Information recording device and information recording method

Abstract

To increase the likelihood of being able to preserve evidence in the event of harassment against one's own vehicle. [Solution] An information recording device according to an embodiment is an information recording device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a sensor unit and a controller. The controller detects nuisance behavior toward a parked vehicle based on sensor data from the sensor unit. When nuisance behavior is detected, the controller starts recording the sensor data and is operable in a first mode that does not explicitly indicate that the nuisance behavior has been detected or that the sensor data is being recorded.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The embodiments of the disclosure relate to an information recording device and an information recording method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a security system that includes a drive recorder and an anti-theft device, and that sounds an alarm and starts recording video using the drive recorder when it detects an attempt by a third party to steal the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-169869 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, using the conventional technology described above, the alarm sound would alert the perpetrator that the security system is active, potentially leading them to disable the dashcam. Furthermore, the risk of not only disabling the dashcam but also damaging it increases.

[0005] If such an act of sabotage occurs, the drive recorder is less likely to record video that can serve as evidence of the nuisance being committed against the vehicle.

[0006] One aspect of the embodiment has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an information recording device and an information recording method that can increase the possibility of leaving evidence when nuisance behavior is committed against one's own vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one aspect of the embodiment, an information recording device mounted on a vehicle includes a sensor unit and a controller, wherein the controller detects nuisance behavior against the parked vehicle based on sensor data from the sensor unit, and when the nuisance behavior is detected, starts recording the sensor data and is operable in a first mode that does not explicitly indicate that the nuisance behavior has been detected or that the sensor data is being recorded. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the embodiment, the fact that recording is being performed can be concealed from the perpetrator of the nuisance, making it difficult for the perpetrator to notice. In other words, according to one aspect of the embodiment, it is possible to increase the possibility of leaving evidence when a nuisance is performed against the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) outlining an information recording method according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) outlining the information recording method according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information recording device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the mode transition control process executed by the information recording device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the mode transition control processing according to the first modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a condition for switching to the silent mode or the alarm mode. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the mode transition control processing according to the second modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a condition for switching to the silent mode. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information recording device according to a modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information recording system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of an information recording apparatus and an information recording method disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0011] In the following description, the information recording device according to the embodiment is assumed to be an information recording device 3 (see FIG. 3) having a drive recorder 10 (see FIG. 3). The information recording method according to the embodiment is assumed to be an information recording method executed by a controller 16 (see FIG. 3) of the information recording device 3.

[0012] Furthermore, the expressions "predetermined," "specific," and "fixed" in the following description may be read as "predetermined."

[0013] In the following, "nuisance acts against one's own vehicle" refers to any act of harming one's own vehicle while it is parked, including attempts to steal parts installed in the vehicle or the vehicle itself, as well as acts of mischief such as damaging the body of the vehicle. Furthermore, "parked state" refers to a state in which the vehicle is parked, regardless of whether the ignition is on or off, and no one is inside the vehicle. Therefore, the parked state also includes a state in which the vehicle is temporarily stopped for loading or unloading luggage, and no one has gotten out of the vehicle.

[0014] In the following, a legitimate user of a vehicle, such as a driver, will be referred to as an "authorized user" or simply as a "user" as appropriate.

[0015] First, an overview of the information recording method according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a diagram (part 1) outlining the information recording method according to the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram (part 2) outlining the information recording method according to the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the alarm mode, which is one of the operating modes of the information recording device 3. Similarly, Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the silent mode, which is one of the operating modes of the information recording device 3.

[0017] In the information recording method according to the embodiment, the information recording device 3 has two operation modes, an alarm mode and a silent mode, for when a nuisance is committed against the vehicle while parked. The alarm mode is an example of a "second mode." The silent mode is an example of a "first mode."

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the drive recorder 10 has an HMI (Human Machine Interface) unit 13. The HMI unit 13 is a component that provides interface components for input and output to the user using the drive recorder 10.

[0019] The HMI unit 13 includes an input interface that accepts user input and voice input. The HMI unit 13 also includes an output interface that presents visual and audio information to the user.

[0020] For example, the HMI unit 13 includes a touch panel display 13a, a microphone 13b, a speaker 13c, and an operation lamp 13d. The touch panel display 13a corresponds to the input interface and output interface described above. The touch panel display 13a displays, for example, the monitor screen of the camera 12a (see FIG. 3) included in the drive recorder 10, operation components for operating the drive recorder 10, and the like.

[0021] The operating components may be provided as hardware components in the HMI unit 13, rather than being displayed as software components on the touch panel display 13a. The microphone 13b corresponds to an input interface that collects and inputs sounds from inside the vehicle and around the vehicle. The speaker 13c corresponds to an output interface that outputs guidance voices from the drive recorder 10. The indicator lamp 13d is an indicator lamp that lights up when the drive recorder 10 is operating.

[0022] The drive recorder 10 is also electrically connected to a buzzer 20. The buzzer 20 is a so-called security alarm mounted on a vehicle. When the information recording device 3 detects a nuisance against the vehicle, the buzzer 20 outputs an alarm sound to the vicinity of the vehicle.

[0023] In the alarm mode, when the information recording device 3 detects any nuisance behavior against the vehicle, it outputs an alarm sound from the buzzer 20 and operates to clearly indicate via the HMI unit 13 that the drive recorder 10 is recording.

[0024] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, in alarm mode, when the information recording device 3 detects a nuisance against the vehicle, it outputs an alarm sound from the buzzer 20 and starts recording on the drive recorder 10. At the same time, the information recording device 3 illuminates the operation lamp 13d and displays a mark M1 and an operating component M2 on the touch panel display 13a indicating that recording is in progress. The operating component M2 is operable.

[0025] While the alarm mode carries the risk of the dashcam 10 being interfered with by the perpetrator of the disruptive behavior, it has the advantage of being able to deter the perpetrator with the buzzer 20 or alert people around the vehicle that disruptive behavior is occurring. For this reason, the alarm mode can be useful in places where the presence of witnesses can be expected, such as busy urban areas.

[0026] On the other hand, in silent mode, when the information recording device 3 detects nuisance behavior against its own vehicle, it operates so as not to output an alarm sound from the buzzer 20 and not to indicate that the drive recorder 10 is recording.

[0027] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, in silent mode, when the information recording device 3 detects a nuisance to the vehicle, it causes the drive recorder 10 to start recording, but does not output an alarm sound from the buzzer 20. In addition, the information recording device 3 does not turn on the operation lamp 13d, does not display anything on the touch panel display 13a, and does not allow any operation. In other words, in silent mode, the information recording device 3 detects a nuisance and conceals the fact that the drive recorder 10 is recording.

[0028] This makes it possible to record the circumstances of the crime without the knowledge of the perpetrator of the nuisance, increasing the possibility of leaving evidence if a nuisance is committed against one's own vehicle.

[0029] The information recording device 3 can acquire information about the vehicle's surrounding environment and then control the operation mode to transition to silent mode or alarm mode according to the acquired information. For example, as mentioned above, alarm mode is useful in places where witnesses are expected to be present, so when the vehicle is parked in an urban area, for example, the vehicle may transition to alarm mode instead of silent mode. Examples of conditions for transitioning to each mode depending on the surrounding environment will be described later using Figures 5 and 6.

[0030] Furthermore, the information recording device 3 may control the operation mode so that, when it detects a nuisance to its own vehicle, it temporarily switches to alarm mode, but when a predetermined condition for switching to silent mode is met, it switches to silent mode. As an example, the information recording device 3 may switch to silent mode when an SD card, which is a common recording medium for the drive recorder 10, is removed while operating in alarm mode. Examples of conditions for switching to silent mode will be described later using Figures 7 and 8.

[0031] As described above, in the information recording method according to the embodiment, the controller 16 of the information recording device 3 mounted on a vehicle detects nuisance behavior against the parked vehicle based on the sensor data of the sensor unit 12. Furthermore, when a nuisance behavior is detected, the controller 16 starts recording the sensor data, and is capable of operating in a silent mode that does not indicate that a nuisance behavior has been detected or that the sensor data is being recorded.

[0032] Therefore, according to the information recording method of the embodiment, it becomes possible to record the circumstances of the offense without the perpetrator of the nuisance being aware of it, and the possibility of leaving evidence in the event that a nuisance is committed against one's own vehicle can be increased.

[0033] An example of the configuration of the information recording device 3 to which the information recording method according to the above-described embodiment is applied will be described in more detail below.

[0034] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of an information recording device 3 according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the information recording device 3 includes a drive recorder 10 and a buzzer 20. The drive recorder 10 is connected to a constant power supply (not shown) and is implemented so that it can operate even when the vehicle is parked.

[0035] The drive recorder 10 includes a communication unit 11, a sensor unit 12, an HMI unit 13, a storage unit 14, a recording media interface 15, and a controller 16.

[0036] The communication unit 11 is implemented by a network adapter or the like. The communication unit 11 is wirelessly connected to an external device via an external network and transmits and receives various types of information with the external device. The external network can be, for example, a short-range wireless communication network, a mobile phone network, a C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle to Everything) communication network, or the internet. The external device can be, for example, a smart key or smartphone 200 carried by the vehicle's authorized user, or a center device 100. The center device 100 and the smartphone 200 will be described later using Figure 10.

[0037] The sensor unit 12 is a group of various sensors mounted on the drive recorder 10. The sensor unit 12 includes, for example, a camera 12a, a G-sensor 12b, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 12c.

[0038] Camera 12a is installed to capture external and internal images of the area in front of the vehicle. Camera 12a can be mounted near the windshield or dashboard. Alternatively, camera 12a may be mounted near the rear window to capture external images of the area behind the vehicle. Furthermore, camera 12a may consist of multiple cameras, one for external and one for internal shooting, or it may consist of a single 360-degree camera.

[0039] The G-sensor 12b measures the acceleration (G) applied to the drive recorder 10. The GPS sensor 12c determines the GPS position (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle. The sensor unit 12 may include various sensors other than the camera 12a, G-sensor 12b, and GPS sensor 12c.

[0040] In addition to the sensor unit 12, the drive recorder 10 is also connected to an in-vehicle sensor unit 5, which is a group of various sensors mounted on the vehicle. The in-vehicle sensor unit 5 is connected to the drive recorder 10 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN (Controller Area Network). The in-vehicle sensor unit 5 includes a vehicle speed sensor 5a, a glass break sensor 5b, a door sensor 5c, and an intrusion sensor 5d.

[0041] The vehicle speed sensor 5a transmits a vehicle speed pulse to the drive recorder 10. The glass break sensor 5b detects glass breakage using a specific ultrasonic wave generated when the vehicle's glass breaks. The door sensor 5c detects the open / closed state of the vehicle's doors. The door sensor 5c also detects the locked and unlocked state of the vehicle's door locks. The intrusion sensor 5d uses radio waves to detect intrusion into the vehicle by a third party other than the vehicle's legitimate user, such as someone who does not have a smart key and is not authenticated by the information recording device 3.

[0042] The HMI unit 13 has already been described, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here. Note that the buzzer 20 may be realized by the speaker 13c of the HMI unit 13.

[0043] The storage unit 14 is realized by a storage device such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, etc. In the example of Fig. 3, the storage unit 14 stores authentication information 14a, recording data 14b, an image recognition model 14c, and mode setting information 14d.

[0044] Authentication information 14a contains pre-registered information for authenticating the vehicle's authorized user. For example, authentication information 14a may contain the identification number of the smart key carried by the authorized user. Alternatively, authentication information 14a may contain information related to the authorized user's biometric authentication. For example, if facial recognition is used as the biometric authentication method, authentication information 14a may contain the authorized user's facial image information. Alternatively, if fingerprint authentication is used as the biometric authentication method, authentication information 14a may contain the authorized user's fingerprint information.

[0045] The recorded data 14b is implemented as a ring buffer. The recorded data 14b is overwritable and contains a certain period of operational record data, including video footage captured by the camera 12a. The certain period is, for example, 24 hours. The operational record data includes the captured video footage, as well as the date and time, location information (latitude and longitude), direction, vehicle speed, etc.

[0046] Furthermore, if a specific event is detected, the recorded data 14b is set to prevent overwriting for a certain period of time before and after the detection. Specific events include accidents, near misses, and other incidents, as well as disruptive behavior towards the vehicle while it is parked. At least the recorded data 14b that is set to prevent overwriting can be recorded to a recording medium such as an SD card.

[0047] The image recognition model 14c is an AI model for image recognition. The AI ​​model is, for example, a DNN (Deep Neural Network) model trained using a machine learning algorithm. The image recognition model 14c operates as an image recognition AI when it is loaded as an AI model into the controller 16. The image recognition model 14c is pre-trained to recognize the type, position, and color of various objects contained in each frame when each frame of video captured by the camera 12a is input. The image recognition model 14c is configured to recognize at least a person approaching or entering a vehicle, and their face.

[0048] The mode setting information 14d includes information on the conditions for switching to each mode depending on the surrounding environment, the conditions for switching to silent mode, etc. The mode setting information 14d can be arbitrarily set by an authorized user.

[0049] The recording media interface 15 is the interface to the recording media described above. When the recording media is an SD card, the recording media interface 15 is implemented as an SD card slot or a USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0050] The controller 16 corresponds to a so-called processor. The controller 16 can be implemented using a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit), etc. The controller 16 executes a program according to an embodiment not shown in the diagram, which is stored in the memory unit 14, using RAM as the working area. The controller 16 can also be implemented using an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0051] While the vehicle is running, the controller 16 performs a recording process to record operational data during the vehicle's startup. Furthermore, if the vehicle is parked, the controller 16 switches to a parking monitoring state and determines whether or not there is any nuisance activity directed at the vehicle based on various sensor data from the on-board sensor unit 5 and sensor unit 12.

[0052] For example, in the parking monitoring state, the controller 16 detects when a person approaches the vehicle using image recognition AI, and if the glass is broken, it detects that an act of harassment has occurred against the vehicle. Also, in the parking monitoring state, the controller 16 detects that an act of harassment has occurred against the vehicle if the door lock is unlocked and the door opens without receiving the smart key identification number via the communication unit 11, and the presence of a person is detected.

[0053] Furthermore, for example, when the vehicle is parked and under monitoring conditions, the controller 16 uses image recognition AI to identify the face of a person who has entered the vehicle, and if the person is not registered in the authentication information 14a, it detects that a nuisance has occurred against the vehicle.

[0054] Furthermore, when the controller 16 detects disruptive behavior, it executes mode transition control processing according to the flowcharts shown in Figures 4, 5, or 7 to control the transition to silent mode or alarm mode.

[0055] Next, we will explain the mode transition control process using each of these flowcharts in order. First, Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the mode transition control process executed by the information recording device 3.

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, the controller 16 determines whether the vehicle is parked or not based on various sensor data from the on-board sensor unit 5 and the sensor unit 12 (step S101). If the vehicle is not parked (step S101, No), the controller 16 repeats step S101.

[0057] If the vehicle is parked (Step S101, Yes), the controller 16 transitions to the parking monitoring state described above (Step S102). Then, while in the parking monitoring state, the controller 16 determines whether or not it has detected any disruptive behavior (Step S103).

[0058] If no nuisance behavior is detected (step S103, No), the controller 16 repeats step S103. If nuisance behavior is detected (step S103, Yes), the controller 16 switches to silent mode (step S104) and terminates the mode transition control process.

[0059] In silent mode, as described above, the controller 16 does not output an alarm sound from the buzzer 20. In addition, the controller 16 does not light the operation lamp 13d, and does not display anything on the touch panel display 13a. The controller 16 also does not accept any operations on the HMI unit 13. However, the controller 16 continues recording with the camera 12a. In other words, in silent mode, the controller 16 records when it detects a nuisance, but does not output an alarm sound from the buzzer 20, and further controls the HMI unit 13 so that the fact that recording is in progress is concealed.

[0060] This makes it possible to photograph the situation of the crime without the knowledge of the perpetrator of the nuisance, increasing the possibility of leaving evidence if a nuisance is committed against one's own vehicle.

[0061] Next, a first modified example of the mode transition control process shown in Fig. 4 will be described. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the mode transition control process according to the first modified example. The first modified example is an example in which information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle is acquired, and then the operation mode is controlled to transition to silent mode or alarm mode according to the acquired information.

[0062] Note that steps S201 to S203 shown in FIG. 5 are the same as steps S101 to S103 shown in FIG. 4, so their explanation will be omitted and the explanation will start from step S204.

[0063] 5, when the controller 16 detects a nuisance in step S203 (Yes in step S203), the controller 16 acquires information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle (step S204). Here, the information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle is, for example, location information from the GPS sensor 12c. The information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle is, for example, the frequency with which the vehicle is parked at the point indicated by the location information. The parking frequency can be acquired by, for example, storing parking history information based on the recorded data 14b in the storage unit 14.

[0064] The information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle is information that can be used to determine whether the location indicated by the location information is in an urban area. This information can be obtained by, for example, storing map information in the storage unit 14.

[0065] The information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle is, for example, weather information. The weather information can be analyzed from the video captured by the camera 12a, or can be obtained by receiving weather information from a weather information service from an external network via the communication unit 11.

[0066] The information about the environment around the vehicle is, for example, illuminance. The illuminance can be analyzed from the video captured by the camera 12a, or can be acquired by, for example, providing the in-vehicle sensor unit 5 or the sensor unit 12 with an illuminance sensor.

[0067] The information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle is, for example, the number of people detected around the vehicle, which can be acquired based on the image recognition results of the outside-of-vehicle video captured by the camera 12a.

[0068] Then, the controller 16 determines whether or not the conditions for switching to the silent mode are met based on the information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle (step S205). Here, Fig. 6 is a diagram showing examples of the conditions for switching to the silent mode or the alarm mode.

[0069] 6, the controller 16 determines to transition to silent mode when the acquired location information is a location that has been registered in advance, whereas the controller 16 determines to transition to alarm mode when the acquired location information is not a location that has been registered in advance.

[0070] The pre-registered location is a location that can be registered at the discretion of the authorized user. The pre-registered location may be, for example, a location where the vehicle is frequently parked, such as a home or workplace. This transition condition No. 1 is set based on the idea that the more frequently the vehicle is parked, the higher the probability that the vehicle will become a victim of nuisance acts such as theft. This makes it possible to select between silent mode and alarm mode depending on whether the probability of becoming a victim of nuisance acts is high or not.

[0071] The transition condition of No. 2 is based on a similar idea. As shown in No. 2, for example, when the acquired parking frequency is equal to or greater than a threshold, the controller 16 determines to transition to silent mode. On the other hand, when the parking frequency is less than the threshold, the controller 16 determines to transition to alarm mode. This increases the possibility of leaving evidence if a person actually becomes a victim of nuisance behavior at a location where the probability of becoming a victim of nuisance behavior is estimated to be high.

[0072] Also, as shown in No. 3, the controller 16 determines to transition to silent mode when the point indicated by the acquired location information is not in an urban area, whereas the controller 16 determines to transition to alarm mode when the point indicated by the location information is in an urban area.

[0073] As mentioned above, the transition condition for No. 3 is set based on the idea that, for example, in urban areas with a lot of foot traffic, where witnesses are likely to be present, the system will notify those around the vehicle that a nuisance is occurring, while in areas outside of urban areas, it will try to leave as much evidence as possible in the vehicle itself.

[0074] Also, as shown in No. 4, if the acquired weather information indicates bad weather, the controller 16 determines to transition to silent mode. On the other hand, if the weather is not bad, the controller 16 determines to transition to alarm mode.

[0075] The transition condition for No. 4 is set based on the idea that, for example, in severe weather conditions with strong wind and rain, the alarm sound of buzzer 20 may not be easily heard by those around you.

[0076] Furthermore, as shown in No. 5, the controller 16 determines to switch to silent mode if, for example, the acquired illuminance is below a threshold. On the other hand, the controller 16 determines to switch to alarm mode if the illuminance is above the threshold.

[0077] The transition condition for No. 5 is set based on the idea that, for example, if the area around the vehicle is dark, even if there are witnesses, they will have difficulty confirming what is happening and will not be able to provide useful eyewitness information.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in No. 6, the controller 16 determines to switch to silent mode if, for example, the number of people detected around the vehicle is below a threshold. On the other hand, the controller 16 determines to switch to alarm mode if the number of people detected around the vehicle is above a threshold.

[0079] The transition conditions for No. 6 are set based on the idea that, for example, if the number of people detected around the vehicle is small, the probability of a witness being present is low, but if the number of people detected is large, the probability of a witness being present is high.

[0080] By switching to alarm mode when information about the vehicle's surrounding environment indicates the presence of a witness to the nuisance, as in transition conditions No. 3 and No. 6, it is possible to notify those around the vehicle that a nuisance is occurring. Note that Figure 6 is merely an example, and the conditions for switching to silent mode or alarm mode are of course not limited to the examples shown in Figure 6.

[0081] Returning to the explanation of Figure 5, if the information regarding the vehicle's surrounding environment meets the conditions for transitioning to silent mode (step S205, Yes), the controller 16 transitions to silent mode (step S206) and terminates the mode transition control process according to the first modified example.

[0082] Furthermore, if the information regarding the vehicle's surrounding environment does not meet the conditions for transitioning to silent mode (step S205, No), the controller 16 transitions to alarm mode (step S207) and terminates the mode transition control process according to the first modified example. According to this mode transition control process according to the first modified example, the vehicle can transition to an appropriate mode among silent mode and alarm mode depending on the information regarding the vehicle's surrounding environment.

[0083] In alarm mode, as described above, the controller 16 outputs an alarm sound from the buzzer 20 and initiates recording by the camera 12a. Simultaneously, the controller 16 illuminates the operation lamp 13d and controls the HMI unit 13 to display a mark M1 indicating that recording is in progress and an operable control component M2 on the touch panel display 13a.

[0084] Although there is a risk that the recording may be interrupted by the perpetrator of the nuisance, the buzzer 20 can be used to intimidate the perpetrator or to notify the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle that a nuisance is being committed.

[0085] Next, a second modified example of the mode transition control process shown in Figure 4 will be described. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the mode transition control process related to the second modified example. The second modified example is an example in which, when a nuisance act against the vehicle is detected, the system initially transitions to alarm mode, but when predetermined conditions for switching to silent mode are met, the system controls the operating mode to transition to silent mode.

[0086] 7 are the same as steps S101 to S103 shown in FIG. 4, so a description thereof will be omitted and the description will start from step S304.

[0087] 7, when the controller 16 detects a nuisance in step S303 (step S303, Yes), the controller 16 transitions to the alarm mode (step S304). Then, while operating in the alarm mode, the controller 16 determines whether a condition for switching to the silent mode is met (step S305).

[0088] Here, Figure 8 shows an example of the conditions for switching to silent mode. As shown in No. 1 of Figure 8, the controller 16 determines that the conditions for switching to silent mode have been met when the recording media is removed (in the case of an SD card, when the SD card is removed). This switching condition No. 1 is based on the idea that since the user is likely to become complacent thinking that video recording is no longer possible after the recording media is removed, it is better to continue recording to the storage unit 14's recorded data 14b without letting the user notice, while also stopping the alarm sound to further complicate the user's senses.

[0089] Furthermore, as shown in No. 2, the controller 16 determines that the conditions for switching to silent mode have been met when an impact exceeding a threshold is applied to the drive recorder unit. This switching condition in No. 2 is based on the idea that if the drive recorder 10 is physically attacked by the perpetrator, the alarm sound will be stopped and the device will switch to silent mode, causing the perpetrator to assume that the drive recorder 10 is broken even though it is not, and thus becoming complacent.

[0090] Furthermore, as shown in No. 3, the controller 16 determines that the conditions for switching to silent mode have been met when an operation to stop the drive recorder 10 is performed. This switching condition in No. 3 is based on the idea that if the alarm sound is stopped and the system switches to silent mode when the user performs a stop operation, the user will assume that the drive recorder 10 has stopped even though it has not actually stopped, and will become complacent.

[0091] Furthermore, as shown in No. 4, the controller 16 determines that the condition for switching to silent mode is met when the vehicle starts moving. This switching condition No. 4 is based on the idea that when the vehicle starts moving, there is a risk that the vehicle will move far away from the crime scene, so it is better to continue recording unnoticed and leave a record of the escape.

[0092] By setting such a condition for switching to silent mode, it is possible to record video without being noticed while luring the perpetrator into letting their guard down, and also to leave a record of the perpetrator's escape without being noticed if they escape in a stolen vehicle. Note that Figure 8 is merely an example, and the condition for switching to silent mode is of course not limited to the example shown in Figure 8.

[0093] Returning to the explanation of FIG. 7, if the condition for switching to silent mode is met (step S305, Yes), the controller 16 transitions to silent mode (step S306) and ends the mode transition control process according to the second modified example. If the condition for switching to silent mode is not met (step S305, No), the controller 16 repeats step S305. While repeating step S305, the controller 16 continues to operate in alarm mode. According to the mode transition control process according to the second modified example, if a situation arises during operation in alarm mode where it would be better to operate in silent mode, it is possible to transition to silent mode depending on the situation.

[0094] Incidentally, in the configuration example of the information recording device 3 shown in Figure 3, an example is given in which the controller 16 of the drive recorder 10 detects nuisance behavior while monitoring while parked, but the configuration may also be such that a device other than the drive recorder 10, for example, an anti-theft device 30, detects nuisance behavior.

[0095] This modified example will be described below. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information recording device 3A according to the modified example. Note that Fig. 9 corresponds to Fig. 3, and therefore differences from Fig. 3 will be mainly described here.

[0096] As shown in Figure 9, the modified information recording device 3A differs from the information recording device 3 in Figure 3 in that it further includes an anti-theft device 30.

[0097] The anti-theft device 30 is a device specifically designed for detecting nuisance behavior. The anti-theft device 30 is connected to the drive recorder 10 via CAN or the like so that it can communicate with it and operate in conjunction with the drive recorder 10. The vehicle-mounted sensor unit 5 is also connected to the anti-theft device 30 via CAN or the like.

[0098] The anti-theft device 30 has a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a controller 33. The communication unit 31 is realized by a network adapter or the like. The communication unit 31 is wirelessly connected to an external device via an external vehicle network, and transmits and receives various information to and from the external device. The external vehicle network is, for example, a short-range wireless communication network. The external device is, for example, a smart key carried by an authorized user of the vehicle.

[0099] The storage unit 32 is implemented by a storage device such as ROM, RAM, or flash memory. In the example shown in Figure 9, the storage unit 32 stores authentication information 32a. Authentication information 32a corresponds to the authentication information 14a described above.

[0100] The controller 33 corresponds to a so-called processor. The controller 33 is realized by a CPU, an MPU, or the like. The controller 33 executes a program according to an embodiment (not shown) stored in the storage unit 32, using the RAM as a work area. The controller 33 can also be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0101] When the vehicle is parked, the controller 33 switches to a parking monitoring state and determines whether or not there is any nuisance behavior directed at the vehicle based on various sensor data from the on-board sensor unit 5 and the image recognition results from the drive recorder 10.

[0102] Furthermore, when the controller 33 detects that a nuisance has occurred, it transmits a detection signal to the drive recorder 10 indicating that it has detected the nuisance. Based on this detection signal, the drive recorder 10 executes the mode transition control process described using Figures 4, 5, and 7. According to the modified information recording device 3A, the anti-theft device 30 is responsible for detecting the nuisance, thereby reducing the processing load on the drive recorder 10.

[0103] Furthermore, when the information recording device 3, 3A detects a nuisance, the information recording device 3, 3A may transmit at least the video captured by the camera 12a to an external device such as the center device 100 or the smartphone 200.

[0104] 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an information recording system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the information recording system 1 includes information recording devices 3 and 3A, a center device 100, and a smartphone 200.

[0105] The information recording devices 3, 3A, the center device 100, and the smartphone 200 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network N1 such as the Internet, a mobile phone network, or a C-V2X communication network.

[0106] When the information recording device 3, 3A detects a nuisance, the information recording device 3, 3A transmits at least the video captured by the camera 12a to the center device 100 and the smartphone 200.

[0107] The central device 100 is implemented, for example, as a private cloud. The central device 100 is managed, for example, by a data center operator (such as an insurance company). Since the central device 100 can store a large amount of data, the information recording devices 3,3A may transmit the recorded data 14b when a nuisance event occurs to the central device 100 in real time.

[0108] Furthermore, the smartphone 200 is, for example, a terminal device used by a legitimate user. Since the smartphone 200 usually has inferior storage capacity and processing performance compared to the central device 100, the information recording devices 3 and 3A may transmit at least the video from the time the nuisance occurred to the smartphone 200. In this case, the information recording devices 3 and 3A may reduce the processing load on the smartphone 200 by, for example, lowering the frame rate of the transmitted video.

[0109] In this way, when the information recording devices 3 and 3A detect nuisance behavior, they transmit at least the video footage captured by camera 12a to the central device 100, thereby enabling the immediate preservation of the video evidence on the external device.

[0110] As described above, the information recording device 3 according to the embodiment is an information recording device mounted on a vehicle and comprises a sensor unit 12 and a controller 16. The controller 16 detects nuisance behavior towards the parked vehicle based on sensor data from the sensor unit 12. Furthermore, when nuisance behavior is detected, the controller 16 starts recording the sensor data and can operate in a silent mode without explicitly indicating that nuisance behavior has been detected or that sensor data is being recorded.

[0111] Therefore, according to the information recording device 3 of this embodiment, it is possible to conceal the fact that sensor data, including video, is being recorded from the perpetrator of the nuisance, making it less likely for them to notice. In other words, according to one aspect of the embodiment, it is possible to increase the likelihood of leaving evidence in the event of a nuisance against one's own vehicle.

[0112] Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 1. Information Recording System 3,3A Information recording device 5. In-vehicle sensor section 10 Drive Recorder 11 Communications Department 12 Sensor section 13 HMI section 14 Storage section 15 Recording Media Interface 16 Controllers 30 Anti-theft devices 31 Communications Department 32 Storage section 33 Controller 100 Center Device 200 smartphones

Claims

1. An information recording device mounted on a vehicle, comprising a sensor unit and a controller, The controller Based on the sensor data from the aforementioned sensor unit, the system detects disruptive behavior towards the parked vehicle. When the nuisance behavior is detected, the device starts recording the sensor data, and is operable in a first mode in which the device does not clearly indicate that the nuisance behavior has been detected and that the sensor data is being recorded. Information recording device.

2. The controller and when the nuisance behavior is detected, the device starts recording the sensor data and is operable in a second mode that clearly indicates that the nuisance behavior has been detected and that the sensor data is being recorded.

2. The information recording device according to claim 1.

3. The controller Based on the aforementioned sensor data, information regarding the surrounding environment of the vehicle is acquired. Based on the information regarding the surrounding environment, the system selects whether to operate in the first mode or the second mode.

3. The information recording apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The controller selecting whether to operate in the first mode or the second mode depending on whether the information about the surrounding environment indicates a location that has been registered in advance by a user; 4. The information recording apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The controller selecting whether to operate in the first mode or the second mode depending on whether the information about the surrounding environment indicates a location where the vehicle is frequently parked; The information recording device according to claim 3.

6. The controller When the information regarding the surrounding environment indicates a location where the vehicle is frequently parked, the system operates in the first mode.

6. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The controller When the information regarding the surrounding environment indicates the presence of witnesses to the nuisance, the system operates in the second mode.

4. The information recording apparatus according to claim 3.

8. The controller When a predetermined condition for switching to the first mode is met during operation in the second mode, the mode transitions from the second mode to the first mode.

3. The information recording apparatus according to claim 2.

9. It includes an interface for recording the aforementioned sensor data onto a recording medium, The switching condition is: The event is one of the following: the recording medium is removed from the interface; an impact equal to or greater than a threshold is applied; an operation to stop the recording is performed; or the vehicle starts moving.

9. The information recording apparatus according to claim 8.

10. An information recording method executed by an information recording device equipped with a sensor unit and a controller and mounted on a vehicle, comprising: Detecting nuisance behavior against the parked vehicle based on sensor data from the sensor unit; When the nuisance behavior is detected, the recording of the sensor data is started, and the device is operable in a first mode in which the detection of the nuisance behavior and the fact that the sensor data is being recorded are not indicated; An information recording method including:

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