JP7345815B2 - Equipment, in-vehicle equipment and systems - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to devices, in-vehicle equipment, systems, and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a device for supplying power to in-vehicle equipment has been known (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a bracket that includes a solar cell and supplies electricity generated by the solar cell to in-vehicle equipment. The bracket described in Patent Document 1 is fixed onto a dashboard. Moreover, in order for the solar cells to generate electricity, it must be placed in a location exposed to direct sunlight.

JP2012-66744A

As mentioned above, the bracket of Patent Document 1 is fixed on the dashboard. Therefore, if the bracket is configured to include a storage battery, the storage battery will be fixed in a position exposed to direct sunlight. However, the temperature range in which storage batteries can be charged and discharged is limited, so when the temperature rises due to exposure to direct sunlight, the upper limit of the temperature that can be charged and discharged is exceeded, making it difficult for the storage battery to supply power to in-vehicle devices. There is a possibility that it will not be possible.

The present application was proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present application is to provide a device etc. that can satisfactorily supply power to in-vehicle equipment.

(1) The device of the present invention is a device that is interposed between a vehicle and in-vehicle equipment, supplies power to the in-vehicle equipment, is separate from the in-vehicle equipment, and is a device that is separate from the in-vehicle equipment, and is connected to a battery, charges the battery, and supplies power to the in-vehicle equipment. and a charge/discharge control unit that is a control unit that controls power supply to the equipment, and the charge/discharge control unit supplies power to the in-vehicle equipment using the vehicle as a power supply source and charges the battery when power is being supplied from the vehicle. When the power supply from the vehicle is cut off, the power supply source to the on-vehicle equipment is switched from the vehicle to the battery, and the power supply to the on-vehicle equipment is continued for a predetermined period of time.

In this way, even if power supply from the vehicle is interrupted, power supply to the on-vehicle equipment can be continued. Examples of cases in which the power supply from the vehicle is cut off include when the vehicle drive source stops, when the power supply from the vehicle battery whose charging is stopped due to the stoppage of the vehicle drive source, while the vehicle is stopped, This is a good idea when the vehicle is parked or when there is no one in the vehicle. Even in such a case, the in-vehicle equipment can continue to operate by being supplied with power from this device. In particular, if the configuration of the in-vehicle device is the configuration (7) described below, in which the in-vehicle device operates during the period when power is supplied and stops operating when the power supply is stopped, the in-vehicle device Since the equipment stops operating, the in-vehicle equipment can be operated only for a desired period of time. Furthermore, for example, in the case of a configuration in which on-vehicle equipment is operated by power supply from the vehicle battery while the vehicle drive source is stopped, there is a risk that the vehicle battery will run down, but this device should not be interposed between the vehicle and the on-vehicle equipment. This makes it difficult for the vehicle battery to run down even when the on-vehicle equipment is operated. It is possible to prevent a situation in which, for example, the starter motor of the engine is unable to rotate due to the battery becoming exhausted and the engine cannot be started and the vehicle cannot be driven.

Furthermore, since it is a separate unit, the device can be installed at a location different from the location of the on-vehicle equipment, and configuration (2), which will be described later, is particularly advantageous because it can suppress temperature rise. The battery may be, for example, a lithium ion battery or a lithium ion polymer battery, but a lithium-hydrogen rechargeable battery is particularly suitable because it has a wide chargeable temperature range and dischargeable temperature range. As in-vehicle equipment, it is preferable to use a laser detector, a security device, etc., but it is preferable to use a device that generates a large amount of internal heat. An example of a device with a large amount of internal heat generation is a device that performs image processing, such as a drive recorder. Since the device is separate from the in-vehicle equipment, it can be made less susceptible to heat generation.

Further, it is preferable that the in-vehicle equipment is installed in a place where it receives heat from the outside, and this device is installed in a place where it is unlikely to receive heat from the outside. The external source may be, for example, direct sunlight or an engine. It is preferable that the in-vehicle equipment can be installed in a position that receives direct sunlight, and that the present device can be installed in a position that is blocked from direct sunlight. In particular, it is preferable that the in-vehicle equipment is installed near the glass between the outside and the inside of the vehicle, and the present device is not installed near the glass. Note that the in-vehicle device may be not only a device that is installed in advance integrally with the vehicle, but also a device that is separate from the vehicle and installed later on the vehicle.

(2) The in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that photographs the outside of the vehicle, and is preferably sized and shaped to be installed in a location other than the engine room of the vehicle where direct sunlight is blocked.

A drive recorder is installed near a windshield in order to photograph the outside of a vehicle through a glass such as a windshield. However, the area near the glass is also a place where the temperature is likely to rise due to direct sunlight. Therefore, by installing the battery in a place where direct sunlight is blocked, it is possible to prevent the temperature of the battery from rising. Furthermore, by installing the present device in a location other than the engine room where the vehicle drive source is housed, it can be made less susceptible to the effects of heat from the vehicle drive source. By making it difficult for the temperature of the battery to rise, it is possible to prevent charging and discharging from becoming impossible due to a rise in temperature, and it is possible to make it less likely that power supply to in-vehicle equipment will become impossible. In-vehicle equipment can continue to operate even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off.

(3) In-vehicle equipment does not have a battery or has a battery smaller than the battery, and is installed in a location where there are restrictions on size and weight. It is recommended that the system be installed in a location with few restrictions.

In this way, the device can be made larger and heavier, so the battery capacity can be increased. In-vehicle equipment can continue operating for a long time even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. It is preferable that the in-vehicle device be installed in a place where there is a size restriction when installing it, such as a windshield where the installation range is determined by law. Furthermore, it is preferable that the in-vehicle equipment be installed in a position where it may fall due to its weight, or on a surface that is not parallel to the floor of the vehicle, such as on the windshield or dashboard.

(4) It is preferable to have a size and shape that allows it to be installed in a position that does not occupy the living space of the vehicle.

This is good because it does not hit people or get in the way when they are riding in the car, driving, and getting on and off the car. Incidentally, the inventors have found that the locations where the configurations (2), (3), and (4) are provided are preferably, for example, in the trunk room, under the dashboard, and especially under the seat.

(5) The device includes a communication means for communicating with the on-vehicle equipment and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to switch the power supply source from the vehicle to the battery when the charging/discharging control unit switches the power supply source to the on-vehicle equipment from the vehicle to the battery. It is preferable that the communication means outputs a switching signal (hereinafter referred to as a battery switching signal) indicating that the battery has been switched.

In this way, the in-vehicle device can know that the power supply source has been switched to the battery. In particular, when combined with the configuration (11) in which power is saved when the power supply source is switched to a battery, the amount of power to be supplied is reduced, which makes it possible to extend the life of the battery, which is particularly good. Note that the charge/discharge control section and the control section may be realized by one control means, or may be realized by separate control means.

(6) The device includes a communication means for communicating with the on-vehicle equipment and a control unit, and the charge/discharge control unit switches the source of power supply to the on-board equipment from the battery to the vehicle when power supply from the vehicle is resumed. When the charge/discharge control unit switches the power supply source to the on-board equipment from the battery to the vehicle during a period when the power supply source to the on-vehicle equipment is the battery, the control unit generates a signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the vehicle ( It is preferable that the communication means outputs a vehicle switching signal (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle switching signal).

In this way, the in-vehicle device can know that the power supply source has been switched to the vehicle again. In particular, when combined with the configuration (11) in which the photographing conditions are switched depending on the power supply source, the photographing conditions can be changed in response to the power supply source being switched back to the vehicle, which is particularly good. In addition, when the configurations (5) and (6) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or each may be realized by using a separate communication means. , may be realized by a control means.

(7) It is preferable that the in-vehicle device is powered by the present device, operates while the power is being supplied, and stops when the power supply is stopped.

In this way, even if the power supply from the vehicle is cut off, the in-vehicle device can continue to operate by receiving power supply from the device.

(8) The in-vehicle device has a first constant recording function that records when it is receiving power from the vehicle, and a function that records when it is receiving power from the vehicle and a predetermined event occurs. The first event recording function is a function to record when receiving power from the battery, the second constant recording function is a function to record when receiving power from the battery, and the second constant recording function is when a predetermined event occurs while receiving power from the battery. A second event recording function is a function to record when the It is preferable to have a configuration including a third setting function that performs settings in common with the settings of the second event record.

When making settings, the user may find it bothersome if there are a number of settings, and it may also be difficult to understand. By setting the settings as a third setting function that commonly sets the settings for the first constant function, the settings for the second constant function, the settings for the first event record, and the settings for the second event record, it is possible to reduce the inconvenience felt by the user. This can reduce the complexity and make it easier to understand. In-vehicle equipment can operate with optimal settings depending on the applicable conditions.

Note that configurations other than (8) can also be used. For example, a setting function for setting the first constant function, a setting function for setting the first event function, a setting function for setting the second constant recording and the second event recording in common, It is also good as a configuration that includes.

(9) The in-vehicle device includes a wireless communication function and a creation means for creating one communication unit of communication data having a plurality of frames to be transmitted by the wireless communication function based on the image taken by the photographing means, It is preferable that at least one frame among a plurality of frames included in one communication unit of communication data includes a reference frame that is a frame that can be reproduced independently.

In this way, as long as the reference frame of the communication data of one communication unit can be received, it becomes possible to independently reproduce the video of the period of the one communication unit included in the communication data of one communication unit. The video may be, for example, image information in which still image information is arranged in chronological order, with information such as 30 frames per 1 s. One communication unit is preferably a group divided based on time, number of frames, data capacity, etc., for example. The communication data of one communication unit may be, for example, data divided by a certain time, data up to a certain number of frames, data exceeding a certain data capacity, etc. The data length of communication data for one communication unit may be variable length or fixed length. Communication data for one communication unit may have a variable number of frames, but it is preferable to have a fixed number of frames. The number of frames of communication data in one communication unit may be, for example, plural, and the number of reference frames among the plurality of frames may be plural, but it is particularly preferable to use one. However, for example, if there are multiple reference frames in one communication unit of communication data, as long as one reference frame among the multiple reference frames can be received, nothing will happen during the period of one communication unit. It's not like the image won't appear. For example, a playback device includes a receiving unit that receives one communication unit of communication data transmitted by an in-vehicle device, and a playback unit that displays a video on a display unit based on the received one communication unit of communication data. It is good to have a configuration in which it is prepared. According to such a playback device, it is possible to play back a video based on one communication unit of communication data transmitted by an in-vehicle device. The user can view the played video.

(9-1) The in-vehicle device may be configured to repeat the creation of the one communication unit of communication data by the creation means and the transmission of the created one communication unit of communication data by the wireless communication function. In this way, when the photographing means continues to photograph, continuous images can be transmitted. Creation of communication data for one communication unit and transmission of the communication data using the wireless communication function may be performed as separate processes. For example, 10 pieces of communication data for one communication unit may be created, and after creating the communication data for 10 communication units, the communication data for the 10 communication units may be transmitted 10 times for each communication unit. However, it is preferable to create a configuration in which once communication data for one communication unit is created, the created communication data for one communication unit is transmitted. Further, one communication unit is preferably created based on the same standard for each repetition unit. The standard may be based on, for example, the above-mentioned time, number of frames, data capacity, etc., and may be set to a constant quantity for each repetition unit. If one communication unit of communication data cannot be transmitted, the entire one communication unit of communication data may be retransmitted. However, it is better to do the following (9-3).

(9-2) The in-vehicle device may be configured to store the frame that could not be transmitted out of the communication data of one communication unit, and transmit the frame that could not be transmitted. In this way, even if there is a frame that could not be transmitted, the frame that could not be transmitted can be transmitted later. For example, if you assign an identifier, such as a serial number, to a frame before transmitting it, and if the frame cannot be transmitted, you can record the identifier of the frame that could not be transmitted and identify the frame that could not be transmitted. good. Also, an identifier such as a serial number is assigned to each communication data unit, and if the data cannot be transmitted, the identifier of the communication data that could not be transmitted and the frame number of the frame that could not be transmitted can be determined. The frames that could not be transmitted may be identified by recording them. Further, the identifier may be, for example, a date or a time. Among a plurality of frames included in one communication unit of communication data, the frame following a certain frame may be used as differential data with respect to the previous reference frame. However, it is better to do the following (9-3).

(9-3) If the in-vehicle device is configured such that, among the plurality of frames included in the communication data of one communication unit, the frame following a certain frame is a differential frame that is differential data from the previous frame. good. For example, if a certain frame is used as a reference frame, the frame following the certain frame becomes a differential frame with respect to the reference frame. For example, if a certain frame is a differential frame, the next frame after the certain frame will be a differential frame with respect to the frame created by that differential frame. In this way, the amount of communication data can be reduced compared to when all frames are used as reference frames. Further, it is preferable that the frame following the differential frame is also a differential frame. In particular, since there is a reference frame as a frame included in the communication data of one communication unit, the video of the period of one communication unit can be reproduced independently, and the amount of data can be reduced. If the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that photographs the outside of the vehicle while the vehicle is running, the entire frame will change, so the next frame after one frame will be Rather than using data as a difference with the previous reference frame, it is better to use data as a difference with the frame one frame before. Further, the reference frame is preferably located at the beginning of communication data of one communication unit.

(9-4) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device that is equipped with a photographing means and a sound collecting means, and has a wireless communication function and a wireless communication function that transmits the video photographed by the photographing means and the sound collected by the sound collecting means. creating means for creating one communication unit of communication data having a plurality of frames, which is transmitted by a plurality of frames, in order from the beginning, a reference frame that can be played alone, audio data, one It is preferable that the frames are arranged in the order of difference frames indicating the difference from the previous frame.

In this way, even if communication is interrupted during transmission of one communication unit of communication data, at least a still image based on the reference frame can be viewed at the destination. Next, if the audio data can be received, you can listen to the audio. Subsequently, if the differential frame can be received, a video based on the differential frame can be viewed. The order in which data is received at the destination is a still image, audio, and video. If the communication data is, for example, a photograph of an accident situation, an overview of the accident can be first seen using a still image. Next, the situation of the accident can be learned through audio. Next, you can learn more about the accident from the video. Even if communication is interrupted in the middle of voice data, the receiver will be able to at least see a summary of the accident. It is preferable that the playback device further includes a sound playback function and is configured to be able to play back the sound that has been received from one communication unit of communication data. According to such a playback device, it is possible to play back audio based on one communication unit of communication data transmitted by an in-vehicle device. The user can listen to the reproduced audio.

(10) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device that is equipped with a photographing means, and has a switching function for switching between multiple recording media the writing destination of data based on the image taken by the photographing means, and a wireless communication device for transmitting data based on the image. If the data based on the video cannot be transmitted using the wireless communication function, the data based on the video that could not be transmitted is transferred from the recording medium that stores the data based on the video during a period when the storage medium is not the writing destination. It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which data based on the video that could not be transmitted is read out and transmitted using a wireless communication function.

In this way, even if the wireless communication means fails to transmit the video, the video that failed to be transmitted can be read out from one of the recording media that is not the writing destination and transmitted. It may be difficult to simultaneously write and read data from a recording medium. For example, when data based on video is written to a recording medium for recording, the period during which the data based on the video shot by the shooting means is stored in the storage medium, and the data based on the video stored in the storage medium. The period during which the data is read for transmission may overlap. By switching the writing destination between a plurality of storage media and creating a period in which the storage medium that stores video-based data is not the writing destination, video-based data can be easily read. Although the number of storage media may be three or more, it is particularly preferable to use two. Also, it is recommended that the data based on the video for recording and the data based on the video to be transmitted be different data amounts, so that the amount of data based on the video to be transmitted is different from the data based on the video for recording. It is better to set the amount of data to be smaller than the amount of data. When constantly writing to a recording medium for recording, it is preferable to alternately switch between two recording media and write the data based on the video for recording. Although the data based on the video to be transmitted may be constantly written by switching between the two recording media alternately, the data based on the video that has been transmitted does not need to be written to the recording medium. It is preferable that the data based on the video that could not be transmitted be written to the recording medium on which the data based on the video for recording was being written at the time. The data based on the video that could not be transmitted by the wireless communication function may be sent in units of one communication, or may be sent in units of frames. For example, an identifier such as a serial number is assigned to a frame before transmission, and if transmission fails, the identifier of the frame that could not be transmitted and the recording medium to be written to are recorded and the frame can be transmitted. The storage medium storing the missing frame may also be specified. In addition, a part of the storage area of the recording medium is divided in advance as an area for recording data based on the video that could not be transmitted, and the data based on the video stored in that area of the storage medium that is not the write destination is read out. Also good.

(10-1) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device that is equipped with a photographing means, has a wireless communication function for transmitting data based on an image, and has a wireless communication function when transmitting data based on an image photographed by the photographing means. It is preferable that the communication speed is such that the data can be transmitted in a shorter time than the time required to capture the data based on the video.

In this way, the in-vehicle device can transmit data based on stored video all at once. Data based on video can be captured for a certain period of time, data based on the video for a certain period can be accumulated, and then transmitted in a shorter time than the time required to capture the data. For example, when data based on video for one communication unit is stored and transmitted, the data can be transmitted in a shorter time than the time taken to photograph one communication unit. In the remaining time, data based on the video that could not be sent can be sent. It can be transmitted in a shorter time than the actual time of the video. A space will be available before the next communication unit starts shooting. Data based on images that could not be transmitted can be read out from a storage medium that records data based on images that could not be transmitted, and time for transmission can be secured using the wireless communication function. In particular, the configuration (10-2) exhibits excellent effects. In addition, in the case of a configuration in which the power is transmitted during a period when the power supply source is a battery, as in (14), (
If the communication speed is not as described in 10-1) and the communication speed is slow, it will take a very long time to transmit data based on the video that could not be transmitted after the power source becomes a battery. In the configuration (10-1), the data based on the video that could not be transmitted is transmitted before the power supply source becomes the battery, so it is possible to shorten or eliminate the time required to transmit data while the power supply source is the battery. can.

(10-2) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device that is equipped with a photographing means, and has a switching function to switch between multiple recording media the destination for writing data based on the image taken by the photographing means, and transmit data based on the image. and a real-time transmission function that writes video-based data to a storage medium and transmits the video-based data in real time using the wireless communication function. If not, data based on the video that could not be transmitted is read from a recording medium that stores data based on the video that could not be transmitted, during a period when the storage medium is not a writing destination, and is transmitted using a wireless communication function. It is good to say.

In this way, if the data based on the video cannot be sent using the real-time transmission function, the storage medium that stores the data based on the video that could not be sent will not be written to at the same time as the real-time transmission. During the period, the data based on the video that could not be transmitted can be read and the data based on the video that could not be transmitted can be transmitted. In particular, it is good to constantly write video-based data for recording purposes. As data that is different from video-based data for recording and video-based data to be transmitted, the data amount of video-based data for recording is larger than the data amount of video-based data to be transmitted, e.g. It is best to use high-quality data.

(11) A system including the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to allow the charging/discharging control unit to control the power supply source to the in-vehicle device. When switching from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery (hereinafter referred to as a battery switching signal) is output by the communication means, and the in-vehicle equipment is connected to the drive to take pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on the shooting conditions. The recorder is equipped with a device communication means for communicating with the device, and the first period is when the power supply source is a vehicle, the first condition is applied as the shooting condition, and the second period is when the power supply source is a battery, and the first condition is the shooting condition. It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which a second condition that saves more power is applied, and when a switching signal (battery switching signal) is received, the imaging condition is switched from the first condition to the second condition and imaging is continued.

In this way, the amount of power supplied by the battery is reduced, so the battery can last longer. Here, the photographing conditions are not conditions for starting photographing, but conditions for photographing. The shooting conditions may include, for example, frame rate, resolution, etc., and the conditions for power saving may include lowering the frame rate, lowering the resolution, etc. In addition, when the configurations (5), (6), and (11) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or may be implemented so that each communication means and each control means are shared. It may be realized by communication means and control means. The present device is preferably any one of the devices (1) to (6), and the vehicle-mounted device is preferably the vehicle-mounted device described in (7). The same applies to (13) to (15) described later.

(12) A system including the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit sends a signal indicating the remaining amount of the battery and charging/discharging. When the control unit switches the power supply source to the in-vehicle equipment from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery is output by the communication means, and the in-vehicle equipment A drive recorder that photographs the outside of a vehicle based on photographing conditions including frame rate, and includes a device communication means for communicating with the device, a photographing means, a storage medium for storing images taken by the photographing means, and accepting settings for photographing conditions. and a user interface, upon receiving a signal indicating the remaining battery level and a switching signal (battery switching signal), displaying either the remaining battery level, the remaining capacity of the recording medium, or the received shooting time and frame rate; It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which either the shooting time or the frame rate is determined based on the following.

In this way, the in-vehicle device can prioritize either the shooting time or the frame rate and determine the other of the shooting time and the frame rate. The user can operate the in-vehicle device by setting the desired shooting time or frame rate. In addition, when the configurations (5), (6), and (12) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or may be realized so that each communication means and one control means are shared. It may be realized by communication means and control means.

(13) A system including the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to allow the charging/discharging control unit to control the source of power to the in-vehicle device. When switching from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery is output by the communication means, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that photographs the outside of the vehicle based on the shooting conditions. , comprising a positioning means for positioning the vehicle, a device communication means for communicating with the device, and a storage means for storing photographing conditions set by the user in association with the position, and receives a switching signal (battery switching signal). If the current position is within a predetermined area of the position stored in the storage means, the imaging condition associated with the position may be determined as the current imaging condition.

In this way, if the current position is within a predetermined radius of a position that has been set in the past, the in-vehicle device can set the photographing conditions stored in the storage means as the current photographing conditions. I can do it. The user can operate the in-vehicle equipment without having to make settings many times. In addition, even if the current position does not match the position stored in the storage means, if the current position is within a predetermined area of the stored position, the in-vehicle device will update the photographing conditions associated with the position. This can be used as the shooting condition for this time. Therefore, the same photographing conditions can be applied even when the user freely parks in a parking lot with a predetermined lot, for example. The predetermined area may be, for example, any shape centered on the latitude and longitude that specifies the position, particularly a circle having a predetermined radius. In addition, when the configurations (5), (6), and (11) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or may be implemented so that each communication means and each control means are shared. It may be realized by communication means and control means.

(14) A system including the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to allow the charge/discharge control unit to control the source of power to the in-vehicle device. When switching from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery is output by the communication means, and the on-vehicle device is configured to operate under the shooting conditions during the first period when the power supply source is the vehicle. The drive recorder is a drive recorder that photographs the outside of a vehicle, and includes a device communication means for communicating with the device, a photographing means, a recording means for recording an image photographed by the photographing means, and a transmitting means for transmitting the image via a network. Preferably, when a switching signal (battery switching signal) is received, the image that could not be transmitted during the first period is transmitted during the period when the power supply source is the battery.

In this way, even if the record cannot be transmitted during the first period, the record can be reliably transmitted. The destination may be, for example, a database that can be viewed by an administrator who manages the vehicle. The network may be, for example, a network for mobile terminals. The first period is often handled while driving, and while driving, there may be periods when communication is interrupted and transmission is not possible due to, for example, switching base stations or driving in areas with slow communication speeds. . Further, the second period often corresponds to a parking period, and during the parking period, the vehicle hardly moves, so the driving record can be reliably transmitted. In addition, when the configurations (5), (6), and (14) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or may be realized so that each communication means and each control means are shared, or they may be implemented separately. It may be realized by communication means and control means.

(15) A system including the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to allow the charging/discharging control unit to control the power supply source to the in-vehicle device. When switching from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery is output by the communication means, and the on-vehicle device is configured to operate under the shooting conditions during the first period when the power supply source is the vehicle. The drive recorder is a drive recorder that photographs the outside of a vehicle based on the image capturing means, a recording means that records an image photographed by the photographing means, and a transmitting means that transmits the image via a network. It is preferable that the image is transmitted at a lower bit rate, and when a switching signal (battery switching signal) is received and the communication speed is faster than the reference value, an image with a higher bit rate than the first period is transmitted.

In this way, in the first period, the amount of data per unit time can be reduced, so the image time can be increased relative to the transmission time. A good way to lower the bit rate is to lower the image quality, for example. Further, the network may be a network for mobile terminals, a wireless LAN, or the like. Further, the case where the power supply source is switched to the battery may be, for example, when the vehicle is parked. If the parking lot is equipped with a high-speed wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), it can be expected that driving images can be transmitted in a short time without reducing the amount of data per unit time. You can send high-quality driving images. In addition, when the configurations (5), (6), and (15) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or may be implemented so that each communication means and one control means are shared. It may be realized by communication means and control means.

(16) A system including the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to allow the charging/discharging control unit to control the source of power to the in-vehicle device. When switching from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery is output by the communication means, and the on-vehicle device photographs the outside of the vehicle based on the photographing conditions during the first period when the power supply source is the vehicle. A drive recorder comprising a photographing means, a wireless communication function, and a creation means for creating one communication unit of communication data having a plurality of frames to be transmitted by the wireless communication function based on the image photographed by the photographing means. It is preferable to have a configuration in which at least one frame among a plurality of frames included in one communication unit of communication data includes a reference frame that is a frame that can be reproduced independently.

In this way, as long as the reference frame of communication data for one communication unit can be received, the video can be played back independently.

(17) A system comprising the present device and in-vehicle equipment, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to allow the charging/discharging control unit to control the source of power to the in-vehicle device. When switching from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery is output by the communication means, and the on-vehicle device photographs the outside of the vehicle based on the photographing conditions during the first period when the power supply source is the vehicle. A drive recorder comprising a photographing means, a switching function for switching between a plurality of recording media a destination for writing data based on images photographed by the photographing means, and a wireless communication function for transmitting data based on the images, If data based on video cannot be transmitted using the wireless communication function, data based on the video that could not be transmitted is transferred from the recording medium that stores the data based on the video that could not be transmitted, during a period when the storage medium is not the writing destination. It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which data is read and transmitted using a wireless communication function.

In this way, even if the wireless communication means fails to transmit the video, the video that failed to be transmitted can be read out from one of the recording media that is not the storage destination and transmitted.

Note that (1) to (17) may be arbitrarily selected and combined, and it is particularly good to combine configurations (2) to (17) with (1). Further, it is preferable to arbitrarily select and combine the elements (1) to (17).

According to the device and the like according to the present application, it is possible to satisfactorily supply power to in-vehicle equipment.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a monitoring battery. FIG. 3 is a timing chart diagram showing the correspondence between the outputs of the ACC power source and the monitoring battery. FIG. 4 is a diagram (1/4) showing screen transitions in monitoring recording. FIG. 4 is a diagram (2/4) showing screen transitions in monitoring recording. FIG. 4 is a diagram (3/4) showing screen transitions in monitoring recording. FIG. 4 is a diagram (4/4) showing screen transitions in monitoring recording. It is a diagram (1/6) showing screen transition in settings. FIG. 6 is a diagram (2/6) showing screen transitions in settings. FIG. 3 is a diagram (3/6) showing screen transitions in settings. FIG. 6 is a diagram (4/6) showing screen transitions in settings. It is a figure explaining "OFF" and "ON" of "overwrite" in a setting. FIG. 6 is a diagram (5/6) showing screen transitions in settings. FIG. 6 is a diagram (6/6) showing screen transitions in settings. It is a figure explaining area registration in setting. It is a figure explaining the transfer and SD card writing of (method 1) in parking monitoring. It is a figure explaining the transfer and SD card writing of (method 2) in parking monitoring. It is a figure explaining the transfer and SD card writing of (method 3) in parking monitoring. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a drive recorder related to transfer of recorded data during continuous recording. It is a figure explaining the structure of communication data. 3 is a flowchart showing the contents of communication processing. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating recorded data transfer during continuous recording when a communication unavailable period occurs. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating settings for recording and data transfer on an SD card. FIG. 7 is a front view of a monitoring battery according to modification example 1 shown together with an input code and an output code. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating settings of dip switches of a monitoring battery according to Modification 1. 7 is a diagram illustrating an LED of a monitoring battery according to modification example 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a monitoring battery according to a second modification. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a monitoring battery according to modification example 2 shown together with an input code and an output code. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a monitoring battery according to a second modification. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating setting of a detection voltage of a monitoring battery according to a second modification. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating setting of an off timer of a monitoring battery according to Modification 2. FIG.

<Overall configuration>
The overall configuration of a system 1 according to an embodiment will be described using FIG. 1.
System 1 is installed in a vehicle. The system 1 is a system retrofitted to a vehicle, and includes a monitoring battery 3, a drive recorder 4, a power cable 11, a cable 12, and the like. When the monitoring battery 3 is supplied with power from the ACC power supply (FIG. 2), it uses the ACC power supply as the power supply source to supply power to the drive recorder 4, and also charges the built-in internal battery 34 (FIG. 2). Further, when the power supply from the ACC power supply is cut off, the monitoring battery 3 switches the power supply source to the drive recorder 4 from the vehicle to the internal battery 34, and continues supplying power to the drive recorder 4. The monitoring battery 3 includes an input connector 3a and an input/output connector 3b. The drive recorder 4 includes an input/output connector 4a and a display 41. The power cable 11 includes a cigarette plug at one end and an output terminal 11a at the other end. The cable 12 includes a first terminal 12a at one end and a second terminal 12b at the other end. A cigarette plug included in the power cable 11 is connected to a cigarette lighter socket of the vehicle, and an output terminal 11a of the power cable 11 is connected to an input connector 3a of the monitoring battery 3. Thereby, the monitoring battery 3 can receive power from the ACC power source. Further, the input/output connector 3b of the monitoring battery 3 is connected to the first terminal 12a of the cable 12, and the second terminal 12b of the cable 12 is connected to the input/output connector 4a of the drive recorder 4. Thereby, the monitoring battery 3 can supply power to the drive recorder 4, and can also perform serial communication with the drive recorder 4.

<Configuration of monitoring battery>
Next, the electrical configuration of the monitoring battery 3 will be explained using FIG. 2. The monitoring battery 3 includes a charge/discharge control section 31, a DC-DC converter 32, a CPU 33, an internal battery 34, an indicator 35, a dip switch DIPSW 36, and the like. The charging/discharging control unit 31 controls charging of the internal battery 34 and power supply to the drive recorder 4 . The internal battery 34 is a secondary battery, and is specifically implemented as a nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery. The DC-DC converter 32 converts the 12V or 24V voltage supplied from the ACC power source via the charging/discharging control unit 31 into a 5V voltage and outputs the voltage. The CPU 33 controls the charging/discharging control section 31, the indicator 35, and the like. Further, the CPU 33 communicates with the drive recorder 4 connected via the cable 12. The indicator 35 includes a lamp that indicates the operating state, a lamp that displays the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34, and the like. The lamp is realized with an LED. The dip switch DIPSW36 includes three switches. Note that in the following description and figures, the internal battery 34 may be referred to as a built-in battery.

The charging/discharging control unit 31 is supplied with power from the internal battery 34 . While being supplied with power from the ACC power supply, the charge/discharge control unit 31 controls the power supply path so that the internal battery 34 and the DC-DC converter 32 are supplied with power from the ACC power supply. As a result, the internal battery 34 is charged, and the DC-DC converter 32 supplies voltage-converted power to the drive recorder 4. Note that the charging/discharging control unit 31 determines whether the ACC power source is ON/OFF and switches whether the internal battery 34 is charged or discharged. When the charging/discharging control unit 31 determines that the ACC power source is ON, it controls the internal battery 34 and the DC-DC converter 32 to receive power from the ACC power source. When the charge/discharge control unit 31 determines that the ACC power source is OFF, it discharges the internal battery 34 and controls the internal battery 34 to supply power to the DC-DC converter 32 .

Next, the operation of the monitoring battery 3 will be explained using FIG. 3. The monitoring battery 3 uses the ACC power source to output power to the drive recorder 4 while the ACC power source is ON. A.C.C.
When the power supply is cut off, power is output to the drive recorder 4 using the internal battery 34 for a specified time after the power supply is cut off. When the specified time has elapsed, the power output is turned off. When the supply of ACC power is resumed, power is output to the drive recorder 4 using the ACC power again. This allows the drive recorder 4 to continue operating for a specified period of time after the ACC power is cut off. The specified time is set by serial communication from the drive recorder 4. When the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal, which will be described later, from the monitoring battery 3, it transmits a signal instructing a specified time. The CPU 33 sets the predetermined time setting value included in the received signal instructing the predetermined time as the predetermined time.

Note that when a drive recorder without a communication function is connected to the monitoring battery 3, the CPU 33 sets the time set by the dip switch DIPSW36 as the specified time. When the drive recorder 4 having a communication function is turned on, it transmits a signal inquiring about the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 . If the CPU 33 does not receive a signal inquiring about the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34, it determines that the drive recorder is not connected. When the CPU 33 determines that the drive recorder is not connected, it refers to the setting of the dip switch DIPSW 36. The dip switch DIPSW 36 can hold a total of eight set values related to the specified time in binary by a combination of ON/OFF of the three switches. Specifically, the preset time values are 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 32 hours, and 64 hours. When connecting a drive recorder that does not have a communication function, the user refers to the instruction manual included with the monitoring battery 3 and turns each switch ON or OFF to correspond to the desired time.

When the supply of ACC power is cut off, the monitoring battery 3 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34 and supplies power to the drive recorder 4. Since the drive recorder 4 continues to be supplied with power before and after switching, the drive recorder 4 cannot determine whether the power supply source is the ACC power source or the internal battery 34. Therefore, when the CPU 33 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34, it transmits a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4. If the ACC power is turned on after the specified time has elapsed and the output of the monitoring battery 3 is turned off, the drive recorder 4 will resume the stopped power supply, so it will be determined that the ACC power has been turned on. I can do it. On the other hand, if the ACC power source is turned on within the specified time, the drive recorder 4 continues to be powered, so it is not possible to determine whether the power source is the ACC power source or the internal battery 34. Therefore, when the ACC power source is turned on within the specified time, the CPU 33 transmits a vehicle switching signal to notify that the power source has been switched to the ACC power source. Thereby, the drive recorder 4 can recognize that the ACC power source has been turned on and the power supply source has been switched to the ACC power source. As will be described later, the drive recorder 4 switches its operating mode in response to input of a battery switching signal and a vehicle switching signal. Furthermore, the monitoring battery 3 transmits a signal indicating the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34 every 1 second. Thereby, the drive recorder 4 can know the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34.

Next, the shape etc. of the monitoring battery 3 will be explained. The monitoring battery 3 includes a mechanical case. The mechanism case is made of heat-resistant resin and is fixed to the vehicle with tie wraps or double-sided tape. The mechanism case is about the size of a lunch box for elementary school students, and is installed under the seat in the front row of a vehicle with its widest side facing down. Since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat where direct sunlight is blocked, the temperature of the monitoring battery 3 can be made difficult to rise. Since the temperature of the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to rise, the charging and discharging of the internal battery 34 are less likely to be restricted due to a rise in temperature. As a result, the power supply from the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to stop, and the operation of the drive recorder 4 is less likely to stop. Further, since the monitoring battery 3 is configured to be installed under the seat, the size of the internal battery 34 can be made large enough to fit under the seat. Thereby, the capacity of the internal battery 34 can be increased. For example, if the monitoring battery is attached to the windshield like the drive recorder 4, there is a risk that it will fall if it is heavy, but if it is under the seat, there is no risk of it falling. Furthermore, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it does not occupy the living space of the vehicle and there is no risk of it getting in the way when people are driving or getting in and out of the vehicle.

The drive recorder 4 is attached to the windshield and is separated from the monitoring battery 3 installed under the seat. Since the length of the power cable 11 is approximately 4 m, the user can connect the monitoring battery 3 and the drive recorder 4 which are located far apart.

<Drive recorder configuration>
Next, the drive recorder 4 will be explained. The drive recorder 4 is attached to the interior side of the windshield and has a recording function of photographing the front of the vehicle through the windshield and recording it on an SD card. Further, the drive recorder 4 has a communication function for communicating with the monitoring battery 3 in addition to the recording function that a general drive recorder has. The drive recorder 4 includes a display 41 (FIG. 1). The drive recorder 4 also includes a control unit, a GPS sensor, a G sensor, a camera, a microphone, an OBD connection cable, an SD card interface, an operation button, a display lamp, a speaker, and the like (not shown). The display 41 is a liquid crystal display equipped with a backlight and capable of displaying full color, and displays images under the control of the control unit. The GPS sensor measures the position of the drive recorder 4 and outputs the vehicle position, which is position information, to the control unit. The G sensor measures acceleration and outputs the measured acceleration to the control section. The camera photographs and outputs the photographed image data to the control section. The microphone collects sound and outputs the collected audio data to the control unit. The OBD connection cable is a cable that can be connected to the OBD-II connector installed in the vehicle. The control unit acquires vehicle information, which is self-failure diagnosis performed by the ECU mounted on the vehicle, via the OBD connection cable. The SD card interface includes an SD card insertion slot, and when the SD card is inserted into the SD card insertion slot, it notifies that the SD card has been inserted. Further, under the control of the control section, information recorded on the SD card is read out and output to the control section. It also writes information such as image data output from the control unit to the SD card.

There are a plurality of operation buttons, and they are physical buttons provided on the mechanical case of the drive recorder 4. For example, when the operation button is pressed by a user, it outputs information indicating that the button has been pressed to the control unit. The operation buttons are "Cursor (top)/REC" button, "OK" button, "Cursor (bottom)/One-touch recording" button, "SD card format" button, "MENU/MUTE onoff" button, "mode switching" button, It consists of a "power" button, etc. From now on, the "Cursor (top)/REC" button, "Cursor (bottom)/One-touch recording" button, "SD card format" button, and "MENU/MUTEonoff" button will be changed to "Cursor (top)" or "Cursor (top)" button. It may be written as a ``REC'' button or ``Up'' button, a ``Cursor (Down)'' button or ``Down'' button, an ``SD'' button, or a ``MENU'' button. Furthermore, a "button" may be referred to as a "key." The indicator lamp is realized by an LED, and is turned on and off under the control of the control unit. The display lamp includes a power lamp that lights up when the power is turned on, a recording lamp that lights up during recording, and the like. The speaker emits sound according to the control of the control unit.

The control unit includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, nonvolatile storage, and the like. The CPU controls each section by executing various programs stored in the ROM. Here, the various parts include the display 41, a GPS sensor, a G sensor, a camera, an SD card interface, an operation button, a display lamp, a speaker, and the like. The ROM stores programs and data necessary for program execution. The RAM is used as a main storage device for the CPU to execute various processes. The RAM temporarily stores photographed image data. Furthermore, two codecs of image data are stored in the ROM. These include a program for encoding image data to be transmitted via the Internet and a program for encoding image data to be stored in an SD card. Note that details of the codec and the like will be described later. The nonvolatile storage unit stores, for example, setting values set by the user. The CPU communicates with the monitoring battery 3 connected via the cable 12.

Furthermore, the drive recorder 4 has a LAN interface (not shown) that can be connected to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) that is compliant with the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard, and a mobile phone that is compliant with LTE (Long Term Evolution) and 4G (Generation). A mobile communication interface 52 (FIG. 19) connectable to a network for terminals is provided. Thereby, the drive recorder 4 can be connected to the Internet via a wireless LAN via a Wi-Fi connectable router. It can also be connected to the Internet via a base station. The LAN interface is preferably a wireless LAN communication device, and the mobile communication interface is preferably a communication device such as LTE or 4G. Furthermore, in areas where both wireless LAN connection and connection to a base station are possible, the wireless LAN connection is given priority.

The drive recorder 4 includes a control section, and since the control section processes image data, it generates a large amount of heat. Therefore, if the monitoring battery 3 is located near the drive recorder 4, it is likely to be affected by heat generation. As described above, in the system 1, the drive recorder 4 is installed on the windshield, and the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat. Thereby, the monitoring battery 3 can be made less susceptible to the heat generated by the drive recorder 4. Since the temperature of the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to rise, the charging and discharging of the internal battery 34 are less likely to be restricted due to a rise in temperature. As a result, the power supply from the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to stop, and the operation of the drive recorder 4 is less likely to stop.

Here, the effects of the configuration of system 1 compared with the conventional configuration will be explained. For example, there are drive recorders that include a battery such as a lithium ion polymer battery (LiPo). The drive recorder with this configuration can operate for about 20 to 30 minutes, for example, after the ACC power is turned off. However, drive recorders are usually installed to take pictures of the outside of the vehicle through the windshield, and must be installed in a sunny location, so they may be exposed to high temperatures such as midsummer, and the lithium-ion polymer battery may not be able to be charged. was there. For example, in the summer, it was difficult to charge during the day, and it was often possible to charge at the last minute at night. Furthermore, since the drive recorder is attached to the windshield, there are limitations on its size and weight. There is also a separate type drive recorder in which a camera unit including a camera and a main body including a CPU and a battery are separate units. In this case, heat from the CPU and other components may accumulate inside the case of the main unit, and the temperature of the battery, which is in the same case as the main unit, may become higher than the temperature in a part of the vehicle that is not exposed to sunlight. Ta. In this regard, in the system 1, since the drive recorder 4 is separate from the monitoring battery 3, it can be made less susceptible to the effects of heat generated by the CPU included in the drive recorder 4. Furthermore, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it can be made less susceptible to temperature increases caused by sunlight.

In addition, the internal battery 34 is a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery, and the upper limit temperature at which it can be charged is about 70°C, which is higher than that of a lithium-ion polymer battery whose charging temperature is about 0 to 45°C, so it prevents charging from becoming impossible even in the summer. can do. The monitoring battery 3 can supply power for about 10 hours after the ACC power is turned off, depending on operating conditions such as the environment. It is also possible to connect the drive recorder directly to a vehicle battery provided in the vehicle. However, with this configuration, it is necessary to leave enough remaining power in the vehicle's battery to turn the vehicle's starter motor, and it is necessary to know the remaining amount, but there is a problem in that it is difficult to accurately determine the remaining amount. be. One method of determining the remaining capacity of a vehicle battery is to draw current and measure the voltage at this time. Since the voltage decreases as the remaining capacity of the vehicle battery decreases, for example, when the voltage falls below a predetermined value, it can be determined that the remaining capacity of the vehicle battery is decreasing. However, the current consumption of a drive recorder is, for example, less than 1A, which is smaller than the current consumption of a starter motor of several to several tens of amps, so the amount of voltage drop is also small, which reduces the remaining power in the vehicle battery. It is difficult to determine the amount accurately. In this regard, in the system 1, when the ACC power is turned off, the monitoring battery 3 uses the internal battery 34 to supply power to the drive recorder 4, so that it is possible to avoid the vehicle battery from going dead.

<Continuous recording mode, monitoring recording mode, event recording>
Next, the recording function of the drive recorder 4 will be explained. The drive recorder 4 operates according to the operation mode. The operating modes include a constant monitoring mode and a monitoring recording mode. The drive recorder 4 records in a constant recording mode and a monitoring recording mode. Furthermore, in the constant recording mode and the monitoring recording mode, event recording is performed according to a predetermined trigger. There are two predetermined triggers: one is triggered when the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on G sensor information, and the other is triggered when the "cursor (down)" button is pressed by the user. This is the case. Specifically, the control unit determines that an event has occurred when the acceleration measured by the G sensor exceeds a threshold value. Thereby, the drive recorder 4 can perform event recording when the vehicle receives a shock due to an accident, for example. The case where the "cursor (down)" button is pressed is, for example, a case where the user who feels danger presses the "cursor (down)" button. The drive recorder 4 records detailed information about 10 to 30 seconds before and after the event as an event recording. Note that the recording performed by the drive recorder 4 in the constant recording mode and the monitoring recording mode will be referred to as constant recording and monitoring recording, respectively. Further, event recording that is started when the controller determines that an event has occurred based on G sensor information is sometimes referred to as G sensor event recording or G sensor event recording. Event recording that is started when the "cursor (down)" button is pressed is sometimes referred to as one-touch recording or one-touch event recording.

When the drive recorder 4 is powered on and capable of recording at all times, it operates in a constant recording mode and starts recording at all times. In the constant recording mode, upon receiving a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, the control unit determines whether to shift to the monitoring recording mode or turn off the power to the drive recorder 4 based on the settings. After transitioning to the monitoring recording mode, if monitoring recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 starts monitoring recording. Further, when a vehicle switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3 and constant recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 shifts from the monitoring recording mode to the constant recording mode and starts constant recording.

When the monitoring battery 3 is receiving power from the ACC power source, the vehicle is often running with its engine running. When the power supply to the monitoring battery 3 from the ACC power source is cut off, there are many cases where the engine of the vehicle is stopped and the vehicle is parked. The drive recorder 4 operates in the constant recording mode when the monitoring battery 3 is receiving power from the ACC power source. The drive recorder 4 operates in the monitoring recording mode when the monitoring battery 3 is not receiving power from the ACC power source. The drive recorder 4 changes the operation mode between a state where the vehicle is running and a state where the vehicle is parked by switching the operation mode depending on whether or not the monitoring battery 3 is receiving power from the ACC power source. In the following description and figures, engine ON/OFF may be used instead of ACC power ON/OFF.

The drive recorder 4 records according to recording conditions corresponding to each of continuous recording, monitoring recording, and event recording. Here, the recording conditions are settings related to the image data to be stored, and in detail are comprised of setting items such as "number of recording frames," "resolution," and "recording time." The number of frames recorded in event recording is high, about 30 fps, and the "resolution" is high, about 1080 pHD. This records the details of the accident. In the following explanations and figures, the "number of recorded frames" may be referred to as "frame rate."

<Monitoring recording mode>
Next, the monitoring recording mode will be explained. As described above, when a battery switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3 in the constant recording mode, the control unit determines whether to shift to the monitoring recording mode or turn off the power to the drive recorder 4 based on the settings. The settings here are settings related to the monitoring recording mode. Setting items related to the monitoring recording mode include "recording mode", "my area", "my cancel area", etc. The drive recorder 4 provides a plurality of options for each of "recording mode", "my area", and "my cancel area". The configuration is such that the user can preset any of the options on a settings screen that will be described later. Note that "setting" will be explained after the explanation of the monitoring recording mode.

There are three options for the "recording mode": "auto", "manual", and "off". When the "recording mode" is "auto", the drive recorder 4 automatically performs monitoring recording when the ACC power is turned off. Here, "automatic" means that the operation is performed without depending on input, such as whether or not the user operates an operation button. Further, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it determines that the ACC power source has been turned off. The same applies in the following description. When the "recording mode" is "manual", when the ACC power is turned off, a pop-up message is displayed on the display 41, and the user is asked whether or not to perform monitoring recording. When the "recording mode" is "OFF", monitoring recording is not performed. Since it can be set to "manual", the user can check the location of the vehicle, the remaining amount of the internal battery 34 (hereinafter referred to as the remaining battery amount), and the remaining amount of the SD card (hereinafter referred to as the remaining amount of the SD card). You can set the recording conditions by yourself. Note that, as will be described later, the settings for "My Area" and "My Cancel Area" are given priority over the settings for "Recording Mode." Furthermore, in the following explanations and figures, the "recording mode" may be referred to as "monitoring recording setting".

"My Area" is an area where monitoring recording is performed automatically even when the "Recording Mode" is set to "Manual". "My cancel area" is an area where monitoring recording is not performed automatically even if the "recording mode" is set to "auto". “My Area” and “My Cancellation Area” can be registered in advance in “Settings”. For example, if a user registers his or her home's unsecured parking lot in "My Area," the user can automatically monitor and record the vehicle when the user parks in the home's parking lot. Further, the user can, for example, register the secure parking lot of his/her place of work in the "My Cancellation Area" so that monitoring and recording cannot be performed in the parking lot of his/her place of work. In the following explanations and figures, "My Area" and "My Cancellation Area" may be referred to as "Monitoring My Area" and "Monitoring My Cancellation Area", respectively.

The control unit determines to shift to the monitoring recording mode in the following settings. The first case is when the "monitoring recording setting" is "auto" and the vehicle position is outside the "monitoring my area" and "monitoring my cancel area" areas. The second case is when the "monitoring recording setting" is "manual" and the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my area" area. Third, the "Surveillance recording setting" is "Auto", the vehicle position is within the "Surveillance My Cancel Area" area, and "REC" is selected within 30 seconds after displaying screen Sa1 (Figure 4). This is the case when the button is pressed. Fourth, the "Surveillance Recording Settings" is set to "Manual" and the area is outside the "Surveillance My Area" area, and the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds after displaying screen Sa2 (Figure 4). This is the case.

When the "monitoring recording setting" is set to "manual", the drive recorder 4 displays screen Sa2 and prompts the user to "REC", unless the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my area" area. ” button, and if the “REC” button is pressed, monitoring recording starts. If the "monitoring recording setting" is set to "auto", the drive recorder 4 will monitor recording without waiting for the user's operation, unless the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my cancel area" area. Start. By registering the parking position in the "monitoring my area" in advance before parking, the user can automatically start monitoring recording on the drive recorder 4 when the user parks at the parking position. Before parking, the user can register a parking position that does not require surveillance recording in the "Monitoring My Cancel Area" in advance, and when the user parks in a parking position that does not require surveillance recording, surveillance recording will automatically start on the drive recorder 4. can be canceled.

The control unit determines to turn off the power of the drive recorder 4 in the following settings. The first is that "Surveillance Recording Settings" is "Auto" and the vehicle position is within the "Monitoring My Cancel Area" area, and the "REC" button is pressed after displaying screen Sa1 (Figure 4). This is a case where 30 seconds have passed without being updated. Second, the "Surveillance Recording Settings" is set to "Manual" and the vehicle location is outside the "Monitoring My Area" area, and the "REC" button is pressed after displaying screen Sa2 (Figure 4). This is the case where 30 seconds have passed without any change.

Next, the operation of the drive recorder 4 after receiving the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode will be explained using the display screen displayed on the display 41 with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. "Monitoring recording" in FIG. 4 indicates that it is after receiving the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode.

The control unit displays screen Sa1 when the "monitoring recording setting" is "auto" and the vehicle position is within the "my cancel area" area. On the screen Sa1, the message "<Inside monitoring my cancellation area> Cursor (top)/REC button: Start monitoring recording, power off in XXX seconds" is displayed in white letters on a red background. If the "REC" button is pressed before 30 seconds have elapsed, the mode shifts to monitoring recording mode. Further, if the "monitoring recording setting" is "manual" and the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my area" area, the mode shifts to the monitoring recording mode. Further, if the "monitoring recording setting" is "auto" and the vehicle position is outside the "monitoring my area" and "monitoring my cancellation area", the system shifts to the monitoring recording mode. If the "monitoring recording setting" is "manual" and the vehicle position is outside the "monitoring my cancel area" and "monitoring my area" area, screen Sa2 is displayed. On the screen Sa2, the message "Cursor (top)/REC button: Start monitoring recording, power off in XXX seconds" is displayed in white letters on a red background. If the user presses the "REC" button within 30 seconds, the mode shifts to monitoring recording mode. Further, when the "monitoring recording setting" is "OFF", the power is turned off after displaying the screen Sa3 which is the ending screen. Note that if the "REC" button is not pressed within 30 seconds after displaying the screen Sa1 and the screen Sa2, a no-operation timeout occurs, and the power is turned off after displaying the screen Sa3.

In addition, if the GPS sensor cannot obtain location information, screen Sa2 will be displayed in the same way as when "Surveillance recording settings" is set to "Manual" and the area is outside the "Surveillance My Area" area. If the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds, the mode shifts to monitoring recording mode.

Next, the control unit determines whether the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient for the "setting" of the recording condition in the monitoring recording mode. When the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient, it starts monitoring recording. Recording conditions for the monitoring recording mode include setting items such as "recording time," "resolution," and "number of frames to be recorded." The control unit records the image data on the SD card. Therefore, if the remaining capacity of the SD card is not sufficient, recording may not be possible as set. Therefore, before executing monitoring recording, the control unit determines whether the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient for the settings, based on the setting of the recording conditions and the remaining capacity of the SD card. Specifically, the amount of data per second is calculated by multiplying the amount of data corresponding to the "resolution" by the "number of recorded frames." The calculated data amount per second is multiplied by the "recording time" to calculate the total amount of data, and if the total amount of data is less than or equal to the remaining capacity of the SD card, it is determined that recording can be performed according to the settings. Note that the table of "resolution" versus "data amount" is recorded in advance in the ROM. The control unit refers to the table, reads out and calculates the amount of data corresponding to the corresponding "resolution". "SD card: OK" shown in FIG. 5 indicates a case where the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient. "SD card: NG" indicates a case where the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is insufficient.

Further, the control unit determines whether the remaining battery power is sufficient for the "setting" of the recording condition in the monitoring recording mode. In the recording monitoring mode, the drive recorder 4 operates using power supplied from the internal battery 34 of the monitoring battery 3 as a power source. Therefore, if the remaining battery power is insufficient, recording may not be possible as set. Therefore, the control unit determines whether the remaining battery power is sufficient for the "recording time". The monitoring battery 3 transmits a signal indicating the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34 to the drive recorder 4. The signal indicating the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery 34 is a signal indicating numerical information indicating the remaining battery capacity as a percentage and information on the model of the internal battery 34. Here, the type of internal battery 34 is the capacity of the battery, such as 500 mAh or 10,000 mAh. The control unit calculates the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 by multiplying the model of the internal battery 34 by a value representing the remaining battery capacity as a percentage. The "usable time" is calculated by dividing the calculated remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 by its own current consumption stored in advance in the ROM. If the "available time" is greater than or equal to the recording time, it is determined that the remaining battery power is sufficient. “External battery remaining amount: OK” shown in FIG. 5 indicates a case where the control unit determines that the remaining battery amount is sufficient. “External battery remaining amount: NG” indicates a case where the control unit determines that the battery remaining amount is insufficient.

Note that when recording on the SD card, it is also possible to overwrite and record already stored data. The drive recorder 4 has a configuration in which it is possible to set whether or not to overwrite in "settings". Specifically, the setting item includes "monitoring recording overwrite", and the configuration is such that either "ON" or "OFF" can be selected. Further, the SD card is pre-divided into four folders: "continuous recording", "continuous event recording", "monitoring recording", and "event recording during monitoring". Regarding overwriting, in addition to "monitoring recording overwriting", there are setting items such as "event recording overwriting", which can be set in the same way as "monitoring recording overwriting". Note that "continuous event recording" refers to event recording in the constant recording mode. Similarly, "event recording during monitoring" refers to event recording in the monitoring recording mode. In addition, in the following explanations and figures, "monitoring recording overwriting" may be referred to as "previous recording overwriting". “Previous recording overwrite: ON” shown in FIG. 5 indicates a case where “monitored recording overwrite” is set to “ON”. “Previous recording overwrite: OFF” indicates a case where “monitored recording overwrite” is set to “OFF”.

If the control unit determines that the SD card remaining capacity and battery capacity are sufficient and "Monitoring recording overwrite" is set to "ON" (see Figure 5), "SD card remaining capacity: OK" and "External battery Remaining capacity: OK" and "Previous recording overwrite: ON"), the control unit determines that monitoring recording can be executed according to the "settings" and displays screen Sa4. On the screen Sa4, a message "Monitoring recording will start, monitoring recording time: XX minutes, external battery remaining amount:" is displayed. Additionally, an icon that displays the remaining battery level is displayed to the right of "External battery level:". The icon that displays the battery remaining amount is an icon that displays the remaining amount in stages on the outer shape of the battery. The control unit displays the calculated "available time" to the right of "monitoring recording time:". Further, the percentage of the remaining battery power transmitted from the monitoring battery 3 is displayed as an icon. Next, after three minutes have elapsed, screen Sa8 is displayed.

In addition, if the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient, the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the battery is not sufficient, and the “monitoring recording overwrite” is set to “ON” (see Figure 5). ``SD card remaining capacity: OK'', ``External battery remaining capacity: NG'', ``Previous recording overwrite: ON''), the control unit indicates that the battery level is low and monitoring recording cannot be performed for the set ``recording time''. The judgment is made and screen Sa5 is displayed. On the screen Sa5, a message "Monitoring recording will start. External battery level is insufficient. Monitoring may end midway. External battery level:" is displayed. Also, an icon indicating the remaining battery power is displayed to the right of "Remaining external battery power:". Next, before the set "recording time" elapses, the remaining battery power decreases to such an extent that the drive recorder 4 becomes inoperable, and the screen changes to Sa3.

In addition, if the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is insufficient and "Overwrite monitoring recording" is set to "OFF" (in Figure 5, "Remaining capacity of SD card: NG", "Overwriting previous recording") : OFF), the control unit displays screen Sa6 in order to prompt the user to change the "settings", such as changing "overwrite previous recording" to ON, for example. On the screen Sa6, the message "There is no free space in the monitoring recording folder, MENU button: Change settings, SD button: Erase monitoring recording, power off in XX seconds" is displayed. Within 30 seconds from the start of displaying screen Sa6, in response to the "MENU" button being pressed by the user, screen Sa14 (FIG. 8) is displayed. Screen Sa14 is a setting screen that accepts "settings". As described later, if the "MENU" button is pressed while the settings screen (screens Sa14 to Sa17) is displayed, the "settings" may have been changed, so the "monitoring recording" shown in FIG. The controller returns to "mode" and again determines whether the remaining capacity of the SD card and the remaining capacity of the battery are sufficient. On the other hand, if the "SD" button and the "MENU" button are not pressed within 30 seconds from the start of displaying the screen Sa6, a no-operation timeout occurs, the screen changes to the screen Sa3, and the power is turned off.

If the "SD" button is pressed after displaying screen Sa6, this means that the user has instructed to erase the data on the SD card, so the control unit displays screen Sa12. On the screen Sa12, a message is displayed saying "The monitoring recording folder will be deleted. MENU button: Cancel. After deletion in XX seconds, monitoring recording will start." Next, if the "MENU" button is not pressed within a predetermined time after screen Sa12 is displayed, it is determined that the user has consented to the deletion of data on the SD card, and after clearing the monitoring recording folder, the screen Display Sa5. On the other hand, if the "MENU" button is pressed within a predetermined time after screen Sa12 is displayed, it is determined that the user has canceled the deletion of data on the SD card, and screen Sa6 is displayed without clearing the monitoring recording folder. Display the screen. In this way, when the remaining capacity of the SD card is low, the user can erase the parking recording data with a simple operation of one button. Here, the parking recording data is recording data stored in parking recording.

The recorded data stored in the folders assigned to "Surveillance Recording" and "Event Recording During Monitoring" is unnecessary data unless there is an abnormality in the vehicle, so by pressing the easy delete button, the user can can erase data. Here, the simple delete button is the "SD" button that is pressed while screen Sa6 is displayed.

Screen Sa8 and screen Sa10 are display screens during execution of monitoring recording. Screen Sa7 and screen Sa9 are display screens during event recording. Screen Sa8 and screen Sa7 are in a screen-off state, and screen Sa10 and screen Sa9 are in a screen-on state. The screen-off state is a state in which the backlight is not turned on, and the screen-on state is a state in which the backlight is turned on. Screen Sa8 and screen Sa7 are in the screen off state, but in order to notify the user that recording is in progress, the control unit lights the recording lamp in a lighting pattern different from that for constant recording. Screen Sa10 and screen Sa9 display the video being shot by the camera in real time, and also display an icon depicting a camera and a red circle clearly indicating that recording is in progress at the top left of the screen. . The upper right corner of the screen also displays the elapsed time and resolution since the start of recording. The time is also displayed at the bottom left of the screen.

If the control unit determines that an event has occurred in the monitoring recording state where screen Sa8 is displayed, the control section transitions to screen Sa7 and switches to event recording. Further, when the end of an event is detected in the monitor recording state where screen Sa7 is displayed, the screen changes to screen Sa8 and switches to monitor recording. Similarly, if it is determined that an event has occurred in the monitoring recording state where screen Sa10 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sa9 and switches to event recording. Further, when the end of an event is detected in the monitor recording state where screen Sa9 is displayed, the screen changes to screen Sa10 and switches to monitor recording. Note that the control unit determines that the event has ended when 30 seconds have passed since it was determined that the event has occurred. Further, the screen Sa8 and the screen Sa10 are alternately switched each time the "MODE" button is pressed. Furthermore, after 10 seconds have passed since the display of screen Sa10 started, the screen is switched to screen Sa8. By using the screens Sa7 and Sa8 as the display screens, it is possible to save power and make the internal battery 34 last longer than when using the screens Sa9 and Sa10. You can also secretly take pictures.

During monitoring recording when screen Sa8 is displayed, if the "monitoring recording time" has expired, in the case of "LOBATT" where the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34, which is an external battery, has decreased, and if the cable 12, which is the power cord, is If it is removed, the screen changes to Sa3. Similarly, during monitoring recording when screen Sa10 is displayed, if the "monitoring recording time" expires, in the case of "LOBATT" where the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34, which is an external battery, has decreased, and if the power cord When the cable 12 is disconnected, the screen changes to Sa3.

If the "REC" button is pressed during monitoring recording while displaying screen Sa10, the screen changes to Sa11 and monitoring recording is stopped. Next, one minute after the start of displaying the screen Sa11, the screen changes to the screen Sa3. Further, if it is determined that an event has occurred while displaying screen Sa4, the screen changes to screen Sa9 and event recording is started.

Note that among the recording conditions in the event recording mode, the "number of frames to be recorded" is set in advance and is 30 fps. Also, in the above, it was explained that event recording is performed when the end of an event is detected. If there is no remaining capacity of the SD card allocated for recording, event recording is not performed. Further, the control unit does not perform event recording for three minutes from the start of monitoring recording. As a result, it is possible to determine that an event has occurred when a user gets on and off the vehicle, or to open and close a door when loading/unloading luggage, etc., and prevent the event from being recorded.

<Surveillance recording settings in surveillance recording mode>
Next, the setting screen that changes when the "MENU" button is pressed while the screen Sa6 is displayed will be explained using FIGS. 8 and 9. Screens Sa14 to Sa17 are all setting screens for setting monitoring recording. As shown in screen Sa14, the control unit displays "monitoring recording settings" at the top right of the screen and a message "MENU, SD free: XXX minutes" at the bottom of the screen. An icon depicting a return arrow is displayed to the right of "MENU." This allows the user to be informed that pressing the "MENU" button will return to the previous display screen. Further, the control unit displays the calculated "available time" to the right of "SD free:". In the center of the screen, a list of setting items for the monitoring recording mode, such as ``recording time'', ``recording resolution'', ``number of recorded frames'', and ``previous recording overwrite'', is displayed. The number of items that can be displayed on the screen is four, and the configuration is such that when the "up" key or "down" key is pressed, the items that are not displayed are scrolled. Furthermore, in order to distinguish the currently selected item from other items, it is displayed with a different background color (hereinafter referred to as "selected display"). Specifically, for example, both items are displayed in white text, the background color of the selected item is blue, and the background color of the other items is displayed as black. Note that in FIGS. 8 and 9, currently selected items are shown shaded for explanation.

As described above, when the "MENU" button is pressed while screen Sa6 is being displayed, screen Sa14 is displayed. Each time the "down" key is pressed, the screen sequentially changes to screen Sa15, screen Sa16, screen Sa16, screen Sa17, and again to screen Sa15. Similarly, each time the "up" key is pressed, the screen sequentially transitions to screen Sa17, screen Sa16, screen Sa15, screen Sa14, and again to screen Sa17.

When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa14 is being displayed, screen Sa18 is displayed. On the screen Sa18, "Recording time", which is the item being set, is displayed at the top right of the screen, and "1/5" indicating the number of pages on the display screen for "Recording time" is displayed at the bottom left of the screen. Similar to screen Sa14, the number of displayed items is four, divided into four items, and one divided group is displayed as one page. As will be described later, there are a total of 17 options for "recording time" and a total of 5 pages. In response to pressing the "down" key, the next page is displayed. In response to pressing the "up" key, the previous page is displayed. Note that illustrations of the second and subsequent pages are omitted. The options for "Recording time" are 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes (1 hour), 90 minutes (1.5 hours), 120 minutes (2 hours), 180 minutes (3 hours), 240 minutes (4 hours), 300 minutes (5 hours), 360 minutes (6 hours), 420 minutes (7 hours), 480 minutes (8 hours), 540 minutes (9 hours), 600 minutes (10 hours), 660 minutes minutes (11 hours) and 720 minutes (12 hours). On the "recording time" display screen, if there is a currently set option, a check mark is displayed at the left end of the currently set option.

In addition, options that are longer than the "usable time" calculated based on the remaining capacity of the SD card and that cannot be recorded are displayed in red (not shown). For example, if the "available time" is 60 minutes, options for 90 minutes or more are displayed in red. This allows the user to avoid options that cannot be recorded. When the "OK" key is pressed while the screen Sa18 is displayed, the non-volatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the set value of "recording time", and the screen transitions to the screen Sa14. Further, when the "MENU" key is pressed while the screen Sa18 is displayed, the screen transitions to the screen Sa14 without updating the set value of "recording time" stored in the non-volatile storage unit.

When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sa14 is being displayed, screen Sa15 is displayed. On screen Sa15, "recording resolution" is "selectively displayed". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa15 is being displayed, screen Sa19 is displayed. On the screen Sa19, "Recording resolution", which is the item being set, is displayed at the top right of the screen, and "1/1" indicating the number of pages on the display screen for "Recording resolution" is displayed at the bottom right of the screen. There are four options for "recording time" and one page for "recording resolution". Specifically, the options are 1080pHD (1920x1080), 1080p (1440x1080), 720p (1280x720), and VGA (640x480). Similar to "recording time", if there is a currently set option, a check mark is displayed at the left end of the currently set option. When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa19 is displayed, the nonvolatile storage section is updated with the selected option as the setting value of "recording resolution", and the screen transitions to screen Sa15. Further, when the "MENU" key is pressed while the screen Sa18 is displayed, the screen changes to the screen Sa15 without updating the setting value of the "recording resolution" stored in the non-volatile storage unit.

When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sa15 is being displayed, screen Sa16 is displayed. On the screen Sa16, the "number of recorded frames" is "selectively displayed". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa16 is being displayed, screen Sa20 is displayed. On screen Sa20, "Number of recorded frames", which is the item being set, is displayed at the top right of the screen, and "1/2" is displayed at the bottom right of the screen, which clearly indicates the number of pages on the display screen for "Number of recorded frames". . Although the illustration of the second page is omitted, there are two pages for "Number of recorded frames". Furthermore, there are five options for "Number of recorded frames." Specifically, they are 1 fps, 5 fps, 10 fps, 15 fps, and 30 fps. Similar to "recording time", if there is a currently set option, a check mark is displayed at the left end of the currently set option. When the "OK" key is pressed while the screen Sa20 is displayed, the non-volatile storage section is updated with the selected option as the set value for the "number of frames to be recorded," and the screen transitions to the screen Sa16. Further, when the "MENU" key is pressed while the screen Sa20 is displayed, the screen transitions to the screen Sa16 without updating the set value of the "number of frames to be recorded" stored in the non-volatile storage unit.

Also, similar to the "recording time", options that cannot be recorded are displayed in red (not shown). The remaining capacity of the SD card is divided by the setting value of "recording time" and further divided by the amount of data corresponding to "resolution" to calculate the number of possible recording frames. The fps value that is larger than the calculated number of possible recording frames is displayed in red. For example, if the possible number of recording frames is 10 fps, options for 15 fps or more are displayed in red. This allows the user to avoid options that cannot be recorded. Note that the table of "resolution" versus "data amount" is recorded in advance in the ROM.

When the "down key" button is pressed while screen Sa16 is being displayed, screen Sa17 is displayed. On the screen Sa17, "monitored recording overwrite" is "selected and displayed". When the "OK key" is pressed while screen Sa17 is being displayed, screen Sa21 is displayed. On the screen Sa21, "Overwrite monitoring recording", which is the item being set, is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. There are two options for "overwrite monitoring recording": "ON" and "OFF". Similar to "recording time", if there is a currently set option, a check mark is displayed next to the currently set option. When the "OK key" is pressed while the screen Sa21 is displayed, the nonvolatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the setting value of "monitoring recording overwrite", and the screen transitions to the screen Sa17. Further, when the "MENU key" is pressed while the screen Sa21 is displayed, the screen transitions to the screen Sa17 without updating the setting value of "monitoring recording overwrite" stored in the non-volatile storage unit.

When the "MENU key" is pressed while screens Sa14 to Sa17 are displayed, the mode shifts to the "monitoring recording mode" (FIG. 5). Furthermore, if the remaining battery level of the monitoring battery 3 decreases while screens Sa14 to Sa17 are being displayed, or if the power cable 11, which is a power cord, is disconnected, the screen changes to Sa3.

As mentioned above, if a user who wants to perform surveillance recording cannot record due to insufficient remaining space on the SD card with the preset settings, he or she can immediately display screens Sa14 to Sa17 and set the settings on the SD card. You can change the options to suit your remaining amount. Further, the drive recorder 4 displays in red the options for which recording is not possible for "recording time" and "number of recording frames." As a result, the user can set either "recording time" or "number of recording frames" to be prioritized, and then set the other of "recording time" or "number of recording frames" as a recordable option. I can do it.

<Monitoring recording settings>
The above describes the setting screen in the monitoring recording mode that changes when the remaining capacity of the SD card is insufficient in the monitoring recording mode. Separately, the drive recorder 4 is configured to accept more detailed settings regarding the monitoring recording mode in the constant monitoring mode. Next, a description will be given using FIGS. 10 and 11.

First, constant recording mode and event recording will be explained. As described above, when the power is turned on and constant recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 starts constant recording in the constant recording mode. Specifically, when the drive recorder 4 is turned on, an opening screen is displayed, and then the message "Preparing for recording, please wait for a while" is displayed on the screen. Here, the control unit determines whether the setting of "continuous recording overwrite" is "ON" or whether constant recording is possible if there is free space in the folder of the SD card assigned to continuous recording. to decide. When it is determined that continuous recording is possible, continuous recording is started. On the other hand, if it is determined that constant recording is not possible, the screen is switched to a camera video through display screen. The camera video through display screen is a screen that displays images captured by a camera in real time. In addition, if event recording is executed during monitoring recording before the power is turned on, after the opening screen is displayed, a screen will appear that displays the message "An event was recorded during monitoring recording." Transition. This allows the user to know that an event has occurred during monitoring recording. If the "OK" button is pressed while the message "An event was recorded during surveillance recording" is displayed, or after 60 seconds have elapsed without any operation from the start of the display, the above message "Preparing to record" will be displayed. Please wait for a while." The screen will change to a screen that says "Please wait for a while."

As described above, the drive recorder 4 shifts from constant recording to event recording in accordance with a predetermined trigger. During continuous recording, if the G sensor detects an impact, the screen changes to a G sensor event recording screen, and if the "cursor (down)" button is pressed, the screen changes to a one-touch recording screen. When event recording is finished, the screen transitions to the regular recording screen. By displaying different icons for G-sensor event recording and one-touch recording screen, the user is informed of whether the screen is G-sensor event recording or one-touch recording screen.

When the "MENU" key is pressed while the camera video through display screen is displayed, a menu screen is displayed. The menu screen is a screen that displays a list of setting items that can be set by the user. Similar to screen Sa14, the number of items displayed on the menu screen is four, divided into four groups, and one divided group is displayed as one page. In addition to the above, the control unit also displays the camera video through display screen even after the "REC" button is pressed during continuous recording and the continuous recording is stopped. Furthermore, if there is a trigger for event recording while the camera video through display screen is being displayed, the control unit starts event recording, and when the event recording ends, the control unit changes to the camera video through display screen again.

Screen Sb1 shown in FIG. 10 is the third page of the menu screen. As shown in screen Sb1, the control unit displays "recording settings" at the top right of the screen and "MENU" at the bottom of the screen. An icon depicting a return arrow is displayed to the right of "MENU." Display the page number at the bottom right of the screen. There are 14 recording setting items. For details, see "Resolution", "Number of recorded frames", "Audio recording", "Event beep sound", "Continuous recording overwrite", "One-touch recording overwrite", "G sensor recording overwrite", "Screen auto off", "G sensor setting", "G sensor sensitivity" ”, “Surveillance Recording Settings”, “Surveillance My Area”, “Surveillance My Cancel Area”, and “Cancel My Area”. Note that "resolution" and "number of recorded frames" are recording conditions applied to constant recording. Further, "one-touch recording overwrite", "G sensor recording overwrite", "G sensor setting", and "G sensor sensitivity" are settings commonly applied to event recording in the constant recording mode and event recording in the monitoring recording mode. As a result, the user does not have to separately set event recording in the constant recording mode and event recording in the monitoring recording mode, which reduces the user's annoyance and makes it easier to understand.

Screens Sb11 to Sb15 are all screens for setting monitoring recording settings. As shown in screen Sa14, the control unit displays "monitoring recording settings" in the upper right corner of the screen, and displays the monitoring recording setting items "recording mode", "recording time", "recording resolution", "number of recording frames" and "recording frames" in the center of the screen. Displays a list of "Previous Recording Overwrite". The number of items displayed on the screen is four, and the configuration is such that items that are not displayed can be scrolled by pressing the "up" or "down" key. There is. Additionally, the currently selected item is "selected and displayed." Note that in FIGS. 10 and 11, currently selected items are shown shaded for the purpose of explanation. Here, the configurable items include "recording mode" added to the items displayed on the setting screen (FIGS. 9 and 10) in the monitoring recording mode. Therefore, descriptions of "recording time", "recording resolution", "number of recorded frames", and "previous recording overwrite", which are items displayed on the setting screen in the monitoring recording mode, will be omitted as appropriate.

When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb1 is being displayed, screen Sb11 is displayed. When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb11 is being displayed, screen Sb111 is displayed. On the screen Sa11, "Monitoring Recording Settings", which is the item being set, is displayed at the top right of the screen, and "1/2" indicating the number of pages on the display screen for "Monitoring Recording Settings" is displayed at the bottom left of the screen. On the screen Sa111, "recording mode", which is the item being set, is displayed at the upper right of the screen. There are three options for "recording mode": "auto", "manual", and "off". Since the "recording mode" has been described above, its explanation will be omitted. Note that when the monitoring battery 3 is powered on, it transmits a signal inquiring about the remaining battery capacity, and when it receives a signal indicating the remaining battery capacity, it is determined that the monitoring battery 3 is connected. On the other hand, if a signal indicating the remaining battery level is not received, it is determined that the monitoring battery 3 is not connected. If the monitoring battery 3 is not connected, monitoring recording cannot be performed, so the control unit grays out "automatic" and "manual". Specifically, display text in gray instead of white so that the user cannot select it.

The screens Sb12, Sb13, Sb14, and Sb15 are the same as the screens Sa14, Sa15, Sa16, and Sa17, respectively, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

Here, "previous recording overwrite" set on screen Sa17 and screen Sb15 will be explained using FIG. 12. "Previous recording overwrite" is used to set whether to overwrite the monitoring recording data, which is monitoring recording data recorded up to the previous time. In the case of "OFF", recording is performed within the remaining capacity of the monitoring recording folder without overwriting. Recording is performed in the empty space, and recording is stopped when the empty space is used up. If it is "ON", first recording is performed in the monitored recording folder. When the capacity becomes full and there is no more free space, the previous monitoring recordings are overwritten starting from the oldest one. In this case, the monitoring recording data currently being photographed is not overwritten, and recording ends as soon as the current data is recorded in the capacity of the SD card.

For example, if the user has confirmed that there is no abnormality in the vehicle during the previous parking, the user can set it to "ON", and if the user has not yet confirmed, he can set it to "OFF".

Next, the "monitoring my area" shown in screen Sb2 (FIG. 13) will be explained. In setting the "monitoring my area," the user can set recording conditions different from constant recording, monitoring recording, etc. for the area registered as the "monitoring my area" in the settings. "Monitoring My Area" is defined by the center position and area radius. The control unit receives the center position of the "monitoring my area" in "registration execution" which will be described later. The control unit receives the area radius of "Monitoring My Area" in the setting of "Monitoring My Area".

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, there are five options for "Monitor My Area": "Recording Time", "Recording Resolution", "Number of Recording Frames", "Area Radius", and "Execute Registration". Of these, screens Sb21 to Sb23, which are setting screens for "recording time,""recordingresolution," and "number of frames to be recorded," are the same as the above-described screens Sb12 to Sb14, respectively, so explanations thereof will be omitted. On the screen Sb24 (FIG. 14), the control unit "selectively displays" the "area radius". When the "OK" key is pressed while the screen Sb24 is displayed, the screen changes to the screen Sb241. At the bottom right of the screen Sb241, "1/2" is displayed to clearly indicate the number of pages on the "area radius" display screen. There are five options for "area radius": "15 m", "30 m", "50 m", "100 m", and "200 m". The number of displayed items is four, divided into four groups, and one divided group is displayed as one page. The total number of pages of "area radius" is two pages. Note that illustrations of the second and subsequent pages are omitted. When the "OK" key is pressed while the screen Sb241 is displayed, the nonvolatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the setting value of the "area radius", and the screen changes to the screen Sb24. Further, when the "MENU" key is pressed while the screen Sb241 is displayed, the screen changes to the screen Sb24 without updating the setting value of the "area radius" stored in the non-volatile storage unit. As mentioned above, the "area radius" is user specified.

When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb24 is being displayed, screen Sb25 (FIG. 14) is displayed. On the screen Sb25, the control unit "selectively displays" "registration execution". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sb25 is displayed, the screen changes to screen Sb251. Screen Sb251 displays the message "Do you want to register your current location in my monitoring area?" and the options of "OK" and "Cancel." The control unit also refers to the non-volatile storage unit, reads out the number of points that can be recorded in the non-volatile storage unit and the number of points recorded in the non-volatile storage unit, and determines the number of points registered this time. (○/○ cases) is displayed to clearly indicate whether the When the "OK" button is pressed, the control section displays screen Sb252 and records the position information output from the GPS sensor in the nonvolatile storage section as the center position of "Monitor My Area." On the screen Sb252, a message "Current location has been registered in my monitoring area (○/○ cases)" is displayed. Three seconds after the start of displaying screen Sb252, and when the "OK" button is pressed, the screen transitions to screen Sb251.

As shown in FIG. 15, in "Registration Execution", the control unit sets the area radius set in "Area Radius" centering on the location P1 recorded in the non-volatile storage unit as the center position of "Monitoring My Area". The area within the circle A1 drawn with the value as the radius is recognized as the "monitoring my area" which is the parking area.

For example, assume that the user parks the vehicle at a parking location P1 for the first time and presses the "OK" button while screen Sb251 is displayed. The control unit records the location P1 as the center position of the “monitoring my area” in the nonvolatile storage unit. When the vehicle is parked at a location P2 within the circle A1 within the "monitoring my area" for the second time or later, monitoring recording is started according to the set recording conditions of the "monitoring my area". Recording conditions include "recording time", "recording resolution", and "number of recording frames". Once the user sets the recording conditions, the control unit automatically performs monitoring recording using the settings next time.

It is assumed that the user has registered the location where he/she parks the vehicle for the first time as the central location of the "monitoring my area." If the "monitoring recording setting" is set to "auto", the second time the vehicle is parked within the "monitoring my area", the drive recorder 4 will automatically monitor and record the vehicle. Furthermore, if the "monitoring recording setting" is set to "manual", the drive recorder 4 will start monitoring recording by manually pressing the "REC" button from the second time onwards. In places where the user does not care (safe and short-term parking places such as convenience stores), you want to automatically record at the minimum setting (1 fps), or when you are likely to go shopping for a long time, etc. You can check the remaining amount and respond to requests such as setting it.

When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb2 is displayed, screen Sb3 (FIG. 13) is displayed. On the screen Sb3, the control unit "selectively displays" the "monitoring my cancellation area". When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb3 is displayed, the screen changes to the next setting screen. The setting screen is the same as "Monitor My Area", so illustration and description will be omitted. Similar to "Monitoring My Area," the options for "Monitoring My Cancellation Area" are five: "Recording Time," "Recording Resolution," "Number of Recording Frames," "Area Radius," and "Execute Registration." Similarly to "Monitor My Area," there are multiple options for "Recording Time," "Recording Resolution," "Number of Recorded Frames," "Area Radius," and "Registration Execution." Note that the conditions set in "Monitor My Cancellation Area" are applied when the "REC" button is pressed on screen Sa1.

When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb3 is displayed, screen Sb4 (FIG. 13) is displayed. On the screen Sb4, the control unit "selectively displays" "Cancel my area". Screen Sb4 is a screen for accepting registration cancellation of "Monitoring My Area". When the "OK" button is pressed while the screen Sb4 is displayed, a screen displaying a list of options such as "cancel current location" and "cancel all locations" is displayed. If the "OK" button is pressed while "Cancel current location" is "selected", the message "Do you want to delete my area information for your current location?" will be displayed, and the options of "OK" and "Cancel" will be displayed. Display. Furthermore, if the "OK" button is pressed with "OK" selected, the screen will transition to a screen displaying the message "Cancelled" and the "Monitored My Area" will be saved in the non-volatile memory. Of the position information stored as the center position, position information that matches the vehicle position output from the G sensor is deleted from the nonvolatile storage section. Additionally, if "OK" is pressed while "Cancel" is "selected", it is determined that the user has canceled the cancellation, and a screen displays the items "Cancel current location" and "Cancel all locations". Transition to.

On the other hand, if the "OK" button is pressed on the screen displaying a list of options for "cancel current location" and "cancel all locations" while "cancel all locations" is "selected", "cancel all locations" is displayed. Do you want to cancel your My Area information?'' along with the options ``OK'' and ``Cancel'' will be displayed, and when the ``OK'' button is pressed, the screen will transition to a screen that displays the message ``Deleted.'' At the same time, the position information of all points stored in the nonvolatile storage unit as the center position of the "monitored my area" is deleted from the nonvolatile storage unit.

In addition, when recording to the SD card, the drive recorder 4 can perform various functions such as "continuous recording", "G sensor recording" for event recording, "one-touch recording" for event recording, and "parking surveillance recording". to determine the upper limit capacity and record it. It is also possible to play back the recorded data and erase the recorded data. For more details, when the "MODE" key is pressed on the camera video through display screen mentioned above, a screen will appear displaying the options of "Continuous recording", "G-sensor recording", "One-touch recording", and "Monitoring recording" as playback folders. Transition. For example, when the "OK" key is pressed while "monitoring recording" is selected, the recorded data is displayed on the display 41. It is also possible to remove the SD card from the drive recorder 4 and play it back on a PC, for example. Here, "G sensor recording" is event recording that starts when the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on G sensor information. "One-touch recording" is event recording that is started by the control unit when the "cursor (down)" button is pressed. "Parking surveillance recording" refers to surveillance recording.

In addition, if you want to delete the data recorded on the SD card, press the "SD" button on the camera video through display screen, the screen will change to the "SD card maintenance" screen, and the "Surveillance recording folder" will be displayed. When "Clear" is selected and the "OK" button is pressed, the "monitored and recorded" data is erased.

<Communication function>
After the engine is stopped, the drive recorder 4 receives power from the monitoring battery 3 and transmits recorded data that is constantly recorded and event recorded to a center connected to the Internet. Here, the center is, for example, a database that can be viewed by a manager who manages a vehicle.

The CPU executes two codecs, and in continuous recording, the codec for the recorded data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52 and the codec for the recorded data to be written to the SD card are executed in parallel as separate processes. and execute it. This allows the recorded data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52 to be different from the recorded data recorded on the SD card. Here, it is assumed that the recorded data recorded on the SD card has a lower compression ratio than the recorded data transmitted from the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52, and the image during playback is clearer.

Next, a data transfer method in communication of constantly recorded data will be explained using FIG. 16. The control unit records images output from the camera in the RAM and the SD card during continuous recording. Specifically, the CPU stores in the RAM recording data obtained by converting images output from the camera into JPEG format. Further, the CPU outputs recorded data for the SD card, which is obtained by compressing the recorded data recorded in the RAM, to the SD card interface. Here, the recorded data for the SD card is in JPEG format, and the amount of data can be reduced to about 1/10 or 1/20 of the recorded data recorded in the RAM. The SD card interface writes input recording data for the SD card to the SD card. Further, the CPU outputs recorded data for communication, which is obtained by compressing the recorded data recorded in the RAM, to the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52. The LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52 packetizes the input recording data for communication and transmits it to the destination via the Internet. Similarly, in the case of event recording, the control unit records recording data in JPEG format in the RAM and the SD card. As described above, the recorded data for continuous recording and the recorded data for event recording are respectively stored in the corresponding folders of the SD card.

During continuous recording, the device connects to the Internet via a base station and transfers the recorded data to the destination. The communication speed of mobile communication for mobile terminals is not uniform; for example, it is about 10 Mbps in rural areas and about 2 Mbps in urban areas, and in areas where communication speed is slow, the amount of recorded data to be transmitted is reduced to, for example, 1 to 2 Mbps. If you don't have it, you won't be able to send it in time. For this reason, the control unit generates recorded data for communication by compressing the recorded data recorded in the RAM and transmits it. Note that the data recording conditions for approximately 1 Mbps are a resolution of 720×400 and a frame rate of approximately 15 fps. Further, when the vehicle is running, there may be a period during which communication is unavailable. For example, when the base station is switched or when the user enters an area with a large amount of communication. In this case, recorded data cannot be transferred during the communication disabled period. In other words, there are parts of the recorded data that cannot be transmitted.

The control unit resumes data transfer from the currently recorded data when communication becomes possible from communication disabled. In other words, the recorded data with the non-communicable portions missing is transferred to the destination. When the engine is turned off and the ACC power is turned off, continuous recording ends and the portions that could not be transmitted are transmitted. Next, send the event recording portion.

When the control unit receives a battery switching signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the internal battery 34 from the monitoring battery 3, the control unit measures the communication speed. The control unit transmits recorded data at a bit rate depending on the communication speed. For example, if the communication speed is 100 Mbps, recorded data of 100 Mbps is transmitted. Specifically, the CPU compresses the recorded data recorded in the RAM to a predetermined bit rate. Next, the CPU outputs the compressed recorded data for communication to the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52, whichever has a faster communication speed. On the other hand, if the communication speed is lower than the reference value, the control unit compresses the recorded data recorded in the RAM into recorded data with a bit rate equivalent to that when the ACC power was turned on, and transmits the compressed data. When the ACC power is on, by reducing the amount of recorded data per unit time, the image time relative to the transmission time can be lengthened.

<Modified example of data transfer method>
Next, method 2, which is a modified example of the data transfer method, will be explained using FIG. 17. The method of writing to the SD card is the same as method 1, so the explanation will be omitted. In method 2, when communication becomes possible, data is transferred not from the current recorded data but from data up until communication becomes impossible. In other words, time-series data is transferred to the destination. When the engine is turned off and continuous recording ends, the portion that could not be transmitted is transmitted. Next, send the event recording portion.

Next, method 3, which is a modified example of the data transfer method, will be described using FIG. 18. The method of writing to the SD card is the same as method 1, so the explanation will be omitted. In method 3, data transfer for continuous recording and data transfer for event recording are executed in parallel during continuous recording. When communication becomes possible, the data recorded up until communication becomes impossible is transferred instead of the current recorded data. In other words, the time-series continuous recording data and the event recording data are transferred to the destination. When the engine is turned off and the continuous recording ends, the part of the recorded data of the continuous recording that could not be transmitted and the part of the recorded data of the event recording that could not be transmitted are transmitted.

As described above, the drive recorder 4 can receive power from the monitoring battery 3 and transmit recorded data that could not be transmitted while the ACC power was on after the ACC power was turned off.

Next, another example of the drive recorder will be shown. This is also a modification of the data transfer method. The data transfer method and its configuration will be explained using FIGS. 19 to 22. Note that the same configurations as those in the above embodiment will be described using the same names and symbols. In methods 1 to 3 of the data transfer methods described above, it has been explained that the recorded data that could not be transmitted due to the occurrence of a communication disabled period is transmitted after the engine is turned off. In method 4, the drive recorder 4 transmits the recorded data that could not be transmitted together with real-time recorded data during the period when the engine is ON.

First, the configuration of the drive recorder 4 will be explained using FIG. 19. In addition to a camera 42, a microphone 43, an SD card interface 47, and a mobile communication interface 52, the drive recorder 4 has a storage compression unit 44, a communication compression unit 45, an audio compression unit 46, an image buffer 48, an audio buffer 49, and a communication It has a data creation section 50 and a ring buffer 51. The storage compression unit 44 and the communication compression unit 45 are respectively used as a “codec for recorded data to be written to an SD card” and “a codec for recorded data to be transmitted from a LAN interface or a mobile communication interface”, etc. This is realized by The storage compression section 44 and the communication compression section 45 output the compressed image data to the SD card interface 47 and the image buffer 48, respectively. Note that the communication compression unit 45 detects the current communication rate, automatically changes the data capacity to a data capacity that can be transmitted in real time as much as possible, and generates image data that is video data. When compressing, the communication compression unit 45 obtains, for example, a communication rate measured by the mobile communication interface 52, and compresses the image data at a compression rate corresponding to the obtained communication rate. The SD card interface 47 includes two SD card insertion slots into which SD cards 61 and 62 are inserted. storage compression section 44, communication compression section 45,
Part of the audio compression unit 46, SD card interface 47, image buffer 48, audio buffer 49, communication data creation unit 50, ring buffer 51, and mobile communication interface 52 may be implemented using an SOC (System On a Chip).

The audio compression unit 46 compresses the audio data collected by the microphone 43 into MP3 format audio data, and outputs the compressed audio data to the SD card interface 47 and the audio buffer 49. Image buffer 48 and audio buffer 49 buffer compressed image data and audio data, respectively. The communication data creation unit 50 reads the compressed image data and audio data from the image buffer 48 and the audio buffer 49, respectively, creates communication data, adds information on the date and time when the created communication data was created, and stores it in the ring buffer. Output to 51. The ring buffer 51 buffers communication data to which four pieces of creation date and time information are added. The mobile communication interface 52 reads communication data from the ring buffer 51, packetizes it, and transmits it to the destination.

The SD card interface 47 writes the compressed image data and audio data output from the storage compression section 44 and the audio compression section 46 into the storage area of the SD card 61 or the SD card 62. Here, the SD card interface 47 divides the storage area into a storage area and a communication area for each of the SD card 61 and the SD card 62, and writes recorded data therein. The storage area is an area for preserving the image data output from the storage compression unit 44 and audio data output from the audio compression unit 46. The communication area is an area for storing all or part of communication data that could not be transmitted. As described above, in areas where the communication speed is slow, transmission cannot be completed in time unless the amount of communication data, which is the recorded data to be transmitted, is reduced, so the communication data is compressed according to the communication speed. The area for preserving data clearly is an area for preserving recorded data that has a lower compression rate than communication data and provides a clear image during playback. Note that the SD card interface 47 has an upper limit for each of the storage area and communication area, such as "continuous recording", "G sensor recording", "one-touch recording", "parking surveillance recording", etc. Determine the capacity and write. The SD card interface 47 reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the ring buffer 51 and writes it into the communication area of the SD card 61 or the SD card 62. Furthermore, the SD card interface 47 reads out all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the communication area of the SD card 61 or the SD card 62 and outputs it to the mobile communication interface 52. Note that the audio compression section 46 and the communication data creation section 50 are realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM.

Next, the structure of communication data will be explained using FIG. 20. “Image data” in FIG. 20 indicates image data output by the communication compression unit 45, “audio data” indicates audio data output by the audio compression unit 46, and “communication data” is created by the communication data creation unit 50. It shows the communication data to be sent. Furthermore, the horizontal axis of the data is the time axis. Image data is composed of I frames and P frames. Here, the I frame is data that can be reproduced independently, and the P frame is difference data from image data one frame before. The image data includes one I frame and multiple P frames. The communication compression unit 45 assigns a serial number, which is additional information, to each frame in order from the first frame. The serial number is an identifier that indicates the chronological order. The audio compression unit 46 divides the audio data into sections corresponding to from one I frame to the next I frame of the image data, and assigns a serial number to each of the divided audio frames. The communication data creation unit 50 creates communication data in which one I frame, one section of audio data, and a plurality of P frames constitute one communication unit. The communication data is data in which I frames, audio data, and P frames are arranged sequentially.

The communication compression unit 45 creates three I frames in 1 s. For example, when the frame rate is 15 fps, the communication compression unit 45 converts the image data into one I frame and four P frames every 1/3 seconds. The audio compression section 46 adds a mark to the audio data in synchronization with the conversion into an I frame by the communication compression section 45. The communication data creation unit 50 first reads an I frame from the image buffer 48, then reads one section of audio data from the mark corresponding to the I frame to the mark corresponding to the next I frame from the audio buffer 49, and then reads the next I frame. P frames up to the next I frame are read out from the image buffer 48, and communication data is output to the ring buffer 51, with each read data set as one communication unit. The ring buffer 51 sequentially buffers the communication data of one communication unit, and when the memory area becomes full, the oldest communication data is overwritten with the latest communication data. When the frame rate is 15 fps, the reproduction time of one communication unit of communication data is 1/3 s. The ring buffer 51 stores a plurality of pieces of communication data for one communication unit. Note that the transmission destination is equipped with a playback device that can receive and play back the communication data, so that the received communication data can be played back to view video and listen to audio. Furthermore, when receiving an I frame that is part of the communication data, the playback device can play back a still image based on the I frame. Furthermore, when receiving an I frame and audio data that are part of the communication data, the playback device can play back a still image and audio based on the I frame. In this case, if part of the audio data is received, the audio of the received section can be played back. Furthermore, when part of the communication data, such as an I frame, audio data, and up to the middle of a P frame, is received, the playback device can play back video and audio based on the received P frame.

Note that the configuration of the communication data described above can be applied not only when using method 4 but also when using methods 1 to 3.

Next, communication processing executed by the CPU to transfer recorded data to a destination in real time during continuous recording will be described using FIG. 21. In the following description, transferring recorded data in real time through communication processing may be referred to as real-time transfer. When the CPU starts constant recording, it starts communication processing. First, the CPU causes the mobile communication interface 52 to read communication data buffered in the ring buffer 51 (S1). The communication data here refers to the communication data of one communication unit, and the same applies to the following description. Next, the mobile communication interface 52 is caused to transmit communication data (S3). This allows the continuous recording data to be transferred to the destination in real time. Next, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, it is determined whether the transmission through the mobile communication interface 52 has been successful (S5). Here, the predetermined time is a time equal to or shorter than the playback time of communication data. During continuous recording, communication data is generated one after another, so if the communication data is not transmitted within a time equal to or shorter than the playback time of the communication data, communication data that could not be transmitted will accumulate. In order to transfer in real time while constantly recording, it is necessary to complete the transfer of one communication unit of communication data within the playback time of one communication unit of communication data. If the CPU is unable to transmit the communication data, the I frame, P frame, and one section of audio data that could not be transmitted are stored in the SD cards 61 and 62. The mobile communication interface 52 further divides the communication data, packetizes it, and transmits it. When there is an error in transmitting a packet, retransmission processing is also performed to retransmit the packet that could not be transmitted due to the error. For example, if one communication unit of communication data cannot be transmitted because reproduction processing occurs frequently due to poor radio wave conditions, the communication data that could not be transmitted is stored in the SD cards 61 and 62. If the mobile communication interface 52 is able to transmit one communication unit of communication data, the CPU determines that the transmission was successful. If the CPU determines that the transmission has been successful (S5: Yes), the process proceeds to step S7 to transmit the next communication data. On the other hand, if the CPU determines that the transmission has failed (S5: No), the CPU sends the I frame, P frame, and one section of audio data of the communication data that could not be transmitted to the SD card interface 47 from the ring buffer 51. The data is read out and stored in the SD card 61 or the SD card 62, and the fact that the transmission was not possible is stored in the RAM (S9), and the process advances to step S7. If the I frame cannot be transmitted, the I frame, which is communication data in one communication unit,
Frame, P frame, and one section of audio data are stored. If all of the audio data for one section cannot be transmitted, the audio data for one section and the P frame are stored. If all of the plurality of P frames cannot be transmitted, the P frames that could not be transmitted are stored. If the communication data cannot be transmitted within the reproduction time of one communication unit (S5: NO), the next communication data of one communication unit is transmitted (S1, S3). The destination cannot receive the communication data of one communication unit, but the communication data of one communication unit can be reproduced without the communication data of the previous and subsequent communication units. If the communication data can be received, the communication data of one communication unit can be reproduced. Even when one communication unit of communication data cannot be transmitted, the invisible section can be limited to only one communication unit of real time, which in the above example is 1/3 seconds.

In step S7, it is determined whether the communication data has ended. When the constant recording ends, no new communication data is generated, so the ring buffer 51 is not overwritten with new communication data. The CPU moves the reading position of the ring buffer 51 to the next position, and the created date and time information given to the communication data at that position changes to the created date and time information given to the communication data read in step S1. If it is older than , it is determined that the communication data has ended. If it is determined that the communication data has ended (S7: Yes), the communication processing is ended. On the other hand, if it is determined that the communication data has not ended (S7: No), step S1 is executed for the next communication data. The CPU reads the communication data at the read position of the ring buffer 51 that has been moved.

Note that the CPU reads out all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during the communication process from the SD card 61 or the SD card 62 and transmits it when the communication is restored and communication becomes possible. Further, the CPU transmits all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted in parallel with the communication process. At the same time as the real-time transfer, the data at the time when the real-time transfer could not be performed is read from the SD card 61 or the SD card 62, whichever medium is not recorded, and transferred at the same time, as will be described later. Here, during continuous recording, the SD card interface 47 is writing recorded data for storage, so writing of recorded data and reading of communication data are executed simultaneously. It is difficult to write and read data in parallel to one SD card. Therefore, in method 4, two SD cards are used to write storage data and read communication data that could not be sent. Incidentally, the case where the communication data cannot be transmitted is, as described above, when a communication interruption occurs, for example, when the base station is switched or when the mobile station enters an area with a large amount of communication.

In FIG. 22, the horizontal axis is the time axis, and "recorded data" indicates communication data and storage data created by the communication data creation unit 50. Here, the storage data is compressed image data and audio data output from the storage compression section 44 and the audio compression section 46. "Storage medium 1 data recording" and "Storage medium 2 data recording" indicate periods during which storage data is written to the SD card 61 and to the SD card 62, respectively. Furthermore, the shaded area indicates a period during which communication data is written to the SD card 61 or the SD card 62. However, writing is not performed all the time during the period shown by the rectangular figures of "Storage medium 1 data recording" and "Storage medium 2 data recording" in FIG. 22, but writing is performed during a short period of time. , there is a period in which writing is not performed between periods in which writing is performed. Writing of storage data and writing of communication data are performed during the period indicated by the rectangular figure of "Storage medium 1 data recording" in FIG. In the "communication connection state", the period during which communication is possible on the mobile communication interface 52 is indicated by an arrow. "Real-time transfer in communication" indicates a period during which communication data is being transmitted in communication processing. "Data transfer that could not be transmitted" indicates a period during which communication data that could not be transmitted by the mobile communication interface 52 is being transmitted in communication processing.

During the period of constant recording, the SD card interface 47 alternately switches the write destination of storage data between the SD card 61 and the SD card 62 at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 10 seconds) and writes the data in a time-sharing manner. Thereby, while one of the SD cards 61 and 62 is being written, the other is not being written, so the SD card interface 47 can easily read data from the other. One of the SD cards 61 and 62 is used for writing and recording storage data that is recorded data for storage, and the other of the SD cards 61 and 62 is used for reading and transmitting communication data that could not be transmitted. . During the period from time t1 to time t2, which is a period during which communication is possible, the mobile communication interface 52 executes communication processing and transmits communication data. During the period from time t2 to time t4 when communication is not possible, the SD card interface 47 writes storage data to the storage area and communication data to the communication area. Here, the SD card interface 47 writes the communication data to the same SD card as the SD card to which the storage data is written. Step S9 of the communication process is performed during free time when storage data is not being written to the storage area. At time t4, when communication becomes possible, the CPU sends all or part of the communication data written to the SD card 62 because it could not be sent, as indicated by the shaded area in FIG. Read and send. Specifically, when receiving a signal from the mobile communication interface 52 indicating that communication is possible, it is determined whether or not the fact that the transmission could not be transmitted is stored in the RAM, and if it is determined that the fact that the transmission could not be transmitted is stored. , it is determined whether or not communication data is stored in the communication area of the SD card 62, which is the SD card to which the storage data has not been written, and if it is determined that the communication data is stored, it is not stored. read and transmit all or part of the communication data. The time required to transfer the communication data is shorter than the time required to write the communication data to the SD cards 61 and 62. The time period from time t4 to time t5 during which communication data is transferred is shorter than the time period from time t2 to time t3 during which writing to the SD card 62 is performed. Therefore, the drive recorder 4 can transmit all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during the period from time t2 to time t3, during the period from time t4 to t5. From time t4 to time t5, since the SD card interface 47 is writing storage data to the SD card 61, it reads all or part of the communication data from the SD card 62 to which it has not been written. Next, at time t5, when the write destination is switched to the SD card 62, all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted is read from the SD card 61 and transmitted. Similarly, for all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during the period from time t6 to time t7, when communication becomes possible at time t7, the CPU transfers the communication data from the unwritten SD card 62. read out all or part of the file and send it. Next, at time t8, when the writing destination is switched to the SD card 62, the CPU reads out all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the SD card 61 and transmits it. For example, if the actual time required to capture one communication unit is 1 s, and the predetermined time for switching the writing destination of storage data is 10 s, one cycle of communication processing steps S1 to S7 will be performed 10 times in 10 s. It will be done. In addition, in FIG. 22, for example, at time t2, the time when the communication connection state becomes communication disabled and the start time of the period in which communication data is written to the SD card 62 shown in the shaded area are shown as the same time. However, in detail, since communication becomes impossible and step S9 is executed after step S5 is executed, communication data is written to the SD card 62, but at the start time, the communication connection state is It will be later than the time when it became unavailable.

Although not shown in FIG. 22, if all communication data cannot be transmitted while the engine is on, after the engine is turned off, the drive recorder 4 is powered from the monitoring battery 3 and the remaining power is Send communication data.

The period during which communication is disabled is indefinite, and it is not known when communication will be cut off, so communication may become disabled while step S3 of the communication process is being executed. Here, the communication data is transmitted to the destination from the beginning. That is, the I frame, audio data, and P frame are transmitted in this order. If communication becomes impossible in the middle of a P frame, the I frame and voice data have already been transmitted to the destination. Since I-frames are data that can be reproduced independently, at least still images and audio data can be reproduced at the destination. Further, since communication data that cannot be transmitted due to communication failure is transmitted later, the destination receives communication data that is not arranged in chronological order. Since a serial number is assigned to each frame of the communication data, the transmission destination can easily reproduce the communication data of the transmitted section by sorting the communication data in the order of the serial number after receiving all the communication data. A typical video file has management areas for managing data area allocation at the beginning and end of the file. Since the management area is essential for playing the video file, if the trailing management area is not sent to the destination, the video file cannot be played. In this regard, since the communication data does not have a management area, the communication data of the transmitted section can be reproduced at the transmission destination, as described above. Further, since one communication unit of communication data has one I frame, even if one communication unit of communication data cannot be transmitted, another communication unit of communication data can be reproduced.

<SD card storage and data transfer settings>
The drive recorder 4 is configured to accept for each "data item" and "data content" whether or not to perform recording to the SD card and data transfer. As shown in FIG. 23, the "data items" include "constant recording,""G sensor event recording,""one-touch event recording," and "history.""History" is data that does not include image and audio data, such as recorded data. Among these, the "data contents" of "continuous recording", "G sensor event recording", and "one-touch event recording" include "video data", "audio data", "GPS", "acceleration sensor", and "vehicle information". ” is there. The "data content" of the "history" includes "GPS", "acceleration sensor", and "vehicle information". The CPU acquires the vehicle position output from the GPS sensor, the acceleration output from the G sensor, and the OBD connection cable during the period when "continuous recording", "G sensor event recording", and "one touch event recording" are performed. The vehicle information is recorded in the RAM along with the date and time. "GPS", "acceleration sensor", and "vehicle information" in "data content" are the vehicle position, acceleration, and vehicle information recorded together with date and time, respectively. In addition, when transferring "GPS", "acceleration sensor", and "vehicle information" to the transfer destination via the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52, the CPU records the vehicle position and acceleration every frame of video data or every second. , separate and transfer vehicle information data.

"Recording" in "Settings" shown in FIG. 23 refers to storing recorded data on the SD card. "Transfer" refers to the transfer of recorded data to a destination via the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52. “○” in FIG. 23 indicates a setting to execute “record” or “transfer”, and “x” indicates a setting not to execute. The nonvolatile storage unit of the drive recorder 4 stores settings with "o" and "x" as parameters corresponding to "data item", "data content", "record", and "transfer". The drive recorder 4 accepts the above settings on the setting screen, for example, and executes "record" and "transfer" in the case of "○". The driver of the vehicle and the administrator who views the "recorded" or "transferred" data, for example, who manages the vehicle, may be different. In this case, the driver may request that all "data contents" not be "recorded" or "transferred". By accepting detailed "record" or "transfer" settings for each "data item" and "data content," it is possible to provide a drive recorder 4 that can be set according to the intentions of both the driver and the administrator. can. The user can make settings according to the operating method of the drive recorder 4 and needs. Furthermore, if there is "data content" that has not been recorded during execution of constant recording, G-sensor event recording, or one-touch event recording, it is preferable to have a configuration that clearly indicates on the display 41 that it has not been recorded.

Here, the drive recorder 4 is an example of in-vehicle equipment, the monitoring battery 3 is an example of a device, and the internal battery 34 is an example of a battery. Further, the input/output connector 3b is an example of a communication means, and the CPU 33 is an example of a control unit. "Resolution" and "Number of recording frames" that can be selected on the settings screen are examples of the first setting function, and "Surveillance recording settings" that can be selected on the settings screen are examples of the second setting function. "G sensor setting" is an example of the third setting function. The input/output connector 4a is an example of a device communication means, the camera is an example of a photographing means, the SD card is an example of a storage medium, the operation button is an example of a user interface, and the GPS sensor is an example of a positioning means. Yes, and a nonvolatile recording section is an example of a recording means. The battery switching signal is an example of a "switching signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to a battery", and the vehicle switching signal is an example of a "signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to a vehicle". The power cable 11 is an example of a "vehicle-to-this device power supply line", and the cable 12 is an example of a "this device-to-vehicle equipment power supply line". The communication data creation unit 50 is an example of a creation unit, and the SD cards 61 and 62 are examples of a first recording medium and a second recording medium. The mobile communication interface 52 and the LAN interface are examples of transmitting means. The SD card interface 47 is an example of storage control means.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects are achieved.
The monitoring battery 3 can continue to supply power to the drive recorder 4 even when power supply from the vehicle is cut off. Further, although the drive recorder 4 generates heat from inside the casing, the monitoring battery 3 is separate from the drive recorder 4, so it is less susceptible to the heat generated from inside the drive recorder 4. By making it difficult for the temperature of the internal battery 34 to rise, it is possible to prevent charging and discharging from becoming impossible due to a rise in temperature, and it is possible to make it less likely that power supply to the drive recorder 4 will become impossible. Since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, the monitoring battery 3 can be made large and heavy enough to be installed under the seat, so the capacity of the internal battery 34 can be increased. Thereby, the drive recorder 4 can continue operating for a long time even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. In addition, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it does not occupy the living space, and it does not hit people or get in the way when driving or getting in and out of the car. , can be installed.

When the CPU 33 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34, it outputs a switching signal. Further, when the ACC power source is turned on within the specified time, the CPU 33 outputs a switching signal notifying that the power supply source has been switched to the ACC power source. Thereby, the drive recorder 4 can know that the power supply source has been switched to the internal battery 34.

"One-touch recording overwrite", "G sensor recording overwrite", "G sensor setting", and "G sensor sensitivity" on the setting screen are settings commonly applied to event recording in the constant recording mode and event recording in the monitoring recording mode. As a result, the user does not have to separately set event recording in the constant recording mode and event recording in the monitoring recording mode, which reduces the user's annoyance and makes it easier to understand.

In the monitoring recording setting in the monitoring recording mode, the drive recorder 4 displays in red the options for which recording is not possible for "recording time" and "number of recording frames." As a result, the user can set either "recording time" or "number of recording frames" to be prioritized, and then set the other of "recording time" or "number of recording frames" as a recordable option. I can do it. In addition, the drive recorder 4 determines whether the position information output from the GPS sensor is included in the "monitoring my area" in the state of transition to the monitoring recording mode. If the location information is determined to be included in "Surveillance My Area" and "Surveillance Recording Settings" is "Auto", the recording conditions set in "Surveillance My Area" will be used as the recording conditions for surveillance recording from now on. Execute processing.
Similarly, in the state of transition to surveillance recording mode, if the location information is determined to be included in the "monitoring my cancellation area", the "monitoring recording setting" is "auto", and the "REC" button is pressed. , execute the subsequent processing using the recording conditions set in "Monitoring My Cancellation Area" as the recording conditions for monitoring recording. Thereby, the user can operate the drive recorder 4 without having to make settings many times. Furthermore, even if the location information does not match the location stored in the non-volatile storage unit, if the location information is "Monitoring My Area" and "Monitoring My Cancellation Area", the drive recorder 4 will display "Monitoring My Area" as "Monitoring My Area". The shooting conditions associated with the "monitoring my cancellation area" can be set as the current shooting conditions.

The drive recorder 4 receives power from the monitoring battery 3 and can reliably transmit recorded data that is constantly recorded after the engine is stopped. When the ACC power is on, by reducing the amount of recorded data per unit time, the image time relative to the transmission time can be lengthened.

Electrical components with the function of receiving radio waves retrofitted to a vehicle and receiving antennas are often installed particularly on the dashboard or above the windshield, but the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat. Because of this configuration, the influence of noise from the charge/discharge control section 31, DC-DC converter 32, CPU 33, etc. on these electrical components, antennas, etc. can be greatly suppressed.

Since one communication unit of communication data includes one I frame, the transmission data can be reproduced at the destination where the transmission data is transmitted. You can check the transmitted data as a video image. If one communication unit of communication data is 1/3 s, an image can be checked at least every 1/3 s. For example, if the communication data is a photograph of an accident at the time of a collision, the transmission destination can reliably check the video at the time of the accident. Furthermore, in the communication process, even if the mobile communication interface 52 is unable to transmit communication data, the SD card interface 47 reads the communication data that could not be transmitted from one of the SD cards 61 and 62, which is not the storage destination. This allows the mobile communication interface 52 to transmit. At the destination where the communication data is sent, the communication data can be acquired while the engine is on. The SD card interface 47 can easily read communication data by switching the storage destination between the SD cards 61 and 62 and reading from one of the SD cards 61 and 62 that is not the storage destination.

<Modified example>
It should be noted that although the present invention is preferably in the embodiment described above, it is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various improvements and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, the value of the "recording resolution" option in the "monitoring recording setting" may be lower than the value of the "recording resolution" option in the constant recording setting. Further, the value of the option "number of frames to be recorded" in the "monitoring recording setting" may be set lower than the value of the option "number of frames to be recorded" in the constant recording setting. In addition, the default values of the options for "Recording resolution" and "Number of recording frames" in "Surveillance recording settings" and Continuous recording settings are clearly displayed, and the "Recording resolution" and "Recording The initial value of "Number of frames" may be set lower than the initial value in the constant recording setting. In surveillance recording, the vehicle is often stationary, so even if the frame rate and resolution are lowered, moving objects outside the vehicle can still be captured. Also, it is possible to perform event recording by setting, so when an event occurs, it is recorded. Thereby, the recording condition for monitoring recording can be set to power saving. Since the amount of power supplied by the internal battery 34 is reduced, the internal battery 34 can last longer.

Furthermore, although it has been described that the monitoring battery 3 receives power from the ACC power via the power cable 11 connected to the cigarette lighter socket of the vehicle, the present invention is not limited thereto. The power cable 11 may be directly connected to an ACC power source, and the monitoring battery 3 may be powered from the ACC power source. Furthermore, although it has been described that the output terminal 11a and the input connector 3a are miniUSB connectors, they may be USB connectors other than miniUSB. Further, although it has been described that the input/output connector 3b and the first terminal 12a are 10-pin connectors, the number of pins is not limited to 10 pins, and the number of pins may be greater or less than this. Further, although it has been described that the DIP switch DIPSW36 includes three switches, the number of switches is not limited.

Further, although it has been described that the monitoring battery 3 is supplied with power from the ACC power source via the power cable 11, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which a mobile battery is connected may also be used.

Furthermore, although it has been explained that the monitoring battery 3 outputs a signal indicating the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34 every 1 s, the time is not limited to 1 s, and may be 1 minute or 3 minutes.

Furthermore, it has been explained that when the power supply source is switched to the internal battery 34, the CPU 33 transmits a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4. In this way, when there is a change in the power supply status from the ACC power supply, a signal to that effect may be sent to the drive recorder 4, but the signal indicating the presence or absence of power supply from the ACC power supply may be sent for one second, for example. It is preferable to transmit the information to the drive recorder 4 at predetermined time intervals, such as at intervals.

Furthermore, it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3 in the constant recording mode, it determines whether to shift to the monitoring recording mode or turn off the power to the drive recorder 4. Instead, it is better to make the decision based on a plurality of battery switching signals. For example, in the constant recording mode, if the battery switching signal is received several times in succession, it may be determined whether to shift to the monitoring recording mode. In this way, it is possible to prevent switching between the constant recording mode and the monitoring recording mode when the power supply from the ACC power supply to the monitoring battery 3 is momentarily cut off and then restored. Similarly, it is preferable to determine whether to shift to the constant recording mode based on a plurality of vehicle switching signals from the monitoring battery 3.

In addition, it was explained that when the vehicle switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3 and continuous recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 shifts from the monitoring recording mode to the continuous recording mode and starts continuous recording. You may also make a transition to recording mode.

As for the configuration in which the reset is performed, the drive recorder 4 itself may perform the reset process, but the drive recorder 4 transmits an instruction signal to the monitoring battery 3 to turn off the power supply for a predetermined time, and the monitoring battery When the drive recorder 3 receives this signal, it is preferable to stop the power supply to the drive recorder 4 for a predetermined period of time, and then restart the power supply. In this way, switching from surveillance recording mode to continuous recording mode can be performed by reliably resetting the power by turning off the power, increasing the possibility that situations such as accidents can be recorded more reliably through constant recording. can. For example, when transitioning from monitoring recording to continuous recording, the drive recorder 4 is hard reset by turning off the output from the monitoring battery 3 for a predetermined period of time, so that continuous recording can be reliably and normally started. Become.

The above-mentioned predetermined time during which the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power to the drive recorder 4 in order to reset the drive recorder 4 is such that the drive recorder 4 is reliably turned off after the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power, for example. It is best to spend more time than you can. For example, if the drive recorder has a configuration that includes a supercapacitor in addition to the configuration described in Drive Recorder 4, it is preferable to set the time longer than the maximum time required to close a file using power from the supercapacitor, etc. . For example, it is good to set it to about 3 seconds. Note that the supercapacitor is charged while the drive recorder is being supplied with power, and discharged while the drive recorder is not being supplied with power. Further, "closing a file" means, for example, completing writing of data to the SD card.

However, after the user turns off the vehicle's ACC power for parking, for example, the user may have to turn on the vehicle's ACC power and then turn it off again in case the user forgets to retract the vehicle's electric mirrors or close the windows. . In this case, the ACC power supply is turned on, turned off, turned on, and turned off repeatedly. If the timing of this second turning off is within the period during which the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power to the drive recorder, various problems may occur, such as the inability to continue monitoring recording. This is because, after the ACC power supply is switched from off to on and the monitoring battery 3 stops power supply for a predetermined period of time in order to shift to continuous recording, the ACC power supply may be turned off when power supply is resumed. Therefore, this predetermined time is a time that can be reliably turned off after the power supply to the drive recorder is stopped, and is preferably set to be as short as possible. For example, it may be set to about 1.5 seconds. By shortening the off period of the monitoring battery 3 from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds in this way, the probability that the period during which power supply to the drive recorder is stopped overlaps with the timing when the vehicle's ACC power is turned off is reduced. be able to. In addition, with this measure, it is possible to shorten the unrecorded period from normal monitoring recording when the vehicle's ACC power is turned on to the start of constant recording.

Further, as described above, the inventors have discovered that the ACC power supply of the vehicle may be turned off, on, and off repeatedly from the on state, so the following configuration may be adopted. When the CPU 33 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34, the battery switching signal is not immediately sent to the drive recorder 4, but is sent for a predetermined period of time when the ACC power source is turned on for a short period of time. It is preferable that the battery switching signal is transmitted to the drive recorder after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, provided that the ACC power supply of the vehicle continues to be off. For example, if the power supply from the ACC power supply of the vehicle is turned off for a predetermined period of time, for example, 20 seconds, the battery switching signal is sent to the drive recorder. It is a good idea to do this.

In addition, after the drive recorder is powered on, the control unit performs various initialization processes, and then starts continuous recording. It takes. Furthermore, depending on the configuration of the drive recorder, some drive recorders are designed to first start recording in a constant recording mode. Therefore, it is preferable that the monitoring battery 3 sends a signal indicating whether or not power is being supplied from the ACC power source to the drive recorder at predetermined time intervals, and for a predetermined period of time from the time when power is started to be supplied to the drive recorder after receiving power from the ACC power source. It is preferable to output a signal indicating that power is being supplied from the vehicle to the drive recorder, regardless of whether or not power is being supplied from the vehicle's ACC power source. This predetermined time is preferably about 10 seconds, for example.

Furthermore, although it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it transmits a signal instructing a specified time period, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to transmit a signal instructing the monitoring battery 3 to stop power supply after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Moreover, although it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it transmits the signal instructing the specified time, the timing of transmitting the signal instructing the specified time is not limited to this. The information may be transmitted at predetermined time intervals, such as when the power of the drive recorder 4 is turned on or when the set value of the specified time is changed. The predetermined time is 1 s, 1 minute,
For example, 3 minutes.

Further, although it has been explained that if the CPU 33 does not receive a signal inquiring about the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34, it is determined that the drive recorder having a communication function is not connected, but the signal it receives is not limited to the signal inquiring about the remaining capacity. It may also be a signal for commanding a specified time. Further, the switch included in the DIP switch DIPSW 36 may be configured to indicate whether or not a drive recorder with a communication function is connected. In this case, the configuration is such that when the corresponding switch is OFF, it indicates that the drive recorder with the communication function is not connected.

Further, although it has been described that the control unit displays the screens Sa14 to Sa17 and accepts settings of recording conditions, the present invention is not limited thereto. It may also be configured to have a function of automatically determining the longest recordable time, giving priority to the frame rate. When the control unit receives a change in the setting value of the "number of recording frames" on the screen Sa20 that transitions from the screen Sa16, it calculates the "available time" based on the setting value of the "number of recording frames". The option of the longest "recording time" less than the calculated "usable time" is determined as the setting value of the "recording time". Alternatively, it may be configured to have a function of automatically determining the longest recordable time with priority given to resolution.

In addition, it was explained that after transitioning to "monitoring recording mode", if the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is insufficient and "monitoring recording overwrite" is set to "OFF", screen Sa6 will be displayed. It is not limited to this. In this case, if there is no remaining capacity on the SD card, monitoring recording will not be possible, so a notification may be provided by sound and display, and a screen may be displayed that allows the user to select whether to erase the monitoring recording record or not monitor recording. Here, the monitoring recording record refers to video recording data recorded by monitoring recording.

Further, although it has been explained that in the constant recording mode, when a battery switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3, the screen Sa1 or the like is displayed according to the settings, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may also be configured to automatically transition to the minimum necessary setting screen when the engine is turned off.

Moreover, although it has been explained that the monitoring battery 3 uses the set value transmitted by serial communication from the drive recorder 4 as the specified time, the time is not limited to this. Instead of serial communication, a 1-bit Hi/Low signal may be received and the time corresponding to the Hi/Low signal may be used as the set value. Specifically, the monitoring battery 3 receives a command indicating a specified time and a Hi or Low signal. The monitoring battery 3 stores in advance corresponding times, such as 3 hours when the signal is Hi, and 6 hours when the signal is Hi. The monitoring battery 3 sets the time corresponding to Hi/Low of the signal as a specified time. Note that the signal is not limited to 1 bit, but may be 2 bits or more.

Further, although it has been explained that the drive recorder 4 performs monitoring recording according to the recording conditions of the set "monitoring my area", the present invention is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function of determining recording conditions for each "monitoring my area" which is a plurality of parking areas. The recording conditions include whether monitoring recording (parking monitoring) is necessary, frame rate, recording time, and the like.

Further, although it has been explained that the control unit stores JPEG format image data in the RAM, the format is not limited to this. It may be MP4 format, MP2 format, H dot 264 format, or H dot 265 format.

Furthermore, although it has been described that the control unit transmits recorded data at a bit rate that corresponds to the communication speed, the bit rate of the recorded data to be transmitted is not limited to this. For example, if the communication speed is 100 Mbps, the data may be transmitted at 10 Mbps, although the transmission time will be longer.

Furthermore, in the monitoring recording setting in the monitoring recording mode, a configuration may be adopted in which "total capacity in folder" is added to the "recording time" item. "Full capacity in folder" indicates that monitoring recording is to be performed until the remaining capacity of the SD card is exhausted. Furthermore, if the "recording time" is set to "full capacity in folder", the options are not displayed in red.

Further, although it has been described that the frame rate in event recording is set to about 30 fps and the details are recorded with fine resolution, the frame rate of event recording in monitoring recording may be lowered and the resolution may be coarsened. When large vehicles pass by, there is a lot of vibration and the event may be recorded. It is expected that in areas where large vehicles are passing, people who would pose a risk to the vehicles will often not pass. For this reason, in event recording in surveillance recording, the frame rate may be lowered and the resolution may be made coarser, considering it to be safe.

In addition, it was explained that if the "SD" button or "MENU" button is not operated within a predetermined time after screen Sa6 is displayed, there will be a timeout of no operation, but if there is remaining space on the SD card, If there is no remaining capacity, the user is notified by sound and display, and a screen for selecting whether to erase the monitoring recording or not to record may be displayed.

Furthermore, it has been explained that the control unit shifts to the monitoring recording mode when it is determined that the conditions for shifting to the monitoring recording mode are satisfied. Although it has been explained that the transition condition items include "My Area", "My Cancellation Area", etc., "Time" may be added to these items. It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which it is determined whether to shift to the monitoring recording mode based on the set "time" and time. This allows the user to perform monitoring recording only at night in "My Area", for example. Further, it may be configured to determine whether to shift to the monitoring recording mode, for example, based only on the "time", in addition to the "my area" or the like. For example, if you want to record from about 4:00 a.m. to about 6:00 a.m., if you input the time you most want to record (5:00 a.m.), the configuration is such that the recording will always include that time. When the remaining battery power or SD card capacity is insufficient, it is possible to select whether to give priority to the earlier part of the time, to give priority to the later part, or to give priority to the later part. Allocate the recording time to the priority setting. This allows the user to know whether it is a stray cat or crow that is destroying the garbage in the garbage bin in front of the car in the morning.

Furthermore, in the setting of "Registration Execution" of "Monitoring My Area", it has been explained that the location is registered based on the position information from the GPS sensor, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration may also be adopted in which the location on the map is registered by specifying the location on the map.

Furthermore, in monitoring recording, for example, motion detection may be used to automatically reduce the frame rate if there is no change in the video. Furthermore, the frame rate may be increased and recorded starting from a few seconds before the change occurs.

In addition, it was explained that in surveillance recording, event recording is not performed for 3 minutes from the start of surveillance recording when an event occurs when the door is opened or closed, but the configuration is configured to record the interaction with the door while recording the event. It's good as well. In this way, the portion where the event recording based on the acceleration detected by the G sensor and the door recording overlap can be excluded based on the time when checking the recorded data later.

Also, it was explained that after the opening screen is displayed, the screen will change to a screen that displays the message "An event was recorded during monitoring recording." However, a configuration may also be adopted in which the occurrence of an event during the monitoring function is not notified when the engine is turned on.

Furthermore, in the monitoring recording mode, the method for calculating the "available time" displayed as the "monitoring recording time" on the screen Sa4 is not limited to the above. A configuration may be adopted in which the monitoring battery 3 instead of the drive recorder 4 calculates the available supply time based on the current that is currently flowing, that is, the current consumption of the drive recorder 4. Alternatively, the monitoring battery 3 may be configured to calculate the available supply time from the percentage of the remaining battery capacity and a preset fixed current value. Alternatively, the monitoring battery 3 may be configured to learn the percentage of the remaining battery capacity and the model of the drive recorder 4 through communication, and calculate the available supply time based on the current value determined based on the model. The internal battery 34 may transmit the calculated available supply time to the drive recorder 4, and the control unit may display the received available supply time to the right of "Monitoring recording time:".

Further, the specifications of the drive recorder 4 are desirably the above-described configuration, but are not limited thereto.
Although the drive recorder 4 has been described as including a camera, the camera unit including the camera and the main body including the control unit may be configured as separate bodies. In this case, the camera unit is installed, for example, on a windshield, and the main body is installed, for example, on a dashboard.

Further, although it has been described that the drive recorder 4 includes a camera, it may be configured to include two cameras. In this case, a configuration may be adopted in which two signals from the camera are combined into one signal and stored. Specifically, the screen is divided into, for example, two parts, left and right, and signal processing is performed so that each part is assigned to data captured by each of the two cameras. The two signals from the camera are combined into one image. As a result, the amount of recorded data can be reduced, and especially when transmitting, it is possible to lengthen the time period of recorded data that can be transmitted per unit time. Further, the number of divisions is not limited to two, and the number of divisions may be two or more.

Further, although the display 41 has been described as an LCD, it is not limited to this, and may be a touch panel. Alternatively, a configuration without a display may be used. If the product does not have a display, the user writes the settings on a recording medium such as an SD card, and inserts the SD card with the settings written into the drive recorder. The drive recorder reads and operates the SD card. Note that the configuration may be such that the settings written in the SD card are stored in a non-volatile storage unit and operated, or the settings stored in the SD card can be changed as appropriate without being stored in the non-volatile storage unit. It may also be configured to read and operate.

Further, the brightness of the indicator 35 may be configured to be variable between daytime and nighttime. When transitioning to event recording during monitoring recording, the display is displayed at daytime brightness even at night.

Although the drive recorder 4 has been described as having a communication function, it may be configured without a communication function. In this case, it is not possible to set a specified time for continuing power supply after the supply of ACC power to the monitoring battery 3 is cut off, but since the monitoring battery 3 is equipped with a DIP switch DIPSW36, the specified time can be set according to the setting of the DIP switch DIPSW36. Power can be supplied for only a certain amount of time.

Furthermore, although it has been described that the monitoring battery 3 outputs power for a specified period of time, the entire remaining battery capacity may be supplied.

Further, for example, the camera may be configured to move 360 degrees. In this way, since the entire outside of the vehicle can be monitored, monitoring can be strengthened, especially in the monitoring recording mode. Further, for example, the drive recorder may be configured to have a function that enables LoRa (Long Range) wireless communication, and to be operable with an attached remote control that is also capable of wireless communication. In this way, a user with a remote control in a remote location can turn on/off monitoring recording, periodically transmit recording time, switch recording settings, report the occurrence of an event, transmit still images when an event occurs, and use the remote control. You can save it to Furthermore, for example, if the drive recorder is configured to have a Wi-Fi communication function, it can communicate with a communication terminal such as a smartphone. A configuration may also be adopted in which recorded data of event recording is transferred within the range that Wi-Fi can reach.

Further, although it has been described that the control unit included in the drive recorder 4 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a non-volatile storage unit, etc., the control unit is not limited thereto. For example, it may be configured to include a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) or the like and operate in cooperation with each other.

Further, although a drive recorder installed in a vehicle is illustrated as an on-vehicle device, the drive recorder is not limited to this, and may be installed in a forklift. Since forklifts are often used for commercial purposes, it is expected that an environment where Wi-Fi can be used will be created in the area where forklifts are operated. In this case, it is preferable to use Wi-Fi for data transfer while the forklift is running.

The data transfer method is not limited to the above. It has been explained above that after the ACC power is turned off, the CPU reads out the recorded data recorded in the RAM, compresses it, and transmits it. The present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may also be adopted in which recorded data stored in an SD card is read out and transmitted. Alternatively, the transmission method may be different between recorded data for event recording and recorded data for constant recording. For example, the recorded data of the event recording to be transmitted may be read from the RAM and transmitted. The RAM stores recorded data whose reproduced images before being compressed for transmission are clearer than the recorded data stored in the SD card. On the other hand, the recorded data of constant recording may be read from the SD card and transmitted. Since event recordings often record, for example, accidents, it is better to have a clearer image than the recorded data stored in the SD card so that the details of the accident can be confirmed. Further, after the ACC power is turned off, all recorded data including data already transmitted while the vehicle is running may be transmitted at a uniform bit rate so that a uniform image is obtained. Further, instead of the recorded data of event recording, time and position information may be transmitted. Alternatively, the recording data of the event recording may be transmitted first after the vehicle is parked. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which recorded data of monitoring recording is transmitted. Further, a configuration may also be adopted in which recorded data of parking monitoring is transmitted.

Further, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function of outputting an instruction to change the orientation of the camera provided therein. For example, if the garbage bin is not directly in front of the parking lot but diagonally to the right, in order to take the garbage bin, it is necessary to reorient the drive recorder diagonally to the front right, but the user does not want to change the direction of the camera. There is a risk of forgetting. Therefore, when the engine is turned off (or turned on), or depending on the position information measured by the GPS sensor, it is recommended to notify the driver by voice or the like, ``Please check the orientation of the drive recorder.'' The direction may be registered and the direction may be notified, or a voice memo may be recorded and the voice memo may be played back. Furthermore, a configuration may be adopted in which the direction of the camera is automatically moved by a motor.

Further, although it has been described that the drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, the trigger in the monitoring recording mode is not limited to the above, and may be configured to record an event using the operation of ancillary equipment in a parking lot as a trigger. Robots and parking lots may pose a threat to vehicles. Since the operation of the parking lot is related to the movement of other people, a configuration may be adopted in which the event is recorded using the operation of the incidental equipment of the parking lot as a trigger. In gated parking lots, gate opening/closing signals are received and events are recorded as triggers. In flap-type parking lots, where a flap installed on the ground touches the underside of a vehicle, the signal for raising and lowering the flap is received and recorded as an event as a trigger. For mechanical multilevel parking types, it is recommended to use a G sensor to record events using signals corresponding to horizontal or vertical movement of the vehicle's trolley. In this case, it is preferable to set the threshold value to such an extent that acceleration at a level that occurs when the vehicle is standing is detected as an event.

Furthermore, although it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode, it shifts to the monitoring recording mode according to the settings, but the present invention is not limited to this. Further, although it has been described that the drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, the present invention is not limited to this. In the summer, when the car is parked, the inside of the car becomes scorching hot, so the upper part of the window may be opened slightly using a remote control. For this reason, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to use the time when the window is open as a trigger to shift to event recording or monitoring recording mode and to perform monitoring recording. By just a little, it is best to make sure that you cannot touch the window.

In addition, in the drive recorder 4, when the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient, the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the battery is insufficient, and “overwrite monitoring recording” is set to “ON”. , screen Sa5 (FIG. 5) is displayed, and as the remaining battery level decreases, the screen changes to screen Sa3 and the power is turned off. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the internal battery 34 is about to run out during monitoring recording, it is configured to have a function that notifies a remote control having a function to start the engine of the vehicle, so that the engine can be started, and the vehicle can generate electricity to continue recording. It's okay. Furthermore, the engine may be turned off again once the internal battery 34 has been charged to a certain extent. If the recording continues for a predetermined period of time, the remote controller may display an inquiry instruction to continue recording, and if the instruction to continue recording is received, the recording may be continued.

Further, although it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode, it shifts to the monitoring recording mode and starts monitoring recording according to the setting, but the present invention is not limited to this. Further, although it has been described that the drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, the present invention is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function of monitoring and recording or monitoring and recording using the approach of a drone as a trigger. This allows the drone to land in a parking lot and record collisions with vehicles. The approach of a drone may be detected, for example, by detecting radio waves emitted by the drone or by image recognition.

Furthermore, although it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode, it shifts to the monitoring recording mode according to the settings, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may be configured to be linked with navigation map data and automatically record when the vehicle is parked in a high-risk area. It may be configured to shift to the monitoring recording mode when the vehicle position is within a high risk area. Alternatively, the recording conditions may be set to a higher level than usual. Here, setting the recording condition to a higher level than usual means increasing the "number of frames to be recorded" in the recording condition and recording in detail. High-risk areas include, for example, areas where thefts occur frequently, areas where crimes occur frequently, and are, for example, information published on the Metropolitan Police Department's website.

Furthermore, although it has been explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode, it shifts to the monitoring recording mode according to the settings, but the present invention is not limited to this. Record when parking an EV while it is charging. Alternatively, set the recording conditions to a higher level than usual. In recent years, EV chargers have been installed in commercial facilities. Since it may be easy for EVs to be pranked while charging, it is effective to record them. The determination may be made based on the EV station area of the map data, or the charging state of the vehicle may be obtained from OBD (On-board Diagnostics) or the like.

Further, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function of stopping monitoring recording when the amount of light is such that it cannot be photographed, such as in the middle of the night. It is good to control the power supply from the battery based on brightness determination using a light sensor that is separate from the image sensor included in the camera, as it can save power.

In addition, it was explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal in the constant recording mode, it shifts to the monitoring recording mode and starts monitoring recording according to the settings, and when the monitoring recording time expires, it turns off the power. It is not limited to this. It is also possible to configure the drive recorder 4 with a function to stop monitoring recording when the amount of packets flowing through the CAN (Controller Area Network) of OBD is low, and to record monitoring recording when the amount of packets is large. good. If a large number of packets are flowing even though the engine is turned off, there is a high possibility that the vehicle's sensors have detected some movement around the vehicle, so recording is effective.

In addition, in the explanation of screen Sb25 (FIG. 14), when the "OK" button is pressed, the control unit displays screen Sb252 and displays the position information output from the GPS sensor to the center position of "monitoring my area". It was explained that it is recorded in the non-volatile storage unit as . If the location to be registered as the "monitoring my area" or "monitoring my cancel area" is an indoor parking lot, problems arise in that it is difficult to obtain the location using the GPS sensor or the location accuracy is low. Therefore, for example, go back in time from the time when the registration operation was performed, and check the positions where the positioning was possible or the positions where the positioning was possible with a predetermined accuracy or higher (it is preferable to determine the position based on the GPS positioning accuracy information). This may be the location to register. For example, position information (and positioning accuracy information) can be acquired at predetermined time intervals (for example, 1 second), and the position information can be stored as a position history. It is preferable that a position, or a position that has been measured with a predetermined accuracy or higher, be the position to be registered.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications may be made. Next, a monitoring battery according to Modification Example 1, which is a modification example of Monitoring Battery 3, will be described using FIGS. 24 to 26. As shown in FIG. 24, the monitoring battery according to Modification 1 has an input connector into which the input cord of the monitoring battery is inserted, an input/output connector into which the output cord is inserted, a USB Type A connector, and a DIP connector on the front of the mechanism case that the monitoring battery has. Equipped with a switch, multiple LEDs, etc. Here, the input code corresponds to the power cable 11 in the monitoring battery 3. The output cord corresponds to the cable 12 in the monitoring battery 3. Although the power cable 11 of the monitoring battery 3 has been described as having a cigar plug at one end, it may also be configured to include a red cord connected to an accessory power source and a black cord connected to a metal part of the vehicle. Note that the accessory power source is an ACC power source of the vehicle that is turned on/off in conjunction with the engine key. The USB Type A connector connects to a commercially available USB cable to charge the connected smartphone. Hereinafter, the ACC power source may be referred to as an accessory power source.

Although it has been described that the dip switch DIPSW 36 of the monitoring battery 3 includes three switches, as shown in FIG. 25, the monitoring battery according to modification 1 includes four dip switches. Set the specified time to 0.5 hours, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, or 12 hours by turning ON/OFF the 4 dip switches, or set the specified time by using the dip switches. Set to not perform any settings. In the description of the dip switch in FIG. 25, "up" and "down" refer to ON and OFF of the dip switch, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 26, the monitoring battery indicator according to Modification 1 includes six LEDs. The six LEDs are one that lights up when power is being supplied to the monitoring battery from the ACC power source, one that lights up while the built-in battery is being charged, and four LEDs that light up depending on the remaining amount of the built-in battery. . Note that the internal battery of the monitoring battery is configured so that it can be replaced when its lifespan is reduced. In addition, monitor batteries should not be installed in locations that may interfere with driving or airbag activation, locations that receive hot air from air conditioners or heaters, locations that are exposed to direct sunlight, locations that are unstable, or locations that may be damaged due to wires being caught or the coating being rubbed. Avoid installing the device in locations where there is a possibility of wire breakage or short circuits, or near the vehicle's electrical equipment (including antennas, etc.).

Next, a monitoring battery according to modification 2, which is a modification of the monitoring battery 3, will be described using FIGS. 27 to 31. As shown in FIG. 27, the monitoring battery according to Modification 2 has eight dip switches, a power switch, and a display LED on the plane of the mechanism case, an input terminal on the left side, and an output cable on the front. Here, the input terminal corresponds to the input connector 3a in the monitoring battery 3. The output cable corresponds to the cable 12 in the monitoring battery 3. The power switch is a switch that turns ON/OFF the power of the monitoring battery, and when the power switch is OFF, the input of power to the monitoring battery and the output of power from the monitoring battery are cut off. This allows the user to safely remove the monitoring battery. Additionally, the dip switch is installed closer to the bottom than the power switch.

In addition, as shown in Figure 28, the input cords connected to the input terminals are a red cord connected to the vehicle's battery power source, a yellow cord connected to the accessory power source, and a black cord connected to the metal part of the vehicle. has. Note that the input code corresponds to the power cable 11 in the monitoring battery 3. In this way, the monitoring battery may receive power supply from the vehicle's battery power supply, which is constantly supplied with power regardless of whether the engine is ON/OFF, in addition to the accessory power supply, and the charge/discharge control unit 31 may receive power from the battery power supply. The device may be operated by receiving power from the device. Further, as shown in FIG. 29, the monitoring battery according to Modification 2 includes an LED that lights up when the engine is turned on and during operation of the monitoring battery.

The monitoring battery according to Modification 2 monitors the power source of the battery power source of the vehicle, and stops power output from the monitoring battery when the voltage falls below a set voltage (hereinafter referred to as detection voltage). Further, after the engine of the vehicle is turned off, similarly to the monitoring battery 3, it outputs power for a specified time (hereinafter referred to as an off timer). As shown in FIG. 30, the detection voltage may be switched between 12V and 24V using three dip switches. In order to correspond to the case where the vehicle battery specification is 12V, any setting of 11.6V, 11.8V, 12V, or 12.2V is accepted. Similarly, in order to correspond to the case where the vehicle battery specification is 24V, settings of +0.2V, ±0V, -0.2V, and -0.4V are accepted for 24V. By setting two negative settings and one positive setting for the vehicle's battery specifications, the monitoring battery can continue outputting even when the vehicle's battery is low. It's fine. As shown in FIG. 31, similarly to the monitoring battery of Modification 1, the setting of the off timer is accepted by three dip switches different from the setting of the detection voltage. As shown in FIG. 30, of the eight dip switches arranged in one row, three are assigned to setting the detection voltage, three are assigned to setting the off timer, and two are not used. By arranging one unused element between the three used for setting the detection voltage and the three used for setting the off timer, setting errors by the user can be suppressed.

Further, in the explanation of method 4 of the data transfer method, it was explained that the image data has a plurality of P frames for one I frame, but the image data may have a configuration in which the image data does not have a P frame. Further, although it has been explained that the communication compression unit 45 creates three I frames within 1 s, the number of frames is not limited. The number of I frames per 1 s may be less than 3 or 4 or more. Note that in the case of a video with little movement, it is preferable to reduce the number of frames, and in the case of a video with rapid movement, it is preferable to increase the number of frames. Furthermore, as described in the first data transfer method, the communication compression unit 45 may be configured to change the frame rate, the number of I frames, and the compression rate of image data depending on the communication speed. Further, although it has been explained that the structure of communication data is arranged in the order of I frame and audio data from the beginning, the position of the audio data is not limited. It may also be configured to be located before the I frame or after the P frame.

In addition, although it was explained that a serial number is assigned to each frame, it is possible to assign a serial number to the communication data of one communication unit arranged in chronological order, and to assign a serial number to each frame within one communication unit. Also good. For example, the first 1 communication unit of communication data is number 1, the second 1 communication unit of communication data is number 2, the first P frame of 1 communication unit of communication data is number 1, and the next P frame is number 1. The second P frame of communication data of one communication unit is also numbered 1, and the next P frame is numbered 2. In this way, a frame can be specified based on the number of the frame in the communication data of one communication unit. Further, the identifier to be assigned is not limited to a serial number, and any identifier that can be sorted may be used. For example, the time and date may be used, or any combination of serial number, time, and date may be used.

In addition, in step S5 of the communication process, it was explained that the I frame, P frame, and audio data for one section of communication data that could not be transmitted are stored in the SD cards 61 and 62, but including the part that could be communicated, It is also possible to have a configuration in which communication data for each communication unit is stored in the SD cards 61 and 62. Furthermore, when the communication is restored and the data is transmitted again, a configuration may be adopted in which communication data is transmitted in units of one communication.

Furthermore, it has been explained that during the period of constant recording, the SD card interface 47 alternately switches the writing destination of storage data between the SD card 61 and the SD card 62 every 10 seconds, for example, but this does not limit the period. However, it is preferable to set the time to be longer than the time required to photograph communication data for one communication unit.

Furthermore, it has been explained that all or part of the communication data that was written to the SD card 62 because it could not be transmitted is read out from the SD card 62 and transmitted. In step S9 of the communication process, it was explained that the data that could not be sent is stored in the RAM, but in step S9 of the communication process, the identifier that specifies all or part of the communication data that could not be sent is written to the SD card of the writing destination. A configuration in which information associated with an identifier that identifies the data is stored in the RAM, and when communication becomes possible, that information is referenced to identify the SD card that stores all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted. It's good as well.

Furthermore, in the description of another example of the drive recorder shown in FIG. 19, it was explained that the communication compression unit 45 automatically varies the data capacity according to the current communication rate. Changing the compression rate to enable real-time transmission according to the current communication rate is not limited to the compression rate, and may also be configured to change the frame rate.

Moreover, although it has been explained that two SD cards are inserted in the other example of the drive recorder shown in FIG. 19, it may be configured such that one SD card is inserted. In this case as well, it is preferable that the drive recorder has a configuration in which the storage area of the SD card is divided into a storage area and a communication area, and recorded data is written therein.

Moreover, although only one I frame may be inserted in one communication unit as shown in FIG. 20, a plurality of I frames may be inserted. At this time, it is preferable to make it possible to specify which P frame group corresponds to which I frame. For example, the number of P frames for one I frame may be the same for identification, or all frames may be assigned serial numbers. If there are multiple I frames in one communication unit, the I frame group may be transmitted in succession first, and then the P frame group that follows the I frame group may be transmitted. A group of frames arranged in an alternating order such as I frame, P frame, etc. may be used as one communication unit.

It would be good to be able to set the frame rate. For example, it is preferable to set the speed to 1 fps, 5 fps, and 10 fps. It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the number of I frames to be included in one communication unit is changed depending on the frame rate. As the frame rate increases, it is better to increase the number of I frames included in one communication unit.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, and the configuration of the embodiment described above and the configuration of the modification example described above may be combined arbitrarily. Further, a part of the configuration of the above embodiment and a part of the configuration of the modification may be arbitrarily combined. Further, some of the configurations described in "Means for Solving the Problems", some of the configurations of the above-described embodiment, and some of the configurations of the above-described modification may be arbitrarily combined.

1 System 3 Monitoring battery 3a Input connector 3b Input/output connector 4 Drive recorder 4a Input/output connector 11 Power cable 12 Cable 31 Charge/discharge control section 34 Internal battery 33 CPU
35 Indicator 36 DIP switch DIPSW
47 SD card interface 52 Mobile communication interface

Claims (3)

Register in advance the areas where recording will not be performed ,
When the vehicle is not receiving power from the ACC power source and is located in a registered area where recording is not performed , the recording mode when the vehicle is receiving power from the ACC power source is the continuous recording mode. A system characterized by having a function of preventing transition to a monitoring recording mode, which is a recording mode when power is not being supplied from an ACC power source. Even if the vehicle is located in the registered area where recording is not performed, if a user inputs an instruction to shift to the monitoring recording mode within a predetermined period of time, the vehicle shifts to the monitoring recording mode. 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a function of causing the system to perform. A program for causing a computer to implement the functions of the system according to claim 1 or 2 .