Vehicle occupant monitoring device and traffic system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant monitoring device and a traffic system, and aims to appropriately monitor occupants in multiple consecutive collisions. The occupant monitoring device (40) of a car (1) comprises: an image acquisition unit that acquires a photographed image of an occupant in the car; a memory (102) that can record the image acquired by the image acquisition unit; a collision detection unit that detects a collision of the car (1); and a control unit (58) that controls the image acquisition unit, the memory, and the collision detection unit. The control unit (58) detects multiple consecutive collisions of the car (1) at each collision, acquires images after each collision through the image acquisition unit, and records the images acquired at each collision in the memory (102).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an occupant monitoring device for a vehicle and a traffic system. Background Art

[0002] Sometimes, an occupant monitoring device is provided in a vehicle.

[0003] The occupant monitoring device identifies the occupants in the vehicle and can, for example, allow or prohibit the control of the vehicle based on the identified occupants.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-291761 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] However, in a vehicle, it is considered to use an occupant monitoring device to monitor the occupants at the time of a collision and to make an emergency notification to the traffic system as in Patent Document 1. Thus, the vehicle can send the monitoring information of the occupants obtained by the occupant monitoring device at the time of a collision as an emergency notification without setting up a new notification device dedicated to emergency notification. The occupant monitoring device set in the vehicle can be used for occupant rescue work, etc.

[0009] However, the collision of vehicles may not be limited to one time. A vehicle that has collided may collide with other vehicles.

[0010] In such a situation, when the occupant monitoring device monitors and notifies based on, for example, the initial collision detection, there is a possibility that it will not be able to appropriately monitor and notify changes in the occupant's state caused by subsequent collisions.

[0011] This requires that the occupant monitoring device be able to appropriately monitor the occupant during a collision, even if the collision occurs multiple times.

[0012] Means of solving problems

[0013] The occupant monitoring device of a vehicle of the present invention comprises: an image acquisition unit, which acquires photographed images of occupants riding in the vehicle; a memory, which is capable of recording images acquired by the image acquisition unit; a collision detection unit, which detects a collision of the vehicle; and a control unit, which controls the image acquisition unit, the memory and the collision detection unit, wherein the control unit detects each of a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle through the collision detection unit, acquires images after each collision through the image acquisition unit, and records the images acquired for each collision into the memory.

[0014] Preferably, the control unit attempts to output the image acquired at each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle after a plurality of consecutive collisions with respect to the vehicle.

[0015] Preferably, the control unit records a static image (still picture) before the initial collision.

[0016] Preferably, the control unit determines the type of collision based on the prediction of the collision and the detection of the collision, and records a static image or a dynamic image (animation) into the memory according to the determined type of collision.

[0017] Preferably, if a large collision is detected among a plurality of consecutive collisions, the control unit records a dynamic image within a preset period as the image in the memory.

[0018] Preferably, if a light collision is detected among a plurality of consecutive collisions, the control portion records a still image as the image in the memory.

[0019] Preferably, if a collision with a pedestrian is detected among a plurality of consecutive collisions, the control portion records information of the collision with the pedestrian in the memory instead of the image.

[0020] Preferably, the control unit records a dynamic image, a static image or collision information into the memory according to the collision mode in the first collision among the consecutive collisions; and records a dynamic image into the memory regardless of the collision mode in the second collision among the consecutive collisions.

[0021] Preferably, the control unit records a dynamic image, a static image or collision information in the memory according to the mode of each collision during a plurality of consecutive collisions.

[0022] Preferably, the control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle in response to a transmission request after a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle or at regular intervals.

[0023] The traffic system of the present invention comprises: an occupant monitoring device of any of the above-mentioned vehicles, which is arranged in the vehicle; and other communication devices, which communicate with the occupant monitoring device, wherein the occupant monitoring device sends images obtained at each collision to the other communication devices after multiple consecutive collisions of the vehicle.

[0024] Effects of the Invention

[0025] In the present invention, the control unit of the occupant monitoring device of the vehicle detects multiple continuous collisions with respect to the vehicle at each collision. And, the control unit acquires images after each collision through the image acquisition unit, and records the images acquired at each collision in the memory. In addition, the control unit can try to output the images acquired at each collision to the communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle after multiple continuous collisions with respect to the vehicle. Therefore, in the present invention, after the collision, for example, the images recorded in the memory or the images sent can be applied to the rescue work of the occupants, etc. In particular, in the present invention, for multiple continuous collisions with respect to the vehicle, the images after each collision are recorded, so that the changes in the state of the occupants caused by multiple continuous collisions can be grasped. In addition, the control unit records the static image before the initial collision, thereby also being able to grasp the state of the occupants before the collision, so that the changes in the state of the occupants caused by multiple subsequent collisions can be appropriately grasped. The changes in the state of the occupants in each vehicle when multiple continuous collisions occur can be grasped from multiple vehicles, so that even if the occupants have multiple injuries due to multiple continuous collisions, the state can be more accurately grasped and applied to the rescue work of multiple occupants, etc. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] 1(A)-(C) are schematic illustrations of a car that can be used in a transportation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 1 (A) - (C) of the vehicle control system schematic diagram;

[0028] Figure 3 Is has Figure 2 A diagram showing the configuration of an occupant monitoring device of an occupant monitoring ECU;

[0029] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 3 A flowchart of the process of collision processing performed by the occupant monitoring ECU;

[0030] Figure 5 It means that in the second embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 A flowchart of the process of processing the second and subsequent collisions performed after the node A after the initial light collision processing;

[0031] Figure 6 It means succession Figure 4 A flowchart of the process of processing the second and subsequent collisions performed after the initial pedestrian collision processing at node B;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing the flow of a transmission process performed by the occupant monitoring ECU after the collision process in the traffic system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Explanation of symbols

[0034] 1…Automobile (vehicle), 10…Seat belt device, 20…Airbag device, 31…External camera, 40…Occupant monitoring device, 41…Internal camera, 56…Detection ECU, 58…Occupant monitoring ECU (control unit), 59…Protection ECU, 60…External communication ECU, 74…Speed ​​sensor, 75…Acceleration sensor, 80…Traffic system, 81…Communication base station, 82…Other automobiles, 83…Server device, 91…Battery, 101…In-vehicle communication unit, 102…Memory, 103…Timer, 104…Lens, 105…Drive unit, 106…Internal bus, 107…Out-vehicle emergency communicator, 108…Auxiliary acceleration sensor, 109…Auxiliary external camera, 110…Battery DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

[0036] [First embodiment]

[0037] 1(A)-(C) are schematic explanatory diagrams of a car 1 that can be used in a transportation system 80 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 1(A) is a side view, FIG. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 1(C) is a top view.

[0039] The automobile 1 shown in FIG. 1 (A) to (C) is an example of a vehicle. The automobile 1 has a vehicle cabin 2 in the center of the vehicle body for passengers to sit in. Inside the vehicle cabin 2 are seats 3 for passengers to sit in. A footrest 4 is provided at the front of the vehicle cabin 2. On the front side of the seat 3, a steering wheel 5 protrudes backward from the footrest 4. Passengers can sit on the seat 3 and operate operating components such as the steering wheel 5.

[0040] Furthermore, the automobile 1 is provided with occupant protection devices such as a seat belt device 10 and an air bag device 20 in order to protect occupants in the event of a collision.

[0041] The seat belt device 10 includes a seat belt 11 that is laid over the front of an occupant sitting on the seat 3. The seat belt device 10 applies tension to the seat belt 11 during a collision to restrain the occupant so that the occupant is less likely to leave the seat 3.

[0042] The airbag device 20 includes, for example, an airbag 21 that is deployed in front of or on the side of the seat 3. The airbag device 20 deploys the airbag 21 during a collision to support an occupant who is about to fall or leave the seat 3.

[0043] In this way, the automobile 1 can protect the passengers in the automobile during a collision.

[0044] However, the automobile 1 does not collide only in a specific direction such as the front. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 1(A) to (C), the automobile 1 may collide from a direction such as an oblique direction.

[0045] In this special collision situation, the occupant protection device may not be able to fully protect the occupants in the vehicle.

[0046] Furthermore, even if the occupant protection device can prevent serious injuries to the occupant, it cannot necessarily prevent minor injuries. The occupant protection device cannot guarantee that the occupant will not suffer any injuries in all collisions that are expected to occur to the automobile 1.

[0047] Therefore, in order to further enhance the protection performance of the occupants and others in the automobile 1 , further improvements are required.

[0048] The automobile 1 is provided with an external camera 31 for monitoring the front direction of the automobile 1 and the like, and by analyzing the captured images, a collision can be predicted in advance or the automobile 1 can be automatically controlled based on the prediction.

[0049] In addition, an occupant monitoring device (DMS: Driver Monitoring System) 40 may be provided in the automobile 1 to monitor the occupants riding in the automobile 1. The occupant monitoring device 40 is provided, for example, at the center of the vehicle width direction on the upper part of the footrest 4 to identify the occupants riding in the automobile 1. Thus, in the automobile 1, the driving control of the automobile 1 can be permitted or prohibited according to the identified occupants.

[0050] Furthermore, it is considered that the image of the internal camera 41 of the occupant monitoring device 40 is recorded and sent as an emergency notification to the traffic system 80. Thus, the automobile 1 can send the monitoring information of the occupant acquired by the occupant monitoring device 40 at the time of the collision as an emergency notification without setting up a new notification device dedicated for the emergency notification. The occupant monitoring device 40 provided in the automobile 1 can be used for the rescue work of the occupant, etc.

[0051] However, the collision of the car 1 may not be limited to one time. The car 1 that has collided may collide with other cars 82 and the like.

[0052] In such a situation, when the occupant monitoring device 40 monitors and notifies based on, for example, the initial collision detection, there is a possibility that it will not be able to appropriately monitor and notify changes in the occupant's state caused by subsequent collisions.

[0053] This requires that the occupant monitoring device 40 be able to appropriately monitor the occupant at the time of a collision even if the collision occurs multiple times.

[0054] Figure 21(A) to (C) are schematic explanatory diagrams of a control system 50 of the automobile 1 . Figure 2 Occupant monitoring device 40 and other communication devices of transportation system 80 are shown.

[0055] Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , a plurality of control modules constituting a control system 50 of the automobile 1 are represented and indicated by respective incorporated control ECUs (Electronic Control Units).

[0056] Specifically, Figure 2 The driving ECU 51, steering ECU 52, brake ECU 53, automatic driving / driving support ECU 54, driving operation ECU 55, detection ECU 56, air conditioning ECU 57, passenger monitoring ECU 58, protection ECU 59, external communication ECU 60, UI ECU 61, and system ECU 62 are shown. The plurality of control ECUs are connected to a central gateway (CGW) 67 as a relay device via a vehicle network 66 such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Interconnect Network) used in the automobile 1.

[0057] Furthermore, in each control module, the control ECU is connected to an electronic device used in the automobile 1. The activated control ECU executes various processes to control the operation of the respectively connected electronic devices according to the information (data) acquired from the vehicle network 66. In addition, the control ECU also outputs information (data) such as the operation status of the respectively connected electronic devices to the vehicle network 66.

[0058] For example, the driving operation ECU 55 is connected to operation detection sensors such as the steering wheel 5, the brake pedal 71, the accelerator pedal 72, and the shift lever 73, which are operated by the occupant to control the travel of the automobile 1. The driving operation ECU 55 outputs control information corresponding to the operation amount to the vehicle network 66. The drive ECU 51, the steering ECU 52, and the brake ECU 53 obtain information from the vehicle network 66 to control the travel of the automobile 1.

[0059] The detection ECU 56 is connected to the speed sensor 74 of the car 1, the acceleration sensor 75 for detecting acceleration in a collision, etc., the above-mentioned external camera 31, etc. The detection ECU 56 outputs the values ​​of the speed sensor 74 and the acceleration sensor 75 of the car 1, the image of the external camera 31, etc. to the vehicle network 66. The detection ECU 56 can also predict a collision based on the image of the external camera 31 and output the prediction result to the vehicle network 66. The detection ECU 56 can output a collision detection to the vehicle network 66 when the acceleration of the acceleration sensor 75 is greater than or equal to a threshold value higher than that in normal driving caused by an impact. The detection ECU 56 can output a collision detection with a pedestrian to the vehicle network 66 when the acceleration of the acceleration sensor 75 is greater than or equal to a threshold value higher than usual after predicting a collision with a pedestrian or a bicycle based on the image of the external camera 31. The central gateway 67 forwards the information. The UIECU 61 obtains information from the vehicle network 66 and displays the information on the display device 76 connected thereto. The UIECU 61 is connected to the operation device 77 and the display device 76 operated by the occupant.

[0060] The interior camera 41 and the microphone 78 are connected to the occupant monitoring ECU 58 .

[0061] The occupant monitoring ECU 58 is a control ECU for the occupant monitoring device 40, and performs various processes related to the occupants of the automobile 1 based on the images from the internal camera 41, the sounds from the microphone 78, and information such as acceleration of impact acquired from the vehicle network 66. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs images, sounds, and other information (data) to the vehicle network 66 as needed.

[0062] The airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10 are connected to the protection ECU 59 . The protection ECU 59 controls the operation of the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10 based on information acquired from the vehicle network 66 .

[0063] The external communication ECU 60 wirelessly communicates with, for example, a communication base station 81 or a communication device of another car 82 that exists outside the car 1. The communication base station 81 or the communication device of another car 82 together with the server device 83 constitute the transportation system 80. The external communication ECU 60 wirelessly transmits information acquired from the vehicle network 66 to the communication base station 81 or the communication device of another car 82. The transmitted information can be used, for example, in the server device 83 or in another car 82. In addition, the external communication ECU 60 receives information from the communication base station 81 or the communication device of another car 82 and outputs it to the vehicle network 66. Thus, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 of the car 1, for example, can transmit and receive information (data) to and from the server device 83 or another car 82 outside the car through the external communication ECU 60.

[0064] In addition, the battery 91 installed in the vehicle 1 supplies power to each part, so that Figure 2 The control system 50 shown operates. Power supply lines from the battery 91 to the various components are laid in the automobile 1 together with, for example, a communication cable of the vehicle network 66. In addition to the battery 91, power may be supplied to the control system 50 from a generator or a power receiver.

[0065] Figure 3 Is has Figure 2 A configuration diagram of the occupant monitoring device 40 of the occupant monitoring ECU 58.

[0066] Figure 3 The occupant monitoring device 40 includes an in-vehicle communication unit 101, an occupant monitoring ECU 58, a memory 102, a timer 103, a microphone 78, an internal camera 41, a driver 105 for a lens 104, and an internal bus 106 connecting them. For example, the occupant monitoring device 40 may also independently connect an external emergency communicator 107, an auxiliary acceleration sensor 108, and an auxiliary external camera 109 for photographing pedestrians, etc. to the internal bus 106. Thus, the occupant monitoring device 40 can independently ensure a function for executing a process at the time of a collision.

[0067] In addition, power is supplied from the battery 91 of the automobile 1 to each part of the passenger monitoring device 40. A storage battery 110 storing backup power is connected to the power supply path. The passenger monitoring device 40 may be provided to be detachable from the automobile 1.

[0068] The in-vehicle communication unit 101 is connected to the vehicle network 66. The in-vehicle communication unit 101 transmits and receives information (data) via the vehicle network 66 with other control ECUs such as the detection ECU 56, the protection ECU 59, and the external communication ECU 60 shown in the figure.

[0069] The interior camera 41 is an imaging device that captures an image of the interior 2 of the automobile 1 .

[0070] The drive unit 105 drives the lens 104 to control the position of the lens 104. By controlling the position of the lens 104, the shooting angle of the interior camera 41 is changed. When the lens 104 is controlled to the farthest position, as shown in the double-dotted line frame of FIG. 1 (B), the interior camera 41 captures the upper body including the head of the passenger who is a driver sitting on the seat 3 to operate the steering wheel 5, etc. When the lens 104 is controlled to the closest position, as shown in the single-dotted line frame of FIG. 1 (B), the interior camera 41 captures the entire vehicle interior 2. In this case, in addition to the passenger who is the driver, the interior camera 41 can also capture other passengers sitting on the front passenger seat or the seat 3 in the rear seat.

[0071] The microphone 78 converts the sound of the vehicle interior 2 of the vehicle 1 into an electric signal.

[0072] The timer 103 measures elapsed time or the time.

[0073] The external emergency communicator 107 is a communication device that can communicate with the communication base station 81 or other cars 82 outside the car 1 in an emergency such as a car accident. The external emergency communicator 107 can communicate with the communication base station 81 or other cars 82 in the same communication method as the external communication ECU 60.

[0074] The auxiliary acceleration sensor 108 detects the acceleration acting on the vehicle 1 in the same manner as the acceleration sensor 75 .

[0075] The memory 102 records various images and detection values ​​acquired by the occupant monitoring device 40. In addition, the memory 102 records a program for occupant monitoring.

[0076] The occupant monitoring ECU 58 reads and executes the occupant monitoring program from the memory 102. Thus, the control unit of the occupant monitoring device 40 is realized in the occupant monitoring ECU 58. The control unit of the occupant monitoring device 40 controls the overall operation of the occupant monitoring device 40 so that the occupant monitoring device 40 realizes the occupant monitoring function.

[0077] The occupant monitoring function includes, for example, a function for identifying occupants in the vehicle, a function for monitoring the status of occupants in the vehicle, a function for detecting gesture operations by occupants, and a function for reporting an emergency in the event of a collision.

[0078] Next, the emergency notification process at the time of a collision in this embodiment will be described.

[0079] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 3 Flow chart of the process of collision processing executed by the occupant monitoring ECU 58. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 repeatedly executes the following process when the occupant is riding in the vehicle 1: Figure 4 Handling of collisions.

[0080] exist Figure 4 In step ST1, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 confirms the setting of pre-sensing for predicted collision before collision detection. If pre-sensing is not set, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 repeats the processing of step ST1 and waits for the setting of pre-sensing. If pre-sensing is set, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 enters the processing into step ST2.

[0081] In step ST2, the passenger monitoring ECU 58 starts capturing still images using the interior camera 41 provided for passenger monitoring. The interior camera 41 captures still images intermittently and repeatedly.

[0082] In step ST3, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether there is a collision forecast. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains the collision prediction output by the detection ECU 56 to the vehicle network 66 from the in-vehicle communication unit 101, for example, and determines whether there is a collision forecast. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 may also obtain, for example, collision information on the road ahead received by the external communication ECU 60 from other cars 82 or the communication base station 81 and output to the vehicle network 66, and determine whether there is a collision forecast. When there is no collision forecast, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST2. When there is a collision forecast, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 enters the process into step ST4.

[0083] In addition, more preferably, when there is a collision prediction, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may instruct the drive unit 105 to switch the viewing angle, switching the image captured by the interior camera 41 from only the driver to the entire vehicle interior 2, and then proceeding to step ST4.

[0084] In step ST4, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains the acceleration acting on the automobile 1 due to the collision, and determines whether there is an initial first collision. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains the collision detection output by the detection ECU 56 to the vehicle network 66 from the in-vehicle communication unit 101, for example, and determines whether there is an initial collision. When the acceleration of the auxiliary acceleration sensor 108 is greater than or equal to a threshold value of whether there is a collision that is higher than that during normal driving, it can be determined that a collision is detected. If no collision is detected, the process returns to step ST2.

[0085] In addition, when the occupant monitoring ECU58 detects a collision, it determines the type of collision based on the collision prediction and the detection of the collision acceleration, etc. For example, when the acceleration is greater than the judgment threshold of the collision level, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines that it is a major collision, and the processing enters step ST5. When the acceleration is small, that is, less than or equal to the judgment threshold, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines that it is a minor collision, and the processing enters step ST12. When a collision with a pedestrian is predicted in the collision prediction, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines that it is a collision with a pedestrian, and the processing enters step ST14.

[0086] In step ST5, when the first collision is a large collision, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 acquires a static image captured by the internal camera 41 before the collision. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 stores the acquired static image before the collision in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. Thus, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 can transmit and record the static image before the first collision after the first collision. In addition, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs the static image before the first collision from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The external communication ECU 60 acquires the static image before the collision from the vehicle network 66 and transmits it to the transportation system 80. By receiving the static image, the server device 83 of the transportation system 80 and other cars 82 can detect that the car 1 has collided.

[0087] In addition, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may also attach other information and try to send it when trying to send the image, etc. For example, when the vehicle manufacturer, model, body color, accessories, etc., which are valid information that can identify the vehicle from the outside of the automobile 1, are pre-registered in the memory 102, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may try to send this vehicle identification information together with the image.

[0088] In step ST6, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66, for example, based on the input direction of the impact caused by the collision and the seating state of the occupant before the collision. The protection ECU 59 obtains the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 from the vehicle network 66, and activates the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10. Thus, the occupant can be protected from the assumed collision by the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10.

[0089] In step ST7, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains a dynamic image of the occupant who is riding in the car 1 from the operating internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 uses the input time of the impact as a reference and obtains a dynamic image of a short period of time within a predetermined time range before and after from the internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the obtained short-term dynamic image after the collision in the memory 102 so that it can be transmitted. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 advances the processing to step ST8.

[0090] In step ST12 , when the first collision is a minor collision, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 does not output an instruction to deploy the airbag 21 .

[0091] In step ST13, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 acquires a still image after the collision from the operating interior camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the acquired still image after the collision in the memory 102 so as to be transmittable. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 advances the process to step ST8.

[0092] In step ST14, when the first collision is a collision with a pedestrian, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs, for example, a deployment instruction of the airbag 21 for protecting pedestrians near the position where the collision is input from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The protection ECU 59 obtains the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 for protecting pedestrians from the vehicle network 66, and operates the airbag device 20 for protecting pedestrians. Thus, the occupant can be protected from the collision of the pedestrian or bicycle that collides with the automobile 1.

[0093] In step ST15, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 transmissibly records the collision with the pedestrian in the memory 102 without acquiring an image from the operating interior camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 advances the process to step ST8.

[0094] In step ST8 for implementing the process for the initial collision, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether there will be a second or subsequent collision. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains the collision detection output by the detection ECU 56 to the vehicle network 66 from the in-vehicle communication unit 101, for example, and determines whether there will be a second or subsequent collision. In addition, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may determine that a second or subsequent collision has been detected when the acceleration of the auxiliary acceleration sensor 108 is greater than or equal to a threshold value for whether there is a collision higher than that during normal driving. If a second or subsequent collision is detected, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 causes the process to proceed to step ST9. If no new collision is determined, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 causes the process to proceed to step ST10.

[0095] In step ST9, the occupant monitoring ECU58 acquires dynamic images from the operating internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU58 uses the input time of the impact as a reference, and acquires dynamic images of a short period of time within a specified time range before and after the last record from the internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU58 records the acquired short-term dynamic images after the collision in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. As a result, the occupant monitoring ECU58 can acquire images for each collision in the case of a continuous multiple collision, and record them in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. Whenever the occupant monitoring ECU58 detects a large collision in a continuous multiple collision, it repeatedly records the dynamic images within a preset period in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. After that, the occupant monitoring ECU58 returns the processing to step ST8.

[0096] In step ST10, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether a predetermined non-collision period has been measured by the timer 103. The timer 103 starts measuring the non-collision period from the last collision time. If the non-collision period has not been measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST8. If the non-collision period has been measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 proceeds to step ST11.

[0097] In step ST11, the occupant monitoring ECU58 outputs the images and information accumulated and recorded in the memory 102 after the collision from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The external communication ECU60 obtains the images after the collision from the vehicle network 66 and sends them to the transportation system 80. The occupant monitoring ECU58 can try to send these vehicle identification information together with the images. After multiple consecutive collisions involving the car 1, the occupant monitoring ECU58 attempts to output the images obtained for each collision to the in-vehicle communication unit 101 that communicates with the outside of the car 1. By receiving information from the in-vehicle communication unit 101, the server device 83 and other cars 82 of the transportation system 80 can grasp the post-collision status of the car 1. The server device 83 and other cars 82, which are other communication devices that communicate with the external communication ECU60 in the transportation system 80, can obtain the images or information obtained for each collision as an emergency notification after multiple consecutive collisions involving the car 1. Then, the occupant monitoring ECU58 ends. Figure 4 processing.

[0098] As described above, in the present embodiment, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 of the occupant monitoring device 40 of the automobile 1 acquires the acceleration in the multiple continuous collisions of the automobile 1 at each collision. Furthermore, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 acquires the image after each collision through the image acquisition unit, and records the image acquired for each collision in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. In addition, after the multiple continuous collisions of the automobile 1, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to the communication unit that communicates with the outside of the automobile 1. Therefore, after the collision, the image stored in the memory 102 or the transmitted image is automatically transmitted, and can be used, for example, for the rescue work of the occupant. In particular, in the present embodiment, for the multiple continuous collisions of the automobile 1, the image after each collision is recorded, so that the change of the occupant state caused by the multiple continuous collisions can be grasped. In addition, after the initial collision, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the static image before the initial collision in a transmittable manner, thereby also being able to grasp the state of the occupant before the collision, so that the change of the occupant state caused by the subsequent multiple collisions can be appropriately grasped. The changes in the states of the occupants in each car 1 when multiple consecutive collisions occur can be understood from multiple cars 1, so that even if the occupants suffer multiple injuries due to multiple consecutive collisions, the state can be understood more accurately and applied to the rescue of multiple occupants.

[0099] In the present embodiment, whenever the occupant monitoring ECU 58 detects a large collision among the continuous multiple collisions, it repeatedly records the dynamic images within a preset period in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. Therefore, for the continuous multiple collisions whose end time is unknown, the dynamic images between the multiple collisions can be appropriately recorded in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. In contrast, for the continuous multiple collisions whose end time is unknown, it is difficult to determine the time to end the recording, assuming that, for example, the dynamic image simply starts from the initial collision, and the dynamic image is continuously recorded even after the continuous multiple collisions have ended. It is difficult to properly end the recording of dynamic images about the continuous multiple collisions whose end time is unknown. As a result, the occupant monitoring device 40 may waste power after the collision in recording the dynamic image. In addition, it is difficult to determine the timing of sending the recorded dynamic image as soon as possible. In the present embodiment, since the recording of the dynamic image ends within a preset short period, such a situation does not occur. The image data recorded in the memory normally records the end information.

[0100] In particular, in the present embodiment, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 records a dynamic image, a static image, or information about the collision in the memory 102 according to the type of collision in the first collision among the consecutive collisions; and records a dynamic image in the memory 102 regardless of the type of collision in the second collision among the consecutive collisions. Therefore, whenever the occupant monitoring ECU 58 detects a large collision among the consecutive collisions, it can repeatedly record dynamic images within a preset period in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. Moreover, in the case of other than a large collision, the amount of recorded data is reduced by recording a static image or information about the collision with a pedestrian.

[0101] Thus, in the traffic system 80 receiving the emergency notification, it is possible to easily determine the cause of the continuous collisions based on the recorded or transmitted initial images of the multiple collisions. In addition, for the second and subsequent collisions, regardless of the type of collision, the dynamic images are recorded in the memory 102, so that the detailed conditions of the subsequent collisions can be continuously grasped.

[0102] For example, when recording images in the order of "static image, dynamic image, dynamic image", it is not necessary to separately check other information such as acceleration, and it is possible to intuitively and easily understand that a large collision occurs multiple times after a minor collision just by checking the image. Even in the case of a collision between multiple vehicles 1, it is possible to easily understand the multiple collision modes in each vehicle 1. As a result, rescuers can easily determine the impact of the collision after the collision, which is difficult to determine from the appearance after the collision.

[0103] [Second Embodiment]

[0104] The following is a description of a traffic system 80 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the first collision mode is handled differently for the second and subsequent collisions. In the following description, the differences from the above embodiment are mainly described. In this embodiment, the same symbols are used for the same components as those in the above embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0105] Figure 5 It means that in the second embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 Flowchart of the process of the second and subsequent collisions performed after the initial light collision processing of node A.

[0106] In step ST22 after the initial light collision processing, the occupant monitoring ECU58 obtains the acceleration acting on the automobile 1 and determines whether there is a next collision after the second collision. If no collision is detected, the processing enters step ST29. If a collision is detected, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines the type of collision based on the detection of the acceleration of the collision, etc., and performs processing. For example, when the acceleration is greater than the judgment threshold of the collision level, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines it as a large collision and causes the processing to enter step ST23. When the acceleration is small, that is, less than or equal to the judgment threshold, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines it as a light collision and causes the processing to enter step ST25. When a collision with a pedestrian can be predicted in the image of the external camera 31 before the collision, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines it as a collision with a pedestrian and causes the processing to enter step ST27.

[0107] In step ST23 when the collision is large, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66, for example, based on the input direction of the impact caused by the collision and the seat state of the occupant before the collision. The protection ECU 59 obtains the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 from the vehicle network 66, and activates the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10. Thus, the occupant can be protected from the assumed collision by the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10.

[0108] In step ST24, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains a dynamic image of the occupant who is riding in the car 1 from the operating internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 uses the input time of the impact as a reference and obtains a dynamic image of a short period of time within a predetermined time range before and after from the internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the obtained short-term dynamic image after the collision in the memory 102 so that it can be transmitted. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the processing to step ST22.

[0109] In step ST25 when the collision is minor, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 does not output an instruction to deploy the airbag 21 .

[0110] In step ST26, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 acquires a still image after the collision from the operating interior camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the acquired still image after the collision in the memory 102 in a transmittable manner. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST22.

[0111] In step ST27 when the collision is with a pedestrian, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs, for example, a deployment instruction of the airbag 21 for protecting pedestrians near the position where the collision is input from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The protection ECU 59 obtains the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 for protecting pedestrians from the vehicle network 66, and operates the airbag device 20 for protecting pedestrians. In this way, the occupant can protect the pedestrian or bicycle that collides with the automobile 1 from the collision.

[0112] In step ST28, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 transmissibly records the collision with the pedestrian in the memory 102 without acquiring an image from the operating interior camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST22.

[0113] In step ST29, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether a predetermined non-collision period has been measured by the timer 103. The timer 103 starts measuring the non-collision period from the last collision time. If the non-collision period has not been measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST22. If the non-collision period has been measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 proceeds to step ST30.

[0114] In step ST30, the occupant monitoring ECU58 outputs the images and information accumulated and recorded in the memory 102 after the collision from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The external communication ECU60 obtains the images after the collision from the vehicle network 66 and sends them to the transportation system 80. After multiple consecutive collisions involving the automobile 1, the occupant monitoring ECU58 attempts to output the images obtained for each collision to the in-vehicle communication unit 101 that communicates with the outside of the automobile 1. The occupant monitoring ECU58 can attempt to send these vehicle identification information together with the images. By receiving information from the in-vehicle communication unit 101, the server device 83 and other automobiles 82 of the transportation system 80 can grasp the post-collision status of the automobile 1. The server device 83 and other automobiles 82, which are other communication devices that communicate with the external communication ECU60 in the transportation system 80, can obtain the images or information obtained for each collision as an emergency notification after multiple consecutive collisions involving the automobile 1. Then, the occupant monitoring ECU58 ends. Figure 5 processing.

[0115] Figure 6It means succession Figure 4 Flow chart of the process of the second and subsequent collisions performed after the initial pedestrian collision process at node B.

[0116] In step ST42 after the initial pedestrian collision processing, the occupant monitoring ECU58 obtains the acceleration acting on the car 1 and determines whether there is a next collision after the second one. If no collision is detected, the processing enters step ST49. If a collision is detected, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines the type of collision based on the detection of the acceleration of the collision, etc. For example, when the acceleration is greater than the judgment threshold of the collision level, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines it as a large collision and causes the processing to enter step ST43. When the acceleration is small, that is, less than or equal to the judgment threshold, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines it as a light collision and causes the processing to enter step ST45. When the collision with a pedestrian can be predicted based on the image of the external camera 31 before the collision, the occupant monitoring ECU58 determines it as a collision with a pedestrian and causes the processing to enter step ST47.

[0117] In step ST43 when the collision is large, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 outputs the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66, for example, based on the input direction of the impact caused by the collision and the seated state of the occupant before the collision. The protection ECU 59 obtains the deployment instruction of the airbag 21 from the vehicle network 66, and activates the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10. Thus, the occupant can be protected from the assumed collision by the airbag device 20 and the seat belt device 10.

[0118] In step ST44, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 obtains a dynamic image of the occupant who is riding in the car 1 from the operating internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 uses the input time of the impact as a reference and obtains a dynamic image of a short period of time within a predetermined time range before and after from the internal camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the obtained short-term dynamic image after the collision in the memory 102 so that it can be transmitted. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the processing to step ST42.

[0119] In step ST45 , when the collision is a minor one, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 does not output an instruction to deploy the airbag 21 .

[0120] In step ST46, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 acquires a still image after the collision from the operating interior camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 records the acquired still image after the collision in the memory 102 so as to be transmittable. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST42.

[0121] In step ST47 when the collision is with a pedestrian, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 does not output an instruction to deploy the airbag 21 for protecting the pedestrian.

[0122] In step ST48, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 transmissibly records the collision with the pedestrian in the memory 102 without acquiring an image from the operating interior camera 41 or the memory 102. The occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST42.

[0123] In step ST49, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether a predetermined non-collision period has been measured by the timer 103. The timer 103 starts measuring the non-collision period from the last collision time. If the non-collision period has not been measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 returns the process to step ST42. If the non-collision period has been measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 proceeds to step ST50.

[0124] In step ST50, the occupant monitoring ECU58 outputs the images and information accumulated and recorded in the memory 102 after the collision from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The external communication ECU60 obtains the images after the collision from the vehicle network 66 and sends them to the transportation system 80. After multiple consecutive collisions involving the automobile 1, the occupant monitoring ECU58 attempts to output the images obtained for each collision to the in-vehicle communication unit 101 that communicates with the outside of the automobile 1. The occupant monitoring ECU58 can attempt to send these vehicle identification information together with the images. By receiving information from the in-vehicle communication unit 101, the server device 83 and other cars 82 of the transportation system 80 can grasp the post-collision status of the automobile 1. The server device 83 and other cars 82, which are other communication devices that communicate with the external communication ECU60 in the transportation system 80, can obtain the images or information obtained for each collision as an emergency notification after multiple consecutive collisions involving the automobile 1. Then, the occupant monitoring ECU58 ends. Figure 6 processing.

[0125] In this way, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 records a dynamic image, a static image, or information about the collision in the memory 102 according to the type of each collision in the continuous multiple collisions. For example, whenever the occupant monitoring ECU 58 detects a light collision in the continuous multiple collisions, it repeatedly records a static image as an image in the memory 102 so that it can be transmitted. In addition, when the occupant monitoring ECU 58 detects a collision with a pedestrian in the continuous multiple collisions, it records information about the collision with the pedestrian in the memory 102 instead of the image.

[0126] As described above, in the present embodiment, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 repeatedly records static images in a transmittable manner in the memory 102 every time a light collision is detected in a plurality of consecutive collisions. Therefore, for a plurality of consecutive collisions whose end time is unknown, static images between the plurality of collisions can be appropriately recorded in a transmittable manner in the memory 102. Furthermore, in a light collision in which it is predicted that the deformation of the automobile 1 will not increase, by recording static images instead of dynamic images, the recording load of the memory 102 and the image transmission load can be reduced.

[0127] In the present embodiment, when a collision with a pedestrian is detected in a plurality of consecutive collisions, information on the collision with the pedestrian is repeatedly recorded in the memory 102 instead of the image. Therefore, for a collision with a pedestrian in which the deformation of the vehicle body is not likely to affect the occupants, by recording the collision information with the pedestrian instead of the image, the recording load of the memory 102 and the transmission load of the image can be reduced.

[0128] Thus, in this embodiment, the continuous recording method of the plurality of collisions can be used to understand what kind of collisions occurred continuously. When checking the plurality of images recorded or transmitted, by switching the recording method, etc., it is possible to intuitively understand what kind of collisions occurred continuously.

[0129] [Third Embodiment]

[0130] The following is a description of a traffic system 80 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an attempt is made to send images accumulated during a collision, etc., based on a request for sending after processing during a collision. In the following description, the differences from the above-mentioned embodiment are mainly described. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those in the above-mentioned embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0131] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing the flow of a transmission process executed by the occupant monitoring ECU after the collision process in the transportation system 80 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0132] The passenger monitoring ECU 58 Figure 4 After processing the collision, repeat the execution Figure 7 The server device of the traffic system 80, for example, when an accident is reported, repeatedly sends a transmission request to the car 1 involved in the accident through the communication base station 81 and other cars 82, and tries to collect accident information.

[0133] In step ST51, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether a transmission request is received. For example, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether the external communication ECU 60 or the off-vehicle emergency communicator 107 receives a transmission request from the traffic system 80. If no transmission request is received, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 ends. Figure 7 If a transmission request is received, the passenger monitoring ECU 58 advances the processing to step ST53.

[0134] In step ST52, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 determines whether the timer 103 has measured a predetermined non-transmission period. The timer 103 starts measuring the non-operation period from the last transmission time. If the non-operation period is not measured, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 ends. Figure 7 If the no-operation period is measured, the passenger monitoring ECU 58 advances the process to step ST53.

[0135] In step ST53, the occupant monitoring ECU58 outputs the images and information accumulated and recorded in the memory 102 after the collision from the in-vehicle communication unit 101 to the vehicle network 66. The external communication ECU60 obtains the images after the collision from the vehicle network 66 and sends them to the traffic system 80. After multiple consecutive collisions involving the automobile 1, the occupant monitoring ECU58 attempts to output the images obtained for each collision to the in-vehicle communication unit 101 that communicates with the outside of the automobile 1. Alternatively, the occupant monitoring ECU58 sends the images and information accumulated and recorded in the memory 102 after the collision from the external emergency communicator 107. The occupant monitoring ECU58 can try to send these vehicle identification information together with the images. Then, the occupant monitoring ECU58 ends. Figure 7 processing.

[0136] The server device 83 and other cars 82 of the traffic system 80 receive the information. The server device 83 and other cars 82, which are other communication devices that communicate with the external communication ECU 60 in the traffic system 80, can obtain images or information obtained for each collision as an emergency report after a plurality of consecutive collisions of the car 1.

[0137] As described above, in the present embodiment, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 attempts to output the image acquired at each collision to the communication unit that communicates with the outside of the automobile 1 in accordance with the transmission request after the continuous multiple collisions of the automobile 1. In addition, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 attempts to output the image acquired at each collision to the communication unit that communicates with the outside of the automobile 1 at regular intervals after the continuous multiple collisions of the automobile 1. Therefore, the other communication device that has output the transmission request can obtain the state of the occupant of the automobile 1 through communication after the continuous multiple collisions.

[0138] The above-described embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0139] For example, in the above-described embodiment, after determining that the continuous collisions no longer occur, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 transmits images and the like related to the continuous plurality of collisions at once.

[0140] In addition, for example, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may also transmit images and the like related to a plurality of consecutive collisions separately after each collision. In this case, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may transmit images and the like related to the previous collision separately after detecting the next collision, for example.

[0141] Furthermore, the occupant monitoring ECU 58 may transmit vehicle identification information or an image of the occupant in advance, for example, based on the collision prediction in step ST3 before the first collision among the consecutive collisions occurs.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant monitoring device, comprising: an image acquisition unit that acquires a captured image of an occupant riding in the vehicle; a memory capable of recording the image acquired by the image acquisition unit; a collision detection unit that detects a collision of the vehicle; and a control unit that controls the image acquisition unit, the memory, and the collision detection unit, A timer that measures the collision-free period starting from the last collision time. The control unit detects each of a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle through the collision detection unit, acquires an image after each collision through the image acquisition unit, and records the image acquired for each collision in the memory, and attempts to output the image recorded in the memory to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle when a collision-free period measured by the timer has passed.

2. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle after a plurality of consecutive collisions with respect to the vehicle.

3. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle in response to a transmission request after a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle or at regular intervals.

4. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit records a static image before the initial collision.

5. A vehicle occupant monitoring device, comprising: an image acquisition unit that acquires a captured image of an occupant riding in the vehicle; a memory capable of recording the image acquired by the image acquisition unit; a collision detection unit that detects a collision of the vehicle; and a control unit that controls the image acquisition unit, the memory, and the collision detection unit, The control unit detects each of the multiple consecutive collisions of the vehicle through the collision detection unit, acquires images after each collision through the image acquisition unit, records the images acquired for each collision into the memory, and determines the mode of collision based on the prediction of the collision and the detection of the collision, and records a static image or a dynamic image into the memory based on the determined mode of collision.

6. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 5, wherein: The control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle after a plurality of consecutive collisions with respect to the vehicle.

7. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 5, wherein: The control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle in response to a transmission request after a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle or at regular intervals.

8. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: If a large collision is detected among a plurality of consecutive collisions, the control unit records a moving image within a preset period as the image in the memory.

9. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: If a light collision is detected among the continuous plurality of collisions, the control portion records a still image as the image in the memory.

10. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: If a collision with a pedestrian is detected among a plurality of consecutive collisions, the control portion records information of the collision with the pedestrian in the memory instead of the image.

11. A vehicle occupant monitoring device, comprising: an image acquisition unit that acquires a captured image of an occupant riding in the vehicle; a memory capable of recording the image acquired by the image acquisition unit; a collision detection unit that detects a collision of the vehicle; and a control unit that controls the image acquisition unit, the memory, and the collision detection unit, The control unit detects each of the multiple consecutive collisions of the vehicle through the collision detection unit, acquires images after each collision through the image acquisition unit, records the images acquired for each collision into the memory, and in the initial collision among the multiple consecutive collisions, records a dynamic image, a static image or collision information into the memory according to the mode of the collision; in the second collision among the multiple consecutive collisions, records a dynamic image into the memory regardless of the mode of the collision.

12. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 11, wherein: The control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle after a plurality of consecutive collisions with respect to the vehicle.

13. The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The control unit attempts to output the image acquired for each collision to a communication unit that communicates with the outside of the vehicle in response to a transmission request after a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle or at regular intervals.

14. A transportation system comprising: The vehicle occupant monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, which is arranged in the vehicle; as well as another communication device, which communicates with the occupant monitoring device, Wherein, after a plurality of consecutive collisions of the vehicle, the occupant monitoring device sends an image acquired at each collision to the other communication device.

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