Imaging apparatus and drive recorder system

• US 20100100276A1
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Fujinawa, Nobuhiro, Mitsuhashi, Setsu, Nozaki, Hirotake
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/082 Vehicle operation after collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An imaging apparatus mounted on a vehicle and imaging a vicinity of the vehicle, includes a photographic lens, an image pickup device, an accident detection sensor, an image processing section, and a recording section. The image pickup device generates an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion of an object image based on a light flux from the photographic lens. The accident detection sensor detects an accident occurrence based on a shock to the vehicle. The image processing section generates first accident image data and second accident image data which photograph the same accident situation at an accident occurrence, based on the image signal. The recording section records the first accident image data and the second accident image data in different states of security levels regarding data credibility, respectively.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus mounted on a vehicle and imaging a vicinity of said vehicle, comprising:

a photographic lens;

an image pickup device generating an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion of an object image based on a light flux from said photographic lens;

an accident detection sensor detecting an accident occurrence based on a shock to said vehicle;

an image processing section generating first accident image data and second accident image data, which photograph a same accident situation at an accident occurrence, based on said image signal; and

a recording section recording said first accident image data and said second accident image data in different states of security levels regarding data credibility, respectively.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing section performs either one of an encoding process and an embedding process of a digital watermark data, on said first accident image data.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording section includes:

a first recording section recording said first accident image data in a setting to limit access from persons except for a specific person; and

a second recording section logically and physically separated from said first recording section and recording said second accident image data in a setting with an access limitation relaxed from that of said first recording section.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first recording section is fixed in said imaging apparatus and said second recording section is detachably connected to said imaging apparatus.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image processing section generates driving situation image data photographing a scene outside said vehicle under a predetermined condition, and records said driving situation image data in said second recording section.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication section transmitting to outside one accident image data with said security level set higher, out of said first accident image data and said second accident image data.

7. A drive recorder system comprising:

an imaging apparatus according to claim 1; and

a driving state detecting section detecting a driving state of said vehicle and recording a driving state data representing said driving state in said recording section in association with at least one of said first accident image data and said second accident image data.