Method and system with multiple camera units installed in protective enclosure

• US 9,172,903 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Inventors: Englander, Benjamin, Serer, Julian, Plate, Peter, Balsam, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US13/975,758
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/438, 348143-147
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/806 with processing of the sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A system and method for simultaneously and continuously capturing video from the interior and exterior of a vehicle. The system includes, for example, a first housing including a first connection mechanism, first and second cameras and a memory disposed in the first housing. The system also includes a second housing including a second connection mechanism adapted to be removably connected to the first connection mechanism of the first housing and encasing said first housing within the second housing. A mounting mechanism is adjustably connected to said second housing and configured to maintain at least one of the first camera and the second camera in a predetermined position by adjusting the second housing. Additional embodiments are also described including a method for capturing data.

Claims

1. A system for recording the interior and exterior of a vehicle, comprising:

a first housing including a first connection mechanism;

a first camera disposed in the first housing,

the first camera configured to provide a viewing area in a first direction;

a second camera disposed in the housing,

the second camera configured to provide a viewing area in a second direction and disposed in the first housing;

at least one memory disposed in the first housing,

the memory configured to record video captured from each of the first camera and the second camera;

at least one accelerometer,

the system configured, upon a measurement of a force beyond a predetermined threshold by the at least one accelerometer, to at least one of;

store in a protected portion of the at least one memory or a second memory a predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and second camera and the measurement of the force by the at least one accelerometer, or

mark the predetermined length of the video and store in the at least one memory and the measurement of the force by the at least one accelerometer as non-erasable,

a locking device including a second connection mechanism,

the locking device adapted to be connected to said first housing, and restricting access to the at least one memory; and

a mounting mechanism adjustably connected to said first housing, the mounting mechanism configured to maintain the first camera and the second camera in a predetermined position by adjusting said first housing, and comprising at least one of an L-shaped, U-Shaped and V-shaped bracket for coupling the first housing to the vehicle, and wherein said at least one of an L-shaped, U-shaped and V-shaped bracket further comprises a coupling mechanism that removably couples said at least one of L-shaped, U-shaped and V-shaped bracket to said first housing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to record, on the at least one memory, video captured by at least one of the first camera and the second camera in a continuous loop, the continuous loop recording over the oldest captured video with the newest captured video when the at least one memory is full.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined length of video further comprises:

a first predetermined length of video preceding the measurement of the force by the accelerometer beyond the predetermined threshold.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a trigger, the system configured to record, upon activation of the trigger, in the at least one protected memory area of the at least one memory and the second memory, the predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and the second camera and a GPS location of the vehicle determined by the GPS receiver.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one viewing area in the first housing,

the at least one viewing area configured to provide a view for one of the first camera and the second camera, the at least one viewing area further comprising one of a cutout, a transparent window and a one-way mirror.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a monitor at least one of integrated with said first housing and attached to said first housing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a vehicle visor at least one of integrated with said first housing and attached to said first housing.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one viewing area in the first housing,

the at least one viewing area configured to provide a view for one of the first camera and the second camera,

the at least one viewing area further comprising one of a cutout, a transparent window and a one-way mirror.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one light disposed in the first housing,

the at least one light providing illumination in one of a visible or non-visible wavelength.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a monitor electronically coupled to at least one of the first camera and the second camera and located within the vehicle, and

the monitor configured to display images captured by at least one of the first camera and the second camera in real-time.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first housing further comprises:

a first housing section;

a pivot connected to said first housing section, and

a first housing section connected to said pivot,

the pivot configured to change the viewing area of at least one of the first camera and the second camera.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the video further comprises audio captured inside and outside of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the mounting mechanism couples the first housing to an A frame of the vehicle.

14. A system for recording the interior and exterior of a vehicle, comprising:

a housing,

the housing further comprising a first viewing area and a second viewing area;

a first camera disposed in the housing,

the first camera aligned with the first viewing area and configured to provide a viewing area in a first direction;

a second camera disposed in the housing,

the second camera aligned with the second viewing area configured to provide a viewing area in a second direction;

at least one memory disposed in the housing,

the memory configured to continuously store video captured from each of the first camera and the second camera;

at least one accelerometer,

the system configured, upon a measurement of a force beyond a predetermined threshold by the at least one accelerometer, to at least one of;

store in a protected portion of the at least one memory or a second memory a predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and second camera and the measurement of the force by the at least one accelerometer, or mark the predetermined length of the video in the at least one memory and the measurement of the force by the at least one accelerometer as nonerasable; and

a mounting mechanism adjustably connected to said housing,

the mounting mechanism configured to maintain the first camera and the second camera in a predetermined position by adjusting said housing, and comprising at least one of an L-shaped, U-shaped and V-shaped bracket for coupling the housing to the vehicle, and wherein said at least one of an L-shaped, U-shaped and V-shaped bracket further comprises a coupling mechanism that for coupling said at least one of L-shaped, U-shaped and V-shaped bracket to said housing, wherein the housing restricts, tampering of or unauthorized access to, the first and second cameras, while enabling the mounting mechanism to be mounted to the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined length of video further comprises a predetermined length of video preceding the measurement of the force by the accelerometer beyond the predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to record, on the at least one memory, video captured by at least one of the first camera and the second camera in a continuous loop, the continuous loop recording over the oldest captured video with the newest captured video without recording over the protected portion.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a trigger, the system configured to record, upon activation of the trigger, in at least one of the protected memory area of the at least one memory and the second memory, the predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and the second camera and a GPS location of the vehicle determined by the GPS receiver.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one light integrated in at least one of the first housing and the second housing, the at least one light providing illumination in one of a visible or non-visible wavelength.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a monitor electronically coupled to at least one of the first camera and the second camera and located within the vehicle, and the monitor configured to display images captured by at least one of the first camera and the second camera in real-time.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the housing provides a protective enclosure for securing and preventing tampering of the first and second cameras and the at least one memory, while enabling a variety of mounting options to the vehicle.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the housing provides a protective enclosure adapted to facilitate access to the at least one memory, while enabling the protection of and restricted access to the at least one memory.

22. The system of claim 14, further comprising

a memory input section receiving the at least one memory;

and

a protective device to secure access to the memory input section to restrict at least one of unauthorized access to and tampering with the at least one memory.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to store the predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and second camera and at least one of the measurement of the force and a location associated with the measurement of the force for display together.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is configured to store the predetermined length of video from the first and second cameras, speed of the vehicle during video capture, direction of travel of the vehicle during vehicle capture, a measurement from the accelerometer during video capture, and a location of the vehicle during video capture for display to a user.

25. A method for recording the interior and exterior of a vehicle, comprising:

recording first data by a first camera configured to provide a first viewing area in a first direction, the first camera disposed in a housing comprising a first viewing area and a second viewing area, wherein the first camera aligned with the first viewing area;

recording second data by a second camera configured to provide a second viewing area in a second direction, the second camera disposed in the housing, wherein the second camera aligned with the second viewing area;

transmitting the first and second data to at least one memory;

storing continuously by the at least one memory the first and second data captured from each of the first camera and the second camera, and the recording the first and second data further comprising a continuous loop recording wherein the oldest captured video is overwritten with the newest captured video when the at least one memory is full;

measuring a force with at least one accelerometer;

transmitting third data representing the measured force to the at least one memory;

storing by the at least one memory the third data representing the measured force;

determining that the force measured by the at least one accelerometer exceeds a predetermined threshold;

storing the first and second data from at least one of the first camera and the second camera and the third data from the at least accelerometer in at least one of;

a protected portion of the at least one memory, a protected second memory, or marking the predetermined length of the video as non-erasable in the at least one memory, responsive to the determining that the force measured by the at least accelerometer exceeds the predetermined threshold;

adjustably connecting a mounting mechanism to the housing, the mounting mechanism configured to maintain the first camera and the second camera in a predetermined position by adjusting the housing, and comprising at least one of an L-shaped, Vshaped and U-shaped bracket for coupling the housing to the vehicle and including a coupling mechanism that removably couples said at least one of L-shaped, V-shaped and U-shaped bracket to said housing; and

enabling the restricting of unauthorized access to the at least one memory.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

counting the number of measurements by the accelerometer exceeding the predetermined threshold.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining a position of the vehicle; and

storing by the at least one memory the position of the vehicle.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

recording audio of at least one of the interior and exterior of the vehicle; and

storing the recorded audio by the at least one memory.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising recording, upon activation of a trigger, in at least one of the protected memory area of the at least one memory and the second memory, the predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and the second camera and a GPS location of the vehicle determined by the GPS receiver.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising illuminating in one of a visible or non-visible wavelength using at least one light integrated in the housing.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising displaying images captured by at least one of the first camera and the second camera in real-time on a monitor electronically coupled to at least one of the first camera and the second camera and located within the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising securing and preventing tampering of the first and second cameras and the at least one memory, while enabling a variety of mounting options to the vehicle.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising securing and facilitating access to the at least one memory, while enabling the protection of and restricted access to the at least one memory.

34. The method of claim 25, further comprising securing access to a memory input section associated with the at least one memory to restrict at least one of unauthorized access to and tampering with the at least one memory.

35. The method of claim 25, further comprising storing the predetermined length of video from at least one of the first camera and second camera and at least one of the measurement of the force and a location associated with the measurement of the force for display together.

36. The method of claim 25, further comprising storing the predetermined length of video from the first and second cameras, speed of the vehicle during video capture, direction of travel of the vehicle during vehicle capture, a measurement from the accelerometer during video capture, and a location of the vehicle during video capture for display to a user.