Incident recording secure database

• US 6,950,013 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evicam International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Allen Hamilton, Robert Jeffery Scaman
• Inventors: Scaman, Robert Jeffery, Hamilton, Jeffrey Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US10/158,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/517, 340/438, 340/436, 340/426.18, 340/441, 701/4, 701/35, 705/400, 348/22, 348/143, 348/148
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A device and method for permanently and securely storing incident information, relating to a vehicle, from remote download to create a secure non-tamperable, permanent database of criminal activity and/or accident evidence for evidentiary purposes. The information may be directly transferred to an information center and/or the authorities through a transmission link, which is preferably a satellite up/link-down/link or saved directly onto the downloading device for transfer to the secure device. The remote downloading device may be activated automatically or upon a trigger signal and comprises an interface, an information capturing storage device, a video monitor display and preferably a transceiver. The interface communicates with an information storage device, downloads the information saved therein and transmits it to the capture storage device, transceiver or both. The received information is reproduced, integrated into an indexed database and transferred to the secure device as part of a secure, indexed database for non-tamperable permanent storage as evidence.

Claims

1. A system for producing an integrated database of data generated from a remote vehicle incident recording system comprising:

a) at least one video camera for generating video signals of the incident proximate the vehicle;

b) a recording device for capturing said video signals as data;

c) an interface permitting input of an authorization code for accessing said data captured by said recording device, the captured data being inaccessible without the authorization code thereby securely maintaining the captured data as evidence of the incident;

d) an information datalink for accessing data captured by said recording device;

e) a transfer device coupled at least indirectly to said information datalink, the transfer device adapted to securely receive data from said remote vehicle incident recording system; and

,

f) means for generating an integrated, indexed database of data from said remote vehicle incident recording system wherein said means is coupled at least indirectly to said transfer device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said recording device is selected from the group consisting of a video tape drive, a hard disk drive, a CD ROM drive, and a solid state repository.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said recording device is adapted to prevent said data from being overwritten for extended periods of time.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising means for generating vehicle information in conjunction with said video signals for storage on said recording device as data.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said data comprises identification information.

6. The device of claim 4 further comprising a display means for displaying said data.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein said data comprises audio information.

8. The device of claim 4 wherein said data comprises vehicle dynamic information.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein said data comprises vehicle control information.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said information data link includes a download trigger for initiating downloading of information from said recording device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said download trigger is adapted to respond to the occurrence of a predetermined event.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein said download trigger is adapted to respond to transmitted instructions.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein said download trigger is adapted to require input of an electronic access code.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein said information data link is adapted to download encrypted information from said recording device.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein said information data link is a direct satellite up link/down-link.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein said transfer device provides a transmission trigger for initiating transmission of information to said means for generating an integrated, indexed database.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the integrated database is indexed using at least one of the indexes selected from the group consisting of Vehicle Identification Number, Date of Accident/Incident, Owner'"'"'s Name, Unit Serial Number, GPS Location, Street Names, Address of Incident, City Location of Accident, State Location of Accident, Vehicle Manufacturer, Vehicle Model, Vehicle Year, Insurer, Policy Number, Driver'"'"'s License Number, Driver Name, Date of Last Access, Name of Last User, Company of Last User.

18. A system for producing an integrated database of data generated from a remote vehicle incident recording system comprising:

a) at least one video camera for generating video signals of the incident proximate the vehicle;

b) a recording device for capturing said video signals as data;

c) an interface permitting input of an authorization code for accessing said data captured by said recording device, the captured data being inaccessible without the authorization code thereby securely maintaining the captured data as evidence of the incident;

d) an information datalink for accessing data captured by said recording device;

e) a transfer device coupled at least indirectly to said information datalink, the transfer device adapted to securely receive data from said remote vehicle incident recording system;

f) means for generating an integrated indexed database of data from said remote vehicle incident recording system wherein said means is coupled at least indirectly to said transfer device; and

g) a secure, tamper proof storage facility in secure communication with said means for permanently storing said integrated, indexed database.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said recording device is selected from the group consisting of a video tape drive, a hard disk drive, a CD ROM drive, and a solid state repository.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein said recording device is adapted to prevent said data from being overwritten for extended periods of time.

21. The device of claim 18 further comprising means for generating vehicle information in conjunction with said video signals for storage on said recording device as data.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said data comprises identification information.

23. The device of claim 21 further comprising a display means for displaying said data.

24. The device of claim 21 wherein said data comprises audio information.

25. The device of claim 21 wherein said data comprises vehicle dynamic information.

26. The device of claim 21 wherein said data comprises vehicle control information.

27. The device of claim 18 wherein said information data link includes a download trigger for initiating downloading of information from said recording device.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein said download trigger is adapted to respond to the occurrence of a predetermined event.

29. The device of claim 27 wherein said download trigger is adapted to respond to transmitted instructions.

30. The device of claim 27 wherein said download trigger is adapted to require input of an electronic access code.

31. The device of claim 18 wherein said information data link is adapted to download encrypted information from said recording device.

32. The device of claim 18 wherein said information data link is a direct satellite up-link/down-link.

33. The device of claim 18 wherein said transfer device provides a transmission trigger for initiating transmission of information to said means for generating an integrated, indexed database.

34. The device of claim 18 wherein the integrated database is indexed using at least one of the indexes selected from the group consisting of Vehicle Identification Number, Date of Accident/Incident, Owner'"'"'s Name, Unit Serial Number, GPS Location, Street Names, Address of Incident, City Location of Accident, State Location of Accident, Vehicle Manufacturer, Vehicle Model, Vehicle Year, Insurer, Policy Number, Driver'"'"'s License Number, Driver Name, Date of Last Access, Name of Last User, Company of Last User.

35. A method for capturing an incident proximate a vehicle, the method comprising:

a) activating at least one video camera for generating video signals of the incident proximate to the vehicle;

b) generating a video signal of the incident proximate to the vehicle;

c) storing said video signal of the incident proximate to the vehicle on a large capacity recording device as data;

d) providing an authorization code following storing of said data, the authorization code permitting access to the video signal stored on said large capacity recording device;

accessing the data stored on said large capacity recording device, the stored video signal being inaccessible without the use of the authorization code thereby securely maintaining the captured video signals as evidence of the incident;

e) transferring said data to a transfer device for securely receiving said data; and

f) generating an integrated, indexed database of said data.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said recording device is selected from the group consisting of a video tape drive, a hard disk drive, a CD ROM drive, and a solid state repository.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein said recording device is adapted to prevent said data from being overwritten for extended periods of time.

38. The method of claim 35 further comprising the further step of generating vehicle information in conjunction with said video signals for storage on said recording device as data.

39. The methods of claim 38 wherein said data comprises identification information.

40. The method of claim 38 further comprising displaying said data.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein said data comprises audio information.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein said data comprises vehicle dynamic information.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein said data comprises vehicle control information.

44. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is triggered to initiate downloading of information from said recording device.

45. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is in response to transmitted instructions.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is in response to input of an electronic access code.

48. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is of encrypted information from said recording device.

49. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is accomplished by a direct satellite up-link/down-link.

50. The method of claim 35 wherein said transferring is in response to a transmission trigger for initiating transmission of information for generating said integrated, indexed database.

51. The method of claim 35 wherein the integrated database is indexed using at least one of the indexes selected from the group consisting of Vehicle Identification Number, Date of Accident/Incident, Owner'"'"'s Name, Unit Serial Number, GPS Location, Street Names, Address of Incident, City Location of Accident, State Location of Accident, Vehicle Manufacturer, Vehicle Model, Vehicle Year, Insurer, Policy Number, Driver'"'"'s License Number, Driver Name, Date of Last Access, Name of Last User, Company of Last User.

52. A device for permanent, secure tamper proof storage of vehicle information from a vehicle incident recording system, the device comprising:

a) at least one interface for accessing data from a remote vehicle incident recording system;

b) an information datalink coupled to the at least one interface for receiving data from the remote vehicle incident recording system;

c) a transfer device coupled at least indirectly to the information datalink, the transfer device adapted to securely receive data from the remote vehicle incident recording system and index said data for storage; and

d) a secure, tamer proof storage facility, separate from said transfer device, but in secure communication with said transfer device, for permanently storing an indexed database of integrated data transferred from said remote vehicle to said transfer device.

53. The device of claim 52 further comprising information storage means far storing data transferred from said remote vehicle.

54. The device of claim 53 wherein said information storage means is selected from the group consisting of a video tape drive, a hard disk drive, a CD ROM drive, and a solid state repository.

55. The device of claim 53 wherein said information storage means is adapted to prevent said data from being overwritten for extended periods of time.

56. The device of claim 52 wherein said data comprises identification information.

57. The device of claim 52 wherein said data comprises video information.

58. The device of claim 52 further comprising a display means for displaying said data.

59. The device of claim 52 wherein said data comprises audio information.

60. The device of claim 52 wherein said data comprises vehicle dynamic information.

61. The device of claim 52 wherein said data comprises vehicle control information.

62. The device of claim 52 wherein said transceiver includes a download trigger for initiating downloading of data from said recording system.

63. The device of claim 62 wherein said download trigger is adapted to respond to the occurrence of a predetermined event.

64. The device of claim 62 wherein said download trigger is adapted to respond to transmitted instructions.

65. The device of claim 62 wherein said download trigger is adapted to require input of an electronic access code.

66. The device of claim 62 wherein said transceiver is adapted to download encrypted data from said recording system.

67. The device of claim 52 wherein said transmission link is a direct satellite up-link/down-link.

68. The device of claim 52 wherein said transceiver provides a transmission trigger for initiating transmission of data to an information storage device.

69. A method for permanently storing data from a recording system located on a vehicle in an indexed data base, comprising:

a) activating a device having an interface for accessing data from a remote vehicle recording system;

b) receiving data from the remote vehicle recording system;

c) transmitting data from the remote vehicle recording system to a secure location separate from the device using a transceiver coupled to the device;

d) indexing said data to form a database, and

e) storing said database at said secure location to a permanent, secure, tamperproof device to form a permanent, non-tamperable indexed database.

70. The method of claim 69, said data comprising vehicle identification information.

71. The method of claim 69, said data comprising video information.

72. The method of claim 69, said data comprising audio information.

73. The method of claim 69, said data comprising time information.

74. The method of claim 69, said data comprising vehicle dynamic information.

75. The method of claim 69, said data comprising vehicle control information.

76. The method of claim 69, including the steps of transmitting said information to an off-site location.

77. The method of claim 69, said transmitting performed via transmission link.

78. The method of claim 77 wherein said transmission link is a satellite up-link/down-link.

79. The method of claim 69, including capturing and storing said data.

80. The method of claim 69, including storing said data remotely.

81. The method of claim 69, including capturing and storing said data on one or more of a video tape, a hard disk, a CD ROM, and a solid state repository.

82. The method of claim 69, including temporarily preventing said data from being overwritten.

83. The method of claim 69, including inputting an electronic access code.