprising:

one or more vehicle cameras;

one or more security sensors responsive to a vehicle security event, the vehicle security event pertaining to theft or vandalism pertaining to the vehicle;

a vehicle data storage data device;

a vehicle control system for transmitting video data associated with the vehicle, the control system comprising a vehicle processor configured to;

activate the one or more vehicle cameras to capture video data in response to the determined vehicle security event;

record the video data in the vehicle data storage data device, upon the occurrence of the vehicle safety event; and

if the processor determines that a suitable telecommunications network connection is available when the video data is being captured, then the vehicle processor is configured to transmit, upon the occurrence of the vehicle safety event, the video data over the telecommunications network in substantially real time to a remote user of the vehicle that is remote from the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the one or more security sensors comprise at least one of a force sensor, a door sensor, a hood sensor, a gate sensor, and a key copy sensor.

13. The vehicle control system of claim 11, comprising at least one of a vehicle alarm including a noise device, a light device, or both and an air bag, wherein the vehicle processor is configured to activate the vehicle alarm in response to the vehicle security event, and wherein the vehicle processor is configured to release the air bag in response to the vehicle security event.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the vehicle processor is configured to transmit a notification to a remote computing device concerning the vehicle security event and requesting acceptance of transmission of the video data, and wherein the vehicle processor is configured to await receipt of the request acceptance from the remote computing device and thereafter to transmit the video data.