Mobile wireless camera system

• US 20060050149A1
• Filed: 05/11/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Inventors: Witzke, Michael, Lang, Heinrich, Emmert, Harald, Kiesenbauer, Hermann
• Application Number:
  US11/126,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/406 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A mobile wireless camera system for commercial vehicles allowing the driver of the commercial vehicle to see areas surrounding the commercial vehicle using first and second cameras connected to first and second camera transceivers for capturing images and transmitting a first and second image signals representing the captured images. The system uses a controller in communication with a control transceiver for setting an ID code in each camera and for selecting a camera for viewing. The camera transceivers transmit the ID code along with the image signals. The controller uses an ID code recognition unit for identifying whether the ID code is the ID code of the selected camera. The controllers allows transmission of images if the received ID code and the ID code of the selected camera are the same.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless camera system for commercial vehicles allowing the driver of the commercial vehicle to see areas surrounding the commercial vehicle comprising:

a first camera connected to a first camera transceiver for capturing images and transmitting a first image signal representing the captured images;

a second camera connected to a second camera transceiver for capturing images and transmitting a second image signal representing the captured images;

a control transceiver for receiving said first and second image signals from said first and second camera transceivers;

a controller in communication with said control transceiver for setting an ID code in each camera and for selecting one of said first and second cameras for viewing;

said camera transceivers adapted for transmitting said ID codes with said image signals to said controller through said control transceiver; and

said controller identifying whether the ID code received by said controller is the ID code of the camera selected for viewing and allowing transmission of images if the received ID code and the ID code of the selected camera are the same.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an ID code recognition unit for identifying whether the ID code received by said controller is the ID code of the camera selected for viewing and allowing transmission of images if the received ID code and the ID code of the selected camera are the same.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

first and second transmission channels for transmitting ID codes, images and control signals via said camera and control transceivers;

wherein said controller changes the transmission channel of the transmitting camera if the transmitted ID code does not match the selected camera ID code.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a monitor in communication with said controller for displaying the transmitted image.

5. The camera system of claim 1, wherein at least one camera can be attached to an associated commercial vehicle by a quick-mounting device.

6. The camera system of claim 1 further comprising:

a charging station in which a camera is received for charging the power supply camera.

7. A mobile wireless camera system comprising:

a camera for recording images;

a camera transceiver for wirelessly transmitting an image signal representing the recorded images over a transmission channel;

a control transceiver for receiving the image signals from said camera;

a controller in communication with said control transceiver for setting a unique ID code in said camera;

said camera having a storage unit to store the assigned ID code;

said camera transceiver for transmitting the ID code together with the image signals; and

a first identification unit included in said controller for determining if the ID code transmitted together with the image signals matches the assigned ID code.

8. The camera system of claim 7 further comprising:

a second camera for recording images; and

a second camera transceiver for wirelessly transmitting image signals.

9. The camera system of claim 7 further comprising:

a second identification unit carried by said camera for recognizing whether an ID code transmitted together with a control signal matches the assigned ID code for said camera; and

wherein said controller is for transmitting control signals along with the ID code to the said camera.

10. The camera system of claim 7 wherein said camera transceiver transmits the ID code continuously with the image signal.

11. The camera system of claim 7 further comprising:

an interference recognition device carried by said controller to recognize interference with the image signal by other signals.

12. A method for wirelessly transmitting video signals in a camera system having a plurality of cameras and a controller comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique ID code to at least one camera by a controller;

transmitting said ID code together with image signals from the camera to the controller;

comparing a received ID code to said ID code assigned to the camera; and

releasing the image signals for display if the ID codes match.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

indicating a malfunction if the ID codes do not match; and

changing the transmission channel of the camera transmitting the incorrect ID codes.