System and method for naming, filtering, and recall of remotely monitored event data

• US 8,666,590 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Follmer, Todd, McClellan, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US11/767,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 701/35, 701/1, 701/24, 701/28, 701/36, 701/29.1, 701/32.2, 701/33.3, 701/33.4
• US Class Current: 701/32.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

System and method for capturing video data, comprising buffering video data captured from a video recording device in a vehicle, detecting a triggering event, saving a portion of the video data occurring within a specified period of time near the event, and naming a saved portion of video data with a label associated with the triggering event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring, recording and storing various types of event data detected during operation of a vehicle in a manner that facilitates retrieval of stored event data by selecting for a particular vehicle retrieval of one or more types of events related to at least one of i) operation of the vehicle, ii) use of vehicle equipment, iii) operator behaviors while in the vehicle, or iv) passenger behaviors while in the vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting at one or more sensors installed in a vehicle one or more parameters from which data is derived that defines various types of events related to at least one of i) operation of the vehicle, ii) use of vehicle equipment, iii) operator behaviors while in the vehicle, or iv) passenger behaviors while in the vehicle;

for each type of event, configuring a time period over which a triggered event is to be recorded;

receiving at a processing system inputs from said one or more sensors, the inputs from said one or more sensors being analyzed by one or more processors of the processing system to determine triggering events that determine when an event type is to be recorded and stored;

recording at one or more digital video monitors installed in the vehicle one or more behaviors for at least one of the vehicle operator, the vehicle passenger, a view inside the vehicle, or a view outside the vehicle;

for each instance of a triggering event, storing in a data storage device a portion of digital video recorded over the configured time period for the triggered event, and storing the recorded portion of digital video in a digital format that is identified by the type of event that is triggered; and

for a given vehicle, and for a selected type of event, retrieving from data storage for separate presentation all stored instances of the recorded digital video for a selected type of event over a given time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configured time period includes at least one of a time prior to the event and a time after the event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configured time period includes at least both a time prior to the event and a time after the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video data is video of a driver of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the video data is video of one or more passengers of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the video data is video of a view outside of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing system in included in a vehicle monitoring system mounted in the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors are part of an on-board an on-board diagnostic system in the vehicle, and wherein the on-board diagnostic system is coupled to the vehicle monitoring system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the data storage device is included in the vehicle monitoring system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a database is stored outside of the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting from the vehicle monitoring system to the database the portion of digital video recorded for each triggering event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmission is wireless.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transmission is automatically initiated by the vehicle monitoring system when the vehicle is returned to a fleet vehicle base.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the stored portion of digital video is temporarily stored in a buffer and then automatically wirelessly transmitted from the buffer to the database.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the triggering events is a speeding violation.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the triggering events is an impact detection.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the triggering events is a seatbelt warning.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the triggering events is a detection of a use of a wireless device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the triggering events is detected by a seat sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein an input that is used to detect the triggering event from the seat sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a weight;

a passenger size;

an occupant'"'"'s position;

an occupant'"'"'s posture; and

a placement of an object on a seat.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored portion of video data is a still image.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored portion of video data comprises audio data.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprises retrieving from data storage all stored instances of the recorded digital video for each type of event over a given time period, and prioritizing presentation of the retrieved instances based on the types of events.

23. A system for monitoring, recording and storing various types of event data detected during operation of a vehicle in a manner that facilitates retrieval of stored event data by selecting for a particular vehicle retrieval of one or more selected types of events related to at least one of i) operation of the vehicle, ii) use of vehicle equipment, iii) operator behaviors while in the vehicle, or iv) passenger behaviors while in the vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more sensors installed in a vehicle for detecting one or more parameters from which data is derived that defines various types of events related to at least one of i) operation of the vehicle, ii) use of vehicle equipment, iii) operator behaviors while in the vehicle, or iv) passenger behaviors while in the vehicle;

a processing system for configuring a time period over which a triggered event is to be recorded, and for receiving one or more inputs from said one or more sensors, the processing system comprising one or more processors digitally processing said inputs from said one or more sensors to determine triggering events that determine when an event type is to be recorded and stored;

one or more monitors installed in the vehicle for recording one or more behaviors for at least one of the vehicle operator, the vehicle passenger, a view inside the vehicle, or a view outside the vehicle;

a data storage device for storing a portion of digital video recorded over the configured time period for each instance of a triggering event, and for storing the recorded portion of digital video in a digital format that is identified by the type of event that is triggered; and

an output device for retrieval from data storage and for separate presentation all stored instances of the recorded digital video for a selected type of event over a given time period.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the configured time period includes at least one of a time prior to the event and a time after the event.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the configured time period includes at least both a time prior to the event and a time after the event.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the video data is video of a driver of the vehicle.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the video data is video of one or more passengers of the vehicle.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the video data is video of a view outside of the vehicle.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing system in included in a vehicle monitoring system mounted in the vehicle.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more sensors are part of an on-board an on-board diagnostic system in the vehicle, and wherein the on-board diagnostic system is coupled to the vehicle monitoring system.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the data storage device is included in the vehicle monitoring system.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein a database is stored outside of the vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting from the vehicle monitoring system to the database the portion of digital video recorded for each triggering event.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmission is wireless.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmission is automatically initiated by the vehicle monitoring system when the vehicle is returned to a fleet vehicle base.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the stored portion of digital video is temporarily stored in a buffer and then automatically wirelessly transmitted from the buffer to the database.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the triggering events is a speeding violation.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the triggering events is an impact detection.

38. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the triggering events is a seatbelt warning.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the triggering events is a detection of a use of a wireless device.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the triggering events is detected by a seat sensor.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein an input that is used to detect the triggering event from the seat sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a weight;

a passenger size;

an occupant'"'"'s position;

an occupant'"'"'s posture; and

a placement of an object on a seat.

42. The system of claim 23, wherein the stored portion of video data is a still image.

43. The system of claim 23, wherein the stored portion of video data comprises audio data.

44. The system of claim 23, wherein all stored instances of the recorded digital video for each type of event are retrieved for a given time period, and presentation of the retrieved instances is based on the types of events.

45. One or more digital storage devices containing computer-executable instructions for causing one or more processors of a computing system to implement a method for storing various types of event data detected during operation of a vehicle in a manner that facilitates retrieval of stored event data by selecting for a particular vehicle retrieval of one or more selected types of events related to at least one of i) operation of the vehicle, ii) use of vehicle equipment, iii) operator behaviors while in the vehicle, or iv) passenger behaviors while in the vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at a processing system inputs from any of a plurality of sensors installed in a vehicle, the sensors detecting parameters from which data is derived that defines various types of events related to at least one of i) operation of the vehicle, ii) use of vehicle equipment, iii) operator behaviors while in the vehicle, or iv) passenger behaviors while in the vehicle;

for each type of event, configuring at a processing system a time period over which a triggered event is to be recorded;

receiving at the processing system inputs from said one or more sensors, the inputs from said one or more sensors being analyzed by one or more processors of the processing system to determine triggering events that determine when an event type is to be recorded and stored;

recording at one or more digital video monitors installed in the vehicle one or more behaviors for at least one of the vehicle operator, the vehicle passenger, a view inside the vehicle, or a view outside the vehicle;

for each instance of a triggering event, storing in a data storage device a portion of digital video recorded over the configured time period for the triggered event, and storing the recorded portion of digital video in a digital format that is identified by the type of event that is triggered; and

for a given vehicle, and for a selected type of event, retrieving from data storage for separate presentation all stored instances of the recorded digital video for a selected type of event over a given time period.