Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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360 DEGREE AUTOMOBILE VIDEO CAMERA SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video camera system in an automobile. In
particular the present invention relates to a video camera which has a 3600
range
for video recording inside and outside of an automotive vehicle and thereby
providing documentation for police officers or vehicle owners.
The Prior Art
The use of videotaping systems for an automobile is known. U.S.
Patent No. 4,789,904 relates to a vehicle mounted surveillance
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system. The system has a camera and a control head inside a police
vehicle and a video recorder in a bullet proof, fire proof vault of
the vehicle.
The system is used as a surveillance system to videotape
located in the trunk of a vehicle.
It would be preferred to have a system with a 3600 range for
video taping a 360 area simultaneously thus videotaping both
inside and outside of the vehicle. It would be preferable to be
able to retract the camera when not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
it is a principal object of the present invention to provide
a video camera system for documentary videotaping in a 360 range
around the camera's location.
It is another object to provide a 360 range camera to be
located behind and underneath the rear view mirror of an automobile
vehicle.
It is a further object to VCR (video-cassette recorder) for
ready image.
It is another object to provide a commercial. VCR system which
operates off the automotive vehicle's battery.
It is still another object to locate the multiplexer and VCR
either inside a glove compartment or a trunk of the automotive
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vehicle.
It is a further object to provide a video camera system which
provides a 360 degree simultaneous video taping documentation for
police officers to serve as evidence for appropriate situations
when vehicles and/or individuals are within range of the police
officer's vehicle.
It is still another object to provide a video camera system
which provides a 360 degree simultaneous video taping documentation
for vehicle owners to serve as evidence of vehicle theft or police
abuse that occur within range of the owner's vehicle.
It is yet another object to provide a video camera system
which provides a 360 degree simultaneous video taping documentation
for vehicle owners to serve as documentation of accidents and
injuries and for related insurance purposes therefor that occur
within range of the owner's vehicle.
Other objects will become readily apparent from the foregoing
description and accompanying drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view of the monitor along line 2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the invention in which
the camera has a circularly-shaped housing; and
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FIG. 6 is another alternative embodiment of the present
invention in which the camera has a cube-shaped housing;
FIG. 7 is another alternative embodiment of the present
invention in which each of four cameras can be built into the
mirror or mirror housing of the rear view mirror on different sides
of the mirror so as to provide a three hundred and sixty degree
view around the rear view mirror; and
FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG.7 in which a
camera (camera 1 is built into the front surface of the rear view
mirror and two other cameras (cameras 3 and 4 are built into
opposite side surfaces of the rear view mirror;
FIG. 9 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 showing
camera 4 built into the side surface of the rear view mirror; and
FIG. 10 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 showing a
camera (camera 2) built into the rear surface of the rear view
mirror.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a top view of the
invention, a 360 degree video camera system inside of an automotive
vehicle 1. The 360 degree camera system includes a camera housing
5, a multiplexer unit 15 and a video cassette recorder (VCR) 18
and optionally a monitor 19, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The camera housing 5, as shown in FIG. 3, can be mounted on
the supporting mount 7 of the rear view mirror 8 of the automotive
vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the camera housing 5 can be moved so
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that it can be retracted and placed behind the rear view mirror 8
in position A when not in use or extended below the rear view
mirror 8 in position B when in use. A hinge mechanism 9 can
articulately move the camera on its mount from position A to
position B and vice verse. Alternatively other mechanical
arrangements might be employed such as having the camera mount
designed as a telescopic rod for extending and retracting the
camera behind or below the rear view mirror respectively.
The camera housing 5 is preferably formed to accommodate
a 4 Board CCD or a PC51 Series CMOS inline Microvideo Camera sold
by Super Circuits, Inc., Leander, Texas, which is mounted on a 1
inch to 2 inch mount giving it a 360 degree view inside and outside
the vehicle. These miniature video cameras can be black and white
or color cameras. It is understood, however, that any other
miniature camera system can be used and the invention is not
limited to these specific examples.
There is a swivel unit for the camera housing 5 which attaches
to the rear view mirror.
The system includes preferably a 5 inch or 6 inch LCD video
monitor for viewing the camera recorded images (FIG. 2). The
monitor can be color or black and white and can flip up or down.
Wires run from the camera housing to the multiplexer. which
records with time and date, either in color or black and white, all
four miniature video cameras at the same time. Then the wires run
into a VCR which along with the miniature video cameras and
multiplexer operate off the vehicle's battery 22, preferably by a
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wire harness (not shown) to which the wires for the miniature
cameras, the multiplexer 15 and the VCR 18 run and from which the
wire harness connects to the vehicle's battery 22.
Preferably, the camera housing 5 can be configured into any
geometric shape and is not limited to the shapes described herein.
FIGS. 3 -5 shows the camera housing as a ring shaped or circular
housing with lenses on each side. Preferably four miniature video
cameras are provided on each side of the housing spaced 90 degrees
apart but the number of cameras 11 can vary if desired. The
miniature video cameras 11 provide the camera housing 5 with a 360
degree range for video recording everything around the camera
housing 5, namely the interior of the automotive vehicle and the
exterior of the automotive vehicle by recording through the
windshield, side and rear windows of the automotive vehicle 1. The
camera housing 5 and cameras 11 can run off the automotive
vehicle's battery as shown in FIG.1.
The system includes a multiplexer 15 and a VCR 18. The
multiplexer 15 permits all the recorded view from each camera 11 of
the camera housing 5 to be placed together to provide a 360 degree
picture. Thus in a four-camera arrangement, the multiplexer 15
provides for the four cameras' images to be placed side by side by
side by side for display as recorded in the VCR 18 and displayed in
the monitor 19. The VCR 18 records these images. One suitable
multiplexer 15 for the present invention is Model No. DPX4 for
color video taping and Model No. MX4M for black and white video
taping available from Advanced Technology Video Inc. of Redmond,
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Washington. Of course the present invention is not limited to any
one particular multiplexer model.
The multiplexer 15 and the VCR 18 are placed together and
preferably stacked one on top of the other either in the trunk 22
of the automotive vehicle as shown in FIG.1 or in the glove
compartment of the automotive vehicle (not shown).
The wiring between the camera housing 5, the multiplexer 15
and VCR 18 and optionally the monitor 19 can be placed behind the
panels of the sidewalls, roof and dashboard of the vehicle as shown
in FIG.1 to keep the installation of the present invention less
intrusive and the wiring concealed for aesthetic appearances. The
monitor 19, VCR 18 and the multiplexer 15 can also run off the
automotive vehicle's battery 22. Thus, preferably, all four video
cameras 11, the multiplexer 15 and the VCR 19 have wires running to
a wire harness which is connected to the vehicle's battery 22.
Alternatively any other power supply can be provided such as
batteries for the camera, multiplexer and VCR.
Alternatively, the camera housing 5 can be part of the housing
of the rear view mirror. In other words, the camera housing can be
incorporated or built into the housing of the rear view mirror(See
the embodiment described below with reference to FIGS. 7-10) .
In another embodiment(not shown), the miniature video-camera
can be a miniature digital camera and instead of a 'multiplexer unit
and a VCR, the miniature digital camera would be wired into digital
recording system. The digital recording system would be located in
either the glove compartment or the trunk in place of the
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multiplexer unit and the VCR and similarly the miniature digital
camera would be located as described for the location of the
camera and camera housing 5 herein. Examples of digital video
cameras that can be used in the present invention include but are
not limited to JVC DVM 90 and Sony PCRPC 9. Examples of digital
video cameras that can be used include but are not limited to Sony
GVD 300, Sony GVD 600 and Mobil view II Digital Recorder.
In still another embodiment of the present invention a
miniature 4 camera system can be built into the rear view mirror
or its housing. As shown in FIGS. 7-10 four cameras (cameras 1, 2,3
and 4) are built into the rear view mirror. As seen in FIG. 7
Camera 1 is built into the front surface of the rearview mirror and
cameras 3 and 4 are built into the opposite side surfaces of the
rear view mirror(see FIGS. 8 and 9) . FIG> 10 illustrates that
another camera, camera 2 is built into the rear side of the rear
view mirror. Thus the four cameras built into the rear view mirror
provide for a three hundred and sixty degree viewing around the
rear view mirror. Further a monitor can be installed and attached
to the rear view mirror which can flip down from the mirror for
viewing. It is understood that the present invention is not limited
to the number of cameras shown or the specific locations
illustrated in the drawings. Alternately, the monitor can be
located elsewhere in the automotive vehicle (not shown). One or
more of these miniature camera system are custom designed by SVS
(Subsea Video Systems, Inc.) Having an address in Elizabeth City,
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N.C. These miniature camera system has the following
specifications:
Miniature 4 day/night cameras, rear view mirror, in car video
system externally mounted-clip-on version with a 480 lines of high
resolution, flip down color LCD view screen (the. flip down monitor)
with camera switcher (1-5 cameras): Pickup element : 1/3" CCD, Snc:
Internal;AGC: Automatic;Video Output: Composite (lvp-p) ; white
balance: automatic; minimum illumination: 0.3lux., 0.0 lux;
voltage:10-16 V DC,150 mA; Dimensions: 1.75 Dia. X 2.5 inches Lg.;
Weight: 154 grams; shock: Above 1000g; Temperature: -40 degrees C
to +50 degrees C; Lens face: Pyrex tempered.
A high resolution 16X color zoom camera is also being custom
built by SVS for the present invention with the following
specifications:
This high resolution color day/night camera offers a remote
controlled motorized or manual zoom lens with a 16 x zoom o 3.9 to
54.6mm. The lens also incorporates an auto focus feature thereby
minimizing control functions . The remote zoom control unit is also
included with the camera. As with all our cameras the AV-Z is
waterproof and rated to our minimum specification of 300 foot water
depth. The micro lens motors do not allow for 1000g shock .levels
but with our specialized camera hardening techniques it can still
achieve an impressive 150g continuous shock at 0.5 millisecond ,
still exceeding any other standard video camera specifications. An
optional RS-232 serial data port is available for full computer
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control with over 10 controllable functions. This system provides
for a true harsh environmental video camera.
The specifications for this camera system include:
Pickup element : 1/4" CCD, Snc: Internal;AGC: Automatic;Video
Output: Composite (1vp-p) ; white balance: automatic; minimum
illumination: 0.Ollux.; voltage:l0-16 V DC, shock: 150g;
Temperature: -40 degrees C to +50 degrees C; Lens face: Pyrex
tempered.
A further embodiment which may utilize the camera systems such
as those which are being custom built by SVS manufactured
utilizes a DVR or digital video recorder as the digital recording
system and does not require a multiplexer in the present invention.
The camera system can either be wired for transmission to the DVR
or can communicate with the DVR by wireless transmission. The DVR
can be located in the automotive vehicle or at a remote location
from the automotive vehicle so that the camera system can
communicate with the DVR by wireless transmission. Again one
version of this DVR is being custom built by SVS as a portable /
mobile video recorder having the following features;
broadcast quality MPEG 1 and 2 recording , 1-5 cameras, 30FPS;
Programable
e video compression for, optimum recording; 1 channel- audio
recording with wearable , wireless microphone (600' transmission
from car) ; instant replay of 1-5 cameras while still recording;
compatible with NTSC or PAL; simple VCR like wearable wireless
remote operation; computer/ Internet accessible with secure password
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Drotection and up to 30 days recording with the aforementioned
:amera systems being custom built by SVS.
The specifications include:
ISO/IEX 13188-3,2(MPEG-2); Stream Types: Elementary, Program and
Transport., Half PEL accuracy; Video Encoder: Horizontal
Resolution-720,640,480,320,160; Vertical Resolution-
480,240,112(NTSC), 576,288, 144 (PAL); Preprocessor: programmable
2D (7x6) filter spatial noise reduction; Motion Estimation: Pand B-
pictures +/- 100 (H) X +/-34 (V); Inputs: (a) Composite Video : lx,
Input Impedance: 75 Ohm, 1.OVp-p Standards 525/60 (NTSC), 625/50
(PAL); Audio : lx; Balanced Level - Up to 3V p-p.
Although the invention is described in particular for use in
automotive vehicles, it can also be utilized in other vehicles
involving but not limited to aircrafts, boats, trains, etc.
While presently preferred embodiments have been described for
purposes of the disclosure, numerous changes in the arrangement of
method steps and apparatus parts can be made by those skilled in
the art. Such changes are encompassed within the spirit of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
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