Video recorder

• US 9,934,628 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kreiner, Barrett Morris, Page, Jr., Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/632,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20100085430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,038 Days
• Field of Search: 348143, 345 8, 701 35, 3404261, 34042619
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19671 Addition of non-video data, i.e. metadata, to video stream
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19676 Temporary storage, e.g. cyclic memory, buffer storage on pre-alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for recording video data of an event. The apparatuses include a processor communicating with memory. The memory stores video data of the event captured by a camera, and the video data includes a series of picture frames of the event. A loop buffer also stores video data of the event captured by the camera. A rule-based engine stored in the memory uses a set of rules to store the contents of the loop buffer in the memory. The apparatus utilizes the loop buffer to provide video data prior to occurrence of the event.

Claims

1. A video recorder, comprising:

a processor;

a buffer in communication with the processor; and

a memory device in communication with the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to;

store video data in the buffer;

detect a movement of a door latch of a vehicle;

attempt to detect a wireless key fob configured to provide digital authorization for an attempted access event; and

transfer at least a portion of the video data from the buffer to the memory device if and only if the wireless key fob has not been detected.

2. The video recorder of claim 1, further comprising an interface configured to communicate with a sensor of a vehicle, and wherein the door-latch movement is associated with an output of the sensor.

3. The video recorder of claim 1, wherein the video data further comprises audio data.

4. The video recorder of claim 1, further comprising an interface to a communications network, and wherein the processor is further configured to transfer at least a portion of the video data stored in the buffer to a remote location via the interface to the communications network.

5. The video recorder of claim 1, wherein the video data comprises metadata associated with the attempted access event.

6. A method comprising:

storing, in a loop buffer of a video recorder, video data preceding an attempted access event including a movement of a door latch of a vehicle;

determining that the door-latch movement has occurred;

determining whether a wireless key fob configured to provide digital authorization for the attempted access event is present; and

responsive to determining that the door-latch movement has occurred and determining that the wireless key fob is not present, transferring the video data preceding the attempted access event to a storage device, wherein the video recorder is configured not to transfer the video data preceding the attempted access event in response to determining that the wireless key fob is present.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the attempted access event is further detected by a camera.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing, in the loop buffer of the video recorder, video data following the attempted access event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising transferring the video data following the attempted access event to the storage device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing metadata in the loop buffer.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:

recording, in a first storage location, data preceding an attempted access event of a vehicle;

detecting a movement of a door latch associated with the attempted access event;

attempting to detect a wireless key fob configured to provide digital authorization for the attempted access event;

responsive to detecting the movement of the door latch and detecting that the wireless key fob is not present, transferring at least a portion of the recorded data from the first storage location to a second storage location; and

responsive to detecting a movement of the door latch and detecting the wireless key fob, not transferring at least a portion of recorded data from the first storage location to the second storage location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the transferred data comprises time-delayed data preceding the attempted access event.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise discarding the recorded data from the first storage location.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise discarding the recorded data from the first storage location in response to determining that the wireless key fob has been detected.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise transferring the recorded data from the first storage location to the second storage location in response to a user action.