Vehicle collision recorder

• US 20070200691A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Albert Lam, Yanlong Han
• Original Assignee: Albert Lam, Yanlong Han
• Inventors: Lam, Albert, Han, YanLong
• Application Number:
  US11/580,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200691A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A vehicle collision recorder includes a CUP module, an image capturer for real-time capturing an image of a route of a vehicle, a power unit for activating the CUP module and the image capturer when the vehicle is started, and an impact switch operatively linked to the power unit, wherein the impact switch is activated via a force of inertia to automatically turn off the power unit so as to deactivate the image capturer for stop capturing the image, such that the image is saved with a time range before the power unit is turned off for illustrating the fact in process of collision.

Claims

1. A vehicle collision recorder for a vehicle, comprising:

a CUP module;

an image capturer electrically connecting to said CUP module for real-time capturing an image of a route of said vehicle;

a power unit, which is adapted for electrically connecting to a power source of said vehicle, electrically connected to said CUP module and said image capturer in a controllable manner, wherein said power unit activates said CUP module and said image capturer when said vehicle is started;

a mounting kit, which is adapted for mounting to said vehicle, supporting said image capturer such that said image capturer is adapted for capturing said image of a surrounding of said vehicle; and

a switch unit comprising an impact switch operatively linked to said power unit, wherein said impact switch is activated via a force of inertia to automatically turn off said power unit so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said image, such that said image is saved with a time range before said power unit is turned off for illustrating the fact in process of collision.

2. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 1, further comprising an image decoder operatively linked to said image capturer for decoding said image into an image data and converting said image data into a video data.

3. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a data storage operatively connecting to said CUP module, said image decoder and said image capturer, wherein said data storage is adapted for storing said image captured by said image decoder.

4. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 2, further comprising a data storage operatively connecting to said CUP module, said image decoder and said image capturer, wherein said data storage is adapted for storing said image captured by said image decoder.

5. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 4, wherein said data storage is operatively linked to said image decoder for storing said video data.

6. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 4, wherein said CUP module comprises means for managing said image data in said data storage in an order manner, wherein said managing means rearranges the newly added image data is stored at an initial index position of said data storage while the oldest image data stored at a last index position is deleted from said data storage.

7. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 5, wherein said CUP module comprises means for managing said image data in said data storage in an order manner, wherein said managing means rearranges the newly added image data is stored at an initial index position of said data storage while the oldest image data stored at a last index position is deleted from said data storage.

8. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch unit further comprises a manual switch operatively connected to said power unit to manually turn off said power unit so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said image, such that said image is saved with a time range before said power unit is manually turned off.

9. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 4, wherein said switch unit further comprises a manual switch operatively connected to said power unit to manually turn off said power unit so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said image, such that said image is saved with a time range before said power unit is manually turned off.

10. The vehicle collision recorder, as recited in claim 7, wherein said switch unit further comprises a manual switch operatively connected to said power unit to manually turn off said power unit so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said image, such that said image is saved with a time range before said power unit is manually turned off.

11. A method for recording a motion image through a vehicle collision recorder during a collision of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) switching on a power unit of said vehicle collision recorder when said vehicle is started;

(b) activating an image capturer for real-time capturing said motion image of a route of said vehicle when said power unit is turned on, wherein said image capturer is mounted at said vehicle at a predetermined position for allowing said image capturer for capturing said motion image of said route of said vehicle;

(c) automatically switching off said power unit by an impact switch of said vehicle collision recorder via a force of inertia after collision so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said motion image; and

(d) saving said motion image in a data storage of said vehicle collision with a time range before said power unit is turned off for illustrating the fact in process of collision.

12. The method, as recited in claim 11, wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of decoding said motion image into an image data and converting said image data into a video data to be save in said data storage.

13. The method, as recited in claim 11, further comprising a step of (e) managing said image data in said data storage, wherein said managing step comprises the sub-steps of:

(e.1) searching said data storage to locate an image file at an initial index position;

(e.2) searching said data storage to locate an image file at a last index position;

(e.3) deleting said image file at said last index position in said data storage;

(e.4) rearranging said image file that said index position of said image file is moved to the next index position thereof in sequence; and

(e.5) saving said image data as an image file at the initial index position of said data storage such that the newly added image data is stored at the initial index position of said data storage while the oldest image data stored at a last index position is deleted from said data storage.

14. The method, as recited in claim 11, wherein the step (c) further comprises an optional step of manually switching off said power unit by a manual switch of said vehicle collision recorder so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said motion image.

15. The method, as recited in claim 12, wherein the step (c) further comprises an optional step of manually switching off said power unit by a manual switch of said vehicle collision recorder so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said motion image.

16. The method, as recited in claim 13, wherein the step (c) further comprises an optional step of manually switching off said power unit by a manual switch of said vehicle collision recorder so as to deactivate said image capturer for stop capturing said motion image.

17. The method, as recited in claim 11, wherein the step (a) further comprises a step of electrically connecting said power unit to a power source of said vehicle such that said power unit is automatically switched on when said vehicle is started concurrently.

18. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein the step (a) further comprises a step of electrically connecting said power unit to a power source of said vehicle such that said power unit is automatically switched on when said vehicle is started concurrently.

19. The method, as recited in claim 13, further comprising a step of extracting said video data out from said data storage through a data port of said vehicle collision recorder.

20. The method, as recited in claim 18, further comprising a step of extracting said video data out from said data storage through a data port of said vehicle collision recorder.