A DEVICE FOR RECORDING IMAGE OF DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND AUTOMOBILE

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile (100), the device comprising: a plurality of cameras (101, 102) mounted to the automobile (100) for obtaining in real time the driving circumstances around the automobile (100) as image information; an image signal processing section (103) for processing the image information obtained by the plurality of cameras (101, 102) to a format which is suitable for recording and reproducing; and an image recording section (105) for storing in real time the image signals processed by the image signal processing section (103).

Description: A DEVICE FOR RECORDING IMAGE OF DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND AUTOMOBILE Technical Field The present invention relates to a device mounted to an automobile for automatically recording circumstances around the automobile as images with sounds, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, wherein cameras for obtaining images are mounted to the automobile, image information obtained by the cameras is converted into digital signals and then stored to a recording medium, and the recorded image information can be decoded to be displayed on a monitor or the recording medium can be disconnected from the device to allow images to be reproduced using a separate image reproducing unit. Background Art Generally, when an automobile is running, stopped or parked, driving circumstances around one's own automobile is unpredictably changed. If an accident occurs among one's own automobile, another automobile and walkers while the automobiles are running, it is necessary to secure a convincing evidence having objectivity which is to be used for judging a fault among the parties concerned, and this is considered as a very important factor not only to a driver oneself, but also to a driver of another automobile and walkers. However, in actual fact, it is very difficult to secure a convincing evidence having objectivity for a situation of an accident, which occurs when one's own automobile is running, stopped or parked. At the most, judgement of a fault among parties concerned is made mainly on the basis of assertions of the concerned parties, a record of the accident written by a traffic policeman, photographs taken after the accident occurs, etc. Moreover, actually, it is difficult to secure a witness and convincing verbal evidence from the witness. Also, while wicked actions which cause damages such as puncture of a tire or scratch on a body, to automobiles are substantially being done, when an offending automobile or an offender fled, even if it is possible to catch the offending automobile or seize the offender on a later day, because it is difficult to secure a concrete evidence, it is impossible to receive lawful compensation. On the other hand, as means for considering driving circumstances of an automobile and obtaining information related to the driving circumstances of the automobile, a tachograph is disclosed in the art. However, because information such as speed of one's own automobile, angle of a steering wheel, running time of the automobile, etc. at the time when an accident occurs, is recorded to the tachograph, information for a minor collision, an accident at a pedestrian crossing, a signal violation, a knock down and run away accident, etc. which may occur while driving the automobile in complex and various road driving circumstances, cannot be properly provided. On the other hand, a device in which a sensor is installed rearward of an automobile for overcoming a problem due to bli d areas so that an alarm is rendered when the sensor senses a human body or an obstacle positioned rearward of the automobile, a device in which a camera capable of imaging blind areas of an automobile is installed to a proper position so that images for the blind areas obtained by the camera are displayed on a monitor located in the vicinity of a driver seat, etc. are disclosed in the art. However, the devices simply function as auxiliary means used in driving an automobile, and it is impossible for the devices to record and reproduce driving circumstances around the automobile to and from a recording medium as image information. Disclosure of Invention According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, wherein small- sized cameras are mounted to the automobile for obtaining image information for the front side and the rear side of the automobile as monochrome or color image information, the image information obtained by the cameras is recorded in real time to a recording medium after being converted to digital signals , and the recorded image signals are capable of being reproduced to be displayed on displaying means . According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, wherein cameras are mounted to center portions of front and rear windshiold glasses of the automobile for obtaining image information for the front side and the rear side of the automobile, the image information obtained by the cameras is recorded as capture images in real time and with a predetermined time interval to a recording medium after being converted to digital signals, and the recorded image signals are capable of being reproduced to be displayed on displaying means. According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, wherein cameras for obtaining image information for the front side and the rear side of the automobile and means for sensing impact applied from the outside are mounted to the automobile; auxiliary power supply means supplements a battery power supply of the automobile itself while being automatically switched; when impact is applied to the automobile from the outside and damage is caused in a power supplying path of the automobile itself, a power source is automatically switched from the battery power supply to the auxiliary power supply means, and at the same time, images obtained by the cameras are converted into digital signals to be continuously recorded for a predetermined time in real time to a recording medium; and the recorded image signals are capable of being reproduced to be displayed on a display. According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, where...n sound information is obtained, simultaneously with an image recording, by microphones installed inside and outside the automobile, whereby it is possible to record and reproduce a situation of an accident occurring during running, parking or stopping, in a more realistic manner together with images . Brief Description of Drawings The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: FIGs. 1A and IB are plan views illustrating installation positions of cameras when a device for recording an image of driving circumstances is mounted to an automobile, wherein FIG. 1A depicts a state in which a pair of cameras are installed to be opposed to each other and FIG. IB depicts another state in which a pair of cameras are installed to face each other; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile; and FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining recording/reproducing procedures of an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, which are implemented in accordance with the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. Hereinafter, a construction and working effects of a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGs. 1A through 3. FIG. 1A is a plan view illustrating installation positions of cameras in an automobile to which a device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile of the present invention is mounted. A front first camera 101 is directed toward the front of an automobile 100 and is attached to an inner upper end of a front windshield glass. An angle al through which the first camera 101 can image driving circumstances around the automobile can be properly enlarged using a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, etc. Image information for a front portion and front left and right portions of the automobile 100 is obtained by the front first camera 101. A rear second camera 102 is directed toward the rear of the automobile 100 and is attached to an inner upper end of a reai windshield glass. An angle a2 through which the second camera 102 can image driving circumstances around the automobile can be properly enlarged using a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, etc. Image information for a rear portion and rear left and right portions of the automobile 100 is obtained by the rear second camera 102. Small-sized charge-coupled devices (CCDs) can be used as the cameras, and, if desired, separate cameras can be additionally installed for left and right side portions of the automobile 100. Also, according to the present invention, cameras having microphones provided therein can be installed, whereby images and sounds around the automobile 100 can be simultaneously obtained. In addition, other microphones can be installed inside the automobile 100, whereby, when an accident occurs, a situation inside the automobile 100 can be recorded as sounds together with images. Since a procedure for applying a technique of obtaining, recording and reproducing sound information to the present invention as described above, can be embodied by persons skilled in the art in a sufficient and easy manner, detailed descriptions for the procedure will be omitted. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. IB, the first camera 101 can be installed such that it is directed from the front toward the rear of the automobile 100, and the second camera 102 can be installed such that it is directed from the rear toward the front of the automobile 100. In other words, by installing the first and second cameras 101 and 1C2 such that their imaging angles are crossed with each other at points which are separated from a body of the automobile 100 by a distance d, operating ranges of the cameras 101 and 102 can be preferably enlarged. In this case, the cameras 101 and 102 can operate such that they securely remove blind areas at the left and right side portions of the automobile 100. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile according to the present invention, the device including an image reproducing device 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the device of the present invention includes the first and second cameras 101 and 102 which are mounted to the automobile 100 in proper directions for obtaining image information around the automobile 100, a screen-two-divisional processing section 103 for two-divisionally and simultaneously recording and reproducing image information obtained by the first and second cameras 101 and 102 on a screen, an encoder section 104 for processing the image information outputted from the screen-two-divisional processing section 103 to image signals having a suitable format and for converting the image signals to digital signals, an image recording medium 105 for storing the digital image signals converted by the encoder section 104, a recording time interval establishing section 106 for establishing a recording time interval of the image signals which are recorded to the image recording medium 105, a main power supply section 107 of the automobile 100 itself and an auxiliary power supply section 10L, an impact sensor section 109 for sensing physical impact applied to the automobile 100, a power source switching section 110 for supplying power from the main power supply section 107 of the automobile 100 itself in an ordinary time and for supplying power from the auxiliary power supply section 108 when impact is sensed by the impact sensor section 109, and a forced- driving time establishing section 111 for establishing a power supplying time by the power source switching section 110 thereby establishing a time during which the image recording device is forcibly operated when impact is sensed by the impact sensor section 109. Further, as described above, the device according to the present invention includes the image reproducing device 200. The image reproducing device 200 has a decoder section 201 for reproducing the digital image signals which are recorded to the image recording medium 105 and a display section 202 for displaying on a monitor the image signals which are reproduced by the decoder section 201. Due to the fact that the image reproducing device 200 is constructed together with the image recording device, it is possible to immediately reproduce recorded images and to display the reproduced image signals on the monitor. However, it is also possible to provide the image reproducing device 200 as a separate element and to implement only an image recording operation. On the other hand, the image recording medium 105 as being a medium which can store digital image signals is constituted by a large scale hard disk drive (HDD), a flash memory, a re-writable CD-ROM, etc. Further, the image recording medium 105 can be realized such that it can be connected to and disconnected from the image recording device via a component such as a connector, a communication port or the like. In addition, the image recording medium 105 can be constituted by a VCR. In this case, an analog/digital conversion processing by the encoder section 104 is not required, and recorded signals can be reproduced using a conventional analog VCR as it is. Hereinafter, operations of the device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile according to the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, will be described in detail with reference tc the block diagram of FIG. 2 and the flowchart of FIG. 3. In an ordinary time, the power source switching section 110 supplies power for operating the device from the main power supply section 107 of the automobile 100 itself. The main power supply section 107 is a battery of the automobile 100 itself. If the power is supplied to the device, operations of the first and second cameras 101 and 102 are initiated at step 301. Then, at step 302, images of the front and rear portions and side portions of the automobile 100, which are obtained by the first and second cameras 101 and 102, are processed on the left and right or upper and lower two-divisional screen by the screen-two-divisioral processing section 103, and the processed image signals are converted into digital signals by the encoder section 104. The screen-two-divisional processing as described above is implemented so that the images obtained by the first and second cameras 101 and 102 are simultaneously monitored on one screen. The first and second cameras 101 and 102 can be constituted by CCDs which can obtain monochrome or color images. In case that color images are obtained, information for a type ard a color of an offending automobile and facial features and clothes of an offender can be precisely secured. If desired, separate cameras can be additionally installed for obtaining images for left and right side portions of the automobile 100. For example, in the case that four cameras are used, a screen-four-divisional processing in which four camera images are simultaneously displayed on one screen, is implemented. The encoder section 104 functions not only to convert the obtained image signals to digital signals, but also to process (encode) the obtained image signals to have a proper signal format. For example, the encoder section 104 constructs digital image signals having a signal format which corresponds to NTSC standards. The digital image signals are recorded to the image recording medium 105. At this time, at step 303, a judgment for determining whether or not impact is sensed by the impact sensor section 109 is performed. Impact sensors are installed at proper positions along a lengthwise direction and/or a widthwise direction of the automobile 100, to output a corresponding impact sensing signal when a minor collision or a crash occurs. In the case that impact is applied to the automobile from the outside, power supply from the main power supply section 107 of the automobile 100 which is the battery of the automobile 100 itself, to the device, can be cut. Therefore, in this case, as in step 304, a power source switching operation is implemented by the power source switching section 110, whereby power is supplied from the auxiliary power supply section 108 to the device. At this time, as in step 305, power is continuously supplied to the device from the auxiliary power supply section 108 for a forced-driving time, for example, for 15 minutes, which is established by the forced-driving time establishing section 111, whereby it is possible to obtain/record image information for driving circumstances around the automob le 100, not only immediately before a minor collision or a crash occurs, but also for a predetermined time after the minor collision or the crash occurs . Then, at step 306, a judgement for determining whether or not a recording time interval is to be adjusted, is performed. If it is determined at step 306 that a recording time interval is to be adjusted, a program proceeds to step 307 where a recording time interval is adjusted and established by the recording time interval establishing section 106, and thereafter, at step 308, an image recording operation is implemented for the established recording time interval. For example, while the automobile 100 is running, the image recording operation is continuously implemented, and while the automobile 100 is being parked or stopped, images for the driving circumstances around the automobile 100 are recorded in the form of capture images with a predetermined time interval in view of recording capacity (recording time) of the image recording medium 105. By performing step 308, image information for driving circumstances around the automobile 100 is recorded to the image recording medium 105 as digital information. The digital information is stored to the image recording medium 105 after being compacted using a proper compaction program, whereby it is possible to cope with a limitation in recording time due to a limitation in recording capacity of the image recording medium 105. The image signals recorded to the image recording medium 105 can be reproduced by the image reproducing device 200 mounted to the automobile 100 or by a separate reproducing device. In the case that the image reproducing device 200 is mounted to the automobile 100, if it is determined at step 309 that images are to be reproduced (corresponding to instructions such as a reproduction key input by a user), the decoder section 201 implements a decoding operation which is a reverse process to the encoding operation and then implements a digital/analog conversion operation, thereby to reproduce digital image information. The image information reproduced by the decoder section 201 is displayed on the display section 202, as in step 311. The display section 202 can be constituted by a VDT, an LCD, etc. In the case that the conversion operation by the encoder 104 is implemented to have an NTSC format, composite image signals are constructed using the NTSC format and then outputted, and the images obtained by the two first and second cameras 101 and 102 and screen-two-divisionally processed are displayed on one display section 202. In the case that the image reproducing device is provided as a separate element, the image recording medium 105 is disconnected from the connector, the communication port or the like, and then, the image recording medium 105 is connected to the image reproducing device using a connector, a communication port or the like, thereby to enable signal encoding and displaying. In the case that the image reproducing device 200 is constituted by a PC having a capture board, it is possible to store images to be displayed in the form of a file after implementing a capture process and to print the images . The device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile as shown in FIGs . 1A through 3, of the present invention, represents a preferred embodiment of the present invention. By the present invention, a situation of an accident can be reproduced in a more realistic manner in that sound information obtained by microphones installed inside and outside the automobile can be recorded and reproduced together with the image information. As described above, by the device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile according to the present invention, advantages are provided in that since a real-time recording of images and sounds around the automobile is accomplished during running, parking or stopping, a situational evidence of a minor collision, a crash, etc. which occur in association with an automobile can be secured as image and sound information. Further, in the device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile according to the present invention, even if a battery power supply of the automobile is shut off due to the occurrence of an accident, because power is continuously supplied from an auxiliary power supply section to ensure continuity of an image recording operation, a situational evidence of the accident can be secured. Moreover, in the device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile according to the present invention, since images around the automobile can be recorded for many hours in the form of a capture image when the autcnobile is parked or stopped, a function of preventing a crime against the automobile is simultaneously achieved, whereby information such as not only a type of an offending automobile, but also a color and a license number of the offending automobile, facial features and clothes of an offender, etc. can be precisely secured as highly reliable information while not depending upon a witness. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A device for recording an image of driving circumstances around an automobile, the device comprising: a plurality of cameras mounted to the automobile for obtaining in real time the driving circumstances around the automobile as image information; image signal processing means for processing the image information obtained by the plurality of cameras to a format which is suitable for recording and reproducing; and image recording means for storing in real time the image signals processed by the image signal processing means . 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device has at least two cameras; and the device further comprises screen-divisional processing means for divisionally recording and reproducing image information obtained by the at least two cameras, on a screen. 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: recording time interval adjusting means for adjusting a recording time interval of an image signal which is recorded to the image recording means . 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: impact sensing means for sensing impact applied to the automobile from the outside; an auxiliary power supply section for supplying power when impact is sensed by the impact sensing means; and and means for switching a power source from a main power supply section of the automobile itself to the auxiliary power supply section when impact is sensed by the impact sensing means, thereby forcibly driving the device for a predetermined time. 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means for reproducing and displaying image signals recorded to the image recording means . 6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, among the plurality of cameras mounted to the automobile, a first camera is installed to be directed from the front toward the rear of the automobile, and a second camera is installed to be directed from the rear toward the front of the automobile. 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein microphones are installed inside and outside the automobile, whereby it is possible to implement a sound recording operation as well as an image recording operation.

Inventors: JUNG DUK JIN, JUNG, DUK, JIN
Applicants: JUNG DUK JIN, LEE EUNG DO, JUNG, DUK, JIN, LEE, EUNG, DO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B60R1
IPC codes: B60R1