Event data recorder with low power consumption

Abstract

An event data recorder (EDR) is configured to operate in a driving mode and a parking mode. In the driving mode, the EDR is configured to perform high quality video recording using an image-capturing circuit. In the parking mode, the EDR is configured to periodically activate the image-capturing circuit for event detection and start to perform low quality video recording after detecting a specific event.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An event data recorder (EDR), comprising:
 a built-in power supply; 
 an image-recording module, comprising:
 an image-capturing circuit configured to perform performing a first video recording function in a driving mode and perform performing a second video recording function or a photograph function in a parking mode; 
 a module timing circuit only configured to periodically activate the image-capturing circuit in the parking mode for performing the photograph function; and 
 a processing circuit configured to detect detecting a specific event according to an image obtained by the image-capturing circuit when performing the photograph function and output outputting a wakeup signal when detecting the specific event; 
 
 a control module configured to activate the image-capturing circuit for performing the second video recording function when receiving the wakeup signal; and 
 a system timing circuit configured to provide a reference clock signal according to which the image-capturing circuit performs the first or the second video recording function, wherein the module timing circuit and the system timing circuit are different circuits; 
 wherein the module timing circuit and the system timing circuit are different circuits; wherein when the event data recorder is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is operated in the driving mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is powered by the built-in power supply and is operated in the parking mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The EDR of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory module for storing a data obtained by the image-capturing circuit when performing the first or the second video recording function. 
 
     
     
       3. The EDR of  claim 1 , wherein the module timing circuit consumes less power than the system timing circuit. 
     
     
       4. The EDR of  claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to calibrate the module timing circuit according to the system timing circuit. 
     
     
       5. The EDR of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit consumes less power than the control module. 
     
     
       6. The EDR of  claim 1 , wherein the image-capturing circuit consumes less power when operating in the parking mode than when operating in the driving mode. 
     
     
       7. The EDR of  claim 1 , further comprising a transmitting interface for transmitting the wakeup signal. 
     
     
       8. An image-recording module, comprising:
 an image-capturing circuit configured to perform performing a video recording function in a driving mode or perform performing a photograph function in a parking mode; 
 a module timing circuit configured to periodically activate the image-capturing circuit in the parking mode for performing the photograph function; and 
 a processing circuit configured to determine determining whether the image-capturing circuit should further perform the video recording function in the parking mode according to photos obtained when the image-capturing circuit performs the photograph function, wherein a quality of the video recording function in the driving mode is higher than a quality of the photograph function in the parking mode; 
 wherein when an event data recorder comprising the image-recording module is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder, the image-recording module is operated in the driving mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is powered by a built-in power supply and the image-recording module is operated in the parking mode. 
 
     
     
       9. An image-recording module, comprising:
 a module timing circuit configured to provide a module clock signal; and 
 an image-capturing circuit configured to:
 receivereceiving the module clock signal in a parking mode; 
 performperforming a photograph function only based on the module clock signal; and 
 receivereceiving a system clock signal external to the image-recording module for performing a second video recording function when a specific event is detected according to images captured using the photograph function; 
 
 wherein when an event data recorder comprising the image-recording module is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder, the image-recording module is operated in a driving mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is powered by a built-in power supply and the image-recording module is operated in the parking mode. 
 
     
     
       10. The image-recording module of  claim 9 , wherein the image-capturing circuit is further configured to:
 performperforms a first video recording function in the driving mode when receiving the system clock signal or performperforms the second video recording function in the parking mode; and 
 performperforms the photograph function in the parking mode when not receiving the system clock signal. 
 
     
     
       11. An event data recorder (EDR), comprising:
 a built-in power supply; 
 a power supply module configured to receive external power from an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder or built-in power from the built-in power supply; 
 an image-recording module, comprising:
 a module timing circuit configured to provide a module clock signal; 
 an image-capturing circuit configured to:
 when receiving a system clock signal external to the image-recording module, perform performing a first image-capturing function in a driving mode according to the system clock signal; and 
 when not receiving the system clock signal, perform performing a second image-capturing function in a parking mode according to the module clock signal; and 
 
 a processing circuit configured to enable enabling the image-capturing circuit for performing a second video recording function in the parking mode when determining that a difference between an image parameter of consecutive photos obtained when the image-capturing performs a photograph function is larger than a threshold value in the parking mode; and 
 
 a control module configured to send the system clock signal to the image-recording module when the power supply module receives the external power; 
 wherein when the power supply module receives the external power, the event data recorder is operated in the driving mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the power supply module, the power supply module receives the built-in power and the event data recorder is operated in the parking mode. 
 
     
     
       12. The event data recorder of  claim 11 , wherein the first image-capturing function is a first video recording function. 
     
     
       13. The event data recorder of  claim 11 , wherein the second image-capturing function is the second video recording function or the photograph function. 
     
     
       14. An event data recorder (EDR), comprising:
 a built-in power supply;   an image-recording module configured to perform a first video recording function in a driving mode and perform a second video recording function or a photograph function in a parking mode, the image-recording module configured to output a wakeup signal when detecting a specific event; and   a control module configured to activate the image-recording module for performing the second video recording function when receiving the wakeup signal;   wherein when the event data recorder is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is operated in the driving mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is powered by the built-in power supply and is operated in the parking mode.   
     
     
       15. An event data recorder (EDR), comprising:
 a battery power supply;   an image-recording module configured to perform a first video recording function in a power supply mode and perform a second video recording function or a photograph function in a battery supply mode, the image-recording module configured to output a wakeup signal when detecting a specific event; and;   a control module configured to activate the image-recording module for performing the second video recording function when receiving the wakeup signal,   wherein when the event data recorder is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is operated in the power supply mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is powered by the battery power supply and is operated in the battery supply mode.   
     
     
       16. An event data recorder (EDR), comprising:
 a battery power supply;   an image-recording module configured to perform a first video recording function in a power supply mode and perform a second video recording function or a photograph function in a battery supply mode, the image-recording module configured to output a wakeup signal when detecting a specific event caused by difference between an image parameter of two consecutive photos; and   a control module configured to activate the image-recording module for performing the second video recording function when receiving the wakeup signal,   wherein when the event data recorder is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is operated in the power supply mode, and when the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder, the event data recorder is powered by the battery power supply and is operated in the battery supply mode.   
     
     
       17. An event data recorder (EDR), comprising:
 a built-in power supply;   an image-recording module configured to perform a first video recording function in a first mode and perform a second video recording function or a photograph function in a second mode, the image-recording module configured to output a wakeup signal when detecting a specific event; and   a control module configured to activate the image-recording module for performing the second video recording function or the photograph function when receiving the wakeup signal,   wherein the event data recorder is powered by an external power supply coupled to the event data recorder when the event data recorder is operated in the first mode, and the external power supply is no longer available to provide power to the event data recorder when the event data recorder is powered by the built-in power supply and is operated in the second mode.