Patent Publication Number: US-2013245881-A1

Title: System and Method for Monitoring the Environment In and Around an Automobile

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to monitoring systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for monitoring and recording the environment inside and outside of an automobile. Even more particularly, the present invention selectively records the audio and visual environment inside a vehicle, the visual environment outside the vehicle, and records the global position of the vehicle in case of a crash. 
     There are numerous occasions in which an automobile owner, driver, or passenger wishes that he had a video or audio record of an incident. The incident may be inside or outside of the vehicle. For instance, the occupants of a vehicle may desire to have exterior video of a traffic stop by law enforcement so as to potentially controvert law enforcement&#39;s post-incident statements or reports. In other words, a vehicle driver normally has no way to controvert a police officer&#39;s accusations. Further, a driver may desire that the interior area of the vehicle be video or audio recorded in order to verify the position or condition of passengers during an accident or while the driver has stepped inside a store for a few minutes. In addition, recording vehicle condition data may be desired, such as functionality of vehicle devices or the geographic position of the vehicle during an accident. 
     Various devices have been proposed in the art for video recording events outside a vehicle. For instance, it is well known that some law enforcement vehicles may have a dashboard mounted camera that records events in front of the vehicle, such as during a traffic stop. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide a monitoring system that activates one or more outwardly directed cameras when motion is detected alongside a stationary vehicle. Further, the existing devices do not provide a monitoring system that also provides audio and video recording inside the vehicle or that records global position data when a vehicle crash is detected. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system and method for monitoring and recording the environment inside and outside of an automobile. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system and method for monitoring the environment in and around an automobile according to the present invention includes a memory configured to store programming and data, a processor in data communication with the memory and with a vehicle computer module, at least one outside camera in data communication with the processor that is configured to mount inside an automobile interior area and positioned to receive video data from outside the automobile interior area when actuated, and a motion sensor configured to detect movement outside of the automobile when actuated. The system includes programming that causes the processor to communicate with the vehicle computer module to determine if the automobile is at rest and, if so, to actuate the motion sensor. There is programming that causes the processor to actuate the at least one outside camera when the processor has determined that the automobile is at rest and the motion sensor has detected movement outside the automobile. 
     The system further includes a global positioning system (“GPS”) mounted to the vehicle and in communication with the processor. The GPS is actuated when the automobile is determined to have crashed, such as by the processor detecting that airbags have been deployed or by reading other vehicle computer data. When actuated, the GPS outputs global position data that is then stored in memory along with an associated time data. Successive GPS data is obtained and stored after a crash is detected until the automobile is completely at rest. In this way, data is stored in memory that may be helpful for use in accident reconstruction in later insurance claims and litigation. 
     Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a system and method for monitoring areas inside and around an automobile. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a monitoring system and method, as aforesaid, having at least one outwardly directed camera situated in an automobile and configured to record video data outside the automobile. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a monitoring system and method, as aforesaid, having a motion sensor situated to detect motion outside the automobile. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide a monitoring system and method, as aforesaid, having programming that causes the outwardly directed camera to be actuated when the automobile is at rest and the motion sensor has detected motion outside the automobile. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a monitoring system and method, as aforesaid, having a global positioning system configured to output and store position data when the automobile detects a crash condition. 
     A still further object of this invention is to provide a monitoring system and method, as aforesaid, having an interiorly directed camera configured to record video data inside an interior of the automobile when actuated. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top diagrammatic view of a system and method for monitoring inside and outside of an automobile according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is rear diagrammatic view of the system as in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale of a camera of the system as in  FIG. 1  removed from the rest of the system; 
         FIG. 4  is an isolated view on an enlarged scale of a microphone of the system as in  FIG. 1  removed from the rest of the system; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating the logic of the processor according to the present system and method; and 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating the electronic components of the present system. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A system and method for monitoring and recording the environment inside and outside of an automobile will now be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 6  of the present invention. The monitoring system  10  includes a processor  20 , a memory  22 , a motion sensor  26 , a global positioning system  30 , at least one outside-directed camera  40 , and an inside camera  50 . 
     The processor  20  and memory  22  may be enclosed in an electronics case (not shown) and are in data communication with one another. The memory  22  includes programming for execution by the processor  20  and is configured to store data as will be described below. Preferably, the processor  20  is also in data communication with the vehicle computer module  14  of the automobile  12 . A vehicle computer module  14  is known in the art to include and accumulate data from various vehicle systems such as activation of the airbags  14   b,  lights  14   c,  seat belts  14   d,  cruise control  14   a,  vehicle accelerator, brakes, transmission gear setting, and many other engine components ( FIG. 6 ). Use of portions of this data will be important to the present system and method as will be discussed in further detail later. 
     The motion sensor  26  is in data communication with the processor  20 . The motion sensor  26  may be situated inside or outside of the automobile, but is preferably situated to detect movement alongside (i.e. along the sides of) the automobile. For example, the motion sensor  26  is configured to detect motion proximate a driver side door, a passenger side door, or both. Accordingly, a reference herein to a motion sensor  26  may actually refer to multiple motion sensors situated at various locations about the exterior of the vehicle. Activation of the motion sensor  26  causes the motion sensor  26  to be energized to “look” for movement and to alert the processor  20  if and when it is detected. 
     Reference to an “outside camera” refers to a camera that is directed outwardly, i.e. a camera that may be mounted on the dashboard inside the interior area of the vehicle and situated to record video data outside of the vehicle. The monitoring system  10  includes at least one outside camera  40  although it is preferred that multiple outside cameras be employed. More particularly, a front camera  42  may be mounted on the automobile dashboard and be directed to record video data in front of the automobile. A driver side camera  44  may also be mounted to the dashboard but directed toward the driver side door&#39;s window so as to record the area adjacent the driver side door when actuated, e.g. a person approaching the driver door. A passenger side camera  46  may also be mounted to the dashboard but directed toward the passenger side door&#39;s window so as to record the area adjacent the passenger side door when actuated, e.g. a person approaching the passenger door. In addition, a rear camera (not shown) may be situated proximate a rear window of the automobile  12  and directed outwardly so as to record an area rearward of the automobile when actuated. 
     The system  10  includes programming that when executed by the processor  20  causes the processor  20  to actuate one or more outside cameras  40  to record video data when the automobile  12  is detected to be completely at rest and the motion sensor  26  has detected movement. It is understood that the processor  20  may be in communication with the motion sensor  26  first to detect if the automobile  12  is at rest and then again to sense movement adjacent the driver or passenger door. Alternatively, the processor  20  may be in communication with the vehicle computer module  14  to determine if the automobile is at rest, such as when an automobile speed is at zero, the transmission indicates the vehicle is in “park,” or any combinations of relevant data that is indicative of a vehicle at rest. 
     Further, the system  10  may include in inside camera  50  (also referred to an interior camera). The inside camera  50  may be mounted to the inner surface of the roof of the automobile  12  and be directed to record the interior area of the automobile  12  when actuated. A microphone  52  may also be situated in the interior area of the automobile either adjacent to or at another strategic location. In one embodiment, the audio device may include a mute button  53  so as to temporarily not record audible sounds. It is understood that the microphone  52  may be integrated with the inside camera  50  or be independent. The microphone  52  may include a mounting fastener  55  configured to selectively attach to a ceiling of the automobile interior compartment ( FIG. 4 ). Both the inside camera  50  and the at least one outside camera  40  are electrically connected to the processor  20  and in data communication therewith. The processor  20 , when executing programming stored in memory  22 , may cause any of the cameras and microphone  52  to be activated as will be described in further detail below. The outside camera  40  and inside camera  50  may include a manual activation switch  48 ,  54 , respectively, configured to enable a user to actuate the respective camera to begin recording. Alternatively, the inside camera  50  may be configured to begin recording video data when the automobile is started. Still another alternative is that there is programming that, when executed by the processor  20 , causes the inside camera  50  to begin recording only when the automobile  12  is detected to be completely at rest. 
     The global positioning system  30  (“GPS”) may be included in the electronics housing (not shown) along with the processor  20  or at another location in the automobile  12 , such as in the engine compartment ( FIG. 1 ). The GPS  30  is configured to obtain global positioning data from the network of orbiting positioning satellites when actuated, as is generally known in the art. As will be described below, the system  10  includes programming causing the processor  20  to actuate the GPS  30  to obtain and store initial global position data to memory  22  when a crash is detected and then to continue obtaining interim global position data until the automobile is determined to be completely at rest. Specifically, new interim global position data may be output and stored every second or less than one second. Having multiple data points of global position data and the precise times of each reading will enable an accurate accident reconstruction showing the starting point, ending point, and interim positions of the vehicle. This information may prove to be valuable to plaintiffs, defendants, law enforcement, and insurance companies in later litigation. In fact, having this data may reduce the number of insurance claims that result in litigation for resolution. In addition, programming may be included that causes vehicle computer module data to be stored to memory immediately after a crash is detected, once the automobile is detected to be at rest, or both so as to contribute to obtaining the best record of what happened. 
     The system  10  may also include a transmitter  24  in data communication with the processor  20  that is configured to emit a cellular signal. More particularly, the system  10  and transmitter  24  include the capability of transmitting a signal to a user&#39;s cellular telephone or to another remote location such that the remote user may monitor data recorded by the cameras, GPS, or microphone. 
     Preferably, the system  10  includes programming that, when executed by the processor  20 , carries out the method of monitoring the environment in and around an automobile  12 . An exemplary process/method  100  according to the present invention will now be described primarily with reference to  FIG. 5 . 
     Step  102  represents the starting of an automobile  12 , after which the process  100  proceeds to step  104 . At step  104 , the components of the system  10  are initialized; for example, the process  100  may confirm operability of the GPS  106 , operability of the audio device  108 , operability of the video device(s)  110 , and the like. As described above, the inside camera  50  may be automatically actuated at vehicle startup in some embodiments or may be manually actuated in other embodiments. After initiation of the system  10 , the process  100  continues to step  10 . 
     At step  112 , the processor  20  determines if the automobile  12  is completely at rest, i.e. is not in motion. To determine if the automobile is at rest, the processor  20  may communicate with the vehicle computer module  14  and, specifically, access vehicle data such as speedometer, accelerator, transmission, or other appropriate data structures. If the vehicle is determined to be at rest, the process  100  proceeds to step  114 ; otherwise, the process  100  proceeds to step  120 . 
     At step  114 , the processor  20  first actuates the motion sensor  26  to detect motion as described above. If motion is detected, such as alongside one side or both sides of the automobile, the process  100  continues to step  116 ; otherwise, the process  100  returns to step  114  and continues to monitor the motion sensor  26 . It is understood that if motion is detected, it may mean that someone is approaching the automobile, such as a police officer, and that the ensuing incident should be recorded. 
     At step  116 , the outside video components are activated. This may include the front camera  42 , driver side camera  44 , passenger side camera  46 , rear camera (not shown), or any combination thereof. The process  100  then proceeds to step  118 . At step  118 , the inside camera  50  may also be activated to record video data inside the interior area of the automobile. After activating the cameras, the process  100  returns control to step  112  where the process  100  again monitors if the car is at rest. It is understood that, once initiated, the video components may continue to record video data until the automobile returns to motion or manually terminated. 
     At step  120 , the processor  20  determines if the automobile  12  has been involved in a crash. This may be accomplished by the processor  20  being in data communication with the vehicle computer module  14 . Specifically, the processor  20  may query the computer module  14  if seatbelts have engaged, if airbags have deployed, or other appropriate parameters are indicative of a crash. Minor fender benders, of course, may not indicate a crash, but special data records would not be desirable in that situation anyway. If a crash is detected, then the process  100  continues to step  122 ; otherwise, the process  100  returns to step  112 . 
     At step  122 , the GPS  30  is activated to output initial global position data at the time of a crash and the output initial GPS data is stored in memory  22 . The processor  20  also determines a current time and that time data is associated with the initial GPS data and stored in memory  22 . In other words, the global position of the automobile  12  at the moment of the crash is preserved in memory  22  for later recall. After step  122 , the process  100  continues to step  124 . 
     At step  124 , the processor  20  determines if the automobile  12  is completely at rest in a manner substantially similar to step  112 . If it is determined that the automobile  12  is at rest, then the process  100  continues to step  128 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to step  126  at which the GPS  30  is again actuated to output interim global position data, which is stored to memory  22  along with associated time data. Then, the process  100  returns again to step  124  to determine if the automobile is yet at rest or rather still moving as a consequence of the crash. 
     If step  124  determines that the automobile  12  is completely at rest, then the process  100  continues to step  128 . At step  128 , the GPS  30  is actuated to output final global position data which is stored to memory  22  along with associated time data. This step represents the situation where the automobile has reached its final resting place in the crash incident and its geographic position is logged. After step  128 , the process  100  continues to step  130  where a comprehensive output of data from the vehicle computer module  14  is stored to memory  22  for association with the final global position data. After step  130 , the process  100  returns to step  112  where the process  100  once again monitors if the automobile  12  is at rest. 
     In use, the system and method described above enables the environment both inside and around the exterior of an automobile  12  to be monitored and recorded for later use. When the automobile  12  is in motion, the inside camera  50  may be selectively actuated by a user to record audio or video data inside the automobile, which provides a valuable record of events or conversations inside the car and also in case a record of occupants and their positions is needed following an automobile accident. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the motion sensor  26  is activated to detect motion along the sides of the vehicle. If such motion is detected, the outside (outwardly directed) camera(s) may be activated to record events outside the car, such as a law enforcement event or to record the environment at a rest stop, for example. In addition, the GPS  30  is activated if a crash is detected so as to store a record of the exact position and time of the accident. Records of the location and timing of a vehicle accident are helpful for accident reconstruction and to minimize litigation or insurance claims. 
     Accordingly, the system and method of the present invention increases the safety and security of vehicle occupants, reduces disputes over the facts of law enforcement traffic stops, and aids in the reconstruction of accidents. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.