System and program

Abstract

To provide a recording control system for controlling recording of behavior information of a vehicle, and a display control system for displaying the recorded behavior information of the vehicle.SOLUTION: A recording control system that performs control for recording behavior information of a vehicle over a predetermined period and specification information for specifying a time point at which a predetermined condition is satisfied in association with each other, the recording control system comprising: In a case where there is an overlapping period between the first period of vehicle behavior information already recorded and the second period of vehicle behavior information to be recorded when a predetermined condition is newly satisfied, the vehicle behavior information over the first period and the vehicle behavior information over the second period are recorded as vehicle behavior information over a series of periods, and identification information for identifying a point in time at which the predetermined condition is newly satisfied is recorded in association with the identification information recorded in association with the first period. Accordingly, it is possible to easily specify the behavior information of the vehicle required by itself from the behavior information of the vehicle over a series of periods.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording control system that controls the recording of vehicle behavior information, and a display control system and program that displays the recorded vehicle behavior information. [Background technology]

[0002] In-vehicle recording devices, such as drive recorders (including those called event data recorders), that record surrounding images and vehicle speed when a vehicle is subjected to an impact due to sudden braking, sudden steering, a collision, etc., have become commonplace. By installing such a drive recorder in a vehicle, it is possible to verify the cause of an accident by analyzing the recorded information when an accident occurs.

[0003] There are also driving support devices that collect driving information such as camera images, vehicle speed, and GPS (Global Positioning System) location information recorded by drive recorders installed in commercial vehicles such as trucks and taxis, and allow operations managers to check the content of the driving information, analyze the driving methods of each driver, and use the information in driving education for drivers. Such driving support devices can improve drivers' awareness of safe driving and can also use video recordings of daily driving conditions to provide safe driving guidance.

[0004] The drive recorder described in Patent Document 1 is configured so that if a new recording condition is met within a predetermined period after a recording condition is met, the drive recorder will not start recording new video information. Furthermore, if a new recording condition is met during a video information recording period that is longer than the predetermined period after a recording condition is met, the drive recorder extends the recording time of the video information. This prevents the same video information from being recorded redundantly on a recording element with limited capacity when recording conditions are met consecutively within a short period of time.

[0005] In the drive recorder described in Patent Document 2, when a new recording condition is established after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after a recording condition is established, if the start point of recording of the video data established under the new recording condition is before the end point of recording established under the previous recording condition, the recording time of the video data established under the previous recording condition is extended to the end point of recording established under the new recording condition. This makes it possible to record video data continuously without any gaps, even if the recording conditions are established consecutively within a certain period of time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4439549 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2007 / 066613 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the drive recorder described in Patent Document 1, if a new recording condition is established after the recording period for video information has ended after a recording condition is established, the video information is recorded as a separate recording data file. This creates the problem that a new data file is recorded each time a new recording condition is established, resulting in an increase in the number of data files. Furthermore, if a new recording condition is established within a predetermined period after a recording condition is established, new video information recording is not initiated. This means that the recorded data for that period may be lost, potentially resulting in important video information being missed.

[0008] Furthermore, in the drive recorder described in Patent Document 2 above, if the video data at the time when a new recording condition is met is the data that is truly desired rather than the video data at the time when the previous recording condition was met, there is little information available to identify the time when the recording condition was met. Therefore, for example, in the above driving assistance device, when an operations manager or the like searches for the times when a large number of recording conditions are met and tries to find the time when a specific recording condition is met, it is difficult to search for the time when the new recording condition is met, and it is difficult to find the data that is truly desired.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above, and aims to provide a recording control system that can easily identify the vehicle behavior information that one needs from vehicle behavior information over a series of periods, and a display control system that can easily identify the vehicle behavior that one needs from vehicle behaviors within a specified period. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a recording control system that controls the recording of vehicle behavior information over a predetermined period of time in association with identification information that enables the time point at which the predetermined condition was satisfied when the predetermined condition is satisfied, wherein, when there is an overlap between vehicle behavior information over a first period that has already been recorded and vehicle behavior information over a second period that is to be recorded when the predetermined condition is newly satisfied, the recording control system records the vehicle behavior over the first period and the vehicle behavior over the second period as vehicle behavior information over a series of periods, and associates and records identification information that enables the time point at which the predetermined condition was newly satisfied with the identification information that has been recorded in association with the first period.

[0011] In the recording control system according to the first aspect described above, multiple pieces of identification information are recorded in association with vehicle behavior information over a series of periods, so that the vehicle behavior information required can be easily identified from the vehicle behavior information over a series of periods based on the multiple pieces of identification information.

[0012] In the recording control system according to the first aspect, multiple pieces of identification information are recorded in association with vehicle behavior information over a series of periods, so that, for example, based on the multiple pieces of identification information, it is possible to easily identify and use the vehicle behavior information that one needs from among a large number of "vehicle behavior information over a series of periods."

[0013] Furthermore, it is also possible to easily identify and use vehicle behavior information that oneself needs, for example, by taking into consideration the correlation of the points in time when a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied in a series of periods. For example, based on the correlation (for example, whether or not it has occurred) of the points in time when a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied in a series of periods, such as a rear-end collision following an abrupt turn, followed by a dragging motion with acceleration equivalent to that of the abrupt turn, oneself can easily identify vehicle behavior information that oneself needs from a large number of series of vehicle behavior information.

[0014] Furthermore, it is also possible to identify the vehicle behavior information that oneself needs based on the number of times that a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied in a series of time periods, for example. For example, it is possible to sequentially extract vehicle behavior information spanning a series of time periods that includes a large number of pieces of identification information, and easily analyze, for example, the movement of the vehicle behavior information, the identification information, and the vehicle behavior information at the time points identified by the identification information.

[0015] The time when the predetermined condition is satisfied may be, for example, when the value (magnitude) of acceleration (G data) detected by an acceleration sensor mounted on the vehicle becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, when a value detected inside the vehicle matches a preset value, when a predetermined switch is operated by the user, or when any of several predetermined conditions is satisfied. Furthermore, the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied may be, for example, when an event equivalent to an accident occurs. For example, it may be when a sudden deceleration equivalent to a collision occurs.

[0016] In addition, if there is an overlap between the recording period of the above-mentioned series of periods and the recording period of vehicle behavior information spanning another period that is recorded when another specified condition is met, multiple pieces of identification information may be recorded that enable the vehicle behavior information for the series of periods and the other period and the points in time when each specified condition was met to be identified, respectively.

[0017] For example, in an example of a configuration in which identification information is recorded for the time when a specified condition is satisfied for the first time (which does not overlap with the previous period) and the time when a specified condition is satisfied for the second time (which overlaps with the previous period), if the ``vehicle behavior information for a first period that has already been recorded'' is defined as vehicle behavior information for the first period (which does not overlap with the previous period) that was recorded when the specified condition was satisfied for the first time, ``vehicle behavior information for a second period that will be recorded when a specified condition is satisfied for the first time'' corresponds to vehicle behavior information for the second period (which overlaps with the first period) that was recorded when the specified condition was satisfied for the second time, and ``vehicle behavior information for a series of periods'' is controlled to be recorded as vehicle behavior information for a series of periods that continues across the first period and the second period.

[0018] Furthermore, in an example of a configuration in which identification information for a third time point is recorded in addition to the identification information for the first and second time points described above, if the "second period to be recorded when a new specified condition is met" is the third period, then the "vehicle behavior information for the first period that has already been recorded" corresponds to vehicle behavior information for the first and second time points, and the "vehicle behavior information for a series of periods" is controlled to be recorded as vehicle behavior information for a series of periods that continues across the first, second, and third time points.

[0019] Furthermore, in an example of a configuration in which the identification information for the fourth time point is recorded in addition to the identification information for the first to third time points described above, the "vehicle behavior information for the first period that has already been recorded" is set as the vehicle behavior information for the first to third time points, and the "second period to be recorded when a predetermined condition is newly satisfied" is set as the fourth time point, and by controlling the recording in the same manner as above, the vehicle behavior information for a series of periods that continues from the first to fourth time points is recorded. The same may be done for the fifth time point and thereafter.

[0020] The "time when a predetermined condition is satisfied" and the subsequent "time when a new predetermined condition is satisfied" may be, for example, two or more consecutive times within a short period of time. Specifically, they may be times when impacts are applied to the vehicle consecutively, such as a collision immediately after a sudden turn.

[0021] The identification information is information used to identify the point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and may be, for example, time information as in the configuration of the eleventh aspect.

[0022] The vehicle behavior information may be, for example, acceleration information detected by an acceleration sensor mounted on the vehicle, vehicle position information detected from a GPS receiver, speed information detected by a speed sensor mounted on the vehicle, or video information captured around the vehicle.

[0023] For example, assume that acceleration information is recorded at 10 millisecond (ms) intervals and position information is recorded at 0.2-second (200 ms) intervals. This vehicle behavior information is recorded as a series of (vehicle behavior information) data (e.g., in one file) for, for example, 10 seconds before and 5 seconds after a predetermined condition is satisfied. Thereafter, if a new predetermined condition is satisfied, for example, 7 seconds after the aforementioned predetermined condition is satisfied, processing is performed to record the subsequent (vehicle behavior information) data from the end of the previously closed file, as in the configuration of the ninth aspect. Alternatively, for example, as in the configuration of the tenth aspect, processing may be performed to identify a position in the previous file 2 seconds before the new predetermined condition was satisfied (i.e., the time when the previous file was closed) and record the subsequent (vehicle behavior information) data from that position. Furthermore, if a new predetermined condition is satisfied within 10 seconds after the previous predetermined condition was satisfied (i.e., within the set recording time before the predetermined condition was satisfied), processing may be performed to record the subsequent (vehicle behavior information) data in a similar manner.

[0024] Furthermore, it is preferable that the vehicle behavior information over the series of periods can be recorded multiple times. That is, vehicle behavior information over a predetermined period that does not overlap with the period can be recorded as vehicle behavior information over a different predetermined period (e.g., a different series of vehicle behavior information). In this way, it is possible to easily identify the vehicle behavior information over a series of periods that the user needs from the vehicle behavior information over multiple series of periods. For example, by focusing on differences in the length of the periods or on the associations between the multiple pieces of identification information included in the vehicle behavior information over each series of periods, it is possible to easily find which vehicle behavior information over a series of periods corresponds to the vehicle behavior information over the series of periods that the user needs. It is also possible to identify the vehicle behavior information over a predetermined period that the user needs by comparing the vehicle behavior information over a series of periods with vehicle behavior information that does not span a series of periods. As described above, the vehicle behavior information that the user needs can be easily identified from the vehicle behavior information over a series of periods that the user needs in this way based on the multiple pieces of identification information.

[0025] In a second aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the recording control system according to the first aspect, the series of periods is a series of periods that continues from the start of the first period to the end of the second period.

[0026] In the recording control system according to the second aspect, it is possible to easily identify the vehicle behavior information that one needs from the vehicle behavior information spanning a series of periods that continues from the start of the first period to the end of the second period. Furthermore, for example, by providing a configuration in which the playback and display of vehicle behavior information starts from the start of the first period and continues until the end of the second period, it is possible to analyze vehicle behavior information over the entire specified period when specified conditions are met.

[0027] In a third aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the recording control system according to the first or second aspect, the predetermined period differs depending on the type of the predetermined condition.

[0028] In the recording control system according to the third aspect, the length of the predetermined period can be varied depending on the type of predetermined condition. For example, the recording period (time) of the vehicle behavior information to be recorded when the predetermined condition is satisfied can be made longer for types that require a long time and shorter for types that only require a short time, and the length of the recording period (time) of the vehicle behavior information can be made different depending on the type of predetermined condition.

[0029] The types of predetermined conditions may be, for example, (1) when a predetermined switch operation is performed by the user, (2) when the value (magnitude) of acceleration (G data) detected by a G sensor mounted on the vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to an impact (crash), etc., (3) when a signal is input from an external port, or (4) when a command is received via communication (e.g., RS-232C) from an external device such as an AVM-ECU.

[0030] In a fourth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to third aspects, a plurality of pieces of identification information within the series of periods are recorded in association with each other, and a plurality of pieces of identification information within the series of periods are recorded in a manner that allows them to be distinguished from a plurality of pieces of identification information outside the series of periods.

[0031] In the recording control system according to the fourth aspect, multiple pieces of identification information within the series of periods and multiple pieces of identification information outside the series of periods are recorded in a distinguishable manner, so that the two can be searched separately and displayed separately on a display device.

[0032] In a fifth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, vehicle behavior information within the series of periods corresponding to each of a plurality of pieces of identification information is recorded in an identifiable manner.

[0033] In the recording control system according to the fifth aspect, it is possible to identify vehicle behavior information within a series of periods based on multiple pieces of identification information, and it is also possible, for example, to separate and extract the behavior information of each identified vehicle.

[0034] In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a recording control system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the vehicle behavior information for the series of periods is recorded in one data file.

[0035] In the recording control system according to the sixth aspect, vehicle behavior information over a period of time is collected into a single data file, making data management easier. For example, vehicle behavior information over a period of time can be easily moved or copied to another recording medium or recording device, or loaded into a personal computer (PC). For example, it is preferable to record the information as "vehicle behavior information over a series of periods" in one data file.

[0036] In a seventh aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the recording control system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the vehicle behavior information and the identification information are recorded in one data file.

[0037] In the recording control system according to the seventh aspect, the vehicle behavior information and the identification information are collected into a single data file, facilitating data management. For example, vehicle behavior information for a series of periods can be easily moved or copied to another recording medium or recording device, or loaded into a personal computer (PC). For example, information serving as a mark may be added to vehicle behavior information as identification information and recorded. Specifically, behavior type information may be recorded as a mark to vehicle behavior information such as time, position (latitude, longitude), X acceleration (front-rear direction of the vehicle), Y acceleration (left-right direction of the vehicle), Z acceleration (up-down direction of the vehicle), and vehicle speed. For example, behavior type information may be "0" to indicate "no behavior occurred," "1" to indicate "X acceleration exceeded (i.e., a predetermined condition was met)," "2" to indicate "Y acceleration exceeded," and so on.

[0038] In an eighth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the identification information is recorded in a data file separate from a data file that records the vehicle behavior information so that the relationship between the two can be identified.

[0039] In the recording control system according to the eighth aspect, the data file for recording the identification information and the data file for recording the vehicle behavior information are separate data files, so the identification information and the vehicle behavior information can be managed separately. For example, it is easy to move or copy only the identification information or only the vehicle behavior information to another recording medium or recording device, or to load it into a personal computer (PC).

[0040] In a ninth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, following the end of the vehicle behavior information recorded in the first period, vehicle behavior information of the second period that is a continuation of the end of the vehicle behavior information is recorded.

[0041] In the recording control system according to the ninth aspect, the vehicle behavior information for the second period is recorded following the end of the vehicle behavior information recorded for the first period, and therefore the vehicle behavior information over a series of periods can be recorded as vehicle behavior information without any gaps or overlaps.

[0042] In a tenth aspect, the present invention provides a recording control system according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, which identifies a point in the second period that coincides with the end point of the first period, and records the vehicle behavior information from that point onwards following the vehicle behavior information for the first period.

[0043] In the recording control system according to the tenth aspect, a point in the second period that coincides with the end point of the first period is identified, and vehicle behavior information from that point onwards is recorded consecutively to the vehicle behavior information for the first period, so that vehicle behavior information spanning a series of periods can be recorded as vehicle behavior information without any missing data or overlaps.

[0044] In an eleventh aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, the identification information is time information indicating the time when the specified condition is satisfied, and the time when the vehicle behavior information occurred is recorded in a manner that allows identification.

[0045] In the recording control system according to the eleventh aspect, the occurrence time of vehicle behavior information can be identified based on time information at a point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied. For example, it becomes possible to grasp the occurrence time of each piece of vehicle behavior information in a series of vehicle behavior information over a period of time in chronological order.

[0046] In a twelfth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, the identification information is time information from a reference point in time to a point in time when the specified condition is satisfied, and the time of occurrence of the vehicle behavior information is recorded in a manner that allows identification.

[0047] In the recording control system according to the twelfth aspect, the occurrence time of vehicle behavior information can be identified based on time information from a reference time point to a time point when a predetermined condition is satisfied. For example, it is possible to grasp the occurrence time of each piece of vehicle behavior information in the vehicle behavior information over a series of time periods in chronological order as the elapsed time from the reference time point. The reference point in time may be, for example, the start time of a series of periods, and the time elapsed from this start time to the point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0048] In a thirteenth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a recording control system according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects, the vehicle behavior information is information repeatedly acquired at predetermined time intervals, and the time at which the predetermined condition is satisfied is a time that coincides with one of the predetermined time intervals.

[0049] In the recording control system according to the thirteenth aspect, when vehicle behavior information is repeatedly acquired at predetermined time intervals, the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied can be made to coincide with the time when the vehicle behavior information was acquired. Therefore, it becomes possible to acquire the vehicle behavior information as information at the time specified by the identification information (i.e., the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied). For example, if the vehicle behavior information is location information calculated by a GPS (Global Positioning System) at one-second intervals, and the time at which a specified condition is satisfied is 0.6 seconds after the time at which the location information from the GPS is acquired, then the specified condition may be satisfied at the time at which the location information from the GPS is acquired, and that time information may be generated as identification information, for example.

[0050] In a fourteenth aspect, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the recording control system according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects.

[0051] In a fifteenth aspect, the present invention provides a display control system characterized by displaying information based on a plurality of vehicle behaviors within a predetermined period regarding the points in time when a predetermined condition was satisfied, identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information, based on vehicle behavior data recorded in association with the predetermined period and in which the vehicle behavior information over the predetermined period is recorded when a predetermined condition is satisfied and a plurality of pieces of identification information that enable identification of the points in time when the predetermined condition was satisfied and that are recorded in association with the predetermined period.

[0052] In the display control system according to the fifteenth aspect, information based on multiple vehicle behaviors within a specified period of time at the point in time when the specified conditions identified by each of the multiple pieces of identification information are satisfied is displayed, so that the vehicle behavior that the driver requires can be easily identified from the vehicle behaviors within the specified period of time based on the information based on the multiple vehicle behaviors. For example, by analyzing or searching multiple pieces of identification information, it is possible to easily find multiple vehicle behaviors at times when a desired predetermined condition is satisfied from among the times when multiple predetermined conditions are satisfied.

[0053] In the recording control system according to the fifteenth aspect, information based on a plurality of vehicle behaviors within a predetermined period of time at a point in time identified by a plurality of pieces of identification information is displayed, so that, for example, based on information based on a plurality of vehicle behaviors within a predetermined period of time, it is possible to easily identify and use the vehicle behavior that one requires from, for example, a large number of "vehicle behaviors within a predetermined period of time."

[0054] Furthermore, it is also possible to easily identify and use a vehicle behavior that one desires by taking into consideration the correlation of the points in time when a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied within a predetermined period of time. For example, based on the correlation (e.g., whether or not the collision occurred after a sudden turn, followed by a dragging motion with acceleration equivalent to that of the sudden turn) of the vehicle within a predetermined period of time when a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied, it is possible to easily identify a vehicle behavior that one desires from among a large number of predetermined vehicle behaviors.

[0055] Furthermore, it is also possible to identify a desired vehicle behavior based on the number of times that a plurality of predetermined conditions are satisfied during a predetermined period. For example, it is possible to sequentially extract vehicle behaviors over a predetermined period that have a large amount of identification information, and easily analyze the movement of the vehicle behavior, the identification information, and the vehicle behavior at the time points identified by the identification information.

[0056] By verifying the vehicle behavior using such a display, it is possible to easily analyze and search for the time course and details of the vehicle behavior. Furthermore, for example, such a display may be configured so that each item is displayed and searched for individually for each item, or searched for using the logical sum or logical product of multiple items. Furthermore, it is also possible to display events at the time when the recording conditions are met in a table format, for example, by displaying them in a list or table format.

[0057] For example, if the vehicle behavior information includes start time information, and the identification information is the elapsed time from the start time of the behavior information, the elapsed time itself should not be displayed, but the time obtained by adding the elapsed time to the start time should be displayed.

[0058] In a sixteenth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the display control system according to the fifteenth aspect, a selection display unit is provided which selectably displays one vehicle event data including the plurality of pieces of identification information from among a plurality of vehicle event data, and displays information based on a plurality of vehicle events within the predetermined period at a time point when a predetermined condition specified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information is satisfied based on the selected vehicle event data.

[0059] In the display control system according to the sixteenth aspect, one vehicle event data can be selected from a plurality of vehicle event data using the selection display unit, and information based on a plurality of vehicle events can be displayed for a time point identified by a plurality of pieces of identification information based on the selected vehicle event data.

[0060] In a seventeenth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the display control system according to the sixteenth aspect, the selection display unit displays information on a time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information included in the vehicle event data for each selectable unit of vehicle event data.

[0061] In the display control system according to the seventeenth aspect, information on a time point identified by each of a plurality of pieces of identification information is displayed on the selection display unit for each selectable unit of vehicle behavior data, so that information on a time point that satisfies the desired specified conditions can be easily found from the information on these identified times.

[0062] In an 18th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the 15th to 17th aspects, the information on the identified time point includes type information indicating the type of the specified condition at the time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information.

[0063] In the display control system according to the eighteenth aspect, it is possible to know the type of the predetermined condition at the time specified by each of the plurality of pieces of specifying information, based on the type information indicating the type of the predetermined condition. For example, among the points in time identified by each of the multiple pieces of identification information, (a) the first point in time may indicate that the value (magnitude) of acceleration (G data) has exceeded a predetermined value due to a collision or the like, and (b) the second point in time may indicate that a switch operation has been performed.

[0064] In a 19th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the display control system according to the 18th aspect, the type information is displayed on the selection display unit in a different display mode for each time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information based on the type information.

[0065] In the display control system according to the 19th aspect, the type information of the predetermined condition is displayed in a different display mode at each time on the selection display unit, so that the desired vehicle behavior data can be easily selected from the plurality of vehicle behavior data based on the type of the predetermined condition displayed on the selection display unit. For example, the selection display section may display the first type of information (characters indicating the type, such as a collision) in yellow font, with a solid fill, and with a yellow background, and the second type of information (characters indicating the type, such as a switch) in green font, with a solid fill, and with a green background.

[0066] In a twentieth aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the fifteenth to seventeenth aspects, the vehicle event data includes time information indicating the time of a point in time identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information.

[0067] In the display control system according to the twentieth aspect, it is possible to know the time of the point in time specified by each of the plurality of pieces of specifying information, based on the time information.

[0068] In a 21st aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the display control system according to the 20th aspect, the selective display unit displays the time in a different display mode for each point in time identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information based on the time information.

[0069] In the display control system according to the 21st aspect, the time is displayed in a different display mode for each point in time on the selection display unit, so that the desired vehicle behavior data can be easily selected from among a plurality of vehicle behavior data based on the time displayed on the selection display unit. For example, the selection display section may display the first time (the number indicating the time) in yellow font, filled in, or against a yellow background, and the second time (the number indicating the time) in green font, filled in, or against a green background.

[0070] In a 22nd aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the 16th to 21st aspects, when one of the vehicle event data is selected, a series of vehicle event information spanning the predetermined period based on the selected vehicle event data is displayed in a state in which vehicle event information corresponding to a time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information can be identified.

[0071] In the display control system according to the 22nd aspect, a series of vehicle behavior information based on selected vehicle behavior data can be visually distinguished at a glance from the vehicle behavior information corresponding to the time points identified by each of the multiple pieces of identification information. For example, vehicle behavior information corresponding to a specific point in time in a series of vehicle behavior information, for example, a camera image (thumbnail image) corresponding to a specific point in time in a series of multiple camera images (thumbnail images) taken around the vehicle over a predetermined period of time, may be displayed with a yellow line or a yellow frame. In addition, a series of vehicle behavior information other than the above-mentioned camera images, such as acceleration information, vehicle position information, and vehicle speed information, may be displayed as acceleration data or speed data in a graph, or the position may be displayed on a map, and vehicle behavior information corresponding to a specified time point may be displayed in a graph or map by drawing a line in a different color from the other time points, or by marking the time point specified by each of the multiple pieces of identification information with a dot or mark.

[0072] In a 23rd aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the display control system according to the 22nd aspect, among the series of vehicle behavior information, vehicle behavior information corresponding to a time point identified by each of the plurality of identification information and vehicle behavior information that does not correspond are displayed in different display modes.

[0073] In the display control system according to the twenty-third aspect, it is possible to visually distinguish at a glance between vehicle event information that corresponds to a time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information and vehicle event information that does not correspond. For example, vehicle behavior information corresponding to the identified time point may be displayed with a yellow line, frame, dot, mark, etc., and vehicle behavior information that does not correspond may be displayed either without any display or with a green line, frame, dot, mark, etc.

[0074] In a 24th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in the display control system according to the 22nd or 23rd aspect, among the series of vehicle behavior information, vehicle behavior information corresponding to a time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information is displayed in a different display mode for each of the identified times.

[0075] In the display control system according to the 24th aspect, the vehicle behavior information corresponding to the time point identified by each of the multiple pieces of identification information is displayed in a different display mode for each identified time point, so that the vehicle behavior information can be distinguished and visually recognized at a glance for each identified time point. For example, vehicle behavior information corresponding to a first point in time may be displayed using yellow lines, frames, dots, marks, etc., and vehicle behavior information corresponding to a second point in time may be displayed using green lines, frames, dots, marks, etc.

[0076] In a 25th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the 22nd to 24th aspects, vehicle behavior information corresponding to a time point identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information is displayed in order of the time point that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0077] In the display control system according to the 25th aspect, the vehicle behavior information corresponding to the time points identified by each of the multiple pieces of identification information is displayed in the order of the time points at which the predetermined conditions were satisfied, so that the order in which the vehicle behavior information occurred at each time point can be easily understood.

[0078] In a twenty-sixth aspect, the present invention provides a display control system according to any one of the twenty-second to twenty-fifth aspects, wherein the series of vehicle event information includes image information relating to a vehicle event.

[0079] In the display control system according to the twenty-sixth aspect, image information relating to the vehicle behavior can be visually recognized as a series of vehicle behavior information. The image information may be, for example, a camera image of the surroundings of the vehicle taken by a camera installed in the vehicle.

[0080] In a 27th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the 16th to 26th aspects, first information to be displayed on the selective display unit based on each piece of identification information of a plurality of pieces of identification information included in the selected one of the vehicle behavior data, and second information to be displayed on a display unit other than the selective display unit based on each piece of identification information of the plurality of pieces of identification information, are displayed in the same display mode, with the first and second information based on identification information that identifies the same point in time among the plurality of pieces of identification information.

[0081] In the display control system according to the 27th aspect, the first and second information based on the identification information that identifies the same point in time are displayed in the same display manner on the selection display unit and the display unit other than the selection display unit, so that the first and second information at the same point in time can be distinguished and visually recognized at a glance within the entire display unit including the selection display unit and the display unit other than the selection display unit. For example, first information based on the identification information identifying the first time point (e.g., type information indicating the type of predetermined condition) may be displayed in yellow font, filled in, or with a yellow background on the selection display unit, and second information based on the identification information identifying the same first time point (e.g., vehicle behavior information such as image information) may be displayed in yellow lines, frames, dots, marks, etc. on a display unit other than the selection display unit. Similarly, first and second information based on the identification information identifying the second time point may be displayed in green or the like on the selection display unit and a display unit other than the selection display unit.

[0082] In a 28th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the 15th to 27th aspects, information at a point in time identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information is displayed in a manner that allows identification of a time series of changes in behavior data included in vehicle behavior information over the specified period.

[0083] In the display control system according to the twenty-eighth aspect, information at a specified time point is displayed so that the time series of changes in behavior data can be specified, making it easy to understand the behavior data at the specified time point. For example, it is advisable to display specific points in time with dots (marks) or vertical lines on the time axis (horizontal axis) of a time chart that displays changes in behavior data such as G data and vehicle speed data in chronological order.

[0084] In a 29th aspect, the present invention is characterized in that, in a display control system according to any one of the 15th to 28th aspects, the vehicle behavior data includes position information indicating the vehicle position at a time identified by each of the plurality of pieces of identification information, and based on the position information, a corresponding position on a map corresponding to the position information is displayed.

[0085] In the display control system according to the twenty-ninth aspect, the vehicle position on the map at a specified time point is displayed based on the position information, so that the vehicle position at a specified time point can be easily grasped.

[0086] In a thirtieth aspect, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the display control system according to any one of the fifteenth to twenty-ninth aspects. [Effects of the Invention]

[0087] According to the recording control system and display control system of the present invention, it is possible to easily identify the vehicle behavior information that one needs from vehicle behavior information over a series of periods, and it is also possible to easily identify the vehicle behavior that one needs from vehicle behavior within a specified period. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0088] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a driving assistance system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing the data structure of the contents recorded on the memory card 25. [Figure 3] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating how acceleration changes when a predetermined condition is met and a method for storing images and the like according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a storage process of the drive recorder according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a process of creating and displaying thumbnail images according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of creating and displaying a time chart image according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing a process of creating and displaying a map image according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a screen display diagram showing an example of a display mode of thumbnail images and the like according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for storing images and the like according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for thumbnail images and the like. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0089] A display control system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various changes, modifications, and improvements may be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0090] [Example 1] <Driver assistance system configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a driving assistance system according to a first embodiment of a display control system of the present invention.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 1, the driving assistance system is composed of a drive recorder 10 mounted on a vehicle, a memory card 25 that stores images when predetermined conditions are met in the drive recorder 10, and a driving assistance device 30 that plays back the images stored in this memory card 25.

[0092] The drive recorder 10 includes a first control unit 11, an acceleration sensor (G sensor) 12, a gyro sensor 13, an air pressure sensor 14, a GPS antenna 15, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 16 that determines the GPS position information of the vehicle from the GPS signal received by the GPS antenna 15, a first operation unit 17 that includes switches, buttons, etc., a first memory 18 for temporarily storing images, a first IF (interface) 19 that has a slot for inserting a memory card 25 and is used for writing images to the memory card 25, a CCD camera 20 installed in the vehicle to continuously capture images in front of the vehicle at a predetermined rate, a vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, and a power supply unit 22 for supplying power to each element of the drive recorder 10.

[0093] The drive recorder 10 may also be configured to work in conjunction with a navigation device (not shown) so that images can be played back on the display of the navigation device. Furthermore, although the GPS receiver 16 is not necessarily a required component, it may be configured to acquire location information received by an external device, such as an AVM (Automatic Vehicle Monitoring) system or a navigation device.

[0094] The first control unit 11 is configured with a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and controls the overall operation of the drive recorder 10.

[0095] The G sensor 12 detects gravitational acceleration (hereinafter simply referred to as acceleration) in two mutually orthogonal axis directions (X-axis and Y-axis), and transmits the detected acceleration (also referred to as G data) together with time data to the first control unit 11. The first control unit 11 can acquire the G data (Gx, Gy) output from the G sensor 12 at intervals of, for example, 10 milliseconds, and determine the value (magnitude) of the acceleration from the G data.

[0096] Note that Gx represents acceleration in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction of the vehicle) and Gy represents acceleration in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction of the vehicle). The G-sensor 12 may be a three-axis sensor that also includes the Z-axis direction (up-down direction of the vehicle), or it may not be necessary to use data on the acceleration Gz in the Z-axis direction.

[0097] The gyro sensor 13 detects the angular acceleration (rotation) of the vehicle, mainly detects changes in the direction of travel of the vehicle (i.e., rotation about the yaw (Z axis) which is the vertical axis), and transmits the detected angular acceleration data together with time data to the first control unit 11. The first control unit 11 can acquire the angular acceleration data output from the gyro sensor 13 at intervals of, for example, 10 milliseconds, and determine the value (magnitude) of the angular acceleration from the angular acceleration data.

[0098] The atmospheric pressure sensor 14 detects the atmospheric pressure outside the vehicle, calculates the altitude based on the detected atmospheric pressure value, and transmits the atmospheric pressure value and altitude value (atmospheric pressure / altitude data) together with time data to the first control unit 11. The first control unit 11 can acquire the atmospheric pressure / altitude data output from the atmospheric pressure sensor 14 at intervals of, for example, 10 milliseconds, and determine the values ​​(magnitudes) of the atmospheric pressure and altitude from the atmospheric pressure / altitude data.

[0099] The first control unit 11 controls the CCD camera 20 to capture one image every 100 milliseconds and to store the captured images together with time data in the first memory 18 in a sequential and cyclical manner (primary storage for storage in the memory card 25, described later). For example, the first memory 18 is configured to always store image data for 24 seconds' worth of images (240 images) captured by the CCD camera 20. Note that the number of images captured by the CCD camera 20 may not be one every 100 milliseconds, but may be one every 50 milliseconds, for example. The CCD camera 20 may also be configured to store moving images captured by the CCD camera 20.

[0100] The vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 is connected to the vehicle's fault diagnosis connector, acquires various vehicle signals and information (vehicle data) at intervals of, for example, 100 milliseconds, and transmits the acquired vehicle data together with time data to the first control unit 11. Examples of the vehicle data include: [1] a signal detecting a brake operation while driving the vehicle; [2] a signal detecting a turn signal operation; [3] a signal detecting an accelerator operation; [4] a signal detecting a steering wheel rotation; [5] a signal detecting a shift lever position; [6] a signal detecting a parking brake operation; [7] vehicle fault diagnosis information (vehicle speed, engine RPM, coolant temperature, etc.) obtained from an on-board vehicle diagnostic system (OBD) in the vehicle; and [8] various vehicle information obtained via an on-board LAN (CAN) (e.g., various function control data from the vehicle's ECU (Electronic Control Unit), communication data from an external network or other vehicles).

[0101] As an example, when the vehicle signal acquiring unit 21 acquires a signal that detects a brake operation, it transmits brake operation data indicating whether or not the brakes of the vehicle have been operated, brake operation start time data indicating the time when the brake operation started, and brake operation end time data indicating the time when the brake operation ended to the first control unit 11. That is, based on the brake operation data, brake operation start time data, and brake operation end time data from the vehicle signal acquiring unit 21, the first control unit 11 can determine whether or not a brake operation has been performed, the time when the brake operation started, and the time when the brake operation ended.

[0102] As another example, when the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 acquires a signal that detects steering wheel rotation, it transmits steering wheel rotation data indicating whether the steering wheel of the vehicle has been rotated, steering wheel rotation start time data indicating the time when the steering wheel rotation started, and steering wheel rotation end time data indicating the time when the steering wheel rotation ended to the first control unit 11. That is, based on the steering wheel rotation data, steering wheel rotation start time data, and steering wheel rotation end time data from the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, the first control unit 11 can determine whether the steering wheel has been rotated, the time when the steering wheel rotation started, and the time when the steering wheel rotation ended.

[0103] Note that some or all of the GPS antenna 15, GPS receiver 16, first IF 19, CCD camera 20, vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, etc. may be configured separately from the drive recorder 10. For example, when linked with an existing navigation device having a GPS function, the drive recorder 10 does not need the function of the GPS receiver 16, etc., and therefore the cost of the drive recorder 10 can be kept low accordingly.

[0104] The driving assistance device 30 has a second control unit 31, a display unit 32 consisting of a display or the like, an output unit 33 consisting of a printer or the like that prints the display screen on paper, a second operation unit 34 consisting of input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, a second memory 35 for temporarily storing images, a second IF (interface) 36 that includes a slot for inserting a memory card 25 and for reading images from the memory card 25, and an image processing unit 37 for performing predetermined image processing on the input image.

[0105] The second control unit 31 is a personal computer (PC) that includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. and has driving assistance software installed. It interprets and executes the programs included in the driving assistance software to operate each component of the driving assistance device 30, thereby realizing various functions related to the characteristic parts of the present invention.

[0106] The memory card 25 is a rewritable, nonvolatile semiconductor memory card with a storage capacity of 2 GB. This memory card 25 is inserted into a slot constituting the first IF 19, and stores predetermined images (e.g., images for 10 seconds before and 5 seconds after the predetermined condition is met) that are constantly and cyclically stored temporarily in the first memory 18 for a predetermined period before and after the predetermined condition is met. Thereafter, the memory card 25 is ejected from the slot constituting the first IF 19 and reinserted into the slot constituting the second IF 36, and outputs the stored images to the driving assistance device 30.

[0107] Although a semiconductor memory card is used as the memory card 25, the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of semiconductor memory, portable hard disks (HDs), and other storage media can be used. The storage capacity of the memory card is arbitrary and can be freely determined depending on the application.

[0108] When a predetermined condition is met (i.e., when an event that should be recorded by the drive recorder 10 occurs), specifically, when (a) an impact is applied to the vehicle due to the occurrence of sudden braking, abrupt steering, a collision, or other event (phenomenon) equivalent to the occurrence of an accident, and the value (magnitude) of the G data output from the G sensor 12 provided inside exceeds a predetermined threshold, or when (b) the emergency switch of the first operating unit 17 is pressed, the drive recorder 10 detects this as the meeting of a predetermined condition and acquires various data for several to several tens of seconds before and after that point (for example, 10 seconds before and 5 seconds after) together with data on the time when the predetermined condition was met, and records this as one piece of driving information on the memory card 25.

[0109] The driving information recorded on the memory card 25 includes G data output from the G sensor 12, angular acceleration data output from the gyro sensor 13, atmospheric pressure and altitude data output from the atmospheric pressure sensor 14, GPS position information measured by the GPS receiver 16, camera image data captured by the CCD camera 20, and various vehicle signals and information acquired by the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 (detection data such as braking operation and steering wheel rotation, vehicle speed data, etc.).

[0110] The drive recorder 10 records various driving information data in the memory card 25 in association with each of a plurality of camera images taken within a period of several to several tens of seconds (for example, 10 seconds before and 5 seconds after) before and after the occurrence of an event that should be recorded and a predetermined condition is met.

[0111] <Memory card data structure> Next, the data structure of the content recorded on memory card 25 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing the data structure of the content recorded on memory card 25.

[0112] As shown in Fig. 2, memory card 25 records corresponding driving information, classified as driving information 1, driving information 2, and driving information 3, for each occurrence of a predetermined condition. Driving information 1 is composed of 150 camera images 1-150 corresponding to 15 seconds before and after (10 seconds before and 5 seconds after) the occurrence of the predetermined condition, and image-related information including other driving information other than the camera images. The image-related information includes main item data including G data and time data when the predetermined condition is satisfied, and related data 1-150 corresponding to each of the 150 camera images 1-150. The same applies to driving information 2 and 3.

[0113] The main item data includes G data, angular acceleration data, air pressure and altitude data, and the respective time data, while the image-related data includes the date and time the camera image was taken, various vehicle signals and information at the time the camera image was taken (detection data for braking operations, steering wheel rotation, etc., vehicle speed data, etc.), and the vehicle's GPS location information.

[0114] <Method of storing acceleration changes and images when predetermined conditions are met> Next, referring to Figures 3 and 4, we will explain how the acceleration (G data) detected by the G sensor 12 (see Figure 1) of the drive recorder 10 changes when a predetermined condition is met, such as when an impact is applied to the vehicle, and how images, etc. are stored in the drive recorder 10.

[0115] FIG. 3(a) shows the time-series change in the G data (composite value of Gx and Gy) output from the G sensor 12, FIG. 3(b) and FIG. 3(c) show examples of image periods to be stored each time a predetermined condition is met, FIG. 3(d) shows an example of an image period to be stored as one file on the memory card 25, and FIG. 3(e) shows an example of the timing of selecting an image that will be the basis for the thumbnail image to be created. The creation and display of thumbnail images will be described later. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the recording process of the drive recorder.

[0116] For example, if a driver makes an abrupt steering maneuver and is then rear-ended immediately thereafter, as shown in Figure 3(a), (1) first, from the point at which the sudden steering maneuver causes an impact on the vehicle, the value (magnitude) of the G data output from the G sensor 12 increases sharply from almost zero, and (2) next, as a result of the rear-end collision, an impact is again applied to the vehicle, causing the value (magnitude) of the G data to increase sharply.

[0117] 3A, (1) first, at time tp1 when the value (magnitude) of the G data from the G sensor 12 suddenly increases, when the value (magnitude) of the G data reaches a threshold acceleration Gs (e.g., 0.3 G), the first control unit 11 determines (judges) that a predetermined condition is met (YES in step S11 of FIG. 4), and further determines whether a "predetermined time" (described later) has elapsed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met (step S12 of FIG. 4). If it determines that the predetermined time has elapsed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met (YES in step S12), the first control unit 11 stores the image captured by the CCD camera 20 and temporarily stored in the first memory 18 as new data (a new data file) on the memory card 25 (step S13 of FIG. 4), and simultaneously stores the time data (TP1) of time tp1 on the memory card 25 as the time data at the time the predetermined condition was met.

[0118] 3(b), image PA1 for TA seconds before time tp1, image PB1 for TB seconds after time tp1, and time data (TP1) of time tp1 are controlled to be stored as new data files in memory card 25. For example, TA can be 10 seconds and TB can be 5 seconds.

[0119] The periods TA and TB can be set freely. For example, while the set time (seconds) is displayed on a setting screen (not shown) of the drive recorder 10, the time can be set by operating the time setting button of the first operation unit 17 of the drive recorder 10, and the set information can be saved, thereby allowing the time to be set to any desired period.

[0120] (2) Next, at time tp2, when the value (magnitude) of the G data increases sharply “7 seconds after” time tp1, which is the time when the specified condition was previously satisfied, similarly, when the value (magnitude) of the G data of the G sensor 12 reaches the threshold acceleration Gs (e.g., 0.3 G), the first control unit 11 again determines (judges) that the specified condition is satisfied (YES in step S11 of Figure 4), and further determines whether a “specified time” has elapsed since the specified condition was previously satisfied (step S12 of Figure 4). It is determined that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met (NO in step S12), and the image captured by the CCD camera 20 and always temporarily stored in the first memory 18 is stored in the memory card 25 as data continuing from the previous vehicle behavior data (one data file continuing from the previous data file) (step S14 in FIG. 4), and at the same time, the time data (TP2) of time tp2 is stored in the memory card 25 as the time data at which the predetermined condition was met.

[0121] Specifically, if, at time tp2, a "predetermined time" has elapsed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met, control is performed so that image PA2 taken for TA seconds before time tp2, image PB2 taken for TB seconds after time tp2, and time data (TP2) for time tp2 are stored as new data files on memory card 25, as shown in Figure 3(c). However, in this case (i.e., when a predetermined time has not passed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met), as shown in Figure 3(d), image PA1[a] for TA seconds before time tp1, time data TP1[b] for time tp1, and image PB1[c] for TB seconds after time tp1 are stored, and further, following the end of image PB1, partial image PA2a[d] continuing from the end (te1) of image PB1, excluding the portion of image PA2 for TA seconds before time tp2 that overlaps with image PB1, time data TP2[e] for time tp2, and image PB2[f] for TB seconds after time tp2 are stored, and [a] to [f] are stored as a single data file.

[0122] In other words, in this case, this single data file stores images spanning a continuous series of periods from the start of TA seconds before time tp1 (time ts1) to the end of TB seconds after time tp2 (time te2), as well as time data TP1 for time tp1 and time data TP2 for time tp2.

[0123] As described above, if a new specified condition is met before a specified time has elapsed since the previous specified condition was met, such as when (1) the driver makes an abrupt steering maneuver and (2) the vehicle is rear-ended immediately afterwards, the system stores the end of image PB1 for TB seconds after the previous specified condition was met (tp1), followed by a partial image PA2a that continues from the end of image PB1 (te1) for TA seconds before the new specified condition is met (tp2).

[0124] Note that the above-mentioned "predetermined time," i.e., the time from the point in time when the previous predetermined condition was met [time tp1] to the point in time when the next predetermined condition is met [time tp2], is within the sum (e.g., 15 seconds) of the TB seconds after time tp1 (e.g., 5 seconds) and the TA seconds before time tp2 (e.g., 10 seconds), and there is an overlap between the TA seconds after time tp1 and the TB seconds before time tp2. In other words, this is the case when the end (time te1) of the TB seconds after time tp1 coincides with the start (time ts2) of the TA seconds before time tp2, or when time te1 is earlier than time ts2.

[0125] Next, the first control unit 11 determines whether or not an end signal has been received by turning off the ACC switch or power switch (not shown) in the first operation unit 17 (step S15 in FIG. 4), and if an end signal has been received (YES in step S15 in FIG. 4), it performs end processing (S16) and ends the series of processes. If an end signal has not been received (NO in step S15 in FIG. 4), it repeatedly executes steps S12 to S14 in FIG. 4.

[0126] When an event such as an impact to the vehicle occurs and the value (magnitude) of the G data detected by the G sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, each time a predetermined condition is satisfied (an event occurs), the first control unit 11 stores, in the memory card 25, (a) image data and (b) time data (TP1, TP2) at the time (time) when the predetermined condition is satisfied, (c) the G data (Gx, Gy) detected by the G sensor 12 and its time data, (d) angular acceleration data detected by the gyro sensor 13 and its time data, (e) atmospheric pressure and altitude data from the atmospheric pressure sensor 14 and its time data, and (f) vehicle data and its time data acquired by the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 for TA seconds before times tp1 and tp2 and TB seconds after times tp1 and tp2 (e.g., brake operation data and its time data, steering wheel rotation data and its time data, vehicle speed data and its time data, etc.). Note that the memory card 25 may be configured to store only a portion of the above-described data.

[0127] The number of events (number of times a predetermined condition is satisfied) stored in memory card 25 can be varied depending on the storage capacity of memory card 25, but it is preferable that data for 500 or more events be stored. Furthermore, except for the case where the timing at which it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied occurs multiple times in succession within a predetermined time as described above, first control unit 11 preferably creates a data file in memory card 25 each time a predetermined condition is satisfied, and stores image data, time data (TP1, TP2, ...) at the timing at which the predetermined condition is satisfied, G data (Gx, Gy) from G sensor 12 and its time data, angular acceleration data and its time data, atmospheric pressure / altitude data and its time data, and vehicle data and its time data.

[0128] In addition, when the above-mentioned predetermined condition is met, the predetermined condition is met when the threshold acceleration Gs is exceeded. However, for example, it may be determined that the predetermined condition is met when the amount of change in acceleration per unit time exceeds a certain value (when the value (magnitude) of the G data changes by 0.1 G or more in 0.1 seconds).

[0129] <Thumbnail image creation and display processing> Next, the creation and display processing of thumbnail images in the driving assistance device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In this example, the creation and display processing operation of thumbnail images relating to a series of vehicle behaviors in the case where a predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time will be described.

[0130] 5 is a flowchart showing the creation and display processing of thumbnail images according to the first embodiment, and this creation and display processing of thumbnail images is realized by the CPU executing a control program loaded from an HDD or the like into the RAM of the second control unit 31 of the driving assistance device 30, and is started based on an operation to start the driving assistance software by the second operation unit 34. Also, it is assumed that the memory card 25 on which images are stored in the drive recorder 10 is inserted into the second IF 36 constituting a slot at the time the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0131] In step S21, the second control unit 31 acquires, from the data stored in the memory card 25, the time data (TP1, TP2) of the point in time (time) when a predetermined condition is met.

[0132] In the next step S22, the second control unit 31 selects a plurality of images taken at a plurality of different timings from the images PA1, PB1, PA2a, and PB2 taken in the periods before and after the times tp1 and tp2 shown in FIG. 3(d).

[0133] Specifically, this control program selects, from among images PA1, PB1, PA2a, and PB2 taken in the period before and after times tp1 and tp2 shown in Figure 3(d), image P1 taken at time ts1, which is TA seconds (e.g., 10 seconds) before time tp1 shown in Figure 3(e), as the "first image," then sequentially selects images P2-7 taken at predetermined intervals after time ts1 as the "second to seventh images," and selects image P8 taken at time tp1 as the "eighth image," then selects images P9-11 taken at predetermined intervals after time tp1 as the "ninth to eleventh images," and selects image P12 taken at time tp2 as the "twelfth image." Furthermore, the control program selects images P13 to P15 taken at predetermined intervals after time tp2 as the “13th to 15th images,” and finally selects image P16 taken at time te2, TB seconds (e.g., 5 seconds) after time te2, as the “16th image.” The second control unit 31 controls the selection of the 1st to 16th images from images PA1, PB1, PA2a, and PB2 in accordance with this control program.

[0134] The image intervals between images P2 to P7, 9-11, and 13-15 selected as the "second to seventh, 9-11, and 13-15th images" other than the first, eighth, 12th, and 16th images (images P1, P8, P12, and P16) captured at times ts1, tp1, tp2, and te2 can be set to, for example, about 1.25 to 1.75 seconds, but an optimal value can be selected depending on the application. For example, while the set time (seconds) is displayed on a setting screen (not shown) of the driving support device 30, the time can be set by operating the time setting button of the second operation unit 34 of the driving support device 30, and the set information can be saved, thereby setting an arbitrary time.

[0135] In the next step S23, the second control unit 201, in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 201, causes the image processing unit 37 to perform image processing to create 1st to 16th thumbnail images from the "1st to 16th images" (P1 to P16) selected in step S22.

[0136] To create thumbnail images from the selected first through sixteenth images, for example, the original first through sixteenth images are subjected to image processing to reduce the size of the original images. Other than image reduction, thumbnail images may be created by performing other predetermined image processing, such as enlarging the selected first through sixteenth images or cropping a portion of the image. Furthermore, the selected first through sixteenth images may be used as thumbnail images without any image processing.

[0137] In the following step S24, the second control unit 31, in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 31, causes the image processing unit 37 to perform image processing to superimpose color lines, letters, marks, etc. onto the eighth and twelfth thumbnail images created in step S23 at times tp1 and tp2 (i.e., the times when predetermined conditions are met). For example, in the eighth thumbnail image, a yellow horizontal line is superimposed on the bottom of the image and yellow text is superimposed on the top right of the image. Also, in the twelfth thumbnail image, a green horizontal line is superimposed on the bottom of the image and green text is superimposed on the top right of the image. The text to be displayed is colored text such as "impact" or "switch" that indicates the type of predetermined condition.

[0138] In the next step S25, the second control unit 31, in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 31, causes the display processing unit 38 to perform display processing for displaying the first to sixteenth thumbnail images created in step S24 on the display unit 32. Specifically, as will be described later, the thumbnail images are arranged in a matrix structure and displayed as a list on the same screen. This completes the process of creating and displaying thumbnail images relating to a series of vehicle behaviors in the case where the predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time period.

[0139] <Creating and displaying time chart images> Next, the creation and display processing of a time chart image in the driving assistance device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In this example, the creation and display processing operation of a time chart image relating to a series of vehicle behaviors in the case where a predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time will be described.

[0140] 6 is a flowchart showing the creation and display process of a time chart image according to the first embodiment, and this creation and display process of a time chart image is realized by the CPU executing a control program loaded from an HDD or the like into the RAM of the second control unit 31 of the driving assistance device 30, and is started based on an operation to start the driving assistance software by the second operation unit 34. It is also assumed that the memory card 25 on which images are stored in the drive recorder 10 is inserted into the second IF 36 constituting a slot at the time the process of the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0141] In step S31, the second control unit 31 acquires, from the data stored in the memory card 25, the time data (TP1, TP2) of the point in time (time) when a predetermined condition is met. In the next step S32, the second control unit 31, in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 31, causes the image processing unit 37 to perform image processing to superimpose dots, vertical lines, characters, etc. on the time axis of the time chart image.

[0142] For example, the time series change of acceleration value (G data) is displayed on the time axis of a time chart image, which is displayed graphically using a line graph, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the magnitude of G data. A yellow dot and a yellow vertical line are superimposed at the corresponding position based on the time data (TP1), and yellow text is also superimposed.Similarly, a green dot and a green vertical line are superimposed at the corresponding position based on the time data (TP2) on the time axis of the time chart image, and green text is also superimposed.

[0143] In the following step S33, the second control unit 31 causes the display processing unit 38 to perform display processing to display the time chart image processed in step S32 on the display unit 32 in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 31. This completes the process of creating and displaying a time chart image relating to a series of vehicle behaviors in the case where the predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time period.

[0144] <Map image creation and display processing> Next, the process of creating and displaying a map image in the driving assistance device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In this example, the process of creating and displaying a map image relating to a series of vehicle behaviors in the case where a predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time will be described.

[0145] 7 is a flowchart showing the process of creating and displaying a map image according to the first embodiment, and this process of creating and displaying a map image is realized by the CPU executing a control program loaded from an HDD or the like into the RAM of the second control unit 31 of the driving assistance device 30, and is started based on an operation to start the driving assistance software by the second operation unit 34. It is also assumed that the memory card 25 on which an image is stored in the drive recorder 10 is inserted into the second IF 36 constituting a slot when the process of the flowchart shown in FIG.

[0146] In step S41, the second control unit 31 acquires, from the data stored in the memory card 25, the time data (TP1, TP2) of the point in time (time) when a predetermined condition is met. In the next step S42, the second control unit 31 acquires GPS position information (GPS position data) at the time of the time data (TP1, TP2) acquired in step S41.

[0147] In the following step S43, the second control unit 31 causes the image processing unit 37 to perform image processing to superimpose arrows, letters, etc. on the map image in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 31. For example, a yellow arrow and yellow text are superimposed on the road map at a position based on the GPS position data at time data (TP1).Similarly, a green arrow and green text are superimposed on the road map at a position based on the GPS position data at time data (TP2).

[0148] In the following step S44, the second control unit 31 causes the display processing unit 38 to perform display processing to display the map image processed in step S43 on the display unit 32 in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM within the second control unit 31. This completes the process of creating and displaying a map image relating to a series of vehicle behaviors in the case where the predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time period.

[0149] <Example of thumbnail image display> Next, one aspect of a display image displayed on the display unit 32 of the driving support device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a screen display diagram showing an example of a display aspect of thumbnail images and the like according to the first embodiment. The display mode of thumbnail images illustrated in Figure 8 shows a state in which thumbnail images relating to a series of vehicle behaviors when a predetermined condition is met twice within a predetermined time are displayed on the display unit 32 of the driving assistance device 30.

[0150] 8, a screen 41 displayed on the display unit 32 displays a playlist section 42, a thumbnail image section 43, a time chart section 44, and a map section 45. In addition, the screen 41 also displays acceleration information (G data), speed information (speed per hour), and location information (latitude and longitude) at the time the displayed image was captured.

[0151] In the playlist section 42, file numbers 46 that distinguish driving information files recorded each time one or more predetermined conditions are satisfied are displayed in a list together with predetermined condition type characters 47, such as "impact" or "switch." Also, if a single driving information file contains two or more points in time at which a predetermined condition is satisfied, type characters for all of those points in time are displayed. One driving information file can be selected from the multiple driving information files displayed in the playlist section 42, and the second selected driving information file is displayed surrounded by a thick frame 48 to distinguish it from the other non-selected driving information files.

[0152] The second selected driving information file has two instances where the specified condition was met, and the type of the first specified condition is displayed in yellow text 49 as "Impact 1," and the type of the second specified condition is displayed in green text 50 as "Impact 2." The fifth driving information file has three instances where the specified condition was met, and the types of the first to third specified conditions are displayed in text of different colors (for example, yellow text, green text, and blue text).

[0153] Note that "Impact 1" indicates that the type of the first predetermined condition is "when an impact is applied to the vehicle," and "Impact 2" indicates that the type of the second predetermined condition is "when an impact is applied to the vehicle." Note that if the type of predetermined condition is "when the emergency switch is pressed," it will be displayed as "switch," etc.

[0154] A thumbnail image created from a camera image included in a driving information file selected in the playlist section 42 is displayed in the thumbnail image section 43 described below, and when another driving information file is selected in the playlist section 42, the display switches to display another thumbnail image created from a camera image included in the selected driving information file.

[0155] The thumbnail image section 43 displays a thumbnail image created from a camera image included in the second driving information file selected in the playlist section 42. When another driving information file is selected in the playlist section 42, the playlist section 42 switches to display another thumbnail image created from a camera image included in the selected driving information file.

[0156] Sixteen thumbnail images 51 (M1 to M16) arranged in a matrix structure of four rows vertically and four columns horizontally are displayed on the same screen in a list in the thumbnail image section 43. These 16 thumbnail images 51 (M1 to M16) were created from images P1 to P16 shown in Fig. 3(e), and are displayed arranged in chronological order of when they were taken, from the top left to the bottom right of the screen 41 (that is, from left to right within one row, and the rightmost thumbnail image is followed by the leftmost thumbnail image in the row below).

[0157] Of the 16 thumbnail images M1 to M16, thumbnail images M8 and M12 at times tp1 and tp2 when a predetermined condition is met are displayed with colored horizontal lines and colored characters to distinguish them from the other thumbnail images. At time tp1, thumbnail image M8 displays a yellow horizontal line 52 and yellow letters 53 indicating the type of predetermined condition "Impact 1," and thumbnail image M12 displays a green horizontal line 54 and green letters 55 indicating the type of predetermined condition "Impact 2."

[0158] The time chart section 44 displays a time chart, such as a line graph, showing the time series changes in acceleration values ​​(G data) obtained from the image-related information included in the second driving information file selected in the playlist section 42, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the magnitude of the G data. Specifically, on the horizontal axis of the time chart, at the time when the predetermined condition is met for the first time, a yellow dot 56 and a yellow vertical line 57 are displayed, along with yellow text 58 indicating the type of predetermined condition, "Impact 1." Similarly, at the time when the predetermined condition is met for the second time, a green dot 59 and a green vertical line 60 are displayed, along with green text 61 indicating the type of predetermined condition, "Impact 2."

[0159] The map section 45 displays the position at the time when the predetermined condition is met on a road map based on the vehicle's GPS position information obtained from the image-related information included in the second driving information file selected in the playlist section 42. Specifically, a yellow arrow 62 and yellow text 63 indicating the type of predetermined condition, "Impact 1," are displayed on the road map at the corresponding position at the time when the predetermined condition is met for the first time. Similarly, a green arrow 64 and green text 65 indicating the type of predetermined condition, "Impact 2," are displayed on the road map at the corresponding position at the time when the predetermined condition is met for the second time.

[0160] 8, 16 thumbnail images are displayed, but the number of thumbnail images to be displayed is not limited to this, and other numbers can be selected. Also, the elements to be displayed can be any of the thumbnail images, the G data time chart, and the map, or can be displayed together with other elements (such as a vehicle speed time chart).

[0161] As described above, the driving assistance device 30 of the first embodiment has the following advantages. (1) The time data at which the specified condition is met multiple times is recorded in association with the vehicle behavior over a series of periods in which the specified condition is met multiple times. Therefore, the vehicle behavior at the time the specified condition is met can be easily identified based on the time data at which the specified condition is met multiple times. For example, by associating the vehicle behavior over a series of periods in which two predetermined conditions are met, such as a sudden steering maneuver followed immediately by a rear-end collision that causes an impact to the vehicle, the vehicle behavior at each point in time can be easily identified based on the time data at which the two predetermined conditions are met, and the vehicle behavior information that the driver needs can be easily identified and used from among the many ``vehicle behaviors over a series of periods.''

[0162] (2) As shown in the display mode of thumbnail images in FIG. 8, the playlist section 42 displays a list of the file numbers of the driving information files and the type characters of all the times when the specified conditions were met. This allows the user to check the number of times the specified conditions contained in one driving information file were met and the type of the conditions, and easily select one driving information file from among multiple driving information files. In addition, since the type of predetermined condition is displayed in characters of a different color each time a predetermined condition is met, it is possible to distinguish the different times from the color information. Furthermore, by determining the order by color in advance, for example, the color of the first time point is "yellow," the next "green," and the next "blue," it is also possible to distinguish the order of the times when the predetermined conditions are met from the color information.

[0163] (3) As shown in the display mode of thumbnail images and the like in FIG. 8, in the thumbnail image section 43, of the 16 thumbnail images M1 to M16, thumbnail images M8 and M12 at times tp1 and tp2, when a predetermined condition is met, are displayed with a yellow or green horizontal line and predetermined condition type characters, so that thumbnail images M8 and M12 at the time when the predetermined condition is met can be distinguished at a glance from thumbnail images at times other than when the predetermined condition is met. Furthermore, the thumbnail images M8 and M12 at the time when different predetermined conditions are met are displayed with horizontal lines of different colors and predetermined condition type characters, so that the two can be distinguished at a glance.

[0164] Furthermore, the colors (yellow and green) of the horizontal lines and the predetermined condition type characters displayed in the thumbnail images M8 and M12 are the same colors (yellow and green) as the predetermined condition type characters displayed in the playlist section 42, so that images of the same color are those at the time when the same predetermined condition was met, and the thumbnail images at the time when the same predetermined condition was met and the predetermined condition types displayed in the playlist section 42 can be distinguished at a glance.

[0165] (4) As shown in the display mode of thumbnail images in Figure 8, the time chart section 44 displays yellow or green dots, vertical lines, and letters indicating the type of predetermined condition on the horizontal axis of the time chart at the time when the predetermined condition is met, so that the G data at the time when the predetermined condition is met on the horizontal axis of the time chart can be easily grasped. Furthermore, on the horizontal axis of the time chart, different colored dots, vertical lines, and letters indicating the type of predetermined condition are displayed at the points in time when different predetermined conditions are met, so that the two can be distinguished at a glance.

[0166] Furthermore, the colors (yellow and green) of the dots, vertical lines, and predetermined condition type characters displayed on the horizontal axis of the time chart are the same colors (yellow and green) as the predetermined condition type characters displayed in the playlist section 42, so that since the same colored displays represent the time when the same predetermined condition is met, the dots, vertical lines, and predetermined condition type characters in the time chart section 44 at the time when the same predetermined condition is met can be distinguished at a glance from the predetermined condition types displayed in the playlist section 42.

[0167] (5) As shown in the display mode of thumbnail images, etc., in FIG. 8, the map section 45 displays the position on the road map at the time when the specified condition is met by displaying a yellow or green arrow and a character representing the specified condition type, so that the position on the road map at the time when the specified condition is met can be easily grasped. Furthermore, on the road map, different colored arrows and predetermined condition type characters are displayed at the positions where the different predetermined conditions are met, so that the two can be distinguished at a glance.

[0168] Furthermore, the colors (yellow and green) of the arrows and predetermined condition type characters displayed on the road map are the same colors (yellow and green) as the colors of the predetermined condition type characters displayed in the playlist section 42, so that since the same color displays indicate the time when the same predetermined condition was met, the arrows and predetermined condition type character colors in the map section 45 at the time when the same predetermined condition was met can be distinguished at a glance from the predetermined condition types displayed in the playlist section 42.

[0169] [Example 2] In this second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, (1) first, an impact is applied to the vehicle due to a sudden steering operation, causing a sudden increase in the value (magnitude) of the G data, (2) then, due to a rear-end collision, an impact is applied to the vehicle again, causing a sudden increase in the value (magnitude) of the G data, and thereafter, (3) the emergency switch of the first operating unit 17 is pressed. This will be explained with reference to FIG. Note that (1) first, an impact is applied to the vehicle due to a sudden steering operation, causing the value (magnitude) of the G data to increase sharply, and (2) next, an impact is applied to the vehicle again due to a rear-end collision, causing the value (magnitude) of the G data to increase sharply, as in Example 1. Of Figures 9, Figures 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c) are the same as Figures 3(b), 3(c), and 3(d), respectively, and therefore the same reference numerals are used and some of the explanations will be omitted.

[0170] (1) First, at time tp1, the first control unit 11 determines (judges) that a predetermined condition is met, and stores the image captured by the CCD camera 20 in the memory card 25, and at the same time, operates to store the time data (TP1) of time tp1 as the time data at the time when the predetermined condition was met in the memory card 25. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9(a), the first control unit 11 stores the image PA1, the image PB1, and the time data (TP1) of time tp1 in the memory card 25 as a new data file.

[0171] (2) Next, at time tp2, "7 seconds" after time tp1, the first control unit 11 again determines (judges) that the predetermined condition is met, and operates to store the image captured by the CCD camera 20 in the memory card 25 as data subsequent to the previous vehicle behavior data, and at the same time, to store the time data (TP2) of time tp2 in the memory card 25 as the time data at the time when the predetermined condition was met. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9(c), the first control unit 11 stores image PA1, time data TP1, image PB1, partial image PA2a of image PA2 excluding the portion overlapping with image PB1, time data TP2, and image PB2 as one data file.

[0172] (3) Furthermore, at time tp3, “11 seconds” after time tp2, when the emergency switch of the first operation unit 17 is pressed, the first control unit 11 again determines (judges) that the predetermined condition is met (YES in step S11 of FIG. 4), and further determines whether a “predetermined time” has elapsed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met (step S12 of FIG. 4). If it determines that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the previous time the predetermined condition was met (NO in step S12), it stores the image captured by the CCD camera 20 and temporarily stored in the first memory 18 as data continuing from the previous vehicle behavior data (one data file continuing from the previous data file) in the memory card 25 (step S14 of FIG. 4), and simultaneously operates to store the time data (TP2) of time tp2 in the memory card 25 as the time data at the time the predetermined condition was met.

[0173] Specifically, if, at time tp3, a "predetermined time" has elapsed since the previous fulfillment of the predetermined condition, as shown in Fig. 9(d), image PA3 for TA seconds before time tp3, image PB3 for TB seconds after time tp3, and time data (TP3) for time tp3 are controlled to be stored as new data files on memory card 25. However, in this case (i.e., if the predetermined time has not elapsed since the previous fulfillment of the predetermined condition), as shown in Fig. 9(e), image PA1[a] for TA seconds before time tp1, time data TP1[b] for time tp1, and image PB1[c] for TB seconds after time tp1 are stored, and further, a partial image PA2a[d] following the end of image PB1, which is a continuation of image PA2 for TA seconds before time tp2, from the end of image PB1 (excluding the portion overlapping with image PB1) at the end (te1), is stored. ], time data TP2[e] for time tp2, and image PB2[f] for TB seconds after time tp2 are stored, and further, following the end of image PB2, partial image PA3a[g] that continues from the end point (te2) of image PB2, excluding the portion of image PA3 for TA seconds before time tp3 that overlaps with image PB2, time data TP3[h] for time tp3, and image PB3[i] for TB seconds after time tp3 are stored, and [a] to [i] are stored as a single data file.

[0174] In other words, in this case, this single data file stores images spanning a continuous series of periods from the start of TA seconds before time tp1 (time ts1) to the end of TB seconds after time tp3 (time te3), as well as time data TP1 for time tp1, time data TP2 for time tp2, and time data TP3 for time tp3.

[0175] As described above, for example, if a new specified condition is met within a predetermined time from the time when the previous specified condition was met, such as when (1) a sudden steering operation is performed, (2) a rear-end collision is caused immediately thereafter, and (3) an emergency switch is pressed thereafter, and then a new specified condition is met before a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when this new specified condition was met, then, following the end of image PB1 for TB seconds after the time when the previous specified condition was met (tp1), a partial image PA2a continuing from the end of image PB1 for TA seconds before the time when the new specified condition was met (tp2) is stored; and further, following the end of image PB2 for TB seconds after the time when the new specified condition was met (tp2), a partial image PA3a continuing from the end of image PB2 for TA seconds before the time when the other new specified condition was met (tp3) is stored.

[0176] As described above, the driving assistance device 30 of the second embodiment has the following advantages. For example, if a predetermined condition is met twice, such as when a sudden steering operation is made and the vehicle is immediately rear-ended, causing an impact to the vehicle, and then an emergency switch is pressed, causing a total of three times when the predetermined condition is met, the vehicle behavior over a series of periods can be associated with the vehicle behavior over that period, and based on the time data at which the three predetermined conditions are met, the vehicle behavior at each time can be easily identified, and the vehicle behavior information that the user needs can be easily identified and used from among the many ``vehicle behaviors over a series of periods.''

[0177] <Display example> Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen for thumbnail images, etc. In Fig. 10, the same components as in Fig. 8 are given the same numbers and their description will be omitted. This example of a display screen is shown when the memory card 25, which is inserted into the drive recorder 10 and records driving information including camera images and image-related information, is removed and displayed on the display unit 32 of the driving assistance device 30.

[0178] In the example display screen of FIG. 10, the playlist section 42 displays file numbers 1 to 6, and following each file number, the date and time when the specified condition contained in each driving information file was met (e.g., "May 21, 2012, 14:09:16") and the type character of the specified condition (e.g., "impact"). Regarding the time when the specified condition is met, if each driving information file contains data on the time when multiple specified conditions are met, only the time when the first specified condition is met is displayed here due to display space limitations, but it is also possible to display the time when all specified conditions contained in each driving information file are met. In addition, in the playlist section 42 of FIG. 10, the second driving information file is selected, and the portion of the selected second driving information file (horizontal strip display portion) is displayed in a background color different from the portions of the non-selected driving information files (numbers 1, 3 to 6) (horizontal strip display portion).

[0179] In the example display screen of FIG. 10, the thumbnail image section 43 displays thumbnail images created from camera images included in the second driving information file selected in the playlist section 42.

[0180] The thumbnail image section 43 displays 16 thumbnail images arranged in a matrix of 4 rows and 4 columns on the same screen. The 16 thumbnail images are displayed in chronological order of their capture, arranged from the top left to the bottom right of the display screen. The thumbnail image in the top left of the display screen is number 1, and the eighth and twelfth thumbnail images are marked with colored horizontal lines and colored text to distinguish them from the other thumbnail images. The eighth thumbnail image has a yellow horizontal line below it and yellow text indicating the type of predetermined condition, "Impact 1," in the upper right corner of the thumbnail image. The twelfth thumbnail image has a green horizontal line below it and green text indicating the type of predetermined condition, "Impact 2," in the upper right corner of the thumbnail image.

[0181] In the example display screen of FIG. 10, the time chart section 44 displays a time chart in the form of a line graph, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the magnitude of the G data, showing the time series changes in the G data obtained from the image-related information contained in the second driving information file selected in the playlist section 42. In the time chart section 44, a yellow vertical frame line is displayed on the horizontal axis of the time chart at the time when the specified condition is met for the first time, and similarly, a green vertical frame line is displayed at the time when the specified condition is met for the second time.

[0182] In the example display screen of FIG. 10, the map section 45 displays the vehicle's position at the time when a predetermined condition is met on a road map based on the GPS position data of the vehicle obtained from the image-related information included in the second driving information file selected in the playlist section 42. The map section 45 displays a yellow arrow 61 on the road map at the corresponding position when the first specified condition is met, and similarly displays a green arrow at the corresponding position when the second specified condition is met.

[0183] <Modification> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, and various modifications are possible. For example, the following modifications may be made.

[0184] (1) In the above-described embodiment, it is determined that the predetermined condition is met when the value (magnitude) of the G data output from the G sensor 12 reaches the threshold acceleration Gs (times tp1 and tp2). However, this is not limiting, and it may be determined that the predetermined condition is met when, for example, the values ​​(magnitudes) of the angular acceleration data output from the gyro sensor 13 or the atmospheric pressure and altitude data output from the atmospheric pressure sensor 14 reach a predetermined value. It may also be determined that the predetermined condition is met based on the results of analyzing the recorded video. Other events that may occur include when a signal is input from an external port, or when a command is received via communication (e.g., RS-232C) from an external device such as an AVM-ECU (Automatic Vehicle Monitoring - Engine Control Unit).

[0185] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the G data is determined to satisfy the predetermined condition using a composite value of the component acceleration (G data) Gx in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction of the vehicle) and the component acceleration (G data) Gy in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction of the vehicle). However, this is not limiting, and the satisfaction of the predetermined condition may be determined using each component acceleration (Gx, Gy) individually. For example, the satisfaction of the predetermined condition may be determined when the change pattern of the value (magnitude) of each component takes a predetermined pattern, such as when Gx exceeds a predetermined threshold and then Gy exceeds a predetermined threshold within a predetermined time. Furthermore, the satisfaction of the predetermined condition may be determined by taking into account the component acceleration Gz in the Z-axis direction (up-down direction of the vehicle) in addition to Gx and Gy.

[0186] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the TA seconds and TB seconds before and after the times tp1 and tp2 at which it is determined that the specified condition is met are different (in the example, 10 seconds before and 5 seconds after), and in particular, the TA seconds before times tp1 and tp2 are longer and the TB seconds after are shorter. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the TA seconds before times tp1 and tp2 may be shorter and the TB seconds after may be longer (for example, 5 seconds before and 15 seconds after), or the TA seconds and TB seconds may be the same.

[0187] (4) Not limited to the above-described embodiment, the time TA seconds and the time TB seconds before and after the time tp1, tp2 at which it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, or the total time of TA seconds and TB seconds, may be set to different times depending on the type of predetermined condition. For example, the recording period (time) of the vehicle behavior information recorded when the predetermined condition is satisfied may be set to be longer for types that require a longer time and shorter for types that only require a shorter time.

[0188] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the time data at the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied is recorded in the same data file as the vehicle behavior data such as image data and G data. However, this is not limited to this. The time data at the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied may be recorded in a data file separate from the data file in which the vehicle behavior data is recorded, so that the relationship between the time data and the vehicle behavior data can be identified.

[0189] (6) In the above-described embodiment, the time data (TP1, TP2) of the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied is stored as information that enables identification of the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied (tp1, tp2). However, this is not limiting, and data on the time elapsed from a reference time may also be stored. The reference time may be, for example, the start time of a series of periods (i.e., the start time TA seconds before the first time when the predetermined condition is satisfied in the period recorded as one data file), and the elapsed time from this start time to the time when the predetermined condition is satisfied may be used.

[0190] (7) Not limited to the above-described embodiment, when vehicle behavior information such as GPS location data is repeatedly acquired at predetermined time intervals, the time when the predetermined condition is met may be the time that coincides with one of the predetermined time intervals. For example, if GPS location data is acquired at one-second intervals, and the time when the predetermined condition is met is 0.6 seconds after the time when the GPS location data is acquired, the predetermined condition is considered to be met at the time when the GPS location data is next acquired, and that time is set as the time when the predetermined condition is met. In this way, the time when the predetermined condition is met can be made to coincide with the time when the GPS location data is acquired, and the time data when the GPS location data is acquired can be acquired as the time data when the predetermined condition is met.

[0191] (8) In the above-described embodiment, the type of predetermined condition is displayed in different colored characters in the playlist section 42 each time the predetermined condition is met, but this is not limiting. For example, the type characters may be displayed with a different colored fill or background. The same applies to the type characters of the predetermined condition displayed in the thumbnail image section 43, the time chart section 44, and the map section 45.

[0192] (9) In the above-described embodiment, the display control system of the present invention has been described as an example of a driving assistance system (driving assistance device 30), but it can be implemented as a function of various electronic devices. For example, it may be incorporated as a function of a navigation device, a drive recorder, a radar detector, or a car audio device.

[0193] (10) In addition to the above-described embodiment, the control program pre-stored in the ROM of the second control unit 31 of the driving assistance device 30 may be downloaded to a portable terminal such as a general-purpose personal computer, a mobile phone, a smartphone, or a portable game console, and the computer installed in the portable terminal may execute the control processing of the second control unit 31, read images and various data stored in the memory card 25, and display thumbnail images created from the read images and various data.

[0194] (11) Each function of the above embodiment is realized by writing the function in a computer-readable programming language and having the computer of the second control unit 31 execute the program. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the program may be distributed among multiple computers for distributed processing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0195] 10 Drive Recorder 11 First Control Section 12 Acceleration sensor (G sensor) 13 Gyro sensor 14 Barometric pressure sensor 15 GPS antenna 16 GPS receivers 17 1st operation section 18 First Memory 19 1st IF (Interface) 20 CCD cameras 21 Vehicle signal acquisition unit 22 Power supply section 25 Memory Card 30 Driving assistance device 31 Second Control Section 32 Display section 33 Output section 34 2nd operation section 35 Second Memory 36 Second IF (Interface) 37 Image processing section 38 Display processing section 41 screens 42 Playlist section 43 Thumbnail Image Section 44 Time chart section 45 Map Department 46 File Number 47 Classification characters 48 Bold Frame 49,53,58,63 yellow text 50,55,61,65 Green text 51 thumbnail images 52 Yellow horizontal line 54 Green horizontal line 56 Yellow Dot 57 Yellow vertical line 59 Green Dot 60 Green vertical line 62 Yellow Arrow 64 Green Arrow

Claims

1. An apparatus including an identification unit that acquires a plurality of vehicle behavior data, and identifies the vehicle behavior information it requires based on a plurality of pieces of identification information contained in each of the plurality of vehicle behavior data corresponding to the points at which a predetermined condition was satisfied, taking into account the correlation between the points at which a plurality of predetermined conditions were satisfied over a series of periods.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit performs the identification based on the correlation of points in time when a plurality of predetermined conditions are met in a series of periods, such as a rear-end collision following a sudden turn, followed by a dragging motion with acceleration equivalent to that of a sudden turn.

3. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit finds the vehicle behavior at the time when a desired predetermined condition was satisfied based on the correlation between the times when a plurality of predetermined conditions were satisfied during the series of periods by analyzing or searching multiple pieces of identification information.

4. In the device described in any one of claims 1 to 3, the identification unit sequentially extracts vehicle behavior information over a large number of consecutive periods based on the number of points in time at which multiple predetermined conditions are satisfied during the consecutive periods, and identifies the vehicle behavior information that it requires.

5. In the device described in claim 4, the identification unit sequentially extracts vehicle behavior information over a series of periods having a large number of pieces of identification information, and analyzes the movement of the vehicle behavior information, the identification information, the vehicle behavior information at a time identified by the identification information, etc.

6. 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the identification is performed in accordance with a combination of search conditions based on logical sum and logical product.

7. 7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a recording control unit that controls, in accordance with an overlap between a first period including a point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied and a second period including a point in time when a new predetermined condition is satisfied, to record vehicle behavior information for a series of periods continuing across a first period and a second period, and further controls, in accordance with the occurrence of a third period including a point in time when a third predetermined condition is satisfied, to record vehicle behavior information for a series of periods continuing across a first, second, and third periods.

8. In the device described in claim 7, the recording control unit records vehicle behavior information for a series of periods continuing from the first to fourth periods in response to the occurrence of a fourth period including the point at which a fourth predetermined condition is satisfied, and similarly for the fifth and subsequent periods.

9. A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images