Vehicle surveillance assembly

A vehicle surveillance assembly includes an inside video camera mounted within a cabin of a vehicle to record video footage of an interior of the cabin. A plurality of outside video cameras is each mounted to an exterior of the vehicle to record video footage of the environment surrounding the vehicle. A tracking unit is wearable on the driver of the vehicle and the tracking unit broadcasts a tracking signal. A control unit is positioned within the vehicle and the control unit is in remote communication with the tracking unit, the inside video camera and each of the plurality of outside video cameras. The control unit actuates the inside video camera when the control unit determines the tracking unit is inside of the vehicle. Conversely, the control unit actuates each of the plurality of outside video cameras when the control unit determines the tracking unit is outside of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention.

The disclosure relates to surveillance devices and more particularly pertains to a new surveillance device for recording video footage inside of a vehicle or outside of a vehicle. The device includes an inside video camera that is mounted inside a cabin of a vehicle and a plurality of video cameras that are mounted to an exterior of the vehicle. The device includes a tracking unit worn by a driver of the vehicle and a control unit positioned in the vehicle. The control unit is in wireless communication with the tracking unit, the inside video camera and the outside video camera. The control unit turns on the inside video camera when the tracking unit demonstrates that the driver is in the vehicle.

The control unit turns on the outside video camera when the tracking unit demonstrates that the driver has exited the vehicle.

The prior art relates to surveillance devices including a dash cam for a vehicle that has a 360.0 degree field of vision. The prior art discloses vehicle recording device that includes a plurality of video cameras distributed around a vehicle and a recording device for storing footage recorded by the video cameras. The prior art discloses a vehicle surveillance device that includes a video camera and an alert device for alerting a driver that a potential assailant is approaching the vehicle. The prior art discloses a video security system that includes a plurality of video cameras mounted to a vehicle and controller that activates respective video cameras based on a triggering event for recording selected areas around the vehicle.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an inside video camera mounted within a cabin of a vehicle to record video footage of an interior of the cabin. A plurality of outside video cameras is each mounted to an exterior of the vehicle to record video footage of the environment surrounding the vehicle. A tracking unit is wearable on the driver of the vehicle and the tracking unit broadcasts a tracking signal. A control unit is positioned within the vehicle and the control unit is in remote communication with the tracking unit, the inside video camera and each of the plurality of outside video cameras. The control unit actuates the inside video camera when the control unit determines the tracking unit is inside of the vehicle. Conversely, the control unit actuates each of the plurality of outside video cameras when the control unit determines the tracking unit is outside of the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS.1through7, the vehicle surveillance assembly10generally comprises an inside video camera12that is mounted within a cabin14of a vehicle16to record video footage of an interior of the cabin14. The inside video camera12is strategically positioned in the cabin14to facilitate the inside video camera12to record video footage of the driver18while the driver18is driving the vehicle16. The vehicle16may comprise an emergency vehicle such as a police car or the like. Additionally, the vehicle16may comprise a passenger vehicle, a cargo vehicle or any other motorized vehicle that is driven on public roadways. Additionally, the inside video camera12may comprise a digital video camera of any conventional design.

The inside video camera12includes an inside control circuit20that is integrated into the inside video camera12and the inside control circuit20receives an actuate input.

The inside video camera12is turned on when the inside control circuit20receives the actuate input. Additionally, the inside control circuit20is electrically coupled to a power source22comprising an electrical system of the vehicle16. The inside video camera12includes an inside transceiver24that is integrated into the inside video camera12and the inside transceiver24is electrically coupled to the inside control circuit20. The inside transceiver24may comprise a radio frequency transceiver or the like and the inside transceiver24may employ Bluetooth communication protocols.

A plurality of outside video cameras26is provided and each of the outside video cameras26is mounted to an exterior of the vehicle16to record video footage of the environment surrounding the vehicle16. The plurality of outside video cameras26is positioned on a respective one of a front side28of the vehicle16, a back side30of the vehicle16, a first lateral side32of the vehicle16and a second lateral side34of the vehicle16. In this way the plurality of outside video cameras26can record footage of 360.0 degrees around the vehicle16. Each of the outside video cameras26may comprise a digital video camera of any conventional design. Each of the outside video cameras26that is positioned on the first lateral side32and the second lateral side34of the vehicle16may be mounted to respective rear view mirrors36of the vehicle16. The outside video camera26on the back side30of the vehicle16may be mounted to a trunk38of the vehicle16and the outside video camera26on the front side28of the vehicle16may be mounted to a hood40of the vehicle16.

Each of the outside video cameras26includes an outside control circuit42that is integrated into the outside video camera26and the outside control circuit42receives an actuate input. Furthermore, the outside video camera26is turned on when the outside control circuit42receives the actuate input. The outside control circuit42is electrically coupled to the power source22comprising the electrical system of the vehicle16. Each of the outside video cameras26includes an outside transceiver44that is integrated into the outside video camera and the outside transceiver44is electrically coupled to the outside control circuit42. The outside transceiver44may comprise a radio frequency transceiver or the like and the outside transceiver44may employ Bluetooth communication protocols.

A tracking unit46is provided that is wearable on the driver18of the vehicle16and the tracking unit46broadcasts a tracking signal. The tracking unit46comprises a tracking housing48that has an engagement element50to engage the driver18for retaining the tracking housing48on the driver18. As is most clearly shown inFIG.4, the tracking housing48may comprise a keychain clip52and the engagement element50may comprise a clasp54that is movably integrated into the keychain clip. As is most clearly shown inFIG.5, the tracking housing48may comprise a bracelet56that can be worn on the driver18′s wrist and the engagement element50may be defined by an interior diameter of the bracelet56.

The tracking unit46includes a tracking control circuit58that is integrated into the tracking housing48. The tracking unit46includes a tracking transceiver60that is integrated into the tracking housing48and the tracking transceiver60is electrically coupled to the tracking control circuit58. Furthermore, the tracking transceiver60broadcasts a tracking signal. The tracking transceiver60may comprise a radio frequency transceiver or the like and the tracking transceiver60may employ Bluetooth communication protocols. An activate button62is movably integrated into the tracking housing48and the activate button62can be manipulated by the driver18. The activate button62is electrically coupled to the tracking control circuit58and the tracking control circuit58is actuated when the activate button62is depressed. The tracking includes a tracking power supply64that is integrated into the tracking housing48and the tracking power supply64is electrically coupled to the tracking control circuit58.

A control unit66is positioned within the vehicle16and the control unit66is in remote communication with the tracking unit46. The control unit66is in remote communication with the inside video camera12and each of the plurality of outside video cameras26. The control unit66analyzes the tracking signal broadcast by the tracking unit46. Furthermore, the control unit66actuates the inside video camera12and de-actuates each of the plurality of outside video cameras26when the control unit66determines the tracking unit46is inside of the vehicle16. Conversely, the control unit66de-actuates the inside video camera12and actuates each of the plurality of outside video cameras26when the control unit66determines the tracking unit46is outside of the vehicle16.

The control unit66comprises a master housing68that is positioned within the vehicle16and a master control circuit70that is integrated into the master housing68. The master control circuit70is electrically coupled to the power source22comprising the electrical system of the vehicle16. The control unit66includes a master transceiver72that is integrated into the master housing68and the master transceiver72is electrically coupled to the master control circuit70. The master transceiver72is in wireless communication with the inside transceiver24, the outside transceiver44associated with each of the outside video cameras26and the tracking transceiver60. The master transceiver72may comprise a radio frequency transceiver or the like and the master transceiver72may employ Bluetooth communication protocols.

The control unit66includes a signal analyzer74that is positioned in the master housing68and the signal analyzer74is electrically coupled to the master control circuit70. The signal analyzer74analyzes the tracking signal broadcast by the tracking transceiver60. Furthermore, the master transceiver72broadcasts an actuate signal to the inside transceiver24when the signal analyzer74determines that the tracking signal has a signal strength that is above a pre-determined threshold. The inside control circuit20receives the actuate input when the inside transceiver24receives the actuate signal from the master transceiver72. In this way the inside video camera12can record video footage when the driver18is inside of the vehicle16.

The master transceiver72broadcasts an actuate signal to the outside transceiver44associated with each of the outside video cameras26when the signal analyzer74determines that the tracking signal has a signal strength that is below the pre-determined threshold. Additionally, the outside control circuit42associated with each of the outside video cameras26receives the actuate input when the outside transceiver44associated with each of the outside video cameras26receives the actuate input from the master transceiver72. In this way each of the outside video cameras26can record video footage when the driver18exits the vehicle16. The control unit66may be in electrical communication with door switches of the vehicle such that the control unit66detects when the driver's side door of the vehicle is opened. Furthermore, the control unit66may de-actuate the inside video camera and actuate the plurality of outside video cameras26when the control unit66detects that the driver's side door is opened.

In use, the tracking unit46is worn on the driver18at a preferred location and active button is depressed to turn on the tracking unit46thereby placing the tracking unit46in communication with the control unit66. The inside video camera12is turned on when the driver18is inside of the cabin14of the vehicle16. The inside video camera12is turned off and the plurality of outside video cameras26is turned on when the driver1810exits the vehicle16. In this way the driver18is continually recorded regardless of whether the driver18is seated in the vehicle16or if the driver18is outside of the vehicle16.