Systems, apparatuses, and methods for transmitting vehicle-related image data

Abstract

A plurality of communication modules are used to transmit image data from image capture devices at a vehicle. Telematics data is transmitted to a management server via a telematics device. An event is detected based on the telematics data. The management server requests image data corresponding to the event from the image capture devices. The image capture devices activate and transmit the requested image data via their own communication modules in response to the request. In this way, regular, abbreviated communication is performed via the telematics device, while the main data communication is performed directly by the image capture devices.

Description

[0001] Prior application data

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 566,616, filed March 18, 2024, entitled "Systems, Devices, and Method for Communicating Vehicle-Related Image Data". Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to systems, apparatus, and methods for managing image data, and particularly to the transmission of image data between vehicle-related devices. Background Technology

[0004] Image capture devices can be located at vehicles. These devices capture image data, which can then be provided to a management server. However, the image data is typically large in size and requires significant bandwidth for transmission. Therefore, it is desirable to provide means to optimize the efficiency of transmitting image data from image capture devices located at vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In a broader sense, this disclosure describes a system comprising: a management server having at least one first communication module, at least one first processor, and at least one first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the first processor; a telematics device located at a vehicle, comprising a second communication module, a third communication module, at least one second processor, and at least one second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the second processor; and an image capture device located at a vehicle, the image capture device having at least one image sensor, a fourth communication module, a fifth communication module, at least one third processor, and at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the third processor, wherein: the third processor-executable instructions cause the image capture device to: capture image data via at least one image sensor; and store the image data via at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium; the second processor-executable instructions cause the telematics device to: receive telematics data from the vehicle. The first processor is executable to cause the management server to: receive remote information processing data via at least one first communication module; apply an event detection model to the remote information processing data via at least one first processor to detect events at the vehicle; and, in response to detecting an event at the vehicle, transmit a request for image data corresponding to a time period of the event via at least one first communication module for reception at the remote information processing device; the second processor is executable to further cause the remote information processing device to: receive a request for image data via a third communication module; and transmit a request for image data via a second communication module for reception at an image capture device; and the third processor is executable to further cause the image capture device to: receive a request for image data via a fourth communication module; access the image data corresponding to the time period at at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium; and transmit the image data corresponding to the time period via a fifth communication module.

[0006] The fourth and second communication modules may include corresponding wired communication modules for wired communication between the telematics device and the image capture device. The fourth and second communication modules may also include corresponding short-range wireless communication interfaces. The fifth communication module may include a first cellular modem at the image capture device that communicates via the first cellular network. The third communication module may include a second cellular modem at the telematics device that communicates via the first cellular network or a second cellular network different from the first cellular network.

[0007] At least one first communication module may include a network module which is communicatively coupled to a cloud network or the Internet.

[0008] The fifth communication module can typically be in an inactive mode where communication with the management server is disabled, and the third processor-executable instructions that cause the image capture device to transmit image data corresponding to the time period also cause the image capture device to operate the fifth communication module in an active mode where communication with the management server is enabled. The third processor-executable instructions can also cause the image capture device to operate the fifth communication module in an inactive mode after transmitting the image data corresponding to the time period.

[0009] The telematics data may include at least the vehicle's inertial data; the event is a collision; and first processor-executable instructions that cause at least one first processor to apply an event detection model to the telematics data cause at least one first processor to apply a collision detection model to at least the inertial data to detect a collision. 10. The telematics data may also include the vehicle's speed data; and first processor-executable instructions that cause at least one first processor to apply a collision detection model to at least the inertial data to detect a collision cause at least one first processor to apply a collision detection model to both the inertial data and the speed data to detect a collision.

[0010] The telematics data may include at least the vehicle's inertial data; the event may be a violent motion event, including at least one of a violent turning event, a violent braking event, or a violent acceleration event; and a first processor-executable instruction that causes at least one first processor to apply an event detection model to the telematics data may cause at least one first processor to apply a violent motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect violent motion events. The telematics data may also include the vehicle's speed data; and a first processor-executable instruction that causes at least one first processor to apply a violent motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect violent motion events may cause at least one first processor to apply a violent motion detection model to both the inertial data and the speed data to detect violent motion events.

[0011] The image capture device may also include an emergency user interface; in response to the driver of the vehicle activating the emergency user interface, a third processor-executable instruction may cause the image capture device to transmit an emergency instruction to a telematics device via a fourth communication module; a second processor-executable instruction may also cause the telematics device to receive the emergency instruction via a second communication module; a second processor-executable instruction that causes the telematics device to transmit telematics data via the third communication module may also cause the telematics device to transmit the emergency instruction along with the telematics data; and a first processor-executable instruction that causes at least one first processor to apply an event detection model to the telematics data may cause at least one first processor to detect events based on the emergency instruction.

[0012] The telematics data may include vehicle speed data; the event may be a speeding event, wherein the vehicle speed exceeds a speed threshold; and the first processor executable instructions that cause at least one first processor to apply an event detection model to the telematics data may cause at least one first processor to: apply a speeding detection model to the speed data to detect a speeding event.

[0013] The third processor executable instructions may also cause at least one third processor to: collect following distance data between the vehicle and another vehicle in front of the vehicle by applying a following distance detection model to the captured image data; the third processor executable instructions may also cause the image capture device to: transmit at least a portion of the following distance data to the telematics device via a fourth communication module; the second processor executable instructions may also cause the telematics device to receive at least a portion of the following distance data; the second processor executable instructions that cause the telematics device to transmit telematics data via the third communication module may also cause the telematics device to transmit at least a portion of the following distance data together with the telematics data; the event may include a rear-end collision event, wherein the following distance between the vehicle and another vehicle is below a threshold; and the first processor executable instructions that cause at least one first processor to apply an event detection model to the telematics data may cause at least one first processor to: apply a rear-end collision detection model to at least a portion of the following distance data.

[0014] The telematics device may also include a data port communicatively coupled to the vehicle, through which the telematics device receives at least a portion of telematics data.

[0015] The telematics device may also include at least one sensor that captures at least a portion of the telematics data, the at least one sensor being selected from a group of sensors consisting of: an inertial sensor; a position sensor; and a velocity sensor.

[0016] The first processor can also execute instructions that enable the management server to receive image data corresponding to the time period from the image capture device via at least one first communication module.

[0017] The system may also include a remote data storage device that receives image data corresponding to the time period from the image capture device.

[0018] The first processor-executable instructions can also cause the management server to transmit a wake-up command via the first communication module for reception at the remote information processing device; and the second processor-executable instructions can also cause the remote information processing device to wake up in response to the wake-up command before transmitting a request for image data for reception at the image capture device via the second communication module. The first processor-executable instructions that cause the first communication module to transmit the wake-up command can cause the first communication module to transmit the wake-up command before transmitting a request for image data for reception at the remote information processing device.

[0019] The second processor-executable instructions can also cause the telematics device to transmit a wake-up command via the second communication module for reception at the image capture device; and the third processor-executable instructions can also cause the image capture device to wake up in response to the wake-up command before accessing image data corresponding to the time period. The second processor-executable instructions that cause the second communication module to transmit the wake-up command can cause the second communication module to transmit the wake-up command before transmitting a request for image data.

[0020] According to another broader aspect, this disclosure describes a method executed between a management server, a telematics device, and an image capture device, wherein the management server has a first communication module, the telematics device has a second and a third communication module, and the image capture device has a fourth and a fifth communication module. The method includes: capturing image data via at least one image sensor of the image capture device; storing the image data via at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of the image capture device; receiving telematics data from the image capture device and the vehicle where the telematics device is located via the telematics device; and transmitting data to the management server via the third communication module of the telematics device. A communication module transmits telematics data; an event detection model is applied to the telematics data by at least one processor of a management server to detect events at the vehicle; and in response to detecting an event at the vehicle, a request for image data corresponding to a time period of the event is transmitted to a third communication module of the telematics device via at least one first communication module of the management server; a request for image data is transmitted to a fourth communication module of the image capture device via a second communication module of the telematics device; the image data corresponding to the time period is accessed at at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of the image capture device; and the image data corresponding to the time period is transmitted to the first communication module of the management server via a fifth communication module.

[0021] The fifth communication module can typically be in an inactive mode where communication with the management server is disabled, and transmitting image data may further include operating the fifth communication module in an active mode where communication with the management server is enabled. The method may also include operating the fifth communication module in an inactive mode after transmitting image data.

[0022] The telematics data may include at least the vehicle's inertial data; the event may be a collision; and applying an event detection model to the telematics data may include applying a collision detection model to at least the inertial data to detect a collision. The telematics data may also include the vehicle's speed data; and applying a collision detection model to at least the inertial data to detect a collision may include applying a collision detection model to both the inertial data and the speed data to detect a collision.

[0023] The telematics data may include at least the vehicle's inertial data; the event may be a violent motion event, including at least one of violent turning, violent braking, or violent acceleration events; and applying an event detection model to the telematics data may include applying a violent motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect violent motion events. The telematics data may also include the vehicle's speed data; and applying a violent motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect violent motion events may include applying a violent motion detection model to both the inertial data and the speed data to detect violent motion events.

[0024] The method may further include, in response to the driver of the vehicle activating the emergency user interface of the image capture device, transmitting an emergency instruction to the second communication module of the telematics device via the fourth communication module of the image capture device; transmitting telematics data to the first communication module via the third communication module may further include transmitting the emergency instruction together with the telematics data; and applying an event detection model to the telematics data may include: detecting events based on the emergency instruction.

[0025] The telematics data may include vehicle speed data; the event may be a speeding event, wherein the vehicle speed exceeds a speed threshold; and applying an event detection model to the telematics data may include applying a speeding detection model to the speed data to detect speeding events.

[0026] The method may further include: at the image capture device, collecting following distance data between the vehicle and another vehicle in front of the vehicle by applying a following distance detection model to the captured image data; and transmitting at least a portion of the following distance data to a second communication module at the telematics device via a fourth communication module at the image capture device, wherein transmitting via the fourth communication module and transmitting via the third communication module may include transmitting at least a portion of the following distance data together with the telematics data; the event may include a rear-end collision event, wherein the following distance between the vehicle and another vehicle is below a distance threshold; and applying an event detection model to the telematics data may include applying a rear-end collision detection model to at least a portion of the following distance data.

[0027] Receiving telematics data may include receiving at least a portion of the telematics data via a data port communicatively coupled to the vehicle.

[0028] Receiving telematics data may include capturing at least a portion of the telematics data via at least one sensor of the telematics device, said at least one sensor being selected from a sensor group consisting of: an inertial sensor; a position sensor; and a velocity sensor.

[0029] The method may further include: transmitting a wake-up command via a first communication module for reception at a remote information processing device; and waking up the remote information processing device in response to the wake-up command before transmitting a request for image data via a second communication module for reception at an image capture device. Transmitting the wake-up command via the first communication module may include transmitting the wake-up command before transmitting the request for image data for reception at the remote information processing device.

[0030] The method may further include: transmitting a wake-up command via a second communication module for reception at the image capture device; and waking up the image capture device in response to the wake-up command before accessing image data corresponding to the time period. Transmitting the wake-up command via the second communication module may include transmitting the wake-up command before transmitting a request for image data. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Exemplary, non-limiting embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a remote information processing system.

[0033] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a system of vehicle-related devices based on at least one illustrated example.

[0034] Figure 3It is a schematic diagram of a system of devices communicating with each other according to at least one illustrated example.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a method for requesting image data from an image capturing device. Detailed Implementation

[0036] This disclosure details systems, methods, and apparatus for transmitting image data relating to at least one vehicle. This disclosure sees particular value in vehicle data collection systems where a telematics device and a coupled image capture device are located at the vehicle.

[0037] Fleet owners have adopted telematics systems to monitor the use and performance of vehicles in their fleets. Telematics systems use onboard telematics devices to collect and transmit vehicle operation information, thereby monitoring the vehicles. For example, fleet managers can use telematics to remotely access real-time operation information for each vehicle in the fleet. Vehicles can include cars, trucks, recreational vehicles, heavy equipment, tractors, snowmobiles, or other transport assets. The telematics device can detect environmental operating conditions associated with the vehicle, such as external temperature, the connection status of attached trailers, and the internal temperature of attached refrigerated trailers. The telematics device can also detect the operating conditions of associated vehicles, such as location (e.g., geographic coordinates), speed and acceleration, running time, distance traveled, dwell time, customer location, idling time, driving time, etc. Therefore, the telematics device collects data representing vehicle operation and usage execution and transmits it to the telematics system. This data can be collected over a sufficiently long period to allow for pattern recognition of vehicle operation. In the example, the duration can be determined as a number of days between 30 and 90 days, although in practice any suitable number of days can be implemented as a duration.

[0038] In an exemplary telematics system, raw vehicle data, including vehicle operation information indicating vehicle operating status, is transmitted from an onboard telematics device to a remote subsystem (e.g., a data management system that may include a cloud system or a management system). The raw vehicle data may include information indicating the identity of the onboard telematics device (e.g., device identifier, device ID) and / or the identity of the associated vehicle on which the onboard telematics device is mounted. Specific and non-limiting examples of raw vehicle data include device ID data, location data, speed data, ignition status data (e.g., indicating whether the vehicle ignition is on or off), and date-time data indicating the date and time the vehicle operating status was recorded by the telematics device. Raw vehicle data transmitted and collected over a period of time forms historical vehicle data, which may be stored by the remote subsystem for future analysis of individual vehicle or fleet performance. In practice, a single fleet may include many vehicles, thus large amounts of raw vehicle data (e.g., terabytes, gigabytes, terabytes…) may be transmitted to and stored by the remote subsystem. In this application, vehicle data collected, processed and / or transmitted by the telematics monitoring device can be broadly included in “telematics data” and other types of data (such as location data, which will be discussed later).

[0039] In other exemplary telematics systems, the telematics device may have at least one processing unit that processes or filters raw vehicle data and transmits the processed or filtered data. Such a system can reduce the bandwidth required for transmission and the storage capacity required for the transmitted data.

[0040] The use of telematics systems has improved the performance and maintenance of vehicles in fleets. Furthermore, data from telematics systems can be used to analyze traffic and inform the design, planning, and implementation of infrastructure.

[0041] Figure 1 A simplified block diagram of an exemplary telematics system for collecting and storing vehicle operation information is shown. The telematics system 100 includes a telematics subsystem 102 having a first network interface 108 and an on-board telematics device 104 of a vehicle 114 communicatively coupled thereto via a communication network 110.

[0042] The telematics subsystem 102 in one implementation includes a management system, which is a managed cloud data warehouse for performing analysis on data stored therein. In another implementation, the management system may include multiple management systems, data storage, and other devices configured in a centralized, distributed, or other arrangement. In some implementations, one or more different management systems may be used and configured individually, or in a centralized, distributed, or other arrangement. In the illustrated example, the telematics subsystem 102 includes at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 120 and at least one processor 122. The at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 120 may store data on which analysis is performed, and / or may store instructions thereon. When executed by the at least one processor 122, the instructions cause the telematics subsystem to perform a desired operation, analysis, or data collection / aggregation. The telematics subsystem 102 may also be referred to as a management server. Such a management server may be a single device or may be a distributed arrangement as discussed above.

[0043] Communication network 110 may include one or more computing systems and may be any suitable combination of a network or a portion thereof to facilitate communication between network components. Some examples of networks include wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless wide area networks (WWANs), data networks, cellular networks, voice networks, and other networks that may be wired and / or wireless. Communication network 110 may operate according to one or more communication protocols, such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS), GSM, Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), LTE, CDMA, LPWAN, Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth™, Ethernet, HTTP / S, TCP, and CoAP / DTLS, or other suitable protocols. Communication network 110 may also take other forms.

[0044] The telematics system 100 may include another network interface 109 for communicatively coupling to another communication network 112. In one implementation, the communication network 112 may include a communication gateway between the fleet owner and the telematics system 100.

[0045] Figure 1 The diagram also shows vehicles 114, each equipped with an onboard telematics unit 104. Vehicles may include automobiles, trucks, recreational vehicles, heavy equipment, tractors, snowmobiles, or other transport assets. The onboard telematics unit 104 can transmit raw vehicle data associated with the vehicle 114 to the telematics subsystem 102 via a communication network 110.

[0046] The three telematics devices 104 described in this example are for illustrative purposes only, and the implementation is not intended to be limited to the examples described herein. In practice, a telematics system may include many vehicles 114, such as hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, or more. Thus, a remote telematics subsystem 102 can receive and store large amounts of raw vehicle data.

[0047] Typically, the telematics device 104 includes a sensing module configured to sense and / or measure physical characteristics that may indicate the vehicle's operating status. For example, the sensing module may sense and / or measure the vehicle's location (e.g., GPS coordinates), speed, orientation, acceleration or deceleration rates (e.g., along the x, y, and / or z axes), altitude, orientation, movement in the x, y, and / or z directions, ignition status, transmission and engine performance, and operating time, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that these are merely a few types of vehicle operating statuses that can be detected.

[0048] The telematics device 104 may include a sensing module for determining the vehicle's location. For example, the sensing module may utilize Global Positioning System (GPS) technology (e.g., a GPS receiver) to determine the geographic location (latitude / longitude coordinates) of the vehicle 114. Alternatively, the sensing module may utilize another Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology, such as GLONASS or BeiDou. Alternatively, the sensing module may also utilize another technology to determine geographic location. Additionally, the sensing module may provide other vehicle operating information, such as speed. Alternatively, the telematics device 104 may communicate with multiple sensing modules of the vehicle.

[0049] Alternative locations can be determined using other geographic coordinate systems, such as the Universal Transverse Mercator, the Military Grid Reference System, or the U.S. National Grid.

[0050] Typically, vehicle 114 may include various control modules, monitoring modules, and / or sensor modules for detecting vehicle operating conditions. Some specific and non-limiting examples include an engine control unit (ECU), suspension and stability control modules, headlight control modules, windshield wiper control modules, anti-lock braking system modules, transmission control modules, and braking modules. The vehicle may have any combination of control modules, monitoring modules, and / or sensor modules. The vehicle may include an accessible data / communication bus for monitoring vehicle operating information provided by one or more vehicle control modules, monitoring modules, and / or sensor modules. The vehicle data / communication bus may operate according to established data bus protocols, such as the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol widely used in the automotive industry to implement distributed communication networks. Specific and non-limiting examples of vehicle operating information provided by vehicle monitoring modules and / or sensor modules include ignition status, fuel tank level, intake air temperature, and engine RPM, etc.

[0051] The telematics device 104 may include a monitoring module operable to communicate with the data / communication bus of the vehicle 114. The monitoring module may communicate with the vehicle 114's data / communication bus via a direct connection (e.g., electrical coupling) through a vehicle communication port (e.g., diagnostic port / communication bus, OBDII port). Alternatively, the monitoring module may include a wireless communication interface for communicating with a wireless interface of the vehicle 114's data / communication bus. Optionally, the monitoring module may communicate with other external devices / systems that monitor the vehicle's operating status.

[0052] The telematics device 104 can be configured to wirelessly communicate with the telematics subsystem 102 via a wireless communication module. In some embodiments, the telematics device 104 can communicate directly with one or more networks outside the vehicle 114 to transmit data (e.g., telematics data) to the telematics subsystem 102. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the functionality of some modules can be implemented in one or more devices, and / or the functionality of some modules can be integrated into the same device.

[0053] The telematics device 104 can transmit raw vehicle data (or telematics data) indicating vehicle operating information collected therefrom to the telematics subsystem 102. The raw vehicle data can be transmitted at predetermined time intervals (e.g., heartbeats), intermittently, and / or according to other predetermined conditions. The raw vehicle data (or telematics data) transmitted from the telematics device 104 may include information such as device ID, location, speed, ignition status, and, for example, the date and time of recording the operating status in onboard data storage. Those skilled in the art will understand that the raw vehicle data may include data indicating many other vehicle operating conditions. Raw vehicle data can be transmitted from the monitoring device when the vehicle is moving, stationary, and during both on and off ignition states.

[0054] Figure 1 Image sensors 134 are also shown, each mounted on a corresponding vehicle 104. Each of the image sensors 134 can be, for example, a camera device, such as a video camera. Such image sensors capture image data (or video data, as a sequence of images) within the field of view of the corresponding image sensor. In some cases, the image sensors are positioned and oriented to capture image data representing a field of view outside the vehicle (e.g., a dashboard camera, a rearview camera, or other cameras pointing outside the vehicle). In some cases, the image sensors are positioned and oriented to capture image data representing a field of view inside the vehicle (e.g., a camera facing the driver, a camera facing the dashboard, or other cameras pointing inside the vehicle). In some cases, the vehicle may have multiple image sensors positioned therein.

[0055] Similar to telematics data, image data captured by image sensor 134 can be transmitted to telematics subsystem 102 via communication network 110. In some implementations, the communication hardware of the telematics device may have limited bandwidth capabilities. For example, the transmission speed or quantity from the telematics device may be limited to reduce power consumption. As another example, the telematics device may be outdated, making its communication hardware inherently limited in capability. In such cases, the communication hardware of the telematics device may be insufficient or unsuitable for transmitting image data from image sensor 134 via communication network 110. To address this issue, image sensor 134 includes dedicated communication hardware for communication via communication network 110. (Refer to below...) Figure 2 This will be described in detail.

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system 200, in which an image capture device and a telematics device are located at the vehicle and are capable of communicating with a management server located remotely to the vehicle. Specifically, Figure 2 Vehicle 210 is shown. In the example shown, vehicle 210 is a sedan, but this discussion applies to any suitable type of vehicle, such as those previously discussed. A telematics device 220 is located at vehicle 210. The telematics device 220 may be mounted to vehicle 210 (permanently or removably). For example, the telematics device may include a single-chip device that plugs into a data port (e.g., an OBDII port) of vehicle 210 to receive power and data from the vehicle. As another example, the telematics device 220 may include multiple components located at different locations within the vehicle that communicate with each other. An image capture device 230 is also located at vehicle 210. In the example shown, the image capture device 230 is mounted to vehicle 210 facing the windshield of vehicle 210. In alternative implementations, more than one image capture device may be located at the vehicle, pointing in any suitable direction (e.g., a rear-facing camera, a camera facing the driver's cabin, a side-facing camera, etc.). Multiple image sensors can be implemented together as an image capture device (e.g., the image capture sensors are jointly controlled in a common device), or implemented as multiple separate image capture devices. The telematics device 220 and the image capture device 230 are communicatively coupled to each other; see later. Figure 3 Discuss the detailed implementation method.

[0057] Figure 2 Management server 290 is also shown. As previously discussed with reference to telematics subsystem 102, management server 290 may include a single device, or may include multiple devices or distributed computing resources (e.g., via a cloud or server repository). Telematics device 220 and image capture device 230 are each communicatively coupled to management server 290. Although Figure 2 This communication grounding is shown in a direct manner, but the communication grounding can be indirect (e.g., via a communication network such as a cellular or Internet network).

[0058] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating system 300, which includes exemplary hardware for the management server, telematics device, and image capture device discussed herein. Figure 3 The hardware shown is not exhaustive, and any suitable additional hardware can be included in each device.

[0059] Figure 3A management server 310 is shown, comprising at least one first processor 312, at least one first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 314, and a first communication module 316. The at least one first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 314 may store processor-executable instructions (and other data) that, when executed by the at least one first processor 312, control the operation of the management server 310 (e.g., cause the management server 310 to perform any appropriate action, as described later). Figure 4 The actions in method 400 discussed).

[0060] Figure 3 Also shown is a telematics apparatus 320, which includes at least one second processor 322, at least one second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 324, a second communication module 326, and a third communication module 328. The telematics apparatus 320 also includes means for receiving, collecting, or capturing telematics data as described above. Figure 3 In the example shown, the telematics device 320 includes a data port 321 connected to a corresponding port of the vehicle (e.g., a diagnostic port, such as an OBDII port) to receive vehicle-related data (which can also be considered telematics data). Also in the example shown, the telematics device 320 includes at least one sensor 323 that captures vehicle-related sensor data (e.g., position data, inertial data, or any other suitable type of sensor data as previously discussed). Sensor 323 may include multiple sensors that collect the corresponding type of sensor data. Of particular note is that sensor 323 may include an inertial sensor that captures inertial data of the vehicle located by the telematics device 320. Such an inertial sensor may be, for example, an accelerometer or an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). Furthermore, sensor 323 may include a speed sensor that captures the vehicle's speed data, and / or a position sensor that captures the vehicle's position data (e.g., GPS coordinates). At least one second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 324 may store processor-executable instructions (and other data) that, when executed by at least one second processor 322, control the operation of the telematics device 320 (e.g., cause the telematics device 320 to perform any appropriate action, as described later). Figure 4 The actions in method 400 discussed).

[0061] Figure 3Image capture device 330 is also shown, comprising at least one third processor 332, at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 334, a fourth communication module 336, and a fifth communication module 338. Image capture device 330 also includes at least one image sensor 333 capable of capturing image data related to a vehicle on which the image capture device is mounted (e.g., the viewpoint of the image discussed earlier). In some implementations, image capture device 330 includes multiple image sensors that may point in similar directions (e.g., for binocular vision) or in different directions (e.g., for capturing additional image data related to the vehicle). At least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 334 may store processor-executable instructions (and other data) that, when executed by at least one second processor 332, control the operation of image capture device 330 (e.g., cause image capture device 330 to perform any appropriate action, as described later). Figure 4 The actions in method 400 discussed).

[0062] Optionally, the image capture device 330 includes a user interface 331. The user interface may include an emergency user interface (e.g., an emergency button) that can be used to trigger communication of image data, as discussed in detail later. The user interface 331 is not limited to a button, but may be, for example, a capacitive surface that detects a user's touch, a switch, or any other suitable interface.

[0063] The labels “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and “fifth” are used only to mark different parts and do not indicate or imply any particular sequence or order of parts.

[0064] The first communication module 316, the third communication module 328, and the fifth communication module 338 are remote communication modules used to manage communication between the server 310 and the remote information processing device 320 and / or the image capture device 330. For example, communication modules 316, 328, and 338 may be cellular modems, enabling the management server 310, the remote information processing device 320, and the image capture device 330 to communicate via at least one cellular network. Such a cellular network is... Figure 3 As shown in one example of the communication network 390, the management server 310 communicates with the telematics device 320 and the image capture device 330 via this communication network 390. The communication network 390 is optional, and in some implementations, the management server 310 may communicate directly with the telematics device 320 and the image capture device 330, as shown in the example. Figure 3As shown by the dashed line. The first communication module 316, the third communication module 328, and the fifth communication module 338 do not necessarily have to be the same type of module, and the communication network 390 is not limited to a single communication network. For example, communication module 316 can be an internet-enabled module connected to the internet (e.g., an Ethernet port, a wireless network module such as a WiFi™ module, or any other suitable module); communication module 328 can be a cellular modem connected to the cellular network of a first cellular provider; and communication module 338 can be a cellular modem connected to the cellular network of a second cellular provider. In such an implementation, each of the first communication module 316, the third communication module 328, and the fifth communication module 338 is connected to and communicates via the internet, but through different mechanisms.

[0065] The second communication module 326 and the fourth communication module 336 are typically short-range communication modules. In some implementations, the second communication module 326 and the fourth communication module 336 may be wired communication modules (e.g., USB ports), enabling the telematics device 320 and the image capture device 330 to communicate with each other via a wired connection. In other implementations, the second communication module 326 and the fourth communication module 336 are wireless communication modules, such as Bluetooth™, Zigbee™, WiFi™, or any other suitable type of short-range wireless connection.

[0066] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 400 for transmitting image data. The illustrated method 400 includes actions performed by a management server 410 (shown as actions 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, and 418), actions performed by a telematics device 420 (shown as actions 421, 422, 423, 424, 427, and 428), and actions performed by an image capture device 430 (shown as actions 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 438, and 439). Those skilled in the art will understand that, for a given application, additional actions may be added, actions may be deleted, or actions may be reordered.

[0067] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The example shown can be generated by a system (e.g., Figure 1 System 100 in Figure 2 System 200 and / or Figure 3The appropriate components of system 300 perform the actions. For example, the actions of transmitting and receiving can be performed by an appropriate communication module; the actions of preparing messages, application models, or determinations can be performed by at least one appropriate processor; and the actions of storing or providing access can be performed by at least one appropriate non-transitory processor-readable storage medium. Furthermore, any of the at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium discussed may have processor-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the corresponding at least one processor, cause the corresponding device or component to perform a given action of method 400.

[0068] Actions 439, 418, 427, 428, and 438 are optional, as will be discussed in detail later.

[0069] At point 431, the image capturing device 430 captures image data. Specifically, at least one image sensor of the image capturing device (e.g., Figure 3 At least one image sensor 333 in the image capture device captures image data related to the vehicle to which the image capture device is located. In an implementation that includes multiple image sensors, this may include multiple image sensors that capture corresponding image data.

[0070] At 432, the image data captured at 431 is readable by at least one non-transitory processor of the image capture device (e.g., by...). Figure 3 The third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 334 is stored in the memory.

[0071] In actions 431 and 432, the capture and storage of image data is continuous, periodic, or otherwise repetitive. For example, a rolling stream or buffer of image data may be captured and stored, in which the oldest portion of the image data is deleted or overwritten to make room for newly captured image data. The captured image data may be captured continuously at a frame rate (e.g., 15, 30, or 60 frames per second) set for the image capture device. Alternatively, image data may be captured periodically at intervals (e.g., every 10, 20, 30, or 60 seconds). The numerical examples of capture frequency and frame rate are merely exemplary and may be appropriately adjusted for a given implementation.

[0072] At 421, the telematics device 420 receives telematics data. In some implementations, the telematics data is received from a vehicle (e.g., via data port 321). In some implementations, receiving the telematics data includes capturing the telematics data by at least one sensor (e.g., sensor 323). In some implementations, receiving the telematics data includes receiving a portion of the telematics data from the vehicle (e.g., via data port 321) and capturing other portions of the telematics data by at least one sensor (e.g., sensor 323).

[0073] In some implementations, the telematics data includes at least inertial data. Specifically, at least one inertial sensor of the telematics device (e.g., Figure 3 At least one sensor 323 in the device can capture inertial data relating to the vehicle located by the telematics device, or the inertial data can be received by the telematics device from the vehicle (e.g., via data port 321). This may include an accelerometer that captures acceleration data of the vehicle, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that captures inertial data of the vehicle, or any other suitable type of sensor that captures inertial data.

[0074] In some implementations, the telematics data includes at least speed data. Specifically, at least one speed sensor of the telematics device (e.g., Figure 3 At least one sensor 323 in the device can capture speed data related to the vehicle located by the telematics device, or the speed data can be received by the telematics device from the vehicle (e.g., via data port 321).

[0075] In some implementations, the telematics data includes at least location data. Specifically, at least one location sensor of the telematics device (e.g., Figure 3 At least one sensor 323 in the device can capture location data related to the vehicle located by the telematics device, or the location data can be received by the telematics device from the vehicle (e.g., via data port 321).

[0076] In some implementations, various telematics data can be data derived from other sensors. For example, velocity data can be derived as a change in position indicated in position data. As another example, velocity data can be derived based on wheel rotation and circumference measured by a tachometer or the like. As yet another example, acceleration data can be derived from velocity or position data captured by at least one velocity or position sensor. Furthermore, telematics data can be captured or derived from more than one sensor (e.g., a combination of multiple sensors, or data from multiple sensors that can each be included in the telematics data). Additionally, see reference... Figure 1 The telematics data discussed may include any other suitable data, such as speed data, location data, or vehicle weight data, as non-limiting examples. Various types of data from the telematics data may be used for the purposes of method 400, based on the event detection model discussed later with reference to action 412.

[0077] At 422, the telematics device 420 transmits the telematics data received at 421. This transmission is intended to be received at the management server 410 and is handled by a communication module (e.g., capable of communicating with the management server) that can communicate with the management server. Figure 3 The third communication module 328 in the telematics unit transmits the data. Telematics data does not necessarily need to be transmitted at the frequency of capturing telematics data. Instead, in some implementations, telematics data can be transmitted periodically in chunks to reduce the activity time of the telematics unit's remote communication module. Furthermore, in some implementations, telematics data can be "curved recording," whereby the telematics data is transmitted only when the variation between points of the corresponding data (e.g., inertial data) exceeds a curve recording threshold. That is, in some implementations, action 422 occurs only when the difference between points of the corresponding telematics data (e.g., inertial data) is sufficiently significant.

[0078] At 411, the management server 410 communicates with a communication module (e.g., a remote information processing device) via a communication module capable of communicating with the remote information processing device. Figure 3 The first communication module 316 in the telematics unit receives telematics data from the telematics processing device 420. Throughout this disclosure, the act of "receiving" data or information can include any appropriate aspect of such reception, such as appropriate acquisition, formatting, decompression, processing, interpretation, or any other action in a given context.

[0079] At 412, the management server 410 applies an event detection model to at least a portion of the telematics data received from the telematics device 420. This event detection model is generated by at least one processor (e.g., ...). Figure 3At least one processor 312) in the application, and may include any suitable model.

[0080] In an exemplary implementation, an "event" is a collision event in which a vehicle collides with another vehicle or something in the environment. In this implementation, the telematics data includes at least the vehicle's inertial data. Applying the event detection model at 412 includes applying a collision detection model to detect such a collision. While the telematics data may include additional types of data besides inertial data as previously discussed, in some cases, depending on the collision detection model used, only inertial data is required. In some implementations, the collision detection model is a rule-based model, where a collision is detected if the inertial data indicates that the vehicle's acceleration meets a specific criterion. For example, the collision detection model may include an inertial threshold model, where a collision is detected if the vehicle's acceleration exceeds at least one acceleration threshold. In some implementations, the collision detection model is a machine learning model trained using labeled training data specific to collision scenarios to detect vehicle collisions.

[0081] In some implementations, the collision detection model can acquire more data than just inertial data. For example, telematics data can include vehicle speed data. The collision detection model can identify collisions not only when the vehicle's acceleration is high, but also when the vehicle's acceleration is unusually high, taking into account the vehicle's speed before acceleration. As another example, telematics data can also include vehicle weight data (or the vehicle's weight can be stored at the management server 410, since weight typically does not fluctuate significantly during driving). The collision detection model can identify collisions not only when the vehicle's acceleration is high, but also when the vehicle's acceleration is unusually high, taking into account the vehicle's weight (e.g., a heavier vehicle can be associated with a lower inertia threshold because such a vehicle will have greater momentum than other vehicles during a collision and may therefore "push" other vehicles instead of being stopped).

[0082] In another exemplary implementation, the "event" is a violent motion event where the vehicle undergoes an excessive change in motion. Violent motion events can include at least one of, for example, a violent turning event (the vehicle makes a sharp turn), a violent braking event (the vehicle applies brakes abruptly), or a violent acceleration event (the vehicle accelerates abruptly). In this example, the telematics data includes at least the vehicle's inertial data. Applying the event detection model at 412 includes applying a violent motion detection model to detect such violent motion events. While the telematics data can include additional types of data besides inertial data as previously discussed, in some cases, depending on the violent motion detection model used, only inertial data is required. In some implementations, the violent motion detection model is a rule-based model, where a violent motion event is detected if the inertial data indicates that the vehicle's motion meets a specific criterion. For example, the violent motion detection model can include a motion thresholding model, where a violent motion event is detected if the vehicle's motion change exceeds at least one threshold. In some implementations, the violent motion detection model is a machine learning model trained using labeled training data specific to real-world scenarios to detect abrupt changes in inertia.

[0083] In some implementations, the violent motion event detection model can distinguish between different types of violent events and apply appropriate thresholds. For example, a sharp decrease in motion in the vehicle's direction of travel (deceleration) indicates violent braking; a sharp increase in motion in the vehicle's direction of travel (acceleration) indicates violent acceleration; and a sharp change in motion in the vehicle's lateral direction (perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel) indicates a sharp turn.

[0084] Violent motion event detection models can be similar to collision detection models (and collision detection models can be considered a specific type of violent motion event detection model).

[0085] In some implementations, the violent motion event detection model can acquire more data than just inertial data. For example, telematics data can include vehicle speed data. The violent motion event detection model can identify violent motion events not only when the vehicle's motion changes significantly, but also when the vehicle's motion changes abnormally large, taking into account the vehicle's speed before the change in motion.

[0086] In another exemplary implementation, the "event" is a speeding event where a vehicle is traveling excessively or unacceptably fast (e.g., the vehicle speed exceeds the road speed limit). In this example, the telematics data includes at least the vehicle's speed data (or speed data derived from other data, such as changes in location data). Applying the event detection model at 412 involves applying a speeding detection model to the speed data to detect such a speeding event. For example, the speeding detection model may include a speed threshold model, where a speeding event is detected if the vehicle's speed exceeds a speed threshold.

[0087] In another exemplary implementation, the "event" is a rear-end collision event where a vehicle is following another vehicle too closely (i.e., the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle is too small). In this implementation, at least one third processor of the image capture device collects following distance data indicating the following distance between the vehicle and another vehicle ahead of it. Specifically, at least one third processor applies a following distance detection model to the image data captured at 431. The following distance model can be an artificial intelligence or machine learning-based model that analyzes the image to determine the following distance. Exemplary following distance detection models are described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 11,748,664 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 606,307, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0088] Following distance data (or at least a portion thereof) is provided by a fourth communication module (e.g., Figure 3 The fourth communication module 336 in the middle) transmits the information to the remote information processing device 420, and at the remote information processing device 420, it transmits the information through the second communication module (e.g., Figure 3 The communication module 326 in the middle receives the data. In this implementation, transmitting telematics data at 421 via the third communication module includes transmitting at least a portion of the following distance data together with the telematics data. Receiving telematics data at 411 via the first communication interface includes receiving at least a portion of the following distance data via the first communication module (e.g., communication module 316).

[0089] In this implementation, applying the event detection model at point 412 includes applying a rear-end collision detection model to at least a portion of the following distance data to detect a rear-end collision event. In some implementations, the rear-end collision detection model is a rule-based model, where a rear-end collision event is detected when certain criteria are met. As an example, a rear-end collision event is detected if the following distance is below a distance threshold. As another example, the criteria could be: a rear-end collision event is detected if the following distance is below a distance threshold and the duration exceeds a time threshold. In some implementations, the rear-end collision detection model can use additional telematics data. As an example, the following distance threshold can be a function of vehicle speed. Specifically, when the vehicle is traveling at a lower speed, the distance threshold can be lower (because slower-moving vehicles can stop more quickly, resulting in a smaller required following distance). In some implementations, the rear-end collision detection model is a machine learning model, trained using labeled training data specific to real-world scenarios to detect rear-end collisions. Exemplary rear-end collision models are discussed in detail in U.S. Patent No. 11,748,664 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 606,307, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0090] In another exemplary implementation, the "event" is an emergency event, where input from a vehicle operator indicating an emergency is received. For this implementation, the image capture device includes a user interface, such as... Figure 3 User interface 331. This user interface can be an emergency user interface, designed to be quickly and easily activated in an emergency. For example, the user interface may include an "emergency button" or an exposed touch area (e.g., a capacitive area) within reach of the vehicle operator. Figure 4 At position 439, it is shown that such user input is received.

[0091] In response to the activation of the emergency user interface, the emergency indication is sent by the fourth communication module (e.g., Figure 3 The fourth communication module 336 in the middle) transmits the information to the remote information processing device 420, and at the remote information processing device 420, it transmits the information through the second communication module (e.g., Figure 3 The communication module 326 in the middle receives the data. In this implementation, transmitting telematics data at 421 via the third communication module includes transmitting an emergency instruction. Receiving telematics data at 411 via the first communication interface includes receiving an emergency instruction via the first communication module.

[0092] In this implementation, the event detection model applied at point 412 includes detecting emergency events based on emergency indications. That is, in this implementation, when an emergency indication is received, the event detection model identifies an emergency situation.

[0093] In some implementations, depending on the specific type of event, the event detection model may require an event to be detected within a sufficiently long time period to be considered a detected event. For example, when detecting speeding events, the speed detection model may require the vehicle to exceed the speed threshold for a certain amount of time (e.g., 30 seconds) in order to detect speeding. Such implementations advantageously reduce false alarms (e.g., sudden erroneous speed readings), momentary but acceptable driver behavior, and momentary situations where the driver needs time to adapt (e.g., another vehicle changes lanes in front of the vehicle, requiring the driver to increase following distance).

[0094] At 413, if no event is detected, method 400 proceeds to 414, where method 400 terminates (or the iteration of method 400 ends). In this respect, method 400 can be executed iteratively. That is, image data can be captured and stored on a continuous, periodic, or periodic basis according to actions 431 and 432. Similarly, telematics data can be received and transmitted on a continuous, periodic, or periodic basis according to actions 421 and 422. Applying the event detection model at 412 can also be executed on a continuous, periodic, or periodic basis to identify events when they occur, even if events do not typically occur most of the time.

[0095] If an event is detected at 413, method 400 proceeds to 415 (and optionally 418).

[0096] Optionally, at 418, the management server 410 transmits a wake-up command. This wake-up command is intended to be received at the remote information processing device 420 and communicated by a communication module (e.g., capable of communicating with the remote information processing device 420) Figure 3 The first communication module 316 in the middle transmits the data. At 427, the remote information processing device 420 transmits the data via a communication module (e.g., the first communication module 316 in the middle) that can communicate with the management server 410. Figure 3 The third communication module 328 in the process receives the wake-up command, and the remote information processing device 420 wakes up in response to the wake-up command. The scenario including actions 418 and 427 in method 400 will be discussed in detail later.

[0097] At 415, management device 410 transmits a request for image data corresponding to the time period of the event, for reception at telematics device 420. In this context, "time period of the event" generally refers to a time period reasonably related to the event. For example, "time period of the event" could refer to a period extending from one minute before the event was detected (or the timestamp of the data on which the event detection is based) to one minute after the first detection of the event. These boundaries of time periods are merely exemplary, and any boundaries can be appropriately set for the time period of the event in a given application. Prior to the transmission at 415, at least one processor of management device 410 (e.g., Figure 3 At least one processor 312) prepares a request for image data, the at least one processor being able to specify a timestamp describing the "time period of the event".

[0098] At 423, the remote information processing device 420 communicates with the management server 410 via a communication module (e.g., Figure 3 The third communication module 328 in the middle is used to receive requests for image data.

[0099] Optionally, at 428, the telematics device 420 transmits a wake-up command. This wake-up command is intended to be received at the image capture device 430 and communicated by a communication module (e.g., capable of communicating with the image capture device 430) Figure 3 The second communication module 326 in the image capture device 430 transmits the command at 438. At 438, the wake-up command is transmitted by the image capture device 430 via a communication module (e.g., capable of communicating with the remote information processing device 420) that can communicate with the remote information processing device 420. Figure 3 The fourth communication module 336 in the image capture device 400 receives the command and wakes up in response to the wake-up command. The scenario including actions 428 and 438 in method 400 will be discussed in detail later.

[0100] At 424, the telematics device 420 transmits a request for image data. This transmission is intended to be received at the image capture device 430 and communicated by a communication module (e.g., capable of communicating with the image capture device 430) Figure 3 The second communication module 326 in the middle transmits the data. In some implementations, the telematics device 420 can forward requests for image data received from the management server 410 at 423. In other implementations, the telematics device 420 (e.g., via...) transmits the data. Figure 3 At least one processor 322 in the device can process a request for image data received from the management server 410 at 423 and prepare another request for image data (e.g., the telematics device 420 can reformat the message requesting image data so as to be optimally transmitted to the image capture device via the corresponding communication module).

[0101] At 433, the image capture device 430 communicates with the remote information processing device 420 via a communication module (e.g., ...). Figure 3 The fourth communication module 336 in the image capture device 430 receives a request for image data from the telematics device 420. In this way, the image capture device 430 is notified that it has requested image data for the time period corresponding to the event.

[0102] In some scenarios, a severe collision may impair the function of a vehicle or its devices. For example, if the vehicle's electrical system (or other electrical connections) is damaged, preventing the telematics device 420 or image capture device 430 from drawing power, this would prevent the retrieval of image data from the image capture device. To address this issue, in some implementations, the telematics device 420 and / or image capture device 430 may be connected to (or include) a battery to provide power in emergency situations. For example, an exemplary battery device is discussed in U.S. Patent No. 11,522,235, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0103] In response to receiving a request for image data, at 434, the image capture device 430 accesses the requested image data. Specifically, from the image data stored in at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium during action 432, image data corresponding to the time period of the event indicated in the request for image data is accessed. At 435, the accessed image data is transmitted by the image capture device 430. This transmission is accomplished by a communication module (e.g., capable of communicating with the management server 410) that can communicate with the management server 410. Figure 3 The communication module 338 in the middle is used for execution. In some implementations, the accessed image data is transmitted for reception at the management server 410 (e.g., Figure 4 (As shown in optional actions 416 and 417). In other implementations, the accessed image data is transmitted to a remote data storage 440 separate from the management server 410 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 (See optional actions 441 and 442 in the text).

[0104] At 416, the management server 410 communicates with the image capture device via a communication module (e.g., Figure 3 The first communication module 316 in the middle is used to receive image data of the event transmitted at 435.

[0105] At 417, the received image data of the event is output. For example, the received image data can be output via a display of the management server 410 or a client device connected to it for viewing by operators, employers, fleet managers, driving instructors, law enforcement, forensic experts, insurance agents, or any other suitable party. As another example, outputting image data at 417 may include storing the image data, for example, in at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of the management server 410. Optionally, the management server 410 may also transmit the image data to another device (e.g., remote data storage 440) separate from the image capture device 430, the telematics device 420, and the management server 410 for storage. Storing the image data helps to protect it long-term for future viewing or as evidence.

[0106] Alternatively, at 441, the remote data storage 440 receives image data of the event transmitted at 435 via a communication module capable of communicating with the image capture device 430. At 442, the received image data of the event is stored, for example, in at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of the remote data storage 440. Storing the image data helps to protect it long-term for future viewing or as evidence. The stored image data can later be accessed by client devices connected to the remote data storage 440 for viewing by operators, employers, fleet managers, driving instructors, law enforcement agencies, forensic experts, insurance agents, or any other suitable party.

[0107] It is worth noting that in method 400, the communication module used by the image capture device 430 to receive requests for image data is different from the communication module used by the image capture device 430 to transmit image data of the event. That is, the image capture device 430 receives requests for image data indirectly from the management server 410 via the telematics device 420. In contrast, the image capture device 430 transmits the image data of the event more directly (i.e., without via the telematics device 420). This implementation has many advantages, as discussed below.

[0108] The communication module of the remote information processing device that communicates with the management server (e.g., Figure 3The third communication module 328 is already present in the telematics-enabled vehicle and is typically active, at least periodically, to transmit telematics data to the management server. In contrast, the image capture device communication module, which communicates with the management server, is typically in an inactive or disabled mode (e.g., in a shutdown or low-power standby state, where communication with the management server is not enabled) and only occasionally transitions to an active state when needed (e.g., for transmitting requested image data). Therefore, transmitting image data as in action 435 of method 400 may include operating the communication module connected to the management server (e.g., ...) in an active mode. Figure 3 The communication module 338 in the image capture device enables communication with the management server in active mode. This can be achieved by switching the operating mode of the communication module, such as through internal messages within the image capture device. After transmitting image data, the communication module can switch back to inactive mode, in which communication with the management server is not enabled.

[0109] By requiring only a remote communication module of the remote information processing device ( Figure 3 The periodic activation of the third communication module 328 in the middle, while simultaneously activating another remote communication module ( Figure 3 The fifth communication module 338 in the image capture device is kept in a disabled or low-power mode until occasionally needed, which reduces subscription costs. In this implementation, a cellular service subscription can be maintained for the remote communication module of the telematics device, while different payment models (e.g., pay-as-you-go) can be used for the remote communication module of the image capture device.

[0110] Optional actions 418, 427, 428, and 438 can advantageously enable access to and transmission of image data (as previously discussed) at 434 and 435, even if the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 are in an inactive or sleep mode after capturing and storing image data according to actions 431 and 432, or receiving and transmitting telematics data according to actions 421 and 422, as previously discussed. In particular, in many implementations, the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 are configured to operate in a sleep or low-power mode when the vehicle in which they are installed is not activated. Such operation prevents or reduces consumption of the vehicle battery.

[0111] In a first exemplary implementation, activation of the vehicle equipped with the telematics device 420 and the image capture device 430 triggers the wake-up of the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430. For example, the telematics device 420 is connected to a vehicle data port (e.g., an OBDII port, via a reference...) Figure 3(Data port 321 is discussed). The telematics unit 420 receives an indication of vehicle activation via the data port. In response to vehicle activation, the telematics unit sends a wake-up command to the peripheral device 430, which wakes up the peripheral device.

[0112] The telematics device can receive any suitable form of activation signal from the vehicle. For example, telematics device 420 can receive an explicit ignition signal indicating that the vehicle's ignition has been activated. As another example, telematics device 420 can identify vehicle activation based on other signals, such as a battery voltage signal, from which it identifies the vehicle's ignition activation event. As yet another example, telematics device 420 can receive signals that explicitly indicate the vehicle's status, such as accessory mode or driving mode (which indicates vehicle activation). As yet another vehicle, the telematics device can selectively receive power from the vehicle only when the vehicle is activated (e.g., when the vehicle is not activated, no power is supplied to telematics device 420).

[0113] In response to the vehicle being deactivated (e.g., a signal from the vehicle indicating that the vehicle is no longer active), the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 may be deactivated or enter a sleep or low-power mode.

[0114] In a second exemplary implementation, the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 can be woken up even when the vehicle is off (e.g., the vehicle's ignition is not activated). For example, the telematics device 420 can be woken up according to a schedule to transmit status updates or "heartbeats" of telematics data to the management server 410. For example, such a schedule could be once every 30 minutes during the first 24 hours after the vehicle is taken out of service, and once every 24 hours thereafter (to protect the vehicle battery). This is a non-limiting example of a wake-up schedule, and any suitable wake-up schedule can be implemented alternatively.

[0115] In an implementation where the telematics device 420 uses a wake-up schedule, the image capture device 430 can be woken up according to the same schedule (e.g., to collect "heartbeat" image data). However, this is not always the case. In some implementations, the image capture device 430 may remain in sleep, low-power, or disabled mode even when the telematics device 420 is woken up according to a schedule.

[0116] Return to Figure 4In method 400, the detection of the event at 413 is typically not instantaneous (e.g., transmitting telematics data at 422 and 411, applying the event detection model at 412, and determining whether an event was detected at 413 may take 10 minutes or longer in some cases). In some scenarios, the vehicle may be deactivated, and therefore the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 may enter a sleep or inactive mode during this time. In such scenarios, actions 418, 427, 428, and 438 are useful. Non-limiting examples are discussed below.

[0117] In the first example, the event detection model applied at 412 is a collision detection model, and the event detected at 413 is a collision. In many vehicles, in response to a collision detected by sensors inside the vehicle, the vehicle is deactivated (e.g., the vehicle's ignition is disabled). This is a safety feature to prevent further damage or injury (e.g., to prevent fires caused by the vehicle's engine). Therefore, for such a vehicle, the collision events detected at 412 and 413 cause the vehicle to be deactivated at the time of the collision event (the collision event typically precedes the event detection).

[0118] In the second example, the event detection model applied at 412 is a violent motion event detection model, and the event detected at 413 is a violent motion event (as previously discussed). Following a violent motion event, the driver may deactivate the vehicle. For example, the driver might violently drive to a parking position and deactivate the vehicle once parked. Therefore, the violent motion events detected at 412 and 413 may only be detected after the vehicle (and the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430) has been deactivated.

[0119] In each of the above examples, when the vehicle is deactivated, the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 may also be deactivated or otherwise placed in a sleep or inactive mode. As a result of the above implementations, the activation of the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 is associated with the activation of the vehicle. Actions 418, 427, 428, and 438 provide means for waking up the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430.

[0120] A wake-up command is transmitted at 418 and the remote information processing device 420 is woken up at 427, enabling the remote information processing device to transmit a request for image data to the image capture device 430 at 424.

[0121] In some implementations, the wake-up command transmitted at 418 and the request for image data transmitted at 415 are transmitted separately. Specifically, the wake-up command is first transmitted at 418 to wake up the telematics device 420 at 427. Once the telematics device 420 is awakened and ready to receive the request for image data, the management server 410 transmits the request for image data at 415. This implementation advantageously allows for the use of a multi-purpose wake-up command that is not explicitly associated with the request for image data. Therefore, the wake-up command can be used to wake up the telematics device 420 for any other reason, either in addition to requesting image data or separately from requesting image data. This improves functionality and message modularity within the system context.

[0122] In some implementations, the wake-up command transmitted at 418 and the request for image data transmitted at 415 are transmitted together. Specifically, a single message can be transmitted from the management server 410 to the telematics device 420, causing the telematics device 420 to be woken up at 427 and the image data requested. This implementation advantageously reduces the number of message transmissions, which can improve responsiveness and speed.

[0123] Similarly, even if the vehicle is not activated, transmitting a wake-up command at 428 and waking up the image capture device 430 enables access to and transmission of image data at 434 and 435.

[0124] In some implementations, the wake-up command transmitted at 428 and the request for image data transmitted at 424 are separate transmissions. Specifically, the wake-up command is first transmitted at 428 to wake up the image capture device 430 at 438. Once the image capture device 430 is awakened and ready to receive a request for image data, the telematics device 420 transmits the request for image data at 424. This implementation advantageously allows for the use of a multi-purpose wake-up command that is not explicitly associated with a request for image data. Therefore, the wake-up command can be used to wake up the image capture device 430 for any other reason, either in addition to requesting image data or independently of requesting image data. This improves functionality and message modularity within the system context.

[0125] In some implementations, the wake-up command transmitted at 428 and the request for image data transmitted at 424 are transmitted together. Specifically, a single message can be transmitted from the telematics device 420 to the image capture device 430, causing the image capture device 430 to be woken up at 438 and image data requested. This implementation advantageously reduces the number of message transmissions. Therefore, subsequent image transmission can be initiated faster, and less bandwidth is used when initiating image transmission.

[0126] As previously mentioned, actions 418, 427, 428, and 438 are optional.

[0127] As an example, the event detection model applied at 412 may only relate to when the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 have been active, so that events are generally not detected when the vehicle is not in use.

[0128] As another example, in some implementations, the management server 410 may attempt to send a request for image data 415 to the telematics device 420, and if no request for image data is received, a wake-up command may be sent at 418. Similarly, at 424, the telematics device 420 may attempt to send a request for image data, and if no request for image data is received, a wake-up command may be sent at 428.

[0129] As another example, the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 can be configured to remain in an active or wake-up mode for a period of time after the vehicle has been taken out of service. For example, the telematics device 420 and / or the image capture device 430 can be configured to enter a sleep or inactive mode 15 minutes after the vehicle on which they are installed has been taken out of service. This time period is merely exemplary, and any time period can be appropriately set for a given application. In this way, even if the event detection at 412 and 413 is delayed, the telematics device 420 or the image capture device 430 still has a considerable amount of time to receive requests for image data after the vehicle has been taken out of service.

[0130] The activation, deactivation, and wake-up actions of the telematics device 420 do not necessarily limit the image capture device 430, and vice versa. That is, the telematics device 420 and the image capture device 430 are not necessarily controlled by the same activation, deactivation, and wake-up actions (although they may be under appropriate circumstances). In a non-limiting exemplary implementation, the telematics device 420 is configured to remain in a wake-up or active mode for a set period of time (e.g., 15 minutes) after the vehicle is deactivated, while the image capture device 430 is configured to enter a sleep or inactive mode when the vehicle is deactivated. In such an implementation, actions 418 and 427 are generally not required to be included in method 400, but actions 428 and 438 will be included in method 400. In particular, the telematics device 420 should remain active long enough after the vehicle is deactivated that if an event is detected at 412 and 413, a request for image data at 415 can be received by the telematics device 420 at 423 without requiring a wake-up command for the telematics device 420. However, since the image capture device 430 is in sleep or inactive mode, the method 400 includes actions 428 and 438, which cause the telematics device 420 to wake up the image capture device 430 for accessing image data and transmitting the image data at 435.

[0131] While the invention has been described with respect to non-limiting embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the invention should not be limited to any of the embodiments described.

[0132] In this specification and the appended claims, infinitive verb forms such as “to operate” or “to couple” are frequently used. Unless the context otherwise requires, such infinitive verb forms are used in an open and inclusive manner, such as “to operate at least” or “to couple at least”.

[0133] The accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be shown using dashed lines, illustrative representations, and partial views. In some cases, details that are not essential for understanding the exemplary embodiments or that make other details imperceptible may have been omitted.

[0134] The specification includes various implementations in the form of block diagrams, schematic diagrams, and flowcharts. Those skilled in the art will understand that any function or operation within such block diagrams, schematic diagrams, and flowcharts can be implemented using a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof. As a non-limiting example, the various embodiments described herein can be implemented using one or more of the following: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), standard integrated circuits (ICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer programs executed by any number of computers or processors, programs executed by one or more control units or processor units, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0135] This disclosure includes a description of several processors. These processors can be implemented as any hardware capable of processing data, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), standard integrated circuits (ICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), logic circuits, or any other suitable hardware. This disclosure also includes a description of several non-transitory processor-readable storage media. These non-transitory processor-readable storage media can be implemented as any hardware capable of storing data, such as magnetic drives, flash drives, RAM, or any other suitable data storage hardware. Furthermore, references to data or information stored in a device (e.g., vehicle device 122 or network device 110) generally refer to data or information stored in a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of said device (e.g., non-transitory processor-readable storage medium 116 or 126).

Claims

1. A system comprising: A management server, the management server having at least one first communication module, at least one first processor, and at least one first non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the first processor; A remote information processing device located at a vehicle, comprising a second communication module, a third communication module, at least one second processor, and at least one second non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the second processor; as well as An image capture device located at the vehicle, the image capture device having at least one image sensor, a fourth communication module, a fifth communication module, at least one third processor, and at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the third processor. in: The third processor can execute instructions to cause the image capture device to: Image data is captured by the at least one image sensor; and The image data is stored in the at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium; The second processor can execute instructions to cause the remote information processing device to: Receive remote information processing data from the vehicle; and The remote information processing data is transmitted through the third communication module for reception at the management server; The first processor can execute instructions to make the management server: The remote information processing data is received through the at least one first communication module; An event detection model is applied to the telematics data by the at least one first processor to detect events at the vehicle; and In response to detecting an event at the vehicle, a request for image data corresponding to a time period of the event is transmitted via the at least one first communication module for reception at the telematics device. The second processor can execute instructions that also enable the remote information processing device to: The request for image data is received via the third communication module; and The request for image data is transmitted via the second communication module for reception at the image capture device; and The third processor can execute instructions that also enable the image capture device to: The request for image data is received through the fourth communication module; Accessing image data corresponding to the time period at the at least one third non-transitory processor-readable storage medium; and The image data corresponding to the time period is transmitted through the fifth communication module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, The fourth communication module and the second communication module include corresponding wired communication modules for wired communication between the remote information processing device and the image capture device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, The fourth communication module and the second communication module include corresponding short-range wireless communication interfaces.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The fifth communication module includes a first cellular modem at the image capture device that communicates via the first cellular network; The third communication module includes a second cellular modem at the telematics device that communicates via the first cellular network or a second cellular network different from the first cellular network. as well as The at least one first communication module includes a network module communicatively coupled to a cloud network or the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, The fifth communication module is normally in an inactive mode that disables communication with the management server, and the third processor-executable instructions that cause the image capture device to transmit the image data corresponding to the time period further cause the image capture device to: operate the fifth communication module in an active mode that enables communication with the management server.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, The third processor-executable instructions further cause the image capture device to: after transmitting the image data corresponding to the time period, operate the fifth communication module in the inactive mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein: the telematics data includes at least inertial data of the vehicle; the event is a crash; and the first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply the event detection model to the telematics data cause the at least one first processor to apply a crash detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the crash.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein: the telematics data further includes speed data of the vehicle; and the first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply a crash detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the crash cause the at least one first processor to apply the crash detection model to the inertial data and the speed data to detect the crash.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein: the telematics data includes at least inertial data of the vehicle; the event is a severe motion event, the severe motion event including at least one of a severe turning event, a severe braking event, or a severe acceleration event; and the first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply the event detection model to the telematics data cause the at least one first processor to apply a severe motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the severe motion event.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein: the telematics data further includes speed data of the vehicle; and the first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply a severe motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the severe motion event cause the at least one first processor to apply the severe motion detection model to the inertial data and the speed data to detect the severe motion event.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein: the image capture device further includes an emergency user interface; in response to activation of the emergency user interface by a driver of the vehicle, the third processor-executable instructions cause the image capture device to transmit, to the telematics device, an emergency indication through the fourth communication module; the second processor-executable instructions further cause the telematics device to receive, through the second communication module, the emergency indication; The second processor-executable instructions that cause the telematics device to transmit the telematics data via the third communication module further cause the telematics device to transmit the emergency indication with the telematics data; and The first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply the event detection model to the telematics data cause the at least one first processor to detect the event based on the emergency indication.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein: the telematics data comprises speed data of the vehicle; the event is a speeding event, wherein a speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold; and The first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply the event detection model to the telematics data cause the at least one first processor to apply a speeding detection model to the speed data to detect the speeding event.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein: the third processor-executable instructions further cause the at least one third processor to collect following distance data between the vehicle and another vehicle in front of the vehicle by applying a following distance detection model to the captured image data; the third processor-executable instructions further cause the image capture device to transmit at least a portion of the following distance data to the telematics device via the fourth communication module; the second processor-executable instructions further cause the telematics device to receive the at least a portion of the following distance data; the second processor-executable instructions that cause the telematics device to transmit the telematics data via the third communication module further cause the telematics device to transmit the at least a portion of the following distance data with the telematics data; the event comprises a rear-end event, wherein a following distance between the vehicle and the another vehicle is below a threshold; and The first processor-executable instructions that cause the at least one first processor to apply the event detection model to the telematics data cause the at least one first processor to apply a rear-end detection model to the at least a portion of the following distance data.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein, The telematics device further comprises at least one sensor that captures at least a portion of the telematics data, the at least one sensor selected from a group of sensors consisting of: an inertial sensor; a position sensor; and a speed sensor.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein, The first processor-executable instructions further cause the management server to: receive, from the image capture device via the at least one first communication module, the image data corresponding to the time period.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote data store that receives the image data corresponding to the time period from the image capture device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein: The first processor-executable instructions further cause the management server to transmit a wake-up command via the first communication module for receipt at the remote information processing device; and The second processor executable instructions also cause the telematics device to wake up in response to the wake-up command before transmitting the request for image data via the second communication module for receipt at the image capture device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein, The first processor-executable instructions that cause the first communication module to transmit the wake-up command cause the first communication module to transmit the wake-up command before transmitting the request for image data to be received at the remote information processing device.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The second processor-executable instructions also cause the remote information processing device to transmit a wake-up command via the second communication module for reception at the image capture device; and The third processor executable instructions also cause the image capture device to wake up in response to the wake-up command before accessing the image data corresponding to the time period.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein, The second processor-executable instructions that cause the second communication module to transmit the wake-up command cause the second communication module to transmit the wake-up command before transmitting the request for image data.

21. A method executed between a management server, a remote information processing device, and an image capture device, wherein the management server has a first communication module, the remote information processing device has a second communication module and a third communication module, and the image capture device has a fourth communication module and a fifth communication module, the method comprising: Image data is captured by at least one image sensor of the image capture device; as well as The image data is stored in at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of the image capture device; The remote information processing device receives remote information processing data from the image capture device and the vehicle where the remote information processing device is located. as well as The remote information processing data is transmitted from the third communication module of the remote information processing device to the first communication module of the management server. An event detection model is applied to the telematics data by at least one processor of the management server to detect events at the vehicle. and In response to the detection of an event at the vehicle, a request for image data corresponding to the time period of the event is transmitted from the first communication module of the management server to the third communication module of the remote information processing device. The request for image data is transmitted from the second communication module of the remote information processing device to the fourth communication module of the image capture device. Image data corresponding to the time period is accessed at at least one non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of the image capture device; as well as The image data corresponding to the time period is transmitted to the first communication module of the management server through the fifth communication module.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein, The fifth communication module is typically in an inactive mode where communication with the management server is disabled, and transmitting the image data also includes: The fifth communication module operates in an active mode that enables communication with the management server.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising: After transmitting the image data, the fifth communication module is operated in the inactive mode.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein: The telematics data includes at least the vehicle's inertial data; The event described is a collision; and Applying the event detection model to the remote information processing data includes applying a collision detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the collision.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein: The remote information processing data also includes the vehicle's speed data; and Applying the collision detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the collision includes: applying the collision detection model to the inertial data and the velocity data to detect the collision.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein: The telematics data includes at least the vehicle's inertial data; The event is a violent motion event, which includes at least one of violent turning events, violent braking events, or violent acceleration events; and Applying the event detection model to the remote information processing data includes applying a violent motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the violent motion event.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein: The remote information processing data also includes the vehicle's speed data; and Applying the violent motion detection model to at least the inertial data to detect the violent motion event includes: applying the violent motion detection model to the inertial data and the velocity data to detect the violent motion event.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein: The method further includes: in response to the driver of the vehicle activating the emergency user interface of the image capture device, transmitting an emergency instruction to the second communication module of the telematics device via the fourth communication module of the image capture device; Transmitting the remote information processing data from the third communication module to the first communication module also includes transmitting the emergency instruction along with the remote information processing data; and Applying the event detection model to the remote information processing data includes: detecting the event based on the emergency indication.

29. The method according to claim 21, wherein: The remote information processing data includes the vehicle's speed data; The event is a speeding event, wherein the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold; and Applying the event detection model to the remote information processing data includes applying an overspeed detection model to the speed data to detect the overspeed event.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising: At the image capture device, following distance data between the vehicle and another vehicle in front of the vehicle is collected by applying a following distance detection model to the captured image data; as well as At least a portion of the following distance data is transmitted from the fourth communication module at the image capture device to the second communication module at the telematics device. in: Transmitting the remote information processing data via the third communication module includes: transmitting at least a portion of the following distance data together with the remote information processing data; The events include rear-end collisions, wherein the following distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle is below a distance threshold; and Applying the event detection model to the remote information processing data includes applying a rear-end collision detection model to at least a portion of the following distance data.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein, Receiving the telematics data includes receiving at least a portion of the telematics data via a data port communicatively coupled to the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein, Receiving the telematics data includes: capturing at least a portion of the telematics data through at least one sensor of the telematics device, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from a sensor group consisting of the following sensors: Inertial sensor; Position sensor; and Speed ​​sensor.

33. The method of claim 21, further comprising: The wake-up command is transmitted through the first communication module for reception at the remote information processing device. and Before the request for image data is transmitted via the second communication module for reception at the image capture device, the remote information processing device is woken up in response to the wake-up command.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, Transmitting the wake-up command via the first communication module includes transmitting the wake-up command before transmitting the request for image data for receipt at the remote information processing device.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising: A wake-up command is transmitted via the second communication module for reception at the image capture device; and Before accessing the image data corresponding to the time period, the image capture device is woken up in response to the wake-up command.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein, Transmitting the wake-up command via the second communication module includes transmitting the wake-up command before transmitting the request for image data.

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