Patent ID: 8473143

Claim:
A system, associated with an autonomous machine, for logging visual data and sensor data associated with a triggering event, comprising: a camera disposed on the autonomous machine to provide visual data output of an area around the autonomous machine; a first sensor disposed on the autonomous machine to provide operational parameter output; a memory buffer to store the visual data output and the operational parameter output of the autonomous machine; an electronic map; a permanent memory device to selectively store contents of the memory buffer; and a controller configured to: identify, in the visual data output from the camera, objects in the area around the autonomous machine; compare the identified objects in the area around the autonomous machine to the electronic map; determine, based on the comparison, whether there is an inconsistency between the identified objects in the area around the autonomous machine and the electronic map; detect the triggering event on the autonomous machine based on a determination that there is an inconsistency between the identified objects in the area around the autonomous machine and the electronic map; and store, responsive to detecting the triggering event, the contents of the memory buffer in the permanent memory at a predetermined time after the triggering event, the contents corresponding to the visual data output and the operational parameter output occurring before, during, and after the triggering event.