Vehicle event recording system and method

• US 10,360,739 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc. (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SmartDrive Systems, Inc. (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Palmer, Jason, Sljivar, Slaven, Deninger, Daniel A., Vaidya, Alekh, Griswold, Jeffrey, Freitas, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Cass, Jean Paul
• Application Number:
  US15/620,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20170278318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 701 291
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system configured to generate synchronized electronic vehicle event records. The synchronized vehicle event records may include vehicle operation information, video information, and/or other information. The synchronized electronic vehicle event records may be generated remotely (e.g., “in the cloud”) from a vehicle. The system is configured to communicate with factory installed and/or other (e.g., third party) vehicle systems to generate the vehicle event information and/or cause other information relevant to a particular vehicle event to be transmitted in addition to the vehicle event information. By communicating with existing vehicle systems and causing these systems to transmit information related to vehicle events themselves, and generating the synchronized electronic vehicle event records remotely from a vehicle the system reduces the amount and/or cost of aftermarket equipment that must be installed in a vehicle for vehicle event monitoring.

Claims

1. A system configured to generate vehicle event records for a fleet of vehicles, wherein the fleet of vehicles includes a first vehicle and a second vehicle, the system comprising:

a centralized cloud server including one or more physical computer processors located remotely from both the first and the second vehicle, wherein the centralized cloud server is geographically separated from the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the one or more physical computer processors being configured by computer readable instructions to;

receive, over a network during a first transmission, vehicle event information from a control unit mounted to the first vehicle, the control unit configured to (i) receive vehicle operation information via output signals generated by sensors coupled with the first vehicle and (ii) detect vehicle events based on the output signals, the vehicle event information including vehicle operation information and first time information that correspond to the detected vehicle events, wherein the detected vehicle events including a first vehicle event, wherein the vehicle event information for the first vehicle event is associated with the first time information;

receive, over the network during a second transmission, video information corresponding to the first vehicle event from a video system, the second transmission being separate from the first transmission, wherein the video information includes different information than the vehicle event information, the video system including a video camera, the video system being mounted to the first vehicle and being physically separate and distinct from the control unit, wherein the video information has been captured during periods of time for the detected vehicle events, the periods of time including a first period of time for the first vehicle event, the video information including second time information and consecutive frames of visual information representing an environment about the first vehicle, wherein the video information for the first vehicle event is associated with the second time information;

receive, over the network during a third transmission, second vehicle event information from a second control unit mounted to the second vehicle, the second vehicle event information including vehicle operation information and third time information that correspond to detected vehicle events of the second vehicle, wherein the detected vehicle events including a second vehicle event, wherein the second vehicle event information for the second vehicle event is associated with the third time information;

receive, over the network during a fourth transmission, second video information corresponding to the second vehicle event, the fourth transmission being separate from the third transmission, wherein the second video information includes different information than the second vehicle event information, the second video information including fourth time information and consecutive frames of visual information representing an environment about the second vehicle, wherein the second video information for the second vehicle event is associated with the fourth time information;

analyze the vehicle event information received during the first transmission to identify information indicative of a physical event conveyed by the output signals, wherein the physical event occurred in the first period of time;

analyze the video information received during the second transmission to identify information indicative of the same physical event;

correlate, by the one or more physical computer processors, the vehicle event information received during the first transmission with the video information received during the second transmission based on the analysis of both the vehicle event information and the video information such that the correlating is performed at a location of the centralized cloud server that is remote from the first vehicle, wherein correlating the vehicle event information with the video information includes correlating the first time information and the second time information;

analyze the second vehicle event information received during the third transmission to identify information indicative of a second physical event;

analyze the second video information received during the fourth transmission to identify information indicative of the same second physical event;

correlate, by the one or more physical computer processors, the second vehicle event information received during the third transmission with the second video information received during the fourth transmission based on the analysis of both the second vehicle event information and the second video information such that the correlating is performed at the location of the centralized cloud server that is remote from the second vehicle, wherein correlating the second vehicle event information with the second video information includes correlating the third time information and the fourth time information;

generate a first event record that includes or identifies (i) the video information that corresponds to the first vehicle event and (ii) the vehicle event information for the first vehicle event; and

generate a second event record that includes or identifies (i) the second video information that corresponds to the second vehicle event and (ii) the second vehicle event information for the second vehicle event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are configured such that correlating the vehicle event information with the video information includes identifying and correlating:

information indicative of the physical event conveyed by the output signals included in the vehicle event information for the first vehicle event and information indicative of the same physical event conveyed by the video information captured during the first period of time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured such that:

the detected vehicle events have individual start times and individual end times, and

the vehicle event information includes vehicle operation information for periods of time that last from before the individual start times until after the individual end times; and

wherein the video system is configured such that the video information includes video information for periods of time that last from before the individual start times until after the individual end times.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the video system is included in one or more external vehicle systems that generate information about the first vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the video camera is an aftermarket camera.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more physical computer processors are further configured by computer readable instructions to:

responsive to receiving the vehicle event information, send a message from the centralized cloud server to the video system, wherein the message requests that the video system transmits the video information to the centralized cloud server, wherein the video information corresponds to the first vehicle event.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the video information is received over the network responsive to the message.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle includes one or more of an automobile, a truck, a delivery vehicle, a plane, or a train.

9. A method for generating vehicle event records for a fleet of vehicles, wherein the fleet of vehicles includes a first vehicle and a second vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a centralized cloud server that is geographically separated from the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and over a network during a first transmission, vehicle event information from a control unit mounted to the first vehicle, the control unit configured to (i) receive vehicle operation information via output signals generated by sensors coupled with the first vehicle and (ii) detect vehicle events based on the output signals, the vehicle event information including vehicle operation information and first time information that correspond to the detected vehicle events, wherein the detected vehicle events including a first vehicle event, wherein the vehicle event information for the first vehicle event is associated with the first time information;

receiving, over the network during a second transmission, video information corresponding to the first vehicle event from a video system, the second transmission being separate from the first transmission, wherein the video information includes different information than the vehicle event information, the video system including a video camera, the video system being mounted to the first vehicle and being physically separate and distinct from the control unit, the video information being transmitted from the vehicle separately from the vehicle event information, wherein the video information has been captured during periods of time for the detected vehicle events, the periods of time including a first period of time for the first vehicle event, the video information including second time information and consecutive frames of visual information representing an environment about the first vehicle, wherein the video information for the first vehicle event is associated with the second time information;

receiving, over the network during a third transmission, second vehicle event information from a second control unit mounted to the second vehicle, the second vehicle event information including vehicle operation information and third time information that correspond to detected vehicle events of the second vehicle, wherein the detected vehicle events including a second vehicle event, wherein the second vehicle event information for the second vehicle event is associated with the third time information;

receiving, over the network during a fourth transmission, second video information corresponding to the second vehicle event, the fourth transmission being separate from the third transmission, wherein the second video information includes different information than the second vehicle event information, the second video information including fourth time information and consecutive frames of visual information representing an environment about the second vehicle, wherein the second video information for the second vehicle event is associated with the fourth time information;

analyzing the vehicle event information received during the first transmission to identify information indicative of a physical event conveyed by the output signals, wherein the physical event occurred in the first period of time;

analyzing the video information received during the second transmission to identify information indicative of the same physical event;

correlating, by one or more physical computer processors located remotely from the first vehicle, the vehicle event information received during the first transmission with the video information received during the second transmission based on the analysis of both the vehicle event information and the video information such that the correlating is performed at a location of the centralized cloud server that is remote from the first vehicle, wherein correlating the vehicle event information with the video information includes correlating the first time information and the second time information;

analyzing the second vehicle event information received during the third transmission to identify information indicative of a second physical event;

analyzing the second video information received during the fourth transmission to identify information indicative of the same second physical event;

correlate, by the one or more physical computer processors, the second vehicle event information received during the third transmission with the second video information received during the fourth transmission based on the analysis of both the second vehicle event information and the second video information such that the correlating is performed at the location of the centralized cloud server that is remote from the second vehicle, wherein correlating the second vehicle event information with the second video information includes correlating the third time information and the fourth time information;

generating a first event record that includes or identifies (i) the video information that corresponds to the first vehicle event and (ii) the vehicle event information for the first vehicle event; and

generating a second event record that includes or identifies (i) the second video information that corresponds to the second vehicle event and (ii) the second vehicle event information for the second vehicle event.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein correlating the vehicle event information with the video information includes identifying and correlating:

information indicative of the physical event conveyed by the output signals included in the vehicle event information for the first vehicle event and information indicative of the same physical event conveyed by the video information captured during the first period of time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured such that:

the detected vehicle events have individual start times and individual end times, and

the vehicle event information includes vehicle operation information for periods of time that last from before the individual start times until after the individual end times; and

wherein the video system is configured such that the video information includes video information for periods of time that last from before the individual start times until after the individual end times.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the video system is included in one or more external vehicle systems that generate information about the first vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the video camera is an aftermarket camera.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the vehicle event information, send a message from the to the centralized cloud server to the video system, wherein the message requests that the video system transmits the video information to the centralized cloud server, wherein the video information corresponds to the first vehicle event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the video information is received over the network responsive to the message.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first vehicle includes one or more of an automobile, a truck, a delivery vehicle, a plane, or a train.