Vehicle mounted surveillance and videotaping system

• US 4,789,904 A
• Filed: 02/13/1987
• Issued: 12/06/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PATCO Properties, Inc., Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Roger D. Peterson
• Inventors: Peterson, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/014,793
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 358/310, 358/335, 358/906, 358/108, 360/5
• US Class Current: 386/224
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

A vehicle mounted surveillance system is disclosed. The system comprises a camera and a control head mounted within the police vehicle and a video recorder housed in a fireproof, bulletproof and environmentally controlled vault mounted in the trunk of the vehicle. The surveillance system also includes a wireless microphone. The system may be manually or automatically activated and is powered off the battery of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle mounted surveillance system, comprising:

(a) a camera;

(b) a video recorder;

(c) a control head for operator control by a person in the vehicle;

(d) a vault for housing said video recorder;

(e) power supply for providing power for operating said camera, said video recorder and said control head; and

(f) connector means for interconnecting said camera, said video recorder and said control head to form a surveillance system operatively connected to said power supply to enable on/off operation thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said camera is a miniature, solid state, black and white, closed circuit camera with a wide angle lens including mounting means said camera for viewing through a vehicle window and wherein said mounting means positions said camera on the vehicle dash.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said camera is mounted inside the vehicle on the front windshield.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said camera is a color camera mounted on the light bar of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said video recorder is an 8mm video recorder and is capable of recording visual data from said camera, and also has sound recording capabilities, and including a wireless microphone for transmitting sound to said recorder.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said control head is mounted inside the vehicle, said control head including a power on/off switch and a record/stop switch subject to operator control.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said control head further includes status indicator means for displaying the operational status of the surveillance system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said control head includes an LED display for displaying the date, time and operational status of the surveillance system.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said vault is a closed bulletproof and fireproof chamber, said vault comprising two hinged portions secured by a padlock for closure.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said vault includes a resilient, shock dampering insert, said insert including at least one recess for receiving said video recorder therein to cushion said video recorder from outside forces.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said vault includes heating and cooling means for maintaining the temperature in said vault within the range of about 40°

F. to about 90°

F.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said power includes battery pack to supply power to the surveillance system.

13. The system of claim 1 including clock means for displaying the date and time on the videotape of the surveillance system.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

(a) mounting means positions said camera above the vehicle dash;

(b) said recorder is supported on a means for shock mounting in said vault;

(c) said vault is in the trunk of the vehicle;

(d) said connector means delivers control signals to said recorder in said vault for operation of said recorder;

(e) said control head includes means for advancing said recorder and has means preventing rewinding by an operator in the vehicle; and

(f) said control head further including means receiving sound transmission from a microphone.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 to further including status indicator means for displaying the operational status of the surveillance system.