Driver recorder and method for setting up the driver recorder

• US 8,396,623 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Munenori, Uetani, Tetsuya, Sasa, Takashi, Tonokawa, Fujio, Yago, Mariko
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US12/680,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/33.3
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a drive recorder that can detect acceleration so that the acceleration exerted on a vehicle traveling around a curve will not be erroneously detected as excessive acceleration, as long as the steering wheel is operated in a usual manner. More particularly, the invention provides a drive recorder that includes an acceleration sensor for detecting a first acceleration along a traveling direction of a vehicle and a second acceleration along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and a control unit which obtains a combined acceleration based on the first acceleration and on a value obtained by subtracting a correction value from the absolute value of the second acceleration, and when the combined acceleration exceeds a threshold value, records video information received from an image capturing unit onto a recording device.

Claims

1. A drive recorder comprising:

a sensor for detecting a first acceleration along a traveling direction of a vehicle and a second acceleration along a transverse direction of said vehicle;

a determining unit configured to determine whether the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the vehicle is traveling; and

a control unit configured to obtain a combined acceleration based on said first acceleration and a value obtained by subtracting a correction value from an absolute value of said second acceleration when the determining unit determines the vehicle is traveling around a curve, and when said combined acceleration exceeds a threshold value, to record video information received from an image capturing unit, in a recording device.

2. The drive recorder according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines whether said vehicle is traveling around a curve on the basis of a current position information of the vehicle, or a steering angle of the vehicle.

3. The drive recorder according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting vehicle speed, and wherein

said control unit changes said correction value in accordance with the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed sensor.

4. A drive recorder comprising:

a control unit configured to determine whether a recording condition is established, on the basis of a signal from a sensor which detects an acceleration of a vehicle, and a threshold; and

a determining unit configured to determine whether the vehicle is traveling around a curve, when the vehicle is traveling, wherein when the determining unit determines the vehicle is traveling around a curve, the control unit adjusts the relationship between the signal and the threshold.

5. A drive recorder comprising:

a control unit configured to determine whether a recording condition is established on the basis of a signal from a sensor which at least detects an acceleration of a vehicle along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and a threshold; and

a determining unit for determining as to whether the vehicle is traveling around a curve when the vehicle is traveling or not, wherein when the determining unit determines the vehicle is traveling around a curve, the control unit adjusts a detection sensitivity of the sensor more sensitive than a detection sensitivity of the sensor when the vehicle is not traveling around a curve.