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 Art]

[0002] Conventionally, an apparatus for supplying power to an in-vehicle device is known (Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a bracket that includes a solar cell and supplies electricity generated by the solar cell to an in-vehicle device. The bracket described in Patent Document 1 is to be fixed onto a dashboard. Moreover, in order to cause the solar cell to generate power, the bracket needs to be placed in a position exposed to direct sunlight. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-66744 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] As described above, the bracket of Patent Document 1 is to be fixed onto a dashboard. For this reason, when the bracket is configured to include a storage battery, the storage battery is fixed at 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 temperature may exceed the upper limit of the temperature range in which the storage battery can be charged and discharged, and there is a risk that the storage battery becomes unable to supply power to the in-vehicle device or perform other functions.

[0005] The present application has been proposed in view of the above problem, and an object of the present application is to provide an apparatus and the like that can favorably supply power to an in-vehicle device and achieve other objectives. [Means for Solving the Problem]

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

[0007] In this way, even if the power supply from the vehicle is interrupted, power can continue to be supplied to the in-vehicle equipment. Situations in which the power supply from the vehicle is interrupted include, for example, when the vehicle's power source stops, when the power supply from the vehicle battery, which stops charging when the vehicle's power source stops, is interrupted, when the vehicle is stopped, parked, or when there are no people in the vehicle. Even in such cases, the in-vehicle equipment can continue to operate by receiving power from this device. In particular, in the case of the configuration of the in-vehicle equipment described later (7), which operates while power is supplied and stops operating when the power supply is interrupted, the in-vehicle equipment stops operating in response to the device stopping the power supply after a predetermined period of time, so the in-vehicle equipment can be operated for the desired amount of time. Also, for example, in the case of a configuration in which the in-vehicle equipment operates by receiving power from the vehicle battery while the vehicle's power source is stopped, there is a risk of the vehicle battery running out, but by interposing this device between the vehicle and the in-vehicle equipment, it is possible to make it less likely for the vehicle battery to run out even when the in-vehicle equipment is operating. This prevents situations where a dead battery prevents the engine's starter motor from turning, making it impossible to start the engine and drive the vehicle.

[0008] Furthermore, because it is a separate unit, the device can be installed in a location different from that of the in-vehicle equipment, and the configuration (2) described later is particularly good because it can suppress temperature rise. The battery should be, for example, a lithium-ion battery or a lithium-ion polymer battery, but a lithium-metal hydride rechargeable battery is particularly good because it has a wide temperature range for charging and discharging. The in-vehicle equipment should be a laser detector or a security device, but it is better to choose one that generates a large amount of internal heat. An example of equipment that generates a large amount of internal heat is an image processing device such as a dashcam. Because the device is separate from the in-vehicle equipment, it can be made less susceptible to the effects of heat.

[0009] Furthermore, in-vehicle equipment is installed in a location that is exposed to external heat, while this device should be installed in a location that is less exposed to such external heat. Examples of external sources include direct sunlight and the engine. In-vehicle equipment can be installed in a location that is exposed to direct sunlight, while this device should be installed in a location that is shielded from direct sunlight. In particular, in-vehicle equipment should be installed near the glass between the exterior and interior of the vehicle, while this device should not be installed near that glass. In addition, in-vehicle equipment may be equipment that is pre-installed as an integral part of the vehicle, or it may be equipment that is separate from the vehicle and installed on the vehicle later.

[0010] (2) The in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle, and it is preferable that it be configured to be of a size and shape that allows it to be installed in a location other than the engine compartment of the vehicle where direct sunlight is blocked.

[0011] Dashcams are typically installed near glass, such as the windshield, to record the outside of the vehicle. However, areas near glass are also prone to high temperatures due to direct sunlight. By installing the dashcam in a location where direct sunlight is blocked, the battery temperature can be kept from rising. Furthermore, by installing the device in a location other than the engine compartment where the vehicle's power source is located, it can be less affected by heat from the vehicle's power source. By keeping the battery temperature low, it is possible to suppress the inability to charge and discharge due to temperature rise, thus reducing the likelihood of power supply failures to in-vehicle equipment. In-vehicle equipment can continue to operate even after power from the vehicle is cut off.

[0012] (3) The in-vehicle equipment should not have a battery, or should have a battery smaller than the vehicle's battery, and should be installed in a location with size and weight restrictions, and preferably in a location with fewer restrictions than the size and weight restrictions of the in-vehicle equipment itself.

[0013] This allows the device to be made larger and heavier, thus increasing the battery capacity. The in-vehicle equipment can continue to operate for a longer period even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. The in-vehicle equipment should be installed in locations where there are size restrictions during installation, such as on the windshield, where the installation area is defined by law. In addition, the in-vehicle equipment should be installed in locations where it may fall due to its weight, on surfaces that are not parallel to the vehicle floor, such as on the windshield or dashboard.

[0014] (4) The configuration should be such that it is installed in a position that does not encroach on the passenger space of the vehicle, and its size and shape should be such that it does not encroach on the passenger space.

[0015] This arrangement is advantageous because it does not hit or obstruct people while they are in the car, whether they are driving or getting in and out of the vehicle. The inventors have found that suitable locations for configurations (2), (3), and (4) include, for example, the trunk, under the dashboard, and especially under the seats.

[0016] (5) The device comprises a communication means for communicating with in-vehicle equipment and a control unit, wherein the control unit is 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 to the in-vehicle equipment from the vehicle to the battery, indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery.

[0017] In this way, the in-vehicle device can detect when the power source has been switched to the battery. This is particularly beneficial when combined with the configuration (11) which saves power when the power source is switched to the battery, as it reduces the amount of power supplied and thus extends battery life. Note that the charge / discharge control unit and the control unit may be implemented with a single control means, or they may be implemented with separate control means.

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

[0019] In this way, the in-vehicle device can know that the power source has been switched back to the vehicle. This is particularly good when combined with the configuration of (11) which switches the shooting conditions depending on the power source, because the shooting conditions can be switched when the power source is switched back to the vehicle. When configurations (5) and (6) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be implemented by sharing one communication means and one control means, or they may be implemented by separate communication means and control means.

[0020] (7) It is preferable that the in-vehicle device is configured to be supplied with power from the present device, operate during a period when power is supplied, and stop when the power supply is stopped.

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

[0022] (8) The in-vehicle device includes: a first continuous recording function that is a function of performing recording when receiving power supply from the vehicle; a first event recording function that is a function of performing recording when a predetermined event occurs while receiving power supply from the vehicle; a recording function performed when receiving power supply from a battery , which is a second continuous recording function; a second event recording function that is a function of performing recording when a predetermined event occurs while receiving power supply from the battery; a first setting function for setting the first continuous function; a second setting function for setting the second continuous function; and a third setting function for commonly setting the first event recording setting and the second event recording setting. It is preferable to adopt a configuration including the above.

[0023] When a user performs settings, if there are multiple settings, the user may feel annoyed and there is a risk that it becomes difficult for the user to understand the settings. By providing the settings as the first setting for the first continuous function, the second setting for the second continuous function, and the third setting function for commonly setting the first event recording setting and the second event recording setting, the annoyance felt by the user can be reduced, and the settings can be made easier for the user to understand. The in-vehicle device can operate with optimal settings according to the applied conditions.

[0024] Configurations other than that of (8) are also possible. For example, it may be configured to include: 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 setting and the second event recording setting.

[0025] (9) The in-vehicle device comprises: a wireless communication function; and creation means for creating communication data of one communication unit having a plurality of frames to be transmitted by the wireless communication function based on video captured by an imaging means, and it is preferable that the configuration is such that a reference frame, which is a independently reproducible frame, is provided in at least one frame among the plurality of frames included in the communication data of one communication unit.

[0026] According to this configuration, if at least the reference frame of the communication data of one communication unit can be received, the video of the period of said one communication unit included in the communication data of said one communication unit can be independently reproduced. The video may be, for example, image information in which pieces of still image information are arranged in chronological order, having information such as 30 frames per second. The one communication unit is preferably grouped into one block divided based on, for example, time, the number of frames, data capacity, or the like. The communication data of one communication unit may be, for example, data divided by a fixed period of time, may be data up to a certain number of frames, or may be data exceeding a certain data capacity. The data length of the communication data of one communication unit may be variable or fixed. The number of frames of the communication data of one communication unit may be variable, but is preferably fixed. The number of frames of the communication data of one communication unit is preferably, for example, plural, and the number of reference frames among the plurality of frames may be plural, but is particularly preferably one. However, for example, when configured to have a plurality of reference frames in communication data of one communication unit, if at least one reference frame among the plurality of reference frames can be received, there will not be a case where no video is output during the period of one communication unit. For example, it is preferable to adopt a configuration comprising a playback device provided with: reception means for receiving communication data of one communication unit transmitted by the in-vehicle device; and playback means for causing a display means to display video based on the received communication data of one communication unit. According to such a playback device, it is possible to play back video based on communication data of one communication unit transmitted by the in-vehicle device. A user can view the played back video.

[0027] (9-1) The in-vehicle equipment should be configured to repeatedly perform the following: creating communication data for one communication unit using the creation means, and transmitting the created communication data for one communication unit using the wireless communication function. In this way, if the shooting means is continuously shooting, continuous video can be transmitted. The creation of communication data for one communication unit and the transmission of communication data using the wireless communication function may be performed as separate processes. For example, ten communication data units may be created, and after creating the ten communication data units, the ten communication data units may be transmitted 10 times for each communication unit. However, it is preferable to configure the system so that once the communication data for one communication unit is created, the created communication data for one communication unit is transmitted. Furthermore, each communication unit should be created using the same criteria for each repeating unit. The criteria may be, for example, the above. It is best to set a fixed quantity for each repetition unit, based on factors such as time, number of frames, and data capacity. If the communication data for one communication unit cannot be sent, the entire communication data for that unit may be resent. However, it is better to do as in (9-3) below.

[0028] (9-2) The in-vehicle equipment is configured to store the frames that could not be transmitted from the communication data of one communication unit and to transmit the frames that could not be transmitted. In this way, even if there are frames that could not be transmitted, the frames 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 if transmission fails, the identifier of the frame that could not be transmitted may be recorded to identify the frame that could not be transmitted. Alternatively, an identifier such as a serial number may be assigned to the communication data of one communication unit, and if transmission fails, the identifier of the communication data that could not be transmitted and the number of the frame in which the frame could not be transmitted may be recorded to identify the frame that could not be transmitted. The identifier may also be, for example, the date or time. Among the multiple frames included in the communication data of one communication unit, the frame following a certain frame may be used as difference data with the previous reference frame. However, it is preferable to do as in (9-3) below.

[0029] (9-3) The in-vehicle device is configured such that, among the multiple frames included in the communication data of one communication unit, the frame following a certain frame is a difference frame, which is the difference data between that frame and the frame before it. For example, if a certain frame is used as a reference frame, the frame following that frame will be a difference frame with respect to the reference frame. For example, if a certain frame is a difference frame, the frame following that frame will be a difference frame with respect to the frame created by that difference frame. In this way, the amount of data in the communication data can be reduced compared to when all frames are used as reference frames. It is also preferable to make the frame following a difference frame a difference frame. In particular, since there is a reference frame as one of the frames included in the communication data of one communication unit, it is possible to play back the video for the period of that communication unit independently and reduce the amount of data. If the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that films the outside of the vehicle while it is driving, the entire frame changes more than in a fixed-point camera that films a place with little background change, for example. Therefore, it is preferable to make the frame following a certain frame a difference data with respect to the frame before it, rather than a difference data with respect to the previous reference frame. Furthermore, the reference frame should ideally be located at the beginning of the communication data for each communication unit.

[0030] (9-4) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with a shooting means and a sound collection means, and comprises a wireless communication function and a creation means for creating communication data in a single communication unit having multiple frames, which transmits the video captured by the shooting means and the audio collected by the sound collection means by the wireless communication function, wherein the communication data in the single communication unit is preferably configured to be arranged in the following order from the beginning: a reference frame that can be played back independently, audio data, and a difference frame that shows the difference with the frame one frame earlier.

[0031] In this way, even if communication is interrupted midway through the transmission of one communication unit of data, the recipient can at least view a still image based on the reference frame. Subsequently, if audio data is also received, the audio can be heard. Subsequently, if differential frames are also received, a video based on the differential frames can be viewed. The order of reception at the recipient is still image, audio, then video. If the communication data is, for example, footage of an accident, the recipient can first see an overview of the accident from the still image. Subsequently, they can learn about the accident from the audio. Subsequently, they can learn about the details of the accident from the video. Even if communication is interrupted midway through the audio data, the recipient can at least see an overview of the accident. The playback device should also have an audio playback function and be configured to play back the audio received from one communication unit of data. According to the system, it can play back audio based on communication data from a single communication unit transmitted by the in-vehicle equipment. The user can then listen to the played-back audio.

[0032] (10) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with a shooting means, which includes a switching function for switching the destination of data based on images captured by the shooting means between multiple recording media, and a wireless communication function for transmitting data based on images. If the data based on images cannot be transmitted by the wireless communication function, the device should be configured to read the data based on images that could not be transmitted from the recording media that stores the data, during a period when the storage medium is not the writing destination, and transmit the data based on images that could not be transmitted by the wireless communication function.

[0033] In this way, even if the wireless communication means fails to transmit video, the failed video can be read from one of the recording media that is not the write destination and transmitted. It can be difficult to write and read data to a recording media simultaneously. For example, when writing video-based data to a recording media for recording purposes, the period during which the recording means stores the video-based data on the storage medium and the period during which the video-based data stored on the storage medium is read for transmission may overlap. By switching the write destination between multiple storage media, a period is created during which the storage medium storing the video-based data is not the write destination, making it easy to read the video-based data. Three or more storage media can be used, but two is particularly good. Also, it is good to treat the video-based data for recording and the video-based data for transmission as different data, and to have different data sizes for each, with the data size of the video-based data for transmission being smaller than the data size of the video-based data for recording. When continuously writing to a recording media for recording purposes, it is good to write the video-based data for recording purposes by switching between two recording media alternately. Data based on transmitted video may be continuously written to two recording media by switching between them alternately, but data based on video that has been successfully transmitted does not need to be written to a recording medium. The recording medium to which data based on video that could not be transmitted is to be written is the same recording medium that is currently writing the video data for recording purposes. Video data that could not be transmitted by wireless communication may be in units of one communication or in units of frames. For example, an identifier such as a serial number may be assigned to each frame before transmission, and if transmission fails, the identifier of the frame that could not be transmitted and which recording medium to write it to may be recorded to identify the storage medium that is storing the frame that could not be transmitted. Alternatively, a portion of the storage area of ​​a recording medium may be pre-assigned as an area for recording video data that could not be transmitted, and the video data stored in that area of ​​a storage medium that is not the writing destination may be read.

[0034] (10-1) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with a means for taking pictures, and is equipped with a wireless communication function for transmitting data based on images, and the communication speed when transmitting data based on images taken by the means for taking pictures via the wireless communication function should be configured to be a speed that allows transmission in a time shorter than the time required to take the images.

[0035] In this way, the in-vehicle device can transmit the accumulated video data all at once. Video data can be captured over a certain period, the video data for that period can be stored, and then transmitted in a shorter time than the time required for the capture. For example, if video data for one communication unit is stored and then transmitted, it can be transmitted in a shorter time than the time it took to capture one communication unit. The remaining time can be used to transmit the video data that could not be transmitted. Transmission can be completed in a shorter time than the actual video duration. There is free time before the next communication unit is captured. The video data that could not be transmitted can be read from the storage medium containing it, and time can be secured for transmission using the wireless communication function. This is particularly effective in configuration (10-2). Also, in configurations such as (14), where transmission occurs during periods when the power source is a battery, ( If the setup is not as described in (10-1), and the communication speed is slow, the time it takes to transmit data based on the video that could not be transmitted after the power source has switched to battery will be very long. In the configuration of (10-1), data based on the video that could not be transmitted is transmitted before the power source has switched to battery, so the transmission time during the period when the power source is on battery can be shortened or eliminated.

[0036] (10-2) The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device equipped with a shooting means, which includes a switching function that switches the destination for writing data based on images captured by the shooting means between multiple recording media, a wireless communication function that transmits data based on images, and a real-time transmission function that writes data based on images to a storage medium and transmits the data based on images in real time by the wireless communication function, and if the data based on images cannot be transmitted by the real-time transmission function, the device should be configured to read the data based on images that could not be transmitted from the recording media that stores the data, during a period when the storage medium is not the writing destination, and transmit the data based on images that could not be transmitted by the wireless communication function.

[0037] In this way, if video-based data cannot be transmitted using the real-time transmission function, the untransmitted video-based data can be read out and transmitted at approximately the same time as the real-time transmission, during a period when the storage medium containing the untransmitted video-based data is not the write destination. In particular, it is good to continuously write video-based data for recording purposes. The video-based data for recording and the video-based data for transmission should be different data, and the amount of data for recording should be greater than the amount of data for transmission, for example, high-resolution data.

[0038] (11) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit outputs a switching signal (hereinafter referred to as a battery switching signal) via the communication means to indicate that the power source has been switched to the battery when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions and comprises device communication means for communicating with the device, and during the first period when the power source is the vehicle, the first condition is applied as the shooting condition, and during the second period when the power source is the battery, the second condition which is more power-efficient than the first condition is applied as the shooting condition, and when it receives a switching signal (battery switching signal), it switches the shooting condition from the first condition to the second condition and continues shooting.

[0039] This reduces the amount of power supplied by the battery, thus extending its lifespan. Here, the shooting conditions refer to the conditions at the time of shooting, not the conditions for starting shooting. Shooting conditions may include, for example, frame rate and resolution, and conditions that reduce power consumption may include lowering the frame rate and lowering the resolution. When the configurations of (5), (6) and (11) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be implemented by sharing one communication means and one control means, or they may be implemented by separate communication means and control means. The device itself may be any of the devices from (1) to (6), and the in-vehicle equipment may be the in-vehicle equipment described in (7). The same applies to (13) to (15) described later.

[0040] (12) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, the control unit outputs a signal indicating the remaining battery level and, when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, 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 takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions including shooting time and frame rate, and comprises device communication means for communicating with the device, shooting means and images taken by the shooting means The system comprises a storage medium for storing data and a user interface for accepting settings of shooting conditions. When it receives a signal indicating the remaining battery level and a switching signal (battery switching signal), it is preferable to configure the system to determine the other of the shooting time and frame rate based on the remaining battery level, the remaining capacity of the recording medium, and either the accepted shooting time or frame rate.

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

[0042] (13) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit outputs a switching signal (battery switching signal) via the communication means to indicate that the power source has been switched to the battery when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions, and comprises positioning means for determining the position of the vehicle, device communication means for communicating with the device and storage means for storing shooting conditions set by the user in association with the position, and when it receives a switching signal (battery switching signal), it is preferable that the system be configured to determine the shooting conditions associated with the position as the shooting conditions for the current time if the current position is within a predetermined area of ​​positions stored in the storage means.

[0043] In this way, if the current location is within a predetermined radius of a previously set location, the in-vehicle device can use the shooting conditions stored in the memory means as the current shooting conditions. The user can operate the in-vehicle device without having to set the conditions repeatedly. Furthermore, even if the current location does not match a location stored in the memory means, the in-vehicle device can use the shooting conditions associated with that location as the current shooting conditions, as long as it is within a predetermined area of ​​the stored location. Therefore, the same shooting conditions can be applied even when the user freely parks in a parking lot with a predetermined area. The predetermined area may be any shape centered on the latitude and longitude that identify the location, particularly a circle with a predetermined radius. When configurations (5), (6) and (11) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be implemented by sharing one communication means and one control means, or they may be implemented by separate communication means and control means, respectively.

[0044] (14) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, and the control unit outputs a switching signal (battery switching signal) via the communication means to indicate that the power source has been switched to the battery when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during the first period when the power source is the vehicle, and comprises device communication means for communicating with the device, shooting means, recording means for recording images taken by the shooting means, and transmission means for transmitting images via a network, and when it receives the switching signal (battery switching signal), it is preferable that it be configured to transmit images that could not be transmitted during the first period during the period when the power source is the battery.

[0045] This ensures that records are reliably transmitted even if they could not be transmitted during the first period. The destination could be, for example, a database accessible to the vehicle's administrator. The network could be, for example, a mobile device network. The first period often involves handling issues while driving, and during driving, communication may be interrupted due to factors such as base station switching or driving through areas with slow communication speeds. There may be periods during which transmission is not possible. Also, the second period often corresponds to the parking period, and during the parking period, the vehicle is moved infrequently, so the driving record can be reliably transmitted. Furthermore, when the configurations of (5), (6) and (14) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be implemented by sharing one communication means and one control means, or they may be implemented by separate communication means and control means.

[0046] (15) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, wherein when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the control unit outputs a switching signal (battery switching signal) via the communication means indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period when the power source is the vehicle, and comprises a shooting means, a recording means for recording images taken by the shooting means, and a transmission means for transmitting images via a network, wherein during the first period the image bitrate is lowered and transmitted, and when the switching signal (battery switching signal) is received, if the communication speed is faster than a reference value, an image with a higher bitrate than during the first period is transmitted.

[0047] In this way, in the first period, the amount of data per unit time can be reduced, so the image duration relative to the transmission time can be increased. A good way to lower the bitrate is to reduce the image quality, for example. The network should be a network for mobile devices, such as a wireless LAN. A good example of when the power source switches to battery is when the vehicle is parked. If the parking lot has a high-speed wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), it can be expected that the driving image can be transmitted in a short time without reducing the amount of data per unit time, so for example, a driving image with good image quality can be transmitted. When the configurations of (5), (6) and (15) are provided, each communication means and each control means may be implemented by sharing one communication means and one control means, or they may be implemented by separate communication means and control means, respectively.

[0048] (16) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, wherein when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the control unit outputs a switching signal via the communication means indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period when the power source is the vehicle, and comprises a shooting means, a wireless communication function, and a creation means for creating a communication unit of communication data having multiple frames to be transmitted via the wireless communication function based on the video captured by the shooting means, wherein at least one of the multiple frames included in the communication unit of communication data is a reference frame which is a frame that can be played back independently.

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

[0050] (17) A system comprising the device and an in-vehicle device, wherein the device comprises a communication means for communicating with the in-vehicle device and a control unit, wherein when the charge / discharge control unit switches the power source to the in-vehicle device from the vehicle to the battery, the control unit outputs a switching signal via the communication means indicating that the power source has been switched to the battery, and the in-vehicle device is a drive recorder that takes pictures of the outside of the vehicle based on shooting conditions during a first period when the power source is the vehicle, and comprises a shooting means, a switching function for switching the destination for writing data based on the video captured by the shooting means between a plurality of recording media, and a wireless communication function for transmitting data based on the video, wherein if the data based on the video could not be transmitted by the wireless communication function, the system is configured to read the data based on the video that could not be transmitted from the recording media that stores the data based on the video that could not be transmitted during a period when the storage medium is not the writing destination, and transmit it via the wireless communication function.

[0051] In this way, even if the wireless communication means fails to transmit the video, the failed video can be read from any of the recording media other than the storage location and transmitted.

[0052] Furthermore, it is good to arbitrarily select and combine (1) to (17), and it is especially good to have (1) and then combine the configurations of (2) to (17). Also, it is good to arbitrarily select and combine the elements of (1) to (17). [Effects of the Invention]

[0053] The device described in this application can provide power to in-vehicle equipment and perform other functions effectively. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0054] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the monitoring battery. [Figure 3] This is a timing chart showing the correspondence between the ACC power supply and the output of the monitoring battery. [Figure 4]This is a diagram (1 / 4) illustrating screen transitions in surveillance recording. [Figure 5] This is a diagram (2 / 4) illustrating screen transitions in surveillance recording. [Figure 6] This is a diagram (3 / 4) illustrating screen transitions in surveillance recording. [Figure 7] This is a diagram (4 / 4) illustrating screen transitions in surveillance recording. [Figure 8] This is a diagram (1 / 6) illustrating the screen transitions in the settings. [Figure 9] This is a diagram (2 / 6) illustrating the screen transitions in the settings. [Figure 10] This is a diagram (3 / 6) illustrating the screen transitions in the settings. [Figure 11] This is a diagram (4 / 6) illustrating the screen transitions in the settings. [Figure 12] This diagram explains the "OFF" and "ON" options for "overwrite" in the settings. [Figure 13] This is a diagram (5 / 6) illustrating the screen transitions in the settings. [Figure 14] This is a diagram (6 / 6) illustrating the screen transitions in the settings. [Figure 15] This diagram illustrates area registration in the settings. [Figure 16] This diagram illustrates the transfer and SD card writing process in (Method 1) for parking surveillance. [Figure 17] This diagram illustrates the transfer and SD card writing process in (Method 2) for parking surveillance. [Figure 18] This diagram illustrates the transfer and SD card writing process in (Method 3) for parking surveillance. [Figure 19] This is a functional block diagram of a dashcam related to the transfer of recorded data during continuous recording. [Figure 20] This is a diagram illustrating the structure of communication data. [Figure 21] This is a flowchart showing the processing steps involved in communication processing. [Figure 22] This diagram illustrates the transfer of recording data during continuous recording in the event of a period of communication failure. [Figure 23] This diagram explains the settings for recording and data transfer on an SD card. [Figure 24] This is a front view of the monitoring battery relating to variant 1, along with the input and output codes. [Figure 25] This diagram illustrates the settings of the DIP switches for the monitoring battery according to Modification Example 1. [Figure 26] This diagram illustrates the LED of the monitoring battery according to Modification 1. [Figure 27] This is a perspective view of the monitoring battery according to Modification 2. [Figure 28] This is a plan view of the monitoring battery relating to Modification 2, along with the input and output codes. [Figure 29] This is a plan view of the monitoring battery according to modified example 2. [Figure 30] This diagram illustrates the setting of the detection voltage of the monitoring battery in modified example 2. [Figure 31] This diagram illustrates the setting of the off-timer for the monitoring battery in modified example 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0055] <Overall Structure> The overall configuration of System 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 1. System 1 is installed inside the vehicle. System 1 is a system that is retrofitted to the vehicle and consists of a monitoring battery 3, a drive recorder 4, a power cable 11, a cable 12, etc. When the monitoring battery 3 is powered from the ACC power supply (Figure 2), it supplies power to the drive recorder 4 using the ACC power supply as the power source and charges its built-in internal battery 34 (Figure 2). When the power supply from the ACC power supply 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 is equipped with an input connector 3a and an input / output connector 3b. The drive recorder 4 is equipped with an input / output connector 4a and a display 41. The power cable 11 is equipped with a cigarette lighter plug at one end and an output terminal 11a at the other end. The cable 12 is equipped with a first terminal 12a at one end and a second terminal 12b at the other end. The cigarette lighter plug on the power cable 11 is connected to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket, and the output terminal 11a of the power cable 11 is connected to the input connector 3a of the monitoring battery 3. This allows the monitoring battery 3 to receive power from the ACC power supply. In addition, the input / output connector 3b of the monitoring battery 3 is connected to the first terminal 12a of the cable 12, and the second terminal 12b of the cable 12 is connected to the 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] <Configuration of monitoring battery> Next, the electrical configuration of the monitoring battery 3 will be explained using Figure 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, a DIP switch 36, and the like. The charge / discharge control unit 31 controls the charging of the internal battery 34 and the power supply to the drive recorder 4. The internal battery 34 is a secondary battery, specifically a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery. The DC-DC converter 32 converts the 12V or 24V voltage supplied from the ACC power supply via the charge / discharge control unit 31 to a 5V voltage and outputs it. The CPU 33 controls the charge / discharge control unit 31 and the indicator 35, etc. The CPU 33 also communicates with the drive recorder 4 connected via cable 12. The indicator 35 includes a lamp to indicate the operating status and a lamp to display the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34. The lamps are implemented using LEDs. The DIP switch 36 has three switches. In the following explanation and diagrams, the internal battery 34 may be referred to as the built-in battery.

[0057] The charge / discharge control unit 31 receives power from the internal battery 34. While powered by 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 the voltage-converted power to the drive recorder 4. The charge / discharge control unit 31 also determines whether the ACC power supply is ON or OFF and switches between charging or discharging the internal battery 34. When the charge / discharge control unit 31 determines that the ACC power supply is ON, it controls the supply 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 discharges the internal battery 34 and controls the supply so that 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 explained using Figure 3. The monitoring battery 3 outputs power to the drive recorder 4 using the ACC power supply while the ACC power supply is ON. When the power supply is interrupted, the internal battery 34 is used to output power to the drive recorder 4 for a specified period of time after the interruption. After the specified period has elapsed, the power output is turned OFF. When the ACC power supply is restored, the ACC power is used again to output power to the drive recorder 4. This allows the drive recorder 4 to continue operating for a specified period of time after the ACC power has been interrupted. The specified period 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 sends a signal to command the specified period. The CPU 33 sets the specified period setting value included in the received signal to command the specified period as the specified period.

[0059] Furthermore, if a drive recorder without communication capabilities is connected to the monitoring battery 3, the CPU 33 will set the time specified by the DIP switch DIPSW 36 as the default time. When the drive recorder 4 with communication capabilities is powered on, it sends a signal to inquire about the remaining charge of the internal battery 34. If the CPU 33 does not receive a signal inquiring about the remaining charge 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 default time settings in binary format through combinations of ON / OFF states of its three switches. Specifically, the default time settings are 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 32 hours, and 64 hours. When connecting a drive recorder without communication capabilities, the user should refer to the instruction manual included with the monitoring battery 3 and turn each switch ON or OFF to match the desired time.

[0060] When the ACC power supply is interrupted, the monitoring battery 3 switches its power source to the internal battery 34 and supplies power to the drive recorder 4. Before and after the switch, the drive recorder 4 continues to receive power, so it cannot determine whether the power source is the ACC power or the internal battery 34. For this reason, when the CPU 33 switches the power source to the internal battery 34, it sends a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4. After a specified time has elapsed and the monitoring battery 3 has turned OFF its output, if the ACC power is turned ON, the drive recorder 4 can determine that the ACC power has been turned ON because the power supply that had been stopped has been resumed. On the other hand, if the ACC power is turned ON within the specified time, the drive recorder 4 continues to receive power, so it cannot determine whether the power source is the ACC power or the internal battery 34. For this reason, if the ACC power is turned ON within the specified time, the CPU 33 sends a vehicle switching signal to notify that the power source has switched to the ACC power. This allows the drive recorder 4 to recognize that the ACC power has been turned ON and the power source has switched to the ACC power. As will be described later, the drive recorder 4 switches its operating 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 level of the internal battery 34 every 1 second. This allows the drive recorder 4 to know the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34.

[0061] Next, the shape of the monitoring battery 3 will be described. The monitoring battery 3 is equipped with a mechanical case. The mechanical case is made of heat-resistant resin and is fixed to the vehicle with cable ties or double-sided tape. The mechanical case is about the size of a child's lunchbox and is installed under the front seats of the vehicle with its widest surface facing downwards. Because the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seats where it is shielded from direct sunlight, its temperature is less likely to rise. As the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to overheat, the internal battery 34 is less likely to experience limitations on charging and discharging due to temperature rise. This makes it less likely for the monitoring battery 3 to stop supplying power, and therefore less likely for the drive recorder 4 to stop working. In addition, because the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seats, the size of the internal battery 34 can be increased to fit under the seats. This increases the capacity of the internal battery 34. This is possible. For example, if the monitoring battery were mounted on the windshield, similar to the drive recorder 4, there would be a risk of it falling due to its weight, but if it were under the seat, the risk of it falling would be eliminated. Also, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it does not encroach on the passenger space of 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 mounted on the windshield, separate from the monitoring battery 3 located under the seat. Since the power cable 11 is approximately 4 meters long, the user can connect the monitoring battery 3 and the drive recorder 4 despite their separate locations.

[0063] <Drive recorder configuration> Next, the drive recorder 4 will be described. The drive recorder 4 is attached to the interior side of the windshield and has a recording function that captures the area in front of the vehicle through the windshield and records it to an SD card. In addition to the recording function that is typical of drive recorders, the drive recorder 4 also has a communication function that communicates with the monitoring battery 3. The drive recorder 4 is equipped with a display 41 (Figure 1). The drive recorder 4 is also equipped with a control unit, GPS sensor, G sensor, camera, microphone, OBD connection cable, SD card interface, operation buttons, indicator lamps, and speaker (not shown). The display 41 is a full-color liquid crystal display with a backlight and displays images according to the control of the control unit. The GPS sensor determines the position of the drive recorder 4 and outputs the vehicle position, which is the position information, to the control unit. The G sensor measures acceleration and outputs the measured acceleration to the control unit. The camera takes pictures and outputs the captured image data to the control unit. The microphone collects sound and outputs the collected audio data to the control unit. The OBD connection cable is a cable that can be connected to the OBD-II connector installed in the vehicle. The control unit obtains vehicle information, which is a self-diagnosis performed by the ECU installed in the vehicle, via the OBD connection cable. The SD card interface has an SD card slot, and when an SD card is inserted into the SD card slot, it notifies that an SD card has been inserted. It also reads the information recorded on the SD card according to the control unit's instructions and outputs it to the control unit. It also writes image data and other information output from the control unit to the SD card.

[0064] There are multiple operation buttons, which are physical buttons located on the mechanism case of the drive recorder 4. When an operation button is pressed, for example by the user, it outputs information to the control unit indicating that it has been pressed. The operation buttons consist of the "Cursor (Up) / REC" button, the "OK" button, the "Cursor (Down) / One-Touch Record" button, the "SD Card Format" button, the "MENU / MUTE on Off" button, the "Mode Switching" button, and the "Power" button. Hereafter, the "Cursor (Up) / REC" button, the "Cursor (Down) / One-Touch Record" button, the "SD Card Format" button, and the "MENU / MUTE on Off" button may be referred to as the "Cursor (Up)" or "REC" button or 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 lights are implemented using LEDs and light up and turn off according to the control of the control unit. The indicator lights consist of a power lamp that lights up when the power is turned on and a recording lamp that lights up during recording. The speaker emits sound according to the control of the control unit.

[0065] The control unit includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, and non-volatile memory. The CPU controls each component by executing various programs stored in the ROM. These components include the display 41, GPS sensor, G-sensor, camera, SD card interface, operation buttons, indicator lights, and speaker. The ROM stores programs and data necessary for program execution. The RAM is used as the main memory for the CPU to perform various processes. The RAM temporarily stores captured image data. It stores data. The ROM also stores two image data codecs. These include a program for encoding image data to be transmitted over the internet and a program for encoding image data to be stored on the SD card. Details about the codecs will be described later. The non-volatile memory stores settings, for example, settings made by the user. The CPU communicates with the monitoring battery 3, which is connected via cable 12.

[0066] Furthermore, the drive recorder 4 is equipped with a LAN interface (not shown) capable of connecting to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) compliant with the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard, and a mobile communication interface 52 (Figure 19) capable of connecting to networks for mobile terminals compliant with LTE (Long term Evolution) and 4G (Generation). As a result, the drive recorder 4 can connect to the internet via wireless LAN through a Wi-Fi-enabled router. It can also connect to the internet via a base station. The LAN interface is preferably a wireless LAN communicator, and the mobile communication interface is preferably a communicator such as LTE or 4G. In addition, in areas where both wireless LAN connection and base station connection are possible, it has a function to prioritize wireless LAN connection.

[0067] The drive recorder 4 has a control unit, and since the control unit processes image data, it generates a significant amount of heat. Therefore, if the monitoring battery 3 is located near the drive recorder 4, it is susceptible to the effects of the heat. As described above, in system 1, the drive recorder 4 is installed on the windshield, and the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat. This makes the monitoring battery 3 less susceptible to the effects of the heat generated by the drive recorder 4. Since the monitoring battery 3 is less likely to overheat, the internal battery 34 is less likely to experience limitations on charging and discharging due to temperature rise. As a result, power supply interruptions from the monitoring battery 3 are less likely to occur, and thus the drive recorder 4 is less likely to stop working.

[0068] Here, we will explain the advantages of adopting System 1 configuration compared to conventional configurations. For example, there are dashcams equipped with batteries such as lithium-ion polymer batteries (LiPo). Dashcams with this configuration can operate for about 20-30 minutes after the ACC power is turned off. However, dashcams are usually installed to record the outside of the car through the windshield, and since they need to be installed in a sunny location, they can be exposed to high temperatures, such as in midsummer, which can prevent the lithium-ion polymer battery from charging. For example, in summer, it was often difficult to charge during the day, and only a little charge could be achieved at night. Also, because dashcams are attached to the windshield, there were limitations on their size and weight. There are also separate-type dashcams in which the camera unit with the camera and the main unit with the CPU and battery are separate. In this case, heat from the CPU and other components can accumulate inside the main unit's case, and the temperature of the battery, which is in the same case as the main unit, can become higher than the temperature of the parts of the vehicle that are not exposed to sunlight. In this respect, in System 1, since the drive recorder 4 is separate from the monitoring battery 3, it can be made less susceptible to the heat generated by the CPU of the drive recorder 4. Also, since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it can be made less susceptible to the effects of temperature rise caused by sunlight.

[0069] Furthermore, the internal battery 34 is a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery, and its maximum rechargeable temperature is about 70°C, which is higher than that of lithium-ion polymer batteries, which have a charging temperature of about 0-45°C. Therefore, it can prevent the battery from becoming unchargeable even in summer. The monitoring battery 3 can supply power for about 10 hours after the ACC power is turned off, depending on the operating conditions such as the environment. It is also possible to connect the drive recorder directly to the vehicle battery installed in the vehicle. However, in this configuration, the vehicle battery does not have enough remaining charge to turn the vehicle's starter motor. It is necessary to keep some charge remaining and to know the remaining charge, but accurately determining the remaining charge is difficult. One way to determine the remaining charge of a vehicle battery is to draw current and measure the voltage at that time. As the remaining charge of the vehicle battery decreases, the voltage decreases, so for example, if the voltage falls below a predetermined value, it can be determined that the vehicle battery is low. However, the current consumption of a drive recorder is, for example, less than 1A, which is small compared to the current consumption when turning a starter motor, for example, which is several to several tens of amps, so the amount of voltage drop is also small, making it difficult to accurately determine the remaining charge of the vehicle battery. In this regard, in System 1, when the ACC power is turned OFF, the monitoring battery 3 uses the internal battery 34 to supply power to the drive recorder 4, thus preventing the vehicle battery from running out.

[0070] <Continuous recording mode, surveillance recording mode, event recording> Next, we will explain the recording function of Drive Recorder 4. Drive Recorder 4 operates according to its operating mode. There are two operating modes: continuous monitoring mode and monitored recording mode. Drive Recorder 4 records in continuous recording mode and monitored recording mode. In addition, in continuous recording mode and monitored recording mode, it performs event recording according to predetermined triggers. There are two predetermined triggers: one is triggered when the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on the information from the G sensor, and the other is triggered when the user presses the "Cursor (Down)" button. Specifically, the control unit determines that an event has occurred when the acceleration measured by the G sensor exceeds a threshold. This allows Drive Recorder 4 to perform event recording when the vehicle is subjected to an impact, for example, in an accident. The "Cursor (Down)" button being pressed is, for example, when a user who senses danger presses the "Cursor (Down)" button. Drive Recorder 4 meticulously records approximately 10 to 30 seconds before and after the event as event recording. Furthermore, the recording performed by Drive Recorder 4 in continuous recording mode and surveillance recording mode will be referred to as continuous recording and surveillance recording, respectively. In addition, event recording that is started when the control unit determines that an event has occurred based on G-sensor information 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 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 it receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, the control unit decides, based on the settings, whether to switch to monitoring recording mode or turn off the power to the drive recorder 4. After switching to monitoring recording mode, if monitoring recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 starts monitoring recording. Also, when it receives a vehicle switching signal from the monitoring battery 3 and continuous recording is possible, the drive recorder 4 switches from monitoring recording mode to continuous recording mode and starts continuous recording.

[0072] When the monitoring battery 3 is receiving power from the ACC power supply, it is often when the vehicle's engine is running and the vehicle is moving. When the monitoring battery 3 is disconnected from the ACC power supply, it is often when the vehicle's engine is stopped and the vehicle is parked. The drive recorder 4 operates in continuous recording mode when the monitoring battery 3 is receiving power from the ACC power supply. The drive recorder 4 operates in monitoring recording mode when the monitoring battery 3 is not receiving power from the ACC power supply. The drive recorder 4 switches its operating mode depending on whether the monitoring battery 3 is receiving power from the ACC power supply, thereby changing its operating mode between when the vehicle is moving and when it is parked. Note that in the following explanation and diagrams, the terms "engine ON / OFF" may be used instead of "ACC power ON / OFF".

[0073] Drive Recorder 4 records according to the recording conditions corresponding to continuous recording, surveillance recording, and event recording. Here, the recording conditions refer to the 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 for event recording is high, at around 30fps, and the "resolution" is high, at around 1080pHD. This ensures that the details of the accident are recorded. Note that in the following explanation and diagrams, "number of recording frames" may be referred to as "frame rate."

[0074] <Surveillance recording mode> Next, we will explain the monitoring recording mode. As mentioned above, in continuous recording mode, when the control unit receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it decides whether to switch to monitoring recording mode or turn off the power of the drive recorder 4 based on the settings. The settings here refer to the settings for the monitoring recording mode. The setting items for the monitoring recording mode include "Recording Mode," "My Area," and "My Cancel Area." The drive recorder 4 provides multiple options for each of "Recording Mode," "My Area," and "My Cancel Area." The user can pre-set one of the options on the settings screen, which will be described later. The "Settings" will be explained after the explanation of the monitoring recording mode.

[0075] There are three options for "Recording Mode": "Automatic," "Manual," and "OFF." When "Recording Mode" is set to "Automatic," the drive recorder 4 automatically starts recording when the ACC power is turned off. Here, "Automatic" means that it operates without any input, such as whether or not the user has pressed 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 has been turned off. The same applies in the following explanation. When "Recording Mode" is set to "Manual," when the ACC power is turned off, a pop-up message is displayed on the display 41 to ask the user whether or not to perform monitoring recording. When "Recording Mode" is set to "OFF," no monitoring recording is performed. Since it can be set to "Manual," the user can set the recording conditions themselves based on the vehicle's location, the remaining charge of the internal battery 34 (hereinafter referred to as battery charge), and the remaining charge of the SD card (hereinafter referred to as SD card charge). Note that, as will be explained later, the settings for "My Area" and "My Cancel Area" take precedence over the "Recording Mode" setting. Furthermore, in the following explanations and diagrams, "recording mode" may be referred to as "monitoring recording settings."

[0076] "My Area" refers to an area where surveillance recording is performed automatically, even when the "Recording Mode" is set to "Manual." "My Cancel Area" refers to an area where surveillance recording is not performed automatically, even when the "Recording Mode" is set to "Automatic." "My Area" and "My Cancel Area" can be pre-registered in "Settings." For example, if a user registers their home parking lot, which has no security, as "My Area," surveillance recording will be performed automatically when they park in their home parking lot. Conversely, if a user registers their workplace parking lot, which has security, as "My Cancel Area," surveillance recording will not be performed in the workplace parking lot. In the following explanations and diagrams, "My Area" and "My Cancel Area" may be referred to as "Surveillance My Area" and "Surveillance My Cancel Area," respectively.

[0077] The control unit determines to switch to monitoring recording mode under the following conditions: 1. When "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Automatic" and the vehicle's location is outside the "Monitoring My Area" and "Monitoring My Cancel Area". 2. When "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Manual" and the vehicle's location is within the "Monitoring My Area". 3. When "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Automatic" and the vehicle's location is within the "Monitoring My Cancel Area", and the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds of displaying screen Sa1 (Figure 4). This is correct. The fourth case is when the "Monitoring Recording Settings" are set to "Manual", the location is outside the "Monitoring My Area", and the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds of displaying screen Sa2 (Figure 4).

[0078] If the "Surveillance Recording Settings" of Drive Recorder 4 is set to "Manual," it will display screen Sa2 and prompt the user to press the "REC" button, unless the vehicle's location is within the "Surveillance My Area," and will start surveillance recording when the "REC" button is pressed. If the "Surveillance Recording Settings" of Drive Recorder 4 is set to "Automatic," it will start surveillance recording without waiting for user input, unless the vehicle's location is within the "Surveillance My Cancel Area." By registering the parking location in "Surveillance My Area" in advance before parking, the user can have Drive Recorder 4 automatically start surveillance recording when parking in that location. By registering parking locations where surveillance recording is not required in "Surveillance My Cancel Area" in advance before parking, the user can have Drive Recorder 4 automatically cancel the start of surveillance recording when parking in a location where surveillance recording is not required.

[0079] The control unit will decide to turn off the power to the drive recorder 4 in the following cases: First, when the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Automatic", the vehicle's location is within the "Monitoring My Cancel Area", and 30 seconds have passed since the display of screen Sa1 (Figure 4) without the "REC" button being pressed. Second, when the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Manual", the vehicle's location is outside the "Monitoring My Area", and 30 seconds have passed since the display of screen Sa2 (Figure 4) without the "REC" button being pressed.

[0080] Next, using Figures 4 to 7, we will explain the operation of the drive recorder 4 after receiving the battery switching signal in continuous recording mode, using the display screen shown on the display 41. In Figure 4, "Surveillance Recording" indicates that the operation has occurred after receiving the battery switching signal in continuous recording mode.

[0081] The control unit displays screen Sa1 if the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Automatic" and the vehicle's location is within the "My Cancel Area". Screen Sa1 displays the message "<Within Monitoring My Cancel Area> Cursor (Up) / REC button: Monitoring recording started, power off in XX seconds" in white text on a red background. If the "REC" button is pressed before 30 seconds have elapsed, the system switches to monitoring recording mode. The system also switches to monitoring recording mode if the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Manual" and the vehicle's location is within the "Monitoring My Area". Furthermore, the system switches to monitoring recording mode if the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Automatic" and the vehicle's location is outside both the "Monitoring My Area" and the "Monitoring My Cancel Area". The system displays screen Sa2 if the "Monitoring Recording Setting" is set to "Manual" and the vehicle's location is outside both the "Monitoring My Cancel Area" and the "Monitoring My Area". On screen Sa2, the message "Cursor (Up) / REC button: Monitoring recording started, power off in XX seconds" is displayed in white text on a red background. If the user presses the "REC" button within 30 seconds, the device will switch to monitoring recording mode. If "Monitoring Recording Settings" is "OFF", the device will display screen Sa3, which is the ending screen, and then power off. If the "REC" button is not pressed within 30 seconds after screens Sa1 and Sa2 are displayed, an inactivity timeout will occur, and the device will display screen Sa3 and then power off.

[0082] Furthermore, if the GPS sensor fails to acquire location information, the system will switch to surveillance recording mode if the "REC" button is pressed within 30 seconds of displaying screen Sa2, similar to the case where "Surveillance Recording Settings" is set to "Manual" and the location is outside the "Surveillance My Area" area.

[0083] Next, the control unit determines whether there is sufficient remaining space on the SD card for the recording conditions in the monitoring recording mode. If the control unit determines that there is sufficient remaining space on the SD card, it starts monitoring recording. The recording conditions in monitoring recording mode include settings such as "recording time," "resolution," and "number of recording frames." The control unit records image data to the SD card. Therefore, if there is insufficient remaining space on the SD card, it may not be possible to record according to the settings. To this end, before executing monitoring recording, the control unit determines whether there is sufficient remaining space on the SD card for the settings, based on the recording conditions and the remaining space on the SD card. Specifically, it calculates the amount of data per second by multiplying the amount of data corresponding to the "resolution" by the "number of recording frames." It then calculates the total amount of data by multiplying the calculated amount of data per second by the "recording time," and determines that recording can be done according to the settings if the total amount of data is less than or equal to the remaining space on the SD card. Note that a table of "resolution" vs. "data amount" is pre-recorded in ROM. The control unit refers to the table, reads the amount of data corresponding to the relevant "resolution," and performs the calculation. As shown in Figure 5, "SD card: OK" indicates that the control unit determines that there is sufficient space on the SD card. "SD card: NG" indicates that the control unit determines that there is insufficient space on the SD card.

[0084] Furthermore, the control unit determines whether the battery level is sufficient for the "settings" of the recording conditions in the monitoring recording mode. In the recording monitoring mode, the drive recorder 4 operates using power supplied from the internal battery 34 of the monitoring battery 3 as the power source. Therefore, if the battery level is insufficient, it may not be possible to record as set. Thus, the control unit determines whether the battery level is sufficient for the "recording time". The monitoring battery 3 transmits a signal to the drive recorder 4 indicating the battery level of the internal battery 34. The signal indicating the battery level of the internal battery 34 is a signal that shows information about the battery level as a percentage and information about the model of the internal battery 34. Here, the model of the internal battery 34 is, for example, the capacity of the battery, such as 500mAh or 10,000mAh. 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 battery level as a percentage. The control unit calculates the "usable time" by dividing the calculated remaining capacity of the internal battery 34 by its own current consumption, which is stored in the ROM beforehand. The control unit determines that the battery level is sufficient when the "usable time" is equal to or greater than the recording time. "External battery level: OK" in Figure 5 indicates that the control unit determines that the battery level is sufficient. "External battery level: NG" indicates that the control unit determines that the battery level is insufficient.

[0085] Furthermore, when recording to an SD card, it is possible to overwrite already stored data. Drive Recorder 4 is configured so that you can set whether or not to overwrite in the "Settings". Specifically, there is a setting item called "Overwrite Monitoring Recordings" and you can select either "ON" or "OFF". Also, the SD card is pre-divided into four folders: "Continuous Recording", "Continuous Event Recording", "Monitoring Recording", and "Event Recording During Monitoring". Regarding overwriting, in addition to "Overwrite Monitoring Recordings", there are setting items such as "Overwrite Event Recordings", which can be set in the same way as "Overwrite Monitoring Recordings". Note that "Continuous Event Recordings" refers to event recording in continuous recording mode. Similarly, "Event Recording During Monitoring" refers to event recording in monitoring recording mode. Also, in the following explanation and diagrams, "Overwrite Monitoring Recordings" may be written as "Overwrite Previous Recording". "Overwrite Previous Recording: ON" shown in Figure 5 indicates that "Overwrite Monitoring Recordings" is set to "ON". "Overwrite Previous Recording: OFF" indicates that "Overwrite Monitoring Recordings" is set to "OFF".

[0086] If the control unit determines that the SD card capacity and battery capacity are sufficient, and "Overwrite Monitoring Recording" is set to "ON" (as shown in Figure 5 as "SD card capacity: OK", "External battery capacity: OK", "Overwrite previous recording: ON"), the control unit determines that it can perform monitoring recording according to the "Settings" and displays screen Sa4. On screen Sa4, "Start Monitoring Recording" is displayed. The message "Monitoring recording time: ○○○ minutes, External battery level:" is displayed. Also, an icon indicating the battery level is displayed to the right of "External battery level:". The icon indicating the battery level is an icon that displays the remaining amount in stages on the outer shape of the battery. The control unit displays the calculated "usable time" to the right of "Monitoring recording time:". It also displays an icon based on the percentage of the remaining battery level transmitted from monitoring battery 3. Next, after 3 minutes have elapsed, screen Sa8 is displayed.

[0087] Furthermore, if the control unit determines that there is sufficient space on the SD card, but not enough battery space, and "Overwrite Monitoring Recording" is set to "ON" (as shown in Figure 5 as "SD card space: OK", "External battery space: NG", "Overwrite previous recording: ON"), the control unit determines that the battery level is low and it cannot perform monitoring recording for the set "recording time", and displays screen Sa5. Screen Sa5 displays the message, "Starting monitoring recording, external battery level is low, monitoring may be terminated midway, external battery level:". Also, an icon showing the remaining battery level is displayed to the right of "External battery level:". Next, before the set "recording time" has elapsed, the screen transitions to screen Sa3 as the battery level drops to a level where the drive recorder 4 becomes inoperable.

[0088] Furthermore, if the control unit determines that there is insufficient space on the SD card and "Overwrite Monitoring Recording" is set to "OFF" (shown as "SD card space: NG" and "Overwrite Previous Recording: OFF" in Figure 5), the control unit displays screen Sa6 to prompt the user to change a setting, such as changing "Overwrite Previous Recording" to ON. Screen Sa6 displays the message, "There is no space left in the monitoring recording folder. MENU button: Change settings. SD button: Delete monitoring recording. Power off in XX seconds." Within 30 seconds of the start of displaying screen Sa6, if the user presses the "MENU" button, screen Sa14 (Figure 8) is displayed. Screen Sa14 is a settings screen that accepts settings. As will be described later, if the "MENU" button is pressed while the settings screen (screens Sa14 to Sa17) is displayed, the settings may have been changed, so the control unit returns to the "monitoring recording mode" shown in Figure 5 and determines again whether there is sufficient space on the SD card and battery. On the other hand, if the "SD" button and the "MENU" button are not pressed within 30 seconds of the start of displaying screen Sa6, the system will time out due to inactivity, transition to screen Sa3, and power off.

[0089] If the "SD" button is pressed after screen Sa6 is displayed, the control unit displays screen Sa12 because it indicates that the user has instructed the user to erase the data on the SD card. Screen Sa12 displays the message, "Erase monitoring recording folder, MENU button: Cancel, Monitoring recording will start after erasure in XX seconds." Next, if the "MENU" button is not pressed within a predetermined time after screen Sa12 is displayed, the control unit determines that the user has agreed to erase the data on the SD card, clears the monitoring recording folder, and then displays screen Sa5. On the other hand, if the "MENU" button is pressed within a predetermined time after screen Sa12 is displayed, the control unit determines that the user has canceled the execution of erasing the data on the SD card, and displays screen Sa6 without clearing the monitoring recording folder. In this way, the user can erase parking recording data with a simple one-button operation when the remaining space on the SD card is low. Here, parking recording data refers to the recording data stored during parking recording.

[0090] The recording data stored in the folders assigned to "Surveillance Recording" and "Event Recording During Surveillance" is unnecessary if there is no abnormality in the vehicle, so the user can delete the data by pressing the Easy Delete button. Here, the Easy Delete button is the "SD" button that is pressed while screen Sa6 is displayed.

[0091] Screens Sa8 and Sa10 are display screens when surveillance recording is in progress. Screens Sa7 and Sa9 are display screens when event recording is in progress. Screens Sa8 and Sa7 are in the screen-off state, while screens Sa10 and Sa9 are in the screen-on state. The screen-off state means the backlight is not turned on, and the screen-on state means the backlight is turned on. Although screens Sa8 and Sa7 are in the screen-off state, the control unit turns on the recording lamp in a different pattern than continuous recording to inform the user that recording is in progress. Screens Sa10 and Sa9 display the video being captured by the camera in real time, and also display an icon with a camera and a red circle in the upper left corner of the screen to indicate that recording is in progress. In addition, the elapsed time since 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] The control unit, while displaying screen Sa8 in surveillance recording mode, transitions to screen Sa7 and switches to event recording if it determines that an event has occurred. Similarly, while displaying screen Sa7 in surveillance recording mode, if it detects the end of an event, it transitions to screen Sa8 and switches to surveillance recording. Likewise, while displaying screen Sa10 in surveillance recording mode, if it determines that an event has occurred, it transitions to screen Sa9 and switches to event recording. Similarly, while displaying screen Sa9 in surveillance recording mode, if it detects the end of an event, it transitions to screen Sa10 and switches to surveillance recording. The control unit determines that an event has ended 30 seconds after it has been determined that an event has occurred. Screens Sa8 and Sa10 are switched alternately each time the "MODE" button is pressed. Furthermore, after 10 seconds have elapsed since the start of displaying screen Sa10, it switches back to screen Sa8. By using screens Sa7 and Sa8 as the display screens, power consumption can be reduced compared to using screens Sa9 and Sa10, allowing the internal battery 34 to last longer. It also allows for discreet recording.

[0093] During surveillance recording while displaying screen Sa8, if the "monitoring recording time" expires, if the battery level of the internal battery 34 (which is an external battery) becomes low in the case of "LOBATT", or if the power cord cable 12 is unplugged, the screen will transition to screen Sa3. Similarly, during surveillance recording while displaying screen Sa10, if the "monitoring recording time" expires, if the battery level of the internal battery 34 (which is an external battery) becomes low in the case of "LOBATT", or if the power cord cable 12 is unplugged, the screen will transition to screen Sa3.

[0094] If the "REC" button is pressed while monitoring recording is being performed and screen Sa10 is displayed, the system will transition to screen Sa11 and stop the monitoring recording. Then, one minute after the display of screen Sa11 begins, the system will transition to screen Sa3. Also, if an event is detected while screen Sa4 is being displayed, the system will transition to screen Sa9 and start event recording.

[0095] Furthermore, in the recording conditions for event recording mode, the "number of recording frames" is pre-set to 30fps. Also, although it was explained above that event recording is performed when the end of an event is detected, if the "Event Recording Overwrite" setting in the "Event Recording Mode" is "OFF" in the "Settings," event recording will not be performed if there is no remaining space on the SD card allocated for event recording. In addition, the control unit will not perform event recording for 3 minutes from the start of monitoring recording. This prevents the system from mistakenly determining that door opening and closing, such as when a user gets in or out of the vehicle or loads and unloads luggage, has occurred and recording the event.

[0096] <Surveillance recording settings in surveillance recording mode> Next, we will explain the settings screen that is accessed when the "MENU" button is pressed while screen Sa6 is displayed, using Figures 8 to 9. Screens Sa14 to Sa17 are all settings screens for configuring surveillance recording. As shown in screen Sa14, the control unit displays "Surveillance Recording Settings" in the upper right corner of the screen. The display shows "Settings," and the message "MENU, SD available: ○○○ minutes" is displayed at the bottom of the screen. To the right of "MENU," an icon with a back arrow is displayed. This informs the user that pressing the "MENU" button will return them to the previous screen. The control unit also displays the calculated "Available Time" to the right of "SD available:." In the center of the screen, the settings items for the monitoring recording mode, "Recording Time," "Recording Resolution," "Recording Frame Rate," and "Previous Recording Overwrite," are displayed in a list. Note that only four items can be displayed on the screen, and the system is configured to scroll through the displayed items as the "Up" or "Down" key is pressed. In addition, to distinguish the currently selected item from other items, it is displayed with a different background color (hereinafter referred to as "Selected Display"). Specifically, for example, both are displayed in white text, with the background color of the selected item being blue and the background color of the other items being black. Note that in Figures 8 and 9, the currently selected item is shaded for illustrative purposes.

[0097] As described above, if the "MENU" button is pressed while screen Sa6 is displayed, screen Sa14 will be displayed. Each time the "down" key is pressed, the screens will transition sequentially to screen Sa15, screen Sa16, screen Sa16, screen Sa17, and then back to screen Sa15. Similarly, each time the "up" key is pressed, the screens will transition sequentially to screen Sa17, screen Sa16, screen Sa15, screen Sa14, and then back to screen Sa17.

[0098] When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa14 is displayed, screen Sa18 is displayed. On screen Sa18, the currently set item, "Recording Time," is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 5" is displayed in the lower left corner to indicate the page number of the "Recording Time" display screen. Similar to screen Sa14, there are four items displayed, and each group of four is separated and displayed as one page. As will be described later, there are a total of 17 "Recording Time" options, and the total number of pages is 5. The next page is displayed when the "Down" key is pressed. The previous page is displayed when the "Up" key is pressed. Note that illustrations of the second page and beyond are omitted. The "Recording Time" options 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 an option is currently selected, a check mark will be displayed to the left of the currently selected option.

[0099] Additionally, recording options that are longer than the "available time" calculated based on the remaining SD card capacity and therefore cannot be recorded are displayed in red (not shown in the diagram). For example, if the "available time" is 60 minutes, options of 90 minutes or more will be displayed in red. This allows the user to avoid recording options. When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa18 is displayed, the non-volatile memory is updated with the selected option as the "recording time" setting, and the screen transitions to screen Sa14. Also, when the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sa18 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sa14 without updating the "recording time" setting stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0100] When the "Down" key is pressed while screen Sa14 is displayed, screen Sa15 is displayed. On screen Sa15, the "Recording Resolution" is "Selected and displayed". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa15 is displayed, screen Sa19 is displayed. On screen Sa19, the currently set item, "Recording Resolution," is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 1" is displayed in the lower right corner to indicate the page number of the "Recording Resolution" display screen. There are four options for "Recording Time" and one page for "Recording Resolution". Specifically, the options are 1080pHD (1920×1080), 1080p (1440×1080), 720p (1280×720), and VGA (640x480). Similar to "Recording Time," if there is a currently set option, a check mark will be displayed to the left of the currently set option. When the "OK" key is pressed, the non-volatile memory is updated with the selected option as the "recording resolution" setting, and the screen transitions to screen Sa15. Also, if the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sa18 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sa15 without updating the "recording resolution" setting stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0101] When the "Down" key is pressed while screen Sa15 is displayed, screen Sa16 is displayed. On screen Sa16, the "Number of Recording Frames" is "selected and displayed". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa16 is displayed, screen Sa20 is displayed. On screen Sa20, the currently set item, "Number of Recording Frames," is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 2" is displayed in the lower right corner to indicate the page number of the "Number of Recording Frames" display screen. The illustration of the second page is omitted, but there are two pages for "Number of Recording Frames". Also, there are five options for "Number of Recording Frames". Specifically, they are 1fps, 5fps, 10fps, 15fps, and 30fps. Similar to "Recording Time", if there is a currently set option, a check mark is displayed on the left end of the currently set option. When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sa20 is displayed, the non-volatile memory is updated with the selected option as the setting value for "Number of Recording Frames", and the screen transitions to screen Sa16. Furthermore, if the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sa20 is displayed, the system will transition to screen Sa16 without updating the "number of recording frames" setting stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0102] Similar to "recording time," options that cannot be recorded are displayed in red (not shown in the diagram). The number of possible recording frames is calculated by dividing the remaining SD card capacity by the "recording time" setting, and then by the data volume corresponding to the "resolution." FPS values ​​greater than the calculated number of possible recording frames are displayed in red. For example, if the number of possible recording frames is 10fps, options of 15fps or higher are displayed in red. This allows the user to avoid setting options that cannot be recorded. Note that the "resolution" vs. "data volume" table is pre-recorded in ROM.

[0103] If the "down arrow" button is pressed while screen Sa16 is displayed, screen Sa17 will be displayed. On screen Sa17, "Overwrite Monitoring Recording" will be "selected and displayed". If the "OK key" is pressed while screen Sa17 is displayed, screen Sa21 will be displayed. On screen Sa21, the currently set item, "Overwrite Monitoring Recording", will be displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. There are two options for "Overwrite Monitoring Recording": "ON" and "OFF". Similar to "Recording Time", if there is a currently set option, a check mark will be displayed on the currently set option. If the "OK key" is pressed while screen Sa21 is displayed, the non-volatile memory will be updated with the selected option as the setting value for "Overwrite Monitoring Recording", and the system will transition to screen Sa17. Also, if the "MENU key" is pressed while screen Sa21 is displayed, the system will transition to screen Sa17 without updating the "Overwrite Monitoring Recording" setting value stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0104] If the "MENU key" is pressed while screens Sa14 to Sa17 are displayed, the system will switch to "Surveillance Recording Mode" (Figure 5). Also, if the battery level of the monitoring battery 3 decreases while screens Sa14 to Sa17 are displayed, or if the power cord, power cable 11, is unplugged, the system will switch to screen Sa3.

[0105] As described above, if a user who wants to perform surveillance recording finds that the SD card has insufficient capacity to record with the pre-set settings, they can immediately display screens Sa14 to Sa17 and change the settings to an option that matches the remaining SD card capacity. In addition, the drive recorder 4 displays in red the "recording time" and "recording frame rate" options that cannot be recorded. This allows the user to set either the "recording time" or "recording frame rate" they want to prioritize, and then set the other option to a recording option.

[0106] <Surveillance recording settings> The above describes the settings screen in surveillance recording mode, which is accessed when the SD card capacity is insufficient. Separately, the drive recorder 4 is configured to accept more detailed settings for surveillance recording mode in continuous monitoring mode. Next, we will explain this using Figures 10 and 11.

[0107] First, let's explain the continuous recording mode and event recording. As mentioned above, when the drive recorder 4 is powered on and continuous recording is possible, it starts continuous recording in continuous recording mode. Specifically, when the drive recorder 4 is powered on, it displays the opening screen and then the message "Preparing to record, please wait a moment" appears on the screen. At this point, the control unit determines whether continuous recording is possible, either because the "Continuous Recording Overwrite" setting is "ON" or because there is free space in the SD card folder allocated for continuous recording. If it determines that continuous recording is possible, it starts continuous recording. On the other hand, if it determines that continuous recording is not possible, it switches to the camera video pass-through display screen. The camera video pass-through display screen is a screen that displays the image being captured by the camera in real time. Furthermore, if event recording is performed during monitoring recording before the power is turned on, after displaying the opening screen, the screen transitions to a screen that displays the message "An event was recorded during monitoring recording." This allows the user to know that an event occurred during monitoring recording. If the "OK" button is pressed while the message "An event was recorded during monitoring recording" is displayed, or if 60 seconds have passed without any operation since the display started, the screen will transition to the screen displaying "Preparing to record, please wait" as described above.

[0108] As mentioned above, the drive recorder 4 switches from continuous recording to event recording according to a predetermined trigger. If the G-sensor detects an impact during continuous recording, the screen switches to the G-sensor event recording screen, and if the "Cursor (down)" button is pressed, the screen switches to the one-touch recording screen. When event recording ends, the screen switches back to the continuous recording screen. The icons displayed on the G-sensor event recording screen and the one-touch recording screen are different to inform the user whether they are on the G-sensor event recording or one-touch recording screen.

[0109] When the "MENU" key is pressed while the above camera video pass-through display screen is displayed, the menu screen is displayed. The menu screen is a screen that displays a list of settings that the user can configure. Similar to screen Sa14, the number of items displayed on the menu screen is four, and each group of four is displayed as one page. In addition to the above, the control unit also displays the camera video pass-through display screen when the "REC" button is pressed during continuous recording and continuous recording has stopped. Furthermore, if an event recording trigger occurs while the camera video pass-through display screen is displayed, the control unit starts event recording, and when event recording ends, it returns to the camera video pass-through display screen.

[0110] The screen Sb1 shown in Figure 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" is an icon with a back arrow. The page number is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen. There are 14 items in the recording settings. Specifically, these are "Resolution," "Number of Recording Frames," "Audio Recording," "Event Beep Sound," "Continuous Recording Overwrite," "One-Touch Recording Overwrite," "G-Sensor Recording Overwrite," "Automatic Screen Off," "G-Sensor Settings," "G-Sensor Sensitivity," "Monitoring Recording Settings," "Monitoring My Area," "Monitoring My Cancel Area," and "My Area Cancel." 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 to event recording in continuous recording mode and event recording in monitoring recording mode in general. This eliminates the need for the user to separately configure event recording in continuous recording mode and event recording in monitoring recording mode, reducing the inconvenience the user may experience. This makes it possible to understand and comprehend the information more easily.

[0111] Screens Sb11 to Sb15 are all screens for configuring surveillance recording settings. As shown in screen Sa14, the control unit displays "Surveillance Recording Settings" in the upper right corner of the screen, and lists the surveillance recording setting items "Recording Mode," "Recording Time," "Recording Resolution," "Recording Frame Rate," and "Previous Recording Overwrite" in the center of the screen. Note that there are four items displayed on the screen, and the system is configured so that items that are not displayed can be scrolled to be displayed by pressing the "Up" or "Down" key. In addition, the currently selected item is "Selected Display." Note that in Figures 10 and 11, the currently selected item is shaded for illustrative purposes. The configurable items here are the items displayed on the settings screen in surveillance recording mode (Figures 9 and 10) with the addition of "Recording Mode." Therefore, explanations of the items displayed on the settings screen in surveillance recording mode, "Recording Time," "Recording Resolution," "Recording Frame Rate," and "Previous Recording Overwrite," will be omitted as appropriate.

[0112] If the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb1 is displayed, screen Sb11 will be displayed. If the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb11 is displayed, screen Sb111 will be displayed. On screen Sa11, "Monitoring Recording Settings," the currently set item, is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen, and "1 / 2," indicating the page number of the "Monitoring Recording Settings" screen, is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen. On screen Sa111, "Recording Mode," the currently set item, is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. There are three options for "Recording Mode": "Automatic," "Manual," and "OFF." As "Recording Mode" has been explained above, the explanation will be omitted. When the monitoring battery 3 is powered on, it sends a signal to inquire about the battery level, and when it receives a signal indicating the battery level, it determines that the monitoring battery 3 is connected. On the other hand, if it does not receive a signal indicating the battery level, it determines that the monitoring battery 3 is not connected. If the monitoring battery 3 is not connected, monitoring recording is not possible, so the control unit grays out "Automatic" and "Manual." For details, the text will be displayed in gray instead of white, preventing the user from selecting it.

[0113] Screens Sb12, Sb13, Sb14, and Sb15 are the same as screens Sa14, Sa15, Sa16, and Sa17, respectively, so their explanations will be omitted.

[0114] Here, we will explain the "Overwrite Previous Recording" setting, which is configured on screens Sa17 and Sb15, using Figure 12. "Overwrite Previous Recording" sets whether or not to overwrite the monitoring recording data, which is the monitoring recording data recorded up to the previous recording. If "OFF" is selected, recording will be performed within the remaining capacity of the monitoring recording folder without overwriting. Recording will be performed until there is no more space, and recording will stop when there is no more space. If "ON" is selected, recording will first be performed within the monitoring recording folder. When the capacity is full and there is no more space, previous monitoring recordings will be overwritten starting from the oldest. In this case, the monitoring recording data being taken this time will not be overwritten, and recording will stop when the current data is recorded to the capacity of the SD card.

[0115] For example, a user can set it to "ON" if they confirmed that there were no abnormalities in the vehicle during the previous parking period, and to "OFF" if they haven't yet confirmed this.

[0116] Next, we will explain the "Monitoring My Area" shown in screen Sb2 (Figure 13). In the "Monitoring My Area" settings, the user can set recording conditions different from continuous recording and monitoring recording for the area registered as "Monitoring My Area" in the settings. "Monitoring My Area" is defined by its center position and area radius. The control unit receives the center position of "Monitoring My Area" in the "Registration Execution" described later. The control unit receives the area radius of "Monitoring My Area" in the "Monitoring My Area" settings.

[0117] The options for "Monitoring My Area" are as shown in Figures 13 and 14: "Recording Time" and "Recording Resolution" The five settings are "Degree," "Recording Frame Rate," "Area Radius," and "Register and Execute." Of these, screens Sb21 to Sb23, which are the setting screens for "Recording Time," "Recording Resolution," and "Recording Frame Rate," are the same as screens Sb12 to Sb14 described above, so their explanation is omitted. On screen Sb24 (Figure 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 to indicate the page number of the "Area Radius" display screen. There are five options for "Area Radius": "15m," "30m," "50m," "100m," and "200m." There are four items displayed, and each group of four is separated and displayed as one page. The total number of pages for "Area Radius" is two. Note that illustrations of pages 2 and beyond are omitted. If the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sb241 is displayed, the non-volatile memory is updated with the selected option as the "Area Radius" setting, and the screen transitions to screen Sb24. If the "MENU" key is pressed while screen Sb241 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sb24 without updating the "Area Radius" setting stored in the non-volatile memory. As described above, the "Area Radius" is user-specified.

[0118] When the "Down" key is pressed while screen Sb24 is displayed, screen Sb25 (Figure 14) is displayed. On screen Sb25, the control unit "Selects" and displays "Execute Registration". When the "OK" key is pressed while screen Sb25 is displayed, the screen transitions to screen Sb251. On screen Sb251, the message "Do you want to register your current location to the monitoring area?" is displayed, along with the options "OK" and "Cancel". The control unit also refers to the non-volatile memory unit, reads the number of locations that can be recorded in the non-volatile memory unit and the number of locations already recorded in the non-volatile memory unit, and displays the number of this registration (○ / ○). When the "OK" button is pressed, the control unit displays screen Sb252 and records the location information output from the GPS sensor as the center position of the "monitoring area" in the non-volatile memory unit. On screen Sb252, the message "Your current location has been registered to the monitoring area (○ / ○)" is displayed. Three seconds after the start of displaying screen Sb252, and if the "OK" button is pressed, the screen will transition to screen Sb251.

[0119] As shown in Figure 15, in "Registration Execution," the control unit recognizes the area within the circle A1 drawn with the radius set by "Area Radius" as the center of location P1 recorded in the non-volatile memory as the center position of the "Monitoring My Area," and the area within the radius set by "Area Radius."

[0120] For example, suppose the user parks 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 the "Monitoring My Area" in the non-volatile memory. If the user parks at location P2 within circle A1, which is within the "Monitoring My Area," on subsequent visits, monitoring recording will start according to the recording conditions set for the "Monitoring My Area." The recording conditions include "recording time," "recording resolution," and "recording frame rate." Once the user sets the recording conditions, the control unit will automatically perform monitoring recording with those settings from the next time onward.

[0121] Let's say the user registers their first parking spot as the center of their "Monitoring My Area." If the "Monitoring Recording Settings" are set to "Automatic," then from the second time onward, the drive recorder 4 will automatically start monitoring and recording whenever the user parks within the "Monitoring My Area." Alternatively, if the "Monitoring Recording Settings" are set to "Manual," from the second time onward, the user will need to manually press the "REC" button to start monitoring and recording with the drive recorder 4. This allows the user to have automatic recording at a minimum setting (1fps) in places that don't matter (such as safe, short-term parking spots like convenience stores), or to adjust settings based on the remaining SD card and battery levels when shopping for extended periods.

[0122] When the "down" key is pressed while screen Sb2 is displayed, screen Sb3 (Figure 13) is displayed. On screen Sb3, the control unit "selects and displays" "Monitoring My Cancel Area". When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb3 is displayed, the system transitions to the next settings screen. The settings screen is the same as "Monitoring My Area", so the illustration and explanation are omitted. The options for "Monitoring My Cancel Area" are the same as for "Monitoring My Area": ​​"Recording Time", "Recording Resolution", "Recording Frame Rate", "Area Radius", and "Register and Execute". In addition, "Recording Time", "Recording Resolution", "Recording Frame Rate", "Area Radius", and "Register and Execute" have multiple options, just like in "Monitoring My Area". Note that 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 (Figure 13) is displayed. On screen Sb4, the control unit "selects" "Remove My Area". Screen Sb4 is the screen for accepting the removal of the "Monitoring My Area" registration. When the "OK" button is pressed while screen Sb4 is displayed, a screen is displayed listing the options "Remove Current Location" and "Remove All Locations". If the "OK" button is pressed while "Remove Current Location" is "selected", the message "Do you want to remove the My Area information for your current location?" is displayed along with the options "OK" and "Cancel". Furthermore, if the "OK" button is pressed while "OK" is selected, the screen transitions to a screen displaying the message "Removed", and the location information that matches the vehicle position output from the G sensor among the location information stored as the center position of the "Monitoring My Area" in the non-volatile memory is erased from the non-volatile memory. Furthermore, if "OK" is pressed while "Cancel" is selected, the system will assume that the user has canceled the cancellation and will transition to a screen displaying the options "Cancel current location" and "Cancel all locations."

[0124] On the other hand, on the screen that lists the options "Remove current location" and "Remove all locations," if "Remove all locations" is selected and the "OK" button is pressed, the message "Do you want to remove all My Area information?" will be displayed along with the options "OK" and "Cancel." If the "OK" button is pressed, the screen will transition to a screen displaying the message "Removed," and the location information of all locations stored as the center position of the "Monitored My Area" in the non-volatile memory will be erased from the non-volatile memory.

[0125] Furthermore, when recording to an SD card, the drive recorder 4 sets a maximum capacity for each type of recording mode, including "continuous recording," event recording ("G-sensor recording"), event recording ("one-touch recording"), and "parking surveillance recording." It also allows for playback and deletion of recorded data. For details, pressing the "MODE" key on the camera video display screen described above will transition to a screen displaying playback folder options: "continuous recording," "G-sensor recording," "one-touch recording," and "surveillance recording." For example, if "surveillance recording" is selected and the "OK" key is pressed, the recorded data will be displayed on the display 41. The SD card can also be removed from the drive recorder 4 and played back on a PC, for example. Here, "G-sensor recording" refers to event recording that starts when the control unit determines an event has occurred based on G-sensor information. "One-touch recording" refers to event recording that starts when the control unit presses the "cursor (down)" button. "Parking surveillance recording" refers to surveillance recording.

[0126] Additionally, if you wish to erase the data recorded on the SD card, pressing the "SD" button on the camera video feed display screen will transition to the "SD Card Maintenance" screen. Selecting "Clear Surveillance Recording Folder" and pressing the "OK" button will erase the recorded surveillance data.

[0127] <Communication Function> The drive recorder 4 transmits the continuously recorded and event-recorded data to an internet-connected center after the engine is turned off, using power supplied from the monitoring battery 3. Here, the center is, for example, a database that can be viewed by the vehicle's administrator.

[0128] The CPU executes two codecs, running in parallel as separate processes: one for recording data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52, and the other for recording data to be written to the SD card during continuous recording. This allows the recording data transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52 to be different from the recording data recorded on the SD card. Here, it is assumed that the recording data recorded on the SD card has a lower compression ratio and a higher image quality during playback than the recording data transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52.

[0129] Next, the data transfer method for communication of continuously recorded data will be explained using Figure 16. During continuous recording, the control unit records the images output from the camera to RAM and the SD card. Specifically, the CPU stores the recording data, which is the image output from the camera converted to JPEG format, in RAM. The CPU also outputs compressed recording data for the SD card, which is the recording data stored in RAM, to the SD card interface. Here, the recording data for the SD card is in JPEG format, and the data size can be reduced to about 1 / 10 or 1 / 20 of the recording data stored in RAM. The SD card interface writes the input recording data for the SD card to the SD card. The CPU also outputs the communication recording data, which is the recording data stored in RAM, to the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52. The LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52 packets the input communication recording data and sends it to the destination via the internet. Similarly, in the case of event recording, the control unit records JPEG format recording data to RAM and the SD card. As described above, the recording data for continuous recording and the recording data for event recording are stored in the corresponding folders on the SD card.

[0130] During continuous recording, the system connects to the internet via a base station and transfers the recorded data to the destination. Mobile communication speeds for mobile devices are not uniform; for example, they are around 10 Mbps in rural areas and around 2 Mbps in urban areas. In areas with slow communication speeds, the amount of recorded data to be transmitted must be reduced to, for example, 1-2 Mbps, in order to keep up with the transmission. Therefore, the control unit generates and transmits compressed recorded data for communication, which is the recorded data stored in RAM. The recording conditions for data that would be around 1 Mbps are a resolution of 720x400 and a frame rate of around 15 fps. Also, when the vehicle is in motion, there may be periods when communication is unavailable. For example, this may occur when the base station switches or when entering an area with high communication traffic. In this case, the recorded data cannot be transferred during the period when communication is unavailable. In other words, there will be parts of the recorded data that cannot be transmitted.

[0131] The control unit resumes data transfer from the currently recording data as communication becomes possible again. In other words, the destination receives recording data with gaps in the data due to the communication failure. When the engine is turned off and the ACC power is turned off, continuous recording ends and the parts that could not be transmitted are sent. Next, the event recording portion is sent.

[0132] When the control unit receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3 indicating that the power source has switched to the internal battery 34, it measures the communication speed. The control unit transmits recording data with a bitrate corresponding to the communication speed. For example, if the communication speed is 100Mbps, it transmits 100Mbps recording data. For more details, the CPU records the recordings stored in RAM. The data is compressed to a predetermined bitrate. Next, the CPU outputs the compressed recording data for communication to 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 RAM to the same bitrate 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 can be reduced, thereby increasing the image duration relative to the transmission time.

[0133] <Variations of data transfer methods> Next, Method 2, a variation of the data transfer method, will be explained using Figure 17. The method for writing to the SD card is the same as in Method 1, so the explanation will be omitted. In Method 2, when communication becomes possible, data up to the point where communication becomes impossible is transferred, rather than the current recording data. In other words, the destination receives data in chronological order. When the engine is turned off and continuous recording ends, the parts that could not be transmitted are sent. Next, the event recording portion is transmitted.

[0134] Next, Method 3, a variation of the data transfer method, will be explained using Figure 18. The method for writing to the SD card is the same as in Method 1, so the explanation will be omitted. In Method 3, during continuous recording, the data transfer of continuous recording and the data transfer of event recording are performed in parallel. When communication becomes possible, the data is transferred from the recording data up to the point where communication became impossible, rather than the current recording data. In other words, the destination receives the recording data of continuous recording in chronological order and the recording data of event recording. When the engine is turned off and continuous recording ends, the parts of the continuous recording data that could not be transmitted and the parts of the event recording data that could not be transmitted are transmitted.

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

[0136] Next, we will show another example of a drive recorder. This is also a variation of the data transfer method. The data transfer method and its configuration will be explained using Figures 19 to 22. Note that the same names and reference numerals will be used to describe the same configuration as in the above embodiment. In methods 1 to 3 of the data transfer method described above, it was explained that the recorded data that could not be transmitted due to a period of no communication 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 the real-time recorded data during the period when the engine is on.

[0137] First, the configuration of the drive recorder 4 will be explained using Figure 19. In addition to the camera 42, microphone 43, SD card interface 47, and mobile communication interface 52, the drive recorder 4 also has a storage compression unit 44, a communication compression unit 45, an audio compression unit 46, an image buffer 48, an audio buffer 49, a communication data creation unit 50, and a ring buffer 51. The storage compression unit 44 and the communication compression unit 45 are implemented by the aforementioned "codec for recording data to be written to the SD card" and "codec for recording data to be transmitted from the LAN interface or mobile communication interface," respectively. The storage compression unit 44 and the communication compression unit 45 output the compressed image data to the SD card interface 47 and the image buffer 48, respectively. The communication compression unit 45 detects the current communication rate and automatically adjusts the data capacity to allow transmission as close to real-time as possible to generate image data, which is video data. The communication compression unit 45, when compressing, for example, acquires the communication rate measured by the mobile communication interface 52 and compresses the image data at a compression ratio corresponding to the acquired communication rate. The SD card interface 47 has two SD card slots into which SD cards 61 and 62 are inserted. Storage compression unit 44, communication compression unit 45, 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 preferably implemented using a System on a Chip (SOC).

[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, adds information about the date and time of creation to the created communication data, and outputs it to the ring buffer 51. The ring buffer 51 buffers four pieces of communication data with the date and time of creation information added. The mobile communication interface 52 reads the communication data from the ring buffer 51, packets it, and sends 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 SD card 62. Here, the SD card interface 47 divides the storage area of ​​each of the SD cards 61 and SD card 62 into a storage area and a communication area, and writes the recorded data to each. The storage area is an area for saving clean recordings, and is 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 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 data of the communication data, which is the recorded 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 saving clean recordings is an area for saving recorded data with a lower compression ratio than the communication data, so that the image is clear when played back. Furthermore, the SD card interface 47 writes data to each of the storage area and communication area, setting an upper limit for each of the functions 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 ​​SD card 61 or SD card 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 ​​SD card 61 or SD card 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 ROM, etc.

[0140] Next, the structure of the communication data will be explained using Figure 20. In Figure 20, "Image Data" refers to the image data output by the communication compression unit 45, "Audio Data" refers to the audio data output by the audio compression unit 46, and "Communication Data" refers to the communication data created by the communication data creation unit 50. The horizontal axis of the data is the time axis. The image data consists of I-frames and P-frames. Here, an I-frame is data that can be played back independently, and a P-frame is the difference data with the image data of the previous frame. The image data has one I-frame and multiple P-frames. The communication compression unit 45 assigns a sequential number, which is additional information, to each frame in order from the first frame. The sequential number serves as an identifier indicating the chronological order. The audio compression unit 46 divides the audio data into sections corresponding to the I-frames of the image data from one I-frame to the next I-frame, and assigns a sequential 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. Communication data consists of I-frames, voice data, and P-frames arranged sequentially.

[0141] The communication compression unit 45 creates three I-frames in 1 second. For example, frame rate When the frame rate is 15fps, the communication compression unit 45 converts the image data into one I-frame and four P-frames every 1 / 3 second. The audio compression unit 46 marks the audio data in synchronization with the communication compression unit 45 converting it into I-frames. The communication data creation unit 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 to the next I-frame, and outputs the communication data, with each read data unit being one communication unit, to the ring buffer 51. The ring buffer 51 sequentially buffers the communication data of one communication unit, and when the memory area is full, it overwrites the oldest communication data with the latest communication data. When the frame rate is 15fps, the playback time of one communication unit of communication data is 1 / 3 second. The ring buffer 51 can hold multiple communication data units. Furthermore, the receiving end is equipped with a playback device capable of receiving and playing back the communication data, allowing users to view video and listen to audio by playing back the received data. Additionally, if an I-frame, which is part of the communication data, is received, the playback device can play back a still image based on the I-frame. If both an I-frame and audio data, which are part of the communication data, are received, the playback device can play back a still image based on the I-frame and the audio. In this case, if only part of the audio data is received, the playback device can play back the audio for the received portion. Furthermore, if an I-frame, audio data, and part of a P-frame, which are part of the communication data, are received, the playback device can play back video and audio based on the received P-frame.

[0142] Furthermore, the communication data structure described above can be applied not only when using Method 4, but also when using Methods 1 to 3.

[0143] Next, Figure 21 will be used to explain the communication processing performed by the CPU to transfer recorded data to the destination in real time during continuous recording. In the following explanation, the transfer of recorded data in real time through communication processing may be referred to as real-time transfer. When continuous recording starts, the CPU starts communication processing. First, the CPU causes the mobile communication interface 52 to read the communication data buffered in the ring buffer 51 (S1). Here, communication data refers to communication data for one communication unit, and the same applies in the following description. Next, the CPU causes the mobile communication interface 52 to send the communication data (S3). As a result, the continuously recorded data is transferred to the destination in real time. Next, after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined whether the transmission by the mobile communication interface 52 was successful or not (S5). Here, the predetermined time is a time less than or equal to the playback time of the communication data. During continuous recording, communication data is generated one after another, so if it is not sent within a time less than or equal to the playback time of the communication data, unsent communication data will accumulate. In order to perform real-time transfer while continuously recording, it is necessary to complete the transfer of one communication unit of communication data within the playback time of one communication unit of communication data. If the CPU is unable to transmit, it stores the I-frames, P-frames, and one section of audio data that could not be transmitted in SD cards 61 and 62. The mobile communication interface 52 further divides the communication data into packets and transmits them. If packet transmission fails, a retransmission process is performed to retransmit the packets that could not be transmitted due to the error. For example, if playback processing occurs frequently due to poor radio wave conditions, and it is not possible to transmit one unit of communication data, the untransmitted communication data is stored in SD cards 61 and 62. If the mobile communication interface 52 is able to transmit one unit of communication data, the CPU determines that the transmission was successful. When 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 transmission failed (S5: No), it reads the unsent I-frames, P-frames, and one section of audio data from the ring buffer 51 to the SD card interface 47, stores them in the SD card 61 or SD card 62, stores the fact that transmission failed in RAM (S9), and proceeds to step S7. If an I-frame could not be transmitted, the I-frame, which is the communication data for one communication unit, is read. The system stores the frame, P-frame, and audio data for one segment. If all of the audio data for one segment could not be transmitted, the system stores the audio data for one segment and the P-frame. If all of multiple P-frames could not be transmitted, the untransmitted P-frames are stored. If transmission fails within the playback time of one communication unit (S5:NO), the system attempts to transmit the next communication unit (S1, S3). The recipient cannot receive the communication data for one communication unit, but since the communication data for one communication unit can be played back even without the preceding and succeeding communication units, the recipient can play back the communication data for the next communication unit if they are able to receive it. Even if the communication data for one communication unit could not be transmitted, the segment that could not be viewed was limited to the actual time of one communication unit, which in the above example was 1 / 3 s.

[0144] In step S7, it is determined whether the communication data has ended or not. When continuous recording ends, no new communication data is generated, so the ring buffer 51 is not overwritten with new communication data. The CPU moves the reading 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 is determined that the communication data has ended. If it is determined that the communication data has ended (S7: Yes), the communication process is terminated. 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 reading position of the ring buffer 51 that it has moved to.

[0145] Furthermore, the CPU reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during communication processing from SD card 61 or SD card 62 and transmits it as communication is restored and communication becomes possible. The CPU also transmits all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted in parallel with the communication processing. Simultaneously with real-time transfer, the data that could not be transferred in real time is read from the medium of SD card 61 or SD card 62 that is not recording, as described later, and transferred at the same time. Here, during continuous recording, the SD card interface 47 is writing recording data for storage, so the writing of recording data and the reading of communication data are performed simultaneously. It is difficult to perform writing and reading in parallel for a single SD card. Therefore, in method 4, two SD cards are used to write data for storage and read communication data that could not be transmitted. Note that communication data cannot be transmitted when, as described above, a communication interruption occurs, such as when the base station switches or when entering an area with high traffic.

[0146] In Figure 22, the horizontal axis represents time, and "recorded data" refers to the communication data and storage data created by the communication data creation unit 50. Here, storage data refers to the compressed image data and audio data output from the storage compression unit 44 and the 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 SD card 61 and SD card 62, respectively. The shaded areas indicate the periods during which communication data is written to SD card 61 or SD card 62. However, writing does not occur continuously throughout the periods indicated by the rectangular shapes for "Storage medium 1 data recording" and "Storage medium 2 data recording" in Figure 22; writing occurs for short periods within these periods, and there are periods during which writing does not occur. During the periods indicated by the rectangular shapes for "Storage medium 1 data recording" in Figure 22, both storage data and communication data are written. In "Communication connection status," the period during which communication is possible via the mobile communication interface 52 is indicated by an arrow. "Real-time transfer via communication" refers to the period during which communication data is being transmitted in the communication process. "Transfer of data that could not be transmitted" refers to the period during which communication data that the mobile communication interface 52 could not transmit is being transmitted in the communication process. Yes, they are.

[0147] During continuous recording, the SD card interface 47 alternately switches the destination for writing data to be saved between SD card 61 and SD card 62 at predetermined time intervals (e.g., every 10 seconds), and writes the data in a time-division multiplexer. As a result, while one SD card 61 or 62 is being written to, the other is not, making it easy for the SD card interface 47 to read from the other. One of the SD cards 61 or 62 is used for writing and recording data to be saved, while the other SD card 61 or 62 is used for reading and transmitting communication data that could not be transmitted. During the period from time t1 to time t2, when communication is possible, the mobile communication interface 52 performs communication processing and transmits communication data. During the period from time t2 to time t4, when communication is not possible, the SD card interface 47 writes data to the storage area and communication data to the communication area. Here, the SD card interface 47 writes the communication data to the same SD card on which the data to be saved is written. Step S9 of the communication process is performed during idle time when no data is being written to the storage area for storage. At time t4, when communication becomes possible, the CPU, along with transmitting in the communication process, reads all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted and was written to SD card 62 (shown as a shaded area in Figure 22) from SD card 62 and transmits it. Specifically, when the CPU receives a signal from the mobile communication interface 52 indicating that communication has become possible, it determines whether or not the failure to transmit is stored in RAM. If it determines that the failure to transmit is stored, it determines whether or not communication data is stored in the communication area of ​​SD card 62, which is the SD card on which data has not been written for storage. If it determines that communication data is stored, it reads all or part of the stored communication data and transmits it. The time it takes to transfer the communication data is shorter than the time it takes to write the communication data to SD cards 61 and 62. The period from time t2 to time t3, during which writing to SD card 62 takes place, is shorter than the period from time t4 to time t5, during which the communication data is transferred.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 t5. During the period from time t4 to t5, the SD card interface 47 is writing data for storage to the SD card 61, so all or part of the communication data is read from the SD card 62, which is not being written to. Next, at time t5, when the writing destination switches to the SD card 62, all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted is read from the SD card 61 and transmitted. Similarly, for all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted during the period from time t6 to time t7, when communication becomes possible at time t7, the CPU reads all or part of the communication data from the SD card 62, which is not being written to, and transmits it. Next, at time t8, when the writing destination switches to the SD card 62, 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 for switching the destination for writing the data to be saved is 10 s, then one cycle of steps S1 to S7 of the communication process will be performed 10 times during the 10 s. Note that in Figure 22, for example, at time t2, the time when the communication connection status becomes unavailable and the start time of the period in which the communication data is written to the SD card 62 (shown in the shaded area) are shown as the same time. However, in detail, since step S9 is executed after step S5 is executed when communication becomes unavailable, the time when the writing of the communication data to the SD card 62 begins is later than the time when the communication connection status becomes unavailable.

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

[0149] The period during which communication will be unavailable is unpredictable, and it is impossible to know when the connection will be interrupted, therefore, communication processing... Communication may become disabled during the execution of step S3. Here, communication data is transmitted to the destination starting from the head thereof. That is, the data is transmitted in the order of an I-frame, audio data, and a P-frame. If communication becomes disabled in the middle of transmitting the P-frame, the I-frame and the audio data have already been transmitted to the destination. Since the I-frame is data that can be reproduced independently, at least a still image and the audio data can be reproduced at the destination. Further, since communication data that could not be transmitted due to the communication disabling is transmitted later, the destination will receive communication data that is not arranged in chronological order. Since each frame of the communication data is assigned a serial number, after receiving all the communication data, the destination can easily reproduce the communication data of the transmitted section by sorting the data in the order of the serial numbers. A general video file has management areas for managing allocation of data areas at the head and tail of the file. Since the management area is essential for reproducing a video file, if the tail management area is not transmitted to the destination, the video file cannot be reproduced. In this regard, since the communication data does not have a management area, as described above, the communication data of the transmitted section can be reproduced at the destination. Further, since one communication unit of communication data includes one I-frame, even if transmission of one communication unit of communication data fails, other communication units of communication data can be reproduced.

[0150] <Settings for SD Card Storage and Data Transfer> The drive recorder 4 is configured to accept requests for recording and data transfer to the SD card for each "data item" and "data content". As shown in Figure 23, the "data items" include "continuous recording", "G-sensor event recording", "one-touch event recording", and "history". "History" is data that does not contain image and audio data like recorded data. Of these, the "data content" for "continuous recording", "G-sensor event recording", and "one-touch event recording" includes "video data", "audio data", "GPS", "accelerometer", and "vehicle information". The "data content" for "history" includes "GPS", "accelerometer", 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 vehicle information acquired via the OBD connection cable in RAM along with the date and time. The "GPS", "accelerometer", and "vehicle information" in "data content" refer to the vehicle position, acceleration, and vehicle information recorded along with the date and time, respectively. Furthermore, when transferring "GPS," "accelerometer," and "vehicle information" to the destination via the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52, the CPU separates and transfers the vehicle position, acceleration, and vehicle information data for each frame or second of the video data.

[0151] In Figure 23, "Recording" refers to the storage of recorded data on the SD card. "Transfer" refers to the transfer of recorded data to a destination via the LAN interface or mobile communication interface 52. In Figure 23, "○" indicates that the setting is to perform "Recording" or "Transfer," and "×" indicates that it is not performed. The non-volatile memory 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, for example, on the settings screen, and performs "Recording" and "Transfer" if "○" is selected. The vehicle driver and the person who views the "Recorded" or "Transferred" data, for example, the administrator who manages the vehicle, may be different. In this case, the driver may request that not all "Data Content" be "Recorded" or "Transferred." By accepting detailed "Recording" or "Transfer" settings for each "Data Item" and "Data Content," it is possible to provide a drive recorder 4 that can be configured according to the wishes of both the driver and the administrator. Users can configure the drive recorder 4 according to their needs and how they want to use it. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to configure the system so that if there is any "data content" that is not being recorded while continuous recording, G-sensor event recording, or one-touch event recording is in progress, the display 41 clearly indicates that this information is not being recorded.

[0152] Here, the drive recorder 4 is an example of in-vehicle equipment, the monitoring battery 3 is an example of a device, and the internal battery 34 is an example of a battery. Also, 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" that can be selected on the settings screen are examples of the first setting function, the "monitoring recording setting" that can be selected on the settings screen is an example of the second setting function, and the "G sensor setting" that can be selected on the settings screen is an example of the third setting function. The input / output connector 4a is an example of a device communication means, the camera is an example of a shooting 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 source has been switched to the battery," and the vehicle switching signal is an example of a "signal indicating that the power source has been switched to the vehicle." The power cable 11 is an example of a "vehicle-to-device power supply line," and the cable 12 is an example of a "device-to-in-vehicle equipment power supply line." The communication data creation unit 50 is an example of a creation unit, and the SD cards 61 and 62 are examples of a first recording medium and a second recording medium. The mobile communication interface 52 and the LAN interface are examples of 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 if the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. Furthermore, although the drive recorder 4 generates heat from within its casing, the monitoring battery 3 is separate from the drive recorder 4, making it less susceptible to the heat generated by the drive recorder 4. By preventing the internal battery 34 from overheating, it is possible to suppress the inability to charge and discharge due to temperature rise, thus reducing the likelihood of power supply failure to the drive recorder 4. Since the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it can be made large and heavy enough to accommodate this, allowing for a larger internal battery 34 capacity. This enables the drive recorder 4 to continue operating for a longer period even after the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. Additionally, because the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, it does not encroach on the living space and can be installed without interfering with or obstructing people while driving or getting in and out of the vehicle.

[0154] The CPU 33 outputs a switching signal when it switches the power source to the internal battery 34. Also, if the ACC power is turned ON within a specified time, the CPU 33 outputs a switching signal indicating that the power source has switched to the ACC power. As a result, the drive recorder 4 can know that the power source has 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 settings screen are common to both event recording in continuous recording mode and event recording in surveillance recording mode. This eliminates the need for users to configure event recording separately for continuous recording mode and event recording in surveillance recording mode, reducing user inconvenience and making the system easier to understand.

[0156] In the monitoring recording settings in monitoring recording mode, drive recorder 4 displays in red the "recording time" and "recording frame rate" options that cannot be recorded. This allows the user to set either the "recording time" or "recording frame rate" they want to prioritize, and then set the other option to be a recording option. In addition, when transitioning to monitoring recording mode, drive recorder 4 determines whether the location information output from the GPS sensor is included in the "monitoring my area". If it is determined that the location information is included in the "monitoring my area" and the "monitoring recording setting" is "automatic", the recording conditions set in the "monitoring my area" are used as the recording conditions for monitoring recording, and the subsequent processing is executed. Similarly, when transitioning to surveillance recording mode, if the location information is determined to be included in the "Surveillance My Cancel Area," and the "Surveillance Recording Settings" are set to "Automatic" and the "REC" button is pressed, the recording conditions set in the "Surveillance My Cancel Area" will be used as the recording conditions for surveillance recording, and subsequent processing will be executed. This allows the user to operate the drive recorder 4 without having to configure settings repeatedly. Furthermore, even if the location information does not match the location stored in the non-volatile memory, the drive recorder 4 can use the shooting conditions associated with the "Surveillance My Area" and "Surveillance My Cancel Area" as the shooting conditions for the current recording, as long as the location is within the "Surveillance My Area" and "Surveillance My Cancel Area."

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

[0158] While aftermarket electrical components and antennas that have the function of receiving radio waves are often installed on the dashboard or the top of the windshield, the monitoring battery 3 is installed under the seat, which significantly reduces the impact of noise from its charge / discharge control unit 31, DC-DC converter 32, CPU 33, etc., on these electrical components and antennas.

[0159] Since one communication unit of communication data contains one I-frame, the destination to which the data is sent can play back the transmitted data. The transmitted data can be viewed as video, and the image can be checked. If one communication unit of communication data is 1 / 3 s, the image can be checked at least every 1 / 3 s. For example, if the communication data is footage of an accident during a collision, the destination can reliably check the video of the accident. Also, even if the mobile communication interface 52 is unable to transmit the communication data during the communication process, the mobile communication interface 52 can transmit the data by having the SD card interface 47 read the untransmitted communication data from either SD card 61 or 62, which is not the storage location. The destination to which the communication data is sent can acquire the communication data while the engine is ON. By switching the storage location between SD cards 61 and 62 and reading from either SD card 61 or 62, which is not the storage location, the SD card interface 47 can easily read the communication data.

[0160] <Variation> While the above-described embodiments are desirable forms of the present invention, it goes without saying that the invention is not limited thereto, and various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the setting for the "Recording Resolution" option in "Surveillance Recording Settings" may be lower than the setting for the "Recording Resolution" option in the continuous recording settings. Alternatively, the setting for the "Number of Recording Frames" option in "Surveillance Recording Settings" may be lower than the setting for the "Number of Recording Frames" option in the continuous recording settings. Furthermore, the initial values ​​for the "Recording Resolution" and "Number of Recording Frames" options in both "Surveillance Recording Settings" and continuous recording settings may be explicitly displayed, and the initial values ​​for "Recording Resolution" and "Number of Recording Frames" in "Surveillance Recording Settings" may be lower than the initial values ​​in the continuous recording settings. In surveillance recording, the vehicle is often stationary, so even if the frame rate and resolution are reduced, moving objects outside the vehicle can still be captured. In addition, event recording is possible through the settings, so events will be recorded when they occur. This allows for power-saving recording conditions in surveillance recording. Since the amount of power supplied by the internal battery 34 is reduced, the lifespan of the internal battery 34 can be extended.

[0161] Furthermore, while it was explained that the monitoring battery 3 receives power from the ACC power supply via the power cable 11 connected to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket, this is not limited to that configuration. The power cable 11 may be directly connected to the ACC power supply, and the monitoring battery 3 may be powered from the ACC power supply. Also, while it was explained that the output terminal 11a and input connector 3a are miniUSB connectors, other USB connectors may be used. Furthermore, while it was explained that the input / output connector 3b and first terminal 12a are 10-pin connectors, this is not limited to 10 pins; the number of pins may be more or less than 10. Also, while it was explained that the DIP switch DIPSW36 has three switches, this does not limit the number of switches.

[0162] Furthermore, while it was explained that the monitoring battery 3 is powered from the ACC power supply via the power cable 11, this is not limited to that configuration. A mobile battery may also be connected.

[0163] Furthermore, although it was explained that the monitoring battery 3 outputs a signal indicating the remaining battery level of the internal battery 34 every 1 second, the interval is not limited to 1 second; it could be 1 minute, 3 minutes, or any other time.

[0164] Furthermore, it was explained that when the CPU 33 switches the power source to the internal battery 34, it sends a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4. In this way, a signal to that effect may be sent to the drive recorder 4 when there is a change in the power supply status from the ACC power source, but it is better to send a signal indicating whether or not power is being supplied from the ACC power source to the drive recorder 4 at predetermined time intervals, for example, every second.

[0165] Furthermore, while it was explained that the drive recorder 4, in continuous recording mode, decides whether to switch to monitoring recording mode or turn off its power when it receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it would be better to make this decision based on multiple battery switching signals rather than just one. For example, in continuous recording mode, it would be good to decide whether to switch to monitoring recording mode if it receives multiple battery switching signals consecutively. This would prevent the switch between continuous recording mode and monitoring recording mode from occurring when the power supply from the ACC power source to the monitoring battery 3 is momentarily interrupted and then restored. Similarly, it would be good to decide whether to switch to continuous recording mode based on multiple vehicle switching signals from the monitoring battery 3.

[0166] Furthermore, while it was explained that when the drive recorder 4 receives a vehicle switching signal from the monitoring battery 3 and continuous recording is possible, it is also possible to have the drive recorder reset to initiate the transition to continuous recording mode.

[0167] One configuration for performing a reset is to have the drive recorder 4 itself perform the reset process. Alternatively, the drive recorder 4 can send an instruction signal to the monitoring battery 3 to turn off power for a predetermined period of time. When the monitoring battery 3 receives this signal, it can stop supplying power to the drive recorder 4 for a predetermined period of time, and then resume power supply. This way, the switch from monitoring recording mode to continuous recording mode can be performed with a reliable reset by turning off the power, increasing the likelihood of more reliably recording accidents and other situations in continuous recording mode. For example, when transitioning from monitoring recording to continuous recording, turning off the output from the monitoring battery 3 for a predetermined period of time performs a hard reset of the drive recorder 4, allowing for a reliable and normal start to continuous recording.

[0168] The predetermined time for which the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power to the drive recorder 4 in order to reset the drive recorder 4 should be, for example, longer than the time it takes for the drive recorder 4 to reliably turn off after the monitoring battery 3 stops supplying power. If the brake recorder has a configuration that includes a supercapacitor in addition to the configuration described in Drive Recorder 4, the time should be longer than the maximum time required to close the file using power from the supercapacitor, etc. For example, about 3 seconds would be appropriate. Note that the supercapacitor is charged while the drive recorder is powered and discharged when the drive recorder is not powered. Also, "closing the file" means, for example, completing the writing of data to the SD card.

[0169] However, a user may turn the vehicle's ACC power on and then off again to perform actions such as retracting the electric mirrors or closing the windows after turning off the ACC power for parking. In this case, the ACC power will repeatedly switch from on to off. If this second off occurs during a period when the monitoring battery 3 has stopped supplying power to the drive recorder, various problems may occur, such as the inability to continue monitoring recording. This is because the ACC power may be off when it is switched from off to on, and the monitoring battery 3 has stopped supplying power for a predetermined period to transition to continuous recording, and then resumes supplying power. Therefore, this predetermined period should be as short as possible, ensuring that the battery can reliably turn off after power is stopped to the drive recorder. For example, about 1.5 seconds would be appropriate. By shortening the off period of the monitoring battery 3 from 3 seconds to 1.5 seconds, the probability of the period when power is stopped to the drive recorder coinciding with the timing of the vehicle's ACC power being turned off can be reduced. In addition, this measure shortens the period of time between the start of continuous recording and the start of surveillance recording when the ACC power is turned on in a normal vehicle.

[0170] Furthermore, as described above, the inventors have discovered that the vehicle's ACC power may repeatedly switch from an ON state to an OFF state. Therefore, the system may be configured as follows: When the CPU 33 switches the power source to the internal battery 34, it is preferable that the CPU 33 does not immediately send a battery switching signal to the drive recorder 4, but rather, it is preferable that the system sends the battery switching signal to the drive recorder only after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, provided that the vehicle's ACC power remains OFF for a predetermined period of time when the ACC power is ON for a short time. For example, the battery switching signal may be sent to the drive recorder only after the vehicle's ACC power supply has been turned OFF for a predetermined period of time, for example, 20 seconds.

[0171] Furthermore, after the power is turned on, the control unit of the drive recorder performs various initialization processes before starting continuous recording. Therefore, a predetermined start time is required between power-on and the start of continuous recording. Moreover, depending on the configuration of the drive recorder, some are designed to start recording in continuous recording mode first. For this reason, the monitoring battery 3 should transmit a signal to the drive recorder at predetermined time intervals indicating whether or not power is being supplied from the ACC power supply. For a predetermined time from the moment power is supplied to the drive recorder after receiving power from the ACC power supply, a signal indicating that power is being supplied from the vehicle should be output to the drive recorder, regardless of whether or not power is being supplied from the vehicle's ACC power supply. This predetermined time should be, for example, about 10 seconds.

[0172] Furthermore, while it was explained that the drive recorder 4 sends a signal to command a specified time limit when it receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, it is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may also be configured to send a signal to command the monitoring battery 3 to stop supplying power after the specified time has elapsed.

[0173] Furthermore, while it was explained that the drive recorder 4 sends a signal to command a predetermined time when it receives a battery switching signal from the monitoring battery 3, the timing of sending the signal to command the predetermined time is not limited to this. It may also be configured to send the signal when the drive recorder 4 is powered on, when the predetermined time setting is changed, or at predetermined intervals. The predetermined time can be 1 second, 1 minute, For example, 3 minutes.

[0174] Furthermore, while it was explained that the CPU 33 determines that a drive recorder with communication capabilities is not connected if it does not receive a signal inquiring about the remaining charge of the internal battery 34, the received signal is not limited to a signal inquiring about the remaining charge. It could also be a signal commanding a specified time, for example. Alternatively, the switch on the DIP switch DIPSW 36 may be configured to indicate whether or not a drive recorder with communication capabilities is connected. In this case, the switch should be configured so that when it is OFF, it indicates that a drive recorder with communication capabilities is not connected.

[0175] Furthermore, although it was explained that the control unit displays screens Sa14 to Sa17 to accept settings for recording conditions, it is not limited to this. It may also be configured to have a function that prioritizes the frame rate and automatically determines the maximum recording time. When the control unit accepts a change in the setting value of "number of recording frames" on screen Sa20, which is accessed from screen Sa16, it calculates the "usable time" based on the setting value of "number of recording frames". It determines the longest "recording time" option that is less than or equal to the calculated "usable time" as the setting value for "recording time". Alternatively, it may also be configured to have a function that prioritizes resolution and automatically determines the maximum recording time.

[0176] Furthermore, while it was explained that screen Sa6 will be displayed if the control unit determines that there is insufficient space on the SD card after switching to "monitoring recording mode" and "monitoring recording overwrite" is set to "OFF," this is not the only way to do so. In this case, since monitoring recording is not possible if there is no space on the SD card, it may be possible to notify the user with sound and display, and to display a screen allowing the user to choose whether to delete the monitoring recording or not record monitoring. Here, "monitoring recording" refers to the recording data recorded by monitoring recording.

[0177] Furthermore, while it was explained that in continuous recording mode, when a battery switching signal is received from monitoring battery 3, screen Sa1, etc., will be displayed according to the settings, this is not limited to this. It would also be possible to configure the system to automatically transition to the minimum necessary settings screen when the engine is turned off.

[0178] Furthermore, while it was explained that the monitoring battery 3 sets the specified time to a value transmitted via serial communication from the drive recorder 4, it is not limited to this. Instead of serial communication, it may also receive a 1-bit Hi / Low signal and set the time corresponding to the Hi / Low signal as the specified value. Specifically, the monitoring battery 3 receives a command indicating the specified time and a Hi or Low signal. The monitoring battery 3 has pre-stored corresponding times: 3 hours if the signal is Hi, and 6 hours if the signal is Hi. The monitoring battery 3 sets the time corresponding to the Hi / Low signal to the specified time. Note that the signal is not limited to 1 bit, but may be 2 bits or more.

[0179] Furthermore, while it was explained that Drive Recorder 4 performs surveillance recording according to the recording conditions of the set "Monitoring My Area," it is not limited to this. Drive Recorder 4 may also be configured to have a function that determines the recording conditions for each of the multiple parking areas, which are called "Monitoring My Areas." Recording conditions include whether or not surveillance recording (parking surveillance) is necessary, the frame rate, the recording time, etc.

[0180] Furthermore, although it was explained that the control unit stores JPEG image data in RAM, this does not limit the format. MP4, MP2, H.264, and H.265 formats are also acceptable.

[0181] Furthermore, while it was explained that the control unit transmits recording data at a bitrate corresponding to the communication speed, the bitrate of the transmitted recording data is not limited to this. For example, if the communication speed is 100Mbps, it is also possible to configure the unit to transmit data at 10Mbps, although this will increase the transmission time.

[0182] Additionally, in the monitoring recording settings for the monitoring recording mode, you may add "Full Folder Capacity" to the "Recording Time" option. "Full Folder Capacity" means that monitoring recording will continue until the SD card is full. Also, if "Recording Time" is set to "Full Folder Capacity," the option will not be displayed in red.

[0183] Furthermore, while it was explained that the frame rate for event recording should be set to around 30fps and the resolution to record details, it is also acceptable to lower the frame rate and reduce the resolution for event recording in surveillance recording. When large vehicles pass, there is a lot of vibration, which may trigger event recording. In areas where large vehicles pass, it is expected that people who would harm vehicles are unlikely to be passing by. For this reason, in event recording for surveillance recording, it is considered safer to lower the frame rate and reduce the resolution.

[0184] Furthermore, while it was explained that if the "SD" button or "MENU" button is not pressed within a specified time after the Sa6 screen is displayed, an inactivity timeout will occur, if there is remaining space on the SD card, recording will continue for that amount of time. If there is no remaining space, recording will not be possible. In this case, the system could be configured to notify the user with sound and a display, and to show a screen allowing them to choose whether to delete the monitoring recording or not record at all.

[0185] The control unit also explained that it will switch to surveillance recording mode when it determines that the conditions for switching to surveillance recording mode have been met. It explained that the conditions for switching include items such as "My Area" and "My Cancel Area," but it is also possible to add "Time" to this configuration. It would be good to configure the system to determine whether or not to switch to surveillance recording mode based on the set "Time" and time. This would allow the user to, for example, perform surveillance recording only at night in "My Area." Alternatively, the system could be configured to determine whether or not to switch to surveillance recording mode based solely on "Time," separate from "My Area," etc. For example, if you want to record from around 4 AM to 6 AM, you can input the time you most want to record (5 AM), and the system would be configured to always include that time in the recording. If the battery level or SD card capacity is insufficient, the user can choose whether to prioritize the earlier, later, or central time period. The system would then allocate the recording time period with more emphasis on the priority setting. This would allow the user to determine whether it is a stray cat or a crow rummaging through the garbage in front of their car in the morning.

[0186] Furthermore, while it was explained that location registration is performed based on location information from the GPS sensor in the "Register Execution" setting of "Monitoring My Area," the system is not limited to this. It is also possible to display a map on the display 41 and have the user specify a location on the map to register that location.

[0187] Furthermore, in surveillance recording, for example, motion detection can be used to automatically reduce the frame rate if there is no change in the footage. Alternatively, the frame rate can be increased for a few seconds before any change occurs.

[0188] Furthermore, while it was explained that event recording should not be performed for the first three minutes after the start of surveillance recording, when an event occurs due to the opening and closing of a door, it would also be possible to configure the system to record the door's interaction with the event while simultaneously performing event recording. In this case, any overlap between event recording due to acceleration detected by the G-sensor and recording of the door can be excluded later based on the time when reviewing the recording data.

[0189] Furthermore, although it was explained that after the opening screen is displayed, the screen transitions to a screen displaying the message "An event was recorded while monitoring recording was in progress," event recording will occur for a few seconds after the engine is turned off or a few seconds before the engine is turned on, but when the monitoring function is running when the engine is turned on... It would also be acceptable to have a configuration that does not announce that a vent has occurred.

[0190] Furthermore, in monitoring recording mode, the method for calculating the "available time" displayed as "monitoring recording time" on screen Sa4 is not limited to the above. The monitoring battery 3 may calculate the available time based on the current currently supplied, i.e., the current consumed by the drive recorder 4, rather than the drive recorder 4. Alternatively, the monitoring battery 3 may calculate the available time based on the battery level percentage and a predetermined current value. Alternatively, the monitoring battery 3 may calculate the available time based on the battery level percentage and the current value determined from the drive recorder 4 model, which is obtained through communication. The internal battery 34 may transmit the calculated available time to the drive recorder 4, and the control unit may display the received available time to the right of "monitoring recording time:".

[0191] Furthermore, while the above configuration is desirable for the specifications of drive recorder 4, it is not limited to this. Although the drive recorder 4 is described as having a camera, the camera unit containing the camera and the main unit containing the control unit may be configured as separate components. In this case, the camera unit may be installed, for example, on the windshield, and the main unit may be installed, for example, on the dashboard.

[0192] Furthermore, while it was explained that Drive Recorder 4 is equipped with a camera, it can also be configured with two cameras. In this case, the two signals from the cameras can be combined into a single signal and stored. Specifically, the screen can be divided into two halves, left and right, and the signals can be processed so that each half is assigned to the data captured by the two cameras. The two signals from the cameras are combined into a single image. This reduces the amount of data in the recorded video, and especially when transmitting, it allows for a longer duration of recorded video that can be transmitted per unit of time. Moreover, it is not limited to two divisions; more than two divisions are also possible.

[0193] Furthermore, although the display 41 is described as an LCD, it is not limited to this and may be a touch panel. Alternatively, the device may have no display at all. In the case of a product without a display, the user writes settings to a recording medium such as an SD card and inserts the SD card containing the settings into the drive recorder. The drive recorder reads the SD card and operates. The settings written to the SD card may be stored in a non-volatile memory unit for operation, or they may not be stored in a non-volatile memory unit and the device may read the settings stored on the SD card as needed.

[0194] Additionally, the brightness of indicator 35 may be configured to vary between daytime and nighttime. If event recording is initiated during surveillance recording, the indicator will be displayed at the bright daytime brightness even at night.

[0195] Although it was explained that the drive recorder 4 has a communication function, it is also possible to configure it without a communication function. In this case, it is not possible to set a specified time for continuing power supply after the ACC power supply to the monitoring battery 3 is cut off. However, since the monitoring battery 3 is equipped with a DIP switch DIPSW36, it is possible to supply power for a specified time according to the setting of the DIP switch DIPSW36.

[0196] Furthermore, although it was stated that monitoring battery 3 would output for a specified time, it is also acceptable to supply the entire remaining battery charge.

[0197] Furthermore, for example, the camera could be configured to move 360 ​​degrees. This would allow for all-around monitoring of the area outside the vehicle, thus enhancing surveillance, especially in surveillance recording mode. Also, for example, the dashcam could use LoRa (Long Range) technology. The system may also be configured to have wireless communication capabilities and be operable with an attached wireless remote control. In this way, a user with the remote control at a distance can turn surveillance recording on / off, periodically send recording time, switch recording settings, notify of event occurrences, and transfer and save still images of events to the remote control. Furthermore, if the dashcam is configured to have Wi-Fi communication capabilities, it can communicate with communication devices such as smartphones. It may also be configured to transfer event recording data within the range of the Wi-Fi.

[0198] Furthermore, while it was explained that the control unit of the drive recorder 4 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, and non-volatile memory, it is not limited to these. For example, it may also include a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) and be configured to work together.

[0199] Furthermore, while the example given was a drive recorder installed in a vehicle as an in-vehicle device, it is not limited to this and could also be installed in a forklift. Since forklifts are often used for commercial purposes, it is expected that an environment where Wi-Fi can be used can be established in the forklift's operating area. In this case, it would be good to configure the data transfer while the forklift is in motion to use Wi-Fi.

[0200] The method of data transfer is not limited to the above. The above explanation states that after the ACC power is turned off, the CPU reads the recorded data stored in RAM, compresses it, and transmits it. However, this is not the only option; the system may also read and transmit the recorded data stored on the SD card. Alternatively, the transmission methods for event recording data and continuous recording data may differ. For example, event recording data may be read from RAM and transmitted. RAM stores recording data that is clearer than the recording data stored on the SD card, before compression for transmission. On the other hand, continuous recording data may be read from the SD card and transmitted. Since event recordings often record accidents, for example, a clearer image than the recording data stored on the SD card is preferable for confirming the details of the accident. Furthermore, after the ACC power is turned off, all recorded data, including data already transmitted during driving, may be transmitted at a uniform bitrate to ensure a uniform image. Alternatively, time and location information may be transmitted instead of event recording data. Finally, the system may be configured to transmit event recording data first after parking. It may also be configured to transmit recorded data from surveillance footage. It may also be configured to transmit recorded data from parking surveillance.

[0201] Furthermore, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function that outputs instructions to change the direction of the camera it is equipped with. For example, if the garbage area is not directly in front of the parking lot but to the right and slightly in front, the drive recorder needs to be turned to point to the right and slightly in front in order to capture the garbage area, but the user may forget to change the direction of the camera. Therefore, it would be good to notify the user by voice or other means, "Please check the direction of the drive recorder," when the engine is turned off (or turned on), or according to the location information obtained by the GPS sensor. The direction can be registered and then notified accordingly, or a voice memo can be recorded and played back. Moreover, the camera direction can be automatically moved by a motor.

[0202] Furthermore, while it was explained that drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to predetermined triggers, the triggers in surveillance recording mode are not limited to those mentioned above, and the system may be configured to record events triggered by the operation of ancillary equipment in the parking lot. There is a risk that robots or parking lots may harm vehicles. Since the operation of the parking lot is related to the movement of other people, the system may be configured to record events triggered by the operation of ancillary equipment in the parking lot. In gate-type parking lots, the gate opening and closing signal The system receives signals and records them as triggers. In flap-type parking lots, where flaps installed on the ground make contact with the underside of a vehicle, the system receives signals indicating the raising and lowering of the flaps and records them as triggers. In mechanical multi-story parking systems, it is advisable to record events using signals from a G-sensor corresponding to the lateral and vertical movement of the vehicle's platform. In this case, it is best to set a threshold so that the system detects acceleration levels occurring in a multi-story parking garage as events.

[0203] Furthermore, while it was explained that drive recorder 4 switches to surveillance recording mode depending on the settings when it receives a battery switching signal in continuous recording mode, it is not limited to this. Also, while it was explained that drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, it is not limited to this. In the summer, the inside of a parked car can become extremely hot, so you may want to remotely open the top of the window a little. For this reason, drive recorder 4 can be configured to switch to event recording or surveillance recording mode as a trigger when the window is open, and to perform surveillance recording. Note that "a little" means opening the window just enough so that you cannot fit your hand inside.

[0204] Furthermore, it has been explained that the drive recorder 4 displays screen Sa5 (Figure 5) when the control unit determines that the SD card has sufficient capacity, when the battery level is insufficient, and when "monitoring recording overwrite" is set to "ON," and then transitions to screen Sa3 and powers off as the battery level decreases, but this is not limited to this. If the internal battery 34 is about to run out during monitoring recording, the system may be configured to notify the remote control, which has a function to start the vehicle's engine, allowing the engine to start and the car to generate power to continue recording. Alternatively, the system may be configured to turn off the engine again once the internal battery 34 has been charged to a certain extent. After a predetermined time has passed, the system may be configured to display a prompt on the remote control asking whether to continue recording, and to continue recording if a continuation instruction is received.

[0205] Furthermore, while it was explained that the drive recorder 4, when it receives a battery switching signal in continuous recording mode, switches to surveillance recording mode and starts surveillance recording according to the settings, it is not limited to this. Also, while it was explained that the drive recorder 4 performs event recording according to a predetermined trigger, it is not limited to this. The drive recorder 4 may also be configured to have a function that triggers surveillance recording or surveillance recording when a drone approaches. This would allow recording an accident in which a drone falls into a parking lot and comes into contact with a vehicle. The approach of a drone can be detected, for example, by detecting radio waves emitted by the drone or by image recognition.

[0206] Furthermore, while it was explained that drive recorder 4 switches to surveillance recording mode depending on the settings when it receives a battery switching signal in continuous recording mode, it is not limited to this. It may also be configured to automatically record when parked in a high-risk area by linking with navigation map data. It may also be configured to switch to surveillance recording mode when the vehicle's location is within a high-risk area. Alternatively, the recording conditions may be set to a higher level than usual. Setting the recording conditions to a higher level than usual means increasing the "number of recording frames" in the recording conditions to record in more detail. High-risk areas include, for example, areas with a high incidence of theft or crime, and this information is published on the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's website, for example.

[0207] Furthermore, while it was explained that drive recorder 4 switches to monitoring recording mode depending on the settings when it receives a battery switching signal in continuous recording mode, it is not limited to this. Recording should be performed when the vehicle is parked while charging the EV. Alternatively, the recording conditions should be set to a higher level than usual. In recent years, EV chargers have been installed in commercial facilities and other locations. Recording is effective because EVs may be more susceptible to vandalism while charging. This can be determined by looking at the area of ​​EV stations in map data, or by obtaining the vehicle's charging status from OBD (On-board diagnostics), etc.

[0208] Furthermore, the drive recorder 4 may be configured to have a function that stops recording surveillance footage when the light level is insufficient for recording, such as in the middle of the night. Controlling the power supply from the battery based on brightness judgment using a light sensor separate from the image sensor in the camera is a good way to save power.

[0209] Furthermore, while it was explained that drive recorder 4, when it receives a battery switching signal in continuous recording mode, switches to monitoring recording mode and starts monitoring recording according to the settings, and turns off the power when the monitoring recording time is completed, it is not limited to this. Drive recorder 4 may also be configured to have a function that stops monitoring recording when the amount of packets flowing through the OBD's CAN (Controller Area Network) is low, and starts monitoring recording when the amount of packets is high. A situation where many packets are flowing even though the engine is off is highly likely to be a situation where the vehicle's sensors have detected some kind of activity around the vehicle, so recording would be effective.

[0210] Furthermore, in the explanation of screen Sb25 (Figure 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 as the center position of the "Monitoring My Area" in the non-volatile memory. When the location to be registered as "Monitoring My Area" or "Monitoring My Cancel Area" is an indoor parking lot, problems arise such as difficulty in obtaining location information by the GPS sensor or low location accuracy. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to register a location that could be determined by going back in time from the time the registration operation was performed, or a location that could be determined with a predetermined or higher accuracy (this should be determined based on GPS positioning accuracy information). For example, location information (and positioning accuracy information) can be acquired at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 1 second), and that location information can be stored as a location history. When registering, it is preferable to go back in that history and register a location that could be determined, or a location that could be determined with a predetermined or higher accuracy.

[0211] The embodiment described above is not limited to the various modifications that can be made. Next, a modified version of the monitoring battery 3, Modification 1, will be described using Figures 24 to 26. As shown in Figure 24, the monitoring battery according to Modification 1 has an input connector into which the monitoring battery's input cord is plugged, an input / output connector into which the output cord is plugged, a USB Type A connector, a DIP switch, and multiple LEDs on the front of the mechanism case of the monitoring battery. Here, the input cord corresponds to the power cable 11 of the monitoring battery 3. The output cord corresponds to the cable 12 of the monitoring battery 3. The power cable 11 of the monitoring battery 3 was described as having a cigarette lighter plug at one end, but it may also be configured to have a red cord connected to the accessory power supply and a black cord connected to the metal part of the vehicle. The accessory power supply is the ACC power supply of the vehicle, which is turned ON / OFF in conjunction with the engine key. The USB Type A connector is connected to a commercially available USB cable, etc., to charge a connected smartphone, etc. Hereinafter, the ACC power supply may be referred to as the accessory power supply.

[0212] Although it was explained that the DIP switch DIPSW36 of the monitoring battery 3 has three switches, as shown in Figure 25, the monitoring battery according to Modification 1 has four DIP switches. By combining the ON / OFF states 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 cannot be set using the DIP switches. In the explanation of the DIP switches in Figure 25, "up" and "down" refer to the ON / OFF state of the DIP switches, respectively.

[0213] As shown in Figure 26, the indicator for the monitoring battery in Modification 1 has six LEDs. The six LEDs are: one that lights up when power is supplied to the monitoring battery from the ACC power supply, one that lights up when the internal battery is charging, and four that light up according to the remaining charge of the internal battery. The internal battery of the monitoring battery is designed to be replaceable when its lifespan is reduced. Furthermore, the monitoring battery does not interfere with driving or airbag deployment. The device should not be installed in locations where it may be exposed to hot air from air conditioners or heaters, in direct sunlight, in unstable locations, in locations where there is a possibility of wire breakage or short circuits due to pinching or friction of the insulation, or near vehicle electrical equipment (including antennas, etc.).

[0214] Next, a modified version of the monitoring battery 3, Modified Version 2, will be described using Figures 27 to 31. As shown in Figure 27, the monitoring battery according to Modified Version 2 has eight DIP switches, a power switch, and an indicator LED on the plane of the 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 cable 12 in the monitoring battery 3. The power switch is a switch that turns the power of the monitoring battery ON / OFF. 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. The DIP switches are also installed closer to the bottom than the power switch.

[0215] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 28, the input cord connected to the input terminal has a red cord connected to the vehicle's battery power supply, a yellow cord connected to the accessory power supply, and a black cord connected to a metal part of the vehicle. Note that the input cord corresponds to the power cable 11 in the monitoring battery 3. Thus, the monitoring battery may receive power from the vehicle's battery power supply, which is always powered regardless of whether the engine is ON or OFF, in addition to the accessory power supply, and the charge / discharge control unit 31 may operate by receiving power from the battery power supply. Also, as shown in Figure 29, the monitoring battery according to the modified example 2 is equipped with an LED that lights up when the engine is ON and when the monitoring battery is operating.

[0216] The monitoring battery according to Modification 2 monitors the power supply of the vehicle's battery and stops outputting power when the voltage falls below a set voltage (hereinafter referred to as the detection voltage). Also, after the vehicle's engine is turned off, it outputs power for a specified time (hereinafter referred to as the off-timer), similar to monitoring battery 3. As shown in Figure 30, the detection voltage may be switchable between 12V and 24V using three DIP switches. To accommodate the case where the vehicle's battery is 12V, it accepts settings of 11.6V, 11.8V, 12V, or 12.2V. Similarly, to accommodate the case where the vehicle's battery is 24V, it accepts settings of +0.2V, ±0V, -0.2V, or -0.4V relative to 24V. Here, by setting more negative values ​​than two and one positive value relative to the vehicle's battery specifications, the monitoring battery may continue to output power even when the vehicle's battery is low. As shown in Figure 31, the off-timer setting is accepted by three DIP switches separate from the detection voltage setting, similar to the monitoring battery in Modification 1. As shown in Figure 30, of the eight DIP switches arranged in a row, three are assigned to the detection voltage setting, three are assigned to the off-timer setting, and two are unused. By arranging the unused switch between the three used for the detection voltage setting and the three used for the off-timer setting, user setting errors are suppressed.

[0217] Furthermore, while it was explained in the description of data transfer method 4 that image data has multiple P frames for each I frame, the image data may also be configured not to have P frames. Also, while it was explained that the communication compression unit 45 creates three I frames per second, this does not limit the number of frames. The number of I frames per second may be less than three or four or more. For videos with little movement, it is preferable to reduce the number of frames, and for videos with a lot of movement, it is preferable to increase the number of frames. Also, as explained in 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. Furthermore, while it was explained that the communication data is arranged in the order of I frames followed by audio data from the beginning, this does not limit the position of the audio data. It may be positioned before the I frames or after the P frames. That's good too.

[0218] Furthermore, while it was explained that a sequential number is assigned to each frame, it is also possible to assign a sequential number to each communication unit of data arranged chronologically, and then assign a sequential number to each frame within each communication unit. For example, the communication data of the first communication unit can be numbered 1, the communication data of the second communication unit can be numbered 2, the P-frame of the first communication unit can be numbered 1, the next P-frame can be numbered 2, the P-frame of the second communication unit can also be numbered 1, and the next P-frame can be numbered 2. In this way, a frame can be identified by indicating which frame it is within which communication unit. Also, the identifier to be assigned is not limited to a sequential number; any sortable identifier will suffice. For example, it can be a time or date, or any combination of sequential numbers, time, and date can be used.

[0219] Furthermore, although step S5 of the communication processing was described as storing the I-frames, P-frames, and one section of audio data that could not be transmitted on the SD cards 61 and 62, it is also possible to configure the system to store the communication data for one communication unit, including the parts that were successfully transmitted, on the SD cards 61 and 62. Alternatively, when communication is restored and transmission is to be resumed, it is also possible to configure the system to transmit the communication data for one communication unit.

[0220] Furthermore, while it was explained that during continuous recording, the SD card interface 47 alternately switches the destination for writing data to be saved between SD card 61 and SD card 62, for example, every 10 seconds, there is no time limit, but it is best to set the time to be longer than the time required to capture the communication data for one communication unit.

[0221] It was also explained that all or part of the communication data written to the SD card 62 that could not be transmitted is read from the SD card 62 and transmitted. In step S9 of the communication process, it was explained that the fact that transmission could not be transmitted is stored in RAM, but in step S9 of the communication process, information is also to be stored in RAM that associates an identifier that identifies all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted with an identifier that identifies the destination SD card, and when communication becomes possible, this information is referred to to identify the SD card that stores all or part of the communication data that could not be transmitted.

[0222] Furthermore, in the explanation of Figure 19, which illustrates another example of a drive recorder, it was explained that the communication compression unit 45 automatically adjusts the data capacity according to the current communication rate. The adjustment to enable real-time transmission according to the current communication rate is not limited to the compression ratio; it could also be configured to change the frame rate.

[0223] Furthermore, although Figure 19 shows an example of a dashcam with two SD cards inserted, a configuration with only one SD card inserted is also acceptable. In this case as well, the dashcam should be configured to divide the SD card's storage area into a storage area and a communication area, and write the recorded data to these areas.

[0224] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, a single communication unit may contain only one I-frame, or it may contain multiple I-frames. In this case, it is desirable to make it possible to identify which group of P-frames corresponds to which I-frame. For example, the number of P-frames corresponding to each I-frame may be made the same to identify them, or all frames may be assigned sequential numbers. If there are multiple I-frames in a single communication unit, the I-frame group may be transmitted consecutively first, followed by the P-frame group that follows that I-frame group, or a group of frames arranged in an alternating order, such as I-frame, P-frame, I-frame, P-frame, etc., may be considered as a single communication unit.

[0225] It would be good to allow users to set the frame rate. For example, 1fps, 5fps, and 10fps would be good options. It would be good to configure the system so that the number of I-frames included in each communication unit changes depending on the frame rate. The higher the frame rate, the more I-frames should be included in each 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 modified example may be combined in any way. Furthermore, some configurations of the above embodiment and some configurations of the above modified example may be combined in any way. Furthermore, some configurations described in "Means for Solving the Problem" and some configurations of the above embodiment and some configurations of the above modified example may be combined in any way. [Explanation of symbols]

[0227] 1 System 3. Monitoring battery 3a Input connector 3b Input / Output Connector 4. Dashcam 4a Input / Output Connector 11 Power cable 12 Cables 31 Charge / Discharge Control Unit 34 Internal Battery 33 CPU 35 Indicators 36 DIP switches 47 SD card interface 52 Mobile communication interfaces

Claims

1. A device capable of supplying power to a recording device having a recording function based on the vehicle's power supply, A device connected to the recording device via a cable, which has the function of transmitting the OFF state of the vehicle's ACC power supply via the cable.

2. LEDs are installed. The LED has a function to light up in a manner that indicates the ON state of the ACC power supply of the vehicle. The apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The system includes a function to monitor the power supply on the vehicle and to stop supplying power to the recording device when the power supply on the vehicle falls below a set voltage. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The vehicle is equipped with a function to receive power from the vehicle even when the ACC power supply is OFF. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A recording device that can be operated by power supply from the device described in any one of claims 1 to 4, The device has a function to perform a first recording, which is a recording in a state where the OFF state of the ACC power supply of the vehicle is not transmitted via the cable from the device, The device has a function to perform a second recording, which is a recording of the vehicle in a state where the OFF state of the ACC power supply is transmitted via the cable from the device, A recording device equipped with the following features.

6. Even if the OFF state of the ACC power supply of the vehicle is transmitted from the device via the cable, the second recording will not be performed until a predetermined time has elapsed since the OFF state of the ACC power supply of the vehicle was transmitted via the cable. The recording device according to claim 5.

7. A system comprising the device described in any one of claims 1 to 4 and the recording device described in claim 5 or 6, A system that enables the functions of the device and the recording device regardless of whether the power supply voltage on the vehicle side is 12V or 24V.

8. A program for a computer to implement the functions of the recording device described in claim 5 or 6.

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