VEHICLE VIDEO RECORDING APPARATUS

• US 20130208119A1
• Filed: 01/25/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ken Sean Industries Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ken Sean Industries Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: TSENG, Yu-Fang
• Granted Patent: US 9,083,858 B2
• 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 1/29 for viewing an area inside the vehicle, e.g. for viewing passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• 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 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle video recording apparatus has multiple cameras mounted on a car, a video processing unit electronically connected to the cameras, a storage unit for storing videos output from the cameras, and a control unit. The control unit has a signal detecting module for receiving vehicle status signals, a distance detecting module for sensing a distance between the car and an object, an output module for outputting warning signals, and a central control module for controlling the cameras based on the vehicle status signals. The vehicle video recording apparatus properly selects and activates the camera to record images around the car to enhance the driving safety.

Claims

1. A vehicle video recording apparatus comprising:

multiple cameras adapted to be mounted on a car and outputting videos related to the car, wherein the cameras includes;

a front camera for capturing views in front of the car;

a rear camera for capturing views behind the car;

a left side camera and a right side camera for respectively capturing views at left and right sides of the car; and

an internal camera for capturing views in the car;

a video processing unit electronically connected to the cameras and processing the videos output from the cameras;

a storage unit electronically connected to the video processing unit and storing the videos output from the cameras;

a control unit electronically connected to the video processing unit for controlling the cameras, wherein the control unit comprises;

a signal detecting module for receiving vehicle status signals;

a distance detecting module for sensing a distance between the car and an object behind the car;

an output module for outputting warning signals; and

a central control module for controlling the cameras;

wherein when the car is at rest and the signal detecting module detects a car-invasion signal, the central control module activates the internal camera and records the video output from the internal camera in the storage unit;

when the car is moving, the front camera is activated and the video from the front camera is stored in the storage unit;

if the signal detecting module detects a turn signal, the central control module activates either the left side camera or the right side camera according to the turn signal, and records the videos from the left side camera and the right side camera in the storage unit;

when the distance detecting module senses an object behind the car within a predetermined region, the central control module activates the rear camera and records the video from the rear camera in the storage unit; and

when the signal detecting module detects a lane departure signal, the central control module activates the front camera, the rear camera, the left side camera and the right side camera, and stores the videos thereof in the storage unit.

2. The vehicle video recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

an operating interface provided for operating the vehicle video recording apparatus; and

the output module including a warning light, and a display that shows the videos output from the cameras or the videos recorded in the storage unit.

3. The vehicle video recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the central control module, the operating interface and the display are adapted to be mounted on a rear-view mirror of the car.

4. The vehicle video recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the signal detecting module receives a car backing signal, the central control module activates the rear camera and records the video of the rear camera in the storage unit.

5. The vehicle video recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises:

a wireless transmission module electronically connected to the central control module;

when the signal detecting module detects the car-invasion signal, the central control module activates the internal camera and further transmits the video output from the internal camera via the wireless transmission module to a remote device.

6. The vehicle video recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance detecting module sets a first sensing region with a first sensing distance, and sets a second sensing region with a second sensing distance greater than the first sensing distance;

wherein

when a speed of the car is lower than a threshold and the distance detecting module senses an object appearing in the first sensing region, the central control module stores the video output by the rear camera in the storage unit; and

when the speed of the car is higher than the threshold and the distance detecting module senses an object appearing in the second sensing region, the central control module stores the video output by the rear camera in the storage unit.

7. The vehicle video recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a reset module for resetting the vehicle video recording apparatus;

and

wherein the central control module activates all cameras when the signal detecting module detects the car has been started without triggering the reset module.