Memory apparatus for vehicle information data

• US 6,298,290 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Niles Parts Co., Ltd. (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Ezura, Tadashi, Abe, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US09/476,788
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/45, 369/21, 340/937, 348/148, 348/149
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A memory apparatus for vehicle information is provided in which the image data of the vehicle'"'"'s condition in a traffic accident, a traffic offense, a drive condition from the occurrence of an accident to the vehicle'"'"'s stop after the accident, and a sensor data are memorized and held in a flash memory repeatedly. The memory apparatus enables an analysis of an accident with high precision upon the reproduction of the data of the vehicle'"'"'s condition, and can be used to provide evidence relating to a traffic offense. The image signals from a CCD camera 1, a RAM 12 for memorizing the sensor'"'"'s information from a vehicle speed sensor 3, a steering angle sensor 4, a brake pressure sensor 5, and an acceleration sensor 6, and a flash memory 13 for permanently memorizing the signals of the RAM 12, are controlled through a CPU 11. The record information of the RAM 12 is transferred to the flash memory 13 based on the operation of a collision sensor 2 to memorize and hold the information. Moreover, the signal of the flash memory 116 is converted into a video signal to output the information during a reproduction.

Claims

1. A memory apparatus for vehicle information data, comprising:

imaging means for imaging a vehicle'"'"'s condition during a running state;

drive information sensing means for sensing, during the running state, at least one of a vehicle'"'"'s speed, a steering angle, a brake pressure, and an acceleration;

recording means for recording image information from said imaging means and drive information from said drive information sensing means simultaneously;

at least one sensor for detecting a predetermined condition after a vehicle'"'"'s accident; and

memory inhibiting means for inhibiting further information recording by said recording means upon the predetermined condition being detected by said sensor.

2. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, wherein said imaging means includes a camera in the vehicle for imaging a drive condition of an inside of the vehicle.

3. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 2, further comprising a record information storing means for storing recorded information from said recording means, said record information storing means has a flash memory and transfers the newest recorded information to said flash memory.

4. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 3, wherein said recording means deletes the oldest information and records the newest information.

5. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 4, further comprising an image compression section for compressing said image information to record, and an encoder for processing said record information from said flash memory.

6. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, wherein said recording means includes a video recorder.

7. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is a collision sensor for detecting an occurrence of a traffic accident.

8. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, wherein said drive information sensing means comprises a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, a brake pressure sensor, and an acceleration sensor.

9. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, further comprising a record information storing means for storing recorded information from said recording means, said record information storing means has a flash memory and transfers the newest recorded information to said flash memory.

10. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 9, further comprising an image compression section for compressing said image information to record, and an encoder for processing said record information from said flash memory.

11. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, wherein said recording means deletes the oldest information and records the newest information.

12. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined condition is a stopped state of a vehicle.

13. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 12, wherein said sensor is a wheel speed sensor that detects said stopped state.

14. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 1, further comprising a record information storing means for storing recorded information from said recording means into a flash memory.

15. The memory apparatus for vehicle information data according to claim 14, wherein said record information storing means stores recorded information from said recording means into a flash memory from the time of a vehicle'"'"'s accident until the vehicle is in a stopped state after the accident.