Traffic accident data recorder and traffic accident reproduction system

• US 5,446,659 A
• Filed: 04/14/1994
• Issued: 08/29/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Awaji Ferryboat Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Awaji Ferryboat Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamawaki, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/227,733
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/550, 364/551.01, 340/438, 340/439, 360/5, 360/6
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A traffic accident data recorder comprising an acceleration sensor 3, an angular velocity sensor 4 if necessary, a memory 8, and a control section 7 for controlling the recording in the memory 8. When the output datum from the acceleration sensor 3 or the angular velocity sensor exceeds a predetermined value, the control section 7 recognizes that time as a traffic accident occurrence time, and stores the acceleration data and angular velocity data before and after then or after then in the memory 8. By analyzing the data with a traffic accident data reproduction system, it is possible to reproduce the state at the traffic accident occurrence time.

Claims

1. A traffic accident reproduction system for reproducing a traffic accident of a vehicle during a predetermined time period after a traffic accident occurrence time, the traffic accident reproduction system comprising:

acceleration measurement means for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in three axial directions in a three-dimensional space to output acceleration data,

angular velocity measurement means for measuring angular velocity of the vehicle about three directional axes in a three-dimensional space, to output angular velocity data,

storage means for storing the acceleration data and the angular velocity data,

control means for determining the traffic accident occurrence time by recognizing a time when a predetermined acceleration value has been exceeded by a respective acceleration datum obtained by the acceleration measurement means or a predetermined angular velocity value has been exceeded by a respective angular velocity datum obtained by the angular velocity measurement means, to start the acceleration data and the angular velocity data being stored in the storage means, and for stopping the acceleration data and the angular velocity data from being stored in the storage means when the predetermined time has passed after the traffic accident occurrence time,

analyzing means for analyzing the acceleration data and the angular velocity data from said storage means to obtain traffic accident data indicating the speed, posture and position of the vehicle during said predetermined time period, and

visualizing means for visualizing the speed, posture and position of the vehicle based on said traffic accident data during said predetermined time period.

2. A traffic reproduction system according to claim 1, wherein said visualizing means is a monitor display.

3. A traffic accident reproduction system according to claim 1, wherein said visualizing means is a printer.

4. A traffic accident reproduction system for reproducing a traffic accident of a vehicle during a predetermined time period before and after a traffic accident occurrence time, the traffic accident reproduction system comprising:

acceleration measurement means for measuring acceleration of the vehicle in three axial directions in a three-dimensional space to output acceleration data,

angular velocity measurement means for measuring angular velocity of the vehicle about three directional axes in a three-dimensional space, to output angular velocity data,

storage means for storing constantly and endlessly at certain time intervals the acceleration data and the angular velocity data during the predetermined time up to the present time,

control means for determining the traffic accident occurrence time by recognizing a time when a predetermined acceleration value has been exceeded by a respective acceleration datum obtained by the acceleration measurement means or a predetermined angular velocity value has been exceeded by a respective angular velocity datum obtained by the angular velocity measurement means, and for stopping the acceleration data and the angular velocity data from being stored in the storage means when a predetermined time has passed before and after the traffic accident occurrence time,

analyzing means for analyzing the acceleration data and the angular velocity data from said storage means to obtain traffic accident data indicating the speed, posture and position of the vehicle during said predetermined time period, and

visualizing means for visualizing the speed, posture and position of the vehicle based on said traffic accident data during said predetermined time period.

5. A traffic accident reproduction system according to claim 4, wherein the storage means includes means for storing the acceleration data and the angular velocity data at shorter time intervals after the traffic accident occurrence time and longer time intervals before the traffic accident occurrence time.

6. A traffic accident reproduction system according to claim 4, wherein said visualizing means is a monitor display.

7. A traffic accident reproduction system according to claim 4, wherein said visualizing means is a printer.