Video recorder for an automobile

Abstract

A system for recording a video image is disclosed. The system is mounted in a vehicle and captures the video image that is viewable from the vehicle. The system includes a video capture device for capturing the video image, a first memory storage device, a second memory storage device, a vibration sensor, and a processor The video capture device is mounted to the vehicle. The first memory storage device is in communication with the vehicle capture device for temporarily storing the video image. The second memory storage device is in communication with the video capture device and the first storage device for permanently storing the video image. The vibration sensor is fixedly mounted to the vehicle for detecting a vehicle vibration. The processor is in communication with the video capture device and the vibration sensor and has executable code for monitoring the vibration sensor and determining whether a predefined vibration threshold has been reached.

1 . A system for recording a video image, the system is mounted in a vehicle and captures the video image that is viewable from the vehicle, the system comprising: 
 a video capture device mounted to the vehicle for capturing the video image;    a first memory storage device in communication with the vehicle capture device for temporarily storing the video image;    a second memory storage device in communication with the video capture device and the first storage device for permanently storing the video image;    a vibration sensor fixedly mounted to the vehicle for detecting a vehicle vibration; and    a processor in communication with the video capture device and the vibration sensor and having executable code for monitoring the vibration sensor and determining whether a predefined vibration threshold has been reached.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising volatile memory for storing the video image prior to writing the video image to one of the first and second memory storage devices.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a video interface device for receiving video image data from the video capture device and transmitting the video image data to the processor.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the video capture device is a digital video camera.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first memory storage device is a hard disk drive.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the second memory storage device is a digital versatile disk drive.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the vibration sensor is an accelerometer.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a vehicle status indicator in communication with the processor for detecting and transmitting a vehicle status to the processor.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the vehicle status is a transmission position.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the vehicle status is an ignition switch position.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a microphone for capturing an audio signal, the microphone being in communication with the processor for receiving and storing the audio signal on one of the first and second memory devices.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a wireless microphone for capturing an audio signal.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a wireless receiver in communication with the processor for capturing the audio signal transmitted by the wireless microphone and storing the audio signal on one of the first and second memory devices.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a encoder in communication with the processor compressing the video image for storage on one of the first and second memory devices.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the encoder is an MPEG- 4  encoder.  
     
     
         16 . A method for recording a video image viewable from a vehicle, the method comprising: 
 acquiring a video image using a video capture device;    determining a vehicle operation state; and    storing the video image on one of a first memory storage device and a second memory storage device in communication with the video capture device depending on the determined vehicle operation state.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising acquiring an audio signal using an audio capture device.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising storing the audio signal on one of the first memory storage device and the second memory storage device in communication with the audio capture device depending on the determined vehicle operation state.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein determining a vehicle operation state further comprises determining whether the vehicle is moving.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising storing the video image on the first memory storage device in communication with the video capture device when the vehicle is determined to be moving.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein determining a vehicle operation state further comprises determining whether the vehicle is stationary.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising storing the video image on the second memory storage device in communication with the video capture device when the vehicle is determined to be stationary.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16  wherein determining a vehicle operation state further comprises determining whether a vehicle speed threshold has been exceeded.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising storing the acquired video image on a third memory device when the vehicle speed threshold has been exceeded.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein storing the acquired video image on a third memory device further comprises storing the acquired video image on a non-volatile memory.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising determining whether a vehicle vibration threshold has been exceeded.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising storing the acquired video image on a third memory device when the vehicle vibration threshold has been exceeded.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein storing the acquired video image on a third memory device further comprises storing the acquired video image on a volatile memory.