Abstract:
A method and apparatus for monitoring the operation of a motor vehicle for the purposes of determining causation and fault in the event of an accident, and to enhance physical security of the vehicle utilizes electronic digital cameras strategically placed to obtain sequential images of the area immediately adjacent the exterior, and optionally the interior, of the vehicle and to record those images in an electronic memory. A command module controls operation of the cameras and changes the camera mode of operation in the event of an impact or rapid inertial change that signals a collision or other traumatic event.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/130,484, filed Apr. 22, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus to record events encountered by a motor vehicle during a revolving time period. 
     More specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus for recording images that provide views of the interior and exterior of a motor vehicle on a continuous or periodic basis, and to a method for controlling that apparatus to provide an image record of an accident or other occurrence of interest to the motor vehicle operator. 
     2. Background Art 
     It is known to provide motor vehicles, particularly commercial trucks, with means that monitor and continuously record selected operational parameters such as vehicle speed, engine rpm, and the like. It is also known to mount video cameras within the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle for the purpose of recording events external to the vehicle, as for example, in traffic law enforcement efforts by police. The video record so produced often is augmented by data that is input from other sources including, for example, the time and date that the video images were created. 
     Such monitoring techniques and apparatus are useful for their intended purposes but are inadequate to obtain and preserve a record of events such as, for example, involvement of the vehicle in an accident or an attempted theft. Further, sorting out causation and fault in the event of an accident is often difficult and uncertain as it must rely upon whatever physical evidence that is left at the accident scene and the often biased testimony of witnesses to the event. This invention provides a means for obtaining and preserving an accurate and unbiased record of an accident or other event affecting the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides an apparatus for obtaining and recording images of the exterior and interior of a motor vehicle during its operation and while it is parked, and to a method for using that apparatus to allow a determination of causation or fault in the event of an accident or other significant event. The apparatus can also be used to detect and record any threat to the vehicle, such as attempted theft or vandalism, while the vehicle is parked. The apparatus includes one or more systems having means to produce images and to store those images in a retrievable form. Each system comprises one or more strategically located sensor arrays which are placed to obtain sequential images of the area immediately in front and to the rear of the motor vehicle and, optionally, the interior of the vehicle as well. In a preferred embodiment, the sensors suitably may be a plurality of digital cameras under the control of a command module that provides storage of the images so obtained. Retrieval of the stored images provides a visual history of recently occurring events involving the vehicle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a partially cut away side view of an automobile showing the position of the sensors used for the purposes of this invention: 
     FIG. 2 is a partially cut away top view of the automobile of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the automobile of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view of the automobile of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of a first sensor array that is mounted upon an automobile rear view mirror; 
     FIG. 6 is a partially broken away, front view of the sensor array of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 depicts a second sensor array that is mounted atop a rear stop light of an automobile; 
     FIG. 8 shows a rear view of the sensor array of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of the sensor array of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 10 is a depiction of an image obtained by the first sensor array showing objects and activities in front of the automobile; 
     FIG. 11 depicts an image of the automobile interior obtained by the first sensor array; and 
     FIG. 12 is an image to the rear of the automobile obtained by the second sensor array. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention comprises systems and techniques for obtaining and recording images that allow the owner or insurer of a motor vehicle to establish the cause of an accident or other source of damage or threat to the vehicle as well as to establish responsibility or fault for events leading up to the accident or threat. That is accomplished through use of strategically placed means that are adapted to produce images and to store those images in a retrievable form. Such means may suitably comprise sensor arrays that are arranged to obtain a wide angle view of the area in front of and to the rear of the vehicle, and preferably of the vehicle interior as well. Images of the viewed areas are suitably obtained using optical sensors that produce a digital image that can be stored within a memory means and retrieved therefrom. 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 are various views of an automobile  10  having the monitoring means of this invention installed therein. A first sensor array is mounted at a location where it commands an essentially unobstructed view of the interior and the front exterior of the automobile, suitably as an attachment to the interior rear view mirror  12  of the automobile. The field of view commanded by the first sensor array is depicted by means of rays  14  projected from the sensor location on mirror  12 . A second sensor array is mounted at a location where it commands an essentially unobstructed view of the rear exterior of the automobile. A suitable location for the second sensor array may be as an attachment to a centrally located, rear brake indicator light  16 . The field of view commanded by the second sensor array is depicted by means of rays  18  that are projected from the sensor location atop the rear brake indicator light  16 . 
     The arrangement of the first sensor means, as attached to rear view mirror  12 , is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. That first sensor means includes a first pair of front viewing digital cameras  20  and  21  pointed to command a wide angle view, preferably approaching 180°, of the area immediately in front or the automobile. Rays  23  and  24  projecting from digital camera  20  define the field of view of that camera, while rays  25  and  26  projecting from digital camera  21  define its field of view. A second pair of rear pointing digital cameras  30  and  31  may also be included within the first sensor means. Those cameras are pointed to command a full view of the automobile interior. Rays  33  and  34  projecting from digital camera  30  define its field of view while rays  35  and  36  define the field of view for camera  31 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, cameras  20  and  30  are fixed within a housing  40  that attaches to one end of the automobile rear view mirror  12 . Cameras  21  and  31  are similarly mounted in another housing  41  that attaches to the other end of mirror  12 . The housings  40  and  41  may conveniently be adhesively attached to the mirror back using adhesive tape  44 . The cameras making up the first sensor array are controlled by signals generated by command module  50  which is operably connected to the sensor through cable means  51 . Supplemental information derived from information box  53  may also be incorporated within each digital image produced by the cameras of the first sensor means. That supplemental information may comprise a time and date stamp, vehicle speed, temperature, compass marking, and other information of a similar nature. 
     Supplemental information from a separate source may also be included in the image. Such separate supplemental information may usefully comprise location data from a ground positioning satellite system, and the information may be recorded as part of the image either as geographic coordinates or as a street or highway address. 
     A second sensor array is mounted at a location whereat it commands an essentially unobstructed view of the exterior rear of the vehicle, suitably as an attachment to the central brake indicator light  16  as is detailed in FIGS. 7-9. Referring now to those Figures, the second sensor array includes a housing having a cap  60  and a base  61  that is mounted upon brake indicator light  16 , suitably by screw means  53 . The second sensor array includes a pair of digital cameras  65  and  66  that are pointed to the automobile rear. Rays  67  and  68  projecting from digital camera  65  define its field of view while rays  69  and  70  define the field of view for camera  66 . It is also feasible to enhance the capability of the system during hours of darkness by incorporating a rearwardly directed strobe synchronized with the camera exposures to supplement the available light in much the same manner as a photographic flash. Such a strobe lamp may be incorporated within the lights conventionally located at the vehicle rear, or a separate strobe lamp may be provided. 
     In a preferred mode of system operation, the cameras of the first and second sensor means continuously produce single frame images at shortly spaced intervals. Each image that is produced is transmitted to the command module  50  where it is stored in an electronic memory. The storage capacity of the command module memory is limited, and so it is arranged to hold a preselected number of images. Thereafter module  50  continuously erases the oldest image, replacing it with the newest until the system is shut down. In that way, the memory of command module  50  always contains the most recent series of images of the external and internal events encountered by the vehicle. Module  50  is also arranged with means that allow the stored images to be retrieved for external display, thus providing a visual history of the last events recorded by the sensors or cameras. 
     It is also preferred that command module  50  include an event sensor that may be either of the inertial or impact type (not separately shown). Inclusion of such a sensor within the system of this invention is useful both in the event of an accident involving the vehicle, and also to afford an increased level of physical security for the vehicle. Command module  50  is programmed to differently control the various cameras included within the first and second sensing means when it receives a signal from the event sensor that indicates an impact or inertial change caused by an accident. Upon receiving such a signal, command module  50  may cause the cameras within the sensing means to produce an essentially continuous, or real time, photo record until the command module memory is full so as to obtain an evidentiary record. It is preferred as well that a number of the timed images that were produced before the impact signal be retained within the memory and not recorded over so as to include within the evidentiary record a history of the events that occurred just prior to the accident. Those prior images are very useful in reconstructing the sequence of events that caused the accident to thereby determine responsibility for the accident. 
     The event sensor may advantageously be provided with a multi-level sensitivity, one setting requiring a fairly severe impact or inertial change in order to produce a signal for the command module, and another setting that is much more sensitive. The first, less sensitive, setting normally is used while the motor vehicle is in motion as the triggering event that produces the evidentiary record is an impact, a panic stop, or a collision. The second, more sensitive setting is used when the vehicle is parked or at rest, or when the key is off or out of the ignition. Triggering of the event sensor causes the cameras to produce and record images for a short, predetermined length of time. The triggering event that produces the evidentiary record in this second case is typically the impact of a shopping cart, a door banger, vandalism, an attempted break-in or theft, and other similar events. It is also desirable to provide for manual activation of the system to produce an evidentiary record, as for example, to record an accident involving other vehicles or to document the overly aggressive or dangerous behavior of other drivers. 
     FIGS. 10,  11  and  12  illustrate the style of images that are obtained from an accident scene through use of the system and techniques of this invention. FIG. 10 is a front exterior image from cameras  20  and  21  of an accident scene that does not directly involve the automobile from which the images were obtained. This image shows a first auto  72  that is involved in a collision with a second auto  73 . The position of other autos,  74 ,  75  and  76 , relative to the accident scene is clearly defined. A clear view of the fronts of autos  74 ,  75  and  76  is shown, possibly even allowing determination of the license numbers of those autos by image enhancement so that potential witnesses can be identified. Likewise, the location of a pedestrian  78  at the time of the collision is clearly defined. Traffic lights  80 ,  81  and  82  are visible to thereby define the right of way at the time of the collision. Cleanliness of the auto glass may be inferred from the image quality, and any visual obstructions such as ice or snow will also be evident because the image was taken through the windshield. An information stamp  85  that provides the date, time, temperature, vehicle speed, and a true north compass marking is also incorporated in the image. 
     FIG. 11 is an image of the interior of the same automobile equipped with the inventive system and taken contemporaneously by cameras  30  and  31  with that image of FIG.  10 . The displayed image clearly identifies the driver  90 , a rear seat passenger  91 , and an infant  92 . The seat belt  94  of the driver was in place as was the seat belt  95  of the passenger, while the infant was properly secured in a child&#39;s seat  96 . It shows as well that the driver was holding a can of beer  98  and a cigarette  99  at the time that the image was obtained. An image of the automobile interior can thus provide information relevant to an accident investigation including, for example, who was driving, whether the driver was distracted or inattentive, the identity and seating arrangement of passengers, whether the driver and passengers were wearing seat belts, whether controlled substances were in evidence, and other circumstances of a similar nature. 
     FIG. 12 displays a rear exterior image taken contemporaneously by cameras  65  and  66  with the images of FIGS. 10 and 11. The displayed image shows a first automobile  101  approaching the intersection and a second automobile  102  entering the intersection. Traffic signals  105 ,  106  and  107  are clearly visible, thus allowing determination of the right of way. An information stamp  109  provides the date, time, temperature, vehicle speed, and a true north compass marking incorporated into the image. 
     Taken together, the information provided by these images allows the objective resolution of a number of factual inquiries. Those inquiries may include, for example, a determination of who hit who and at what angle, which car had the right of way, the identity of potential witnesses, weather conditions prevailing at the time of the accident, whether drinking or the use of other controlled substances may have been a factor, and other circumstances which may have contributed to the accident. 
     A study of sequential images taken during a collision by an automobile having the system of this invention installed therein may also provide other useful information. For example, it may allow a performance evaluation of the safety features built into the automobile. It may whether restraint systems such as air bags, seat belts and child safety seats functioned properly. It may also allow an evaluation of the design integrity of the automobile itself. 
     While this invention has been described in relation to a preferred embodiment for use in a passenger automobile, the system described herein is expected to find similar use with commercial vehicles including trucks, buses and taxis. In some instances the system of this invention provides unique advantages to the operator of a commercial vehicle. For example, this system provides taxi drivers operating in high crime areas with the ability to monitor and to record the behavior of passengers, thus reducing the dangers of robbery or fare loss.