Vehicle Camera Triggering via External Sensors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle security cameras often fail to capture contextual video footage before an incident occurs, as they activate only after physical contact, missing opportunities for preventative measures due to their power-saving modes and inability to detect triggers from behind the windshield.

Innovation Solution

A car security camera triggering mechanism using low-powered sensors mounted externally to detect trigger conditions and wirelessly activate the camera, allowing video capture and analysis before potential threats reach the vehicle, integrating with the vehicle's OBD-II port for communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the vehicle camera operates in a low-powered state to save battery, then power consumption is reduced, but the camera fails to detect trigger conditions early enough to capture contextual video footage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddetection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the detection function into two separate components: low-powered sensors mounted externally on the vehicle that remain active to detect trigger conditions, and the main vehicle camera that operates in low-powered state. This segmentation allows early detection without keeping the main camera continuously powered, resolving the contradiction between power saving and early detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The externally mounted sensors perform preliminary detection of trigger conditions before the vehicle camera needs to activate. By detecting threats early in advance, the system provides sufficient time for the camera to power up and capture contextual footage, thus losing minimal time while maintaining power savings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If the camera is mounted behind the windshield to protect it, then the camera is protected from damage, but it cannot detect trigger conditions from a distance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecamera protectionVSAvoiddetection range

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The solution moves the detection function to another dimension by mounting sensors externally on the vehicle surface, outside the protected interior space. This allows the sensors to detect trigger conditions from a distance while the camera remains protected behind the windshield, resolving the contradiction between protection and detection range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Use of energy by moving object

If the camera activates only after physical contact is detected, then power is saved during standby, but contextual video footage is missed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidvideo context

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The externally mounted sensors perform preliminary detection of trigger conditions before the camera activates. This early detection provides sufficient time for the camera to power up and capture contextual footage of the approaching threat, ensuring that video context is preserved while still maintaining power savings during standby mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The external sensors act as an intermediary between the physical trigger condition and the camera activation. They detect the trigger condition early and provide a warning signal that allows the camera to activate in time to capture contextual footage, bridging the gap between power-saving standby mode and the need for early detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If the camera operates continuously to capture all events, then no trigger conditions are missed, but battery power is depleted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevent detection reliabilityVSAvoidbattery power

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the detection function between low-powered external sensors that remain continuously active and the main camera that operates only when needed. This allows reliable event detection to be maintained through the always-on sensors while the camera consumes battery power only during actual events, resolving the contradiction between reliability and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11616932B1Car security camera triggering mechanism

Publication Date: 2023.03.28 AMBARELLA INT LP

AI summary

An apparatus including a capture device and one or more sensors. The capture device may be configured to operate in a standby mode of operation until a wakeup signal is received and operate in video capture mode of operation in response to the wakeup signal. The sensors may each be configured to detect a trigger condition and communicate the wakeup signal in response to detecting the trigger condition. The capture device may be configured to consume a first amount of power in the standby mode of operation and a second amount of power in the video capture mode of operation. The first amount of power may be less than the second amount of power. The capture device may be configured to generate pixel data in the video capture mode of operation. Each of the sensors may be remotely located on a vehicle with respect to the capture device.