System for recording and modifying behavior of passenger in passenger vehicles

Abstract

A system for modifying behavior of passengers in passenger vehicles includes housings and video tape recording equipment. When the system is used with a plurality of vehicles there is at least one fully operational vide recording arrangement in housings in one of the vehicles along with empty housings set up to have the appearance of being operational arrangements in the other vehicles. The operational video recording arrangement is for keeping a video taped record of activity in a passenger area of the vehicle. The empty housings set up to appear operational help reduce the expense of the system and complement the operational arrangement to deter undesirable behavior of passengers in the passenger areas of the vehicles. The questions raised in reexamination request No. 90/004,194, filed Mar. 27, 1996, have been considered and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e).

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A monitoring system for a vehicle such as a school bus including a driver area and a passenger seating area, the monitoring system comprising housing mean and video tape recording means, the video tape recording means including camera means, video cassette recorder means, and power means, the housing means being disposed within the vehicle and including housing means for containing the camera means therein, housing means for containing the video cassette recorder means therein, and means for connecting the camera means and the video cassette recorder means to the power means whereby a video history can be made of activity occurring in the passenger seating area, said housing means for the camera means including a cover having a window therein and the system including adjustable bracket means for accommodating mounting of the housing means for the camera means above the driver area in varying models of buses, said bracket means including adjustable mounting means for permitting adjustment of a viewing direction of the camera means contained within the housing means for the camera means, said housing means for the video cassette recorder means including indicator light means for indicating when the system is on, indicator light means for indicating whether a cassette tape in the video cassette recorder means is full, cover means with a seal, filtered openings for permitting passage of cooling air to the video cassette recorder means, and means to secure the housing means for the video cassette recorder means relative to the vehicle. 
     
     
       2. A monitoring system as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the housing means for the camera and the housing means for the video cassette recorder means are separate housing means and said housing means for the camera means includes a heating means for keeping condensation from forming on lenses of the camera means and the window in the cover and the housing means for the video cassette recorder means includes heating means for keeping the video cassette recorder warm during cold weather. 
     
     
       3. A monitoring system as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said video cassette record means includes a time and data generator. 
     
     
       4. A monitoring system for a vehicle such as a school bus including a driver area and a passenger seating area, the monitoring system comprising housing mean and video tape recording means, the video tape recording means including camera means, video cassette recorder means, and power means, the housing means being disposed within the vehicle and including housing means for containing the camera means therein, housing means for containing the video cassette recorder means therein, and means for connecting the camera means and the video cassette recorder means to the power means whereby a video history can be made of activity occurring in the passenger seating area, said school but including a key operated ignition system and a control panel connected to an electrical generating system in the school bus, a wiring panel on the housing for the video cassette recording means connected to the control panel, and said power means including a power inverter connected to the wiring panel for supply 120 volts of power to the video cassette recorder means. 
     
     
       5. A monitoring system as set forth in  claim 4 for a vehicle such as a school bus including a driver area and a passenger seating area, the monitoring system comprising housing means and video tape recording means, the video tape recording means including camera means, video cassette recorder means, and power means, the housing means being disposed within the vehicle and including housing means for containing the camera means therein, housing means for containing the video cassette recorder means therein, and means for connecting the camera means and the video cassette recorder means to the power means whereby a video history can be made of activity occurring in the passenger seating area, said school bus including a key operated ignition system and a control panel connected to an electrical generating system in the school bus, a wiring panel on the housing for the video cassette recording means connected to the control panel, and said power means including a power inverter connected to the wiring panel for supply  120  volts of power to the video cassette recorder means; and 
       wherein said housing means for the video cassette recorder means includes indicator light means for indicating when the system is on, indicator light means for indicating when a cassette tape in the video cassette recorder means is full, switch means for turning the system on, and an electrical panel for interconnecting electrical components of the system to the electrical system of the bus.  
     
     
       6. A monitoring system for a vehicle such as a school bus including a driver area and a passenger seating area, the monitoring system comprising housing mean and video tape recording means, the video tape recording means including camera means, video cassette recorder means, and power means, the housing means being disposed within the vehicle and including housing means for containing the camera means therein, housing means for containing the video cassette recorder means therein, and means for connecting the camera means and the video cassette recorder means to the power means whereby a video history can be made of activity occurring in the passenger seating area, said housing means for the camera means including a heating means for keeping condensation from forming on lenses of the camera means. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus for housing a vide tape recording system in a passenger vehicle including a passenger seating area, the apparatus comprising camera housing means including window means disposed within said vehicle, bracket means for mounting the camera housing means in said vehicle, video cassette recorder housing means having at least one indicator light means, means interconnecting said camera housing means and said video cassette recorder housing means, and power means for energizing said indicator light means thereby giving the apparatus for housing the appearance of being a fully operational monitoring system, said apparatus for housing being mounted in a school bus and said video cassette recorder housing means including a wiring panel connected to an electrical generating system in the bus, and power converter means interconnected to said camera housing means by way of said wiring panel on said video cassette recorder housing means. 
     
     
       8. A system for modifying behavior of passengers in school buses wherein there is a plurality of buses and each bus of said plurality includes a driver area and a passenger seating area, the system comprising apparatus for housing a video tape recording system for each bus of said plurality of buses, said apparatus for each bus including camera housing means having lens window means, bracket means for mounting the camera housing means, video cassette recorder housing means having at least one indicator light means, and power means for energizing said indicator light means thereby giving said apparatus for housing the appearance of being a fully operational monitoring system, and wherein at least one bus of said plurality of buses includes an operational video camera in said camera housing means, an operational video cassette recorder in said video cassette recorder housing means, and power means for supplying power as needed to operate said video tape recording system wherein a video taped history of activity in the passenger seating area can be kept for said at least one bus. 
     
     
       9. A system as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said video cassette recorder housing means includes a wiring panel for interconnecting an electrical system of said bus and electrical components of the system. 
     
     
       10. A system as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said video cassette recorder housing means includes a cover with a seal, filtered openings for permitting passage of cooling air to the video cassette recorder, and means to fix the housing means relative to the bus. 
     
     
       11. A system as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said adjustable bracket means accommodates mounting of the camera housing means above the driver area in varying models of buses, said adjustable bracket means having adjustable mounting means for adjusting the viewing position of the camera housing means. 
     
     
       12. A system as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said at least one bus includes means for generating electrical power, a key controlled ignition system, and a control panel connected to the means for generating electrical power by way of the key controlled ignition system, said power means including a power converter connected to said control panel by way of said wiring panel whereby power from said means for generating electrical power can be transmitted to said video tape recording system. 
     
     
       13. A system as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said camera housing means includes heating means for keeping condensation from forming on lenses of the video camera and the lens window means. 
     
     
       14. A system as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said camera housing means and said video cassette recorder housing means are separate housing means and said camera housing means includes heating means for keeping condensation from forming on lenses of the camera and the lens window means and said video cassette recorder housing means includes heating means for keeping the video cassette recorder warm during cold weather. 
     
     
       15. A system as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said video cassette recorder includes a time and date generator. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus for housing a video tape recording system in a passenger vehicle including a passenger seating area, the apparatus comprising camera housing means including window means disposed within said vehicle, bracket means for mounting the camera housing means in said vehicle, indicator light means visible from said passenger seating area, and power means for energizing said indicator light means thereby giving the apparatus for housing the appearance of being fully operational monitoring system. 
     
     
       17. A system for modifying behavior of passengers in school buses wherein there is a plurality of buses and each bus of said plurality includes a driver area and a passenger seating area, the system comprising apparatus for housing a video tape recording system for each bus of said plurality of buses, said apparatus for housing for each bus including camera housing means having lens window means, bracket means for mounting the camera housing means, indicator light means visible from said passenger seating area, and power means for energizing said indicator light means to thereby give said apparatus for housing the appearance of being a fully operational monitoring system, and wherein at least one bus of said plurality of buses includes an operational video tape recording system including a video camera in the camera housing means in said at least one bus and power means for supplying power as needed to operate said video tape recording system wherein a video taped history of activity in the passenger seating area can be kept for said at least one bus. 
     
     
       18. A system for modifying behavior of passenger( s )  in a passenger vehicle having a passenger area, the system comprising means for housing a video system said housing means having an activation indicator light visible from said passenger area, means for mounting said means for housing a video system, means for supplying electrical power, and means for connecting said means for supplying electrical power to said indicator light;    
       
         wherein said means for housing a video recording system includes means for housing a video camera; and  
       
       
         wherein said means for housing a video recording system includes means for housing a video recorder, and further including means for video recording for being located within said means for housing a video recorder, a video camera for being located within said means for housing a video camera, means for connecting said video camera to said means for video recording, and means for connecting said means for supplying electrical power with said video camera and said means for video recording. 
       
     
     
       19. A system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said indicator light is located on said means for housing a video recorder. 
     
     
       20. A system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said indicator light is located on said means for housing a video camera. 
     
     
       21. A system as set for in  claim 18 , further including a recorder full indicator light for indicating when a recording medium device used by said means for video recording is full. 
     
     
       22. A system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said means for housing a video camera further includes means for heating. 
     
     
       23. A system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said means for housing a video recorder further includes means for heating. 
     
     
       24. A system as set forth in  claim 18 , further including means for audio recording, a microphone, and means for connecting said means for audio recording and said microphone, wherein said means for audio recording makes an audio record correlating to events recorded by said means for video recording. 
     
     
       25. A system as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said means for audio recording is contained within said means for video recording. 
     
     
       26. A system as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said indicator light is located on said means for housing a video recorder. 
     
     
       27. A system as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said indicator light is located on said means for housing a video camera.