JP7615826B2 - In-vehicle drive recorder system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an in-vehicle drive recorder system.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses an assault detection device that captures and records images outside the vehicle for a specified period of time when it detects an impact to the vehicle. This assault detection device detects an impact to the vehicle when acceleration exceeding a specified threshold is applied to the vehicle.

JP 2006-302017 A

However, if an impact to the vehicle is detected based only on changes in acceleration, as in the case of the offensive behavior detection device described in Patent Document 1, an event other than contact with the vehicle may be detected as an impact, for example, when the vehicle is parked and vibrates due to wind, etc. Therefore, based only on changes in acceleration, it is difficult to accurately determine contact with the vehicle while parked, and it is difficult to record appropriate images related to the contact.

In consideration of the above, the present invention aims to provide an in-vehicle drive recorder system that can accurately detect contact with a parked vehicle and record appropriate data related to the contact.

The in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention described in claim 1 includes a plurality of imaging units that capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle, a recording unit that records the images captured by the plurality of imaging units, a contact detection unit that detects contact with a body of the vehicle while parked based on the captured images and an acceleration input from an acceleration detection unit that detects the acceleration of the vehicle, and a recording control unit that, when the contact is detected by the contact detection unit, causes the recording unit to record, as a first specific image, an image recorded in the recording unit at a specific time prior to the time when the vehicle was determined to be parked, and causes the recording unit to record, as a second specific image, images captured by the plurality of imaging units after the contact is detected, until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

According to the in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention described in claim 1, the contact detection unit detects contact with the body of the parked vehicle based on the acceleration input from the acceleration detection unit that detects the acceleration of the vehicle and the captured images captured by the multiple imaging units. Therefore, contact with the vehicle can be detected more accurately than when contact with the body of the parked vehicle is detected based only on acceleration.

Furthermore, when the contact detection unit detects contact with the vehicle, the recording control unit causes the recording unit to record, as a first specific image, an image captured at a specific time prior to the time when the host vehicle was determined to be parked, among the captured images recorded in the recording unit. This makes it possible to record an adjacent vehicle that is already parked when parking the host vehicle. Furthermore, the recording control unit causes the recording unit to record, as a second specific image, captured images captured by the multiple imaging units after contact with the host vehicle is detected, until a predetermined condition is satisfied. This makes it possible to record an adjacent vehicle parked next to the host vehicle while the host vehicle is parked. In this way, according to the in-vehicle drive recorder system according to the present invention described in claim 1, the recording control unit can record appropriate data related to contact.

The in-vehicle drive recorder system according to the present invention described in claim 2 is the in-vehicle drive recorder system described in claim 1, in which the contact detection unit detects contact with the body of the parked vehicle when a moving object is detected within a specific distance from the vehicle in the captured images captured by the multiple imaging units when the change in acceleration becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

According to the in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention described in claim 2, the contact detection unit detects contact with the body of the parked vehicle when a moving object is detected within a specific distance from the vehicle in the captured images captured by the multiple imaging units when the change in acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. That is, after determining that there is a possibility of contact with the body of the parked vehicle based on a change in acceleration, the captured images detect that a moving object has entered within a specific distance from the vehicle. In this way, contact with the body of the parked vehicle can be detected based on acceleration and the captured images, so that contact with the vehicle can be detected with higher accuracy than when contact with the body of the parked vehicle is detected based only on acceleration.

The in-vehicle drive recorder system according to the present invention described in claim 3 is the in-vehicle drive recorder system described in claim 2, in which the predetermined condition is that, in the captured images captured by the multiple image capture units after the contact detection unit detects contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle while parked, the feature points of the moving object are extracted and tracked, and the feature points of the moving object that were being tracked are no longer extracted in the captured images.

According to the in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention described in claim 3, the predetermined condition is that after the contact detection unit detects contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle, the feature points of the moving object are extracted and tracked in the captured images captured by the multiple imaging units, and the feature points of the moving object that were being tracked are no longer extracted in the captured images. This makes it possible to record captured images until the adjacent vehicle parked adjacent to the parked vehicle moves away from the vicinity of the vehicle.

The in-vehicle drive recorder system according to the present invention described in claim 4 is the in-vehicle drive recorder system described in claim 2 or claim 3, in which the predetermined threshold is set lower than normal while the vehicle is parked.

According to the in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention described in claim 4, when the vehicle is parked, the predetermined threshold is set lower than normal, so that the contact detection unit can detect even minute changes in acceleration, i.e., slight contact with the vehicle.

The in-vehicle drive recorder system according to the present invention described in claim 5 is the in-vehicle drive recorder system described in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the recording control unit prohibits overwriting of the first specific image and the second specific image recorded in the recording unit.

According to the in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention described in claim 5, the recording control unit prohibits overwriting of the first specific image and the second specific image recorded in the recording unit, so that appropriate data related to the contact can be reliably retained as a record.

As described above, the in-vehicle drive recorder system of the present invention has the excellent effect of accurately detecting contact with the vehicle while parked and recording appropriate data related to the contact.

1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an in-vehicle drive recorder system according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a control device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device according to an embodiment. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining contact detection by a contact detection unit; FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for explaining recording of a first specific image. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) for explaining recording of a second specific image. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram (part 2) for explaining recording of a second specific image. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram (part 3) for explaining recording of a second specific image. 4 is a flowchart for explaining control by the control device.

The vehicle-mounted drive recorder system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. Note that in the following description, when the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions are indicated, these directions refer to the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions of the vehicle, and the arrow FR shown in each figure indicates the forward direction in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the arrow RH indicates the right direction in the width direction of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle-mounted drive recorder system 10 of this embodiment includes an acceleration sensor 12, a surroundings monitoring camera 14, a recording unit 16, and a control unit 20.

The acceleration sensor 12 is an acceleration detection unit that detects the acceleration of a vehicle 40 (hereinafter referred to as "host vehicle 40") equipped with the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10. The acceleration sensor 12 outputs the detected acceleration to the control device 20. This acceleration sensor 12 may be configured integrally with the main body of the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10. In addition, this acceleration sensor 12 may be an acceleration sensor fixed to the body of the host vehicle 40.

The perimeter monitoring camera 14 is a camera that captures images of the periphery of the vehicle 40, and is equipped with multiple imaging units composed of color CCD (Charge Coupled Device) cameras and the like. In this embodiment, the multiple imaging units include a front camera 14A that captures images in front of the vehicle 40, a rear camera 14B that captures images behind the vehicle 40, a right side camera 14C that captures images on the right side of the vehicle 40, and a left side camera 14D that captures images on the left side of the vehicle 40. The front camera 14A, rear camera 14B, right side camera 14C, and left side camera 14D are installed on the inside or outside of the front, rear, right side, and left side of the vehicle 40, respectively. The perimeter monitoring camera 14 captures images of the periphery of the vehicle based on an imaging signal from the control device 20, and outputs the captured image data to the control device 20 and the recording unit 16.

The recording unit 16 is a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and records the images captured by the surroundings monitoring camera 14. It also records the vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 40.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 22, a ROM (Read only Memory) 24, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 26, a storage 28, and an input/output I/F 30. The CPU 22, the ROM 24, the RAM 26, the storage 28, and the input/output I/F 30 are connected to each other via a bus 32 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

The CPU 22 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each part. That is, the CPU 22 reads a program from the ROM 24 or the storage 28, and executes the program using the RAM 26 as a working area. The CPU 22 controls each component and performs various calculation processes, which will be described later, according to the program stored in the ROM 24 or the storage 28.

The ROM 24 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 26 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage 28 is composed of a storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), and stores various programs including the operating system, and various data.

The input/output I/F 30 is an interface that allows the control device 20 to communicate with the acceleration sensor 12, the surrounding monitoring camera 14, the recording unit 16, etc.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 20. The control device 20 has a contact detection unit 210 and a recording control unit 220. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 22 reading and executing an execution program stored in the ROM 24 or storage 28.

The contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle 40 while parked, based on the acceleration of the vehicle 40 input from the acceleration sensor 12 and the captured image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14. Specifically, when the change in the acceleration of the vehicle 40 input from the acceleration sensor 12 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the contact detection unit 210 determines that it is highly likely that a moving object has contacted the vehicle, and starts acquiring the captured image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14. The captured image may be acquired directly from the periphery monitoring camera 14, or may be acquired from an image recorded in the recording unit 16. The predetermined threshold is set lower when the vehicle 40 is parked than when the vehicle is running or the like. Specifically, when the ignition switch (also referred to as IG; not shown) is turned OFF, the contact detection unit 210 determines that the vehicle 40 is parked and sets the predetermined threshold lower.

Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining contact detection by the contact detection unit 210. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the captured image acquired by the contact detection unit 210 is a right side image A1 of the right side area of the vehicle 40 captured by the right side camera 14C. In this case, as shown in the right side image A1 enlarged in Figure 4, the contact detection unit 210 detects whether or not a moving object is present in the vehicle vicinity area 42 indicated by diagonal lines in Figure 4. The vehicle vicinity area 42 is an area that is preset within a specific distance from the vehicle 40, and this vehicle vicinity area 42 is the area in which the intrusion of a moving object is detected.

As shown in FIG. 4, when, for example, a door 50A, which is part of an adjacent vehicle 50 parked adjacent to the vehicle 40, enters the vehicle vicinity area 42 in the right side image A1, the contact detection unit 210 recognizes that a moving object is entering. That is, the contact detection unit 210 determines that the adjacent vehicle 50 has come into contact with the body of the vehicle 40, and detects the adjacent vehicle 50's contact with the vehicle 40. Note that by detecting the position coordinates of the door 50A in the right side image A1 captured in chronological order, it is determined whether the door 50A is a moving object.

When no moving object is entering the right side image A1, if the right side image A1 is an image obtained directly from the surrounding surveillance camera 14, the recording control unit 220 stops recording the right side image A1 in the recording unit 16, and if the right side image A1 is an image obtained from the recording unit 16, the recording control unit 220 deletes the right side image A1 recorded in the recording unit 16.

The contact detection unit 210 also performs the same processing as the right side image A1 on the forward image of the area in front of the vehicle 40 captured by the front camera 14A, the rear image of the area in the rear of the vehicle 40 captured by the rear camera 14B, and the left side image of the area in the left side of the vehicle 40 captured by the left side camera 14D, and determines that contact with the body of the vehicle 40 has occurred if a moving object is entering in at least one of the captured images among the forward image, rear image, right side image, and left side image.

In this embodiment, the captured images used to determine that a moving object is entering the area 42 near the vehicle are images showing the moving object entering the area 42 near the vehicle, the moment of collision, and the object moving away after the collision, so the recording control unit 220 stores these images in the recording unit 16 as instantaneous images.

Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the recording of the first specific image. The upper diagram of Figure 5 shows a state in which the ignition switch of the vehicle 40 is turned OFF, i.e., the vehicle 40 is parked. In this state, i.e., when the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle 40, the recording control unit 220 causes the recording unit 16 to record an image captured at a specific time before the vehicle 40 was parked as the first specific image. Note that the recording control unit 220 determines that the time before the ignition switch (not shown) was turned OFF is before the vehicle 40 was parked, and stores an image captured at a specific time prior to the time the ignition switch was turned OFF as the first specific image.

In this embodiment, the first specific image is an image captured within a predetermined distance from the parking position of the vehicle 40. Before the vehicle 40 is parked, as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 5, in order to park the vehicle 40 in the target parking space P, the vehicle 40 moves forward and backward at a position away from the target parking space P. The amount of movement varies depending on the size of the vehicle, that is, the model, etc. Therefore, the predetermined distance is set in advance for each model of the vehicle 40, taking into account the amount of forward and backward movement of the vehicle 40 during parking. As a result, the above-mentioned specific time before parking the vehicle 40 is the time while the vehicle 40 is present within the predetermined distance before the ignition switch (not shown) is turned off.

Therefore, the first specific image is an image captured from a position a predetermined distance away from the target parking space P, as shown in the lower diagram of Figure 5. For example, assume that the vehicle 40 moves forward from right to left in front of the target parking space P. In this case, when the vehicle 40 is located within the predetermined distance, an image of the area in front of the vehicle 40 captured by the front camera 14A, for example, is recorded as the first specific image. Therefore, the front and right side of the adjacent vehicles 50, 60 that are parked in advance on both sides of the target parking space P are recorded in the recording unit 16.

On the other hand, when the vehicle 40 turns right in front of the target parking space P, an image of the rear area of the vehicle 40 captured by the rear camera 14B, for example, is recorded as the first specific image. Therefore, since the rear camera 14B can capture the front sides of the adjacent vehicles 50, 60 that are parked in advance on both sides of the target parking space P, the first specific image recorded in the recording unit 16 may include a license plate or the like.

The recording control unit 220 also causes the recording unit 16 to record the captured image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle 40 as a second specific image from the time the contact is detected along the time axis until a predetermined condition is satisfied. Figures 6 to 8 are explanatory diagrams for explaining the recording of the second specific image.

Specifically, the recording control unit 220 extracts feature points of the moving object in each captured image taken along the time axis by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, feature points are extracted in right side image A1 of the right side area of the vehicle 40 taken by the right side camera 14C. As an example, the left side portion of the adjacent vehicle 50 parked to the right of the vehicle 40 is captured in right side image A1, and five feature points F are extracted.

The recording control unit 220 tracks and extracts these five feature points F in each captured image. When the five feature points F are tracked, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, the same feature point F as the feature point F extracted in FIG. 6 is extracted in the front image A2 captured by the front camera A after some time has passed from the state in FIG. 6. In this way, the feature points F are successively extracted in the captured images captured at the same time and in chronological order by the front camera 14A, rear camera 14B, right side camera 14C, and left side camera 14D that constitute the perimeter monitoring camera 14.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, when the five feature points F that were being tracked in the right side image A1 captured by the right side camera 14C, the forward image A2 captured by the forward camera 14A, and the left side image A3 captured by the left side camera 14D are no longer extracted, the recording control unit 220 determines that the adjacent vehicle 50 having the feature point F has moved outside the angle of view of the perimeter monitoring camera 14, and stops recording the second specific image in the recording unit 16.

From the above, in this embodiment, the "predetermined condition" is that the feature points of a moving object are extracted and tracked in an image captured by the surrounding surveillance camera 14 after the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40, and the feature points of the moving object that was being tracked are no longer extracted in the captured image.

In addition, since the second specific image recorded in the recording unit 16 shows the adjacent vehicle 50 captured from multiple directions, there is a possibility that the characteristics of the adjacent vehicle 50, such as the license plate, are also recorded in the second specific image.

In addition, in this embodiment, the recording control unit 220 prohibits overwriting of the instantaneous image, the first specific image, and the second specific image recorded in the recording unit 16.

Next, we will explain the operation of the vehicle-mounted drive recorder system 10.

Figure 9 is a flowchart for explaining the control by the control device 20. The control process by the CPU 22 is performed by the CPU 22 reading a program from the ROM 24 or storage 28, expanding it into the RAM 26, and executing it. As an example, the control process shown in Figure 9 is started when the ignition switch of the host vehicle 40 is turned ON.

The CPU 22 determines whether the ignition switch is still ON (step S10), and if it is not ON (step S10; NO), repeats the process of step S10 until it is ON. On the other hand, if the ignition switch is still ON (step S10; YES), the recording control unit 220 stores the captured image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14, i.e., the image of the surroundings of the vehicle 40, and driving data such as the vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 40 in the recording unit 16 (step S11).

Next, the CPU 22 determines whether the ignition switch is turned OFF (step S12). If the ignition switch is not turned OFF (step S12; NO), the CPU 22 proceeds to step S10. On the other hand, if the ignition switch is turned OFF (step S12; YES), the contact detection unit 210 lowers the acceleration change threshold for detecting contact with the vehicle 40 (step S13).

Next, the contact detection unit 210 determines whether the change in acceleration (acceleration change) of the vehicle 40 input from the acceleration sensor 12 is greater than a predetermined threshold (step S14). If the change in acceleration (acceleration change) of the vehicle 40 input from the acceleration sensor 12 is less than the predetermined threshold (step S14; NO), the contact detection unit 210 determines that there is no contact with the vehicle 40 and ends the series of processes.

On the other hand, if the change in acceleration of the vehicle 40 (acceleration change) input from the acceleration sensor 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (step S14; YES), it is determined that there is a high possibility that a moving object has come into contact with the vehicle, and the contact detection unit 210 starts acquiring images captured by the surroundings monitoring camera 14 (step S15).

Next, the contact detection unit 210 determines whether or not there is a moving object in the area 42 near the vehicle based on the captured image acquired in step S15 (step S16). If there is no moving object (step S16; NO), the contact detection unit 210 determines that there has been no contact with the vehicle 40 and ends the series of processes. On the other hand, if there is a moving object (step S16; YES), the contact detection unit 210 determines that there has been contact with the vehicle 40 and detects the contact (step S17).

Next, the recording control unit 220 causes the recording unit 16 to record the captured image taken at a specific time before parking the vehicle 40 as a first specific image (step S18), and further causes the recording unit 16 to record the captured image taken by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after contact detection by the contact detection unit 210 as a second specific image (step S19). Note that the recording of the first specific image and the second specific image has been explained in detail above, so an explanation will be omitted here.

Next, the recording control unit 220 extracts and tracks the feature point F of the moving object in each captured image captured at the same time and in chronological order by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after the contact detection by the contact detection unit 210 (step S20). Then, the recording control unit 220 determines whether the feature point F has been extracted in the captured image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14 (step S21). If the feature point F has been extracted (step S21; YES), the recording control unit 220 takes over and records the second specific image. If the feature point F has not been extracted (step S21; NO), the recording control unit 220 determines that the feature point of the moving object has disappeared from the angle of view, i.e., the moving object is not captured in the captured image, and ends the recording of the second specific image (step S22), and ends the series of processes. In this manner, the series of processes is performed.

Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be explained.

According to the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10 of this embodiment, the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the body of the parked vehicle 40 based on the acceleration input from the acceleration sensor 12 that detects the acceleration of the vehicle 40 and the captured image captured by the surroundings monitoring camera 14. Therefore, contact with the vehicle 40 while parked can be detected with higher accuracy compared to the case where contact with the body of the parked vehicle 40 is detected based only on the acceleration.

When the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle 40, the recording control unit 220 causes the recording unit 16 to record an image captured at a specific time before the vehicle 40 is parked as a first specific image. This makes it possible to record adjacent vehicles 50 and 60 that are already parked when parking the vehicle 40.

Normally, even if the adjacent vehicles 50, 60 parked next to the vehicle 40 are imaged by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after the vehicle 40 is parked, the image is not stored in the recording unit 16. In this embodiment, the recording control unit 220 records the image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after contact with the vehicle 40 is detected as a second specific image in the recording unit 16 until a predetermined condition is met. This makes it possible to record the vehicle parked next to the vehicle 40 while the vehicle 40 is parked. In this way, the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10 according to this embodiment allows the recording control unit 220 to record appropriate data related to the contact.

In addition, according to the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10 of this embodiment, the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the body of the parked vehicle 40 when a moving object is detected within a specific distance from the vehicle 40 in the captured image captured by the surrounding monitoring camera 14 when the change in acceleration becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. That is, after determining that there is a possibility of contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40 based on the change in acceleration, the captured image detects that a moving object has entered within a specific distance from the vehicle. In this way, contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40 can be detected based on the acceleration and the captured image, so that contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40 can be detected with higher accuracy than when contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40 is detected based only on the acceleration.

Furthermore, according to the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10 of this embodiment, the predetermined condition is that in the captured image captured by the periphery monitoring camera 14 after the contact detection unit 210 detects contact with the vehicle body of the parked vehicle 40, the feature point F of the moving object is extracted and tracked, and the feature point F of the moving object that was being tracked is no longer extracted in the captured image. This makes it possible to record the captured image until the adjacent vehicles 50, 60 parked adjacent to the parked vehicle 40 leave the vicinity of the vehicle.

In addition, according to the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10 of this embodiment, when the vehicle 40 is parked, the predetermined threshold is set lower than normal, so that the contact detection unit 210 can detect even minute changes in acceleration, i.e., slight contact with the vehicle.

In addition, in the in-vehicle drive recorder system 10 according to this embodiment, the recording control unit 220 prohibits overwriting of the first specific image and the second specific image recorded in the recording unit 16, so that appropriate data related to the contact can be reliably retained as a record.

In the above embodiment, the host vehicle 40 is determined to be parked when the ignition switch is turned OFF, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the host vehicle 40 may be determined to be parked when the shift range of the shift lever of the host vehicle 40 is selected to the parking position.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the periphery monitoring camera 14 is configured with four cameras 14A to 14D, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as it is possible to obtain images of the surroundings of the vehicle 40, it may be configured with more or less than four cameras.

In the above embodiment, the camera constituting the perimeter monitoring camera 14 is configured as a color CCD, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured as a monochrome CCD, or as another type of camera such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera.

In the above embodiment, the first specific image is an image captured within a predetermined distance from the parking position of the vehicle 40, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first specific image may be, for example, all images captured by the surroundings monitoring camera 14 during a period from the time the vehicle 40 is parked to a predetermined time period prior to the time the vehicle 40 is parked.

In addition, various processors other than the CPU may execute each process that the CPU 22 shown in FIG. 2 executes by reading the software (program) in the above embodiment. Examples of processors in this case include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, and dedicated electrical circuits such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) that are processors with circuit configurations designed exclusively to execute specific processes. Each process may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (e.g., multiple FPGAs, a combination of a CPU and an FPGA, etc.). The hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

The programs described in the above embodiments may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The programs may also be provided in a form downloaded from an external device via a network.

The above embodiments and modifications can be implemented in any suitable combination.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it is of course possible to implement the invention in various other modified forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

10 Vehicle-mounted drive recorder system 12 Acceleration sensor (acceleration detection unit)
14 Periphery monitoring camera 14A Front camera (imaging unit)
14B Rear camera (imaging unit)
14C Right side camera (imaging unit)
14D Left side camera (imaging unit)
16 Recording unit 210 Contact detection unit 220 Recording control unit 40 Vehicle 50 Adjacent vehicle 60 Adjacent vehicle A1 Right side image (captured image)
A2 Front image (captured image)
A3 Left side image (captured image)
F. Feature points

Claims (5)

A plurality of imaging units for imaging the surroundings of the host vehicle;
a recording unit that records images captured by the plurality of imaging units;
a contact detection unit that detects contact with a vehicle body of the host vehicle while parked based on the acceleration input from an acceleration detection unit that detects the acceleration of the host vehicle and the captured image;
a recording control unit that, when the contact is detected by the contact detection unit, causes the recording unit to record, as a first specific image, an image captured at a specific time prior to the time when the host vehicle was determined to be parked, among the captured images recorded in the recording unit, and causes the recording unit to record, as a second specific image, captured images captured by the plurality of imaging units after the contact is detected, until a predetermined condition is satisfied; and
An in-vehicle drive recorder system including: The vehicle-mounted drive recorder system according to claim 1, wherein the contact detection unit detects contact with the body of the vehicle when the vehicle is parked and a moving object is detected within a specific distance from the vehicle in the captured images captured by the multiple imaging units when the change in acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. The vehicle-mounted drive recorder system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition is that, in the captured images captured by the multiple image capturing units after the contact detection unit detects contact with the vehicle body of the vehicle while parked, the feature points of the moving object are extracted and tracked, and the feature points of the moving object that were being tracked are no longer extracted in the captured images. The vehicle-mounted drive recorder system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the predetermined threshold is set lower than normal while the vehicle is parked. The vehicle-mounted drive recorder system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the recording control unit prohibits overwriting of the first specific image and the second specific image recorded in the recording unit.