System, program, and the like

Abstract

To provide a system and the like superior to before.SOLUTION: As a "camera display state set", a first set to a fourth set are provided, and in a case where "short press" of a switch unit is detected, the set is switched to the next set of the set currently displayed on a second display 200 and display is performed. In a case where "double press" is detected, when a "camera display state set" displayed on the second display 200 is a camera display state set (a first set) in which an image of a front camera 26 is displayed and an image of a second camera 27 is not displayed, the camera display state set is switched to the camera display state set (a third set) in which only the image of the second camera 27 is displayed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, a system and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known drive recorders that are installed in a vehicle and record the view in front of the vehicle, and viewers that play back the video recorded by the drive recorder on a personal computer, etc. Some drive recorders can record video over a range of more than a hemisphere, as described in Patent Document 1, for example. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2018-196066 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional systems have had various problems. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a system, program, etc. having better characteristics than conventional systems.

[0005] The object of the present invention is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that aim to achieve the effects achieved by parts of the configuration disclosed in the specification and drawings, etc., through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, this specification discloses problems in which the phrases "can" and "is possible" are read as "the problem is." Each problem is described as an independent problem, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that solve each problem separately through divisional applications, amendments, etc. Even if the problem is implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to claim part of the configuration described in this specification through amendments or divisional applications. Furthermore, the applicant has disclosed configurations that solve problems that combine these independent problems, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A system having a drive recorder with a function of recording video captured by a camera installed in a vehicle, and a function of performing predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the video captured by the camera installed in the vehicle in response to an operation from a user.

[0007] In this way, a superior system compared to the conventional system can be provided. For example, predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle can be performed in response to the user's operation. Therefore, for example, predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle can be performed in accordance with the user's intentions more than before.

[0008] The camera installed in the vehicle may be, for example, at least one of a camera that photographs the front of the vehicle, a camera that photographs the rear of the vehicle, a camera that can photograph both the front and rear of the vehicle at the same time, or a camera that photographs the driver. The camera installed in the vehicle may be at least one of a wide-angle camera, a semi-spherical camera, and a spherical camera.

[0009] The function of recording video may be a function of recording to a recording means built into the drive recorder, but it is preferable to have a function of recording to a recording means that is detachably attached to the drive recorder. The camera and the drive recorder may be provided in separate housings and connected by wire or wirelessly, but it is better to provide them in a single housing. A system having a drive recorder may be, for example, a system including a drive recorder and a power line for supplying power to the drive recorder.

[0010] The operation from the user may be, for example, a touch panel operation by the user, but button operation is particularly preferable. It is preferable to have an operation receiving means for receiving the operation from the user, such as a touch panel, operation buttons, etc.

[0011] A system having a function of performing predetermined processing using a predetermined range of video captured by a camera installed in the vehicle in response to a user's operation may be built into the housing of the camera, the housing of the drive recorder, or the housing of an electronic device separate from the camera or the drive recorder. For example, it may be built into a personal computer, a tablet, etc. When built into the housing of a separate electronic device, the "video captured by the camera installed in the vehicle" may be input (e.g., acquired) by connecting the drive recorder and the separate electronic device via a wired or wireless connection, or the drive recorder may record the video captured by the camera installed in the vehicle on a removable recording medium, which may be removed from the drive recorder and attached to the separate electronic device, and the separate electronic device may read and acquire the video.

[0012] (2) The predetermined processing includes processing for generating an image in which a predetermined range of an image captured by a camera installed in the vehicle is incorporated into a predetermined position on a single screen and outputted; The user operation may include an operation for changing a predetermined range in the image captured by the camera that is to be incorporated at a predetermined position on the single screen.

[0013] In this way, the user can operate the system to change the predetermined range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle, which is to be incorporated into a predetermined position on one screen.

[0014] The video to be output is preferably at least one of a video to be output to a screen, a video to be output to be recorded in a recording means, and a video to be output to an external video output terminal.

[0015] The specified range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle may be, for example, the entire image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle, but it is particularly preferable to set it to a partial range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle.

[0016] The predetermined position within a screen may be a position within a part of the screen, for example, by dividing the screen into a plurality of areas and setting the predetermined position within one of the divided areas.

[0017] The predetermined range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle may be multiple, and multiple different ranges may be provided within one screen of the image. The multiple different ranges may be ranges that do not overlap, or may be ranges that partially or completely overlap.

[0018] It is preferable to have a plurality of predetermined positions in one screen, and it is preferable to have a plurality of different positions in the one screen. The plurality of different positions may be in a range where some or all of them overlap, but it is preferable that they are in a range where they do not overlap.

[0019] The correspondence between a predetermined range of an image captured by a camera installed in a vehicle and a predetermined position on a screen may be fixed in advance, but it is preferable to have a function to change this correspondence.

[0020] (3) The predetermined range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle may be a first predetermined range which is the entire image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle, and a second predetermined range which is a partial range of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle; the predetermined positions in the single screen may be a first screen layout which is the position of the entire area in the single screen, and a second screen layout which is the position of a partial area in the single screen; and the image display device may have at least three modes among a first mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the first predetermined range with the first layout; a second mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the first predetermined range with the second layout; a third mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the first layout; and a fourth mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the second layout; and the user may have an operation to switch between the modes.

[0021] In this way, the user can switch between at least three modes provided by the system, including a first mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating a first predetermined range with a first layout, a second mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the first predetermined range with a second layout, a third mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the first layout, and a fourth mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the second layout. By providing these at least three modes, either one of two modes in which the predetermined range is “entire” or two modes in which the predetermined range is “partial,” or two modes in which the layout is “entire” or two modes in which the layout is “partial,” is a switchable mode, allowing the user to switch based on the identity of the predetermined range or layout and to more easily understand which range is displayed in which layout than before.

[0022] (4) The predetermined processing may include processing for generating an image in which a predetermined range of an image captured by a camera installed in the vehicle is incorporated into a predetermined position on a single screen and outputted, the predetermined positions may be provided in a plurality of locations on the single screen, and the user may be allowed to select, as an operation, at which of the plurality of predetermined positions on the single screen the predetermined range of the image captured by the camera is to be incorporated.

[0023] In this way, the user can select at which of a plurality of predetermined positions on one screen a predetermined range of an image captured by a camera is to be incorporated.

[0024] (5) The predetermined processing may include processing for generating an image by incorporating a predetermined range of an image captured by a camera installed in the vehicle into a predetermined position on a single screen and outputting the image, and the user's operation may include an operation for setting the predetermined position on the single screen to a position obtained by moving the predetermined position from its initial position.

[0025] In this way, the user can set the predetermined position to a position within one screen that has been moved from the initial position of the predetermined position. For example, when the configuration (4) is provided and the configuration (5) is provided, it is particularly preferable to provide a function for selecting which of a plurality of predetermined positions to move, and to set the predetermined position to a position that has been moved from the initial position of the selected predetermined position.

[0026] (6) The predetermined processing may include processing for generating an image in which a predetermined range of an image captured by a camera installed in the vehicle is incorporated into a predetermined position on a single screen and outputted, the predetermined range being provided at a plurality of locations on a single screen of the image captured by the camera installed in the vehicle, and the predetermined position being provided at a plurality of locations on the single screen, and the configuration may include an operation by the user to set a correspondence relationship between which of the predetermined ranges at the plurality of locations is to be incorporated into which of the predetermined positions at the plurality of locations.

[0027] In this way, the user can set the correspondence relationship between which of the plurality of predetermined ranges is to be incorporated into which of the plurality of predetermined positions.

[0028] (7) A system having a plurality of predetermined layouts with predetermined positions for incorporating one or more images on one screen, and a function for generating an image in which different predetermined ranges within an image captured by a camera are combined at predetermined positions in the predetermined layouts, and the system may be configured to have a function for selecting, as an operation by a user, which of the plurality of predetermined layouts to use to generate the combined image. In this way, the user can select which of a plurality of predetermined layouts to use to generate the combined video.

[0029] (8) It is preferable that the device has a function for recording both the camera image itself and the generated image, and has at least one predetermined layout that displays the image captured by the camera itself on one screen, and has a function for not recording the image generated in the selected layout when the layout is selected by the selection function. In this way, the volume of the image to be recorded can be reduced.

[0030] (9) It is preferable to provide a first mode in which an image of the selected layout is displayed on the display screen and an image of the same layout as the selected layout displayed on the display screen is recorded in a recording means, and a second selection function in which an image of the layout selected by the selection function is displayed on the display screen but a layout for recording different from the layout selected by the selection function and displayed on the display screen is selected.

[0031] In this way, it is possible to provide a system that can be easily used by both users who want the display layout and recording layout to be the same and users who want them to be different.

[0032] (10) It is preferable that the image display device has a function of enlarging and displaying an image at a predetermined position in the predetermined layout in the image of the selected layout that generates the combined image, based on a user instruction. In this way, the user can input an instruction to enlarge and display an image at a predetermined position in a predetermined layout.

[0033] (11) It is preferable to provide a function for recording the enlarged image while the enlarged image is being displayed, or a function for recording the image of the selected layout without recording the enlarged image.

[0034] (12) The different predetermined ranges in the image captured by the first camera as the camera are arranged so as not to overlap each other, and it is preferable that the camera has a function of generating an image in which a second camera image, which is an image captured by a camera other than the first camera, is displayed at any one of the plurality of predetermined positions. In this way, the user can view, on one screen, a non-overlapping image of a different predetermined range from the first camera and an image from the second camera. (13) It is preferable to have a function for selecting the predetermined position where the image from the second camera is to be displayed.

[0035] In this way, the image from the second camera can be displayed at a position selected by the user, while the image from the first camera of a different, non-overlapping predetermined range and the image from the second camera can be viewed on one screen. (14) It is preferable to have a function of storing information specifying the correspondence between the predetermined position and the predetermined range in association with the video to be recorded.

[0036] In this way, when the recorded video is played back, the playback mode can be easily set based on the information that specifies the correspondence between the specified position and the specified range that is stored. (15) It is preferable that the generated video is not recorded, but is displayed on a display screen. In this way, the user's operation does not affect the video to be recorded, and the video desired by the user can be displayed on the screen in accordance with the user's operation. For example, it is preferable to have the configuration of (7) and a function to display the video generated in the selected layout on the display screen without recording it.

[0037] In this way, the user can freely switch the layout in which the image displayed on the display screen is incorporated to the desired one without the image recorded by the drive recorder being affected by the user's layout change operation.

[0038] For example, it is preferable to have the configuration of (7) and a function to record both the image captured by the camera and the image generated using the selected layout in a recording means, along with information to distinguish between the two images, so that the two can be played back in synchronization. In this way, it becomes easy to play back both videos in synchronization. (16) It is preferable that the device has a function of displaying the generated image on a display screen and a function of recording the generated image.

[0039] In this way, it is possible to perform a screen display in response to a user's operation, and to record a generated image similar to the screen display in response to the user's operation. In particular, it is preferable to perform a screen display in response to a user's operation, record a generated image similar to the screen display in response to the user's operation, and also record the image from the camera itself.

[0040] (17) The image captured by the camera is a circular fisheye image, and the user may operate the camera to preset a position in the circular fisheye image that corresponds to the installation position of a vehicle speed measuring device, and the predetermined processing may include a function to display a predetermined warning message within the predetermined range that includes the position that corresponds to the installation position set in response to the user's operation.

[0041] In this way, a predetermined warning display is given for a predetermined range in the circular fisheye image set by the user, including a position corresponding to the installation position of the vehicle speed measuring device, so that the user can recognize the warning more quickly and easily than before.

[0042] (18) It is preferable that the camera has a function of controlling an infrared irradiation means that irradiates infrared rays onto the shooting range of the camera, and a function of recording images before and after a change in the predetermined control of the infrared irradiation means.

[0043] In this way, the video before and after the change in the predetermined control of the infrared irradiating means from the system is recorded. For example, by viewing the recorded video played back, the situation when the predetermined change in the infrared irradiating means occurred can be easily understood. For example, it is preferable to detect the brightness around the drive recorder, and when the detected brightness falls below a predetermined level, control to turn on the infrared irradiating means is performed. (19) It is preferable that the image processing device has a function of detecting an area in the image that is reddish compared to the surrounding area, and performing the predetermined processing on the area as an area inside the vehicle.

[0044] In this way, a system that performs predetermined processing on an area inside the vehicle cabin in the video does not need to manually set the position of that area, but can automatically grasp the area and perform the predetermined processing.

[0045] (20) It is preferable to have a function to play back recorded video, and the video records the time when an event occurred. When the video being played back reaches a time related to the time when the event occurred but the driver is not visible in the video, the function to display video in which the driver is visible for the period including the time when the event occurred is also preferable.

[0046] In this way, when the recorded video is being played back and the playback reaches a point in time related to the occurrence of an event while the driver is not in the video being played back, the video in which the driver is in the video is automatically displayed for the period including the point in time when the event occurred. Therefore, when the playback reaches a point in time related to the occurrence of the event, the user can easily check the driver's condition at that time without performing an operation such as switching to a video in which the driver is in the video. This is particularly effective when a person other than the driver, such as an operations manager, checks the vehicle condition and the driver's driving condition.

[0047] (21) The predetermined range may include an area in the image captured by the camera where there is smoked glass, and the predetermined processing may include a smoked glass partial area image adjustment function that adjusts the image of the area in the image captured by the camera where there is smoked glass.

[0048] In this way, the image of the area where the smoked glass is located in the image captured by the camera can be adjusted in response to a user operation. The user operation may include an operation to set the area where the smoked glass is located in the image captured by the camera. The image adjustment of the area where the smoked glass is located in the image captured by the camera may be performed by increasing the brightness of the set area.

[0049] (22) The image may include an image including the rear side of the vehicle, the predetermined processing may include a function for issuing an alert based on the approaching state of the rear vehicle in the image, the alert may include an alert indicating that the rear vehicle is too close, and the user operation may include a function for changing the position of an approach determination standard in the image for determining that the rear vehicle is too close in response to user operation. In this way, the frequency and sensitivity of the notification that a vehicle behind is approaching too close to the vehicle can be easily adjusted by the user's operation.

[0050] (23) The image may include an image including the rear side of the vehicle, the predetermined processing may include a function for issuing an alert based on the approaching state of a vehicle behind in the image, the alert may include an alert indicating that the vehicle behind is swerving, and the user operation may include a function for changing the position of a criterion for determining swerving in the image to determine whether the vehicle behind is swerving, in accordance with the user operation. In this way, the frequency and sensitivity of the notification of meandering by the vehicle behind can be easily adjusted by the user's operation.

[0051] (24) The video may include an image including the rear side of the vehicle, and the predetermined processing may have a function of issuing multiple different types of alerts based on the approaching state of a vehicle behind the vehicle in the video, and the time range for recording may be different for each of the different types based on the approaching state of a vehicle behind the vehicle in the video. In this way, it is possible to obtain images with different recording time ranges for different types of images based on the approaching state of a vehicle behind the vehicle in the image.

[0052] It would be good to record "snaking driving" and "sudden approach" as different types of events and provide a function to display them separately on the viewer. It would be good to set different recording time ranges for sudden approach / snaking driving events and impact events.

[0053] (25) It is preferable that the device has a function of displaying the image captured by the camera on a display screen, a function of changing the predetermined range as an operation from the user, and a function of recording the image including the point in time when the user inputs an instruction to change the predetermined range. In this way, it is possible to obtain an image including the point in time when the user inputs an instruction to change the predetermined range.

[0054] (26) It is preferable that the device has a function of making a predetermined range of the input image the object to be displayed on the display screen or the object to be recorded, and has an operation for switching the predetermined range as an operation from the user, and has a function for outputting an instruction to the user to switch the predetermined range when the power is turned on for the first time after being shipped from the factory, and to check that there are no problems with the image captured by the camera within the predetermined range of the input image that is to be displayed on the display screen or the object to be recorded.

[0055] In this way, when the drive recorder is installed in a vehicle, it is possible to easily check whether there are any problems with the video regardless of which state can be switched by user operation.

[0056] (27) The image may include an area including at least one of the driver's seat side and the passenger seat side, and the image may include a function for converting the image of the background of the driver or passenger in the image into a pre-stored image.

[0057] (28) A function for displaying the image captured by the camera on a display screen by incorporating it into a predetermined layout within the screen, a function for switching between the plurality of predetermined layouts based on a user's operation, a function for incorporating the image recorded by the recording function into the predetermined layout when playing it back, and the order of layouts switched based on a user's operation during playback may be the same as the order of switching, based on a user's operation, of layouts for incorporating the image captured by the camera on a display screen by incorporating it into a predetermined layout within the screen and displaying it on the display screen. This allows the user to switch the layout during playback in the same order as the layout switching on the screen display, which is convenient.

[0058] The system may be configured with only a drive recorder, with the drive recorder having the recording function and the playback function, but it is particularly preferable that the system includes a drive recorder and a playback device (such as a personal computer) separate from the drive recorder, with the drive recorder having the recording function and the separate playback device having the playback function. For example, it is preferable that the order in which the video display layout is switched on the drive recorder itself and the order in which the video display layout is switched on a viewer running on a personal computer or the like are configured to be the same.

[0059] (29) The device may have a function of displaying images captured by a first camera and a second camera on a display screen in a predetermined layout, and may have a plurality of layouts incorporating the image of the first camera as the predetermined layout, and at least one layout incorporating the image of the second camera, a first operation unit for switching between these plurality of layouts in a predetermined order based on a user's operation, a second operation unit different from the first operation unit, and a function of switching to a layout of a camera different from the camera of the image incorporated in the currently displayed layout when a predetermined operation is performed on the second operation unit.

[0060] In this way, the user can switch between layouts incorporating camera images in a predetermined order by operating the first operating unit, and if the user wants to immediately view images from another camera, he or she can operate the second operating unit to switch to the image from the other camera.

[0061] For example, if the system is configured with a drive recorder, it is advisable to provide a camera switching button on the drive recorder itself as a button separate from the display mode switching button.

[0062] (30) The device may have a function of displaying images captured by the camera on a display screen in a predetermined layout, a first operation unit having a plurality of predetermined layouts and switching between the plurality of layouts in a predetermined order based on a user operation, a separate operation unit different from the first operation unit, and a switching function of switching to a predetermined layout based on a user operation when a predetermined operation is performed on the separate operation unit, rather than switching in the predetermined order.

[0063] In this way, the user can switch between multiple layouts incorporating the video captured by the camera in a predetermined order by operating the first operation unit, and can instantly view a display in which the video captured by the camera is incorporated in a predetermined layout by operating another operation unit. For example, it is preferable that a viewer on the main body of the drive recorder or a device separate from the drive recorder (such as a personal computer) be provided with a button for changing the display mode in sequence, and a button for changing to one preset mode in one go.

[0064] (31) The drive recorder may be provided with an event recording button on the housing side, and a button operation unit that can be installed in a location that is difficult to see from outside the vehicle and separate from the drive recorder and connected to the drive recorder, and may have a function of recording video for a predetermined period of time including before and after the time when the button operation unit is operated, at a recording time different from the recording time of the event recording.

[0065] In this way, the user can operate an event recording button provided on the housing of the drive recorder to start event recording, and can also operate a button operation unit installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder and difficult to see from outside the vehicle to record video for a predetermined period of time including before and after the point in time when the button operation unit was operated, for a recording time different from that of the event recording. For example, a button that can be installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder main body and is shaded from the outside may be provided on the drive recorder main body that is equipped with a manual event recording button, and this button may be the manual recording start button for aggressive driving, and the recording time for aggressive driving may be set to record a time longer than the manual event recording time.

[0066] (32) The button operation unit installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder and difficult to see from outside the vehicle may be configured as a button on a remote control for a radar detector connected to the drive recorder. For example, the button operation unit may be assigned to a radar detector remote control as a button for tailgating. (33) A system having at least one of the configurations (1) to (32), wherein the functions of the system are preferably provided in the drive recorder.

[0067] (34) A system having at least one of the configurations (1) to (32), wherein the functions of the system are preferably provided in an electronic device other than the drive recorder. It is particularly preferable to provide the functions in both (33) and (34), and it is preferable that both have the same functions.

[0068] The other electronic device may have a function for playing back video data recorded by a drive recorder, and may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, or the like. (35) It is preferable that the function of at least one of (1) to (34) be configured as a program for causing a computer to realize the function.

[0069] The inventions described in (1) to (35) above can be combined in any way. For example, a configuration may be created by adding at least a portion of the configuration of at least one of the inventions described in (2) and subsequent items to all or a portion of the configuration of the invention described in (1). In particular, an invention may be created by adding at least a portion of the configuration of at least one of the inventions described in (2) and subsequent items to the invention described in (1). Furthermore, any configuration may be extracted from the inventions described in (1) to (35) and combined. The applicant of this application intends to obtain rights to inventions including these configurations. Furthermore, even if a description is made of "in the case of..." or "when...," it is not intended to describe a configuration that is limited to that case or time. These are merely examples of better configurations, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to configurations that are not in these cases or times. Furthermore, any descriptions that specify an order are not limited to this order. Configurations in which some parts are deleted or the order is changed are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to them. [Effects of the Invention]

[0070] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a system and the like that is superior to conventional systems.

[0071] The effects of the present invention are not limited to these, and effects achieved by the configuration disclosed in the present specification and drawings, etc. are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to the configuration achieving such effects through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, in this specification, phrases such as "can" and "is possible" are descriptions that clearly indicate the effects achieved, and there are also parts that demonstrate effects even without the phrases "can" and "is possible." Furthermore, there are effects that can be understood from the configuration even without such phrases. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0072] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a drive recorder according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the procedure for attaching the drive recorder to the windshield. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a part of the main body case of the drive recorder, and FIG. 1C is a bottom view of the drive recorder. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a drive recorder according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a portion of the main body case omitted. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a lens portion. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which a drive recorder is attached to a vehicle. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the drive recorder, omitting part of the main body case, the housing, the circuit board, etc. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the field of view, angle of view, etc. of the camera unit. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the flashing state of a lamp in a switch section. [Figure 10] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating images captured by a first camera and a second camera. [Figure 11] 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of a display of a captured image, and FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an exposure control function. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a PC viewer. [Figure 21] FIG. 1 is a six-view diagram illustrating an example of a drive recorder. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a drive recorder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0073] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0074] The configurations and shapes of the devices described are merely illustrative examples, and the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes, modifications, and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0075] 1 to 8, 21, 22, etc. show external views of a preferred embodiment of a drive recorder equipped with a system according to the present invention. The drive recorder 10 of this embodiment has the function of recording and outputting omnidirectional video obtained by capturing 360-degree images in all directions on a horizontal plane and a vertical plane. The drive recorder 10 includes a main body 11 that executes various processes and a camera unit 12 that is disposed below the main body 11 when the drive recorder 10 is installed in a vehicle.

[0076] The main body 11 has a flat, rectangular main body case 13, and various circuit boards and devices are mounted inside the main body case 13. The main body case 13 is formed by connecting a first case 14 and a second case 15. The first case 14 and the second case 15 are box-shaped with open opposing surfaces, and are connected by connecting means with their tip surfaces butting against each other. The connecting means may, for example, comprise a protrusion provided on one of the first case 14 and the second case 15, and a recess provided on the other case that links with the protrusion, and the protrusion and the recess may be configured to fit together.

[0077] The first case 14 has a shallow bottom, an approximately rectangular periphery of the opening with rounded corners, and a substantially uniform depth throughout. When the drive recorder 10 is installed in a vehicle, the first case 14 is located at the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the surface of the first case 14 opposite the opening becomes the front surface 13a of the main case 13. A joint rail 16 is provided on this front surface 13a. Two joint rails 16 are provided, one above the other and spaced a predetermined distance apart along the longitudinal direction of the first case 14. A bracket 17 is detachably attached between the two joint rails 16.

[0078] The second case 15 is box-shaped and deeper than the first case 14. The periphery of the opening is generally rectangular with rounded corners, similar to the first case 14. When the drive recorder 10 is installed in the vehicle, the second case 15 is located at the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the surface opposite the opening of the second case 15 forms the rear surface 13b of the main case 13. The portion of the rear surface 13b adjacent to one of the pair of long sides of the rectangle is a flat surface 13b' that is a plane parallel to the front surface 13a of the main case 13, and the portion adjacent to the other of the pair of long sides is an inclined surface 13b''. The inclined surface 13b'' is formed so as to gradually approach the opening surface of the second case 15 from the middle of the short sides toward the outer long sides. Therefore, the depth of the second case 15 is uniform in the first region including the flat surface 13b', and is gradually shallower toward the long side in the second region including the inclined surface 13b". By providing the inclined surface 13b", the external shape of the main case 13 is a rectangular parallelepiped with one long side chamfered. The one long side to be chamfered is at the rear and upper side when the drive recorder 10 is installed in the vehicle (see Figure 6(a) for the state installed in the vehicle). When the first case 14 and the second case 15 are connected, the front surface 13a on the first case 14 side and the flat surface 13b' on the second case 15 side are parallel to each other. The inclined surface 13b" is provided with a first display 100 and a second display 200, arranged side by side. Both the first display 100 and the second display 200 are 4-inch full HD (1920 dots horizontally × 1080 dots vertically) dot-matrix color LCD displays. In the initial factory settings, the first display 100 displays the setting state and status information of the drive recorder, and the second display 200 displays a first layout that enlarges and displays a portion of the captured image, with a range (first range) obtained by cutting out the central portion of the forward image captured by the first camera 26 in a rectangular region in the vertical direction. For example, an image like the one shown on the left side of Figure 10(a) is displayed. There are multiple combinations of this "layout," "camera," and "image range" (hereinafter referred to as "camera display state sets"), and these are switched by operating the switch unit 28, which will be described later.

[0079] Bracket 17 has a flat plate 17a, and grooves 17b are formed along the longitudinal direction on a pair of long side surfaces of the plate 17a. These grooves 17b are configured to mate with joint rails 16. The user can attach or detach bracket 17 to or from main case 13 by aligning grooves 17b with joint rails 16 and sliding bracket 17 and main case 13 relative to one another (see FIG. 2, etc.).

[0080] When the bracket 17 is attached to the main case 13, the plate 17a has a protrusion 17c on the surface facing the main case 13 (see FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b)). This protrusion 17c is formed by the protrusion 17c when the bracket 17 is attached between the joint rails 16.

[0081] The bracket 17 fits into a hole 14b provided in the leaf spring portion 14a, preventing it from coming off. An adhesive member such as double-sided tape 19 is attached to the surface of the bracket 17 opposite to the surface facing the main body case 13. When mounting the dashcam 10 to a vehicle, the bracket 17 is removed from the main body case 13 and then attached and fixed to the windshield 2 of the vehicle using the double-sided tape 19 (see FIG. 2(b) and other figures). At this time, the bracket 17 is oriented horizontally, with its pair of long sides horizontal. The main body case 13 is then attached to the bracket 17 attached to the windshield 2 in this state (see FIG. 2(c) and other figures), whereby the dashcam 10 is mounted and fixed in a predetermined position on the vehicle. In this mounted state, the front surface 13a and flat surface 13b' of the main body case 13 are parallel to the mounting surface of the windshield 2, the long sides of the main body case 13 lie in a horizontal plane, and the short side surfaces of the main body case 13 lie in a vertical plane. Therefore, the main body case 13 is fixed in a landscape orientation by being attached to the windshield 2, and the camera unit 12 is disposed in a state of being suspended from the bottom side of the main body case 13.

[0082] As shown in Figures 1(a) and 3, a cutout window 14c is formed on one short side of the first case 14, and a cover member 20 is attached to close the cutout window 14c. The cover member 20 is positioned so as to close the cutout window 14c, and is fastened and fixed with screws 21. When the cover member 20 is removed, a memory card slot 22 mounted in the main case 13 is exposed through the cutout window 14c. A memory card 23 is removably inserted into the memory card slot 22.

[0083] On the side opposite the cutout window 14c, a window hole 13c is provided, spanning the first case 14 and the second case 15. A DC jack 24 is disposed at the back of the window hole 13c. A connector on one end of a power cable is attached to the DC jack 24 to receive external power. The external power supply can be, for example, from the vehicle's battery. For example, the other end of the power cable attached to the DC jack 24 can be attached to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket or directly connected to the vehicle's battery power line. Alternatively, a power supply device separate from the vehicle's battery can be provided, and the dashcam can receive power from that power supply. This power supply device can be powered from an internal battery even when the vehicle is not receiving power from the vehicle's battery, such as when the vehicle is parked. The internal battery can be, for example, a rechargeable battery. When this power supply device is installed in a vehicle, the power supply device is disposed in the power line between the vehicle's battery and the dashcam. When power can be supplied from the vehicle battery, such as while the vehicle is running, power is supplied from the vehicle battery to the drive recorder 10 via the power supply device. In this state, the built-in battery of the power supply device receives power supply from the vehicle battery and charges. When the power supply from the vehicle battery is turned off, the drive recorder 10 operates by receiving power supply from the power supply device.

[0084] Holes 13d are provided at predetermined positions on the inclined surface 13b" of the first case 14. A microphone 18 is placed inside the main case 13 near this hole 13d. The microphone 18 collects surrounding sounds. In the installation state shown in Figure 6, the inclined surface 13b" is designed to face slightly downward toward the interior of the vehicle cabin. By providing the first display 100, the second display 200, the hole 13d and the microphone 18 inside it on this inclined surface 13b", it is possible to acquire and record sounds inside the vehicle cabin with directionality toward the interior of the vehicle cabin, and it is also possible to record what is said at a louder volume when the driver is looking in the direction of the first display 100 and the second display 200. A plurality of holes 13e are provided at predetermined positions on the flat surface 13b' of the first case 14. A speaker 29 is placed inside the main case 13 near the hole 13e.

[0085] Various processing circuits, power supply circuits, etc. are mounted within the main body case 13. A control unit is provided as the processing circuit. The control unit is configured using an SoC (system-on-chip), which includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, and peripheral circuits. The SoC is connected to the electrical components and modules described in this embodiment, such as the first camera 26, the second camera 27, the first display 100, the second display 200, the microphone 18, the switch unit 28, the speaker 29, the memory card slot 22, and the GPS antenna unit 43. The CPU executes programs stored in the ROM to perform the general processing of the drive recorder and the processing described in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the processing circuits and power supply circuits are mounted on a main circuit board 40 and a sub-circuit board 41. The main circuit board 40 and the sub-circuit board 41 are mechanically integrated by interconnecting connectors 42 attached to the two boards, and the signal lines and power lines formed on each circuit board are connected. The main circuit board 40 and the sub-circuit board 41 are connected in a parallel, overlapping state, and are mounted in this state inside the main case 13. In this mounted state, the main circuit board 40 is located on the second case 15 side, and the sub-circuit board 41 is located inside the first case 14.

[0086] A GPS antenna unit 43 and a battery 44 are provided on the side of the sub-circuit board 41 that does not face the main circuit board 40. The memory card slot 22 is mounted on the side of the sub-circuit board 41 that faces the main circuit board 40. A CPU that controls various controls, the DC jack 24 mentioned above, and a speaker 29 are mounted on the main circuit board 40. Although not shown, an acceleration sensor is also built into the main body case 13.

[0087] 5 and other figures, camera unit 12 includes housing 25, first camera 26 and second camera 27 mounted within housing 25, and switch unit 28. Housing 25 has a spherical overall shape and is configured by joining two hemispherical halves, first camera case 30 and second camera case 31, in a butt-to-butt state. First camera case 30 and second camera case 31 can be fixed together by fitting, as in the case of first case 14 and second case 15 described above, a protrusion 30a provided on one side, for example, first camera case 30, with a recess 31a provided on the other side, for example, second camera case 31.

[0088] First camera 26 and second camera 27 are arranged back to back, and are fixed and connected so that they take pictures in opposite directions to form camera unit 35. Camera unit 35 is made by erecting flat rectangular holder 36, fixing first camera 26 to the front of it, and fixing second camera 27 to the rear of it, thereby integrating them. They are fixed with screws, for example.

[0089] The first camera 26 is configured by disposing a first lens unit 26b on a first circuit board 26a. An imaging element and a processing circuit for capturing images are mounted on the first circuit board 26a. The second camera 27 is configured by disposing a second lens unit 27b on a second circuit board 27a. An imaging element and a processing circuit for capturing images are mounted on the second circuit board 27a. The first camera 26 and the second camera 27 have the same specifications and performance. The same conditions and performance refer to, for example, the same angle of view, the same optical system from the tip lens to the imaging element, the same sensor size of the imaging element, etc. For example, when the same subject is captured under the same shooting conditions, such as exposure conditions, the captured images will be the same. In this embodiment, there is no physical aperture, and the brightness of the image is adjusted by changing the shutter speed and exposure time.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 5 and other figures, when first camera 26 and second camera 27 are attached to holder 36, optical axes L of first lens portion 26b and second lens portion 27b are set to be aligned on the same straight line. This allows first camera 26 and second camera 27 to capture images in opposite directions. A circular window hole 30b is provided in the center of first camera case 30, and a circular window hole 31b is provided in the center of second camera case 31. When camera unit 35 is mounted in housing 25, the tip of first lens portion 26b of first camera 26 and the tip of second lens portion 27b of second camera 27 are positioned within window holes 30b and 31b, respectively, and are exposed to the outside.

[0091] The housing 25 of the camera unit 12 is connected to the main body case 13 via an angle adjustment mechanism 50. The angle adjustment mechanism 50 rotates the housing 25 only around a rotation axis provided on the front side of the bottom surface of the main body case 13 along the long side, allowing for swinging in the front-to-back direction (see FIG. 6), but preventing swinging sideways. For example, it can be configured as follows. As shown in FIG. 5,

[0092] The housing 25 is provided with a first bearing piece 51 that protrudes above the first camera case 30 and a second bearing piece 52 that protrudes above the second camera case 31. The first bearing piece 51 has a wall portion 51a that extends upward and two first bearing portions 51b formed on the rear surface of the wall portion 51a so as to protrude rearward. The second bearing piece 52 has a wall portion 52a that faces the wall portion 51a of the first bearing piece 51 and second bearing portions 52b that are arranged on both the left and right sides of the wall portion 52a. The four bearing portions 51b, 52b have through holes of the same diameter, and when the first camera case 30 and the second camera case 31 are connected, the four through holes are arranged concentrically.

[0093] The second case 15 of the main case 13 has a recess 15d at a predetermined position on its bottom surface. The recess 15d is formed in the center of the long side of the front of the bottom surface of the second case 15, and has through holes 15e on a pair of inner surfaces perpendicular to the long side. The through holes 15e on the pair of inner surfaces are coaxial, and one of the inner diameters is larger than the shank of the bolt 53 and smaller than the outer diameter of the nut 54 attached to the threaded portion of the bolt 53. A small chamber 55 for attaching the nut 54 is provided inside the second case 15 on the inner surface where the through hole 15e, which is smaller than the outer diameter of the nut 54, is provided, and the nut is set in this small chamber. The inner diameter of the other through hole 15e is larger than the outer diameter of the head of the bolt 53. The other through hole 15e is connected to an opening 15g on a side surface 15f of the second case 15.

[0094] With the first bearing piece 51 and the second bearing piece 52 inserted and positioned in the recess 15d, the bolt 53 is inserted from the opening 15g side with the threaded portion leading. The shank of the bolt 53 passes through the first bearing portion 51b and the second bearing portion 52b, and the threaded portion of the bolt 53 is inserted into one of the through-holes 15e and positioned in the small chamber. The bolt 53 is turned using a fastening tool such as a hex wrench to fasten the threaded portion to the nut. In this state, one side of the recess 15d is sandwiched between the nut and one of the second bearing portions 52b of the second bearing piece 52, preventing the bolt 53 from coming loose from the housing 25. When the bolt 53 is firmly tightened, the head of the bolt 53 biases the other second bearing portion 52b, preventing rotation. When the bolt 53 is loosened, the housing 25 rotates around the bolt 53 within a predetermined angle range.

[0095] Bolt 53 is disposed parallel to the long side of second case 15 and therefore main case 13. The long side of main case 13, which is attached and fixed to windshield 2, is positioned on a horizontal plane, so angle adjustment mechanism 50, which is made up of bolt 53, first bearing piece 51, second bearing piece 52, etc., allows rotation around the horizontal axis but not rotation around the vertical axis, and camera unit 12 is only allowed to swivel forward and backward.

[0096] When using the drive recorder 10, the drive recorder 10 is attached and fixed to the windshield 2 as described above, and the housing 25 and therefore the camera unit 12 are swiveled back and forth to a desired position, and then the nuts are tightened to fix the orientation of the camera unit 12. The desired position is one in which the first camera 26 faces forward, the second camera 27 faces backward, and the optical axes L of the first lens unit 26b and the second lens unit 27b are parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. In this position, as shown in FIG. 6(a) and other figures, the joint surface M between the first camera case 30 and the second camera case 31 is located in a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0097] As shown in Figure 8 and other figures, first camera 26 and second camera 27 are cameras that can capture the entire surrounding area as it is, by setting the angle of view θ in the direction perpendicular to the plane parallel to the lens to a predetermined angle greater than 180 degrees and covering 360 degrees. The predetermined angle is the same for first camera 26 and second camera 27. Because first camera 26 and second camera 27 are arranged back-to-back facing in opposite directions, a predetermined gap is left between the tip of first lens unit 26b and the tip of second lens unit 27b. For example, if the angle of view of both cameras is set to 180 degrees, a band-shaped unphotographed area will be generated around the entire periphery, the width of which corresponds to the predetermined gap between the two lens units. By making the angle of view θ larger than 180 degrees, the area behind the plane perpendicular to the optical axis at the tip of the lens unit becomes part of the shooting range, and as shown in FIG. 8, for example, there is an overlapping portion in the areas that can be shot by both cameras (see the hatched portion in FIG. 8), and it becomes possible to shoot a 720-degree (360 degrees horizontally + 360 degrees vertically) omnidirectional image with one drive recorder 10 (see FIG. 8(d) and the like).

[0098] The images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are circular, for example, as shown in Figures 8(b) and (c), and include a first region R1 in which the hemispherical portion in front of the lens unit is captured, covering 360 degrees in a direction parallel to the lens and within a field of view of 180 degrees in a direction perpendicular to the parallel direction, and a second region R2 in which the area behind the lens unit is captured, covering a field of view of 180 degrees or more in the perpendicular direction.

[0099] Areas greater than the predetermined angle are blind spots that cannot be captured by either camera. Therefore, the area from the position where the capture areas of the two cameras overlap, shown by hatching in FIG. 8 , to the area near the camera unit 12 is a blind spot area R3 that cannot be captured by either camera. The closer the predetermined angle is to 180 degrees, the farther the point where the capture areas begin to overlap is from the camera unit 12, and the larger the blind spot area R3 becomes. On the other hand, the larger the predetermined angle is, the smaller the blind spot area R3 becomes. However, since the first area R1, which captures the forward hemisphere based on the lens unit, becomes smaller, the resolution of the image captured in the first area R1 decreases, making it difficult to see. Therefore, in this embodiment, the predetermined angle is set to 210 degrees, thereby appropriately reducing the blind spot area R3 while maintaining high resolution of the view ahead of the vehicle and the interior of the vehicle captured in the first area R1.

[0100] The switch unit 28 is attached to and integrated with the lower part of the camera unit 35. Semicircular cutouts 30c, 31c are provided below the joint edges of the first camera case 30 and the second camera case 31. The cutouts 30c, 31c have the same radius, and when the first camera case 30 and the second camera case 31 are joined together, the two cutouts 30c, 31c are connected to form a circular hole. The switch unit 28 is positioned within this circular hole and is exposed to the outside.

[0101] Switch unit 28 is mounted within housing 25 for camera unit 12 and is housed in a housing separate from main body unit 11, which incorporates speaker 29. Switch unit 28 is a push button type, and pressing switch unit 28 produces an operation sound. However, because microphone 18 is housed within main body case 13, separate from housing 25, even if the operation sound reverberates within housing 25, it does not travel within main body case 13 and is not picked up by microphone 18 or recorded. In contrast, if a switch unit were provided on the main body case 13 side, the operation sound produced when the switch unit is pressed would be picked up and recorded by microphone 18, creating a problem of loud noise. However, this embodiment does not present such a problem. Furthermore, if the microphone and switch unit were mounted on the same board, the board would vibrate when the switch unit was operated, potentially resulting in the sound from the vibration being recorded as noise. However, in this embodiment, the mounting boards are separate, so this problem does not occur.

[0102] The control unit detects the pressing state of this switch unit 28 and performs a predetermined process. The pressing states are defined as a "double press" when two consecutive presses are detected within 0.5 seconds, a "short press" when no double presses are detected but one consecutive press for less than two seconds is detected, and a "long press" when consecutive presses for two seconds or more are detected, and different functions are assigned to these states. If a "short press" is detected, the current "camera display state set" is switched to the next "camera display state set."

[0103] The "camera display state sets" include the following first to fourth sets, and when a "short press" is detected, the display switches to the set next to the set currently displayed on the second display 200. The sets are ordered from the first set to the fourth set, and after the fourth set, the display switches back to the first set, in a cyclical manner. In this way, the camera display state sets can be switched in a predetermined order by short presses. As described below, by performing a predetermined operation from the initial state of each set, the display content on the screen can be changed from the state of each set. However, when a short press is detected in a state where the display has been changed from each set by this change operation, processing is performed to return to the state of the set before the change. For example, when a short press is detected in a state where the display layout has been changed in the fourth set, processing is performed to return to the state of the fourth set.

[0104] The first set is a combination of a first layout with a single horizontally long rectangular area on the screen, as shown on the left side of Figure 10(a), a first camera 26 (front), and an image range extracted from the circular image of Figure 8(b) in which the origin of the circle of the camera image area R1 in Figure 8(b) is the intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle, as shown in Figure 10, in a rectangular area (first range).

[0105] As shown in Figure 19, the second set has a second layout in which different image ranges can be assigned to two areas on the screen: a square area on the left side and a square area on the right side. The cameras are first camera 26 (front) in the square area on the left side of the second layout, and second camera 27 (rear) in the square area on the right side of the second layout. The image ranges of both first camera 26 and second camera 27 are square areas (second ranges) that include the range R2 in Figure 8 (the range containing the circular fisheye image). Note that the display state in Figure 19 displays the word "360°" superimposed below each square area. This indicates that each image captures an area of ​​360° or more. The setting information recorded in memory card 23 can be used to switch between modes in which this display is enabled and disabled.

[0106] The third set is a combination of images, as shown on the right side of Figure 10(a), in which the layout is the first layout described above, the camera is the second camera 27 (rear), and the image range is the circular image of Figure 8(c), with the rectangular range (first range) extracted from the image in which the origin of the circle of the camera image area R1 in Figure 8(c) is the intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle, as shown in Figure 10.

[0107] As shown in Figure 11, the fourth set is a third layout with a layout that divides the screen vertically into roughly two-thirds of the upper area and one-third of the lower area, with the upper area further divided into roughly half areas on the left and right, and the lower area divided into roughly one-quarter areas on the left and right, for a total of six areas. The camera in the upper right area is the second camera 27 (rear), and the rest of the area is the first camera 26 (front). The upper left and right areas are rectangular areas in the center of each camera (first areas, which are the same camera areas as in Figure 10(a)). The lower areas are divided, from left to right, into the third area (referred to as the upper area), fourth area (referred to as the lower area), fifth area (referred to as the left area), and sixth area (referred to as the right area), which will be described below. The third area is a rectangular area within the circle in Figure 8(b), and is the upper area divided by the left and right lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the bottom edge. The fourth range is a rectangular range within the circle in Figure 8(b), which is the lower range divided by the left and right lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the top edge. The fifth range is a rectangular range within the circle in Figure 8(b), which is the left range divided by the top and bottom lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the right edge, with the center of the right edge being the origin of the circle in Figure 8(b). The sixth range is a rectangular range within the circle in Figure 8(b), which is the right range divided by the top and bottom lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the left edge, with the center of the left edge being the origin of the circle in Figure 8(b). With the display using the fourth set, as shown in Figure 11, the front and back images can be viewed in a wide two-thirds area in the upper row, and the top, bottom, left, and right images in the lower row can be viewed at a glance.

[0108] When a "double press" is detected, if the "camera display state set" displayed on second display 200 is a camera display state set (first set) that displays the image from front camera 26 but not the image from second camera 27, it is switched to a camera display state set (third set) that displays only the image from second camera 27, whereas when the "camera display state set" displayed on second display 200 is a camera display state set (third set) that displays the image from second camera 27 but not the image from front camera 26, it is switched to the camera display state set (first set) that displays only the image from front camera 26. When a "double press" is detected when the "camera display state set" displayed on second display 200 is a set other than these (second set, fourth set), it is switched to a specific set (third set in this embodiment).

[0109] If a "long press" is detected, an event is recorded. The drive recorder 10 of this embodiment has a continuous recording function that records video from engine start (ACC ON) to engine stop (ACC OFF) on a memory card, and an event recording function that records a certain period of time before and after an event condition is met. Event conditions include, for example, an acceleration sensor detecting an impact of a certain magnitude or a long press of the switch unit 28. The detection of an impact of a certain magnitude or greater is used to record video and audio before and after an accident, while a long press of the switch unit 28 is used for one-touch recording, which records video and audio for a certain period of time as the vehicle passes a given point. While performing continuous recording, the drive recorder's control unit records video and audio for a certain period of time before and after the event as separate data when the event condition is met. Both the continuous recording data and the separate data at the time of the event are recorded on the memory card 23. In addition, when continuous recording is not performed, the control unit of the drive recorder temporarily records video and audio for a certain period of time in a buffer memory or the like, and when an event condition is met, it uses the temporarily recorded data or the like to record video and audio for a certain period of time before and after the event occurrence on the memory card 23.

[0110] As described above, in this embodiment, even when the vehicle is in a power-off state, for example, when the ignition switch is off and the vehicle is not receiving power from the vehicle battery, such as when the vehicle is parked, the drive recorder 10 receives power from a power supply device provided separately from the vehicle and operates.

[0111] Therefore, by utilizing this function, a parking recording mode is provided. In the parking recording mode, power is supplied from the power supply device to the drive recorder 10 for a set period of time even after the power of the vehicle is turned off while the vehicle is parked, and continuous recording and event recording are performed even while the vehicle is parked.

[0112] In this embodiment, a GPS antenna unit 43 is provided, and the device has the function of acquiring position information, date and time information, and speed information. Therefore, when the above-mentioned information is recorded, it is advisable to record each piece of information in association with each other.

[0113] In this embodiment, switch unit 28 is provided in the center of the underside of spherical housing 25. Therefore, switch unit 28 is located closest to the driver and front passenger, and can be easily operated by reaching out, is easy to press, and is easy to see, making it easy to confirm the location of the switch unit. In this embodiment, camera unit 12 is located below main body case 13, and there is a risk that the user may accidentally touch the lens when operating the switch. However, by locating switch unit 28 below as in this embodiment, the risk of touching the lens can be minimized.

[0114] Furthermore, when switch section 28 is pressed upward, a load is applied to angle adjustment mechanism 50, which rotates camera section 12, and this load is received there, so it is possible to press firmly. Note that bolt 53 and nut 54 should be firmly screwed in place to prevent the lens orientation from changing when pressed.

[0115] The spherical shape of housing 25 is advantageous because it is easy to see that camera unit 12 captures the celestial sphere in all directions, with housing 25 as the center. Because housing 25 is spherical, housing 25 is located in the blind spot of first lens unit 26b and second lens unit 27b and does not appear in the images. Furthermore, to minimize the likelihood of main body case 13 appearing in the images captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27, for example, main body case 13 and housing 25 may be positioned close to each other, with no gap between the top of housing 25 and the bottom of main body case 13. However, as one moves toward both sides of housing 25, more space is secured between housing 25 and main body case 13, making it easier to hold housing 25 between fingers. This allows the switch unit 28 to be pressed by, for example, touching the top of the housing with one's index finger and middle finger as if gripping a ball and gripping switch unit 28 with one's thumb. This pressing operation is advantageous because it does not or is less likely to place a load on main body case 13 or angle adjustment mechanism 50.

[0116] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a lamp is mounted on the switch unit 28 so that the surface of the switch unit 28 emits light. Since the switch unit 28 emits light, its position is easy to see, even at night. By locating the switch unit 28 on the lower side of the housing 25, it emits light downward. This makes it easier for the driver to see the light emission as they look up from below, but it is also good because from outside the vehicle, they may be looking down at it from diagonally above, making it difficult to see the light emission. It is good to position the light-emitting parts, including the switch unit 28, in the blind spot of the camera so that the light-emitting state is not recorded and is not visible from outside.

[0117] Furthermore, the lamp can emit different colors, for example, red and blue. This is achieved by incorporating a light emitter that emits different colors, such as a three-color LED. By being able to emit different colors, the lamp can notify the operating status by appropriately changing the light emission color and light emission pattern (see Figure 9).

[0118] In this embodiment, first camera 26 and second camera 27 capture images facing opposite directions, both with an angle of view of 210 degrees, and the peripheral areas of the captured images overlap. As will be described later, the images captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 are combined to generate a spherical image, which is then recorded or output. The boundary of the images joined together when combining the images from the two cameras is a vertical plane that includes the joint surface between first camera case 30 and second camera case 31, and a region of a predetermined width that includes this vertical plane is the overlap region.

[0119] Bracket 17 is affixed to a desired position on windshield 2, main body case 13 is attached to bracket 17, and the angle and orientation of camera unit 12 are adjusted so that joint surface M between first camera case 30 and second camera case 31 is positioned vertically, and then bolts 53 are tightened to secure them in place. In the correct installation and mounting state in which bolts 53 are tightened and camera unit 12 is adjusted to the desired orientation, first camera 26 captures an area in front of drive recorder 10 over a full 210-degree range, that is, 360 degrees vertically and 210 degrees horizontally, and second camera 27 captures an area behind drive recorder 10 over a full 210-degree range, that is, 360 degrees vertically and 210 degrees horizontally. The peripheral areas of the images captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 are set to capture predetermined positions in the vehicle cabin that are close to the cameras. When the drive recorder 10 is fixed in a predetermined position in the vehicle cabin, the portion where the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are to be spliced ​​is located in a predetermined position in the vehicle cabin close to the cameras. The predetermined position in the vehicle cabin may include, for example, a pillar 3, a dashboard 4, or a ceiling.

[0120] In this embodiment, the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 have a full-circle angle of view θ of 210 degrees, so that the same surrounding objects are captured in the peripheral areas of the images captured by each camera. For example, as shown in FIG. 10(b), assume that objects exist at positions P1, P2, and P3 in the peripheral areas captured by the cameras in both directions. The positions P1, P2, and P3 are near the boundary K2 of the area captured by the second camera 27, but at different distances from the camera unit 12. Even if the distances are different, if the objects exist near the boundary K2, they will exist in similar positions in the circular image captured by the second camera 27, as shown on the right side of FIG. 10(c). However, because the positions P1, P2, and P3 are different distances from the boundary K1 of the area captured by the first camera 26, they will exist in different positions within the circular area captured by the first camera 26, as shown on the left side of FIG. 10(c). Therefore, when combining the boundaries of two images that show the same object, the objects in each image may appear separately and may not be recognized as the same object. In particular, the amount of misalignment increases as the image moves further away from the camera, i.e., the vehicle, as in P2 and P3. For example, if the object is a person, it may appear as if there are two people present, rather than the same person.

[0121] In this embodiment, the objects reflected in the boundary between the two cameras are fixed objects inside the vehicle, such as the pillar 3 and the dashboard 4. Therefore, the outside scenery behind these fixed objects is not captured, and even if it is captured, it is captured only in small amounts. Vehicle parts such as the pillar 3 and the dashboard 4 are located approximately 1 to 3 m from the cameras, so even if these vehicle parts are captured in both boundary areas, there is little deviation. In contrast, the outside of the vehicle is often 10 to 30 m or more away, resulting in a large deviation in the positions captured by each camera, making it impossible to merge them into a single image. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as described above, the seam between the images from the two cameras is positioned at an object inside the vehicle that is at the same or close distance, making it difficult for people or other objects located behind it to be captured. Furthermore, rather than simply obscuring the rear side with a nearby pillar 3 or the like, this embodiment effectively takes advantage of human cognitive behavior, which allows a person or object behind a stationary object to blend in and not appear strange. Even if the two images are displayed separately, they are inconspicuous and not distracting to the viewer. Furthermore, since users tend to only look forward, backward, or to the side, they will not pay attention to pillars located in the middle, and will also pay less attention to the scenery behind them, which is good as it will make the view less strange.

[0122] In contrast to this, for example, if the housing 25 of the camera unit 12 is rotated 90 degrees in a horizontal plane from the normal position described above and the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are made to take pictures of the left and right areas, respectively, if the boundary / seam at the joint of the photographing areas of both cameras is located in the vertically extending central part of the left and right sides of the windshield, the two areas will be separated and what is reflected in each will be visible, resulting in an image that looks unnatural. It's not good. [First camera 26 and second camera 27 were photographed at the same brightness]

[0123] In this embodiment, the exposure control function provided in each of the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 controls the camera so that it takes pictures under the same exposure conditions. As described above, the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 in this embodiment have fixed apertures that are the same value, and therefore the exposure condition for adjusting the brightness during photography is achieved by adjusting the shutter speed. In this embodiment, the exposure control function is a function for adjusting the shutter speed. By setting the shutter speed of the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 to the same value, the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 take pictures under the same exposure conditions and brightness. In this way, this embodiment is characterized by the two cameras acting as if they were one camera, and taking pictures with the same brightness.

[0124] In this way, the brightness does not suddenly change at the joining points between the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27, making the joining points less noticeable and resulting in a continuous image that looks natural all around. For example, if the interior of a car is dark and difficult to see, it can be captured in the difficult-to-see state so that the image can be reproduced exactly as seen.

[0125] As described above, when properly installed and mounted, first camera 26 captures the area in front of drive recorder 10 over a range of 360 degrees vertically and 210 degrees horizontally, or more than a half sphere, and second camera 27 captures the area behind drive recorder 10 over a range of 360 degrees vertically and 210 degrees horizontally, or more than a half sphere. As a result, by stitching together the images captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27, an image capturing the entire 360 ​​degrees horizontally and 360 degrees vertically (see FIG. 8(d) and the like) of drive recorder 10 is constructed. When playing back such an image of the front area, it can be displayed on the display screen so that the entire area is captured in all directions, or a portion of the entire area can be cropped and displayed on the display screen. As an example of how to cut out a portion of the entire omnidirectional image, as shown in FIG. 11(a), it is possible to display the front of the vehicle in front of the drive recorder 10 captured by the first camera 26, or the interior of the vehicle behind the drive recorder 10 captured by the second camera 27, or to display images in any direction, such as diagonally upward, diagonally downward, left, or right.

[0126] The images displayed on the display screen of a computer that plays back recorded images (described later) are either based on images captured by only one of first camera 26 and second camera 27, depending on the direction of the viewpoint, or based on images stitched together from images captured by both cameras. The omnidirectional spherical image synthesized by stitching together two images is a continuous image in any direction, and as described later, the displayed area can be gradually moved by spanning it so as to gradually change the viewpoint. In such cases, during the movement, there are states where only the image from one camera is displayed, and states where the stitched portion of the images from the two cameras is present on the display screen and images from different cameras are displayed on the same display screen.

[0127] The first camera 26 and the second camera 27 each have a photometry function and an exposure control function, and capture the shooting range under the same exposure conditions, or in this embodiment, the same shutter speed, depending on the surrounding conditions, etc. In this case, when the edges of the images captured by the two cameras are joined together to create a single image, the joining portion is inconspicuous. In contrast, if the exposure control functions of the two cameras adjust the exposure conditions separately based on the brightness of the subject measured by their respective photometry functions, typically, for example, the shutter speed is shortened to capture a bright outdoor scene and the shutter speed is lengthened to capture a bright image inside a relatively dark car, and the images are captured under different exposure conditions so that each image is clearly displayed. When two images captured in this way are joined together, for example, when the joined portion of the images from the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 is present on the display screen and images from different cameras are displayed on the same display screen, the brightness of the displayed images differs, making the joining portion noticeable and creating a sense of incongruity. In contrast, when the exposure conditions and brightness are kept the same as in this embodiment, This is good because shooting with this setting does not cause any problems.

[0128] For example, if two images are stitched together to form a spherical image and the spherical image is viewed while rotating 360 degrees horizontally, the displayed content may change from a bright and clear view of the outside to a dark and difficult-to-see view of the interior, but the seam between the images from the two cameras is not noticeable. On the other hand, if the brightness is changed so that the interior is also clearly visible, both the outside scenery and the interior of the car appear bright and clear when rotated 360 degrees as described above, but the seam will appear unnatural. While a normal camera would capture and display each image brightly and clearly, this embodiment is based on the concept of capturing and displaying a sphere. Therefore, if an image clipped from a region of the sphere is displayed while moving in any direction, if the space does not appear connected when viewed in all 720 degrees, an unnatural appearance will occur. Therefore, in this embodiment, as one solution to prevent unnatural appearances at the seams, the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are set to the same exposure conditions and are photographed at the same brightness. For example, at night, it is possible to capture the outside, but the interior of a moving car is dark and difficult to see with the interior lights off. By capturing images in a dark state, the parts of the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 can be seamlessly connected. If the outside is visible in the real world and the inside is either invisible or difficult to see, the system is characterized by capturing images in that state.

[0129] As described above, the exposure control function of first camera 26 and second camera 27 uses the same shutter speed for shooting, but the shutter speed is determined as follows: The brightness is determined based on and prioritized over the image from first camera 26, which shoots the forward view. One of the functions of drive recorder 10 is to shoot and record the situation outside the vehicle, such as in front of the vehicle, in the event of an accident. By determining exposure conditions such as shutter speed based on the image shot by first camera 26 as in this embodiment, the area including the front of the vehicle can be clearly shot, and the above-mentioned functions of the drive recorder can be effectively utilized.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 11(b), an area spot R10 is set in the upper half of the circular image captured by the first forward-facing camera 26. The photometry function of the first camera 26 measures the brightness of the subject within the area of ​​the area spot R10, and the exposure control function captures the image based on the exposure conditions determined based on the brightness of the subject—in this embodiment, the shutter speed. The peripheral area R11 of the upper half is not included in the area used to determine the exposure conditions. The forward view seen through the windshield 2 is within the area of ​​the area spot R10, while the lower half is often occupied by objects inside the vehicle, such as the dashboard 4. Furthermore, the peripheral area R11 is not used to determine the exposure conditions because it includes the view behind the lens, for example, when the vertical angle of view is 180 degrees or more. This allows the view in front of the vehicle, such as a vehicle ahead, to be captured and recorded. For example, while a normal camera may use center-weighted metering, which focuses on the central part of the image being captured, this camera is characterized by excluding the lower part and metering the upper half instead of the central part. Another feature is that, unlike multi-pattern metering, the peripheral area R11 is excluded from the metering target, rather than measuring the entire image.

[0131] Furthermore, since the lower half and surrounding area R11 are areas where unimportant parts such as the ceiling and dashboard inside the vehicle are photographed, it is acceptable that even if the photometry of these areas is not reflected and they become invisible, it will not have much of an impact. Also, although the main body case 13 of the drive recorder 10 may be reflected in the surrounding area R11, since the main body case 13 is not desired to be photographed in the first place, it is not a problem if it is not visible. For these reasons as well, it is advisable not to use the surrounding area R11 or the lower half area when determining the exposure conditions.

[0132] For example, so-called sports cameras and action cameras that capture omnidirectional images are used outdoors, so the surroundings are uniformly bright. Therefore, like the exposure control function of a normal camera, the front and rear cameras measure light individually, and even if the exposure conditions and brightness are set individually based on the metering results, clear images can be captured in all directions, and there is no sense of incongruity in the transitions. In contrast, in the installation and operation environment of a drive recorder such as the present invention, the brightness differs greatly between the view ahead and the interior of the vehicle, resulting in the above-mentioned problem. This embodiment solves this problem. [Variations of the same brightness]

[0133] In the above-described embodiment, exposure conditions such as shutter speed are determined based solely on the metering results of the first front camera 26. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is preferable to determine exposure conditions by slightly considering the metering results of the second camera 27. "Slight consideration" refers to, for example, placing more importance on the metering results of the first front camera 26, for example, by weighting them. By also evaluating the metering results of the second camera 27 in this manner, it is possible to prevent situations in which the image captured by the second camera 27 is so dark that people are not captured. The metering function of the second camera 27 is preferably provided with an area spot in the upper center, similar to the first camera 26, and the area of ​​that area spot is preferably targeted. Because this area is where passengers are captured, metering the area spot and determining the exposure conditions based on the metering results allows passengers to be captured clearly. Furthermore, because the dashboard, the floor and seats of the vehicle interior, etc. are captured in the lower area, this area is prevented from affecting the determination of exposure conditions. The weighting determines the brightness by assigning, for example, +5 to the area spot on the first camera 26 side and +2 to the area spot on the second camera 27 side.

[0134] Conversely to the above-described modification, the exposure conditions may be determined by prioritizing the photometry results of the second camera 27. This allows for clear capture and recording of the interior of the vehicle. For example, this modification is preferable for applications requiring clear capture of passengers' faces, such as in taxis and buses. However, prioritizing the photometry results of the second camera 27, as in this modification, results in a longer shutter speed, and the brightness of the front camera is set based on this, which can result in the scenery outside in front being washed out. Therefore, in consideration of the inherent functionality of the dashcam 10, it is best to prioritize the first camera 26, as in the above-described embodiment and modification.

[0135] It is also advisable to determine the exposure conditions by treating the photometry results of the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 equally without weighting them. This prevents the interior of the vehicle from becoming too dark when the first camera 26 is given priority, or the forward scenery from becoming overexposed when the second camera 27 is given priority, and is advantageous in that it allows for omnidirectional shooting. However, in order to record the interior of the vehicle while also recording the conditions outside the vehicle, such as before and after an accident, which is the original function of the drive recorder 10, a modified example is preferred in which the front of the first camera 26 is given priority and the photometry results of the second camera 27 are also partially taken into account.

[0136] It is also preferable to provide a mode setting function for determining whether to prioritize the photometry results of the first camera 26 or the second camera 27. This allows the user to set priority to the view ahead or the interior of the vehicle, depending on the usage situation. The mode setting function may be, for example, a function that allows the user to select whether to use only the photometry results of one camera, or to use the photometry results of both cameras but set the camera that is prioritized, and it is even better if the degree of weighting can be set.

[0137] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, it is assumed that the images captured by a single camera are captured with the same overall settings without image processing, but for example, it is possible to make the brightness of only the connecting portions the same so as not to create a sense of incongruity at the connecting portions during shooting. In such cases, however, it is necessary to set the area from which correction should begin, and it is preferable to simply capture the entire image with the same brightness, as in the above-described embodiment and modified examples. Furthermore, it is also possible to adjust the brightness when compositing using a PC viewer, etc., as described below, so that the connecting portions are not noticeable. [The main body case, etc., is designed to be less visible]

[0138] The position where the housing 25 is attached to the main body case 13 is shifted from the center of the bottom surface in the front-to-rear direction to the rear surface 13b. The angle adjustment mechanism 50 is arranged along the rear surface 13b side of the bottom surface. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 etc., the flat rectangular main body case 13 is attached and fixed to the windshield 2, so that when attached, it is arranged diagonally along the slope of the windshield 2, and the edge of the bottom surface of the main body case 13 on the rear surface 13b side is located at the lowest position. By attaching the housing 25 of the camera unit 12 via the angle adjustment mechanism 50 at this lower position, the area of ​​the main body case 13 that is reflected in the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 is reduced.

[0139] The main body case 13 is configured to be positioned close to the lens main body. A blind spot area R3 that is not captured by either the first camera 26 or the second camera 27 has a cone shape that tapers and narrows as it moves away from the camera unit 12. Therefore, the area of ​​the main body case 13 that is captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 increases as the main body case 13 moves away from the lens unit, so it is preferable to position them closer to each other.

[0140] The shape of main body case 13 is provided with inclined surfaces 13b" and the like so that first display 100 and second display 200 are placed as far away from the blind spot of the camera as possible. Making camera unit 12 spherical is also effective because it does not appear in the image. The camera takes pictures with a 210-degree angle of view all around, and since a rearview mirror is located near the lens, it is effective to prevent the rearview mirror from appearing in the camera's blind spot and appearing in the image. There are no parts such as a GPS antenna inside camera unit 12.

[0141] The present embodiment is a system including a drive recorder 10 having a function of recording video captured by a first camera 26 and a second camera 27 installed in a vehicle, and a function of performing predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the video captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle in response to a user's operation of a switch unit 28. This provides a system that is superior to conventional systems. For example, predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the video captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle can be performed in response to a user's operation of the switch unit 28. Therefore, for example, predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the video captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle can be performed in accordance with the user's intentions more than conventional systems.

[0142] As cameras installed in the vehicle, for example, in addition to the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 that capture images in front of the vehicle, a third camera which is a rear camera that is a wide-angle camera attached to the inside of the rear window of the vehicle and captures images behind the vehicle, and a fourth camera which is an infrared camera that captures images of the driver may be connected to the drive recorder 10 and incorporated as targets for switching the display by providing a "camera display state set" that displays these images.

[0143] In this embodiment, the camera installed in the vehicle is configured as a spherical camera consisting of first camera 26 and second camera 27, but it may also be configured as a semi-spherical camera. For example, second camera 27 may be eliminated, and first camera 26 may be installed facing downward at the position of switch unit 28. Switch unit 28 may be moved and placed in another location, for example, to the right of camera unit 12. In each camera display state set, the image from the aforementioned rear camera connected to drive recorder 10 may be incorporated instead of the image displayed by second camera 27.

[0144] The function of recording video may be set to record the video in a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory built into the drive recorder 10, but it is preferable to set it to record the video in a memory card 23 that is detachably attached to the drive recorder 10 as in this embodiment.

[0145] The first camera 26, the second camera 27 and the drive recorder 10 may be provided in separate housings and connected by wire or wirelessly, but it is better to provide them in a single housing as in this embodiment.

[0146] A system having the drive recorder 10 may be a system including the drive recorder 10 and a power line for supplying power to the drive recorder 10, as in this embodiment.

[0147] The operation from the user may be, for example, operation of a touch panel by the user, but is particularly preferably operation of a button, as in the operation of switch unit 28 in this embodiment. Any operation receiving means that receives an operation from the user may be used, and for example, at least one of first display 100 and second display 200 may be provided with a touch panel.

[0148] A system having a function of performing predetermined processing using a predetermined range of the video captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 installed in a vehicle in response to an operation from a user may be built into camera unit 12, which is the housing of first camera 26 and second camera 27, or may be built into the housing of main body unit 11 of drive recorder 10 as in this embodiment, or may be built into the housing of an electronic device separate from drive recorder 10. For example, it may be built into a personal computer, a tablet, or the like. When the image data is built into the housing of a separate electronic device, the "image data captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle" may be input (e.g., acquired) by connecting the drive recorder 10 to the separate electronic device via a wired or wireless connection, or the drive recorder 10 may record the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle on a memory card 23 that is detachable from the drive recorder 10, and this memory card 23 may be removed from the drive recorder 10 and attached to the separate electronic device, which may then read out and acquire the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle.

[0149] In this embodiment, the predetermined processing includes processing for generating an image by incorporating a predetermined range of the image captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 installed on the vehicle into a predetermined position on one screen, and the user operation includes an operation for changing the predetermined range of the image captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 to be incorporated into the predetermined position on one screen. Thus, by operating switch unit 28, the user can change the predetermined range of the image captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 installed on the vehicle to be incorporated into the predetermined position on one screen.

[0150] In this embodiment, the video to be output is video to be output to the screen, but it may also be video to be recorded on the memory card 23. In this way, the video generated in the camera display state set selected by the user to be output to the screen is also recorded on the memory card 23. Furthermore, the video to be output may also be video to be output to an external video output terminal. In this way, the video generated in the camera display state set selected by the user to be output to the screen is output to the external video output terminal, so that the video generated in the camera display state set selected by the user can be checked on a larger screen monitor connected to the external video output terminal, for example.

[0151] The specified range of the image captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle may be, for example, the entire image captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle, but it is particularly preferable to set it to a partial range of the image captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle, as in this embodiment.

[0152] The predetermined position within a screen may be a position within a part of the screen, as in this embodiment. For example, the screen may be divided into a plurality of areas, and the predetermined position may be one of the divided areas.

[0153] As in this embodiment, it is preferable to provide a plurality of predetermined ranges in the image captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed on the vehicle, and it is preferable to provide a plurality of different ranges within one screen of the image. The plurality of different ranges may be ranges that do not overlap, or they may be ranges that partially or entirely overlap.

[0154] It is preferable to have a plurality of predetermined positions in one screen, and it is preferable to have a plurality of different positions in the one screen. The plurality of different positions may be in a range where some or all of them overlap, but it is preferable that they are in a range where they do not overlap.

[0155] The correspondence between a predetermined range of the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle and a predetermined position on one screen may be fixed in advance as in the camera display state set of this embodiment, but it is preferable to have a function to change this correspondence using setting information stored in the memory card 23. For example, the set number, the layout number, the camera number associated with each area in the layout, and the number of the camera image range associated with each area in the layout may be stored in correspondence with each other, and the camera display state set may be switched in the order of this set number.

[0156] The camera display state set may be configured as follows: as the predetermined range of the image captured by the first camera 26 installed on the vehicle, a first predetermined range which is the entire image of the first camera 26 installed on the vehicle and a second predetermined range which is a partial range of the image captured by the first camera 26 installed on the vehicle; as the predetermined position in the single screen, a first screen layout which is the position of the entire area in the single screen and a second screen layout which is the position of a partial area in the single screen; and at least three modes among a first mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the first predetermined range with the first layout, a second mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the first predetermined range with the second layout, a third mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the first layout, and a fourth mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the second layout; and the user may be configured to switch between the modes by short-pressing the switch unit 28. In this way, the user can switch between at least three modes provided by the system, including a first mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating a first predetermined range with a first layout, a second mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the first predetermined range with a second layout, a third mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the first layout, and a fourth mode in which the image to be output is generated by associating the second predetermined range with the second layout. By providing these at least three modes, either one of two modes in which the predetermined range is “entire” or two modes in which the predetermined range is “partial,” or two modes in which the layout is “entire” or two modes in which the layout is “partial,” is a switchable mode, allowing the user to switch based on the identity of the predetermined range or layout and to more easily understand which range is displayed in which layout than before.

[0157] The control unit may further include a process for generating an image by incorporating predetermined ranges of images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed on the vehicle into predetermined positions on a single screen, as in the fourth set of the present embodiment. The predetermined positions may be provided in multiple locations on a single screen, and a user operation may be provided to select which of the multiple predetermined positions on a single screen the predetermined ranges of the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 will be incorporated into. For example, after selecting a camera display state set to be changed, the user may select an area to be changed using a touch panel and set the camera and area to be incorporated into that area by operating the switch unit 28. For example, when the third layout of FIG. 11 is displayed, the user may touch one of the six areas described with reference to FIG. 11 to select the image incorporation area to be changed. When this touch is detected, a frame is drawn around the touched area to indicate the selection. When a double press of the switch unit 28 is detected in this state, the camera for the selected area is switched between the first camera 26 and the second camera 27. Furthermore, when a short press of switch unit 28 is detected, the range to be incorporated is cyclically switched from the first range to the sixth range. When a long press of switch unit 28 is detected, the camera and range status at that time is confirmed and stored, and this state is exited. As a result, the next time the camera display state set is changed by a short press, the stored and confirmed combination is displayed. This allows the user to select at which of multiple predetermined positions on a single screen a predetermined range in the images captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 is to be incorporated, and from the next time onward, the image incorporated in the selected combination can be easily displayed. This information is preferably stored in a nonvolatile memory, so that the combination stored in the nonvolatile memory is incorporated and displayed even after the next startup.

[0158] Furthermore, the control unit may include a process for generating an image by incorporating a predetermined range of images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed in the vehicle into a predetermined position on a single screen, and a user operation for setting the predetermined position on the single screen to a position moved from the initial position of the predetermined position. For example, in a configuration including a touch panel, when a drag on the touch panel is detected on the image on the "upper" side in the lower left corner while the third layout of FIG. 11 is displayed, the display position may be moved in accordance with the drag. In this way, the user can set the predetermined position on the single screen to a position moved from the initial position of the predetermined position. In particular, the configuration may include a function for selecting which of multiple predetermined positions to move, and set the predetermined position to a position moved from the initial position of the selected predetermined position. This is not possible with other drive recorders, and provides an excellent effect.

[0159] The control unit may include a process for generating an image by incorporating predetermined ranges of images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed on the vehicle into predetermined positions on a single screen. As shown in FIG. 11 , the predetermined ranges may be provided at multiple locations on a single screen of the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 installed on the vehicle, and the predetermined positions may be provided at multiple locations on the single screen. The control unit may further include a user operation for setting a correspondence relationship between which of the predetermined ranges at the multiple locations should be incorporated into which of the predetermined positions. In this manner, the user can set a correspondence relationship between which of the predetermined ranges at the multiple locations should be incorporated into which of the predetermined positions. For example, after selecting a camera display state set to be changed, the user may select an area to be changed on the touch panel and set the camera and area to be incorporated into that area by operating the switch unit 28. For example, when the third layout of FIG. 11 is displayed, the user may touch one of the six areas described with reference to FIG. 11 to select the image incorporation area to be changed. When this touch is detected, a frame is drawn around the touched area to indicate that the area has been selected. If a double press of switch unit 28 is detected in this state, the camera for the selected area is switched between first camera 26 and second camera 27. If a short press of switch unit 28 is detected, the range to be incorporated is cyclically switched from the first range to the sixth range. If a long press of switch unit 28 is detected, the camera and range status at that time are confirmed and stored, and this state is exited. Thus, the next time the camera display state set is changed by a short press, the stored, confirmed combination is displayed. This allows the user to select at which of multiple predetermined positions on a single screen a predetermined range in the video captured by first camera 26 and second camera 27 is to be incorporated, and makes it easy to display the video incorporated in the selected combination from the next time onward.This information is preferably stored in a nonvolatile memory, and the combination stored in the nonvolatile memory is incorporated and displayed from the next startup onward.

[0160] In this embodiment, the system has a plurality of predetermined layouts each having a predetermined position for incorporating one or more images on one screen, and has a function for generating an image in which different predetermined ranges within images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are combined at predetermined positions in the predetermined layouts, and is configured to have a function for selecting, as an operation by the user, which of the plurality of predetermined layouts to use to generate the combined image, thereby allowing the user to select which of the plurality of predetermined layouts to use to generate the combined image.

[0161] At least one of the predetermined layouts may include a layout that displays the image captured by the first camera 26 on one screen. For example, at least one of the camera display state sets may include a camera display state set that displays the image captured by the first camera 26 on one screen. For example, a camera display state set that displays only the image captured by the front camera 26 on the left side of FIG. 19 in the center of the screen may be included. When this camera display state set is selected, a function that does not record the image generated in the selected camera display state set may be included. This can reduce the amount of image to be recorded.

[0162] The system may also include a first mode in which an image of a selected camera display state set is displayed on the display screen and an image of the same camera display state set as the selected camera display state set displayed on the second display 200 is recorded on the memory card 23, and a second selection function in which an image of a camera display state set selected by the selection function is displayed on the display screen but a camera display state set for recording that is different from the camera display state set selected by the selection function and displayed on the display screen is selected. The second selection function may be switched by, for example, a slide switch or the like provided on the main body 11.

[0163] In this way, it is possible to provide a system that can be easily used by both users who want the display layout and recording layout to be the same and users who want them to be different.

[0164] It is preferable to have a function of enlarging and displaying the image at a predetermined position in the predetermined layout in the image of the selected layout that generates the combined image based on a user's instruction. For example, it is preferable to provide a voice recognition function in the control unit, and when a voice is recognized from microphone 18 in the display state of the fourth set of Fig. 11, in which the characters displayed in each area (in this example, "up" in Fig. 11) and the instruction to enlarge the character, "enlarge," are successively uttered, such as "Up, enlarge," the image of the third range displayed in the lower left area is displayed on the entire screen. In this way, the user can input an instruction to enlarge and display an image at a predetermined position in a predetermined layout.

[0165] It is preferable to provide a function for recording the enlarged image when enlarged display is being performed, or a function for recording the image of the selected layout without recording the enlarged image.

[0166] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 , the first and third ranges overlap. However, for example, different predetermined ranges within the image captured by the first camera 26 may be arranged so as not to overlap each other. An image may be generated in which a second camera image, which is an image captured by a camera (e.g., a rear camera) other than the first camera 26 and the second camera 27, is displayed in one of the built-in areas of the layout shown in FIG. 6 . This allows the user to view the different predetermined non-overlapping ranges of the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 and the image from the rear camera on a single screen. It is preferable to provide a function for selecting the predetermined position where the second image is displayed. For example, if the voice recognition recognizes the command "Move the rear camera to the upper right position," the image in the upper right area of ​​FIG. 11 is switched from the image captured by the second camera 27 (rear) to the image captured by the third camera, the rear camera.

[0167] In this way, the second image can be displayed at a position selected by the user, while images of different predetermined ranges from the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 that do not overlap can be viewed on one screen, along with the second image.

[0168] Furthermore, it is preferable to have a function of storing information specifying the correspondence between the predetermined position and the predetermined range in association with the recorded video. For example, a camera display state set number may be embedded in the video data and recorded, or a layout number, a camera number corresponding to each area in the layout, and a range number corresponding to each area may be stored in association with each other. In this way, when playing back recorded video, the playback mode can be easily set based on the stored information specifying the correspondence between the predetermined position and the predetermined range.

[0169] It is preferable to provide a function for displaying the generated video on a display screen without recording the video, so that the user's desired video can be displayed on the screen in response to the user's operation without affecting the video to be recorded.

[0170] It is preferable to provide a function for displaying the video generated in the selected layout on the display screen without recording it.It is preferable to provide a function for displaying the video generated in the camera display state set selected by the user on the second display 200 as described above without recording it.In this way, the user can freely switch the layout in which the video displayed on the display screen is incorporated to a desired one, without the video recorded by the drive recorder 10 being affected by the user's operation to change the layout or the camera display state set.

[0171] A function may be provided for recording both the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 and the image generated using the selected layout, together with information for distinguishing between the two images, onto the memory card 23 so that the two images can be played back in synchronization. In this way, it becomes easy to play back the two images in synchronization.

[0172] It is preferable that the device has a function of displaying the generated video on a display screen and a function of recording the generated video. In this way, it is possible to perform a screen display in response to a user's operation and record a generated video similar to the screen display in response to the user's operation. In particular, it is preferable that the device has a function of displaying a screen in response to a user's operation, a function of recording a generated video similar to the screen display in response to the user's operation, and a function of recording the video itself from the first camera 26 and the second camera 27.

[0173] The images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 may be circular fisheye images, as in this embodiment. Furthermore, a user operation may be provided to preset a position within the circular fisheye image that corresponds to the installation location of the vehicle speed measurement device, and the predetermined processing may include a function to display a predetermined warning within the predetermined range including the location corresponding to the installation location set in response to the user operation. For example, when a user voice saying "speed camera detected" is recognized, the location at that time may be stored, and an warning may be output from the speaker 29 the next time the vehicle approaches that location. In this way, a predetermined warning is displayed within a predetermined range including the location corresponding to the installation location of the vehicle speed measurement device within the circular fisheye image set by the user, allowing the user to recognize the warning more quickly and easily than before.

[0174] The drive recorder 10 may be provided with a function for controlling an infrared irradiation means that irradiates infrared rays onto the shooting range of the second camera 27, and a function for recording video before and after a change in the predetermined control of the infrared irradiation means. For example, multiple infrared LEDs (four or more are preferable) may be installed around the second camera 27, and the control unit may control the on / off of these infrared LEDs. In this manner, video before and after a change in the predetermined control of the infrared irradiation means from the system is recorded. For example, by viewing the recorded video, the situation when a predetermined change in the infrared irradiation means occurs can be easily understood. For example, the brightness around the drive recorder 10 may be detected from the video of the second camera 27, and when the detected brightness falls below a predetermined level, the infrared irradiation means may be turned on, and when the detected brightness exceeds the predetermined level, the infrared irradiation means may be turned off.

[0175] It is preferable to provide a function for detecting a reddish area in the image captured by the second camera 27 compared to the surrounding area and performing the predetermined processing on that area as the interior of the vehicle. In this way, a system that performs predetermined processing on the interior of the vehicle area in the image does not need to manually set the position of that area, but can automatically determine the area and perform the predetermined processing. The inventors have found that areas that are reddish compared to the surrounding area are likely to be areas inside the vehicle, and areas that are not reddish are likely to be areas around the windows (areas corresponding to the image of the outside scenery).

[0176] Furthermore, the device may have a function for playing back recorded video, which records the time of an event occurrence. When playback reaches a point related to the event occurrence when the driver is not captured in the video being played back, the device may have a function for displaying video capturing the driver for the period including the event occurrence. For example, when the voice "play" is recognized, playback of the video captured by the first camera 26 from the video recorded on the memory card 23 begins. When playback reaches a point 10 seconds before the event occurrence, the device switches to a state in which the video captured by the second camera 27 is also displayed (for example, playing both videos side by side as shown in FIG. 19). In this way, when playback of recorded video reaches a point related to the event occurrence when the driver is not captured in the video being played back, video capturing the driver for the period including the event occurrence is automatically displayed. Therefore, when playback reaches a point related to the event occurrence, the user can easily check the driver's condition at that time without having to perform operations such as switching to a video that captures the driver. This is particularly effective when a person other than the driver, such as an operations manager, checks the vehicle's condition and the driver's driving condition.

[0177] The predetermined range may include an area where smoked glass is present in the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27, and the predetermined processing may include a smoked glass partial area image adjustment function that adjusts the image of the area where smoked glass is present in the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27. In this manner, the image of the area where smoked glass is present in the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 can be adjusted in accordance with a user's operation. For example, the image adjustment may include a process of adjusting the camera exposure, a process of post-processing the image, or an adjustment such as different image quality between the area where smoked glass is present and the area where there is no smoked glass. The user's operation may include an operation to set the area where smoked glass is present in the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27. For example, during the initial setup process performed when the drive recorder 10 is first powered on, the third set of images shown on the right side of FIG. 10 is displayed (the rearward image is displayed), and the speaker 29 outputs a voice message saying, "Please trace the area where the tinted glass is located. When you're done tracing, say 'Done.'" The area where the finger touches the touch panel until the voice message "Done" is recognized is stored (set) as the tinted glass area. The image adjustment for the tinted glass area in the image captured by the second camera 27 may be performed by increasing the brightness of the set area. Furthermore, the predetermined range may include the area where the sunroof is located in the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27, and a sunroof partial area image adjustment function may be provided as the predetermined process. In this way, the image of the sunroof area in the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 can be adjusted in response to a user's operation. The user's operation may include an operation to set an area in which the sunroof is located within the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27.For example, during the initial setup process performed when the drive recorder 10 is first powered on, the third set of images shown on the right side of FIG. 10 is displayed (the rearward image is displayed), and a voice message is output from the speaker 29 saying, "Please trace the area where the sunroof is located. When you're done tracing, say 'Done.'" The area where the finger touches the touch panel until the voice message "Done" is recognized is stored (set) as the sunroof area. The image adjustment for the sunroof area in the image captured by the second camera 27 can be performed by lowering the brightness of the set area. Alternatively, instead of providing this process, a function for simply setting whether or not a sunroof is installed can be provided, and the image adjustment content can be different for when the sunroof is installed and when the sunroof is not installed. For example, when the sunroof is installed, the image brightness can be lowered compared to when the sunroof is not installed.

[0178] In a configuration equipped with a rear camera, the rear camera image includes an image behind the vehicle. The system may include a function for issuing a warning from the speaker 29 based on the approaching status of a vehicle behind the vehicle in the image as a predetermined process. The warning may include an audio message from the speaker 29 saying, "Watch out for approaching vehicle behind!" indicating that the vehicle behind is too close. The system may also include a function for changing the position of the proximity determination reference in the image for determining that the vehicle behind is too close in response to a user operation. This allows the user to easily adjust the frequency and sensitivity of the warning when the vehicle behind is too close to the vehicle behind the vehicle. For example, during the initial setup process performed upon initial power-on, the system displays the third set of images shown on the right side of FIG. 10 (displaying the rear image), and outputs a voice message from the speaker 29 saying, "Please trace the area where you want to be alerted that the vehicle behind is too close. When you've finished tracing, say 'Done.'" The area where the finger touched the touch panel before the voice "Done" was recognized is stored (set) as the position where the approach is determined. When it is detected that a vehicle behind has entered the stored position in the image captured by the second camera 27, a voice message saying "Watch out for approaching vehicle behind!" is issued from the speaker 29.

[0179] In addition, in a configuration equipped with a rear camera, the rear camera image may include an image behind the vehicle, and a predetermined process may include a function for providing a warning based on the approaching state of a rear vehicle in the image. The warning may include a voice message such as "Beware of snaking vehicles behind!" indicating snaking driving by a rear vehicle. The user may also have a function for changing the position of a snaking driving judgment reference in the image, which is used to determine whether a rear vehicle is snaking, in response to a user operation. This allows the frequency and sensitivity of the snaking driving warning to be easily adjusted by a user operation. For example, during an initial setup process performed upon initial power-on, the third set of images shown on the right side of FIG. 10 is displayed (the rear image is displayed), and a voice message is output from the speaker 29 saying, "Please trace the area where the rear vehicle is not considered to be snaking. When you have finished tracing, please say 'Done.'" The area where the finger touched the touch panel until the voice message "Done" is recognized is stored (set) as the position for snaking driving judgment. Then, when a vehicle behind enters the stored position for judging meandering driving in the image captured by the second camera 27, and then the number of times the vehicle position changes to the left or right, going beyond the position for judging meandering driving, exceeds a predetermined number (preferably three times), a voice saying "Vehicles behind, beware of meandering driving!" is output from the speaker 29.

[0180] The system may have a function for issuing multiple different types of alerts (for example, a warning of approaching vehicles behind and a warning of swerving behind) based on the approaching status of vehicles behind in the video as a predetermined process, and may be configured to record different time ranges for each different type based on the approaching status of vehicles behind in the video. For example, the warning of approaching vehicles behind is set to record 20 seconds both before and after the approaching vehicle behind is detected, while the warning of swerving behind is set to record 5 minutes both before and after the swerving behind vehicle is detected. In this way, it is possible to obtain video with different recording time ranges for each different type based on the approaching status of vehicles behind in the video. It is preferable to have a function for recording "swerving" and "sudden approach" as different types of events and displaying them separately on the viewer. It is preferable to set different recording time ranges for sudden approach / swerving events and impact events.

[0181] It is preferable that the device has a function for displaying images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 on a display screen, a function for changing the predetermined range as an operation from the user, and a function for recording images including the point in time when the user inputs an instruction to change the predetermined range. For example, the device records images for 20 seconds before and after the camera display state set is switched based on an instruction from the user. In this way, it is possible to obtain images including the point in time when the user inputs an instruction to change the predetermined range. This is therefore useful for proving that the user's switching operation was not the cause of the accident.

[0182] In this embodiment, the drive recorder 10 includes a function for selecting a predetermined range of the input video as the display target or the recording target. The drive recorder 10 may also include a function for switching the predetermined range as a user operation. The drive recorder 10 may also include a function for outputting an instruction to the user upon initial power-on after shipping, instructing the user to switch the predetermined range and confirm whether there are any problems with the video captured by the camera within the predetermined range of the input video to be displayed on the display screen or recorded. For example, during an initial setup process performed upon initial power-on, four sets (first through fourth sets) are displayed for five seconds each, and then cyclically switched in sequence. A voice message stating, "Please install the drive recorder 10 in a position where no missing portions are visible in the camera video in all display modes. When installation is complete, please say 'Done'" is output from the speaker 29. The cyclical change of display mode is repeated until the voice recognition recognizes "Done." In this way, when installing the drive recorder 10 in a vehicle, it is easy to confirm whether there are any problems with the video regardless of the state that can be switched by user operation.

[0183] The image may include an area including at least one of the driver's seat side and the passenger seat side, and the image may have a function of converting the image of the background of the driver or passenger in the image into a pre-stored image.

[0184] The device may have a function of displaying images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 in a predetermined layout on the screen as images to be displayed on the display screen, a function of providing a plurality of predetermined layouts and switching between the plurality of layouts based on a user operation, and a function of incorporating the images recorded by the recording function into the predetermined layouts when playing them back, and the order of layout switching based on a user operation during playback may be the same as the order of layout switching based on a user operation for displaying the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 in a predetermined layout on the screen as images to be displayed on the display screen. In this way, the user can switch layouts during playback in the same order as the switching of the screen display layouts, which is convenient. For example, the device may include a function for displaying images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 on a display screen by incorporating them into a selected camera display state set on the screen as images to be displayed on the display screen; a function for providing a plurality of camera display state sets and switching among the plurality of camera display state sets based on a user's operation; and a function for incorporating the images recorded by the recording function into a predetermined camera display state set when playing back the images; wherein the order of the camera display state sets switched based on a user's operation during playback may be the same as the order of the camera display state sets switched based on a user's operation to display the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 on the display screen. For example, a viewer software executed on a PC described below may be provided with a button having a function similar to the switch unit 28 of the drive recorder described above. This allows the user to switch the camera display state sets during playback in the same order as the camera display state sets switched on the screen, which is convenient.

[0185] The system may be configured only with the drive recorder 10, with the drive recorder 10 having the recording function and the playback function. However, it is particularly preferable that the system includes the drive recorder 10 and a playback device (e.g., a personal computer) separate from the drive recorder 10, with the drive recorder 10 having the recording function and the separate playback device having the playback function. For example, it is preferable that the order in which the video display layout is switched on the drive recorder 10 itself and the order in which the video display layout is switched on a viewer running on a personal computer or the like are configured to be the same. For example, it is preferable that the order in which the camera display state sets are switched on the drive recorder 10 itself and the order in which the camera display state sets are switched on a viewer running on a personal computer or the like are configured to be the same.

[0186] The device may include a plurality of predetermined layouts incorporating images from first camera 26 and second camera 27, at least one layout incorporating image from the rear camera (third camera), a first operation unit for switching between these plurality of layouts in a predetermined order based on a user operation, a second operation unit different from the first operation unit, and a function for switching to a layout of a third camera different from the camera of image incorporated in the currently displayed layout when a predetermined operation is performed on the second operation unit. In this embodiment, a plurality of camera display state sets (second set, fourth set) incorporating images from first camera 26 and second camera 27 are provided as camera display state sets by short-pressing switch unit 28. However, the device may further include at least one camera display state set incorporating image from the rear camera (third camera), and a configuration for switching between these plurality of camera display state sets based on a user operation of short-pressing switch unit 28, as well as a second operation unit different from switch unit 28, and a function for switching to a layout of a third camera different from the camera of image incorporated in the currently displayed layout when a predetermined operation is performed on the second operation unit. The second operation unit may be, for example, a voice recognition unit that recognizes the voice of "rear camera," or it may be a button separate from switch unit 28, or it may detect when switch unit 28 is pressed three times in succession.

[0187] In this way, the user can switch between camera display state sets incorporating images from first camera 26 and second camera 27 in a predetermined order by briefly pressing switch unit 28, and if the user wants to immediately view images from the rear camera, he or she can switch to a camera display state set including images from the rear camera by operating the second operating unit. Particularly when the system is configured with drive recorder 10, it is advisable to provide, for example, a button for switching between first camera 26 and second camera 27 on the drive recorder itself as a button separate from the display mode switching button.

[0188] The switch unit 28 may be provided with a separate operation unit other than a short-press operation, and a switching function may be provided for switching to a predetermined layout based on a user's operation when a predetermined operation is performed on the separate operation unit, rather than switching the layout in a predetermined order. For example, the switch unit may be provided with a switching function for switching to a predetermined camera display state set based on a user's operation when a predetermined operation is performed on the separate operation unit, rather than switching the camera display state set in a predetermined order. In this way, the user can switch between multiple layouts incorporating images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 in a predetermined order by operating the first operation unit, and can instantly view a display incorporating the images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 in a predetermined layout by operating the separate operation unit. For example, a button for instantly switching to a predetermined mode may be provided on the main body of the drive recorder 10 or on a viewer of a device separate from the drive recorder 10 (e.g., a personal computer) in addition to a button for sequentially changing the display mode.

[0189] In this embodiment, the drive recorder 10 may be provided with an event recording button on the housing side (camera unit 12) thereof, and a button operation unit that can be installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder 10 and difficult to see from outside the vehicle, and may have a function of recording video for a predetermined period of time, including before and after the time point at which the button operation unit is operated, at a recording time different from the recording time of the event recording, when the button operation unit is operated. In this manner, a user can operate the event recording button on the housing side of the drive recorder 10 to start an event recording, and can also operate the button operation unit that is installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder 10 and difficult to see from outside the vehicle, to record video for a predetermined period of time, including before and after the time point at which the button operation unit is operated, at a recording time different from the recording time of the event recording. For example, a drive recorder 10 main body that has a manual event recording button may be provided with a button that can be installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder 10 and difficult to see from outside the vehicle, and this button may be the manual recording start button for tailgating, and the recording time for tailgating may be set to be longer than the manual event recording time. The button operation unit installed in a location that is separate from the drive recorder 10 and difficult to see from outside the vehicle may be configured as a button on a remote control for a radar detector connected to the drive recorder 10. For example, the button operation unit may be assigned to the remote control for the radar detector as a button for tailgating.

[0190] The above-described functions may be provided in the drive recorder 10, but may also be provided in an electronic device separate from the drive recorder 10. Both devices may be provided with functions that achieve the same effect. The separate electronic device may be provided with a function for playing back video data recorded by the drive recorder 10, for example. The separate electronic device may be configured as a personal computer, tablet, smartphone, or the like. These functions may be configured as a program for causing a computer to implement them. [Display device: PC viewer]

[0191] The system according to the present invention can also be configured as, for example, a display device for a drive recorder. This embodiment is configured using a personal computer. Although not shown, the hardware configuration of the display device for a drive recorder includes a processing unit, a storage unit, an input unit, a display unit, a card reader, and the like. The storage unit includes a nonvolatile memory that stores application programs executed by the processing unit, a work memory used by the processing unit during calculations, and an internal or external storage device (hard disk) that records video, audio, and other information recorded during driving. The input unit includes a pointing device such as a mouse and a keyboard. The card reader is a device that reads and writes data from the attached memory card 23. The memory card 23 stores, by the drive recorder 10, at least first video data, which is video data representing circular fisheye images captured by the first camera 26, and second video data, which is video data representing circular fisheye images captured by the second camera 27, along with the respective recording date and time data. By simultaneously playing and displaying video images with the same recording date and time data, the first video data and the second video data can be played back synchronously.

[0192] By starting an application program (referred to as a "PC viewer" in this embodiment) installed in the storage unit, the personal computer operates as a display device for the drive recorder. As described above, the drive recorder 10 records, on the memory card 23, video and audio captured while driving or parking, as well as various information related to the recorded video, such as date, time, and speed information. When the user wants to play back video and other information recorded on the memory card 23, the user removes the memory card 23 from the memory card slot 22 and inserts it into the card reader of the personal computer. The launched PC viewer is executed, and video and other information recorded while driving, etc. is displayed on the display unit. The specific functions of the PC viewer are as follows:

[0193] 12 shows an example of a display layout displayed on the display unit of a personal computer after the PC viewer has been launched, recorded video has been selected, and playback has been initiated. A menu bar is located near the top of the display screen 60, and a display area 62 for displaying the video of the selected data is located in a large area below the menu bar. Below the display area 62, from left to right, there is a map display section 63, a related information display section 64, and a playlist list display section 70.

[0194] The menu bar button group 61 includes, from left to right, a folder designation button 61a, a still image conversion button 61b, a print button 61c, a video conversion button 61d, a backup button 61e, a log data conversion button 61f, a recording setting change button 61g, and a drive recorder switch unit emulation button 62h. The folder designation button 61a is used to designate data to be played back, etc. When the folder designation button 61a is clicked, the PC viewer displays a list of folders recorded on a memory card inserted in the personal computer. The user clicks on the displayed folder list to select the folder in which the data to be played back, etc. is recorded.

[0195] The PC viewer of this embodiment has a function to convert an image displayed in, for example, the display area 62 into a predetermined file format, for example, a still image in JPEG format, and save it. When the still image conversion button 61b is clicked, the PC viewer converts the image on the screen displayed in the display area 62 into a still image and records it in a predetermined storage area of ​​the personal computer. In accordance with the settings, the PC viewer creates and records still images by dividing the image being displayed or the image in the display area 62 for a specified time range by the specified number of frames.

[0196] The PC viewer of this embodiment has a function to print, for example, the image displayed in the display area 62. When the print button 61c is clicked, the PC viewer prints the image on the screen displayed in the display area 62 according to set conditions. The set conditions include, for example, printing the displayed image as a still image, as in the still image conversion described above, or printing still images obtained by dividing a specified time range from the image in the display area 62 by a specified number of frames.

[0197] The PC viewer of this embodiment has a function for converting recorded data into a predetermined file format, such as an AVI video, and saving the converted data. When the user selects and loads the recorded data to be converted into a video, and then clicks the video conversion button 61d, the PC viewer displays a condition setting screen and converts the loaded video data into a predetermined format using the settings configured on the condition setting screen. The condition setting screen includes input areas for specifying the file name, save location, range, subtitles, and compression format, as well as a [Start] button. The user sets the conditions using the input areas and clicks the [Start] button. By converting the converted video into an AVI video, the saved file can be viewed using various video playback software or uploaded to a homepage or other website for public viewing.

[0198] When the backup button 61e is clicked, the PC viewer backs up the video recorded on the memory card 23 to the personal computer. Backing up does not delete the video recorded on the memory card. If the video is to be deleted, a separate deletion process is performed. When the log data conversion button 61f is clicked, the PC viewer converts the accumulated history data into a KML file and records it as log data. When the recording setting change button 61g is clicked, the PC viewer displays a recording setting screen (not shown). The user inputs various recording conditions, etc. using the recording setting screen and confirms the contents, thereby storing the recording conditions on the memory card. When the memory card is inserted into the drive recorder 10, the drive recorder 10 updates the stored recording conditions as the recording conditions, and thereafter operates according to the updated conditions.

[0199] The drive recorder switch unit emulation button 62h is a button that emulates, on the PC viewer, the operation of the switch unit 28 provided in the drive recorder 10. On the PC viewer, the video of the first camera 26 in the description of the switch unit 28 is replaced with a playback video of the first video data recorded by the first camera 26, the video of the second camera 27 in the description of the switch unit 28 is replaced with a playback video of the second video data recorded by the first camera 26, and the content displayed on the screen of the second display 200 of the drive recorder 10 is the content displayed as the screen in the display area 62. As with the switch unit 28, the drive recorder switch unit emulation button 62h can be pressed in three states: a "double press" when two consecutive presses are detected within 0.5 seconds, a "short press" when no double presses are detected and one consecutive press for less than two seconds is detected, and a "long press" when consecutive presses for two seconds or more are detected, and different functions are assigned to these states. If a "short press" is detected, the current "camera display state set" is switched to the next "camera display state set" and displayed in the display area 62.

[0200] As with the drive recorder 10, the "camera display state sets" include the following first through fourth sets. When a "short press" is detected, the display area 62 switches to the next set after the set currently displayed. The sets are displayed in the order from the first set to the fourth set, and after the fourth set, the display area 62 switches back to the first set, in a cyclical manner. In this way, the camera display state sets can be switched in a predetermined order by short presses. As described below, by performing a predetermined operation from the initial state of each set, the display content on the screen can be changed from the state of each set. However, when a short press is detected in a state where the display content has been changed from each set by this change operation, processing is performed to return the screen to the state of the set before the change. For example, when a short press is detected after the display position, etc., has been changed in the state of the first set, processing is performed to return the screen to the state of the first set.

[0201] The first set is a combination of a first layout having a single horizontally long rectangular area within the layout screen, as shown on the left side of Figure 10(a), a playback image (forward) of the first video data, and an image extracted from the circular image of Figure 8(b) in which the origin of the circle in the camera image area R1 of Figure 8(b) is the intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle, as shown in Figure 10.

[0202] As shown in Figure 19, the second set has a second layout in which different video ranges can be assigned to two areas on the screen: a square area on the left and a square area on the right. The camera displays the playback video (front) of the first video data in the square area on the left side of the second layout, and the playback video (rear) of the second video data in the square area on the right side of the second layout. The video range is a square area (second range) that includes the range R2 in Figure 8 (the range containing the circular fisheye image) for both the playback video of the first video data and the playback video of the second video data. Note that the display state in Figure 19 has the word "360°" superimposed on the bottom of each square area. This indicates that each video is a video capturing an area of ​​360° or more, and the settings screen allows you to switch between a mode with this display and a mode without it.

[0203] The third set, as shown on the right side of Figure 10(a), is a combination of images in which the layout is the first layout described above, the camera is the playback image (rear) of the second video data, and the image range is the rectangular range (first range) extracted from the circular image of Figure 8(c) where the origin of the circle of the camera image area R1 in Figure 8(c) is the intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle, as shown in Figure 10.

[0204] As shown in Figure 11, the fourth set is a third layout with a layout that divides the screen vertically into roughly two-thirds of the upper area and one-third of the lower area, with the upper area further divided into roughly half areas on the left and right, and the lower area divided into roughly one-quarter areas on the left and right, for a total of six areas. The upper right area of ​​each camera is used as a playback image (rear) of the second video data, and the remaining area is used as a playback image (forward) of the first video data. The upper left and right areas of each camera are rectangular areas in the center of each camera (the first area, which is the same camera area as in Figure 10(a)). The lower areas are divided, from left to right, into the third area (referred to as the upper area), fourth area (referred to as the lower area), fifth area (referred to as the left area), and sixth area (referred to as the right area), which will be described below. The third area is a rectangular area within the circle in Figure 8(b), and is the upper area divided by the left and right lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the bottom edge. The fourth range is a rectangular range within the circle in Figure 8(b), which is the lower range divided by the left and right lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the top edge. The fifth range is a rectangular range within the circle in Figure 8(b), which is the left range divided by the top and bottom lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the right edge, with the center of the right edge being the origin of the circle in Figure 8(b). The sixth range is a rectangular range within the circle in Figure 8(b), which is the right range divided by the top and bottom lines passing through the origin of the circle as part of the left edge, with the center of the left edge being the origin of the circle in Figure 8(b). With the display using the fourth set, as shown in Figure 11, the front and back images can be viewed in a wide two-thirds area in the upper row, and the top, bottom, left, and right images in the lower row can be viewed at a glance.

[0205] When a "double press" is detected, if the "camera display state set" displayed in display area 62 is a camera display state set (first set) that displays the image of the playback image of the first video data but not the image of the playback image of the second video data, it is switched to a camera display state set (third set) that displays only the image of the playback image of the second video data, whereas when the "camera display state set" displayed in display area 62 is a camera display state set (third set) that displays the image of the playback image of the second video data but not the playback image of the first video data, it is switched to a camera display state set (first set) that displays only the playback image of the first video data. If a "double press" is detected when the "camera display state set" displayed in display area 62 is a set other than these (second set, fourth set), it is switched to a specific set (third set in this embodiment).

[0206] When a "long press" is detected, a new file is created on the PC for the video being played back, in the same way as an event recording. This allows drivers who manage and supervise them, such as a fleet manager, to easily record any problematic scenes during playback as a new event recording on the PC. It is recommended that this event recording be recorded and displayed with information added to distinguish it as a different type of event recording (PC viewer event recording) from the event recordings recorded by the drive recorder.

[0207] The map display unit 63 displays a map 63a of a predetermined area and the vehicle's position on the map 63a. The PC viewer acquires map data of the area around the vehicle based on the vehicle's position information associated with the loaded video, displays the map 63a at the set scale on the map display unit 63, and draws a vehicle position icon 63b at the vehicle's current position on the map 63a (see FIGS. 12(a) and 12(c) , etc.). The map data may be acquired, for example, via the Internet from a server on which maps are recorded. If the map data is acquired from the Internet, the map display unit 63 does not display the map unless the personal computer is connected to the Internet. Also, selecting "Do not display map" in the settings switches to an operating mode in which the map display unit 63 does not display the map.

[0208] Furthermore, when the current position is unknown due to non-GPS positioning, it is preferable to display information that replaces the map instead of displaying the map, as shown in Fig. 12(b). For example, when GPS positioning is not performed, it is possible to display the map 63a but not the vehicle position icon 63b. However, if the vehicle position icon 63b is not displayed, the user may search for the vehicle position icon on the map or mistakenly think that there is a malfunction. However, if a different image or the like is displayed instead of the map 63a, as in this embodiment, it is easy to understand that GPS positioning is not performed, which is preferable.

[0209] The related information display section 64 has a layout in which a timeline display section 74 is located at the top, a volume switch button 66 is located below it in the upper left, a date and time information display section 73 is located in the upper right, a play button display section 65 is located below that, and a driving speed display section 67, an acceleration display section 68, and a latitude and longitude display section 69 are located in order from top to bottom to the left of the play button display section 65, and an acceleration sensor graph display section 71 is located below the play button display section 65. The timeline display section 74 indicates the playback position of the video displayed in the display area 62 within a single recorded data. A red bar represents the overall timeline of the playback time of the recorded data, and controls the movement of a knob 74a to the right as playback progresses. When the knob 74a is slid and moved, playback begins from that position. During continuous recording, the location of an event recording is displayed with a yellow vertical line 74b (see Figure 12(c), etc.).

[0210] The volume switch button 66 is a button for muting and adjusting the volume, and has a mute button 66a and a knob 66b (see FIG. 16(c)). When the mute button 66a is clicked, the PC viewer mutes the audio being played, and when the mute button 66a is clicked while the audio is muted, the mute state is canceled. When the knob 66b is slid by pointing, the PC viewer adjusts the volume according to the position of the knob 66b.

[0211] The date and time information display section 73 is an area that displays the date and time when the video being played back was recorded. The time can be the main body time recorded based on the internal clock of the drive recorder 10 or the GPS time obtained by GPS positioning. In this embodiment, the time is changed depending on the recording conditions of the video being played back. If the recording conditions of the video being played back are based on continuous recording, the PC viewer displays the main body time in the date and time information display section 73. If the recording conditions of the video being played back are based on event recording, the PC viewer displays the GPS time in the date and time information display section 73 if GPS positioning is used when an event occurs, or the main body time if GPS positioning is not used. Furthermore, if the main body time is displayed during playback of recorded data (see FIG. 12(b)), the display is updated to the GPS time when GPS positioning is performed (see FIG. 12(c)).

[0212] The playback button display section 65 is a group of buttons for performing operations such as playback and fast forward. From left to right, it includes the following buttons: "Fast Rewind," "Previous Frame," "Reverse Playback," "Stop," "Play," "Next Frame," and "Fast Forward." When each button is clicked, the PC viewer performs the corresponding process. When the "Fast Rewind," "Reverse Playback," "Play," or "Fast Forward" buttons are clicked multiple times, the PC viewer changes the playback speed. For example, clicking "Play" or "Reverse Playback" once will "play" or "reverse play" at normal speed (1x), while clicking twice will "play" or "reverse play" at a slower speed, such as 0.5x. Clicking "Fast Rewind" or "Fast Forward" once will "fast forward" or "rewind" at 2x speed, clicking twice will "fast forward" or "rewind" at 4x speed, clicking three times will "fast forward" or "rewind" at 8x speed, and clicking four times will "fast forward" or "rewind" at 16x speed. "Play / reverse play" adjusts the direction in which the speed decreases, and "fast forward / rewind" adjusts the direction in which the speed increases, making it easy to suddenly switch from fast playback to slow playback, or vice versa.Furthermore, by using the function of adjusting the direction in which the speed increases on buttons such as "fast forward" that originally play at high speed, the user can intuitively understand the assignment, which is good. As shown enlarged in FIG. 16(a), the running speed display unit 67 displays the running speed recorded by the GPS.

[0213] The acceleration display section 68 displays the recorded impact and acceleration values ​​in the forward / backward (X direction: e.g., red), left / right (Y direction: e.g., yellow-green), and up / down (Z direction: e.g., blue) directions. The latitude / longitude display section 69 displays the latitude (N) and longitude (E) recorded by GPS. The running speed, acceleration, and longitude / latitude are all information about the current location of the image displayed in the display area 62. The acceleration sensor graph display section 71 displays an acceleration sensor graph in chronological order. The recorded data is displayed as a graph with the vertical axis representing acceleration and the horizontal axis representing time. In this embodiment, an X-axis acceleration graph 71a, a Y-axis acceleration graph 71b, and a Z-axis acceleration graph 71c are displayed, and the display colors of the graphs are similar to those of the acceleration display section 68. This makes it easy to understand the correspondence between the two. When an area is clicked, the PC viewer moves cursor 71d to the clicked position, and displays the driving speed, acceleration, latitude, and longitude in each display section, with the position of cursor 71d as the current position. When the play button is clicked, the PC viewer plays the video from the position of cursor 71d. The PC viewer obtains various information stored in association with the video to be played, and displays it on the corresponding display section.

[0214] A time display section 71e is located below the graph. From left to right, the time display section 71e shows the recording start time of the recorded data being played, the current time of the cursor position, and the recording end time. If an acceleration impact exceeding a reference value occurs, the time of the testimony is displayed in the graph as event time 71f. To the right of the graph are a + button 71g, a back button 71h, and a - button 71i. When the + button 71g is clicked, the PC viewer expands the acceleration sensor scale, and when the - button 71i is clicked, the PC viewer reduces the acceleration sensor scale. When the back button 71h is clicked, the PC viewer returns to the standard scale.

[0215] The playlist list display section 70 displays the name of the selected data. In FIG. 12, the data name "2016 / 09 / 06 11:47:28 [48 minutes]" is displayed. In the case of continuous recording, the data name is a combination of the date and time when recording started and the recording duration. In the case of event recording, the data name is the date and time when the event occurred and the type of event occurrence. The types of event occurrence include "impact" and "sudden start / stop" based on the acceleration sensor, and "one-touch" based on the operation of the switch section 28.

[0216] The display area 62 is an area where recorded video is displayed. As described above, the drive recorder 10 of this embodiment records 360 degrees horizontally and 360 degrees vertically, for a total of 720 degrees of omnidirectional video. Therefore, the PC viewer has a function to display, for example, a portion of an omnidirectional image in the display area 62, or to display the omnidirectional video as a single image. When displaying a portion of an image, the display range, direction, etc. can be changed to display a desired range of video in any direction, such as forward / backward, left / right, or up / down, in the display area 62. The change of the display range, etc., is configured as follows.

[0217] For example, as shown in FIG. 13(a), in a state where a predetermined range ahead is displayed, the user uses a pointing device such as a mouse to perform a left-button drag operation at any position in the display area 62. When the PC viewer detects that such a left-button drag operation has been performed, it displays the image in the display area 62 so that it moves in the direction of the drag. For example, as shown by arrow 75 in FIG. 13(a), when the user drags a predetermined distance to the right in the display area 62, the PC viewer moves the displayed image to the right by the predetermined distance, and the image that was on the left outside of the display area 62 in FIG. 13(a) is drawn in the display area 62, and the image that was displayed on the right side of the display area 62 in FIG. 13(a) is no longer displayed (FIG. 13(b)). As a result, the image displayed in the display area 62 changes as if the line of sight is rotating leftward, and in the example shown, the view ahead to the left is displayed. If the dragging distance is increased or if the dragging distance is repeatedly increased in the same direction, the image displayed in the display area 62 changes to the right by the predetermined distance.

[0218] By dragging the mouse, the displayed image rotates counterclockwise horizontally around the position of the camera unit 12 of the dashcam 10, moving from the left side directly to the rear (inside the vehicle), passing through the scenery on the right, and returning to the original display orientation shown in FIG. 13(a), facing forward. By reversing the drag direction to the left, the display area 62 displays the scenery as it rotates clockwise. Shifting the image displayed right / left in this manner is like stretching a 360-degree horizontal image horizontally like a panoramic photograph, and moving the display area 62 left and right to display the image within the display area 62 (see FIG. 20). In the case of a layout with multiple areas on the screen, such as the fourth set in FIG. 11 and the second set in FIG. 19, a movement process is performed for each area in the display area 62 where an operation instruction is detected. In the following, when the term "display area 62" is used, the operation is performed by replacing it with "the area in the display area 62 where an operation instruction is detected" in the case of a layout with multiple areas.

[0219] The dragging direction is not limited to horizontal, but can be any direction within the display area 62, such as up, down, or diagonally, and the PC viewer will change the image displayed in accordance with the direction of the drag. The user can display and view the desired image by dragging the left mouse button and moving the pointer to the part they want to display.

[0220] When the mouse is right-clicked while the pointer is placed within the display area 62, the PC viewer displays the image display area menu shown in Fig. 13(b). This screen display area menu is, for example, drawn superimposed on the display area 62. This image display area menu has a layout in which an "Image Status" item that displays the current image orientation is placed at the top, and three operation items, "Restore to Normal," "Invert," and "Zoom In / Out," are placed below it. In the figure, the "Image Status" displays "Normal," which is the state in Fig. 13(a).

[0221] When "Restore to Normal" is clicked and selected, the PC viewer returns the inverted, enlarged, or reduced image to its initial display and displays the restored image in the display area 62. "Invert" has three items in its subordinate menu list: "Flip Horizontally," "Flip Vertically," and "Flip Front to Back." When "Flip Horizontally" is clicked, the PC viewer flips the displayed image horizontally (see FIG. 13(d)). When "Flip Vertically" is clicked, the PC viewer flips the displayed image vertically (see FIG. 13(e)). When "Flip Front to Back" is clicked, the PC viewer flips the displayed image front to back and displays an image rotated 180 degrees. For example, when a video captured in front of the vehicle is displayed as shown in FIG. 13(a), clicking "Flip Front to Back" displays an image of the interior of the vehicle behind the dashcam as shown in FIG. 13(f). "Zoom In / Out" has two items in its subordinate menu list: "Zoom In" and "Zoom Out." When "Enlarge" is clicked, the PC viewer will enlarge the image by 200% from the center of the displayed image (see Figure 14(a)). When "Reduce" is clicked, the PC viewer will reduce the image by 50% from the center of the display screen (see Figure 14(a)). By changing the viewing direction as needed in this way, you can check the situation while driving from all directions.

[0222] To play back recorded data, the user selects and executes the desired video list from the playlist list display section 70. In this embodiment, the videos are grouped into event recording, continuous recording, and history recording, and one of the groups is selected for playback. To do this, the user clicks on either the event recording tab 70a, the continuous recording tab 70b, or the history recording tab 70c. For example, FIG. 15 shows the state in which the event recording tab 70a has been clicked.

[0223] When the event record tab 70a is clicked, the PC viewer creates and displays a list of event record data recorded on the memory card. The user selects the video they want to view by clicking the check box 70d associated with the data name. When the relevant check box 70d is clicked, the PC viewer displays a check mark "R" in the check box 70d. This selection may be performed for multiple data items at once. When the load button 70e is clicked, the PC viewer loads the selected recorded data, displays the data name in the playlist, and displays the video in the display area 62. If multiple data items are selected, the playlist lists the multiple data names, and displays the video at the top.

[0224] The image displayed in the display area 62 while the recording is being played back is a predetermined main image. The main image is from the first set, is an image facing a desired direction, such as the front of the vehicle, and is a standard size image set as the initial display (see FIG. 17(a) and the like). The standard size may be, for example, a range of 120 degrees horizontally and 70 degrees vertically. This range corresponds to the range of angle of view adopted in a normal drive recorder, so the image is familiar to users of the normal drive recorder and allows them to obtain the same necessary information as a normal drive recorder. This main image should show the entire windshield.

[0225] In this embodiment, when the drive recorder 10 is attached to a vehicle, in the normal installation state with the camera unit 12 adjusted to the desired orientation, the first camera 26 faces directly ahead, so the main image is, for example, assumed to be captured with the center of the image taken by the first camera 26 facing directly ahead of the vehicle, and a specified area is cropped to a standard size by the first set and displayed in the display area 62.

[0226] It is also advisable to provide a function that calculates the front position when displayed on a PC viewer from the installation angle obtained when correcting the installation angle using the acceleration sensor, and sets the standard position of the displayed image to this calculated front position. This assumes that the vertical direction of the acceleration sensor and the front of the camera are parallel. Then, from the angle between the direction of gravity at installation and the vertical direction of the acceleration sensor, an angle is calculated so that the direction of gravity is directly downward, and the direction perpendicular to this direction of gravity, where the vertical direction of the acceleration sensor and the front of the camera, is determined to be the center of the displayed image. This is advantageous because, for example, even if the user accidentally installs it directly to the side instead of on the windshield, it can still detect the front from the direction of gravity and display it as the standard position.

[0227] Although specific illustrations are omitted, when the continuous recording tab 70b is clicked, the PC viewer creates and displays a list of continuous recording data recorded on the memory card. The PC viewer imports the recording data selected by the user and displays the data name in the playlist in the playlist list display section 70, while also displaying the video in the display area 62. When the trigger list display button 70f is clicked, the PC viewer displays an event trigger list 70h in the playlist in the playlist list display section 70 (see FIG. 16(b)). When an item in this trigger list 70h is clicked, the PC viewer jumps to the recorded event and plays the video. In this way, the video of the portion where the event occurred can be efficiently played back and the content can be confirmed.

[0228] Furthermore, the processes based on the play button display section 65 and the volume switch button 66 described above are also performed based on the play button 72a on the menu bar. For example, as shown in FIG. 16(d), when the play button 72a on the menu bar is clicked, the PC viewer displays a pull-down menu 72b as shown in the figure. When a desired item on the menu list 72b is clicked, the PC viewer performs the playback operation of the corresponding item. Although not specifically shown in the figures, the PC viewer has the function of displaying a pull-down menu of items that perform the above-mentioned processes based on clicking the buttons for the items "File," "View," and "Tools" on the menu bar, and performing similar processes based on the menu. [A function that displays the driver and passengers' status and the view outside the vehicle on one screen, allowing the view outside to flow smoothly]

[0229] As described above, when playback starts, a predetermined reference image is displayed, and then, by changing the viewing direction or by zooming in / out according to user operations, it is possible to view any video in all directions. For example, by zooming out to widen the angle of view, the image can be displayed in front of or behind the reference image.

[0230] It is preferable to display a rearward-facing image captured by second camera 27 by, for example, flipping the image or changing the viewing direction horizontally by 180 degrees. Such a display mode is, for example, as shown in FIG. 17(b), where the driver and the interior of the vehicle are displayed in central portion 81 of display area 62, and an image showing the scenery outside the vehicle is played back in peripheral portion 82. When zoomed out further, for example, a spherical image is displayed on a single screen, as shown in FIG. 18. Note that, as is clear from a comparison of FIG. 17(b) and FIG. 18, the subjects captured are different, and these are figures for understanding the image of the display mode due to the difference in scale.

[0231] This display mode allows the outside scenery to flow from the center to the left, right, and rear, creating an interesting image that is not normally seen. While simply looking directly ahead at the base image is a fundamental function of dashcams, the viewer is constantly focused on the scenery and vehicles ahead, making it less engaging and less entertaining. However, the display mode described above allows viewers to see scenery that would not normally be seen, which is advantageous. For example, in recent TV travel programs, footage of the driver and passengers inside the vehicle is captured using a camera mounted on the dashboard, but what is captured and displayed is the driver and passengers, and not the outside scenery; even if it is captured, it is only a glimpse of it through the rear window behind the driver and passengers. This mode displays the driver as well as passengers in the front and rear seats in the center portion 81, while the outside scenery flows to the left and right around the edges, creating an interesting effect. Furthermore, it is advantageous to simultaneously present images of entertainers having fun inside the vehicle and beautiful scenery outside to viewers in their living rooms.

[0232] Furthermore, in this display mode, the image displayed in the peripheral area 82 not only covers the scenery on the left and right sides of the vehicle, but also a wide range of scenery on both sides of the vehicle captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27. This display is characterized by displaying both the front and rear areas on a single screen. Directly behind the vehicle, the image captured by the second camera 27 appears behind the vehicle, while the outside scenery captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 appears to slide sideways and wrap around to the rear. This can also be described as, for example, a view as if there were a virtual camera outside the vehicle, or as if there were a virtual viewpoint outside the vehicle, and the vehicle were viewed from a distance, appearing transparent. In this way, scenery that would normally be invisible can be seen. [Viewer Compositing Function]

[0233] As described above, in this embodiment, two images captured by the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are stitched together to create a spherical image. The angle of view of both cameras is 210 degrees horizontally when they are fixedly mounted in their normal positions, and the peripheral areas captured by each camera are overlapping areas capturing the same scenery, etc. When these overlapping areas are superimposed, they are combined using a gradation. That is, for example, as in the second area R2 shown in Figures 8(b) and 8(c), the display becomes lighter toward the periphery in the overlapping joint area. For example, if the second area R2 is the area to be processed using gradation, the periphery is 0% and the boundary with the first area R1 is 100%, and the darkness in the middle area gradually changes. Since the resolution decreases toward the periphery, the image is made less visible, minimizing the impact on the display. Furthermore, as described above, there is a risk that the same object, such as a person, may appear as different objects in the images captured by each camera. However, applying a gradation makes this less noticeable even if they are displayed as different objects. [Mask function, etc.]

[0234] The drive recorder 10 of this embodiment, which captures and records the entire celestial sphere, also captures the driver, passengers, and other figures, as shown in FIGS. 17(b), 18(a), 19, and so on. For example, while it is fine for the scenery and the interior of the vehicle to be captured and recorded, some people may wish to avoid being captured themselves. The PC viewer of this embodiment has a masking function and a function for outputting the masked mask area 62b in a display mode that makes it less visible than the normal display area 62a. The mask area 62b that is made less visible may be set, for example, as a fixed area or may be set based on user specification. In the case of a fixed setting, it is preferable to set the mask area 62b to an area in the video that corresponds to a roughly determined area in the vehicle interior, such as near the driver's seat or near the passenger seat. Furthermore, the function for setting an arbitrary mask area 62b based on user specification can be achieved, for example, by holding still with the person to be masked in the display area 62 and specifying the position to identify the area with a mouse or the like. When a predetermined mouse button is clicked, the PC viewer stores the position and sets the inside of a shape whose vertex is the clicked position as a mask area 62b. When playing back the video, the PC viewer sets the area in the video captured by the second camera 27 that corresponds to the clicked position as a mask area, and plays back and displays the relevant area with the mask processing applied. Providing a function for setting the mask area 62b by user specification is preferable, as it allows mask processing to be applied to any area.

[0235] The display within the mask area 62b can be processed in various ways, such as mosaic processing, reducing the resolution, painting a specific color, etc. When painting a color, it is best to adjust the transparency appropriately so that the area is slightly visible rather than being completely filled with a solid color.

[0236] It is more preferable to have a function for automatically setting the mask area 62b. An example of the automatic setting function is as follows. For example, facial images of users or other people to be masked can be registered in advance, and the registered users or other people in the vehicle cabin can be recognized using image recognition or the like to set a predetermined range including their faces as the mask area. However, it is more preferable to set the mask area based on, for example, the movement speed and displacement speed within the image. For example, while the vehicle is moving, people and objects outside the vehicle move relatively fast relative to the vehicle, while people inside the vehicle move slowly. Furthermore, seats and other installed objects inside the vehicle do not move. Based on this difference in movement speed, it is preferable to set the mask area for objects within a certain speed range. This method does not require prior registration, allows masking with simple processing without image recognition, and is versatile, allowing masking even for unregistered passengers. [Specific image display function]

[0237] As described above, the PC viewer allows users to pause the video being played at any position, view it in any direction, flip it upside down, zoom in and out, and display it in any omnidirectional direction with the desired angle of view. While changing the display direction and angle of view as needed during playback can produce interesting and engaging video, it can also cause users to lose track of the direction of the currently displayed video. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a function for displaying a specific direction with a single touch. For example, clicking the "Return to Normal" item in the screen display area menu shown in FIG. 13(b) returns the display in the display area 62 to its initial display. Similarly, clicking a button or item in a specific location, such as the menu bar or any other location, can display a specific direction, such as forward, backward, left, or right, with a single touch. This function allows users to display a desired direction with a single touch, regardless of the current display direction. Furthermore, as described above, the specific direction is not a direction such as front, rear, left, or right with the dashcam at the center, but for example, when displaying the rear side, it is preferable to display a direction diagonally behind rather than directly behind. The diagonally behind should preferably be facing the driver's seat. This is preferable because it displays the situation inside the vehicle with the driver at the center. Apart from the mask function described above, it is also preferable for users who want to see themselves because it displays a self-centered image.

[0238] Furthermore, the function is not limited to the one described above of displaying a predetermined direction with a single touch operation, but in addition to, or instead of, such a function, it would be preferable to have a function that allows the range being viewed during playback to be registered in a bookmark-like manner, and then during subsequent playback, an image in the same direction and angle of view to be displayed with a single touch operation or other simple operation. [Function to display a specific direction, etc., at a specific location] A drive recorder that captures omnidirectional images like this one can widen the angle of view to capture images such as those shown in Figure 18.

[0239] One of its features is that it displays a sphere as shown in Figure 1. When the PC viewer displays a sphere like this, with the center of the circle representing the ground and the periphery of the circle representing the sky, it is a good idea to associate and store the location information, for example, by using a geomagnetic sensor, so that the viewer displays the image with north pointing up during playback.

[0240] In the above-described embodiments, the standard display displays the vehicle's bonnet at a specific position, with the view ahead of the vehicle centered while driving. In addition to this display mode, it is desirable to provide a function for displaying a specific direction (e.g., north) at a specific position (e.g., top), as described above. Displaying north at the top, for example, is preferable because it improves matching with the map. For example, while displaying a map of North Head, if a video captured by a dashcam at a corresponding location on the map is displayed side-by-side, displaying the video with north at the top also improves the correlation between the top of the video and landmarks such as buildings on the map, since the upper part of the video is north. Setting the specific direction to "north" in this way is particularly convenient for viewing together with the map. Furthermore, when preparing an accident report, for example, it is advantageous because it allows for easy description of the situation, such as "collision with a vehicle approaching from the south." It is also advantageous because it makes it easier to correlate video captured by multiple dashcams. Not only in circular displays, but also in 360-degree displays like a panoramic photograph, it is a good idea to make sure that the north side is in the designated position.

[0241] Furthermore, pointing in a specific direction is not limited to a direction; for example, it may be a destination or a specific landmark, but it is preferable to point in a direction, especially "north," as this allows for matching with the map.

[0242] Furthermore, displaying a specific direction such as "north" at the top is advantageous not only because it matches well with the map, but also because, for example, the vehicle's driving direction angle can be easily inferred from the flow of images during video playback. For example, if "north" is displayed at the top and all directions are displayed on one screen, such as in Figure 18, when traveling north, the outside scenery displayed in the peripheral area R11 on both sides of the circle will be displayed flowing from top to bottom. On the other hand, when traveling south, the scenery will flow from bottom to top, and in the east-west direction, the upper and lower parts of the circle will flow horizontally. This is advantageous because it makes it easy to understand the direction of travel from the flow of images. Furthermore, the direction displayed at the top does not have to be "north." By displaying another specific direction at the top, the vehicle's direction of travel can be determined from the flow of images.

[0243] For example, so-called sports cameras or action cameras that capture a full 360-degree view should display a subject such as a child in the center, but in the case of a dashcam, if the primary purpose is to record an accident, the subject will not be unique because it is impossible to predict where danger will come from, such as a rear-end collision with a vehicle in front, or a collision from the side or rear. Therefore, by focusing on direction and setting a specific direction (e.g., "north") to a specific position (e.g., "up"), various effects can be achieved, such as the above-mentioned "the direction of what is being captured can be seen at a glance," "the direction of travel of the vehicle can be easily inferred from the flow of images when playing back the video," "improved matching when lined up with a map," and "it becomes easier to capture correlations between footage captured by multiple dashcams and with footage captured previously of the same location." [Variations of sphere display]

[0244] For example, when a spherical display is used as shown in Figure 18, an area without an image will occur within the display area 62 outside the circular display region 62a where the image is displayed. Therefore, the PC viewer can provide an additional information display section 78 in this area without an image, and display various information in the additional information display section 78, such as the direction indicating the vehicle's traveling direction, road information such as the name of the road being traveled, and pedestrian information (see Figure 18(b)). In Figure 18(b), the additional information display section 78 is provided in the bottom left, but the position of the additional information display section 78 is arbitrary, and multiple sections may be provided. Providing multiple sections is advantageous because it allows more information to be displayed.

[0245] For example, the PC viewer performs image recognition processing on the displayed image to extract pedestrian information. When a person is extracted, the PC viewer displays text information indicating the person's presence, such as "A person was there." It is also advisable to draw a mark such as an arrow over the person displayed in the display region 62a of the display area 62 to make their location easier to understand. This is advantageous because it makes it easy to check, for example, whether a person is approaching or moving away from a vehicle. Furthermore, instead of displaying all people when they are recognized, it is advisable to use image recognition or other personal authentication to detect a specific person and then display information identifying the detected person, such as their name.

[0246] In this case, it is advisable to display people outside the vehicle and people inside the vehicle separately. For example, if the person is outside the vehicle, the presence of a person is detected and displayed to determine whether there is a risk of contact, and if the person is inside the vehicle, the person is an acquaintance, so the individual should be identified and the identified information should be notified. [Multi-screen display function]

[0247] In the above-described embodiments, the display area 62 displays one image based on one viewpoint, such as the entire spherical image or an image cut out from the entire spherical image. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to simultaneously display a plurality of different images. This is advantageous because it allows images from a plurality of different directions to be viewed, eliminating blind spots and allowing for the viewing of interesting images.

[0248] For example, as shown in FIG. 19, images of multiple different directions may be displayed in a first image display unit 76, with a view of the road ahead and in a second image display unit 77, with an image of the interior of the vehicle cabin. This configuration allows the driver and passengers to see the scenery ahead and confirm its linked state. For example, if a beautiful view is viewed and an image of the driver or passengers expressing excitement or joy is displayed, the correlation with the scenery is clear and the journey of the road trip is easy to remember. Furthermore, the first image display unit 76 and the second image display unit 77 may be the same size as shown in the figure, but it is more preferable to differentiate between the main image display unit and the sub-image display unit. By varying the size of the main and sub image display units, the image displayed in the main image display unit can be more clearly seen. When dividing the images into main and sub image displays, the main image should preferably be a frontal image showing the road ahead, and the sub image should be an image of the interior of the vehicle showing the driver and other personnel. This allocation is preferable for the drive recorder to perform its intended function. The sub image may also be displayed on the left or right side of the vehicle, for example. This is advantageous because it allows you to check accidents such as side collisions. [Automatic editing and playback function]

[0249] When a full-dome image is displayed, it appears as a circular image, as shown in Figure 18. PC viewers have a function to enlarge and project a portion of the image onto a flat surface. As mentioned above, PC viewers enlarge and reduce the full-dome image and move the display range based on user operations such as dragging the mouse or operating buttons while the image is being played. This user operation is cumbersome and troublesome, which is an issue. Therefore, it would be good to have a function that automatically cuts out and displays an appropriate portion of the full image without user operation. It would also be good to have a function that automatically changes the angle and field of view displayed on the screen during playback of the full-dome image.

[0250] For example, it would be good to have a function that automatically changes the visible range (viewport) of the image in conjunction with vehicle information. Examples of changing the range include zooming in, zooming out, and panning. For example, while driving, the area ahead is enlarged and displayed, highlighting the view that should be seen, such as Mt. Fuji.

[0251] If a viewpoint exists in the vicinity, the viewport can be automatically panned in the direction of that viewpoint for playback. This function, for example, stores the position information of the viewpoint, determines the direction of the viewpoint from the position information of the vehicle being played back, automatically moves the cutout position, and pans in that direction for playback.

[0252] Furthermore, for example, when driving on a highway, the video captured by the first camera 26 continues to display the vehicle ahead, and the scenery remains constant, especially in sections of the highway where soundproof walls are installed on both sides or in tunnels. Watching such video in the same direction can be boring and is generally not what the user wants to watch, leading to a problem that the user is not motivated to play back the video even if the video is continuously recorded. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a function that cuts out such unnecessary parts, skips, and plays back parts that are likely to be interesting. For example, if the location where the video was taken based on map information is a highway, it is desirable to skip and play back the video after exiting a highway interchange, etc. Furthermore, it is desirable to skip within registered areas, such as around one's home, without being limited to highways.

[0253] Furthermore, if the vehicle is stopped while driving, the same image continues to be captured while the vehicle is stopped, which is undesirable as the image played back may continue to display the same image like a still image during the pause. Therefore, it is possible to skip the image while the vehicle is stopped, as on a highway, and play the image from the point when the vehicle starts again. However, it is also preferable to have the image automatically rotate on the top periphery as if it were nodding its head from side to side when the vehicle is stopped while driving. When the vehicle is stopped, the driver may want to check the surroundings, so this is a good example of recreating the act of checking, and the rotation also indicates that the vehicle has been stopped.

[0254] In this way, interesting scenery or the like is automatically played back, which is advantageous as it motivates the user to play back the recorded video. It is also advantageous to have a function for recording the played back video. It is also advantageous to have a function for recording the video played back in this way, such as a viewport, as a separate video file. This allows the viewport information to be written out as a separate file and uploaded to the Internet or the like for public viewing, etc.

[0255] Also, there are television programs that alternate between showing the scenery inside a train, bird's-eye view footage taken from above the train using a drone, and the scenery outside the train. As mentioned above, if you could automatically play back interesting scenery from the footage of your journey, you could create and play footage like the television programs mentioned above, which would be great for watching after you've gone on a trip.

[0256] For example, so-called sports cameras and action cameras that capture spherical images are operated by the photographer while holding the camera in their hands, with one lens pointed at the desired subject. Therefore, even if the captured and recorded footage is played back as is, it is still the footage you want to see, and there are relatively few issues with the viewport being fixed and not being edited. In contrast, dashcams are installed in vehicles and record continuously, so there is a high risk of playing back uninteresting footage or footage that is not facing the desired direction, which can easily lead to the problems mentioned above. This solution is what we have developed. [Dashcam with display]

[0257] It is preferable that the drive recorder is provided with a display device having the functions of the PC viewer described above. In the above-described embodiment, the drive recorder does not have a display unit, and images captured by the camera are recorded on the memory card 23 and are confirmed using the PC viewer of a personal computer. However, as in this embodiment, it is preferable that the drive recorder is provided with a display device, so that images can be viewed in real time. It is preferable that the PC viewer be able to perform operations such as cutting out a part of the spherical image and moving the displayed area, or enlarging / reducing the area.

[0258] For example, if images of the sides and rear of the vehicle are displayed while the vehicle is in motion, the driver can easily see the situation around the vehicle by simply shifting their gaze slightly toward the display device while facing forward. Also, if images of the interior of the vehicle captured by the second camera 27 are displayed on the display device, the driver can easily check the condition of, for example, infants or children in the back seat, or other passengers, without having to look back. In particular, the area behind the driver's seat is difficult for the driver to directly see. However, by installing the drive recorder 10 at the center or upper part of the windshield, the situation behind the driver's seat can also be clearly captured and displayed.

[0259] Furthermore, in cases where the device does not have a zoom function like a PC viewer, for example, if the images captured by either or both of the first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are displayed in a circular shape, it is advisable to provide an additional information display section 78 in the area outside the circle to display various types of information, as shown in Figure 18(b). [Dashcam with in-car status notification function]

[0260] It is preferable to provide a function to determine the state of passengers from the image captured by the second camera 27 and to issue a notification. For example, it is preferable to determine whether an infant or child sleeping in the back seat is about to wake up or is sleeping soundly, and to issue a notification if the infant or child seems about to wake up or become fussy. This eliminates the need to periodically check the back seat, allowing the driver to concentrate more on driving.

[0261] It is also advisable to provide a function for extracting people from the image captured by the second camera 27 using image recognition processing, etc., and counting and reporting the number of passengers. This is preferable because it allows for quick confirmation of whether everyone is on board. The area behind the driver's seat is particularly difficult to see, but this is good because it allows for reliable and smooth confirmation without overlooking anything. In particular, it is preferable to be able to quickly confirm the number of passengers in vehicles with a large number of passengers, such as buses.

[0262] In this way, it is desirable to have a function that focuses on people inside the vehicle, counts them, recognizes their status, etc., and notifies the results by display or voice. Whether or not a person is inside the vehicle can be determined by, for example, performing a person recognition process within an area equivalent to the vehicle interior, or by determining the amount of movement (for example, when the vehicle is moving, the least movement is inside the vehicle, etc.), which makes it easy to distinguish between people inside and outside the vehicle. [A dashcam equipped with two cameras, only one of which captures a hemispherical area]

[0263] In the above-described embodiment, first camera 26 and second camera 27 are both cameras that capture images over a range of at least a hemisphere, but the present invention is not limited to this. One of the two cameras may be a third camera that captures images over a range of at least a hemisphere, and the other may be a fourth camera that captures images over a range narrower than the hemisphere, with the two cameras having different capture areas. The third camera may be, for example, a hemispherical camera with a full 180-degree view, and the fourth camera may be a wide-angle camera used in conventional drive recorders, for example, a wide-angle camera with a horizontal angle of 120 degrees and a vertical angle of 70 degrees.

[0264] For example, when the drive recorder is mounted and fixed to the ceiling of the vehicle, the third camera has its lens facing downward to capture an area of ​​360 degrees horizontally and 180 degrees vertically, and the fourth camera is configured to capture an area in front of the vehicle when the drive recorder is mounted on the vehicle.

[0265] Although not specifically shown in the drawings, the third and fourth cameras may be arranged in a single housing. When the third and fourth cameras are arranged in a single housing, for example, the third and fourth cameras may be arranged in a single housing such as a rectangular box having a semi-spherical portion protruding from one side thereof.

[0266] The dashcam has a housing with a hemispherical shape, with a third camera mounted in the hemispherical portion and a fourth camera mounted in the rectangular parallelepiped portion. The lens of the fourth camera is located at the apex of the hemispherical portion, and the lens of the third camera is positioned so as to be exposed on one side surface adjacent to the hemispherical portion. When the dashcam is attached to the ceiling of the vehicle via a mounting member, the hemispherical portion is positioned downward, and the side surface with the lens of the fourth camera faces directly ahead of the vehicle.

[0267] For example, the hemispherical camera constituting the third camera captures the lower half of the hemisphere, but the image of distant areas outside the vehicle is too small, making it difficult to understand the situation, for example, when an accident occurs. Furthermore, since traffic lights are located diagonally above the vehicle, there is a problem that they are often outside the capture range. Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing a fourth camera constituting the front camera, it is possible to capture areas in front of the vehicle that are difficult or impossible to capture with the third camera.

[0268] It is advisable to switch the operation of the two cameras depending on the situation. For example, while driving, the third and fourth cameras are operated to capture the hemispherical area in front of and below the vehicle, and the images captured by the two cameras are recorded simultaneously on a memory card. In this way, if an accident occurs and a collision occurs in front of the vehicle, clear and sharp images can be recorded based on the images captured by the fourth camera, just like a conventional dashcam. If a collision occurs to the side or rear of the vehicle, which is in the blind spot of the fourth camera, clear and sharp images can be recorded based on the images captured by the third camera.

[0269] Also, for example, when parking, only the third camera operates for security monitoring mode. In the spherical drive recorder, two cameras operate even when parking, but in this mode, only the third camera operates, which reduces power consumption and allows for longer recording and security monitoring. Parking can be determined, for example, by the engine being stopped, no one in the driver's seat, the handbrake being applied, the speed being 0 km, the current location being a home parking lot, etc.

[0270] While only the fourth camera may be operated while driving, it is preferable to use both the third and fourth cameras in combination, as this allows recording of the surroundings of the vehicle, particularly collisions from the side or rear. The operation of both cameras can be switched, for example, so that when traveling to a destination such as a highway, the fourth camera takes pictures of the front as a precaution in case of an accident, and when approaching the destination, the surrounding scenery is often beautiful, so the third camera may also be operated to take pictures and record the scenery.

[0271] In addition, it is also possible to operate only one of the cameras, such as using the third camera for monitoring while parking and the fourth camera for capturing images of the front while driving. This type of usage allows you to switch between images focused on the front and images focused on the area around the vehicle depending on your purpose.

[0272] It is good to send either one of the images to a smartphone or server as real-time video, as this allows for real-time monitoring. You can choose to send only one of the images, but it is good to send the image from the fourth camera while driving and the third camera while parking, for example.

[0273] The idea of ​​using one camera for security monitoring while the vehicle is parked and extending the operating time of the present embodiment may also be applied to a drive recorder that captures a full celestial sphere. In this case, for example, a wide-angle camera may be installed in place of the switch unit 28 of the drive recorder 10 to make a three-camera system, and only the wide-angle camera may be configured to operate while the vehicle is parked. [Dashcam with one camera]

[0274] In each of the above-described embodiments, a plurality of cameras are combined to capture an area wider than the area of ​​a hemisphere, but in this embodiment, a single camera is used to capture an area wider than the area of ​​a hemisphere. A 180-degree hemisphere camera is used, and it is attached and fixed to the ceiling, and the lower When photographing a hemispherical range, the following problems arise.

[0275] The resolution of the circular image obtained by capturing the image is highest in the center and lowest on the periphery. Therefore, for example, when monitoring parking, a single camera is desirable because it can capture 360 ​​degrees horizontally, but the forward view, such as the vehicle ahead, is located on the periphery of the circular image obtained by capturing the image, resulting in poor resolution. Furthermore, for example, if a camera is attached to a ceiling, it can capture the vehicle ahead and its driver in a 180-degree view, but in addition to the low resolution, it cannot capture traffic lights located above the vehicle. In particular, capturing traffic lights is essential in the event of an accident to identify the route the vehicle is traveling on and the color of surrounding traffic lights, and this presents a problem.

[0276] In this configuration, for example, a 240-degree camera is used, and one of the cameras is set facing downward to record the lower half of the celestial sphere and the area diagonally above it. This allows the single camera to record not only the vehicle ahead and the driver and passengers inside the vehicle, but also traffic lights.

[0277] If the angle is set to 210 degrees, there is a risk that the traffic light will not be captured, so the lower limit is 220 degrees. On the other hand, if the angle is increased, the traffic light can be captured reliably, but the larger the angle, the larger the area captured in the same circle, so the captured object will be smaller. If the traffic light is not captured at a certain size, the color of the signal will not be distinguishable, and there will be no point in recording it. Therefore, the upper limit is 260 degrees, which ensures an appropriate size for discrimination. A more preferable range is 230 to 240 degrees, and in this embodiment, 240 degrees is used.

[0278] Furthermore, this model is equipped with a microwave sensor and LTE communication functions. When the microwave sensor detects the approach of a vehicle, the main unit is activated. In other words, to reduce battery consumption in the vehicle, the CPU, camera, and LTE are kept in sleep mode during standby. When the microwave sensor responds, the unit is activated from sleep mode. Since it takes 5 to 10 seconds to activate, the unit is activated by the microwave sensor, and when the acceleration sensor or door opening sensor responds, the unit uses LTE to transfer images and notify the user carrying a smartphone.

[0279] Since microwave sensors react to all moving objects, in this embodiment, notifications are sent based on detection by acceleration sensors or door opening sensors to reduce the frequency of notifications. Depending on the mode setting, it is advisable to provide a function that sends real-time video to a smartphone so that a user in a remote location can check the video on their smartphone. [Other features] It is advisable to have the camera body and GPS as separate units, and to have a vehicle tracking function that allows tracking via GPS even if the camera is destroyed or stolen. In each of the above-described embodiments, the drive recorder may have a function to automatically upload video footage captured in the vicinity of a mobile speed camera to a server. It is a good idea to connect the drive recorder to an in-vehicle device such as a car navigation system and provide a function to display the images captured by the camera on the car navigation system.

[0280] In each of the above-described embodiments, the drive recorder with two cameras has the two cameras mounted in one housing, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the two cameras may be mounted in separate housings. In this case, it is preferable to mount the two cameras on the vehicle using one common mounting member. Also, it is possible to mount the two cameras mounted in separate housings separately.

[0281] The cameras may be attached to the vehicle using a mounting member and linked via a cable or wireless communication, but in order to orient the two cameras in the desired positional relationship, it is better to attach them to the vehicle using a single common mounting member, and it is even more preferable to mount them in a single housing in the desired positional relationship in advance, as in the above-mentioned embodiment. [Application to ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems)]

[0282] When using images captured by a drive recorder 10 that captures a 360-degree view or images captured by a camera that captures a 360-degree view in ADAS processing, the following problems arise. For example, when using the images for lane departure warning, since there are two 360-degree images, it is necessary to identify which lane the vehicle should avoid deviating from. Furthermore, since the 360-degree camera captures images of not only vehicles and traffic lights in front but also vehicles and traffic lights on the sides and behind, it is necessary to identify the target ADAS area, for example, which traffic light is in front.

[0283] Therefore, for example, the camera can be fixed and its orientation can be made unmovable, similar to the drive recorder 10, so that the position captured is fixed. When the camera is installed in the vehicle, the part to be used by the ADAS is set so that it does not overlap the joints between multiple cameras.

[0284] Another configuration is to have the camera not fixed but adjustable in direction. The area of ​​the windshield and the vehicle interior are estimated from moving parts in the image (parts with optical flow) and stationary parts such as pillars. The area to be used by ADAS is extracted from the area of ​​the windshield. An area to be used for detecting whether the user is dozing or looking away from the vehicle interior may also be extracted. Also, in the case of the drive recorder, the point with the highest resolution (for example, the center) is facing forward, but it would be better to have it facing in the direction of the white line, for example. [Installed outside the vehicle]

[0285] In the above-described embodiment, a camera is provided inside the vehicle cabin, but it is also possible to provide the following configuration in addition to providing a camera inside the vehicle cabin, or alternatively, to provide a camera outside the vehicle without providing a camera inside the vehicle cabin: It is preferable to provide a hemispherical camera that captures images of the outside of the vehicle (preferably a camera that can capture an area in a full circle of more than 180 degrees, particularly a camera that can capture an area in a full circle of more than 210 degrees).

[0286] In particular, it is preferable to install the camera on the side of the vehicle facing outward, or on the side of the vehicle facing downward. For example, it is preferable to install such a camera on the side mirror so that it captures the downward view from the underside of the side mirror. In particular, it is preferable to install such a camera on the side of both the left and right sides of the vehicle.

[0287] The installation position is not limited to this, and it is advisable to install such a camera in at least one of the four corners (front right, front left, rear right, rear left) when viewing the vehicle from above (the front left is especially desirable) (and it is especially advisable to install it in all four corners). In particular, it is advisable to install it at the part of the vehicle body where the front and side meet so as to capture the outside from the vehicle side. In this case, it is advisable to set the shooting direction of the center of the camera to be more than 45 degrees outward to the side of the vehicle relative to the straight-ahead direction. In other words, it is advisable to install it so that the area of ​​the captured image is larger from the side than from the front.

[0288] These cameras make it easier than ever to check whether the vehicle will run over a curb, fall into a gutter, fall into a ravine, or hit a guardrail. This is particularly effective when passing or stopping to avoid oncoming vehicles on narrow roads such as mountain roads, or when parking as close to the left as possible.

[0289] It is especially beneficial to install the camera so that the area around the tires is included in the shooting range. It is also beneficial to install the camera so that the area seen from the driver's seat is included in the small mirror installed below the conventional left side mirror. These small mirrors have the problem of being small and difficult to see, especially at night, but this solves this problem.

[0290] In particular, if cameras are installed at the front or rear end of the vehicle, as in the four corners mentioned above, when the vehicle enters the roadway from an area surrounded by walls on one side (or especially both sides), it is possible to easily check a wide area with fewer cameras to see the situation of bicycles, pedestrians, etc. coming from the left and right.

[0291] It is also preferable to have a function to change the display range of the omnidirectional camera in response to a user's instruction. It is also preferable to have a function to enlarge the area of ​​the omnidirectional camera image displayed on the display screen where a touch is detected. It is particularly preferable to move the touched position to the center of the display area of ​​the screen and draw it.

[0292] In the above-described embodiment, the omnidirectional camera is fixed, but it may be provided with a mechanism for changing the shooting direction of the omnidirectional camera based on the user's operation. For example, a remotely controllable electric camera platform or the like may be attached to the vehicle, the camera may be fixed to the platform, and the shooting direction may be changed by remotely controlling the platform.

[0293] Although three operations, "double press," "long press," and "short press," are detected as the state of switch unit 28 and the respective processes are performed, it is preferable to assign the functions of "double press," "long press," and "short press" to different switches. For example, as described above, switch unit 28 may be provided below camera unit 12, and similar switches may be provided on the left and right side surfaces, with the function of "double press" assigned to the right switch and the function of "long press" assigned to the left switch.

[0294] While various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments and modifications, it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are provided to aid in understanding the present invention and are not intended to limit its scope. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations expressly described in the specification, but also encompasses combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. While the configurations of the present invention sought to be patented are specified in the claims attached to this application, it is hereby expressly stated that configurations not currently specified in the claims but disclosed herein may be claimed in the future. The applicant intends to obtain rights to such portions and combinations through amendments, divisional applications, conversions to design applications, etc.

[0295] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the structures explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. The structures of the present invention that are sought to be patented are specified in the appended claims, but it is the intention of the present inventors to claim structures disclosed in this specification in the future, even if they are not currently specified in the claims.

[0296] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments. The components of each of the above-described embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment or variation may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the Summary of the Invention or any component embodying any component described in the Summary of the Invention. The present invention also intends to obtain rights to these configurations through amendments or divisional applications of the present application. Even if a description is made of "in the case of..." or "when...," it is not intended to describe a configuration limited to that case or time. Configurations that are not limited to those cases or times are also disclosed, and the present invention intends to obtain rights to them. Furthermore, any descriptions that specify an order are not limited to this order. Configurations in which some parts are deleted or the order is changed are also disclosed, and the present invention intends to obtain rights to them.

[0297] In addition, although the drawings depict the entire device in solid lines, they also include partial designs claimed for a portion of the device. For example, a partial design may be a partial design for a part of the device, or a partial design may be included for a part of the device regardless of the part. A partial design may be a part of the device, or a part of that part. [Explanation of symbols]

[0298] 2. Windshield 3 Pillar 4. Dashboard 10. Live Recorder 11 Main body 12 Camera Section 13 Main unit case 25 cabinets 26 First Camera 27 Second Camera 28 Switch section 50 Angle adjustment mechanism 60 display screen 62 display area 62b Mask area

Claims

1. The system has a function of issuing a notification based on the state of a vehicle approaching a predetermined position behind the vehicle in an image including the rear side of the vehicle, The predetermined position is set based on the area in the displayed image that is touched by the user's finger. A system characterized by:

2. a notification based on a state in which a rear vehicle is approaching a predetermined position in an image including the rear side of the vehicle, the notification being made by a sound indicating that the rear vehicle is approaching too close; The predetermined position is set based on the area in the displayed image that has been touched by the user's finger, and the predetermined position is set to a position in the displayed image that issues an alarm because the vehicle behind is too close. The system of claim 1 .

3. a notification by sound indicating that the vehicle behind is meandering, as the notification based on the state of the vehicle behind approaching a predetermined position in the image including the rear side of the vehicle; The predetermined position is set based on the area in the displayed image where the user's finger has touched, and the predetermined position is set at a position in the displayed image where the vehicle behind is not considered to be meandering.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

4. The function of determining the area in the displayed image that has been touched by the user's finger as the area that has been traced by the user's finger until the user inputs a completion instruction is provided.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

5. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a function of notifying an instruction for inputting a completion instruction from the user of the touch of the user's finger within the displayed image.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which has a function of issuing multiple different types of notifications based on the approach of a rear vehicle to a specified position within an image including the rear side of the vehicle, and a function of recording different time ranges for each of the types.

7. A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images