Automatic activation of an in-car video recorder using a GPS speed signal
First Claim
1. An activation controller for automatically activating an in-car video system that includes a car-mounted camera and video recorder into a record mode of operation, comprising:
- an input for receiving a GPS signal that is indicative of a speed of a vehicle in which the in-car video system is installed;
a comparator for comparing the speed of the vehicle against an activation threshold;
an alarm generator coupled to the comparator for generating an alarm signal if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the threshold; and
an output for transmitting the alarm signal to a trigger input of an in-car video system so that the video recorder is activated into the record mode of operation upon receiving the alarm signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in-car video system and method are provided where a GPS speed signal is compared against a user-settable threshold value. If the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold value, an alarm is generated. The alarm is used by the in-car video system to automatically activate the record function of a video recorder. The alarm may be optionally sent to a remote location, such as a police agency'"'"'s headquarters as an alert that the vehicle speed has exceeded a set threshold and that a possible high speed pursuit has commenced. Vehicle speed information from the GPS speed signal is generated into a form that is continuously displayable on an in-car video monitor or continuously recordable by the video recorder along with the video and audio information captured by the in-car video system camera and microphones.
179 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An activation controller for automatically activating an in-car video system that includes a car-mounted camera and video recorder into a record mode of operation, comprising:
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an input for receiving a GPS signal that is indicative of a speed of a vehicle in which the in-car video system is installed;
a comparator for comparing the speed of the vehicle against an activation threshold;
an alarm generator coupled to the comparator for generating an alarm signal if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the threshold; and
an output for transmitting the alarm signal to a trigger input of an in-car video system so that the video recorder is activated into the record mode of operation upon receiving the alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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- 5. The activation controller of claim I further including a character generator for creating a video overlay that includes a graphical representation of the speed of the vehicle.
- 8. The activation controller of claim I further including a transmitter coupled to receive the alarm signal for transmitting an indication to a remote location that the speed of the vehicle has exceeded the activation threshold.
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10. A method of operating an in-car video system including a car-mounted camera and video recorder that is installed and operated in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a GPS speed signal that is indicative of a speed of the vehicle; and
activating the in-car video system into a record mode of operation if the speed of the vehicle exceeds a threshold speed so that a video image captured by the car-mounted camera is recorded by the video recorder. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An in-car video system, comprising:
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a video recorder mountable in a vehicle and arranged to be coupled to a camera mounted in a vehicle so as to receive video captured by the camera; and
a controller that is arranged to be coupled to receive a signal from a GPS receiver mounted in the vehicle, the signal indicative of speed of the vehicle, for triggering the video recorder into record mode when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a threshold speed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification