Devices, in-vehicle equipment and systems

Abstract

To provide a device capable of supplying power to in-vehicle equipment in a good manner.SOLUTION: A charge / discharge control unit 31 controls a power supply path so that power is supplied from the ACC power source to an internal battery 34 and a DC-DC converter 32 while power is supplied from the ACC power source. This allows the internal battery 34 to be charged and the DC-DC converter 32 to supply voltage-converted power to a dashboard camera. When determining that the ACC power source is OFF, the charge / discharge control unit 31 discharges the internal battery 34 and controls the internal battery 34 to supply power to the DC-DC converter 32. This allows a monitoring battery 3 to continue supplying power to the dashboard camera even when the power supply from a vehicle is interrupted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus, an in-vehicle device, a system, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, devices for supplying power to in-vehicle devices have been known (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a bracket that includes a solar cell and supplies electricity generated by the solar cell to the in-vehicle device. The bracket described in Patent Document 1 is fixed onto the dashboard. Moreover, in order to generate power using the solar cell, it needs to be placed in a position where it is exposed to direct sunlight. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-66744 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, the bracket in Patent Document 1 is fixed on the dashboard. Therefore, when the bracket is configured to include a storage battery, the storage battery is fixed in a position exposed to direct sunlight. However, since the temperature range in which the storage battery can be charged and discharged is limited, if the temperature rises due to exposure to direct sunlight, the upper limit of the temperature at which the storage battery can be charged and discharged may be exceeded, and the storage battery may not be able to supply power to in-vehicle devices.

[0005] The present application has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an apparatus etc. capable of, for example, satisfactorily supplying power to in-vehicle devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The device of the present invention is an apparatus that is interposed between a vehicle and an on-board device and supplies power to the on-board device, and is separate from the on-board device. The device includes a battery and a charge / discharge control unit that is a control unit that controls charging of the battery and supplying power to the on-board device. When power is being supplied from the vehicle, the charge / discharge control unit supplies power to the on-board device using the vehicle as a power source and charges the battery, and when power is being supplied from the vehicle, the charge / discharge control unit supplies power to the on-board device using the vehicle as a power source and charges the battery, When the power supply from the vehicle is cut off, the power source for the in-vehicle equipment is switched from the vehicle to the battery, and power supply to the in-vehicle equipment is continued for a predetermined period of time.

[0007] In this way, even if the power supply from the vehicle is cut off, the power supply to the in-vehicle device can be continued. The power supply from the vehicle can be cut off, for example, when the vehicle drive source is stopped, when the power supply from the vehicle battery, which is stopped when the vehicle drive source is stopped, when the vehicle is stopped, when parked, when there is no person in the vehicle, and the like. Even in such cases, the in-vehicle device can continue to operate by the power supply from this device. In particular, in the case of the configuration (7) described below, in which the in-vehicle device operates while power is being supplied and stops operating when the power supply is stopped, the in-vehicle device stops operating in response to the device stopping the power supply after a predetermined period has elapsed, so that the in-vehicle device can be operated for a desired period of time. In addition, for example, in the case of a configuration in which the in-vehicle device operates by the power supply from the vehicle battery while the vehicle drive source is stopped, the vehicle battery may run out, but by interposing this device between the vehicle and the in-vehicle device, the vehicle battery can be made less likely to run out even if the in-vehicle device is operated. This can prevent a situation in which, for example, the engine starter motor cannot rotate due to a dead battery, making it impossible to start the engine and drive the vehicle.

[0008] Furthermore, since the device is separate, it can be installed at a position different from the position of the in-vehicle equipment, and if the device is configured as (2) described below, it is particularly advantageous in that temperature rise can be suppressed. The battery may be, for example, a lithium ion battery or a lithium ion polymer battery, but a lithium hydrogen rechargeable battery is particularly advantageous because it has a wide temperature range in which it can be charged and discharged. The in-vehicle equipment may be, for example, a laser detector or a security device, but it is advantageous if it generates a large amount of internal heat. An example of an equipment that generates a large amount of internal heat may be an image processing device such as a drive recorder. Since the device is separate from the in-vehicle equipment, it is advantageous to make it less susceptible to the effects of heat.

[0009] Furthermore, the in-vehicle device is preferably installed in a location that receives heat from the outside, and the present device is preferably installed in a location that is not easily affected by the heat from the outside. The outside may be, for example, direct sunlight or the engine. The in-vehicle device may be installed in a location that receives direct sunlight, and the present device may be installed in a location that blocks direct sunlight. In particular, the in-vehicle device may be installed near the glass between the outside and inside of the vehicle, and the present device may be configured not to be installed near the glass. Note that the in-vehicle device may not only be a device that is installed in the vehicle in advance as an integral part of the vehicle, but may also be a device that is separate from the vehicle and installed in the vehicle later.

[0010] (2) The in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that records images outside the vehicle, and is preferably sized and shaped to be installed in a location other than the engine compartment of the vehicle where direct sunlight is blocked.

[0011] A drive recorder is installed near glass, such as a windshield, to capture the outside of the vehicle through the glass. However, the vicinity of glass is also a place where the temperature is likely to rise due to direct sunlight. Therefore, by installing the drive recorder in a place where direct sunlight is blocked, the battery temperature can be made less likely to rise. In addition, by installing the device in a place other than the engine room where the vehicle drive source is stored, the device can be made less susceptible to the heat from the vehicle drive source. By making the battery temperature less likely to rise, it is possible to suppress the inability to charge and discharge due to a temperature rise, and it is possible to make it less likely that the inability to supply power to the in-vehicle equipment will occur. The in-vehicle equipment can continue to operate even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off.

[0012] (3) The in-vehicle equipment does not have a battery or has a battery smaller than the battery and is installed in a location where there are size and weight restrictions, and it is preferable that the in-vehicle equipment be configured to be installed in a location where there are fewer size and weight restrictions than the size and weight restrictions of the in-vehicle equipment.

[0013] In this way, the device can be made larger and heavier, and the battery capacity can be increased. The in-vehicle device can continue to operate for a long time even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. The in-vehicle device should be installed in a place where there is a size restriction when installing it, such as the windshield, where the installation range is specified by law. In addition, the in-vehicle device should be installed in a place where it may fall due to its weight, or on a surface that is not parallel to the floor of the vehicle, such as the windshield or on the dashboard.

[0014] (4) It is preferable that the size and shape of the device be such that the device can be installed in a position that does not compress the passenger space of the vehicle.

[0015] This is advantageous because it will not hit or get in the way while the person is in the car, when driving or when getting in and out of the vehicle. The inventors have found that the location for providing the configurations (2), (3), and (4) is preferably in the trunk, under the dashboard, or in particular under the seat.

[0016] (5) The device may include a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle equipment, and a control unit. The control unit may be configured to output a switching signal (hereinafter referred to as a battery switching signal) via the communication means when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle equipment from the vehicle to the battery.

[0017] In this way, the in-vehicle device can know that the power supply source has been switched to the battery. In particular, when combined with the configuration of (11) that saves power when the power supply source is switched to the battery, the amount of power supplied is reduced, which is particularly advantageous as it can extend the life of the battery. Note that the charge / discharge control unit and the control unit may be realized by a single control means, or each may be realized by separate control means.

[0018] (6) The device may include a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle equipment, and a control unit. When power supply from the vehicle is resumed, the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle equipment from the battery to the vehicle. When the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle equipment from the battery to the vehicle during a period when the power source for the in-vehicle equipment is the battery, the control unit may output a signal indicating that the power source has been switched to the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle switching signal) via the communication means.

[0019] In this way, the in-vehicle device can know that the power supply source has been switched back to the vehicle. In particular, when combined with the configuration (11) in which the image capture conditions are switched depending on the power supply source, it is particularly advantageous because the image capture conditions can be switched in response to the power supply source being switched back to the vehicle. Note that when the configurations (5) and (6) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized by sharing one communication means and one control means, or may be realized by separate communication means and control means.

[0020] (7) It is preferable that the in-vehicle device is configured to receive power from the present device, operate while the device is receiving power, and stop when the power supply is stopped.

[0021] In this way, even if the power supply from the vehicle is cut off, the in-vehicle device can continue to operate by receiving power from the device.

[0022] (8) The in-vehicle device has a first continuous recording function which is a function for recording when power is being supplied from the vehicle, a first event recording function which is a function for recording when a specified event occurs while power is being supplied from the vehicle, and a second event recording function which is a function for recording when power is being supplied from the battery. It is preferable for the configuration to include a second constant recording function which is a function for recording when a specified event occurs while the device is receiving power from a battery, a first setting function which sets the first constant function, a second setting function which sets the second constant function, and a third setting function which sets the first event recording setting and the second event recording setting in common.

[0023] When there are many settings, the user may feel bothered and have difficulty in understanding them. By providing a third setting function that commonly sets the first constant function setting, the second constant function setting, the first event recording setting, and the second event recording setting, the user's bother can be reduced and the user can easily understand the settings. The in-vehicle device can operate with the optimal settings depending on the applied state.

[0024] Note that configurations other than (8) are also possible. For example, a configuration including a setting function for setting the first continuous function, a setting function for setting the first event function, and a setting function for commonly setting the second continuous recording and the second event recording may be used.

[0025] (9) The in-vehicle device may have a wireless communication function and a creation means for creating communication data of one communication unit having a plurality of frames based on an image captured by the imaging means, and for transmitting the communication data of one communication unit via the wireless communication function. At least one of the frames included in the communication data of one communication unit may be configured to have a reference frame, which is a frame that can be played back independently.

[0026] In this way, if only the reference frame of the communication data of one communication unit can be received, the video of the period of one communication unit included in the communication data of the one communication unit can be played back independently. The video may be, for example, image information in which still image information is arranged in chronological order, having information such as 30 frames per second. One communication unit may be, for example, a group divided based on time, the number of frames, data capacity, etc. The communication data of one communication unit may be, for example, data divided at a certain time, data up to a certain number of frames, or data exceeding a certain data capacity. The data length of the communication data of one communication unit may be variable or fixed. The communication data of one communication unit may have a variable number of frames, or a fixed number of frames. The number of frames of the communication data of one communication unit may be, for example, multiple, and the reference frame of the multiple frames may be multiple, but it is particularly preferable to have one. However, for example, when a single communication unit of communication data has multiple reference frames, as long as one of the multiple reference frames can be received, no image will be displayed during the single communication unit. For example, a playback device may be provided that includes a receiving means for receiving the communication data of one communication unit transmitted by an in-vehicle device, and a playback means for displaying an image on a display means based on the received communication data of one communication unit. Such a playback device can play back an image based on the communication data of one communication unit transmitted by the in-vehicle device. The user can view the played back image.

[0027] (9-1) The in-vehicle device may be configured to repeat the creation of the communication data of one communication unit by the creation means and the transmission of the created communication data of one communication unit by the wireless communication function. In this way, when the image capture means continues to capture images, continuous video can be transmitted. The creation of the communication data of one communication unit and the transmission of the communication data by the wireless communication function may be performed as separate processes. For example, ten pieces of communication data of one communication unit may be created, and after the ten pieces of communication data of the communication units are created, the ten pieces of communication data of the communication units may be transmitted ten times for each communication unit. However, once the communication data of one communication unit is created, the created communication data of one communication unit may be transmitted. Also, one communication unit may be created according to the same criteria for each repetition unit. The criteria may be, for example, It is advisable to set a fixed number for each repetition unit based on the time, number of frames, data capacity, etc. If one communication unit of communication data cannot be transmitted, the entire communication unit of communication data may be retransmitted. However, it is advisable to do as follows (9-3).

[0028] (9-2) The in-vehicle device may be configured to store the frame that could not be transmitted among the communication data of one communication unit, and transmit the frame that could not be transmitted. In this way, even if there is a frame that could not be transmitted, the frame that could not be transmitted can be transmitted later. For example, an identifier such as a serial number may be assigned to the frame before transmission, and when the frame cannot be transmitted, the identifier of the frame that could not be transmitted may be recorded to identify the frame that could not be transmitted. Also, an identifier such as a serial number may be assigned to the communication data of one communication unit, and when the frame cannot be transmitted, the identifier of the communication data that could not be transmitted and the number of the frame that could not be transmitted may be recorded to identify the frame that could not be transmitted. Also, the identifier may be, for example, a date, a time, or the like. Of the multiple frames included in the communication data of one communication unit, the frame next to a certain frame may be used as difference data from the previous reference frame. However, it is preferable to do as follows (9-3).

[0029] (9-3) The in-vehicle device may be configured such that, among the multiple frames included in the communication data of one communication unit, the next frame of a certain frame is a difference frame that is difference data with the frame one frame before. For example, if a certain frame is a reference frame, the next frame of the certain frame is a difference frame with respect to the reference frame. For example, if a certain frame is a difference frame, the next frame of the certain frame is a difference frame with respect to the frame created by the difference frame. In this way, the amount of communication data can be reduced compared to when all frames are reference frames. In addition, the next frame of the difference frame may also be a difference frame. In particular, since the frames included in the communication data of one communication unit have a reference frame as a certain frame, it is possible to play back the video of the period of the one communication unit alone and reduce the amount of data. In the case where the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle while driving, the entire frame changes more than, for example, a fixed camera that takes pictures of a place with little change in the background, so it is better to take the next frame of a certain frame as difference data with the frame one frame before, rather than as difference data with the previous reference frame. Also, it is preferable that the reference frame be located at the beginning of communication data for one communication unit.

[0030] (9-4) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with an imaging means and a sound collection means, and is equipped with a wireless communication function and a creation means for creating communication data of one communication unit having a plurality of frames, which transmits the image captured by the imaging means and the sound collected by the sound collection means via the wireless communication function, and the communication data of one communication unit is preferably configured to be arranged in the following order from the beginning: a reference frame that can be played back independently, sound data, and a difference frame indicating the difference from the previous frame.

[0031] In this way, even if communication is interrupted halfway through the transmission of one communication unit of communication data, the destination can at least view a still image based on the reference frame. If audio data is then received, the audio can be heard. If differential frames are then received, video based on the differential frames can be viewed. The order of reception at the destination is still image, audio, video, and so on. For example, if the communication data is footage of an accident, the still image can be viewed first, followed by the audio, and then the video. Then, the audio can be used to learn about the accident's situation. Then, the video can be used to learn about the details of the accident. Even if communication is interrupted halfway through the audio data, the destination can at least view an overview of the accident. The playback device should also have an audio playback function, and be configured to be able to play back audio that has been received from one communication unit of communication data. In such a playback device, According to this, it is possible to reproduce audio based on one communication unit of communication data transmitted by the in-vehicle device, and the user can listen to the reproduced audio.

[0032] (10) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with an imaging means, and is equipped with a switching function that switches between a plurality of recording media as a writing destination for data based on images captured by the imaging means, and a wireless communication function that transmits the data based on the images. If the data based on the images cannot be transmitted via the wireless communication function, the in-vehicle device may be configured to read the data based on the images that could not be transmitted from the recording media that store the data based on the images that could not be transmitted during a period when the storage medium is not a writing destination, and transmit the data via the wireless communication function.

[0033] In this way, even if the wireless communication means fails to transmit the video, the video that has failed to be transmitted can be read from any of the recording media that is not the write destination and transmitted. It may be difficult to simultaneously write and read data to the recording media. For example, when writing video-based data to the recording media for recording, the period during which the video-based data captured by the imaging means is stored in the storage medium may overlap with the period during which the video-based data stored in the storage medium is read for transmission. By switching the write destination between multiple storage media and creating a period during which the storage medium storing the video-based data is not the write destination, the video-based data can be easily read. There may be three or more storage media, but two storage media is particularly good. In addition, the video-based data for recording and the video-based data for transmission may be different data, and the data amount of the video-based data for transmission may be different from that of the video-based data for recording. When constantly writing to the recording media for recording, the video-based data for recording may be written by switching between the two recording media alternately. The data based on the video to be transmitted may be written constantly by switching between the two recording media, but the data based on the video that was successfully transmitted may not be written to the recording media. The recording media to which the data based on the video that was not successfully transmitted is written may be written to the recording media to which the data based on the video for recording is currently written. The data based on the video that was not successfully transmitted by the wireless communication function may be written in units of one communication, or may be written in units of frames. For example, an identifier such as a serial number may be assigned to the frame before transmission, and when the data cannot be transmitted, the identifier of the frame that could not be transmitted and the recording media to which the data is to be written may be recorded to identify the storage media storing the frame that could not be transmitted. Also, a part of the storage area of ​​the storage media may be set aside in advance as an area to record the data based on the video that was not successfully transmitted, and the data based on the video stored in that area of ​​the storage media that is not the write destination may be read.

[0034] (10-1) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with an imaging means, and has a wireless communication function for transmitting data based on the image, and the communication speed when transmitting the data based on the image captured by the imaging means via the wireless communication function is preferably set to a speed that allows transmission in a shorter time than the time required to capture the data based on the image.

[0035] In this way, the in-vehicle device can transmit all the stored video-based data at once. Video-based data is captured for a certain period of time, and the video-based data for that period is stored and can be transmitted in a shorter time than the time required for capturing the video. For example, if one communication unit's worth of video-based data is stored and transmitted, it can be transmitted in a shorter time than the time required to capture one communication unit. The remaining time can be used to transmit the video-based data that could not be transmitted. Transmission is possible in a shorter time than the actual video time. There is free time before the start of capturing the next communication unit. The video-based data that could not be transmitted can be read from the storage medium in which it is recorded, and time can be secured for transmission by the wireless communication function. In particular, the configuration of (10-2) is particularly effective. Also, in the case of a configuration in which transmission is performed during the period when the power supply source is a battery as in (14), ( If the configuration is not as in 10-1), and the communication speed is slow, it will take a very long time to transmit the data based on the video that could not be transmitted after the power source becomes a battery. In the configuration of (10-1), the data based on the video that could not be transmitted is transmitted before the power source becomes a battery, so the transmission time during the period when the power source is a battery can be shortened or eliminated.

[0036] (10-2) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with an imaging means, and is equipped with a switching function that switches between a plurality of recording media as a write destination for data based on video captured by the imaging means, a wireless communication function that transmits the video-based data, and a real-time transmission function that writes the video-based data to a storage medium and transmits the video-based data in real time via the wireless communication function. If the video-based data cannot be transmitted via the real-time transmission function, it is preferable that the in-vehicle device is configured to read the video-based data that could not be transmitted from the recording medium storing the video-based data during a period when the storage medium is not a write destination, and transmit the video-based data via the wireless communication function.

[0037] In this way, when the video-based data cannot be transmitted by the real-time transmission function, the video-based data that could not be transmitted can be read out and transmitted during a period when the storage medium storing the video-based data that could not be transmitted is not a write destination, almost simultaneously with the real-time transmission. In particular, it is preferable to constantly write the video-based data for recording. As different data from the video-based data for recording and the video-based data for transmission, it is preferable to set the amount of data of the video-based data for recording to be larger than the amount of data of the video-based data for transmission, for example, high-quality data.

[0038] (11) A system including this device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the control unit outputs a switching signal (hereinafter referred to as a battery switching signal) indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery via the communication means, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions, and includes device communication means for communicating with the device, and applies a first condition as the shooting condition during a first period when the power source is the vehicle, and applies a second condition, which is more power-saving than the first condition, as the shooting condition during a second period when the power source is the battery, and when the switching signal (battery switching signal) is received, switches the shooting condition from the first condition to the second condition and continues shooting.

[0039] In this way, the amount of power supplied by the battery is reduced, so that the battery can last longer. Here, the shooting conditions are not conditions for starting shooting, but conditions when shooting. The shooting conditions may include, for example, frame rate and resolution, and conditions for saving power may include lowering the frame rate and lowering the resolution. When the configurations (5), (6), and (11) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized by sharing one communication means and one control means, or may be realized by separate communication means and control means. The present device may be any of the devices (1) to (6), and the in-vehicle device may be the in-vehicle device described in (7). The same applies to (13) to (15) described later.

[0040] (12) A system including the present device and an on-board device, the device including a communication means for communicating with the on-board device, and a control unit, the control unit outputs, via the communication means, a signal indicating the remaining charge of the battery, and, when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the on-board device from the vehicle to the battery, a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery, the on-board device being a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions including a shooting time and a frame rate, and the system includes a device communication means for communicating with the device, a shooting means, and an image capturing unit. and a user interface that accepts settings of shooting conditions, and upon receiving a signal indicating the remaining battery charge and a switching signal (battery switching signal), the device determines the other of the shooting time and the frame rate based on the remaining battery charge and the remaining capacity of the recording medium, and either the shooting time or the frame rate that has been accepted.

[0041] In this way, the in-vehicle device can prioritize either the shooting time or the frame rate and determine the other of the shooting time and the frame rate. The user can operate the in-vehicle device by setting a desired shooting time or frame rate. When the configurations (5), (6), and (12) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized by sharing one communication means and one control means, or may be realized by separate communication means and control means.

[0042] (13) A system including the present device and an on-board device, the device including a communication means for communicating with the on-board device, and a control unit, the control unit outputting a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery via the communication means when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the on-board device from the vehicle to the battery, the on-board device being a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions, the on-board device including a positioning means for determining the position of the vehicle, an device communication means for communicating with the device, and a storage means for storing the shooting conditions set by the user in association with the position, and when the switching signal (battery switching signal) is received, if the current position is within a specified area of ​​the positions stored in the storage means, the shooting conditions associated with the position are determined to be the current shooting conditions.

[0043] In this way, when the current position is within a predetermined radius of a previously set position, the in-vehicle device can set the photographing conditions stored in the storage means as the current photographing conditions. The user can operate the in-vehicle device without the trouble of repeatedly setting the photographing conditions. Even if the current position does not match the position stored in the storage means, the in-vehicle device can set the photographing conditions associated with the position as the current photographing conditions if the current position is within a predetermined area of ​​the stored position. Therefore, the same photographing conditions can be applied even when the user freely parks the car in a parking lot having a predetermined site. The predetermined area may be, for example, an arbitrary shape centered on the latitude and longitude that specify the position, particularly a circle having a predetermined radius. In addition, when the configurations (5), (6), and (11) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized so as to share one communication means and one control means, or may be realized by separate communication means and control means.

[0044] (14) A system including the present device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device includes a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device, and a control unit, and when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the control unit outputs a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery via the communication means, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period when the power source is the vehicle, and includes device communication means for communicating with the device, an imaging means, a recording means for recording images captured by the imaging means, and a transmission means for transmitting the images via a network, and upon receiving the switching signal (battery switching signal), transmits images that could not be transmitted during the first period during the period when the power source is the battery.

[0045] In this way, even if the record could not be transmitted during the first period, the record can be transmitted reliably. The transmission destination may be, for example, a database that can be viewed by the manager who manages the vehicle. The network may be, for example, a network for mobile terminals. The first period is often handled while the vehicle is traveling, and communication may be interrupted while traveling due to, for example, switching of base stations or traveling in an area with slow communication speeds. Therefore, there may be a period during which transmission is not possible. The second period often corresponds to a parking period, during which the vehicle rarely moves, so that the driving record can be transmitted reliably. When the configurations (5), (6), and (14) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized by sharing one communication means and one control means, or may be realized by separate communication means and control means.

[0046] (15) A system including the present device and an in-vehicle device, the device including a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device, and a control unit, the control unit outputting a switching signal (battery switching signal) indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery via the communication means when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the in-vehicle device being a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period when the power source is the vehicle, the in-vehicle device including an imaging means, a recording means for recording images captured by the imaging means, and a transmission means for transmitting the images via a network, the system being configured such that during the first period, the images are transmitted at a lower bit rate, and upon receiving a switching signal (battery switching signal), if the communication speed is faster than a reference value, images are transmitted at a higher bit rate than during the first period.

[0047] In this way, in the first period, the amount of data per unit time can be reduced, so that the time of the image relative to the transmission time can be increased. A method for lowering the bit rate can be, for example, lowering the image quality. A network for mobile terminals, wireless LAN, etc. can be used as the network. A case where the power supply source is switched to a battery can be, for example, when the vehicle is parked. If a parking lot can use a high-speed wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), it is expected that the driving image can be transmitted in a short time without reducing the amount of data per unit time of the driving image, so that, for example, a driving image with good image quality can be transmitted. Note that when the configurations (5), (6), and (15) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be realized by sharing one communication means and one control means, or may be realized by separate communication means and control means.

[0048] (16) A system including the present device and an in-vehicle device, the device including a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device, and a control unit, the control unit outputting a switching signal indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery via the communication means when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the in-vehicle device being a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period in which the power source is the vehicle, and including an imaging means, a wireless communication function, and a creation means for creating communication data of one communication unit having a plurality of frames based on the image captured by the imaging means and transmitted by the wireless communication function, and preferably including a configuration in which at least one of the plurality of frames included in the communication data of one communication unit is provided with a reference frame which is a frame that can be played back independently.

[0049] In this way, if only the reference frame of the communication data for one communication unit can be received, the video can be played back independently.

[0050] (17) A system including the present device and an in-vehicle device, the device including a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device, and a control unit, the control unit outputting a switching signal indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery via the communication means when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source for the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the in-vehicle device being a drive recorder that captures images of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period in which the power source is the vehicle, and including an imaging means, a switching function for switching between a plurality of recording media as a write destination for data based on images captured by the imaging means, and a wireless communication function for transmitting the data based on the images, and when the data based on the images cannot be transmitted via the wireless communication function, the data based on the images that could not be transmitted is read from the recording medium storing the data based on the images that could not be transmitted during a period in which the storage medium is not a write destination, and transmitted via the wireless communication function.

[0051] In this way, even if the wireless communication means fails to transmit video, the video that has failed to be transmitted can be read out from any one of the recording media that is not the storage destination and transmitted.

[0052] It is preferable to arbitrarily select and combine (1) to (17), and it is particularly preferable to combine (2) to (17) after providing (1). It is also preferable to arbitrarily select and combine elements (1) to (17). Effect of the Invention

[0053] According to the device etc. of the present application, power supply to in-vehicle devices etc. can be performed satisfactorily. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0054] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a monitored battery. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the correspondence between the output of the ACC power supply and the output of the monitored battery. [Figure 4]FIG. 1 / 4 shows the screen transitions during surveillance recording. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 / 4 shows the screen transitions during surveillance recording. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 / 4 shows the screen transitions during surveillance recording. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 / 4 shows the screen transition during surveillance recording. [Figure 8] This is a diagram (1 / 6) showing the screen transitions during settings. [Figure 9] This is a diagram (2 / 6) showing the screen transitions during settings. [Figure 10] This is a diagram (3 / 6) showing the screen transitions during settings. [Figure 11] This is a diagram (4 / 6) showing the screen transitions during settings. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the "OFF" and "ON" settings of "overwrite." [Figure 13] This is a diagram (5 / 6) showing the screen transitions during settings. [Figure 14] This is a diagram (6 / 6) showing the screen transitions during settings. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating area registration in settings. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining transfer and writing to an SD card in parking monitoring (Method 1). [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining transfer and writing to an SD card in parking monitoring (Method 2). [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining transfer and writing to an SD card in parking monitoring (Method 3). [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of the drive recorder relating to the transfer of recorded data during continuous recording. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of communication data. [Figure 21] 13 is a flowchart showing the contents of a communication process. [Figure 22] 11 is a diagram illustrating the transfer of recorded data during continuous recording when a period of communication unavailable occurs. FIG. [Figure 23] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining settings for recording to an SD card and data transfer. [Figure 24] FIG. 11 is a front view of a monitoring battery according to a first modified example, along with an input cord and an output cord. [Diagram 25] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining settings of dip switches of a monitored battery according to the first modification. [Figure 26] 13 is a diagram illustrating an LED of a monitored battery according to the first modification. FIG. [Figure 27] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a monitoring battery according to Modification 2. [Figure 28] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a monitored battery according to a second modified example, shown together with an input cord and an output cord. [Figure 29] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a monitored battery according to Modification 2. [Diagram 30] 13 is a diagram illustrating setting of a detection voltage of a monitored battery according to Modification 2. FIG. [Diagram 31] 13 is a diagram illustrating the setting of an off timer of a monitored battery according to Modification 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0055] <Overall composition> The overall configuration of a system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The system 1 is installed in a vehicle. The system 1 is a system that is retrofitted to a vehicle, and is composed of a monitoring battery 3, a drive recorder 4, a power cable 11, a cable 12, and the like. When power is supplied from the ACC power source (FIG. 2), the monitoring battery 3 supplies power to the drive recorder 4 using the ACC power source as a power source and charges the built-in internal battery 34 (FIG. 2). When the power supply from the ACC power source is cut off, the monitoring battery 3 switches the power source to the drive recorder 4 from the vehicle to the internal battery 34, and continues to supply power to the drive recorder 4. The monitoring battery 3 has an input connector 3a and an input / output connector 3b. The drive recorder 4 has an input / output connector 4a and a display 41. The power cable 11 has a cigarette plug at one end and an output terminal 11a at the other end. The cable 12 has a first terminal 12a at one end and a second terminal 12b at the other end. A cigarette plug provided on the power cable 11 is connected to a cigarette lighter socket of the vehicle, and an output terminal 11a of the power cable 11 is connected to an input connector 3a of the monitoring battery 3. This allows the monitoring battery 3 to receive power from the ACC power supply. In addition, an input / output connector 3b of the monitoring battery 3 is connected to a first terminal 12a of the cable 12, and a second terminal 12b of the cable 12 is connected to an input / output connector 4a of the drive recorder 4. This allows the monitoring battery 3 to supply power to the drive recorder 4 and to communicate serially with the drive recorder 4.

[0056] <Monitoring battery configuration> Next, the electrical configuration of the monitoring battery 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The monitoring battery 3 includes a charge / discharge control unit 31, a DC-DC converter 32, a CPU 33, an internal battery 34, an indicator 35, and a DIP switch DIPSW 36. The charge / discharge control unit 31 controls charging the internal battery 34 and supplying power to the drive recorder 4. The internal battery 34 is a secondary battery, specifically realized by a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery. The DC-DC converter 32 converts a voltage of 12V or 24V supplied from the ACC power source via the charge / discharge control unit 31 to a voltage of 5V and outputs it. The CPU 33 controls the charge / discharge control unit 31 and the indicator 35. The CPU 33 also communicates with the drive recorder 4 connected via the cable 12. The indicator 35 includes a lamp that notifies the user that the battery is in operation, a lamp that displays the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34, and the like. The lamp is realized by an LED. The DIP switch DIPSW 36 includes three switches. In the following description and drawings, the internal battery 34 may be referred to as a built-in battery.

[0057] The charge / discharge control unit 31 receives power from the internal battery 34. While power is being supplied from the ACC power supply, the charge / discharge control unit 31 controls the power supply path so that power is supplied from the ACC power supply to the internal battery 34 and the DC-DC converter 32. As a result, the internal battery 34 is charged, and the DC-DC converter 32 supplies voltage-converted power to the drive recorder 4. The charge / discharge control unit 31 determines whether the ACC power supply is ON / OFF and switches between charging and discharging the internal battery 34. When the charge / discharge control unit 31 determines that the ACC power supply is ON, it controls so that power is supplied from the ACC power supply to the internal battery 34 and the DC-DC converter 32. When the charge / discharge control unit 31 determines that the ACC power supply is OFF, it controls so that the internal battery 34 is discharged and power is supplied from the internal battery 34 to the DC-DC converter 32.

[0058] Next, the operation of the monitoring battery 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. While the ACC power supply is ON, the monitoring battery 3 outputs power to the drive recorder 4 using the ACC power supply. When the power supply is cut off, power is output to the drive recorder 4 using the internal battery 34 for a specified time after the power supply was cut off. When the specified time has elapsed, the power output is turned off. When the supply of ACC power is resumed, power is again output to the drive recorder 4 using the ACC power. This allows the drive recorder 4 to continue operating for a specified time after the ACC power supply was cut off. The specified time is set by serial communication from the drive recorder 4. When the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal (described later) from the monitoring battery 3, it transmits a signal commanding the specified time. The CPU 33 sets the set value of the specified time contained in the received signal commanding the specified time as the specified time.

[0059] In addition, when a drive recorder without a communication function is connected to the monitoring battery 3, the CPU 33 sets the time set by the DIP switch DIPSW 36 as the specified time. When the drive recorder 4 with a communication function is turned on, it transmits a signal inquiring about the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34. If the CPU 33 does not receive the signal inquiring about the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34, it determines that the drive recorder is not connected. If the CPU 33 determines that the drive recorder is not connected, it refers to the setting of the DIP switch DIPSW 36. The DIP switch DIPSW 36 can hold a total of eight set values ​​related to the specified time in binary by combining the ON / OFF of three switches. The set values ​​of the specified time are specifically 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 32 hours, and 64 hours. When a user connects a drive recorder without a communication function, the user refers to the instruction manual attached to the monitoring battery 3 and turns each switch ON or OFF to correspond to the desired time.

[0060] When the supply of the ACC power supply is interrupted, the monitoring battery 3 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34 and supplies power to the drive recorder 4. Since the drive recorder 4 continues to receive power before and after the switching, the drive recorder 4 cannot determine whether the power supply source is the ACC power supply or the internal battery 34. For this reason, when the CPU 33 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34, it transmits a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4. If the ACC power supply is turned ON after the monitoring battery 3 turns OFF its output after a specified time has elapsed, the drive recorder 4 resumes the power supply that was stopped, so it can be determined that the ACC power supply is ON. On the other hand, if the ACC power supply is turned ON within the specified time, the drive recorder 4 continues to receive power, so it cannot be determined whether the power supply source is the ACC power supply or the internal battery 34. For this reason, if the ACC power supply is turned ON within the specified time, the CPU 33 transmits a vehicle switching signal to notify that the power supply source has been switched to the ACC power supply. This allows the drive recorder 4 to recognize that the ACC power supply has been turned on and the power supply source has been switched to the ACC power supply. As described below, the drive recorder 4 switches the operation mode in response to the input of the battery switching signal and the vehicle switching signal. In addition, the monitoring battery 3 transmits a signal indicating the remaining battery charge of the internal battery 34 every 1 second. This allows the drive recorder 4 to know the remaining battery charge of the internal battery 34.

[0061] Next, the shape of the monitoring battery 3 will be described. The monitoring battery 3 includes a mechanism case. The mechanism case is made of heat-resistant resin and is fixed to the vehicle with a tie wrap or double-sided tape. The mechanism case is about the size of an elementary school lunch box, and is installed under the front seat of the vehicle with the widest surface facing down. Since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat where direct sunlight is blocked, the temperature of the monitoring battery 3 can be made to be difficult to increase. Since the temperature of the monitoring battery 3 is made to be difficult to increase, the charging and discharging of the internal battery 34 is made to be difficult to be restricted due to the increase in temperature. As a result, the power supply from the monitoring battery 3 is made to be difficult to stop, and the operation of the drive recorder 4 is made to be difficult to stop. In addition, since the monitoring battery 3 is configured to be installed under the seat, the size of the internal battery 34 can be made large enough to fit under the seat. This increases the capacity of the internal battery 34. For example, like the drive recorder 4, if the monitoring battery is attached to the windshield, there is a risk that it may fall if it is heavy, but if it is installed under the seat, there is no risk of it falling. In addition, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it does not take up space in the vehicle and does not get in the way when people are driving or getting in and out of the vehicle.

[0062] The drive recorder 4 is attached to the windshield, and is located away from the monitoring battery 3, which is installed under the seat. The length of the power cable 11 is about 4 m, so that the user can connect the monitoring battery 3 and the drive recorder 4, which are located away from each other.

[0063] <Drive recorder configuration> Next, the drive recorder 4 will be described. The drive recorder 4 is attached to the inside of the vehicle windshield and has a recording function of capturing an image of the front of the vehicle through the windshield and recording the image on an SD card. In addition to the recording function of a general drive recorder, the drive recorder 4 has a communication function of communicating with the monitoring battery 3. The drive recorder 4 has a display 41 (FIG. 1). The drive recorder 4 also has a control unit, a GPS sensor, a G sensor, a camera, a microphone, an OBD connection cable, an SD card interface, an operation button, an indicator lamp, a speaker, and the like, which are not shown. The display 41 is a liquid crystal display capable of full color display with a backlight, and displays an image according to the control of the control unit. The GPS sensor measures the position of the drive recorder 4 and outputs the vehicle position, which is position information, to the control unit. The G sensor measures acceleration and outputs the measured acceleration to the control unit. The camera captures images and outputs the captured image data to the control unit. The microphone collects sound and outputs the collected sound data to the control unit. The OBD connection cable is a cable that can be connected to an OBD-II connector mounted on a vehicle. The control unit acquires vehicle information, which is a self-diagnosis performed by the ECU mounted on the vehicle, via the OBD connection cable. The SD card interface has an SD card insertion port, and when an SD card is inserted into the SD card insertion port, it notifies the user that the SD card has been inserted. In addition, the SD card interface reads information recorded on the SD card according to the control of the control unit and outputs the information to the control unit. In addition, the SD card interface writes information such as image data output from the control unit to the SD card.

[0064] There are a plurality of operation buttons, which are physical buttons provided on the mechanism case of the drive recorder 4. When the operation button is pressed by the user, for example, the operation button outputs information indicating that it has been pressed to the control unit. The operation buttons are composed of a "Cursor (up) / REC" button, an "OK" button, a "Cursor (down) / One-touch recording" button, a "SD card format" button, a "MENU / MUTEonoff" button, a "Mode switching" button, and a "Power" button. Hereinafter, the "Cursor (up) / REC" button, the "Cursor (down) / One-touch recording" button, the "SD card format" button, and the "MENU / MUTEonoff" button may be referred to as the "Cursor (up)" or "REC" button, the "Up" button, the "Cursor (down)" button or the "Down" button, the "SD" button, and the "MENU" button, respectively. Furthermore, "button" may be referred to as "key". The indicator lamp is realized by an LED, and turns on and off according to the control of the control unit. The indicator lamp is composed of a power lamp that turns on when the power is on, and a recording lamp that turns on during recording. The speaker emits sound according to the control of the control unit.

[0065] The control unit includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a non-volatile storage unit, etc. The CPU controls each unit by executing various programs stored in the ROM. Here, the various units are the display 41, the GPS sensor, the G sensor, the camera, the SD card interface, the operation buttons, the indicator lamp, the speaker, etc. The ROM stores programs and data necessary for executing the programs. The RAM is used as the main memory device for the CPU to execute various processes. The RAM temporarily stores captured image data. The ROM also stores two codecs for image data. These are a program for encoding image data for transmission over the Internet, and a program for encoding image data for storage in an SD card. Details of the codecs will be described later. The non-volatile storage unit stores, for example, setting values ​​set by the user. The CPU communicates with the monitoring battery 3 connected via a cable 12.

[0066] Furthermore, the drive recorder 4 includes a LAN interface that can be connected to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) (not shown) that complies with the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard, and a mobile communication interface 52 (FIG. 19) that can be connected to a network for mobile terminals that complies with LTE (Long term Evolution) and 4G (Generation). This allows the drive recorder 4 to connect to the Internet by wireless LAN via a router that can connect to Wi-Fi. Also, the drive recorder 4 can connect to the Internet via a base station. The LAN interface is preferably a wireless LAN communication device, and the mobile communication interface is preferably a communication device such as LTE or 4G. Also, in an area where both wireless LAN connection and connection to a base station are possible, the drive recorder 4 is provided with a function of giving priority to wireless LAN connection.

[0067] The drive recorder 4 includes a control unit, which processes image data and thus generates a large amount of heat. For this reason, if the monitoring battery 3 is located near the drive recorder 4, it is susceptible to the effects of heat. As described above, in the system 1, the drive recorder 4 is installed on the windshield, and the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat. This makes it possible to make the monitoring battery 3 less susceptible to the effects of heat from the drive recorder 4. Since the temperature of the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to rise, the internal battery 34 is less likely to be restricted in charging and discharging due to a rise in temperature. As a result, the power supply from the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to be stopped, and the drive recorder 4 is less likely to be stopped.

[0068] Here, the effect of adopting the configuration of the system 1 compared to the conventional configuration will be described. For example, there is a drive recorder equipped with a battery such as a lithium ion polymer battery (LiPo). A drive recorder with this configuration can operate for, for example, about 20 to 30 minutes after the ACC power is turned off. However, drive recorders are usually installed to capture the outside of the vehicle through the windshield, and since they need to be installed in a place exposed to sunlight, they are exposed to high temperatures in midsummer and the like, and there are cases where the lithium ion polymer battery cannot be charged. For example, in summer, it is difficult to charge during the day, and it is often possible to charge it just before night. In addition, since the drive recorder is attached to the windshield, there are limitations on size and weight. There are also separate-type drive recorders in which a camera unit equipped with a camera is separate from a main body equipped with a CPU and a battery. In this case, the heat of the CPU and the like is trapped inside the case of the main body, and the temperature of the battery in the same case as the main body may become higher than the temperature of a place of the vehicle that is not exposed to the sun. In this regard, in the system 1, the drive recorder 4 is separate from the monitoring battery 3, so it can be less susceptible to the effects of heat generated by the CPU included in the drive recorder 4. In addition, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it can be less susceptible to the effects of temperature rise caused by exposure to sunlight.

[0069] Furthermore, the internal battery 34 is a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery, and since its upper limit chargeable temperature is around 70°C, which is higher than the charging temperature of a lithium-ion polymer battery, which has a charging temperature of around 0 to 45°C, it is possible to prevent the battery from becoming unable to charge, even in the summer. Although it depends on the operating conditions such as the environment, the monitoring battery 3 can supply power for around 10 hours after the ACC power is turned off. It is also possible to directly connect the drive recorder to the vehicle battery installed in the vehicle. However, in this configuration, it is necessary to check whether the vehicle battery has enough remaining power to turn the vehicle's starter motor. It is necessary to keep the remaining charge, and it is necessary to grasp the remaining charge, but there is a problem that it is difficult to grasp the remaining charge accurately. As a method for grasping the remaining charge of a vehicle battery, there is a method of drawing out a current and measuring the voltage at this time. As the remaining charge of the vehicle battery decreases, the voltage decreases, so for example, when the voltage becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined value, it can be determined that the remaining charge of the vehicle battery is low. However, the current consumption of the drive recorder is, for example, less than 1A, which is small compared to the current consumption when turning a starter motor, for example, several to several tens of A, and therefore the amount of voltage drop is also small, making it difficult to grasp the remaining charge of the vehicle battery accurately. In this regard, in the system 1, when the ACC power supply is turned off, the monitoring battery 3 uses the internal battery 34 to supply power to the drive recorder 4, so that it is possible to prevent the vehicle battery from running down.

[0070] <Continuous recording mode, surveillance recording mode, event recording> Next, the recording function of the drive recorder 4 will be described. The drive recorder 4 operates according to an operation mode. The operation modes include a continuous monitoring mode and a monitoring recording mode. The drive recorder 4 records in the continuous recording mode and the monitoring recording mode. In the continuous recording mode and the monitoring recording mode, the drive recorder 4 records an event according to a predetermined trigger. There are two predetermined triggers: a case where the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on information from the G sensor, and a case where the user presses the "cursor (down)" button. In detail, the control unit determines that an event has occurred when the acceleration measured by the G sensor exceeds a threshold value. This allows the drive recorder 4 to execute event recording when the vehicle receives an impact due to, for example, an accident. A case where the "cursor (down)" button is pressed is, for example, a case where a user who senses danger presses the "cursor (down)" button. The drive recorder 4 records in detail about 10 to 30 seconds before and after the event that has occurred as an event recording. Recording in the continuous recording mode and surveillance recording mode performed by the drive recorder 4 are referred to as continuous recording and surveillance recording, respectively. Event recording that is started when the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on information from the G sensor is used as a trigger may be referred to as G-sensor event recording or G-sensor event recording. Event recording that is started when the "cursor (down)" button is pressed is used as a trigger may be referred to as one-touch recording or one-touch event recording.

[0071] When the drive recorder 4 is powered on and continuous recording is possible, it operates in continuous recording mode and starts continuous recording. In continuous recording mode, when a battery switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3, the control unit determines whether to switch to surveillance recording mode or to turn off the power of the drive recorder 4 based on the settings. After switching to surveillance recording mode, if surveillance recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 starts surveillance recording. Also, when a vehicle switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3 and continuous recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 switches from surveillance recording mode to continuous recording mode and starts continuous recording.

[0072] The monitoring battery 3 is often powered from the ACC power source when the engine of the vehicle is running and the vehicle is moving. The monitoring battery 3 is often powered from the ACC power source when the engine of the vehicle is stopped and the vehicle is parked. The drive recorder 4 operates in the continuous recording mode when the monitoring battery 3 is powered from the ACC power source. The drive recorder 4 operates in the monitoring recording mode when the monitoring battery 3 is not powered from the ACC power source. The drive recorder 4 switches the operation mode depending on whether the monitoring battery 3 is powered from the ACC power source, thereby changing the operation mode between the state in which the vehicle is moving and the state in which the vehicle is parked. In the following explanation and drawings, the engine ON / OFF may be written instead of the ACC power source ON / OFF.

[0073] The drive recorder 4 records according to the recording conditions corresponding to continuous recording, surveillance recording, and event recording. Here, the recording conditions are settings related to the image data to be stored, and in detail, consist of setting items such as "number of recording frames," "resolution," and "recording time." The number of recording frames in event recording is high at about 30 fps, and the "resolution" is high at about 1080pHD. This allows the details of the accident to be recorded. In the following explanations and figures, the "number of recording frames" may be referred to as the "frame rate."

[0074] <Surveillance recording mode> Next, the surveillance recording mode will be described. As described above, when the control unit receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3 in the continuous recording mode, the control unit judges whether to switch to the surveillance recording mode or to turn off the power of the drive recorder 4 based on the setting. The setting here refers to the setting related to the surveillance recording mode. The setting items related to the surveillance recording mode include "recording mode", "my area", "my cancellation area", etc. The drive recorder 4 provides multiple options for each of "recording mode", "my area", and "my cancellation area". The user can set one of the options in advance on a setting screen to be described later. The "setting" will be explained after the explanation of the surveillance recording mode.

[0075] There are three options for the "recording mode", namely, "automatic", "manual" and "off". When the "recording mode" is "automatic", the drive recorder 4 automatically performs surveillance recording when the ACC power supply is turned off. Here, "automatic" means that the drive recorder 4 operates without depending on input, such as whether or not the user has operated an operation button. Also, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it determines that the ACC power supply is turned off. This is the same in the following explanation. When the "recording mode" is "manual", when the ACC power supply is turned off, a POPUP is displayed on the display 41 to confirm with the user whether or not to perform surveillance recording. When the "recording mode" is "off", surveillance recording is not performed. Since it can be set to "manual", the user can set the recording conditions by himself / herself based on the position of the vehicle, the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 (hereinafter referred to as the battery remaining capacity), and the remaining capacity of the SD card (hereinafter referred to as the SD card remaining capacity). As will be described later, the settings of "my area" and "my cancellation area" take precedence over the settings of the "recording mode". In addition, in the following explanation and drawings, the "recording mode" may be referred to as "surveillance recording setting."

[0076] "My Area" is an area where surveillance recording is automatically performed even if the "Recording Mode" is set to "Manual". "My Cancellation Area" is an area where surveillance recording is not automatically performed even if the "Recording Mode" is set to "Auto". "My Area" and "My Cancellation Area" can be registered in advance in "Settings". For example, if a user registers a parking lot at home that does not have security in "My Area", surveillance recording can be performed automatically when the user parks in the parking lot at home. In addition, if a user registers a parking lot at work that has security in "My Cancellation Area", surveillance recording can be prevented in the parking lot at work. In the following explanations and figures, "My Area" and "My Cancellation Area" may be written as "Monitoring My Area" and "Monitoring My Cancellation Area", respectively.

[0077] The control unit will determine to switch to surveillance recording mode in the following cases: The first is when "Surveillance Recording Setting" is "Automatic" and the vehicle's location is outside of "My Monitoring Area" and "My Monitoring Cancellation Area". The second is when "Surveillance Recording Setting" is "Manual" and the vehicle's location is within "My Monitoring Area". The third is when "Surveillance Recording Setting" is "Automatic", the vehicle's location is within "My Monitoring Cancellation Area", and the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds of displaying screen Sa1 (Figure 4). The fourth case is when the "Monitoring Recording Settings" is set to "Manual" and the area is outside the "My Monitoring Area," and the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds after the display of screen Sa2 (Figure 4).

[0078] When the "surveillance recording setting" is set to "manual", the drive recorder 4 displays the screen Sa2 and prompts the user to operate the "REC" button, except when the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my area", and starts surveillance recording when the "REC" button is pressed. When the "surveillance recording setting" is set to "automatic", the drive recorder 4 starts surveillance recording without waiting for the user's operation, except when the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my cancellation area". The user can have the drive recorder 4 automatically start surveillance recording when the vehicle is parked in a parking position by registering the parking position in "monitoring my area" before parking. The user can have the drive recorder 4 automatically cancel the start of surveillance recording when the vehicle is parked in a parking position by registering the parking position in "monitoring my cancellation area" before parking.

[0079] The control unit judges to turn off the power of the drive recorder 4 in the following cases. The first is when the "surveillance recording setting" is set to "automatic," the vehicle position is within the "monitoring my cancellation area," and 30 seconds have passed since the display of screen Sa1 (Fig. 4) without the "REC" button being pressed. The second is when the "surveillance recording setting" is set to "manual," the vehicle position is outside the "monitoring my area," and 30 seconds have passed since the display of screen Sa2 (Fig. 4) without the "REC" button being pressed.

[0080] Next, the operation of the drive recorder 4 after receiving a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode will be described with reference to the display screens displayed on the display 41, using Figures 4 to 7. "Monitoring recording" in Figure 4 indicates the state after receiving a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode.

[0081] The control unit displays screen Sa1 when "Monitoring Recording Setting" is "Automatic" and the vehicle position is within the "My Cancellation Area". Screen Sa1 displays the message "<Monitoring My Cancellation Area> Cursor (up) / REC button: Starts monitoring recording, power off in XX seconds" in white letters on a red background. If the "REC" button is pressed before 30 seconds have passed, the mode switches to monitoring recording mode. Also, if "Monitoring Recording Setting" is "Manual" and the vehicle position is within the "Monitoring My Area", the mode switches to monitoring recording mode. Also, if "Monitoring Recording Setting" is "Automatic" and the vehicle position is outside the "Monitoring My Area" and "Monitoring My Cancellation Area", the mode switches to monitoring recording mode. If "Monitoring Recording Setting" is "Manual" and the vehicle position is outside the "Monitoring My Cancellation Area" and "Monitoring My Area", the mode switches to monitoring recording mode. If "Monitoring Recording Setting" is "Manual" and the vehicle position is outside the "Monitoring My Cancellation Area" and "Monitoring My Area", the mode switches to monitoring recording mode. Screen Sa2 displays the message "Cursor (up) / REC button: Surveillance recording started, power off in XX seconds" in white text on a red background. If the user presses the "REC" button within 30 seconds, the device will switch to surveillance recording mode. Also, if "surveillance recording setting" is "OFF," the device will turn off the power after displaying screen Sa3, which is the ending screen. Note that if the "REC" button is not pressed within 30 seconds after screens Sa1 and Sa2 are displayed, an inactivity timeout occurs, and the device will display screen Sa3 and then turn off the power.

[0082] Furthermore, if the GPS sensor is unable to obtain location information, the system will switch to surveillance recording mode if the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds of displaying screen Sa2, just as it does when the "Surveillance Recording Setting" is set to "Manual" and the area is outside the "My Monitoring Area."

[0083] Next, the control unit judges whether the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient for the "setting" of the recording conditions of the surveillance recording mode. If the control unit judges that the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient, it starts surveillance recording. The recording conditions of the surveillance recording mode include setting items such as "recording time," "resolution," and "number of recording frames." The control unit records image data on the SD card. Therefore, if the remaining capacity of the SD card is not sufficient, it may not be possible to record according to the setting. Therefore, before performing surveillance recording, the control unit judges whether the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient for the setting based on the setting of the recording conditions and the remaining capacity of the SD card. In detail, the amount of data per second is calculated by multiplying the amount of data corresponding to the "resolution" by the "number of recording frames." The calculated amount of data per second is multiplied by the "recording time," and if the total amount of data is equal to or less than the remaining capacity of the SD card, it is judged that recording can be performed according to the setting. The table of "resolution" versus "amount of data" is recorded in advance in the ROM. The control unit refers to the table, reads out the amount of data corresponding to the relevant "resolution," and calculates it. 5, "SD card: OK" indicates a case where the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is sufficient. "SD card: NG" indicates a case where the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is not sufficient.

[0084] The control unit also judges whether the remaining battery charge is sufficient for the "setting" of the recording conditions in the surveillance recording mode. In the recording surveillance mode, the drive recorder 4 operates using power supplied from the internal battery 34 of the surveillance battery 3 as a power source. For this reason, if the remaining battery charge is not sufficient, recording may not be possible as set. Therefore, the control unit judges whether the remaining battery charge is sufficient for the "recording time". The surveillance battery 3 transmits a signal indicating the remaining battery charge of the internal battery 34 to the drive recorder 4. The signal indicating the remaining battery charge of the internal battery 34 is a signal indicating numerical information indicating the remaining battery charge in percentage and information on the model of the internal battery 34. Here, the model of the internal battery 34 is, for example, a battery capacity such as 500 mAh or 10,000 mAh. The control unit calculates the remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 by multiplying the model of the internal battery 34 by the numerical value indicating the remaining battery charge in percentage. The control unit calculates the "usable time" by dividing the calculated remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 by its own consumption current previously stored in the ROM. If the "usable time" is equal to or longer than the recording time, it is determined that the battery remaining amount is sufficient. "External battery remaining amount: OK" in Fig. 5 indicates a case where the control unit determines that the battery remaining amount is sufficient. "External battery remaining amount: NG" indicates a case where the control unit determines that the battery remaining amount is not sufficient.

[0085] When recording to the SD card, it is also possible to overwrite data that has already been stored. The drive recorder 4 is configured to allow the user to set whether or not to overwrite in the "settings". In detail, the setting item "surveillance recording overwrite" is configured to allow the user to select either "ON" or "OFF". The SD card is also divided into four folders in advance: "continuous recording", "continuous event recording", "surveillance recording", and "event recording during monitoring". In addition to "surveillance recording overwrite", there are also setting items such as "event recording overwrite", which can be set in the same way as "surveillance recording overwrite". "Continuous event recording" refers to event recording in the continual recording mode. Similarly, "event recording during monitoring" refers to event recording in the surveillance recording mode. In the following explanations and figures, "surveillance recording overwrite" may be written as "previous recording overwrite". "Previous recording overwrite: ON" in FIG. 5 indicates the case where "surveillance recording overwrite" is set to "ON". "Previous recording overwrite: OFF" indicates the case where "surveillance recording overwrite" is set to "OFF".

[0086] If the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card and battery is sufficient, and "Overwrite surveillance recording" is set to "ON" (as shown in Fig. 5 as "SD card remaining capacity: OK", "External battery remaining capacity: OK", and "Overwrite previous recording: ON"), the control unit determines that surveillance recording can be performed according to the "settings", and displays screen Sa4. Screen Sa4 displays the message "Start surveillance recording". The message "Monitoring recording time: XXX minutes, External battery remaining:" is displayed. In addition, an icon displaying the remaining battery power is displayed to the right of "External battery remaining:". The icon displaying the remaining battery power is an icon that shows the remaining power in stages on the outline of a battery. The control unit displays the calculated "Available time" to the right of "Monitoring recording time:". In addition, an icon is displayed based on the percentage of remaining battery power sent from monitoring battery 3. Next, after three minutes have elapsed, screen Sa8 is displayed.

[0087] Also, when the control unit determines that the SD card remaining capacity is sufficient, but the control unit determines that the battery remaining capacity is insufficient, and "surveillance recording overwrite" is set to "ON" (shown in FIG. 5 as "SD card remaining capacity: OK", "external battery remaining capacity: NG", and "overwrite previous recording: ON"), the control unit determines that the battery remaining capacity is low and surveillance recording cannot be performed for the set "recording time", and displays screen Sa5. Screen Sa5 displays the message "Surveillance recording will start, external battery remaining capacity is low, surveillance may end midway, external battery remaining capacity:". Also, an icon showing the remaining capacity is displayed to the right of "external battery remaining capacity:". Next, before the set "recording time" has elapsed, as the remaining battery capacity drops to a level where the drive recorder 4 cannot operate, the screen transitions to screen Sa3.

[0088] Also, if the control unit determines that the remaining capacity of the SD card is insufficient and "surveillance recording overwrite" is set to "OFF" (indicated as "SD card remaining capacity: NG" and "previous recording overwrite: OFF" in FIG. 5), the control unit displays screen Sa6 to prompt the user to change the "settings", for example by changing "previous recording overwrite" to ON. Screen Sa6 displays a message such as "There is no free space in the surveillance recording folder, MENU button: change settings, SD button: surveillance recording deletion, power OFF in XX seconds remaining". If the "MENU" button is pressed by the user within 30 seconds from the start of displaying screen Sa6, screen Sa14 (FIG. 8) is displayed. Screen Sa14 is a setting screen that accepts "settings". As will be described later, if the "MENU" button is pressed while the setting screen (screens Sa14 to Sa17) is being displayed, the "settings" may have been changed, so the display returns to the "surveillance recording mode" shown in FIG. 5, and the control unit again determines whether the remaining capacity of the SD card and the remaining battery capacity are sufficient. On the other hand, if the "SD" button and the "MENU" button are not pressed within 30 seconds from the start of displaying screen Sa6, a no-operation timeout occurs, the screen transitions to screen Sa3, and the power is turned off.

[0089] If the "SD" button is pressed after displaying the screen Sa6, the control unit displays the screen Sa12 because the user has instructed to erase the data on the SD card. The screen Sa12 displays the message "Erasing the surveillance recording folder, MENU button: Cancel, surveillance recording will start after erasing in XX seconds." Next, if the "MENU" button is not pressed within a predetermined time after displaying the screen Sa12, it is determined that the user has accepted the erasure of the data on the SD card, and the surveillance recording folder is cleared and the screen Sa5 is displayed. On the other hand, if the "MENU" button is pressed within a predetermined time after displaying the screen Sa12, it is determined that the user has canceled the erasure of the data on the SD card, and the screen Sa6 is displayed without clearing the surveillance recording folder. In this way, when the remaining capacity of the SD card is low, the user can erase the parking recording data with a simple operation of one button. Here, the parking recording data is the recording data stored during parking recording.

[0090] The recorded data stored in the folders assigned to "Surveillance Recording" and "Event Recording during Monitoring" is unnecessary if there is no abnormality in the vehicle, so the user can erase the data by pressing the easy erase button. Here, the easy erase button refers to the "SD" button that is pressed while screen Sa6 is displayed.

[0091] Screens Sa8 and Sa10 are display screens during surveillance recording. Screens Sa7 and Sa9 are display screens during event recording. Screens Sa8 and Sa7 are in a screen-off state, and screens Sa10 and Sa9 are in a screen-on state. The screen-off state is a state in which the backlight is not turned on, and the screen-on state is a state in which the backlight is turned on. Screens Sa8 and Sa7 are in a screen-off state, but in order to inform the user that recording is in progress, the control unit turns on the recording lamp in a lighting pattern different from that of continuous recording. Screens Sa10 and Sa9 display the video being captured by the camera in real time, and also display an icon depicting a camera and an icon depicting a red circle in the upper left corner of the screen, which clearly indicates that recording is in progress. In addition, the elapsed time from the start of recording and the resolution are displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. In addition, the time is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen.

[0092] When the control unit determines that an event has occurred in the state of surveillance recording in which the screen Sa8 is displayed, the control unit transitions to the screen Sa7 and switches to the event recording. When the control unit detects the end of the event in the state of surveillance recording in which the screen Sa7 is displayed, the control unit transitions to the screen Sa8 and switches to the surveillance recording. Similarly, when the control unit determines that an event has occurred in the state of surveillance recording in which the screen Sa10 is displayed, the control unit transitions to the screen Sa9 and switches to the event recording. When the control unit detects the end of the event in the state of surveillance recording in which the screen Sa9 is displayed, the control unit transitions to the screen Sa10 and switches to the surveillance recording. The control unit determines that the event has ended when 30 seconds have elapsed since the control unit determined that the event has occurred. The screens Sa8 and Sa10 are alternately switched each time the "MODE" button is pressed. After 10 seconds have elapsed since the display of the screen Sa10 was started, the control unit switches to the screen Sa8. By displaying the screens Sa7 and Sa8, power consumption can be reduced more than when the screens Sa9 and Sa10 are displayed, and the internal battery 34 can last longer. Moreover, the control unit can take pictures secretly.

[0093] During surveillance recording with screen Sa8 displayed, if the "surveillance recording time" expires, if the remaining battery power of the internal battery 34, which is an external battery, drops to "LOBATT", or if the cable 12, which is the power cord, is unplugged, the screen transitions to screen Sa3. Similarly, during surveillance recording with screen Sa10 displayed, if the "surveillance recording time" expires, if the remaining battery power of the internal battery 34, which is an external battery, drops to "LOBATT", or if the cable 12, which is the power cord, is unplugged, the screen transitions to screen Sa3.

[0094] When the "REC" button is pressed during surveillance recording while screen Sa10 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sa11 and surveillance recording stops. Next, one minute after screen Sa11 starts to be displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sa3. Also, when screen Sa4 is displayed and it is determined that an event has occurred, the screen transitions to screen Sa9 and event recording begins.

[0095] Among the recording conditions in the event recording mode, the "number of recording frames" is preset to 30 fps. Also, as described above, event recording is performed when the end of an event is detected. However, if "Event Recording Overwrite" in the recording conditions for the "Event Recording Mode" is set to "OFF" in "Settings" and there is no remaining space on the SD card allocated for event recording, event recording is not performed. Also, the control unit does not perform event recording for three minutes after the start of surveillance recording. This makes it possible to prevent the control unit from determining that an event has occurred when the door is opened or closed, such as when a user gets on or off the car or when loading or unloading luggage, and from recording the event.

[0096] <Surveillance recording settings in surveillance recording mode> Next, the setting screens to which the screen Sa6 transitions when the "MENU" button is pressed while the screen Sa6 is displayed will be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9. Screens Sa14 to Sa17 are all setting screens for configuring surveillance recording. As shown in screen Sa14, the control unit displays a message "Surveillance Recording Settings" in the upper right corner of the screen. The display shows "Settings", and the message "MENU, SD free: XXX minutes" is displayed at the bottom of the screen. To the right of "MENU", an icon with a back arrow is displayed. This notifies the user that pressing the "MENU" button will return to the previous display screen. The control unit also displays the calculated "Available time" to the right of "SD free:". In the center of the screen, the setting items in the surveillance recording mode, "Recording time", "Recording resolution", "Number of recording frames", and "Overwrite previous recording", are displayed in a list. The number of items that can be displayed on the screen is four, and items that are not displayed are scrolled and displayed in response to pressing the "Up" key or the "Down" key. In addition, the currently selected item is displayed with a different background color to distinguish it from other items (hereinafter referred to as "selection display"). In detail, for example, both are displayed in white characters, the background color of the selected item is blue, and the background colors of the other items are black. In addition, in Figs. 8 and 9, the currently selected item is shown shaded for explanation.

[0097] As described above, when the "MENU" button is pressed while screen Sa6 is displayed, screen Sa14 is displayed. Each time the "down" key is pressed, the screen transitions in order from screen Sa15 to screen Sa16, screen Sa16, screen Sa17, and back to screen Sa15. Similarly, each time the "up" key is pressed, the screen transitions in order from screen Sa17, screen Sa16, screen Sa15, screen Sa14, and back to screen Sa17.

[0098] When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa14 is displayed, screen Sa18 is displayed. In screen Sa18, "Recording Time", which is the item being set, is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 5" is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen to indicate the page number of the "Recording Time" display screen. As with screen Sa14, the number of displayed items is four, and each group of four is displayed as one page. As will be described later, there are a total of 17 options for "Recording Time", and the total number of pages is five. When the "Down" key is pressed, the next page is displayed. When the "Up" key is pressed, the previous page is displayed. Note that illustration of the second and subsequent pages is omitted. The options for "Recording Time" are 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes (1 hour), 90 minutes (1.5 hours), 120 minutes (2 hours), 180 minutes (3 hours), 240 minutes (4 hours), 300 minutes (5 hours), 360 minutes (6 hours), 420 minutes (7 hours), 480 minutes (8 hours), 540 minutes (9 hours), 600 minutes (10 hours), 660 minutes (11 hours), and 720 minutes (12 hours). On the "Recording Time" display screen, if there is an option currently set, a check mark is displayed to the left of the currently set option.

[0099] In addition, options that cannot be recorded and that are longer than the "available time" calculated based on the remaining capacity of the SD card are displayed in red (not shown). For example, if the "available time" is 60 minutes, options that are 90 minutes or more are displayed in red. This allows the user to avoid setting options that cannot be recorded. When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa18 is displayed, the non-volatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the setting value for "recording time", and the screen transitions to screen Sa14. When the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sa18 is displayed, the setting value for "recording time" stored in the non-volatile storage unit is not updated, and the screen transitions to screen Sa14.

[0100] When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sa14 is displayed, screen Sa15 is displayed. On screen Sa15, "recording resolution" is "selected and displayed." When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa15 is displayed, screen Sa19 is displayed. On screen Sa19, "recording resolution," which is the item being set, is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 1" is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen, indicating the page number of the "recording resolution" display screen. There are four options for "recording time," and one page for "recording resolution." In more detail, the options are 1080pHD (1920 x 1080), 1080p (1440 x 1080), 720p (1280 x 720), and VGA (640 x 480). As with "recording time," if there is an option currently set, a check mark is displayed to the left of the currently set option. While screen Sa19 is displayed When the "OK" key is pressed, the non-volatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the setting value for "recording resolution" and the screen transitions to screen Sa15. When the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sa18 is displayed, the setting value for "recording resolution" stored in the non-volatile storage unit is not updated and the screen transitions to screen Sa15.

[0101] When the "Down" key is pressed while the screen Sa15 is displayed, the screen Sa16 is displayed. In the screen Sa16, the "Number of Recorded Frames" is "selected and displayed". When the "OK" key is pressed while the screen Sa16 is displayed, the screen Sa20 is displayed. In the screen Sa20, the item "Number of Recorded Frames" being set is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 2" is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen to indicate the page number of the display screen of "Number of Recorded Frames". Although the second page is not shown, there are two pages of "Number of Recorded Frames". In addition, there are five options for "Number of Recorded Frames". In detail, they are 1 fps, 5 fps, 10 fps, 15 fps, and 30 fps. As with "Recording Time", if there is an option currently set, a check mark is displayed on the left side of the currently set option. When the "OK" key is pressed while the screen Sa20 is displayed, the selected option is updated as the setting value of "Number of Recorded Frames" in the non-volatile memory, and the screen transitions to the screen Sa16. Moreover, when the "MENU" key is pressed while the screen Sa20 is being displayed, the screen transitions to the screen Sa16 without updating the setting value of "number of frames to record" stored in the non-volatile storage unit.

[0102] As with "recording time," options that cannot be recorded are displayed in red (not shown). The remaining capacity of the SD card is divided by the "recording time" setting, and then divided by the amount of data corresponding to "resolution" to calculate the number of frames that can be recorded. Any fps value greater than the calculated number of frames that can be recorded is displayed in red. For example, if the number of frames that can be recorded is 10 fps, options with fps of 15 fps or more are displayed in red. This allows the user to avoid setting options that cannot be recorded. The table of "resolution" versus "amount of data" is pre-recorded in ROM.

[0103] When the "down key" button is pressed while the screen Sa16 is displayed, the screen Sa17 is displayed. In the screen Sa17, "surveillance recording overwrite" is "selected and displayed". When the "OK key" is pressed while the screen Sa17 is displayed, the screen Sa21 is displayed. In the screen Sa21, the item "surveillance recording overwrite" that is being set is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. There are two options for "surveillance recording overwrite", "ON" and "OFF". As with "recording time", if there is an option that is currently set, a check mark is displayed on the currently set option. When the "OK key" is pressed while the screen Sa21 is displayed, the non-volatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the setting value for "surveillance recording overwrite", and the screen transitions to the screen Sa17. Also, when the "MENU key" is pressed while the screen Sa21 is displayed, the screen transitions to the screen Sa17 without updating the setting value for "surveillance recording overwrite" stored in the non-volatile storage unit.

[0104] When the "MENU key" is pressed while screens Sa14 to Sa17 are displayed, the display transitions to the "surveillance recording mode" (Fig. 5). Also, when the remaining battery charge of the monitoring battery 3 becomes low while screens Sa14 to Sa17 are displayed, or when the power cable 11, which is the power cord, is unplugged, the display transitions to screen Sa3.

[0105] As described above, when a user who wishes to perform surveillance recording finds that the remaining capacity of the SD card is low and recording is not possible with the preset settings, the user can immediately display screens Sa14 to Sa17 and change the settings to options that match the remaining capacity of the SD card. In addition, the drive recorder 4 displays options that do not allow recording for "recording time" and "number of recording frames" in red. This allows the user to set either "recording time" or "number of recording frames" that he or she prefers, and then set the other of "recording time" and "number of recording frames" to an option that allows recording.

[0106] <Surveillance recording settings> The above describes the setting screen for the surveillance recording mode, which is displayed when the remaining capacity of the SD card is insufficient in the surveillance recording mode. In addition to this, the drive recorder 4 is configured to accept more detailed settings for the surveillance recording mode in the continuous surveillance mode. Next, a description will be given with reference to Figs. 10 and 11.

[0107] First, the continuous recording mode and the event recording will be described. As described above, when the drive recorder 4 is powered on and continuous recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 starts continuous recording in the continuous recording mode. In detail, when the drive recorder 4 is powered on, it displays an opening screen and then displays "Preparing to record, please wait a moment" on the screen. Here, the control unit judges whether continuous recording is possible if the "continuous recording overwrite" setting is "ON" or if there is free space in the folder of the SD card assigned to continuous recording. If it is judged that continuous recording is possible, it starts continuous recording. On the other hand, if it is judged that continuous recording is not possible, it switches to a camera image through display screen. The camera image through display screen is a screen that displays images captured by the camera in real time. Note that, if event recording is performed during surveillance recording before the power is turned on, after the opening screen is displayed, the screen transitions to a screen that displays the message "An event was recorded during surveillance recording". This allows the user to know that an event occurred during surveillance recording. If the "OK" button is pressed while the message "An event was recorded during surveillance recording" is being displayed, or if 60 seconds have passed without any operation since the display began, the screen will transition to the above-mentioned "Preparing to record, please wait."

[0108] As described above, the drive recorder 4 switches from continuous recording to event recording in response to a predetermined trigger. When the G-sensor detects an impact during continuous recording, the screen transitions to the G-sensor event recording screen, and when the "cursor (down)" button is pressed, the screen transitions to the one-touch recording screen. When the event recording ends, the screen transitions to the continuous recording screen. The G-sensor event recording screen and the one-touch recording screen display different icons to notify the user which of the G-sensor event recording screen and the one-touch recording screen they are on.

[0109] When the "MENU" key is pressed while the camera image through display screen is displayed, a menu screen is displayed. The menu screen is a screen that displays a list of setting items that the user can set. As with screen Sa14, the menu screen displays four items, and each group is divided into four groups, and each group is displayed as one page. In addition to the above, the control unit also displays the camera image through display screen after the "REC" button is pressed during continuous recording and the continuous recording is stopped. Furthermore, when an event recording trigger occurs while the camera image through display screen is displayed, the control unit starts the event recording, and when the event recording ends, transitions to the camera image through display screen again.

[0110] Screen Sb1 shown in FIG. 10 is the third page of the menu screen. As shown in screen Sb1, the control unit displays "Recording Settings" in the upper right corner of the screen and "MENU" at the bottom of the screen. To the right of "MENU", an icon depicting a back arrow is displayed. The page number is displayed at the bottom right of the screen. There are 14 recording setting items. In detail, they are "Resolution", "Number of Recording Frames", "Audio Recording", "Event Beep Sound", "Continuous Recording Overwrite", "One-Touch Recording Overwrite", "G-Sensor Recording Overwrite", "Auto Screen Off", "G-Sensor Settings", "G-Sensor Sensitivity", "Surveillance Recording Settings", "Monitoring My Area", "Monitoring My Cancel Area", and "Cancel My Area". Note that "Resolution" and "Number of Recording Frames" are recording conditions that apply to continuous recording. Also, "One-Touch Recording Overwrite", "G-Sensor Recording Overwrite", "G-Sensor Settings", and "G-Sensor Sensitivity" are settings that apply commonly to event recording in continuous recording mode and event recording in surveillance recording mode. This eliminates the need for the user to separately set event recording in continuous recording mode and event recording in surveillance recording mode, reducing the inconvenience felt by the user. This makes it easier to understand.

[0111] Screens Sb11 to Sb15 are all screens for setting the surveillance recording settings. As shown in screen Sa14, the control unit displays "surveillance recording settings" in the upper right corner of the screen, and displays a list of surveillance recording setting items "recording mode", "recording time", "recording resolution", "number of recording frames", and "overwrite previous recording" in the center of the screen. The number of items displayed on the screen is four, and items that are not displayed can be scrolled and displayed by pressing the "up" key or the "down" key. Also, the currently selected item is "selected and displayed". In Figs. 10 and 11, the currently selected item is shaded for explanation. Here, the configurable items are the items displayed on the setting screen in the surveillance recording mode (Figs. 9 and 10) with the addition of "recording mode". Therefore, the explanation of "recording time", "recording resolution", "number of recording frames", and "overwrite previous recording", which are items displayed on the setting screen in the surveillance recording mode, will be omitted as appropriate.

[0112] When the "OK" button is pressed while the screen Sb1 is displayed, the screen Sb11 is displayed. When the "OK" button is pressed while the screen Sb11 is displayed, the screen Sb111 is displayed. On the screen Sa11, the item "Surveillance Recording Setting" which is being set is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 2" which indicates the page number of the display screen of "Surveillance Recording Setting" is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen. On the screen Sa111, the item "Recording Mode" which is being set is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. There are three options for "Recording Mode": "Automatic", "Manual", and "OFF". The "Recording Mode" has been described above, so its description is omitted. When the power is turned on, the monitoring battery 3 transmits a signal inquiring about the remaining battery level, and when it receives a signal indicating the remaining battery level, it determines that the monitoring battery 3 is connected. On the other hand, when it does not receive a signal indicating the remaining battery level, it determines that the monitoring battery 3 is not connected. When the monitoring battery 3 is not connected, surveillance recording is not possible, so the control unit grays out "Automatic" and "Manual". Specifically, the text is displayed in grey instead of white, making it impossible for the user to select it.

[0113] Screens Sb12, Sb13, Sb14, and Sb15 are similar to screens Sa14, Sa15, Sa16, and Sa17, respectively, and therefore will not be described.

[0114] Here, the "overwrite previous recording" that is set on screen Sa17 and screen Sb15 will be explained with reference to FIG. 12. "overwrite previous recording" sets whether or not to overwrite the surveillance recording data that is the surveillance recording data recorded up to the last time. When it is "OFF", recording is performed within the remaining capacity of the surveillance recording folder without overwriting. Recording is performed in the free space, and recording ends when there is no more free space. When it is "ON", recording is performed first within the surveillance recording folder. When the capacity becomes full and there is no more free space, the previous surveillance recordings are overwritten starting from the oldest. In this case, the surveillance recording data being shot this time is not overwritten, and recording ends when the current data is recorded to the capacity of the SD card.

[0115] For example, if the user has confirmed that there was nothing unusual with the vehicle when it was last parked, the user can set this to "ON," and if the user has not yet confirmed this, the user can set this to "OFF."

[0116] Next, the "My Area Monitoring" shown on screen Sb2 (FIG. 13) will be described. In the "My Area Monitoring" settings, the user can set recording conditions other than continuous recording and monitored recording for the area registered as "My Area Monitoring" in the settings. "My Area Monitoring" is defined by a center position and an area radius. The control unit accepts the center position of "My Area Monitoring" in "Registration Execution" described later. The control unit accepts the area radius of "My Area Monitoring" in the "My Area Monitoring" settings.

[0117] The options for "Monitoring My Area" are "Recording Time", "Recording Resolution", and "Recording Time" as shown in Figures 13 and 14. There are five options: "Time", "Number of frames recorded", "Area radius", and "Registration execution". Among these, screens Sb21 to Sb23, which are setting screens for "Recording time", "Recording resolution", and "Number of frames recorded", are similar to the above-mentioned screens Sb12 to Sb14, respectively, and therefore their explanation will be omitted. In screen Sb24 (FIG. 14), the control unit "selects and displays" "Area radius". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sb24 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sb241. In the lower right corner of screen Sb241, "1 / 2" is displayed, indicating the page number of the display screen for "Area radius". There are five options for "Area radius", namely "15m", "30m", "50m", "100m", and "200m". There are four items displayed, and each group is divided into four groups, and each group is displayed as one page. The total number of pages for "Area radius" is two. Note that illustration of the second and subsequent pages is omitted. When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sb241 is displayed, the non-volatile storage unit is updated with the selected option as the setting value for "area radius" and the screen transitions to screen Sb24. Also, when the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sb241 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sb24 without updating the setting value for "area radius" stored in the non-volatile storage unit. As described above, the "area radius" is specified by the user.

[0118] When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb24 is displayed, screen Sb25 (FIG. 14) is displayed. In screen Sb25, the control unit "selects and displays" "Register". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sb25 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sb251. In screen Sb251, the message "Register current location to My Area Monitoring?" and the options "OK" and "Cancel" are displayed. In addition, the control unit refers to the non-volatile storage unit, reads out the number of locations that can be recorded in the non-volatile storage unit and the number of locations recorded in the non-volatile storage unit, and displays the number of locations that have been registered this time (○ / ○). When the "OK" button is pressed, the control unit displays screen Sb252 and records the location information output from the GPS sensor in the non-volatile storage unit as the center position of "My Area Monitoring". In screen Sb252, the message "Current location has been registered in My Area Monitoring (○ / ○)" is displayed. Three seconds after the screen Sb252 starts to be displayed, or when the "OK" button is pressed, the screen transitions to screen Sb251.

[0119] As shown in Figure 15, in "registration execution", the control unit recognizes the area within a circle A1 drawn with a radius of the area radius set by "Area radius" set as the setting value, centered on location P1 recorded in the non-volatile memory unit as the center position of "Monitoring My Area", as "Monitoring My Area", which is a parking area.

[0120] For example, suppose that the user parks the car at location P1 for the first time and presses the "OK" button while screen Sb251 is displayed. The control unit records location P1 as the center position of "My Monitoring Area" in the non-volatile memory unit. If the user parks at location P2 within circle A1, which is within "My Monitoring Area" for the second time or later, surveillance recording will begin according to the recording conditions for "My Monitoring Area" that have been set. The recording conditions include "recording time," "recording resolution," and "number of recording frames." Once the user sets the recording conditions, the control unit will automatically perform surveillance recording with those settings from the next time.

[0121] Assume that the user has registered the location where he or she parks for the first time as the center location of "My Monitoring Area." If the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Automatic," the drive recorder 4 will automatically start monitoring and recording the second time the user parks within "My Monitoring Area." Also, if the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Manual," the drive recorder 4 will start monitoring and recording the second time the user parks within "My Monitoring Area." The user can respond to requests such as wanting to automatically record at the minimum setting (1 fps) in locations that are not important to the user (safe, short-term parking locations such as convenience stores), or wanting to check the remaining SD card and battery levels and set the setting when it looks like the user will be shopping for a long time.

[0122] When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb2 is displayed, screen Sb3 (FIG. 13) is displayed. In screen Sb3, the control unit "selects and displays" "Monitoring My Cancel Area". When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb3 is displayed, the screen transitions to the next setting screen. The setting screen is the same as "Monitoring My Area", so illustration and explanation are omitted. As with "Monitoring My Area", there are five options for "Monitoring My Cancel Area": ​​"Recording Time", "Recording Resolution", "Number of Recording Frames", "Area Radius", and "Registration". As with "Monitoring My Area", there are multiple options for "Recording Time", "Recording Resolution", "Number of Recording Frames", "Area Radius", and "Registration". The conditions set in "Monitoring My Cancel Area" are applied when the "REC" button is pressed on screen Sa1.

[0123] When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb3 is displayed, screen Sb4 (FIG. 13) is displayed. In screen Sb4, the control unit "selects and displays" "Cancel My Area". Screen Sb4 is a screen for accepting cancellation of registration of "Monitoring My Area". When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb4 is displayed, a screen displaying a list of options "Cancel Current Location" and "Cancel All Locations" is displayed. When the "OK" button is pressed with "Cancel Current Location" being "selected and displayed", the screen displays the options "OK" and "Cancel" along with the message "Do you want to cancel My Area information of your current location?". Furthermore, when the "OK" button is pressed with "OK" selected, the screen transitions to a screen displaying the message "Cancelled", and the position information stored in the non-volatile storage unit as the center position of "Monitoring My Area" that matches the vehicle position output from the G sensor is erased from the non-volatile storage unit. Furthermore, if "OK" is pressed while "Cancel" is "selected and displayed," it is determined that the user has canceled the cancellation, and the screen will transition to one that displays the options "Cancel current location" and "Cancel all locations."

[0124] On the other hand, when the "OK" button is pressed on a screen that lists the options "Cancel current location" and "Cancel all locations" and "Cancel all locations" is "selected and displayed," the options "OK" and "Cancel" are displayed along with the message "Do you want to cancel all My Area information?", and when the "OK" button is pressed, the screen transitions to one that displays the message "Cancelled," and the location information of all locations stored in the non-volatile memory as the center position of "Monitoring My Area" is erased from the non-volatile memory.

[0125] When recording to the SD card, the drive recorder 4 determines the upper limit capacity for each of "continuous recording", "G-sensor recording" which is an event recording, "one-touch recording" which is an event recording, and "parking surveillance recording", and records. In addition, the recorded recording data can be played back and erased. In detail, when the "MODE" key is pressed on the above-mentioned camera image through display screen, a screen is displayed that displays the options of "continuous recording", "G-sensor recording", "one-touch recording", and "surveillance recording" as playback folders. For example, when the "OK" key is pressed with "surveillance recording" selected, the recorded data is displayed on the display 41. In addition, the SD card can be removed from the drive recorder 4 and played back on, for example, a PC. Here, "G-sensor recording" is event recording that is started when the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on information from the G sensor. "One-touch recording" is event recording that is started by the control unit when the "cursor (down)" button is pressed. "Parking surveillance recording" is surveillance recording.

[0126] Furthermore, if you wish to erase the data recorded on the SD card, pressing the "SD" button on the camera video live display screen will transition to the "SD card maintenance" screen, and when "Clear surveillance recording folder" is selected and the "OK" button is pressed, the "surveillance recorded" data will be erased.

[0127] <Communication functions> The drive recorder 4 receives power from the monitoring battery 3 after the engine is stopped and transmits the continuous recording data and the event recording data to a center connected to the Internet. Here, the center is, for example, a database that can be viewed by a manager who manages the vehicles.

[0128] The CPU executes two codecs, and in continuous recording, executes the codec of the recording data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52 and the codec of the recording data to be written to the SD card in parallel as separate processes. This makes it possible to make the recording data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52 different from the recording data to be recorded on the SD card. Here, it is assumed that the recording data to be recorded on the SD card has a smaller compression ratio and produces clearer images when played back than the recording data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52.

[0129] Next, a data transfer method in communication of data recorded continuously will be described with reference to FIG. 16. During continuous recording, the control unit records images output from the camera in the RAM and the SD card. In detail, the CPU converts the images output from the camera into JPEG format and stores the recorded data in the RAM. The CPU also outputs the recorded data for the SD card, which is the recorded data recorded in the RAM, to the SD card interface. Here, the recorded data for the SD card is in JPEG format, and the amount of data can be reduced to about 1 / 10 or 1 / 20 of the recorded data recorded in the RAM. The SD card interface writes the input recorded data for the SD card to the SD card. The CPU also outputs the recorded data for communication, which is the recorded data recorded in the RAM, to the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52. The LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52 packetizes the input recorded data for communication and transmits it to a destination via the Internet. In the case of event recording, the control unit also records the recorded data in JPEG format in the RAM and the SD card. As described above, the recorded data in continuous recording and the recorded data in event recording are stored in the corresponding folders of the SD card, respectively.

[0130] During continuous recording, the vehicle connects to the Internet via a base station and transfers the recorded data to the destination. The communication speed of mobile communication for mobile terminals is not uniform, for example, about 10Mbps in rural areas and about 2Mbps in urban areas. In areas with slow communication speeds, the amount of recorded data to be transmitted must be reduced to, for example, about 1 to 2Mbps in order to keep up with the transmission. For this reason, the control unit generates and transmits recorded data for communication by compressing the recorded data recorded in the RAM. The recording conditions for data at about 1Mbps are a resolution of 720 x 400 and a frame rate of about 15 fps. In addition, when the vehicle is running, there may be periods when communication is not possible. For example, when the base station is switched or when the vehicle enters an area with high communication traffic. In this case, the recorded data cannot be transferred during the period when communication is not possible. In other words, there are parts of the recorded data that cannot be transmitted.

[0131] When communication becomes possible after being disabled, the control unit resumes data transfer from the currently recorded data. In other words, the recorded data with the communication disabled portion missing is transferred to the destination. When the engine is turned off and the ACC power is turned off, continuous recording ends and the portion that could not be transmitted is transmitted. Next, the event recorded portion is transmitted.

[0132] When the control unit receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3 indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the internal battery 34, the control unit measures the communication speed. The control unit transmits recording data at a bit rate according to the communication speed. For example, when the communication speed is 100 Mbps, recording data at 100 Mbps is transmitted. The data is compressed to a specified bit rate. Next, the CPU outputs the compressed recording data for communication to either the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52, whichever has the faster communication speed. On the other hand, if the communication speed is slower than the reference value, the control unit compresses the recording data stored in the RAM to recording data with the same bit rate as when the ACC power was ON and transmits it. When the ACC power is ON, the amount of data per unit time of the recording data is reduced, making it possible to lengthen the time of the image relative to the transmission time.

[0133] <Modification of Data Transfer Method> Next, method 2, which is a modified example of the data transfer method, will be described with reference to FIG. 17. The method of writing to the SD card is the same as method 1, so the description will be omitted. In method 2, when communication becomes possible, the data up until the time when communication became impossible is transferred, rather than the currently recorded data. In other words, data in chronological order is transferred to the destination. When the engine is turned off and continuous recording ends, the part that could not be transmitted is transmitted. Next, the event recorded part is transmitted.

[0134] Next, method 3, which is a modified example of the data transfer method, will be described with reference to FIG. 18. The method of writing to the SD card is the same as method 1, so the description will be omitted. In method 3, during continuous recording, data transfer of continuous recording and data transfer of event recording are executed in parallel. When communication becomes possible, data is transferred from the data recorded up until communication becomes impossible, not from the current data. In other words, the data recorded during continuous recording and the data recorded during event recording in chronological order are transferred to the destination. When the engine is turned off and continuous recording ends, the part of the data recorded during continuous recording that could not be transmitted and the part of the data recorded during event recording that could not be transmitted are transmitted.

[0135] As described above, the drive recorder 4 can transmit the recorded data that could not be transmitted while the ACC power was ON by receiving power from the monitoring battery 3 after the ACC power is turned OFF.

[0136] Next, another example of a drive recorder will be shown. This is also a modified example of the data transfer method. The data transfer method and its configuration will be described with reference to Figs. 19 to 22. Note that the same configuration as in the above embodiment will be described using the same names and symbols. In the above data transfer methods 1 to 3, it has been explained that the recorded data that could not be transmitted due to the occurrence of a period in which communication was not possible is transmitted after the engine is turned off. In method 4, the drive recorder 4 transmits the recorded data that could not be transmitted together with real-time recorded data during the period when the engine is on.

[0137] First, the configuration of the drive recorder 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 19. The drive recorder 4 includes a camera 42, a microphone 43, an SD card interface 47, a mobile communication interface 52, a storage compressor 44, a communication compressor 45, an audio compressor 46, an image buffer 48, an audio buffer 49, a communication data generator 50, and a ring buffer 51. The storage compressor 44 and the communication compressor 45 are realized by the above-mentioned "codec of recorded data to be written to the SD card" and "codec of recorded data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface", etc. The storage compressor 44 and the communication compressor 45 output the compressed image data to the SD card interface 47 and the image buffer 48, respectively. The communication compressor 45 detects the current communication rate, automatically changes the data capacity to a capacity that can be transmitted in real time as much as possible, and generates image data, which is video data. When compressing, the communication compression unit 45 obtains, for example, a communication rate measured by the mobile communication interface 52, and compresses the image data at a compression ratio according to the obtained communication rate. The SD card interface 47 has two SD card insertion slots, into which SD cards 61 and 62 are inserted. It is preferable that the audio compression unit 46, SD card interface 47, image buffer 48, audio buffer 49, communication data creation unit 50, ring buffer 51, and part of the mobile communication interface 52 are realized by a SOC (System On a Chip).

[0138] The audio compression unit 46 compresses the audio data collected by the microphone 43 into MP3 format audio data, and outputs the compressed audio data to the SD card interface 47 and the audio buffer 49. The image buffer 48 and the audio buffer 49 buffer the compressed image data and audio data, respectively. The communication data creation unit 50 reads the compressed image data and audio data from the image buffer 48 and the audio buffer 49, respectively, creates communication data, and outputs the created communication data to the ring buffer 51 with information on the date and time of creation. The ring buffer 51 buffers four pieces of communication data with information on the date and time of creation. The mobile communication interface 52 reads the communication data from the ring buffer 51, packetizes it, and transmits it to the destination.

[0139] The SD card interface 47 writes the compressed image data and audio data output from the storage compression unit 44 and the audio compression unit 46 to the storage area of ​​the SD card 61 or 62. Here, the SD card interface 47 divides the memory area of ​​each of the SD cards 61 and 62 into a storage area and a communication area, and writes the recording data. The memory area is an area for keeping the data clean, and is an area for saving the image data output from the storage compression unit 44 and the audio data output from the audio compression unit 46. The communication area is an area for saving all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted. As described above, in areas with slow communication speeds, the amount of communication data, which is the recording data to be transmitted, must be reduced in order to keep up with the transmission, so the communication data is compressed according to the communication speed. The area for keeping the data clean is an area for keeping the recording data that has a smaller compression rate than the communication data and has a clean image when played back. The SD card interface 47 determines the upper limit capacity for each of the storage area and communication area, such as "continuous recording", "G-sensor recording", "one-touch recording", and "parking surveillance recording". The SD card interface 47 reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the ring buffer 51 and writes it to the communication area of ​​the SD card 61 or 62. The SD card interface 47 also reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the communication area of ​​the SD card 61 or 62 and outputs it to the mobile communication interface 52. The audio compression unit 46 and the communication data creation unit 50 are realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM, etc.

[0140] Next, the configuration of the communication data will be described with reference to FIG. 20. In FIG. 20, "image data" indicates image data output by the communication compression unit 45, "audio data" indicates audio data output by the audio compression unit 46, and "communication data" indicates communication data created by the communication data creation unit 50. The horizontal axis of the data is the time axis. The image data is composed of an I frame and a P frame. Here, an I frame is data that can be played back independently, and a P frame is differential data from the image data of one frame before. The image data has one I frame and multiple P frames. The communication compression unit 45 assigns a serial number, which is additional information, to each frame in order from the first frame. The serial number becomes an identifier indicating the order of the time series. The audio compression unit 46 divides the audio data into sections corresponding to the I frame of the image data and the next I frame, and assigns a serial number to each of the divided audio frames. The communication data creation unit 50 creates communication data with one I frame, one section of audio data, and multiple P frames as one communication unit. The communication data consists of I frames, audio data, and P frames arranged in sequence.

[0141] The communication compressor 45 creates three I frames per second. For example, the frame rate is When the frame rate is 15 fps, the communication compressor 45 converts the image data into one I frame and four P frames every 1 / 3 s. The audio compressor 46 adds a mark to the audio data in synchronization with the conversion into an I frame by the communication compressor 45. The communication data generator 50 first reads an I frame from the image buffer 48, then reads one section of audio data from the audio buffer 49 from the mark corresponding to the I frame to the mark corresponding to the next I frame, then reads P frames from the image buffer 48 up to the next I frame, and outputs the communication data with each of the read data as one communication unit to the ring buffer 51. The ring buffer 51 sequentially buffers communication data of one communication unit, and when the memory area becomes full, it overwrites the oldest communication data with the latest communication data. When the frame rate is 15 fps, the playback time of one communication unit of communication data is 1 / 3 s. The ring buffer 51 can hold multiple pieces of communication data of one communication unit. The destination is provided with a playback device capable of receiving and playing the communication data, and can play the received communication data to view the video and listen to the audio. When an I frame, which is part of the communication data, is received, the playback device can play a still image based on the I frame. When an I frame and audio data, which are part of the communication data, are received, the playback device can play a still image and audio based on the I frame. In this case, when audio data is received up to a certain point, the audio for the received section can be played. When an I frame, audio data, and P frame, which are part of the communication data, are received, the playback device can play video and audio based on up to the received P frame.

[0142] The above-described configuration of communication data can be applied not only to the case where method 4 is used, but also to the cases where methods 1 to 3 are used.

[0143] Next, the communication process executed by the CPU to transfer the recorded data to the destination in real time during continuous recording will be described with reference to FIG. 21. In the following description, the transfer of the recorded data in real time by the communication process may be described as real-time transfer. When the CPU starts continuous recording, the communication process starts. First, the CPU causes the mobile communication interface 52 to read the communication data buffered in the ring buffer 51 (S1). The communication data here means the communication data of one communication unit, and the same applies in the following description. Next, the CPU causes the mobile communication interface 52 to transmit the communication data (S3). As a result, the continuous recorded data is transferred to the destination in real time. Next, after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined whether the transmission of the mobile communication interface 52 has been successful (S5). Here, the predetermined time is a time equal to or less than the playback time of the communication data. During continuous recording, the communication data is generated one after another, so if the communication data is not transmitted within the playback time of the communication data, the communication data that could not be transmitted will accumulate. In order to transfer in real time while performing continuous recording, it is necessary to finish the transfer of the communication data of one communication unit within the playback time of the communication data of one communication unit. If the CPU is unable to transmit, it stores the I frame, P frame, and one section of audio data that could not be transmitted in the SD cards 61, 62. The mobile communication interface 52 further divides the communication data, packets it, and transmits it. If there is an error in transmitting the packets, a retransmission process is also performed to retransmit the packets that could not be transmitted due to the error. For example, if the communication data of one communication unit cannot be transmitted because playback processes occur frequently due to poor radio wave conditions, the communication data that could not be transmitted is stored in the SD cards 61, 62. If the mobile communication interface 52 is able to transmit the communication data of one communication unit, the CPU determines that the transmission was successful. If the CPU determines that the transmission was successful (S5: Yes), it proceeds to step S7 to transmit the next communication data.On the other hand, if the CPU determines that the transmission has failed (S5: No), it reads out from ring buffer 51 the I frame, P frame, and one section of audio data that could not be transmitted to SD card interface 47, stores them in SD card 61 or SD card 62, stores in RAM that the transmission was not successful (S9), and proceeds to step S7. If the I frame could not be transmitted, the I, which is one communication unit of communication data, is read out. The frame, P frame, and audio data for one section are stored. If all of the audio data for one section cannot be transmitted, the audio data for one section and the P frame are stored. If all of the multiple P frames cannot be transmitted, the P frames that could not be transmitted are stored. If the communication data for one communication unit cannot be transmitted within the playback time (S5: NO), the communication data for the next communication unit is transmitted (S1, S3). The destination cannot receive the communication data for one communication unit, but since the communication data for one communication unit can be played back even if there is no communication data for the previous or next communication unit, if the destination can receive the communication data for the next communication unit, the communication data for that communication unit can be played back. Even if the communication data for one communication unit cannot be transmitted, the section that cannot be viewed can be limited to the real time of one communication unit, which is 1 / 3 seconds in the above example.

[0144] In step S7, it is determined whether the communication data has ended. When continuous recording ends, new communication data is not generated, and so the ring buffer 51 is not overwritten with new communication data. The CPU moves the read position of the ring buffer 51 to the next position, and if the creation date and time information attached to the communication data at that position is older than the creation date and time information attached to the communication data read in step S1, it determines that the communication data has ended. If it is determined that the communication data has ended (S7: Yes), the communication process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the communication data has not ended (S7: No), step S1 is executed for the next communication data. The CPU reads the communication data at the read position of the ring buffer 51 to which it has been moved.

[0145] The CPU reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted in the communication process from the SD card 61 or the SD card 62 and transmits it when the communication is recovered and communication is possible. The CPU also transmits all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted in parallel with the communication process. At the same time as the real-time transfer, the data at the time when the real-time transfer could not be performed is read from the SD card 61 or the SD card 62, whichever is not recorded, as described below, and transferred at the same time. Here, during continuous recording, the SD card interface 47 writes the recording data for storage, so that the writing of the recording data and the reading of the communication data are performed at the same time. It is difficult to perform writing and reading in parallel to one SD card. Therefore, in method 4, two SD cards are used to write the data for storage and to read the communication data that could not be transmitted. Incidentally, when the communication data cannot be transmitted, for example, when a communication interruption occurs when the base station is switched or when the device enters an area with a high communication volume, as described above.

[0146] In FIG. 22, the horizontal axis is the time axis, and "recorded data" indicates the communication data and storage data created by the communication data creation unit 50. Here, the storage data is the compressed image data and audio data output from the storage compression unit 44 and audio compression unit 46. "Storage medium 1 data recording" and "storage medium 2 data recording" indicate the periods during which storage data is written to the SD card 61 and the SD card 62, respectively. The shaded areas indicate the periods during which communication data is written to the SD card 61 or the SD card 62. However, writing is not always performed during the periods indicated by the rectangular shapes of "storage medium 1 data recording" and "storage medium 2 data recording" in FIG. 22, but writing is performed for a short period of time, and there is a period during which writing is not performed between the periods during which writing is performed. Writing of storage data and communication data is performed during the period indicated by the rectangular shape of "storage medium 1 data recording" in FIG. 22. In the "communication connection state", the period during which communication is possible in the mobile communication interface 52 is indicated by an arrow. "Real-time transfer in communication" refers to a period during which communication data is being transmitted in communication processing. "Transfer of data that could not be transmitted" refers to a period during which communication data that could not be transmitted by the mobile communication interface 52 is being transmitted in communication processing. There are.

[0147] During the period of continuous recording, the SD card interface 47 alternates between the SD card 61 and the SD card 62 as the write destination of the data to be saved at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 10 seconds) and writes the data in a time-division manner. As a result, while one of the SD cards 61 and 62 is being written to, the other is not being written to, so that the SD card interface 47 can easily read data from the other card. One of the SD cards 61 and 62 is used for writing and recording data to be saved, which is video recording data to be saved, and the other of the SD cards 61 and 62 is used for reading and transmitting communication data that could not be transmitted. During the period from time t1 to time t2, during which communication is possible, the mobile communication interface 52 executes communication processing and transmits communication data. During the period from time t2 to time t4, during which communication is not possible, the SD card interface 47 writes the data to be saved to the storage area and writes the communication data to the communication area. Here, the SD card interface 47 writes the communication data to the same SD card as the SD card to which the data to be saved is written. Step S9 of the communication process is performed during an idle time when data to be saved is not being written to the storage area. When communication becomes possible at time t4, the CPU performs transmission in the communication process, and causes all or part of the communication data written to the SD card 62 because transmission was not possible, which is indicated by the hatched area in FIG. 22, to be read from the SD card 62 and transmitted. In detail, when a signal indicating that communication is possible is received from the mobile communication interface 52, it is determined whether or not the fact that transmission was not possible is stored in the RAM, and if it is determined that the fact that transmission was not possible is stored, it is determined whether or not communication data is stored in the communication area of ​​the SD card 62, which is the SD card to which data to be saved has not been written, and if it is determined that communication data is stored, it is caused to read all or part of the stored communication data and transmit it. The time to transfer the communication data is shorter than the time to write the communication data to the SD cards 61 and 62. The time from time t4 to time t5, during which the communication data is transferred, is shorter than the time from time t2 to time t3, during which the data is written to the SD card 62.Therefore, the drive recorder 4 can transmit all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during the period from time t2 to time t3 during the period from time t4 to time t5. During the period from time t4 to time t5, the SD card interface 47 writes data for storage to the SD card 61, so it reads all or part of the communication data from the SD card 62 to which the data has not been written. Next, when the write destination is switched to the SD card 62 at time t5, it reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the SD card 61 and transmits it. Similarly, as for all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during the period from time t6 to time t7, during which communication is not possible, when communication becomes possible at time t7, the CPU reads all or part of the communication data from the SD card 62 to which the data has not been written and transmits it. Next, when the write destination is switched to the SD card 62 at time t8, the CPU reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted from the SD card 61 and transmits it. For example, if the actual time required to capture one communication unit is 1 s and the predetermined time to switch the write destination of the storage data is 10 s, one cycle of steps S1 to S7 of the communication process is performed 10 times during the 10 s. Note that in Fig. 22, for example, at time t2, the time when the communication connection state becomes communication impossible and the start time of the period during which the communication data shown by the hatched portion is written to the SD card 62 are shown as the same time, but in detail, since step S9 is executed after communication becomes communication impossible and step S5 is executed, the time when writing of the communication data to the SD card 62 starts is after the time when the communication connection state becomes communication impossible.

[0148] Although omitted in FIG. 22, if all communication data cannot be transmitted while the engine is ON, after the engine is turned OFF, the drive recorder 4 is powered by the monitoring battery 3 and transmits the remaining communication data.

[0149] The period during which communication is unavailable is indefinite, and it is not known when communication will be cut off, so There may be a communication failure during the execution of step S3. Here, the data is transmitted to the destination starting from the beginning of the communication data. That is, it is transmitted in the order of I-frame, audio data, and P-frame. If a communication failure occurs during the P-frame, the I-frame and audio data have been transmitted to the destination. Since the I-frame is data that can be reproduced alone, at least the still image and audio data can be reproduced at the destination. Also, since the communication data that could not be transmitted due to the communication failure is transmitted later, the destination will receive communication data that is not arranged in time series. Since the communication data is assigned a serial number for each frame, at the destination, after receiving all the communication data, it can be easily reproduced by sorting the communication data in the order of the serial numbers for the communication data in the transmitted section. A general video file has a management area that manages the allocation of data areas at the beginning and end of the file. Since the management area is essential for playing the video file, if the management area at the end is not transmitted to the destination, the video file cannot be played. In this regard, since the communication data does not have a management area, as described above, the communication data in the transmitted section can be reproduced at the destination. Also, since the communication data for one communication unit has one I-frame, even if the transmission of the communication data for one communication unit fails, the communication data for another communication unit can be reproduced.

[0150] <SD Card Storage and Data Transfer Settings> The drive recorder 4 is configured to accept whether or not to perform recording to the SD card and data transfer for each "data item" and "data content." As shown in FIG. 23, the "data items" include "continuous recording," "G-sensor event recording," "one-touch event recording," and "history." "History" is data that does not include image and audio data like recorded data. Among these, the "data content" of "continuous recording," "G-sensor event recording," and "one-touch event recording" includes "video data," "audio data," "GPS," "acceleration sensor," and "vehicle information." The "data content" of "history" includes "GPS," "acceleration sensor," and "vehicle information." During the period when "continuous recording," "G-sensor event recording," and "one-touch event recording" are being performed, the CPU records the vehicle position output from the GPS sensor, the acceleration output from the G-sensor, and the vehicle information acquired through the OBD connection cable in the RAM together with the date and time, etc. The "GPS," "acceleration sensor," and "vehicle information" of the "data content" are the vehicle position, acceleration, and vehicle information recorded together with the date and time, etc., respectively. When the "GPS", "acceleration sensor", and "vehicle information" are transferred to the destination via the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52, the CPU separates and transfers the vehicle position, acceleration, and vehicle information data for each frame or each second of video data.

[0151] Among the "settings" in FIG. 23, "recording" refers to storing the recorded data in the SD card. "Transfer" refers to transferring the recorded data to the destination via the LAN interface or the mobile communication interface 52. "○" in FIG. 23 indicates that the setting is to execute "recording" or "transfer", and "×" indicates that the setting is not to execute. The non-volatile storage unit of the drive recorder 4 stores settings with "○" and "×" as parameters corresponding to "data item", "data content", "recording", and "transfer". The drive recorder 4 accepts the above settings on a setting screen, for example, and executes "recording" and "transfer" in the case of "○". The driver of the vehicle and the administrator who views the "recorded" or "transferred" data, for example, who manages the vehicle, may be different. In this case, the driver may request that all "data contents" not be "recorded" or "transferred". By accepting the setting of "recording" or "transfer" in detail for each "data item" and "data content", it is possible to provide a drive recorder 4 that can be set according to the intentions of both the driver and the administrator. The user can set it according to the operation method and needs of the drive recorder 4. Furthermore, if there is "data content" that has not been recorded while continuous recording, G-sensor event recording, or one-touch event recording is being performed, it is preferable to configure the display 41 to clearly indicate that the data has not been recorded.

[0152] Here, the drive recorder 4 is an example of an in-vehicle device, the monitoring battery 3 is an example of a device, and the internal battery 34 is an example of a battery. The input / output connector 3b is an example of a communication means, and the CPU 33 is an example of a control unit. The "resolution" and "number of recording frames" selectable on the setting screen are examples of a first setting function, the "monitoring recording setting" selectable on the setting screen is an example of a second setting function, and the "G sensor setting" selectable on the setting screen is an example of a third setting function. The input / output connector 4a is an example of an equipment communication means, the camera is an example of an imaging means, the SD card is an example of a storage medium, the operation button is an example of a user interface, the GPS sensor is an example of a positioning means, and the non-volatile recording unit is an example of a recording means. The battery switching signal is an example of a "switching signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the battery", and the vehicle switching signal is an example of a "signal indicating that the power supply source has been switched to the vehicle". The power cable 11 is an example of a "power supply line between the vehicle and this device", and the cable 12 is an example of a "power supply line between this device and in-vehicle devices". The communication data creation unit 50 is an example of a creation unit, and the SD cards 61 and 62 are an example of a first recording medium and a second recording medium. The mobile communication interface 52 and the LAN interface are an example of a transmission means. The SD card interface 47 is an example of a storage control means.

[0153] According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects are achieved. The monitoring battery 3 can continue to supply power to the drive recorder 4 even when the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. In addition, the drive recorder 4 generates heat from inside the housing, but since the monitoring battery 3 is separate from the drive recorder 4, it is less susceptible to the heat generated from inside the drive recorder 4. By making it difficult for the temperature of the internal battery 34 to rise, it is possible to suppress the inability to charge and discharge due to the temperature rise, and it is possible to make it difficult for the inability to supply power to the drive recorder 4 to occur. Since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, the monitoring battery 3 can be made large and heavy enough to be installed under the seat, and the capacity of the internal battery 34 can be increased. This allows the drive recorder 4 to continue operating for a long time even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. In addition, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it does not take up space in the living space, and can be installed without hitting or getting in the way of people while driving the car or getting in and out of the car.

[0154] When the CPU 33 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34, it outputs a switching signal. Furthermore, when the ACC power supply is turned on within a specified time, the CPU 33 outputs a switching signal to notify that the power supply source has been switched to the ACC power supply. This allows the drive recorder 4 to know that the power supply source has been switched to the internal battery 34.

[0155] The "One-touch recording overwrite", "G-sensor recording overwrite", "G-sensor settings", and "G-sensor sensitivity" settings on the setting screen are common to both event recording in the continuous recording mode and event recording in the surveillance recording mode. This eliminates the need for users to separately set event recording in the continuous recording mode and event recording in the surveillance recording mode, reducing the inconvenience felt by the user and making it easier to understand.

[0156] In the surveillance recording setting in the surveillance recording mode, the drive recorder 4 displays in red the options that cannot be recorded for "recording time" and "number of recording frames". This allows the user to set either "recording time" or "number of recording frames" that he / she prefers, and then set the other of "recording time" and "number of recording frames" as an option that can be recorded. In addition, in the transition state to the surveillance recording mode, the drive recorder 4 judges whether the location information output from the GPS sensor is included in "My monitoring area". If it is judged that the location information is included in "My monitoring area" and "Surveillance recording setting" is "Automatic", the recording conditions set in "My monitoring area" are used as the surveillance recording conditions, and the subsequent processes are executed. Similarly, in the transition state to the surveillance recording mode, if it is determined that the location information is included in the "Monitoring My Cancellation Area", the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is "Automatic", and the "REC" button is pressed, the recording conditions set in the "Monitoring My Cancellation Area" are used as the surveillance recording conditions, and the subsequent processes are executed. This allows the user to operate the drive recorder 4 without having to repeatedly set them. Furthermore, even if the location information does not match the position stored in the non-volatile storage unit, if it is the "Monitoring My Area" or the "Monitoring My Cancellation Area", the drive recorder 4 can use the shooting conditions associated with the "Monitoring My Area" and the "Monitoring My Cancellation Area" as the current shooting conditions.

[0157] The drive recorder 4 can reliably transmit the continuously recorded data after the engine is stopped by receiving power from the monitoring battery 3. When the ACC power supply is ON, the amount of recorded data per unit time can be reduced, thereby lengthening the time of the image relative to the transmission time.

[0158] Electrical equipment with radio wave receiving function that is retrofitted to a vehicle, and the receiving antennas are often installed on the dashboard or above the windshield, but since the monitoring battery 3 is configured to be installed under the seat, the impact of noise from the charge / discharge control unit 31, DC-DC converter 32, CPU 33, etc. on these electrical equipment and antennas can be greatly reduced.

[0159] Since one communication unit of communication data includes one I frame, the transmission data can be reproduced at the destination where the transmission data is transmitted. The transmission data can be used as video and the image can be confirmed. If one communication unit of communication data is 1 / 3 s, the image can be confirmed at least every 1 / 3 s. For example, if the communication data is a video of an accident at the time of a collision, the video of the accident can be reliably confirmed at the destination. Even if the mobile communication interface 52 cannot transmit the communication data during the communication process, the mobile communication interface 52 can transmit the communication data that could not be transmitted by the SD card interface 47 reading the communication data from one of the SD cards 61 and 62 that is not the storage destination. The destination where the communication data is transmitted can obtain the communication data while the engine is ON. The SD card interface 47 can easily read the communication data by switching the storage destination between the SD cards 61 and 62 and reading the data from one of the SD cards 61 and 62 that is not the storage destination.

[0160] <Modification> Incidentally, although the above-described embodiment is the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the value of the option for "recording resolution" in the "surveillance recording setting" may be lower than the value of the option for "recording resolution" in the continuous recording setting. The value of the option for "recording frame count" in the "surveillance recording setting" may be lower than the value of the option for "recording frame count" in the continuous recording setting. The initial values ​​of the options for "recording resolution" and "recording frame count" in the "surveillance recording setting" and the continuous recording setting may be displayed explicitly, and the initial values ​​of "recording resolution" and "recording frame count" in the "surveillance recording setting" may be lower than the initial values ​​in the continuous recording setting. In surveillance recording, since the vehicle is often stationary, it is possible to capture moving objects outside the vehicle even if the frame rate and resolution are lowered. In addition, since it is possible to perform event recording by setting, when an event occurs, it is recorded. This allows the recording conditions in surveillance recording to be power-saving. Since the amount of power supplied by the internal battery 34 is reduced, the internal battery 34 can last longer.

[0161] In addition, the monitoring battery 3 is described as receiving power from the ACC power source via the power cable 11 connected to the cigarette lighter socket of the vehicle, but is not limited to this. The power cable 11 may be directly connected to the ACC power source, and the monitoring battery 3 may be configured to receive power from the ACC power source. In addition, the output terminal 11a and the input connector 3a are described as being miniUSB connectors, but they may be USB connectors other than miniUSB. In addition, the input / output connector 3b and the first terminal 12a are described as being 10-pin connectors, but they are not limited to 10 pins, and the number of pins may be more or less. In addition, the DIP switch DIPSW36 is described as having three switches, but the number of switches is not limited.

[0162] In addition, although the monitoring battery 3 is described as being powered from the ACC power source via the power cable 11, this is not limiting. A mobile battery may also be connected.

[0163] Also, while it has been described that the monitoring battery 3 outputs a signal indicating the remaining battery capacity of the internal battery 34 every 1 second, the time is not limited to 1 second, and may be 1 minute or 3 minutes.

[0164] Also, it has been explained that when the power supply source is switched to the internal battery 34, the CPU 33 transmits a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4. In this way, when there is a change in the power supply state from the ACC power supply, a signal to that effect may be transmitted to the drive recorder 4, but it is preferable to transmit a signal indicating the presence or absence of power supply from the ACC power supply to the drive recorder 4 at a predetermined time interval, for example, at one second intervals.

[0165] Also, in the continuous recording mode, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it is explained that the drive recorder 4 judges whether to switch to the surveillance recording mode or to turn off the power of the drive recorder 4. However, it is preferable to judge based on multiple battery switching signals, not one. For example, in the continuous recording mode, it is preferable to judge whether to switch to the surveillance recording mode when the battery switching signal is received multiple times in succession. In this way, it is possible to prevent switching between the continuous recording mode and the surveillance recording mode when the power supply from the ACC power supply to the monitoring battery 3 is interrupted for an instant and then restored. Similarly, it is preferable to judge whether to switch to the continuous recording mode based on multiple vehicle switching signals from the monitoring battery 3.

[0166] In addition, as explained above, when a vehicle switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3 and continuous recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 transitions from the monitoring recording mode to the continuous recording mode and begins continuous recording, but the transition to the continuous recording mode may also be effected by resetting the drive recorder.

[0167] As a configuration for performing the reset, the drive recorder 4 itself may perform the reset process, but it is preferable that the drive recorder 4 transmits an instruction signal to the monitoring battery 3 to turn off the power supply for a predetermined time, and when the monitoring battery 3 receives this signal, it stops the power supply to the drive recorder 4 for a predetermined time and then resumes the power supply. In this way, the switch from the surveillance recording mode to the continuous recording mode can be performed by a reliable reset of turning off the power, and the possibility of more reliably recording the situation of an accident or the like in the continuous recording can be increased. For example, when switching from surveillance recording to continuous recording, the output from the monitoring battery 3 is turned off for a predetermined time to execute a hard reset of the drive recorder 4, and continuous recording can be started reliably and normally.

[0168] The above-mentioned predetermined time for the monitoring battery 3 to stop supplying power to the drive recorder 4 in order to reset the drive recorder 4 should be set to, for example, a time longer than the time for the drive recorder 4 to be surely turned off after the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power. If the drive recorder is configured to include a supercapacitor in addition to the configuration described in the drive recorder 4, the time should be longer than the maximum time required to close a file using power from the supercapacitor or the like. For example, it should be about 3 seconds. The supercapacitor is charged while the drive recorder is powered and discharged while the drive recorder is not powered. Also, "closing a file" means, for example, completing writing of data to an SD card.

[0169] However, after the user turns off the ACC power supply of the vehicle for parking, for example, the user may turn on and off the ACC power supply of the vehicle again in order to operate the vehicle's electric mirrors or windows if the user has forgotten to close them. In this case, the ACC power supply will be repeatedly turned off, on, and off from the on state. If the timing of this second off is within the period in which the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power to the drive recorder, various problems may occur, such as the inability to continue monitoring recording. This is because the ACC power supply may be switched from off to on, and the monitoring battery 3 may stop supplying power for a predetermined period in order to transition to continuous recording, and then the ACC power supply may be off when power supply is resumed. Therefore, this predetermined period should be a period in which the drive recorder can be reliably turned off after the supply of power to the drive recorder is stopped, and should be as short as possible. For example, it should be about 1.5 seconds. In this way, by shortening the off period of the monitoring battery 3 from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds, the probability that the period in which the supply of power to the drive recorder is stopped overlaps with the timing of the ACC power supply of the vehicle being turned off can be reduced. In addition, this measure will shorten the period of non-recording between when surveillance recording is started by turning on the ACC power in a normal vehicle and when continuous recording begins.

[0170] Furthermore, since the inventors have found that the ACC power supply of the vehicle may be repeatedly switched from an on state to off, on, off as described above, the following configuration may be adopted. When the CPU 33 switches the power supply source to the internal battery 34, the CPU 33 may not immediately transmit a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4, but may transmit a battery switching signal to the drive recorder after a predetermined time has elapsed, on the condition that the off state of the ACC power supply of the vehicle continues for a presumed predetermined time when the ACC power supply is turned on for such a short time. For example, when the power supply from the ACC power supply of the vehicle continues to be off for a predetermined time, such as 20 seconds, after the power supply from the ACC power supply of the vehicle is turned off, the battery switching signal may be transmitted to the drive recorder.

[0171] In addition, after the drive recorder is powered on, the control unit performs various initialization processes and then starts continuous recording, and so a certain start time is required after powering on before starting continuous recording. Furthermore, some drive recorders are designed to start recording in continuous recording mode first, depending on their configuration. Therefore, the monitoring battery 3 may transmit a signal indicating the presence or absence of power supply from the ACC power source to the drive recorder at a certain time interval, and may output a signal indicating that power is being supplied from the vehicle to the drive recorder for a certain time from the time when power supply to the drive recorder is started after receiving power supply from the ACC power source, regardless of the presence or absence of power supply from the ACC power source of the vehicle. This certain time may be, for example, about 10 seconds.

[0172] In addition, when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal from the monitored battery 3, the drive recorder 4 transmits a signal commanding the monitoring battery 3 to stop supplying power after the specified time has elapsed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to transmit a signal commanding the monitoring battery 3 to stop supplying power after the specified time has elapsed.

[0173] In addition, when the drive recorder 4 receives the battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it transmits a signal commanding the specified time. However, the timing of transmitting the signal commanding the specified time is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to transmit the signal when the power supply to the drive recorder 4 is turned on, when the set value of the specified time is changed, or at every predetermined time. The predetermined time may be 1 second, 1 minute, For example, 3 minutes.

[0174] Also, as explained above, if the CPU 33 does not receive a signal inquiring about the remaining charge of the internal battery 34, it determines that a drive recorder with a communication function is not connected. However, the signal to be received is not limited to a signal inquiring about the remaining charge. It may be a signal commanding a specified time, or the like. Also, the switch included in the DIP switch DIPSW36 may be configured to indicate whether or not a drive recorder with a communication function is connected. In this case, when the corresponding switch is OFF, it is configured to indicate that a drive recorder with a communication function is not connected.

[0175] Also, the control unit has been described as displaying screens Sa14 to Sa17 and accepting the settings of the recording conditions, but is not limited to this. It may be configured to have a function of automatically determining the longest recordable time by prioritizing the frame rate. When the control unit accepts a change in the setting value of "Number of Recording Frames" on screen Sa20, which transitions from screen Sa16, it calculates "Available Time" based on the setting value of "Number of Recording Frames". It determines the longest "Recording Time" option equal to or less than the calculated "Available Time" as the setting value of "Recording Time". Alternatively, it may be configured to have a function of automatically determining the longest recordable time by prioritizing the resolution.

[0176] Also, after switching to "surveillance recording mode", if the control unit determines that there is insufficient remaining space on the SD card and "surveillance recording overwrite" is set to "OFF", screen Sa6 is displayed, but this is not limited to the above. In this case, if there is no remaining space on the SD card, surveillance recording is not possible, so a screen may be displayed that notifies the user with a sound and a display and allows the user to select whether to erase the surveillance recording or not to perform surveillance recording. Here, surveillance recording refers to the recording data recorded by surveillance recording.

[0177] In addition, in the continuous recording mode, when a battery switching signal is received from the monitoring battery 3, the screen Sa1 or the like is displayed according to the settings, but this is not limited to this. It may be configured to automatically transition to a minimum necessary setting screen when the engine is turned off.

[0178] Also, the monitoring battery 3 sets the set value transmitted by serial communication from the drive recorder 4 as the specified time, but this is not limited thereto. Instead of serial communication, a 1-bit Hi / Low signal may be received and the time corresponding to the Hi / Low signal may be set as the set value. Specifically, the monitoring battery 3 receives a command indicating the specified time and a Hi or Low signal. The monitoring battery 3 pre-stores the corresponding time, 3 hours when the signal is Hi, and 6 hours when the signal is Hi. The monitoring battery 3 sets the time corresponding to the Hi / Low signal as the specified time. The signal is not limited to 1 bit, and may be 2 bits or more.

[0179] Also, although the drive recorder 4 has been described as monitoring and recording according to the recording conditions of the set "Monitoring My Area," this is not limited to the above. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function of determining the recording conditions for each "Monitoring My Area," which is a plurality of parking areas. The recording conditions include whether or not monitoring and recording (parking monitoring) is necessary, the frame rate, the recording time, etc.

[0180] Also, although the control unit has been described as storing image data in the RAM in the JPEG format, the format is not limited thereto, and the image data may be in the MP4 format, MP2 format, Hdot264 format, or Hdot265 format.

[0181] Also, although the control unit has been described as transmitting recording data at a bit rate according to the communication speed, the bit rate of the transmitted recording data is not limited to this. For example, when the communication speed is 100 Mbps, the data may be transmitted at 10 Mbps, although the transmission time will be longer.

[0182] Also, in the settings for surveillance recording in surveillance recording mode, a configuration may be made in which "Total capacity in folder" is added to the "Recording time" item. "Total capacity in folder" means that surveillance recording will be performed until the remaining space on the SD card is used up. Also, when "Recording time" is set to "Total capacity in folder", the option is not displayed in red.

[0183] Also, although it has been explained that the frame rate for event recording is about 30 fps and the resolution is fine to record details, the frame rate for event recording in surveillance recording may be lowered and the resolution may be coarse. When a large vehicle passes, the vibration is large and an event may be recorded. In places where large vehicles pass, it is expected that people who may cause harm to vehicles will not pass through in many cases. For this reason, it is considered safe to lower the frame rate and make the resolution coarse for event recording in surveillance recording.

[0184] Also, as explained above, if the "SD" button or "MENU" button is not operated within a specified time after screen Sa6 is displayed, an inactivity timeout occurs. However, if there is remaining capacity on the SD card, then that amount will be recorded, but if there is no remaining capacity, then recording is not possible, so the user is notified by sound and display, and a selection screen is displayed to allow the user to either erase the surveillance recording or not record.

[0185] Also, it has been explained that the control unit switches to the surveillance recording mode when it determines that the conditions for switching to the surveillance recording mode are satisfied. It has been explained that the items of the switching conditions include "my area" and "my cancellation area", but "time" may be added to these. It is preferable to configure the system to determine whether to switch to the surveillance recording mode based on the set "time" and time. This allows the user to perform surveillance recording only at night in "my area", for example. Also, it is preferable to configure the system to determine whether to switch to the surveillance recording mode based only on "time", for example, in addition to "my area". For example, if you want to record from about 4:00 to 6:00 in the morning, you can input the time you want to record the most (5:00 in the morning), and the system will record to include that time. If the remaining battery power or SD card capacity is insufficient, you can select whether to prioritize the time before, the time after, or the center. The recording time period is allocated with a focus on the one you have set as the priority. This allows the user to know whether it is a stray cat or a crow that is messing with the garbage in the garbage dump in front of the car in the morning.

[0186] In addition, in the setting of "Register" in "Monitor My Area," it has been explained that a location is registered based on location information from a GPS sensor, but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to display a map on the display 41, have the user specify a location on the map, and register the location on the map.

[0187] In addition, in surveillance recording, for example, a motion detector may be used to automatically reduce the frame rate when there is no change in the image, and furthermore, the frame rate may be increased from a few seconds before a change occurs and recorded.

[0188] In addition, in the case of surveillance recording, the event recording is not performed for 3 minutes from the start of surveillance recording when an event occurs due to the opening and closing of the door, but it is also possible to configure it so that the link with the door is recorded while the event recording is performed. In this way, it is possible to exclude the part where the event recording due to the acceleration detected by the G sensor and the door recording overlap based on the time when checking the recorded data later.

[0189] In addition, after displaying the opening screen, the screen transitions to a screen that displays the message "An event was recorded during surveillance recording." However, the event recording is performed for a few seconds after the engine is turned off or a few seconds before the engine is turned on, but when the engine is turned on, the event is recorded during surveillance. The occurrence of a vent may not be notified.

[0190] In addition, in the surveillance recording mode, the calculation method of the "usable time" displayed as "surveillance recording time" on the screen Sa4 is not limited to the above. The monitoring battery 3, not the drive recorder 4, may calculate the available supply time based on the current currently flowing, i.e., the current consumption of the drive recorder 4. Alternatively, the monitoring battery 3 may calculate the available supply time from the percentage of the remaining battery capacity and a preset, fixed current value. Alternatively, the monitoring battery 3 may calculate the available supply time based on the percentage of the remaining battery capacity and a current value determined from the model of the drive recorder 4 obtained through communication. The internal battery 34 may transmit the calculated available supply time to the drive recorder 4, and the control unit may display the received available supply time to the right of "surveillance recording time:".

[0191] Furthermore, the specifications of the drive recorder 4 are preferably the above-mentioned configuration, but are not limited to this. Although the drive recorder 4 has been described as including a camera, the camera unit including the camera and the main body including the control unit may be configured as separate bodies. In this case, the camera unit is installed, for example, on the windshield, and the main body is installed, for example, on the dashboard.

[0192] Also, although the drive recorder 4 has been described as being equipped with a camera, it may be configured to be equipped with two cameras. In this case, it may be configured to combine two signals from the cameras into one signal and store it. In detail, the screen is divided into two, for example, left and right, and signal processing is performed so that each is assigned to data captured by each of the two cameras. The two signals from the cameras are combined into one. This reduces the amount of recorded data, and particularly when transmitting, the amount of recorded data that can be transmitted per unit time can be increased. Also, the number of divisions is not limited to two, and may be two or more.

[0193] Also, although the display 41 has been described as an LCD, it is not limited thereto and may be a touch panel. Alternatively, a configuration without a display may be used. In the case of a product without a display, the user writes the settings to a recording medium such as an SD card, and inserts the SD card with the settings written therein into the drive recorder. The drive recorder reads the SD card and operates. Note that the configuration may be such that the settings written in the SD card are stored in a non-volatile storage unit, for example, and the drive recorder operates by reading the settings stored in the SD card as appropriate without storing them in the non-volatile storage unit.

[0194] Furthermore, the brightness of the indicator 35 may be variable between daytime and nighttime. When a transition is made to event recording during surveillance recording, the indicator 35 is displayed at the same bright brightness as during the daytime even at night.

[0195] Although the drive recorder 4 has been described as having a communication function, it may be configured not to have a communication function. In this case, it is not possible to set a specified time for continuing power supply after the supply of ACC power from the monitoring battery 3 is cut off, but since the monitoring battery 3 is equipped with the DIP switch DIPSW36, it is possible to supply power for only a specified time according to the setting of the DIP switch DIPSW36.

[0196] Also, although it has been described that the monitoring battery 3 outputs power for a specified period of time, it may supply the entire remaining battery power.

[0197] Also, for example, the camera may be configured to be movable 360 ​​degrees. In this way, the entire periphery of the vehicle can be monitored, and surveillance can be strengthened, especially in surveillance recording mode. Also, for example, if the drive recorder uses the LoRa (Long Range) method, The drive recorder may have a function capable of wireless communication via Wi-Fi and may be configured to be operable with an attached remote control that is also capable of wireless communication. In this way, a user with a remote control in a remote location can turn on / off surveillance recording, periodically transmit recording time, switch recording settings, report the occurrence of an event, and transfer still images when an event occurs and save them in the remote control. In addition, if the drive recorder is configured to have a function capable of Wi-Fi communication, it can communicate with a communication terminal such as a smartphone. The drive recorder may be configured to transfer recording data of an event recording within the range of Wi-Fi.

[0198] In addition, the control unit of the drive recorder 4 has been described as including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a non-volatile storage unit, etc., but is not limited to these. For example, it may be configured to include a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) and operate in cooperation with the PLD.

[0199] In addition, although a drive recorder installed in a vehicle has been exemplified as an in-vehicle device, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be installed in a forklift. Since forklifts are often used for business purposes, it is expected that an environment in which Wi-Fi can be used can be provided in the operating area of ​​the forklift. In this case, it is preferable to use Wi-Fi for data transfer while the forklift is traveling.

[0200] The method of data transfer is not limited to the above. In the above, it has been described that after the ACC power supply is turned off, the CPU reads out the recorded data stored in the RAM, compresses it, and transmits it. It is not limited to this, and the recorded data stored in the SD card may be read out and transmitted. Alternatively, the transmission method may be different between the recorded data of the event recording and the recorded data of the continuous recording. For example, the recorded data of the event recording to be transmitted may be read out from the RAM and transmitted. The RAM stores recorded data in which the image at the time of playback before being compressed for transmission is clearer than the recorded data stored in the SD card. On the other hand, the recorded data of the continuous recording may be read out from the SD card and transmitted. For example, since the event recording often includes an accident, it is better to have a clearer image than the recorded data stored in the SD card so that the details of the accident can be confirmed. In addition, after the ACC power supply is turned off, all the recorded data including the data already transmitted during driving may be transmitted at a uniform bit rate so that the image becomes uniform. In addition, instead of the recorded data of the event recording, the time and location information may be transmitted. In addition, the recorded data of the event recording may be transmitted first after parking. Also, the video data of the surveillance recording may be transmitted. Also, the video data of the parking monitoring may be transmitted.

[0201] The drive recorder 4 may also be configured to have a function of outputting an instruction to change the orientation of the camera. For example, if the garbage dump is not directly in front of the parking lot but diagonally forward to the right, the drive recorder needs to be reoriented diagonally forward to the right in order to capture the garbage dump, but the user may forget to change the orientation of the camera. Therefore, when the engine is turned off (on), or according to the location information measured by the GPS sensor, it is advisable to notify the user by voice or the like of "Please check the orientation of the drive recorder." The orientation may be registered and the user may be notified of the orientation, or a voice memo may be recorded and the voice memo may be played back. Furthermore, the orientation of the camera may be automatically moved by a motor.

[0202] Also, while the drive recorder 4 has been described as recording events in response to a specific trigger, the trigger in the surveillance recording mode is not limited to the above, and the event may be recorded in response to the operation of ancillary equipment in the parking lot. There is a risk that a robot or parking lot may harm the vehicle. Since the operation of the parking lot is related to the movement of other people, the event may be recorded in response to the operation of ancillary equipment in the parking lot. In a gated parking lot, a gate opening / closing signal may be used. It receives this signal and records the event as a trigger. In flap-type parking lots, where a flap installed on the ground comes into contact with the underside of the vehicle, it receives a flap raising / lowering signal and records the event as a trigger. In mechanical multi-storey parking lots, it is a good idea to use a G sensor to record the event with a signal equivalent to the lateral and vertical movement of the cart on the vehicle. In this case, it is a good idea to set the threshold so that the level of acceleration that occurs when parking is detected as an event.

[0203] Also, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode, it transitions to the surveillance recording mode according to the settings, but this is not limited to this. Also, it has been described that the drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, but this is not limited to this. In summer, the inside of the car becomes scorching hot when the car is parked, so the upper part of the window may be opened slightly remotely. For this reason, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to transition to the event recording or surveillance recording mode when the window is open as a trigger, and perform surveillance recording. Incidentally, "slightly" may mean opening the window to the extent that the hand cannot reach inside.

[0204] In addition, when the control unit determines that the SD card remaining capacity is sufficient, the control unit determines that the battery remaining capacity is insufficient, and "surveillance recording overwrite" is set to "ON", the drive recorder 4 displays the screen Sa5 (FIG. 5), and transitions to the screen Sa3 and turns off the power as the battery remaining capacity decreases, but this is not limited to the above. If the internal battery 34 is about to run out during surveillance recording, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function of notifying a remote control having a function for starting the vehicle engine so that the engine can be started and the car can generate electricity to continue recording. Also, the engine may be turned off again when the internal battery 34 is charged to a certain extent. If recording continues for a predetermined time, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to display an inquiry instruction on the remote control as to whether to continue recording, and to continue recording if an instruction to continue is received.

[0205] In addition, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode, it transitions to the surveillance recording mode according to the setting and starts surveillance recording, but this is not limited to this. In addition, the drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, but this is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a surveillance recording or surveillance recording function triggered by the approach of a drone. This makes it possible to record a drone falling into a parking lot and a collision accident with a vehicle. The approach of a drone may be detected, for example, by detecting radio waves emitted by the drone or by image recognition.

[0206] Also, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode, it transitions to the surveillance recording mode according to the setting, but this is not limiting. It may be configured to automatically record when the vehicle is parked in a high-risk area by linking with map data of a navigation system. It may be configured to transition to the surveillance recording mode when the vehicle position is in a high-risk area. Alternatively, the recording conditions may be set to a higher level than normal. Here, setting the recording conditions to a higher level than normal means setting the "number of recording frames" of the recording conditions to a higher level and recording in detail. High-risk areas are, for example, areas where thefts are frequent, areas where crimes are frequent, and the information is, for example, published on the website of the Metropolitan Police Department.

[0207] Also, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode, it transitions to the surveillance recording mode according to the settings, but this is not limited to this. Recording is performed when the vehicle is parked while charging the EV. Or the recording conditions are set to a higher level than usual. In recent years, EV chargers have been installed in commercial facilities. Since EVs may be easily tampered with while charging, it is effective to record the vehicle. This may be determined based on the area of ​​the EV station in the map data, or by obtaining the charging status of the vehicle from OBD (On-board diagnostics), etc.

[0208] The drive recorder 4 may also have a function to stop surveillance recording when the amount of light is too low to record images, such as in the middle of the night. It is advantageous to control the power supply from the battery by determining the brightness using a light sensor separate from the image sensor of the camera, as this can save power.

[0209] Also, when the drive recorder 4 receives a battery switching signal in the continuous recording mode, it transitions to the surveillance recording mode and starts surveillance recording according to the settings, and when the surveillance recording time expires, it turns off the power, but this is not limited to the above. The drive recorder 4 may be configured with a function to stop surveillance recording when the amount of packets flowing through the OBD CAN (Controller Area Network) is low, and to start surveillance recording when the amount of packets is high. A situation in which many packets flow even when the engine is turned off is likely to be a situation in which the vehicle's sensor has detected some movement around the vehicle, so it is effective to record it.

[0210] Also, in the description of screen Sb25 (FIG. 14), it was explained that when the "OK" button is pressed, the control unit displays screen Sb252 and records the location information output from the GPS sensor in the non-volatile storage unit as the center location of "My Area to be Monitored". When the location to be registered as "My Area to be Monitored" or "My Cancelled Area to be Monitored" is an indoor parking lot, it may be difficult to obtain the location using the GPS sensor, or the location accuracy may be low. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to register a location that has been located or has been located with a certain level of accuracy (preferably determined based on GPS location accuracy information) going back in time from the time of the registration operation. For example, it is preferable to obtain location information (and location accuracy information) at a predetermined time interval (for example, one second), store the location information as a location history, and at the time of registration, it is preferable to register a location that has been located or has been located with a certain level of accuracy going back in time from the time of the registration operation.

[0211] Not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, various modified examples are possible. Next, a monitoring battery according to Modification 1, which is a modified example of the monitoring battery 3, will be described with reference to Figs. 24 to 26. As shown in Fig. 24, the monitoring battery according to Modification 1 includes an input connector into which the input cord of the monitoring battery is inserted, an input / output connector into which the output cord is inserted, a USB Type A connector, a DIP switch, and a plurality of LEDs, etc., on the front of a mechanism case of the monitoring battery. Here, the input cord corresponds to the power cable 11 in the monitoring battery 3. The output cord corresponds to the cable 12 in the monitoring battery 3. Although it has been described that the power cable 11 of the monitoring battery 3 includes a cigarette lighter plug at one end, it may also include a red cord connected to an accessory power source and a black cord connected to a metal part of the vehicle. The accessory power source is the ACC power source of the vehicle that is turned on / off in conjunction with the engine key. The USB Type A connector is connected to a commercially available USB cable or the like, and charges a connected smartphone. Hereinafter, the ACC power source may be referred to as the accessory power source.

[0212] Although the dip switch DIPSW36 of the monitoring battery 3 has been described as having three switches, the monitoring battery according to Modification 1 has four dip switches as shown in Fig. 25. Depending on the ON / OFF combination of the four dip switches, the specified time can be set to 0.5 hours, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, or 12 hours, or the specified time can be set without using the dip switches. In the description of the dip switches in Fig. 25, up / down respectively refer to the ON / OFF of the dip switches.

[0213] As shown in FIG. 26, the indicator of the monitoring battery according to the first modified example has six LEDs. The six LEDs are an LED that lights up when power is being supplied to the monitoring battery from the ACC power source, an LED that lights up while the internal battery is charging, and four LEDs that light up according to the remaining charge of the internal battery. The internal battery of the monitoring battery is configured so that it can be replaced if its lifespan shortens. The monitoring battery is also designed to be able to be replaced when it becomes necessary to avoid any interference with driving or airbag activation. Avoid installing the device in locations where it may be damaged, where it may be exposed to hot air from air conditioners or heaters, where it may be exposed to direct sunlight, where it is unstable, where it may be broken or shorted due to the wiring getting caught or the coating rubbing against it, or near the vehicle's electrical equipment (including antennas, etc.).

[0214] Next, a monitoring battery according to Modification 2, which is a modification of the monitoring battery 3, will be described with reference to Figs. 27 to 31. As shown in Fig. 27, the monitoring battery according to Modification 2 has eight dip switches, a power switch, and an indicator LED on the flat surface of a mechanism case, an input terminal on the left side, and an output cable on the front. Here, the input terminal corresponds to the input connector 3a in the monitoring battery 3. The output cable corresponds to the cable 12 in the monitoring battery 3. The power switch is a switch that switches the power supply of the monitoring battery ON / OFF, and when the power switch is OFF, the input of power to the monitoring battery and the output of power from the monitoring battery are cut off. This allows the user to safely remove the monitoring battery. Also, the dip switch is installed closer to the bottom than the power switch.

[0215] As shown in Fig. 28, the input cords connected to the input terminals include a red cord connected to the vehicle's battery power source, a yellow cord connected to the accessory power source, and a black cord connected to a metal part of the vehicle. The input cords correspond to the power cable 11 in the monitored battery 3. In this way, the monitored battery may be powered from the vehicle's battery power source, which is always powered regardless of whether the engine is on or off, in addition to the accessory power source, and the charge / discharge control unit 31 may be powered to operate from the battery power source. As shown in Fig. 29, the monitored battery according to the second modification includes an LED that lights up when the engine is on and while the monitored battery is in operation.

[0216] The monitoring battery according to the second modification monitors the power supply of the battery power source of the vehicle, and when the voltage falls below a set voltage (hereinafter referred to as the detection voltage), it stops the power output from the monitoring battery. After the engine of the vehicle is turned off, the monitoring battery outputs power for a specified time (hereinafter referred to as the off timer) in the same manner as the monitoring battery 3. As shown in FIG. 30, the detection voltage may be switched between 12V and 24V by three DIP switches. To accommodate the case where the vehicle battery specification is 12V, any of the settings of 11.6V, 11.8V, 12V, and 12.2V is accepted. Similarly, to accommodate the case where the vehicle battery specification is 24V, settings of +0.2V, ±0V, −0.2V, and −0.4V with respect to 24V are accepted. Here, by setting two negative side settings and more than one positive side settings for the vehicle battery specification, the monitoring battery may continue to output even when the vehicle battery is low. As shown in Fig. 31, the off timer setting is received by three dip switches separate from the detection voltage setting, as with the monitoring battery of Modification Example 1. As shown in Fig. 30, of the eight dip switches lined up in a row, three are assigned to setting the detection voltage, three are assigned to setting the off timer, and two are unused. By arranging one unused switch between the three used to set the detection voltage and the three used to set the off timer, setting errors by the user are reduced.

[0217] In the description of the data transfer method 4, it has been described that the image data has a plurality of P frames for one I frame, but the image data may have no P frames. In the description, it has been described that the communication compression unit 45 creates three I frames per second, but the number of frames is not limited. The number of I frames per second may be less than three or more than four. In the case of a video with little movement, the number of frames may be reduced, and in the case of a video with a lot of movement, the number of frames may be increased. In the description of the data transfer method 1, the communication compression unit 45 may be configured to change the frame rate, the number of I frames, and the compression ratio of the image data according to the communication speed. In the description, it has been described that the communication data is configured with the I frame and audio data arranged in this order from the beginning, but the position of the audio data is not limited. It may be configured to be located before the I frame or after the P frame. is also good.

[0218] Although it has been described that a serial number is assigned to each frame, a serial number may be assigned to communication data of one communication unit arranged in time series, and a serial number may be assigned to each frame within one communication unit. For example, the communication data of the first communication unit may be numbered 1, the communication data of the second communication unit may be numbered 2, the P frame of the communication data of the first communication unit may be numbered 1, the next P frame may be numbered 2, the P frame of the communication data of the second communication unit may also be numbered 1, and the next P frame may be numbered 2. In this way, a frame can be identified by the number of the communication data of the number of communication units. Furthermore, the identifier to be assigned is not limited to a serial number, and may be any identifier that can be sorted. For example, the time or date may be used, or any combination of serial numbers, time, and date may be used.

[0219] In addition, in step S5 of the communication process, the I frames, P frames, and one section of audio data that could not be transmitted are stored in the SD cards 61 and 62. However, the communication data for one communication unit, including the portion that was communicated, may also be stored in the SD cards 61 and 62. When communication is restored and transmission is to be performed again, the communication data for one communication unit may also be transmitted.

[0220] Also, as explained above, during the period of continuous recording, SD card interface 47 alternates between writing data to SD card 61 and SD card 62, for example, every 10 seconds. Although there is no limitation on the period, it is advisable to set it to a time longer than the time required to capture the communication data of one communication unit.

[0221] Also, it has been explained that all or a part of the communication data that was written to the SD card 62 because it could not be transmitted is read from the SD card 62 and transmitted. Although it has been explained that the fact that transmission was not possible is stored in the RAM in step S9 of the communication processing, it is also possible to store information in the RAM in step S9 of the communication processing, in which an identifier that identifies all or a part of the communication data that could not be transmitted is associated with an identifier that identifies the SD card to which it is to be written, and when communication becomes possible, the information is referenced to identify the SD card that stores all or a part of the communication data that could not be transmitted.

[0222] 19 of another example of the drive recorder, the communication compressor 45 is described as automatically varying the data capacity according to the current communication rate. Changing the data capacity according to the current communication rate so that real-time transmission can be performed is not limited to changing the compression rate, and the frame rate may be changed.

[0223] In addition, in the example of the drive recorder shown in Fig. 19, two SD cards are inserted, but one SD card may be inserted. In this case, the drive recorder may be configured to write the recorded data by dividing the memory area of ​​the SD card into a storage area and a communication area.

[0224] Also, as shown in FIG. 20, only one I frame may be included in one communication unit, but multiple I frames may also be included. In this case, it is preferable to be able to identify which P frame group corresponds to which I frame. For example, the number of P frames for one I frame may be the same, or all frames may be assigned consecutive numbers. When there are multiple I frames in one communication unit, the I frame group may be transmitted in succession first, and then the P frame group following the I frame group may be transmitted, or a group of frames in an alternating order such as I frame - P frame - I frame - P frame may be used as one communication unit.

[0225] It is recommended that the frame rate be configurable. For example, 1 fps, 5 fps, or 10 fps. It is recommended that the number of I frames included in one communication unit be changed depending on the frame rate. The higher the frame rate, the more I frames should be included in one communication unit.

[0226] The configuration is not limited to the above embodiment, and the configuration of the above embodiment and the configuration of the above modification may be arbitrarily combined. Also, a part of the configuration of the above embodiment and a part of the configuration of the above modification may be arbitrarily combined. Also, a part of the configuration described in "Measures for solving the Problems", a part of the configuration of the above embodiment, and a part of the configuration of the above modification may be arbitrarily combined. [Explanation of symbols]

[0227] 1 System 3 Monitor Battery 3a Input Connector 3b Input / Output Connector 4. Drive recorder 4a Input / Output Connector 11 Power cable 12 Cable 31 Charge / discharge control unit 34 Internal Battery 33 CPU 35 Indicators 36 DIP switch DIPSW 47 SD card interface 52 Mobile Communication Interface

Claims

1. A system to be installed in a vehicle having a function of switching an operation mode depending on whether or not power is being supplied from an ACC power source, During surveillance recording in surveillance recording mode when power is not being supplied from the ACC power source, an event is determined to have occurred based on the acceleration measured by the G sensor, and the event recording is performed while recording the link with the door. A drive recorder characterized by the above.

2. 2. The drive recorder according to claim 1, further comprising a function for displaying on the screen, after displaying an opening screen, a message indicating that an event has been recorded during surveillance recording when the event recording is performed during the surveillance recording before the power is turned on.

3. 3. The drive recorder according to claim 2, further comprising a function of recording the event for a predetermined time period after the power is turned off, but not notifying the occurrence of the event during a monitoring function when the power is turned on.

4. 4. The drive recorder according to claim 2, further comprising a function of recording the event for a predetermined time before the power is turned on, but not notifying the occurrence of the event during a monitoring function when the power is turned on.

5. A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the drive recorder according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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