Abstract:
A GPS device includes GPS receiver/calculator that receives and calculates signals from satellites and generates locational data, a camera selectively taking images of inside or outside the motor vehicle and a processor that processes the images, and them with GPS location information.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/433,552 filed on Jan. 18, 2011 and incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    This invention pertains to an improved GPS device including a camera suited for taking images, including moving images of a field of view directed at the direction of movement as the device is mounted on a motor vehicle 
         [0004]    B. Description of the Invention 
         [0005]    As more and more motor vehicles hit the road, go at a faster and faster speed and are operated by an aging population, the number of accidents between motor vehicles as well as between the motor vehicles and pedestrians or stationary objects are on the increase as well. These accidents are frequently the cause of injuries as well as damage and loss to property and the law enforcement agencies as well as insurance companies are left with the unenviable task of determining exactly how each accident happened and how can be prevented in the future. 
         [0006]    The present invention provides a solution that helps solve this problem. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    This application pertains to a GPS device with a camera configured to monitor the movement of a motor vehicle visually. The device is mounted on a motor vehicle with a screen positioned to provide information to the driver and/or passenger. The camera is built into the device so that it can take still or moving images preferably at regular intervals or continuously. The GPS can be either a portable aftermarket device or can be built into the dashboard. 
         [0008]    During the operation of the motor vehicle, the device takes images at regular intervals and stores the images together with timing and geotagging information in a local memory and/or uploads the images to a remote location. 
         [0009]    At a later time, the images can be viewed to determine what was happening in the field of view of the camera. This information is important in case of accidents or other events. 
     
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a view of a GPS device constructed in accordance with this invention: 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a back view of the device of  FIG. 1   
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows block diagram of the device; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a flow chart for operating the device of  FIGS. 1-3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a GPS  10  with a housing  12  having a front face  14  and a back face  16 . In a first embodiment, device  10  is an aftermarket device that is normally bought by the user from a third party vendor and used in a motor vehicle. 
         [0015]    The housing  12  is arranged and constructed to be mounted on a dashboard, windshield, side window or other accessible location that is out of the main field of vision of the driver but still can be viewed. The front face  14  is provided with several buttons  18  and a display  20 . The buttons are used to activate the device  10  and to enter various commands, such as addresses, points of interest, etc, associated with the operation of the GPS. According to the present invention, the buttons  18  may also be used to activate the camera(s) as discussed in more detail below. It should be understood that in the figures device  10  is shown with three buttons  18  for the sake of clarity however the device  10  may have more or less button and they can be disposed anywhere on the housing  12 . The display  20  is shown as being separate from the buttons  18 , however, the display  20  can also be provided with a touch screen (not shown) and all or some of the buttons  18  can be implemented as virtual or soft keys that appear on the screen as needed and are activated using the touchscreen. 
         [0016]    On the back face  14 , the device  10  is provided with a mounting member  22  which can include a suction cup and/or other similar means well known in the art and used to mount the device  10  on the dashboard, windshield, etc. In addition, back face  16  also holds a camera  24 . In an alternate embodiment, the device  10  can include a second camera  26  also mounted on the back face  16 , the two cameras  24 ,  26  being arranged and constructed forwardly in different directions as the device  10  is mounted on the dashboard. For example, camera  24  could be oriented somewhat toward the right and camera  26  can be oriented forward and somewhat toward the left. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, instead of, or in addition to camera  26 , device  10  may be provided with a third camera  28  disposed on front face  14  and arranged to monitor either the interior of the car or to the rear of the camera through the rear window. 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows some of the major components of the device  10 . The device includes a processor  40 , a GPS receiver/calculator  42 , a memory  44 , and optionally, a modem/communication port  46 . The controller is also connected to cameras  24 ,  26  as well as display  20 . In an alternate embodiment, the device  10  can be incorporated into the dashboard or other parts of the motor vehicle in such a manner that display  20  is available for viewing by the driver and/or passenger. In this case, one or more external cameras  48 , 50  disposed at one or more locations within the motor vehicle for monitoring events inside and outside the motor vehicle. 
         [0019]    It should be understood the device  10  includes other elements, such as batteries, chargers, antennas, speakers, that provide power and various functionalities for the device  10  and that have been omitted for the sake of clarity. 
         [0020]    Modes of operation of the device  10  shall now be described in conjunction with  FIG. 4 . The process starts in step  100  when the device  10  is activated, for example by pushing one of the buttons  18 . This results with the device  10  being enabled. Once enabled, the GPS receiver/calculator receives signals from satellites and based on these signals, it calculates the current position of the motor vehicle. This information is presented to a driver/passenger on display  20 , as coordinates, or more often, superimposed on a virtual map. Data for the map is stored in memory  44 . The driver/passenger may also elect to input information to the GPS indicating, for example a desired destination, either by address, name, etc., and the processor  40  uses this information together with data from memory  44  to generate a suggested route on the map that can be used to navigate the motor vehicle to a desired destination. All these main functionalities are standard and the remaining functionalities discussed herein will operate transparently as far as these main functionalities are concerned. 
         [0021]    In one mode of operation, once the device  10  is turned on (step  200 ), first camera  24  is activated (step  202 ), the camera  24  than takes an image (step  204 ) which is then processed by controller  40 , tagged with the location data from the GOS and the current time data and stored with associated location data obtained by GPS receiver/calculator  42  and other information such as the current time, date, etc. The image and other data can be stored into memory  40 . Alternatively, the image and the data can be stored in a separate memory, for example an external memory such as a USB drive, an SD card, etc., and/or can be transmitted on a remote location using modem or corn port  46 . 
         [0022]    Next, in step  210  a test is performed to determine if a second camera is activated. In some instances, the device  10  may be configured to allow the second camera to be disabled for privacy considerations. If the second camera is off, then a check is performed to determine if the device  10  is still on. If it is, then the first camera is ordered to take another image and the loop repeats itself. If the device  10  has been turned off, the loop is terminated (step  214 ). 
         [0023]    Back in step  210  if the second camera is activated then an image is taken with the second camera, the image is processed and stored as with the images from the first camera (steps  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  222 ). 
         [0024]    In one embodiment of the invention, the images are stored automatically until the memory used to store the same is full. A message is then presented to change the memory. In another embodiment, a predetermined number of images are stored (or images are stored until a predetermined memory section of e.g., X Gb is reached, after which images are erased on a first in, first out basis. In another embodiment, the images for predetermined time are stored, for example 10 minutes or half an hour. If during this time a signal is received (for example from the driver or from a remote location to indicate that an event of interest has occurred, then all the images for that period including images taken optionally after the store command has been received. If no such control signal is received, the images are deleted, again, on a first in-first out basis. 
         [0025]    Numerous modifications may be made to this invention as described in the attached claims.