Patent ID: 6583730
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: B60R,G07C

Abstract:
A surveillance apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:an outside rearview mirror defining an aperture therethrough; a camera having a field of regard with a plurality of fields of view from the vehicle, the camera disposed in the outside rearview mirror and adjustably configured to collect selected images from the plurality of fields of view through the aperture; a storage apparatus in electrical communication with the camera, the storage apparatus configured to record and store the images collected by the camera for a period of time; at least one sensor disposed about the vehicle and configured for sensing extra-vehicular information selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, date, time, pavement conditions, brightness and combinations thereof; an interface device in communication with the at least one sensor and the storage apparatus and configured for providing the extra-vehicular information and vehicle drive train activity data to the storage apparatus; and a control apparatus in electronic communication with the camera and the storage apparatus, the control apparatus configured to activate the camera and storage apparatus and adjust the field of regard of the camera to record the selected images from the plurality of fields of view.