DE20117574U1 - documentation system - Google Patents

Description

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

LAW FIRM

Boehmert & Boetuncit · Nicrtutnnsweg 133 · D-24105 Kiel

German Patent Office-
and Trademark Office
Zweibrückenstr. 12

80297 Munich

DR-INO. KARL BOEHMERT, PA (UM-1973) DIPL-INC ALBERTBOEHMERT.PA<l 902-19») WILHELM J. H. STAHLBERG, Attorney-at-Law Bremen DR-ING. WALTER HOORMANN. PA·. bromine DIPL-PHYS. DR. HEINZ GODDAR. PA-, Mönchen DR-ING ROLAND L[ESECANG. PA·, uuto WOLF-DIETER KUNTZE RA, Bremen. Alioiu DIPL-PHYS.ROBERTMONZHUBER, PA(IS35-IM2) DR. LUDWIG KOUKER, RA. Bremm DR (CHEM.) ANDREAS WINKLER. PA·. Bremen MICHAELA HUTH-DIERIG, RA, Mönchen DlPL PHYS. DR. MARION TONHARDT.PA·,Doaddcrf DR. ANDREAS EBERT-WE1DENFELLER, RA. Bremen, DIPL-ING. EVA LIESEOANG, PA·. Monk&trade; DR. AXEL NORDEMANN, RA. Berlin DIPL-PHYS. DR. DOROTHEE WEBER-BRULS,PA·.Frankfurt DIPL-PHYS. DR. STEFAN SCHOHE. PA·. MtKh=. DR-ING. MATTHIAS PHIUPP. PA·. Bielefeld DR JAN BERND NORDEMANN, LLM., RA. Berlin

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PROF. DR. WILHELM NORDEMANN, R p

DIPL-PHYS. EDUARD BAUMANN, PA·. Hohcnldidm DR-INC. GERALD KLOPSCH, PA·,IXtoddcrf DIPL-ING. HANS W.CROENING,PA·.Monchca DlPL-ING. SIEGFRIED SCHIRMER, PA-. Bielefeld DIPL-PHYS. LORENZHANEWINKEL.PA-.Paderborn DlPL-ING. DR. IAN TONNIES, PA, RA. Kid DIPL-PHYS. CHRISTIANBIEHL.PA·.Kid DR. MARTIN WIRTZ, RA. DOiaeUorf DR. DETMAR SCHAFER. RA. Bmncn DlPL-PHYS. DR-ING. UWE MANASSE, PA·,Brenn. DR. CHRISTIAN CZYCH0WSK1, RA. Berlin DR CARL-RICHARD HAARMANN. RA. Mönchen DIPL-PHYS. DR.THOMAS L. BITTNER, PA·.Bali. DR. VOLKER SCHMfTZ, RA. Mönche. DR. FRIEDRICH NICOLAUS HEISE, RA. Poudam DlPL-PHYS.CHRISTIAN W. APPELT, PA.Mbcbe» DR. ANKE NORDEMANN-SCHIFFEL, Ra-. PouAm KERSTINMAUCH, LLM.,RA. PMSm DIPL-BIOL. DR. JAN B. KRAUSS, PA.Mönchen JÜRGEN ALBRECHT, RA. Manchen

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N 5153 Kiel,
25 Oct 2001

northern baltic blue gmbh, brokerstr. 6, 24159 Kiel

Documentation system

The invention relates to a documentation system for motor vehicles according to the preamble of the main claim.

Motor vehicle documentation systems are needed, for example, to take photos of used cars.

133.-.D-2.4J05 Kjel · Telephone+49*1&1«-8«W* ; Fax +49-*t3V$4077

MUNICH

- BREMEN - BERLIN^- D&siELDORF - FiLANKKSU·- BIELEFELD - PpTSDAM - fcR^DENBtlRG. kIeL &iacgr; PADERBORN - HÖHENKIRCHEN - ALICANTE ... .... (,ttpVWwww.ooehmerl.de e-mail.postmaster@boehmert.de

BOEHMERT &BOEHME ^# RT

Up to now, conventional cameras have been used for this purpose, which can also be equipped with digital storage, which makes it much easier to read in data for further processing, especially for the Internet presentation of such motor vehicles.

However, the problem is that due to different distances and lighting angles as well as different backgrounds and the like, the images vary greatly in their quality and also in their advertising effectiveness.

The invention therefore has the task of creating a system with which, with optimal lighting, decentralized standardized images can be created that allow the appearance of the paintwork in particular to be as unaffected as possible by undesirable influences. At the same time, all equipment details, particularly in the interior and dashboard area, but also exterior equipment details such as rims and the like, should be recorded.

In addition to used cars, this type of standardized recording of vehicle data can also be used in the new car sector, in which dealers in neighboring geographical areas build up databases with the new cars they have in stock, which enable customers to obtain an accurate and accurate picture of the new cars available from neighboring dealers, thus avoiding long delivery times and at the same time allowing the cars already available from dealers to be sold at full price to those customers who want exactly such a vehicle.

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT
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Vehicles from different dealers can be freely exchanged based on the images taken with the same equipment, which makes it much easier to build large databases because image recognition programs can determine, for example, color or the type of rims from the recorded data.

With non-standardized "conventional" digital images, such an evaluation and even the creation of a database is practically impossible.

At the same time, such a documentation system can also be equipped with an infrared sensor to detect the approach of vehicles before recording. Without any additional effort, the system can therefore detect the departure of vehicles in the sense of an anti-theft alarm system, whereby, if the system is installed as a gate to a parking lot, for example, the exit and entry of all vehicles can be automatically logged and, if necessary, a picture of the driver can be saved. If the system is previously sabotaged, it can send a blocking signal to the parking lot gates, thus ensuring that no undocumented vehicle movements take place to and from the parking lot monitored in this way.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment.

In particular, it is proposed to set up a portal on which at least one camera and one or more headlights are provided in the upper area in order to capture an image taken obliquely from above of the motor vehicle. The desired position of the motor vehicle

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BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

The identification of the vehicle can be done either by signalling a desired starting position to the driver of a motor vehicle by the driver automatically moving the vehicle in the direction of the portal in a certain position for passing through the portal due to the portal nature of the documentation system and then stopping the vehicle when this is signalled to him by a traffic light.

The traffic light can be controlled by induction loops on the ground, but if necessary a camera can also be triggered directly by an induction loop.

However, due to the better image quality, it is currently advantageous to stop the car so that the high-intensity headlight(s) can be used and the digital camera can take a first picture without the driver, unaffected by any movement. The use of flash devices is also conceivable.

While getting out, the driver can now manually place a portable digital camera (preferably one connected to the system via a data cable, but conceivably also one connected to the system via a radio data connection) on the open window or door via a rail in a standardized position, whereby the angle can be precisely specified by another rail that is not parallel to the beam but rests on the outside of the outer body. If desired, this can be automated, but this is comparatively complex.

A second position of the vehicle's standstill is indicated in the portal by the traffic light, with another camera now capturing the rims and, if applicable, tires of the vehicle.

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

Alternatively, ultrasonic sensors can be arranged, especially in the upper area of the portal, to detect the position of vehicles.

A third position behind the portal after driving through it to capture the vehicle from behind must be maintained by the driver at a second traffic light, which is either located at a distance from the portal in his field of vision or arranged on the portal and can be seen through the rear-view mirror. Another loop in the floor or a second proximity sensor, as is known from room monitoring systems, can also determine the position of the vehicle.

Regardless of the high-quality recordings, however, all moving vehicles driving through the portal can also be recorded, which can be used, for example, as theft protection in larger parking lots.

Finally, a barcode reader for the vehicle number engraved on the windscreen can be provided on the portal. Alternatively, a further reading option can be provided on the portable camera, which can then be captured by the driver when getting out of the vehicle in conjunction with the interior photo by manually placing the portable camera on the desired vehicle window surface.

Claims (8)

1. Documentation system for motor vehicles with a plurality of digital cameras, characterized by a portal in the upper area of which headlights and some of the digital cameras are arranged. 2. Documentation system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the cameras in the support area of the portal is directed towards the rim area of a motor vehicle standing under the portal. 3. Documentation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by induction coils arranged on the ground for detecting the position of a motor vehicle, and a position computer which controls a traffic light provided in the support area of the portal based on the signal emitted by the induction coils. 4. Documentation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one portable camera which transmits its data to a central device which processes the camera data of the other cameras as well for recording the interior of the motor vehicle. 5. Documentation system according to claim 4, characterized in that the portable camera is connected via a data cable connection to a central computer arranged in the support area of the portal. 6. Documentation system according to claim 4 and 5, characterized in that the portable camera is provided with mounting rails for a door pillar of the motor vehicle. 7. Documentation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that cameras on both sides of the portal are directed into the area before passage and into the area after passing through the portal. 8. Documentation system according to claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of traffic lights are provided for viewing from the motor vehicle from positions on each of the two sides of the portal.