JP7717397B2 - Systems etc. - Google Patents

Description

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018: https://www.yupiteru.co.jp/products/drive_recorder/s20/

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018. https://www.yupiteru.co.jp/products/drive_recorder/s20/spec.html

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018. https://www.yupiteru.co.jp/products/drive_recorder/s20/app.html

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018. https://www.yupiteru.co.jp/products/drive_recorder/s20/option.html

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018. https://www.yupiteru.co.jp/products/drive_recorder/s20/support.html

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018. https://my.yupiteru.co.jp/upload/save_image/manual/pdf/S20.pdf

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018: https://my.yupiteru.co.jp/upload/save_image/manual/pdf/S20_Initial_Setup_Manual.pdf

Applicable under Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Published online on December 21, 2018: https://my.yupiteru.co.jp/upload/save_image/manual/pdf/SQ-700919.pdf

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act On December 17, 2018, the system (in-vehicle surveillance camera & drive recorder S20) was wholesaled to the applicant's designated store.

The present invention relates to, for example, a system.

Regarding inventions related to in-vehicle devices and systems (paragraph [0001], etc.), paragraph [0055] states, "When the power supply from the ACC power source is interrupted, the monitoring battery switches the power supply source to the drive recorder from the vehicle to the internal battery and continues to supply power to the drive recorder." Paragraph [0076] also states, "'My Area' refers to an area where surveillance recording is performed automatically, even when the 'Recording Mode' is set to 'Manual.' 'My Cancellation Area' refers to an area where surveillance recording is not performed automatically, even when the 'Recording Mode' is set to 'Auto.' For example, if a user registers a home parking lot that does not have security as a 'My Area,' surveillance recording can be performed automatically when the user parks in the home parking lot. 'My Cancellation Area' can be registered in advance in 'Settings.' Furthermore, for example, if a user registers a workplace parking lot that has security as a 'My Cancellation Area,' surveillance recording can be prevented in the workplace parking lot."

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-195755

For example, when switching between performing and not performing surveillance recording while parked, it can be cumbersome to change the registered settings. For example, if a driver wants to exit the vehicle quickly after parking and turning off the ACC, a system that requires changing the registered settings may not be able to meet the driver's needs. Furthermore, when parking and exiting the vehicle, the driver may want to activate/suppress the parking monitoring function appropriately without having to switch settings, etc.

Traditionally, parking monitoring has been standardized, with the decision whether or not to record surveillance footage, and it has not been possible to perform parking monitoring that takes into account factors such as the vehicle's condition (e.g., remaining battery charge), the location where the vehicle is parked, the surrounding conditions, or the length of time the vehicle has been parked. One of the purposes of this invention is to solve these issues regarding surveillance recording footage while the vehicle is parked.

However, there is an issue with dashcams: it is difficult to determine where in the data recorded by a dashcam is data recorded during driving situations where an accident is imminent (a so-called near miss). Current dashcams are specialized in recording accidents, so when there is a large impact that exceeds the G-sensor threshold, the data is saved as an event recording (also called an event record) with a higher priority. However, unless the user operates the event button to instruct event recording when an accident is imminent (a near miss), the image of the near miss may be buried in the images of regular recordings, making it difficult to identify later. This makes it cumbersome to review near miss driving through video. Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to solve these issues related to recording while driving.

The above-mentioned problems are described as being independent of each other, and the present invention does not necessarily need to solve all of the problems described. The purpose of the present invention is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to configurations that aim to achieve the effects achieved from the components disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc., through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, this specification discloses a problem in which the phrase "can do" is read as "the problem is." The problems are described as being independent of each other, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to the configurations that solve these problems individually through divisional applications, amendments, etc. Even if the problem is implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include part of the configuration described in this specification in the scope of the patent claim through amendments or divisional applications. Problems that combine these independent problems have also been disclosed.

(1) The system is provided with a parking monitoring function that records video captured at parking positions, and a function that sets a parking position at which activation of the parking monitoring function is inhibited. The parking monitoring function is preferably configured to record the video if predetermined conditions are met, even when the vehicle is parked at the set parking position.

When certain conditions are met, the video captured at the parking position is recorded while maintaining the parking position setting that inhibits the parking monitoring function. Because the parking position setting that inhibits recording is maintained, if the vehicle is subsequently parked at the set parking position without satisfying the certain conditions, the parking monitoring function will be inhibited. For example, this solves the problem of drivers wanting to activate/inhibit the parking monitoring function appropriately when parking and exiting the vehicle without having to perform any special operations (such as switching cumbersome settings).

(2) It is preferable to suppress the operation of the parking monitoring function by not recording the video. In this way, the parking monitoring function will not record video when the vehicle is parked in a set parking position. By setting an appropriate parking position in advance, when parking the vehicle and getting out, parking monitoring can be performed in the desired position but not in the set parking position. Since the set parking position has not changed, parking will not be recorded when the vehicle is subsequently parked in that parking position. This ensures that parking will not be recorded in places where parking should not normally be recorded.

(3) The parking monitoring function may be inhibited from operating if certain conditions are met, even if the vehicle is parked in a position other than the currently set parking position. If the vehicle is parked in a position other than the currently set parking position, the parking monitoring function will record video footage taken at the parking position, but if certain conditions are met, the parking monitoring function will be inhibited from operating. For example, since the parking monitoring function may be inhibited without the need to set a parking position, the next time the vehicle is parked, video footage of the parking situation can be recorded without any special operations.

(4) The system has a function for setting a parking position at which video footage is recorded while the vehicle is parked, and a parking monitoring function for recording video footage when the vehicle is parked in the set parking position. The parking monitoring function preferably suppresses video recording if certain conditions are met, even when the vehicle is parked in the set parking position.

In this way, if the vehicle is parked in a set parking position, video footage of the parking session can be recorded even when the driver exits the vehicle. If certain conditions are met, the parking position setting for recording video footage while parking can be maintained, while video recording can be suppressed. In this case, since the parking position setting is maintained, if the vehicle is subsequently parked in the set parking position without meeting the certain conditions, video footage of the parking session will be recorded. This allows, for example, the driver to activate/suppress the appropriate parking monitoring function while exiting the vehicle without having to perform any special operations (such as switching cumbersome settings) when parking and exiting the vehicle.

(5) The parking monitoring function may record video footage of the vehicle being parked if certain conditions are met, even if the vehicle is parked in a location other than the currently set parking location. This allows video footage to be recorded when the vehicle is parked in a location other than the currently set parking location without changing the settings. Since the currently set parking location has not been changed, the next time the vehicle is parked, the parking event will not be recorded without any special operation.

(6) The predetermined condition may be based on the operation performed when the vehicle is parked in the parking position. In this way, if the vehicle is parked in the set parking position, the operation performed when the vehicle is parked in the parking position may cause the parking monitoring to operate differently from the setting.

(7) It is preferable to provide a function that changes the light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit based on the operation. In this way, for example, by checking the light-emitting state when the user performs an operation, it is possible to visually determine whether the current state meets predetermined conditions. For example, if the user is unable to perform an operation or performs a different operation, the user can redo the operation and have the system perform the desired operation.

(8) The operation can be used to switch whether or not the specified condition is met, and if the operation is not performed within a specified time after parking, the specified condition is considered to be met. If the operation is performed, the specified time is extended, and it is determined whether or not the specified condition is met when the extended time has elapsed.

In this way, even if an incorrect operation is made, the specified time is extended by the operation, ensuring sufficient time to try again correctly if an unintended operation is made. Furthermore, if the correct operation is made, the content based on the last operation is confirmed after the specified time has elapsed, eliminating the need for a separate operation to confirm the content, reducing the user's operational effort and allowing them to disembark more quickly.

(9) It is preferable to provide a function for switching whether the predetermined condition is met or not in response to an operation different from the above operation, and a function for updating the settings related to the parking position. This makes it easy to choose whether to perform a different operation from the settings just this time without changing the settings for the parking position, or to update the settings and perform the same operation as this time from next time onwards.

(10) A display unit may be provided, and the predetermined condition may be based on operations performed on the screen of the display unit when the vehicle is parked in the parking position. The predetermined condition can be easily met by operating the screen of the display unit.

(11) It is desirable to provide a function that confirms that the specified conditions are met when an operation is performed on the screen. This allows the specified conditions to be met early, and the driver can exit the vehicle immediately. By looking at the display, there is less risk of making an erroneous operation, such as pressing the wrong button, so we decided to improve convenience by allowing immediate confirmation.

(12) The display unit may simultaneously display a first area to be operated to satisfy the predetermined conditions and a second area to be operated to update the settings related to the current parking position. This makes it easy to instruct the driver whether to operate differently from the current settings just for this parking position without changing the settings, or to update the settings and operate the same as this time from next time onwards.

(13) It is preferable that the system be provided with a display unit, and that if the power source supplying power to the system is the vehicle's battery, the display unit display the vehicle's battery voltage; if a separate power source is used, the display unit should not display the battery voltage. In this way, when power is being supplied from the vehicle's battery, the battery voltage is displayed, allowing the user to, for example, recognize the battery status and decide whether or not to perform parking monitoring. The type of power source can also be determined from whether or not the battery voltage is displayed.

(14) The system may include a first device having the video recording function, a second device having the display unit, and a connection control device connecting the first device and the second device, and the connection control device may have a function for supplying power to the first device and the second device based on power supplied from a connected power source, a communication control function for communicating with the first device and the second device, and a power control function for controlling the ON/OFF of the power supplied to the first device and the second device. In this way, the connection control device can control the power supply, communication, and ON/OFF of the power to each of the first device having the video recording function and the second device having the display unit.

(15) A connection control device that connects a first device having the function of recording video using any of the parking monitoring functions described above and a second device that displays a screen related to the parking monitoring function, the connection control device having a function of supplying power to the first device and the second device based on power supplied from a power source, a communication control function of communicating with the first device and the second device, and a power control function of controlling the ON/OFF of the power supplied to the first device and the second device. In this way, the connection control device can control at least one of the power supply, communication, and power ON/OFF for each of the first device and the second device.

(16) The program according to the present invention may be a program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the system described in any one of (1) to (14) or the functions of the connection control device described in (15).

(17) The present invention may also be specified as a system having a function for determining the state of a vehicle driver and a function for performing event recording in accordance with the state of the driver. In this way, recording can be performed automatically in accordance with the state of the vehicle driver.

The inventions (1) to (17) above can be combined in any way. For example, it is possible to combine all or part of the configuration of the invention shown in (1) with at least part of the configuration of at least one invention from (2) onwards. In particular, it is preferable to combine the invention shown in (1) with at least part of the configuration of at least one invention from (2) onwards. The applicant intends to obtain patent rights, design rights, etc. for those including these configurations by filing amendments, divisional applications, or applications for conversion to design registration applications, etc.

The present invention provides at least one of the following effects: While maintaining the parking position setting that inhibits the activation of the parking monitoring function and records video captured while parking, if certain conditions are met, the system can temporarily perform processing similar to that for a location where no parking position has been set. Because the parking position setting is maintained, if the vehicle is subsequently parked in the set parking position without satisfying the certain conditions, the originally set processing can be performed without requiring any special operations. For example, when the driver parks the vehicle and exits the vehicle, they can activate/suppress the parking monitoring function as appropriate without having to switch settings or perform other tedious tasks.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to these; the effects achieved by the components disclosed in this specification and drawings are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to the components that achieve these effects through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, in this specification, statements such as "can..." clearly state the effects that are achieved, and there are also parts that demonstrate the effects even without the statement "can...". Furthermore, there are effects that can be understood from the components even without such statements.

1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a system according to the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a drive recorder that constitutes the system. 1A is a bottom view showing the drive recorder, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the state in which a cable is attached to the female connector of the drive recorder. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a drive recorder is mounted on a vehicle. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the registration and deletion of a cancellation area. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the registration and deletion of a cancellation area. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a function of the drive recorder executed in response to ACCOFF. 10 is a time chart of the first control section and the second control section executed in response to ACCOOFF. 10 is a time chart of the first control section and the second control section executed in response to ACCOOFF. 10 is a time chart of the first control section and the second control section executed in response to ACCOOFF. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a function of the drive recorder executed in response to ACCOFF. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second embodiment of the system according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a parking recording start flow. 1A and 1B are front views of a radar detector, in which FIG. 1A shows an example of a parking monitoring screen on the display unit, and FIG. 1B shows an example of a power-off screen on the display unit. FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an example of a parking monitoring screen displayed on the display unit of a radar detector, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of a power-off screen. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a radar detector. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a power supply state transition diagram. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a power supply state transition diagram. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a power supply state transition diagram. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting screen. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a setting screen, etc. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an alarm screen.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. These drawings are used to explain the technical features that may be adopted by the present invention. The configurations and shapes of the devices described are merely illustrative examples, and the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes, modifications, and improvements may be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, provided that they do not deviate from the scope of the present invention.

[Basic configuration of one embodiment of the system]
1 shows a preferred embodiment of a drive recorder system, which is a type of device with a parking monitoring function that records video captured while the vehicle is parked. The system 1 of this embodiment includes a drive recorder 2 and a power supply device 3 that supplies power to the drive recorder 2.

In this embodiment, the drive recorder 2 is a device that is later installed in the vehicle. In addition to the drive recorder function of capturing and recording a predetermined area around the vehicle while driving, the drive recorder 2 in this embodiment also has a parking monitoring function of capturing and recording a predetermined area, such as the area in front of the vehicle or the interior of the vehicle, while parking. To achieve this parking monitoring function, the system 1 operates by receiving power from a power supply device 3 provided separately from the vehicle, even when the ignition switch is OFF, such as when the vehicle is parked, i.e., when the ACC (accessory power) is OFF and the power supply from the vehicle battery is OFF.

The power supply device 3 is located between the vehicle and the drive recorder 2 and supplies power to the drive recorder 2. The power supply device 3 is housed in a separate housing from the drive recorder 2. The power supply device 3 includes a charge/discharge control unit 3a, a DC-DC converter 3b, a CPU 3c, and an internal battery 3d. The charge/discharge control unit 3a controls charging of the internal battery 3d and power supply to the drive recorder 2. The internal battery 3d is a secondary battery, implemented, for example, by a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery. The DC-DC converter 3b converts the 12V or 24V voltage supplied from the vehicle's battery to a 5V voltage and outputs it via the charge/discharge control unit 3a. The CPU 3c uses memory (e.g., RAM) (not shown) as a work area and controls each component of the power supply device 3, including the charge/discharge control unit 3a. The CPU 3c also communicates with the drive recorder 2 connected via a cable 4. The cable 4 includes a power line and a communication line.

The charge/discharge control unit 3a receives power from the internal battery 3d. While power is being supplied from the vehicle's battery, the charge/discharge control unit 3a controls the power supply path so that power is supplied from the vehicle's battery to the internal battery 3d and DC-DC converter 3b. This charges the internal battery 3d, and the DC-DC converter 3b supplies voltage-converted power to the drive recorder 2. The charge/discharge control unit 3a determines whether the vehicle's ACC is on or off and switches between charging and discharging the internal battery 3d. When the charge/discharge control unit 3a determines that the ACC is on, it controls the supply of power from the vehicle's battery to the internal battery 3d and DC-DC converter 3b. When the charge/discharge control unit 3a determines that the ACC is off, it controls the discharge of the internal battery 3d and the supply of power from the internal battery 3d to the DC-DC converter 3b.

As described above, while the ACC is ON, the power supply device 3 receives power from the vehicle's battery and outputs power to the drive recorder 2. When the power supply from the vehicle's battery is cut off, the power supply device 3 outputs power to the drive recorder 2 using the internal battery 3d for a specified time after the cutoff. After the specified time has elapsed, the power output is turned off. When the power supply from the vehicle's battery is resumed, the power supply device 3 again outputs power to the drive recorder 2 using the vehicle's battery.

This allows the drive recorder 2 to continue operating for a specified time after the ACC is turned off and the power supply from the vehicle battery is cut off. The specified time may be set, for example, via serial communication from the drive recorder 2. When the drive recorder 2 receives a battery switching signal from the power supply device 3, it transmits a signal commanding the specified time. The CPU 3c may set the specified time to the set value of the specified time contained in the signal commanding the specified time that it receives.

It is also a good idea to provide the power supply device 3 with a DIP switch or other operating unit, and provide the ability to set a specified time. In this way, for example, even a drive recorder without communication capabilities can continue to receive power for a specified time after the supply from the vehicle battery is cut off.

When the power supply from the vehicle battery is cut off, the power supply device 3 switches the power source to the internal battery 3d and supplies power to the drive recorder 2. Because the drive recorder 2 continues to receive power before and after the switch, the drive recorder 2 cannot determine whether the power source is the vehicle battery or the internal battery 3d. For this reason, when the CPU 3c switches the power source to the internal battery 3d, it sends a battery switch signal to the drive recorder 2. If the ACC is turned ON after the power supply device 3 turns OFF its output after a specified time has elapsed, the drive recorder 2 resumes the power supply that had been stopped, and can therefore determine that the ACC is ON. On the other hand, if the ACC is turned ON within the specified time, the drive recorder 2 continues to receive power, and therefore cannot determine whether the power source is the vehicle battery or the internal battery 3d. Therefore, if the ACC is turned ON within the specified time, the CPU 3c transmits a vehicle switching signal to notify that the power supply source has switched to the vehicle battery. This allows the drive recorder 2 to recognize that the ACC has been turned ON and the power supply source has switched to the vehicle battery. As described below, the drive recorder 2 switches operating modes in response to the input of the battery switching signal and vehicle switching signal.

The drive recorder 2 of this embodiment is capable of recording and outputting spherical video obtained by capturing images in all directions, 360 degrees on the horizontal plane and 360 degrees on the vertical plane. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the drive recorder 2 comprises a main body 11 that executes various processes, and a camera unit 12 that is positioned below the main body 11 when installed in a vehicle. Note that the drive recorder 2 is not limited to one that captures and records spherical video. It is preferable that the drive recorder 2 capture and record images of at least one of the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle.

The main body 11 has a flat, rectangular main body case 13, within which various circuit boards and devices are mounted. The main body case 13 is constructed by connecting a first case 14 and a second case 15. The first case 14 and the second case 15 are box-shaped with open opposing faces, and are connected by a connecting means with their leading ends butted together. The connecting means may, for example, consist of a protrusion on one of the first case 14 or the second case 15 and a recess on the other that connects to the protrusion, with the protrusion and recess fitting together.

The first case 14 has a shallow base, an approximately rectangular opening with rounded corners, and a substantially uniform depth throughout. When the drive recorder 2 is installed in the vehicle, the first case 14 is located at the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the surface of the first case 14 opposite the opening becomes the front surface 13a of the main case 13. This front surface 13a is equipped with a joint rail 16. Two joint rails 16 are installed, one above the other and spaced a predetermined distance apart along the length of the first case 14. A bracket 17 is detachably attached between these two joint rails 16.

The second case 15 is box-shaped and deeper than the first case 14. The periphery of the opening is roughly rectangular, with rounded corners, just like the first case 14. When the drive recorder 2 is installed in the vehicle, the second case 15 is located at the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the surface opposite the opening of the second case 15 forms the rear surface 13b of the main case 13. The portion of the rear surface 13b adjacent to one of the pair of long sides of the rectangle is a flat surface 13b' that is a plane parallel to the front surface 13a of the main case 13, and the portion adjacent to the other of the pair of long sides is an inclined surface 13b". The inclined surface 13b" is formed so that it gradually approaches the opening surface of the second case 15 from the middle of the short side toward the outer long side.

Therefore, the depth of the second case 15 is uniform in the area including the flat surface 13b', and gradually becomes shallower toward the long side in the area including the inclined surface 13b". By providing the inclined surface 13b", the external shape of the main case 13 is like a rectangular parallelepiped with one long side chamfered. When the drive recorder 2 is installed in the vehicle, the chamfered long side is at the upper rear of the vehicle. When the first case 14 and second case 15 are connected, the front surface 13a on the first case 14 side and the flat surface 13b' on the second case 15 side are parallel to each other.

A recess 15b is provided at a predetermined position on the rear surface 13b of the main case 13, the surface opposite the opening of the second case 15, and extends vertically. The recess 15b has a shallow bottom, with its rear surface recessed one step further back than the surface of the second case 15. The majority of the recess 15b is located on the flat surface 13b' of the rear surface 13b of the main case 13, with the upper end of the recess 15b located on the inclined surface 13b" and the upper edge open. Within this recess 15b, an LED 36, a first button 37, and a second button 38 are arranged, from top to bottom. The height of the first button 37 and the second button 38 is greater than the depth of the recess 15b, and the surfaces of the first button 37 and the second button 38 protrude slightly outward from the surface of the second case 15 (i.e., the flat surface 13b').

The LED 36 is an example of an illuminant. The light emission state of the LED 36 changes depending on the operating state of the drive recorder 2. The light emission state may be specified, for example, by one or more of the presence or absence of light emission, the color of the light emission, and the timing of light emission. In this embodiment, the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 are operating means that accept a pressing operation (push operation). The first button unit 37 located on the upper side is assigned the function of, for example, a start button. If this first button unit 37 is pressed while recording is stopped, recording will resume. The second button unit 38 located on the lower side is assigned the function of, for example, a stop button. If this second button unit 38 is pressed and held during recording, recording will stop.

The bracket 17 has a flat plate 17a with a groove 17b formed along the longitudinal direction on a pair of long side surfaces. This groove 17b is configured to mate with the joint rail 16. The user attaches or detaches the bracket 17 to or from the main case 13 by aligning this groove 17b with the joint rail 16 and sliding the bracket 17 and main case 13 relative to one another.

An adhesive member such as double-sided adhesive tape 19 is affixed to the surface of the bracket 17 opposite the surface facing the main body case 13. When installing the drive recorder 2 in a vehicle, it is attached and fixed to the windshield 5 of the vehicle via the double-sided adhesive tape 19 (see Figure 4(a) and other figures). In this installed state, the front surface 13a and flat surface 13b' of the main body case 13 are parallel to the mounting surface of the windshield 5, the long sides of the main body case 13 lie in a horizontal plane, and the short sides of the main body case 13 lie in a vertical plane. Therefore, the main body case 13 is fixed in a landscape orientation, attached to the windshield 5, and the camera unit 12 is positioned so that it hangs from the bottom of the main body case 13.

A cutout window 14a is formed on one short side of the first case 14, and a cover member 20 is attached to close the cutout window 14a. The cover member 20 is positioned so as to close the cutout window 14a and is fastened in place with screws 21. When the cover member 20 is removed, a card slot 22 mounted inside the main case 13 is exposed through the cutout window 14a. A memory card 23, such as a micro SD card or SD card, is removably inserted into this card slot 22. The memory card 23 corresponds to a recording medium on which images are stored. The card slot 22 corresponds to an insertion portion into which the memory card 23 is inserted.

A window hole 15a is provided in the second case 15 on the same side as the cutout window 14a, and a female connector 24 is located at the back of this window hole 15a. A male connector 4a provided at one end of the cable 4 is attached to this female connector 24. In this embodiment, the cable 4 includes a power line and a communication line, and the drive recorder 2 receives power from an external power source and communicates with external devices via this cable 4.

On the other hand, the camera unit 12 includes a housing 25, a first camera 26 and a second camera 27 mounted within the housing 25, and a recording button 28. The housing 25 has an overall spherical shape and is constructed by joining two hemispherical halves, a first camera case 25a and a second camera case 25b, in a butt-to-button state. The first camera case 25a and the second camera case 25b can be fastened together, similar to the fastening of the first case 14 and the second case 15 described above, for example, by fitting a protrusion on one of the first camera case 25a and the second camera case 25b with a recess on the other.

The first camera 26 and the second camera 27 are preferably placed back to back, fixed and connected so that they capture images in opposite directions to form a camera unit. The optical axes L of the lens unit, which is one of the components of the first camera 26, and the lens unit, which is one of the components of the second camera 27, are set to be aligned on the same straight line.

The housing 25 of the camera unit 12 is connected to the main case 13 via an angle adjustment mechanism 29. The angle adjustment mechanism 29 rotates the housing 25 only around a rotation axis located along the long side of the front bottom surface of the main case 13, allowing for forward and backward swing (see Figure 4), but preventing sideways swing. For example, the housing 25 is rotatably attached to a bolt located parallel to the long side of the main case 13 at a predetermined position, and a nut 29a is attached to the external thread of the bolt. The nut 29a is located deep inside a hole 13c located on one side of the main case 13. For example, a tool such as a hex wrench is inserted into the hole 13c and engaged with the nut 29a. The nut 29a can be tightened or loosened by rotating the tool forward or backward. Loosening the nut 29a rotates the housing 25 of the camera unit 12 forward or backward, allowing for forward and backward swing. Additionally, by swiveling the head and tightening the nut 29a in an appropriate position, the angle and orientation of the camera unit 12 will be fixed in that position.

The record button 28 is located at the center of the bottom end of the housing 25, and its surface is roughly circular in plan view, forming a curved surface with a radius of curvature roughly equal to the radius of the housing 25. For example, when the record button 28 is pressed, manual recording is performed, and video footage from a predetermined period before and after the button was pressed is recorded to the memory card 23 as one-touch recording. For example, if the record button 28 is pressed during continuous recording, which continuously records video footage taken while driving, the video footage will be recorded in a file separate from the continuous recording file. A record lamp is built into the back and rear side of the record button 28, i.e., inside the housing 25. This record lamp lights up to indicate the recording status.

Various processing circuits, devices, components, etc. are also mounted within the main body case 13. For example, the main body case 13 includes a first control unit 31, a second control unit 32, a sound output unit 33, a microphone 34, a location information storage unit 35, an abnormality detection sensor 39, a GPS receiver 40, a power supply unit 41, and a communication interface 42.

The first control unit 31 operates mainly to realize the parking monitoring function, and the second control unit 32 operates mainly to realize the drive recorder function. The power consumption of the second control unit 32 is greater than that of the first control unit 31. Therefore, while the vehicle is parked and the parking monitoring function is operating, the operation of the second control unit 32 is normally turned off, and the power supply is turned off, thereby reducing power consumption from the internal battery 3d of the power supply device 3 and enabling long-term operation. The functions of each control unit will be described below.

The microphone 34 collects sounds around the drive recorder 2. For example, the microphone 34 collects the voices of passengers inside the vehicle, other sounds generated inside the vehicle, and impact sounds when an object collides with the vehicle. The microphone 34 corresponds to a sound collection means. The sound output unit 33 is, for example, a speaker or buzzer, and outputs predetermined sounds during specified recording, alarms, and operations. The card slot 22 is a device that reads and writes data from the inserted memory card 23. For example, images captured by the camera unit 12 and sounds collected by the microphone 34 are recorded on the memory card 23. The GPS receiver 40 has the function of receiving GPS signals and acquiring location information, date and time information, and speed information from the GPS signals.

The location information storage unit 35 is composed of non-volatile memory. The location information storage unit 35 has a last-measured location storage area that stores and holds the last-measured location measured by the GPS receiver 40, for example. The second control unit 32 stores, rewrites, and updates the location information output from the GPS receiver 40 in the last-measured location storage area.

The parking monitoring function of this embodiment also includes a cancellation function that prevents recording if the vehicle is parked in a registered "cancellation area." For example, if this "cancellation area" is a circular area with a specified radius (e.g., 50 m) centered on the registered parking location, then simply storing parking location information that identifies that parking location will enable the system to determine whether the actual parking location is within the cancellation area. The location information storage unit 35 includes a parking location storage area that stores parking location information to implement this cancellation function. Details of this cancellation function will be provided later.

The abnormality detection sensor 39 is, for example, an acceleration sensor or a six-axis sensor (integrated three-axis acceleration and three-axis angular velocity), and detects the state of the vehicle, such as impacts to the vehicle, vehicle acceleration, and tilt. The abnormality detection sensor 39 is not limited to the above examples, and may be, for example, a Doppler sensor that detects the approach of an object, a proximity sensor, or any other sensor that detects events that trigger the recording of various types of video.

The power supply unit 41 has the function of supplying power supply voltage to devices, such as those included in the drive recorder 2, to operate them. The power supply unit 41 is electrically connected to the power line terminal of the female connector 24, receives power from the power supply device 3, and supplies power supply voltage of the desired voltage value to each device mounted in the main body case 13.

The communication interface 42 connects to the terminal of the communication line of the female connector 24. It communicates between the CPU 3c of the power supply device 3 and the first control unit 31 and/or second control unit 32 of the drive recorder 2.

The first control unit 31 and the second control unit 32 are each microcomputers equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, I/O, etc., and are connected to the above-mentioned units as shown in FIG. 1. The functions of the drive recorder 2 of this embodiment are realized by storing firmware in the NAND Flash memory of the control unit, for example, as firmware executed by the CPU of the control unit, and executing this firmware by the CPU of the control unit. The firmware stored in the NAND Flash memory can be updated with new firmware stored on the memory card 23.

The first control unit 31 and the second control unit 32, either individually or in cooperation, control the operation of output devices (e.g., card slot 22, position information storage unit 35, LED 36, etc.) based on information input from the various input devices (e.g., camera unit 12, microphone 34, position information storage unit 35, first button unit 37, second button unit 38, abnormality detection sensor 39, GPS receiver 40, etc.) and output predetermined information, etc. The second control unit 32, for example, accesses the position information storage unit 35 to read and write, and controls the GPS receiver 40 to obtain position information, etc.

When the engine is started and the ACC is ON, both the first control unit 31 and the second control unit 32 are activated and operate, recording, for example, video data captured by the camera unit 12 and audio data collected by the microphone 34. This recording may be performed, for example, by continuous recording when the vehicle is in a drivable state, such as when the engine is running, and, if an event condition is met, by recording video and audio for a certain period of time before and after the event as separate data. Both the continuous recording data and the separate data at the time of the event are recorded on the memory card 23. Furthermore, when continuous recording is not performed, the second control unit 32 normally temporarily records video and audio for a certain period of time in a buffer memory or the like, and, if the event condition is met, uses the temporarily recorded data to record video and audio for a certain period of time before and after the event on the memory card 23.

In addition, when the vehicle is parked with the engine stopped (ACC OFF), it operates in parking monitoring mode, recording video data captured by the camera unit 12 to the memory card 23 according to set operating conditions. Recording in parking monitoring mode includes, for example, continuous recording, which constantly records images captured for a specified recording time (e.g., 30 minutes), and event recording, which continuously records video data for a specified time when the abnormality detection sensor 39 detects an abnormality. Event recording is performed when event conditions are met, such as "detection of the approach of a person or vehicle," "detection of an impact of a certain level or greater," "detection of a vehicle tilt of a certain level or greater (e.g., jacked up)," or "detection of a vehicle door opening." The abnormality detection sensor 39 is equipped with one or more sensors for performing these detections.

It is recommended that the system automatically switches to event recording after the continuous recording time has elapsed, and continue parking monitoring. Furthermore, if a specific event condition is met during continuous recording, a specific amount of video footage before and after the event occurrence can be recorded as an event recording in a separate file.

When performing event recording, the camera unit 12 stops operating unless there is an operation trigger while the vehicle is parked. For example, if a moving object such as a person or vehicle is detected within the detection area of a microwave-based area sensor, the camera unit 12 is activated and operates to capture images for a specified camera standby time, after which the camera unit 12 stops operating. If a specified event condition is met during that camera standby time, video captured at a specified time before and after the occurrence of the event that met the condition is recorded on the memory card 23.

This parking surveillance mode can be activated, for example, by an operational trigger after the vehicle engine is turned off (ACC OFF). The operational trigger can be "manual," which transitions based on manual operation, or "ACC OFF linked," which transitions automatically when the ACC is turned off. Switching between "manual" and "ACC OFF linked," switching the parking surveillance mode recording method (such as "constant recording + event" and "event only"), various recording methods, and operating times can be controlled, for example, by various mode setting operations.

When operating in this parking monitoring mode, the first control unit 31 is in charge of control, and the second control unit 32 is activated as necessary and operates in cooperation with the first control unit 31, after which the second control unit 32 is turned OFF. For example, the second control unit 32 performs the function of obtaining the current location based on the GPS receiver 40, so when obtaining the current location, the second control unit 32 is activated, and the first control unit 31 obtains location information from the second control unit 32. The second control unit 32 controls the operation of the abnormality detection sensor 39, which is activated during operation in the parking monitoring mode, for example.

[Cancellation area setting for parking recording when using the cancel function]
As described above, the drive recorder of this embodiment has a cancellation function that prevents parking recording when the parking position is within a registered cancellation area. In this embodiment, this cancellation area is registered by registering the parking position as a point. A predetermined range (e.g., 50 m) around the stored point is then set as the cancellation area. Not performing parking recording is an example of suppressing the operation of the parking monitoring function.

Such location registration is triggered when a specific operating means is operated while the drive recorder 2 is operating with the vehicle parked in the desired parking spot. In this embodiment, when the engine is stopped (ACC is turned off), a function is provided to set a cancellation area or delete the set cancellation area based on the push operation of the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 performed within a certain period of time. For example, when the vehicle is parked in a location that is not a cancellation area and the engine is turned off, the first control unit 31 lights up the power lamp LED 36 in red and outputs a "beep beep beep" sound from the sound output unit 33, as shown in Figure 5 (a-1). If the first button 37 and second button 38 are pressed simultaneously within a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) after this sound is output, the second control unit 32 will register parking position information specifying the current position in the parking position memory area of the position information memory unit 35 in accordance with instructions from the first control unit 31. After registration, the first control unit 31 will cause the LED 36 to flash orange and output a "beep beep..." sound from the speaker, as shown in Figure 5 (a-2).

On the other hand, when the vehicle is stopped within the cancellation area and the engine is turned off, the first control unit 31 will illuminate the power lamp LED 36 in orange and output a "beep, beep..." sound from the sound output unit 33, as shown in Figure 5 (b-1). If the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 are pressed simultaneously within a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) after this sound is output, the second control unit 32 will cancel the cancellation area for the current position in accordance with instructions from the first control unit 31. After the cancellation, the first control unit 31 will flash the LED 36 in red and output a "beep, beep" sound from the speaker, as shown in Figure 5 (b-2).

In this way, if the first button 37 and the second button 38 are pressed simultaneously within a predetermined time after ACC is turned off, the first control unit 31 alternately registers and cancels the cancellation area and restarts the predetermined time. In this embodiment, the second control unit 32 updates the contents stored in the position information storage unit 35 in accordance with the decision made by the first control unit 31. If no button operation is performed within a predetermined time, the first control unit 31 confirms the last state. Therefore, for example, if the current state of the parking position (e.g., whether or not a cancellation area is set) is acceptable, the user can exit the vehicle and the operation will proceed as set. However, if, for example, an incorrect operation is made, the user can simultaneously press the first button 37 and the second button 38 to set the desired state for whether or not a cancellation area is set.

Conventionally, this type of cancellation area was registered or canceled using the mode settings while the drive recorder was operating. Therefore, for example, if you turned off the engine while inside the cancellation area and then decided you wanted to use parking monitoring, you had to first turn on the engine and drive recorder 2, delete the cancellation area using the mode settings, and then turn the engine off again, which could be very cumbersome. Similarly, if you turned off the engine outside the cancellation area and confirmed the mode, and then decided you wanted to use parking monitoring, you had to turn on the engine again, operate the drive recorder, and change the settings, which could be very cumbersome.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the current setting (e.g., inside/outside the cancel area) can be switched by operating buttons (e.g., pressing two buttons simultaneously) after turning off the engine, making it easy and smooth to register or cancel the cancel area.

The drive recorder 2 of this embodiment does not have a display unit that displays, for example, images captured by the camera unit 12 or setting screens for various settings. Therefore, it is not possible to display the current situation, such as whether the current location is within the cancellation area. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light emission state (e.g., light color) of the LED 36 and the output sound are changed depending on whether the current location is inside or outside the cancellation area. This allows the user to check the current setting status by, for example, checking the light emission color of the LED 36 or listening to the sound being notified. Therefore, when parking and getting out of the vehicle, the user checks the color of the LED to determine whether it is the desired color, and if it is not, press both buttons simultaneously to change the setting.

As described above, in this embodiment, simultaneous pressing of the first button 37 and the second button 38 alternates between registering and canceling the cancellation area. Therefore, for example, within the cancellation area, only the cancellation of the cancellation area, or in this embodiment, the deletion of parking location information, is possible; additional registration of the same location or a location within distance r from the registered location is not possible. This prevents multiple parking location information from being registered in the same parking lot, for example, and instead registers a single representative central location, thereby reducing memory capacity and allowing multiple cancellation areas to be registered in different locations.

The registration point for the cancellation area uses the last positioning point, which is updated sequentially between when the ACC is turned on and when it is turned off. This means that even if the vehicle is parked in a location where GPS signals cannot be received and positioning is not possible, such as an underground parking lot, the last positioning point, such as the entrance, can be used for registration. Similarly, when determining whether or not the area is a cancellation area, the second control unit 32 can access the last positioning point storage area in accordance with instructions from the first control unit 31 and make a determination based on the acquired location information.

In this way, even when parking in a location where positioning is not possible, such as an underground parking lot, the last positioning location can be used to determine whether the location is a cancel area, and the user who configured the drive recorder can perform parking monitoring or not can choose the desired operation. For example, in the case of an underground parking lot, positioning may not be possible near the entrance to the parking lot, so position information measured near that entrance is recorded and stored in the last positioning location memory area. When setting an underground parking lot as a cancel area, if the cancellation area is set while the vehicle is parked in the underground parking lot, the setting is based on the position information near the parking lot entrance stored in the last positioning location memory area at that time. Therefore, even if GPS is unable to perform positioning when parking in that underground parking lot at a later date, it can be correctly determined that the vehicle is within the cancel area based on the position information (e.g., near the parking lot entrance) stored in the last positioning location memory area.

For example, even if the engine is started in an underground parking lot but positioning is not possible, and the driver stops the engine and parks the vehicle without moving from that state to an area where positioning is possible, such as outdoors, the location information for the entrance to the parking lot is stored as the last recorded point and the last positioning position, so it can determine whether the area is a cancellation area and perform parking monitoring or not, as desired by the user who configured the drive recorder.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple (e.g., 200) cancellation area registration points (parking location information) can be registered. Each piece of parking location information registered in the location information storage unit 35 has a function for registering the number of times it has been referenced in subsequent use in association with that information. In other words, the number of times the registered cancellation area has been parked since is registered in association with that information. When the number of cancellation areas already registered in the location information storage unit 35 is the maximum number that can be registered (e.g., 200), if a new cancellation area is to be registered, the oldest cancellation area that has been referenced the least number of times is deleted before the new cancellation area is registered. Note that if there are multiple cancellation areas with the same number of references and registration date under these conditions, the area with the smallest area number is deleted.

To cancel the cancellation area, for example, as shown in Figure 6(a), if the vehicle's current position Y1 is in a cancellation area within a radius r of a specified parking position information X1, the parking position information X1 that identifies the cancellation area is deleted from the position information storage unit 35. In other words, if there is a central position (parking position information) of an area within a distance r from the current position Y1, the parking position information X1 is deleted.

As mentioned above, additional registrations are not permitted within a cancellation area, but areas outside the cancellation area will be registered as new cancellation areas even if the current location is close to that area. As a result, as shown in Figure 6(b), for example, there are areas where the cancellation areas based on the parking position information X2 and X3, which are the respective registration points, overlap. In such cases, if the vehicle is parked in either of the two areas, the system will operate whether the vehicle is in only one of the cancellation areas or in the overlapping common area, and will not perform parking monitoring.

For example, as shown in Figure 6(b) above, if the vehicle's current position Y2 is located in a cancellation area within a radius r centered on different parking position information X2 and X3, and an instruction to cancel the cancellation area is given while the vehicle is parked in an area where the multiple cancellation areas overlap, the parking position information X2 and X3 that identify each cancellation area will be deleted from the position information storage unit 35. In other words, all cancellation areas whose center points are within a radius r of the current position will be deleted.

(Functions such as temporary parking monitoring and recording within the cancellation area)
In this embodiment, even if the vehicle is parked within a cancellation area based on the currently set parking position information, if certain conditions are met, temporary parking monitoring is performed without changing the cancellation area setting. This temporary parking monitoring mode can be activated by pushing a certain button, which is an operating means, within a certain period of time after the engine is turned off (ACCOFF), just like setting/cancelling the cancellation area.

For example, as described above, when the vehicle is parked within the cancellation area and the engine is turned off, the power lamp LED 36 lights up in orange and a "beep, beep..." sound is output from the sound output unit 33 (see FIG. 5(b-1)). If only the first button unit 37 is operated within a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) after this sound is output, the first control unit 31 activates parking monitoring mode without canceling the cancellation area for the current position, and a "beep, beep, beep" sound is output from the sound output unit 33. In this way, the cancellation area set for the parking position remains registered without being canceled. Therefore, if parking monitoring ends this time and the vehicle is parked again, parking monitoring will not be performed based on the set cancellation area. Therefore, parking monitoring can be performed this time only with a single touch of the first button unit 37.

Cancellation areas can be set, for example, in areas with separate security such as a parking lot on company premises, a garage with a door or shutter at home, places such as convenience stores where you do not park for long periods and return immediately, coffee shops, cafes, and other facilities where you can see and monitor parked vehicles from your location, places where there is an extremely low risk of intrusion or theft, and places where parking recording is pointless. Setting cancellation areas can help prevent wasted memory card capacity and battery consumption.

On the other hand, even if a cancellation area has been set, if there is a reason or circumstance that makes it necessary to record just this once, it is necessary to cancel the cancellation area setting (delete the parking location information) before parking. As described above, in this embodiment, cancellation can be achieved by simultaneously pressing the first button 37 and the second button 38 when exiting the vehicle. This is less cumbersome than previous systems, which required setting functions and modes while the drive recorder was in operation. However, in order to prevent parking recording from occurring the next time the vehicle is parked, the cancellation area must be reset the next time the vehicle is parked, which is cumbersome. Furthermore, if such resetting is not performed, parking will be recorded, resulting in meaningless recording processing.

In this embodiment, only when parking monitoring is desired, the first button 37 is pressed to temporarily cancel the cancel function, set a temporary monitoring area, and perform parking recording. The cancel area setting remains unchanged, so the next time the vehicle is parked, parking recording will not be performed even if the driver exits the vehicle without performing any special operations. In this way, the same operation can be performed without canceling and resetting the registration of the cancel area, and there is no risk of forgetting to reset it. Therefore, after turning off the engine, the driver can exit the vehicle as is or with a simple operation, and perform appropriate parking monitoring (including not performing it) according to the parking location.

In addition, this embodiment is equipped with a function to register a temporary cancellation area outside the cancellation area where parking recording will not be performed this time only. Similar to setting/cancelling a cancellation area, registration of this temporary cancellation area can be performed based on the push of a specified button, which is an operating means, within a specified period of time after the engine is turned off (ACCOFF).

For example, as described above, when the vehicle is parked in a location that is not a cancel area and the engine is turned off, the power lamp LED 36 lights up in red and a "beep, beep, beep" sound is output from the sound output unit 33 (see Figure 5 (a-1)). If only the second button unit 38 is pressed within a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) after this sound is output, the first control unit 31 registers the parking position information identifying the current location as a temporary cancel area without registering it in the parking position memory area of the position information memory unit 35. After registration, the sound output unit 33 outputs a "beep, beep, beep..." sound and the LED 36 flashes orange. If the first button unit 37 is pressed again while the "beep, beep, beep..." sound is being output, the first control unit 31 cancels the temporary cancel area. If the area is registered as a temporary cancellation area, parking monitoring will not be performed while the vehicle is currently parked, but this parking position information will not be registered in the position information storage unit 35. Therefore, the next time the vehicle is parked in the same location, parking recording will continue even if the engine is turned off and the vehicle is left unattended.

As described above, in this embodiment, registering/cancelling a cancellation area is performed by simultaneously pressing the first button 37 and the second button 38, and temporary registration (temporary parking monitoring/temporary cancellation area) is performed by pressing either the first button 37 or the second button 38. In this way, various settings and specifications can be made simply by pressing the desired button within a specified time after stopping the engine. The last button pressed is valid, and no button operation for confirmation is required. Therefore, the user can simply exit the vehicle after pressing the desired button. Furthermore, even if the first button 37 and the second button 38 are located close to each other, and there is a risk of unintended operation, such as pressing the wrong button or pressing both buttons simultaneously when only one button is intended, in this embodiment, pressing a button restarts the waiting time for content confirmation. Therefore, if the user learns of an error from the LED color or sound, they can simply press the correct button again within the specified time, eliminating the need for a separate cancellation operation.

In this way, temporary parking monitoring mode is useful when parking in a cancel area and you anticipate unusual parking conditions, such as when children are playing nearby and may cause mischief, or when you are likely to park for a relatively long time. Registering a temporary cancel area may be useful, for example, if you normally do not set a cancel area, but if there is a lot of pedestrian traffic nearby, it may be predicted that parking recording will be performed frequently in response to the detection of nearby people. If you exit the vehicle in such a case, a lot of unnecessary recording will occur, so it is useful to register a temporary cancel area to reduce memory consumption and battery capacity loss. It is also useful to disable parking recording this time only, based on the status of the vehicle's battery and internal battery. Because these events are temporary, the next time you park, the driver or other user can exit the vehicle without operating any buttons, and processing will be performed based on the normally registered cancel area.

Drivers also have issues such as not wanting to have to go through the hassle of switching settings when parking and getting out of the vehicle, or wanting to be able to safely not record parking without having to go through the hassle of operations after parking temporarily in a location where parking is not normally required. This embodiment is advantageous in that it can solve these issues.

Figure 7 shows the processing flow executed in response to the aforementioned ACC OFF, which turns off the engine. This flowchart is for the case where "ACC OFF Linkage" is set, which automatically switches to parking monitoring when ACC is turned off. The flowchart shown in Figure 7 also operates in cooperation with the first control unit 31 and second control unit 32. The first control unit 31 and second control unit 32 may be collectively referred to simply as the "control unit."

When ACCOFF occurs, the control unit determines whether the current position is within a cancellation area and checks the ACC status (S1). The ACC status is checked by the first control unit 31, and if ACCON occurs, the drive recorder 2 is powered on. Furthermore, control during parking after ACCOFF is primarily handled by the first control unit 31, and the actual determination of whether the vehicle is within a cancellation area is made by the second control unit 32, which accesses the position information storage unit 35 and updates the last measured position.

The determination process in S1 is performed, for example, by the first control unit 31 inquiring of the second control unit 32 as to whether the current position is within the cancellation area, and the second control unit 32 notifying the first control unit 31 of the determination result. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the first control unit 31 checks the ACC status and, if it determines that the current position is ACC OFF, notifies the second control unit 32 that the current position is ACC OFF. Upon receiving the ACC OFF notification, the second control unit 32 accesses the position information storage unit 35, acquires the stored last measured position, and determines whether the acquired last measured position is within the cancellation area. The determination of whether the current position is within the cancellation area can be made, for example, by calculating the distance between the last measured position and the center point (parking position information) of each of the stored cancellation areas and determining whether any of the areas are within the radius r that identifies the cancellation area. All parking position information identifying the cancellation area stored in the position information storage unit 35 can be read and stored in advance by the second control unit 32, for example, when the engine is started and ACCON is activated, and the stored information can be compared with the last measured position, which allows for faster determination processing.

If the current parking position is not a cancellation area, i.e., if it is a monitoring area, processing proceeds to step S2, where the control unit causes the LED 36 to flash red and outputs a "beep beep" sound three times repeatedly from the sound output unit 33. This notification using the LED 36 and/or sound output unit 33 may be performed by the second control unit 32, which made the area determination, or by the first control unit 31, which received the determination result from the second control unit 32.

The control unit then reports the current situation (not in the cancel area) and waits for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) to pass. During this wait, the first control unit 31 checks the switch operation of the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 and the status of the ACC (S3). If the ACC is turned ON during this wait, the drive recorder 2 is powered on. When the predetermined time has passed and a timeout has occurred, the control unit turns off the LED 36 (S15) and switches to parking monitoring mode (see Figure 8(a)).

If the second button unit 38 (SW2) is pressed alone during standby in S3, the control unit switches to a temporary cancel area, flashes the LED in a predetermined color, and continuously outputs a "beep, beep, beep..." sound from the sound output unit 33 (S5). This process may be performed by, for example, the first control unit 31, or if the second control unit controls the LED 36 and sound output unit 33, the first control unit 31 notifies the second control unit 32 that the first button unit 37 has been pressed, and the second control unit 32, upon receiving this notification, performs a predetermined process. Because it is a temporary cancel area, no registration is made in the position information storage unit 35.

Then, the process proceeds to step S6, where the first control unit 31 waits for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) to elapse. During this wait, the first control unit 31 checks the switch operation and the ACC status (S6). If ACCON is activated, the drive recorder 2 is started. If the first button unit 37 (SW1) is pressed alone, the control unit proceeds to step S7, sets the area as a monitoring area, flashes the LED in a predetermined color, and outputs three beeps from the sound output unit 33 (S7). The process then returns to step S3, where the above-described process is performed. If no processing is performed during the S6 wait and a timeout occurs, the control unit turns off the LED 36 (S8) and switches to parking monitoring prohibited mode. When the process switches to parking monitoring prohibited mode, both the first control unit 31 and the second control unit 32 are turned off, and the power supply to the drive recorder 2 is stopped.

On the other hand, if the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 are pressed simultaneously (SW1 + SW2) during standby in S3, the first control unit 31 notifies the second control unit that both buttons have been pressed (see Figure 9). Then, upon receiving this notification, the second control unit 32 registers the current location, i.e., the last measured location, as parking location information for the cancellation area in the location information storage unit 35. The control unit then causes the LED to flash in a predetermined color and outputs a continuous "beep beep, beep beep..." sound from the sound output unit 33 (S4). By executing processing step S4, the current location is registered as the cancellation area and the parking location is now within the cancellation area, so processing proceeds to processing step S10 and transitions to the processing system for the cancellation area.

Furthermore, if S1 determines that the current location is within the cancellation area, the control unit causes the LED to flash in a predetermined color and outputs a continuous "beep beep, beep beep..." sound from the sound output unit 33 (S9). Next, after reporting the current situation (being within the cancellation area) in S9, the control unit waits for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) to pass. During this wait, the first control unit 31 checks the switch operation of the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 and the status of the ACC (S10). If the ACC is turned ON during this wait, the drive recorder 2 is powered on. If the predetermined time has passed and a timeout has occurred, the LED 36 is turned off (S8) and the system switches to parking monitoring prohibition mode (see Figure 8(b)).

If the first button unit 37 (SW1) is pressed alone during standby in S10, the area becomes a temporary monitoring area, the LED flashes red, and a "beep beep beep" sound is output from the sound output unit 33 (S12). This process may be performed by, for example, the first control unit 31. Alternatively, if the second control unit 32 controls the LED 36 and sound output unit 33, the first control unit 31 notifies the second control unit 32 that the first button unit 37 has been pressed, and the second control unit 32, upon receiving this notification, performs a predetermined process. Because the temporary monitoring area is a temporary cancellation of the cancellation area, the cancellation area corresponding to the current position registered in the position information storage unit 35 is not released, i.e., the corresponding parking position information is not deleted.

Then, the process proceeds to step S13, where the first control unit 31 waits for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) to elapse. During this wait, the first control unit 31 checks the switch operation and the ACC status (S13). If ACCON is selected, the drive recorder 2 is started. If the second button unit 38 (SW2) is pressed alone, the process proceeds to step S25, where the monitoring cancel area is set, the LED flashes red, and three beeps are output from the sound output unit 33 (S14). The process then returns to step S10, where the above-described processing is performed. If no processing is performed during the wait time of S13 and a timeout occurs, the LED 36 is turned off (S15), and the process transitions to parking monitoring mode.

On the other hand, if the first button unit 37 and the second button unit 38 are pressed simultaneously (SW1+SW2) during standby in S10, the first control unit 31 notifies the second control unit 32 that both buttons have been pressed (see FIG. 10). Upon receiving this notification, the second control unit 32 deletes the parking position information for the cancellation area corresponding to the current position from the position information storage unit 35 and cancels the cancellation area. The control unit then causes the LED 36 to flash red and outputs three beeps from the sound output unit 33 (S11). By executing processing step S11, the cancellation area including the current position is canceled, and the parking position is now outside the cancellation area. Therefore, processing proceeds to processing step S3, where processing shifts to the processing system for the area outside the cancellation area, i.e., the monitoring area.

Figure 11 shows an example of a processing flow that is executed when the engine is turned off and the vehicle is turned off. This flowchart shows the case where "Manual," which transitions based on manual operation, is set. When Manual is set, parking monitoring is performed if the first button 37 is pushed within a predetermined time after the vehicle is turned off, and parking monitoring is not performed if there is no push operation. In this way, parking monitoring in Manual mode in this embodiment is performed when there is some kind of action from the user, and parking monitoring is not performed if the user exits the vehicle without performing any operation.

In response to ACC OFF, the control unit causes the LED 36 to flash in a predetermined color and outputs a continuous "beep, beep..." sound from the sound output unit 33 (S21). Next, the control unit reports the current situation (manual) and waits for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) to pass. During this wait, the first control unit 31 checks the switch operation of the first button unit 37 (SW1) and the status of the ACC (S22). If the ACC is turned ON during this wait, the power to the drive recorder 2 is turned on. When the predetermined time has passed and a timeout has occurred, the LED 36 is turned off (S26) and the system switches to parking monitoring prohibited mode. This turns off the first control unit 31 and second control unit 32 and cuts off the power supply to the drive recorder.

Furthermore, if the first button 37 (SW1) is pressed alone during the standby state in S22, the control unit causes the LED 36 to flash red and outputs three beeps from the sound output unit 33 (S23). If the first button 37 is pressed while the manual mode is selected, parking monitoring is performed. Then, the first control unit 31 waits for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) to elapse. During this standby state, the first control unit 31 checks switch operation and the ACC status (S24). If no processing is performed during the standby state and a timeout occurs, the parking monitoring mode specified by pressing the first button 37 is confirmed. Then, the LED 36 is turned off (S25), and the system transitions to parking monitoring mode.

On the other hand, if the second button 38 (SW2) is pressed alone during standby in S24, this is an instruction to cancel the push operation of the first button 37, and the process returns to S21, where the above-mentioned processes are carried out. If ACCON is pressed during standby, the drive recorder 2 is started.

In each of the above-described embodiments, after switching to parking monitoring mode, the first control unit 31 remains ON at all times, controlling specified input and output devices and controlling the ON/OFF of the second control unit 32. When the second control unit 32 turns ON, photography begins and video recording also begins. The first control unit 31 determines whether to record. For example, when parking monitoring is performed outside the cancellation area and continuous recording is selected, the first control unit 31 leaves the second control unit 32 ON. On the other hand, for event recording, the second control unit 32 is temporarily turned OFF and then turned ON when the event occurs. If the vehicle is within the cancellation area, the second control unit 32 is turned OFF. When the second control unit 32 turns ON, it is preferable to record video in normal continuous recording or at a slower frame rate.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 12 shows an example of a second embodiment of the system. The second embodiment also relates to monitoring and recording while the vehicle is parked. In this system, a drive recorder 51 is connected to a vehicle and other devices via a junction unit 52. The junction unit 52 corresponds to a connection control device. The other devices include, for example, a GPS antenna unit 53, a radar detector 54, and a DMS (Driver Monitoring System) unit 55. The junction unit 52 has a main body case of a predetermined shape, such as a rectangular shape, and connectors for connecting to the above-mentioned devices are provided on the side of the main body case. The connectors include, for example, a first connector 61a for connecting the drive recorder 51, a second connector 61b for connecting the GPS antenna unit 53, a third connector 61c for connecting the radar detector 54, and a fourth connector 61d for connecting the DMS unit 55. Furthermore, the junction unit 52 has a fifth connector 61e for connecting an OBD adapter cable 56 and a sixth connector 61f for power supply. The sixth connector 61f selectively accepts a connection cable 58 for connecting to the power supply device 57 or a power cable 59 for connecting to the vehicle battery. The connection cable 58 is a four-core cable, while the power cable 59 is a three-core power cord. The radar detector 54 includes a control unit having a CPU and memory, an interface for connecting to the junction unit 52, various sensors, and the like. Each component of the radar detector 54 is controlled by the control unit. The radar detector 54 has an alarm function for detecting a specific radar and issuing an alarm. The radar detector 54 may also have a function for detecting a specific laser beam and issuing an alarm. As described below, the radar detector 54 also functions as an information display terminal that displays a screen related to the parking monitoring function. The radar detector 54 includes a touch panel with a touch sensor superimposed on the display as a means for accepting operations on the screen. The radar detector 54 turns off the screen during recording using the parking monitoring function. The radar detector 54 corresponds to the second device.

The power supply unit 57 may be the same as the power supply unit 3 in the above-described embodiment. This power supply unit 57 has a rechargeable internal battery and is connected to the vehicle's battery using a cable (not shown). When in ACCON mode, it receives power from the vehicle's battery to charge the internal battery, and when in ACCORD mode, it discharges the internal battery to supply power to the junction unit 52 and to each device connected to the junction unit 52. When in ACCON mode, the power supply unit 57 charges the internal battery while also supplying power to the junction unit 52.

The junction unit 52 includes a power supply IC 62, a communication control unit 63, and a power supply control unit 64 within the main body case. The power supply IC 62 supplies power to each device connected to the junction unit 52 using power supplied from a power source. The power supply IC 62 connects its input to a terminal such as a power line of the sixth connector 61f, and its output to terminals such as power lines of the first through fourth connectors 61a through 61d, as well as the power supply voltage terminals of the communication control unit 63 and the power supply control unit 64. The power supply IC 62 supplies a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 5V) to each device via the sixth connector 61f. The power supply control unit 64 has a power control function that controls the ON/OFF of the power supplied to each device connected to the junction unit 52. The communication control unit 63 has a communication control function. Some or all of the functions of the power supply IC 62, communication control unit 63, and power supply control unit 64 may be realized by executing a program. When the functions are realized by executing a program, in the junction unit 52, an arithmetic processing device (computer) such as a CPU reads the program and necessary data into memory such as RAM, and performs various arithmetic operations in accordance with the program, thereby realizing the various functions of the junction unit 52.

Each device connected to the junction unit 52 transmits and receives information and data to and from each other via the communication control unit 63. For example, the drive recorder 51 obtains current location information from the GPS antenna unit 53. Furthermore, for example, the drive recorder 51 may communicate with the radar detector 54 and use the radar detector's 54 touch panel display unit 65.

The drive recorder 51 includes a front camera unit 66 that is attached to the vehicle's windshield or the like to capture images of the area in front of the vehicle, a rear camera unit 67 that is attached to the vehicle's rear window or the like to capture images of the area behind the vehicle, a connection cable 68 that connects the front camera unit 66 and the rear camera unit 67, and a power cable 69 that connects the front camera unit 66 and the junction unit 52.

This drive recorder 51 receives power from a specified power source via a power cable 69 through a junction unit 52 to the front camera unit 66, and the rear camera unit 67 receives power via a connection cable 68 through the front camera unit 66. The drive recorder 51 then starts up when the ACC is turned on and records video captured by the front camera unit 66 and rear camera unit 67 according to the set operating conditions. The set operating conditions can be, for example, a continuous recording mode in which video is recorded continuously when the ACCON is on, an event recording mode in which video is not recorded continuously but only when a specified event occurs, or a combination of these. Even if the drive recorder is set to a continuous recording mode, recording may be manually stopped while the vehicle is in motion, for example. Therefore, when the engine is stopped and the ACC is turned from on to off, the drive recorder may be in both a recording and a non-recording state.

Furthermore, although the specific internal configuration of the front camera unit 66 is not shown, it has a configuration substantially similar to the block diagram of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 above, and has various parking monitoring functions, such as recording the last positioning information in the position information storage unit, registering a cancellation area, not performing parking monitoring if the parking position is in a cancellation area, temporarily performing parking monitoring even if the parking position is within a cancellation area, and temporarily not performing parking recording even if the parking position is outside a cancellation area. The drive recorder 51 corresponds to the first device.

Figure 13 shows the parking recording start flow that starts when ACC, one of the functions of the drive recorder of this embodiment, switches from ON to OFF. The control unit implemented in the drive recorder 51, for example, the front camera unit 66, checks whether recording is in progress when ACC switches OFF (S31). If recording is not in progress (No in S31), the control unit does not switch to parking monitoring mode, but instead turns OFF the power to the drive recorder 51 and the radar detector 54 (S32). The power OFF process for the radar detector 54 can be performed, for example, by the control unit sending a power OFF instruction to the radar detector 54, and the control unit of the radar detector 54 receiving the instruction performing a shutdown process to turn OFF the power. In this way, in this embodiment, parking monitoring is not performed if continuous recording is not in progress when the engine is turned off (ACCOFF).

On the other hand, if continuous recording was being performed when the engine was turned off (ACCOFF) (Yes in S31), the control unit checks whether the parking surveillance mode is set (S33). If the current setting is "No parking surveillance recording" (No in S33), the control unit does not switch to parking surveillance mode and turns off the power to the drive recorder 51 and radar detector 54 (S34).

Also, if the setting is "parking surveillance recording" (Yes in S33), the control unit accesses the position information storage unit 35 of the front camera unit 66 and checks whether the last positioning location is available (S35).

If the location information storage unit does not contain the last measured position (NO in S35), parking monitoring is initiated (S36). A state in which the last measured position is not recorded means, for example, that GPS has never measured the position since the system was started. For example, this may occur when a drive recorder is installed and turned on for the first time in a vehicle parked in a location where GPS cannot measure the position, such as an underground parking lot, and the ACC is then turned off without measuring the position. In such a case, since it is unclear whether the area is a cancellation area, parking monitoring is initiated. When parking monitoring begins, the radar detector 54 is turned off, and the drive recorder 51 remains turned on (S37).

If the last positioning position is available (Yes in S35), the control unit determines whether the current position (last positioning position) is within the cancellation area (S38). This determination is the same as in the embodiment described above. If the GPS has never been able to perform a positioning measurement since the drive recorder was started and the last positioning position is not recorded in the position information storage unit of the drive recorder 51 or the front camera unit 66, the last positioning position stored in the non-volatile memory of the radar detector 54, if available, can be used. This advantageously allows for determining whether the current position is within the cancellation area based on the last positioning position held by the radar detector 54, even if the last positioning position is not recorded in the drive recorder 51. When using the last positioning position stored in the radar detector 54, the control unit of the front camera unit 66 accesses its own position information storage unit and, if the last positioning position is not recorded, queries the radar detector 54 for last positioning position information via the communication control unit 63 of the junction unit 52, and obtains the last positioning position information from the radar detector 54.

If the last positioning location is not within the cancellation area but is outside the cancellation area (NO in S38), the control unit sets the timer to 10 seconds and starts it, displays the "parking monitoring screen" on the display unit 65 of the radar detector 54, and waits for parking monitoring mode (S39).

As shown in Figures 14(a) and 15(a), this parking monitoring screen displays the "Parking Monitoring" title item 71a on the left edge of the upper area, and a camera mark 71b on the right edge. This allows the user to easily understand from the text and image that parking monitoring mode is currently selected. Figure 15(a) shows an example of the screen actually displayed on the display unit 65.

A battery voltage display 71c is also located in the center of the upper area of the parking monitoring screen. This battery voltage display 71c displays the battery voltage, which is the voltage value of the vehicle's battery. When the power cable 59 is connected to the sixth connector 61f and power is supplied directly from the vehicle's battery to the junction unit 52, the battery voltage is acquired and displayed. When the power supply unit 57 is connected, the battery voltage is not displayed. When the battery voltage is not displayed, a message saying "Inside Cancel Area" is displayed in place of the voltage value, thereby making effective use of the display screen area. Whether the power supply unit 57 or the vehicle's battery is connected can be determined, for example, based on whether communication is possible, since the power supply unit 57 has a communication function. However, this can be easily determined based on the voltage value of the input voltage supplied from an external source to the sixth connector 61f.

The power supply control unit 64 has a wiring that connects directly to the sixth connector 61f, separate from the power line that receives the power supply voltage from the power supply IC 62. The power supply control unit 64 has a function for detecting the voltage value of the input voltage supplied from the outside via the sixth connector 61f via this wiring. Therefore, for example, when a vehicle battery is directly connected to the sixth connector 61f, the power supply control unit 64 detects the vehicle battery voltage using the function for detecting the voltage value of that input voltage. The battery voltage display unit 71c can display the voltage value obtained using this detection function. On the other hand, for example, when a power supply unit 57 is connected to the sixth connector 61f, the function for detecting the voltage value detects the input voltage from the power supply unit 57, i.e., the voltage value of the power supply unit 57's internal battery, and cannot directly detect the vehicle battery voltage. Therefore, displaying this detected voltage value is meaningless because it is not the vehicle battery voltage. Therefore, when a power supply unit 57 is connected, the battery voltage display unit 71c is hidden.

When connected to the vehicle's battery, the battery voltage value is displayed, allowing the user to check the battery's charge status, determine whether parking monitoring is appropriate for the current parking session, and set the appropriate setting for whether or not to enable parking monitoring. The battery voltage display 71c serves as an indicator for the user to stop parking monitoring if the vehicle's battery is running low, and is an indicator for the user to make a decision.

The drive recorder 51 and front camera unit 66 should also be equipped with a function that will prevent them from starting up if the battery voltage drops below a threshold during parking monitoring, and the threshold value at which they will not start up should be changeable by setting it. Since vehicle battery voltages can be consistently low or high depending on the vehicle, and a uniform threshold value cannot be determined, the threshold value must be set appropriately. By regularly checking the battery voltage displayed on the battery voltage display unit 71c, the threshold value can be set appropriately.

Furthermore, by changing the display mode depending on the power source connected to the sixth connector 61f, it is possible to tell whether the battery is connected to the vehicle battery or the power supply unit 57 by looking at the display mode in the battery voltage display area 71c.

In addition, a remaining time indicator 71d is placed at the top of the upper area of the parking monitoring screen. This remaining time indicator 71d displays the remaining time on a timer that was set to 10 seconds and started; the bar shortens as time passes, reaching the right end after 10 seconds have elapsed. By looking at this remaining time indicator 71d, users such as the driver can know the remaining time until the mode is confirmed.

Furthermore, on the parking monitoring screen, the large area below the remaining time indicator 71d is divided into two, left and right, with the first area, the cancel area setting button area 71e, located on the left, and the second area, the temporary cancel button area 71f, located on the right. Each button area displays an image representing the content and large text, allowing the content assigned to each button area to be intuitively understood. By providing each button area in many areas of the display unit 65, the occurrence of accidental touches such as pressing the wrong button or accidentally pressing multiple buttons at the same time is reduced.

As described above, the control unit displays the parking monitoring screen, changes the bar display of the remaining time indicator 71d as time passes, and starts parking monitoring when 10 seconds have elapsed and the timeout has expired (S40). Then, with the start of parking monitoring, the power to the radar detector 54 is turned OFF, and the power to the drive recorder 51 continues to be ON (S41).

When the temporary cancel button area 71f on the right side is touched while the "Parking Monitoring Screen" is displayed, the control unit temporarily cancels parking monitoring for this session only, does not transition to parking monitoring mode, and turns off the power to the drive recorder 51 and radar detector 54 (S42). At this time, a cancellation area is not registered based on the current location, so the next time the vehicle is parked in the same place, for example, the control unit displays the parking monitoring screen and waits in parking monitoring mode. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the timer was restarted when a button was pressed, but in this embodiment, the decision is made immediately without waiting 10 seconds. This is because both buttons are displayed large and next to each other on the display unit, so there is no chance of pressing the wrong button, the state changes immediately, and the driver can exit the vehicle immediately.

Furthermore, if the parking monitoring screen is displayed in S39 and the cancel area setting button area 71e is touched during the waiting period until a timeout occurs, the radar detector 54 notifies the drive recorder of this, and the control unit of the front camera unit 66 follows the notification and sets and registers the current location as a cancel area. The control unit then displays a "power off screen" on the display unit 65 of the radar detector 54 and restarts the 10-second waiting period (S43).

As shown in Figures 14(b), 15(b), etc., the power off screen displays a "Power Off" title item 72a at the left end of the upper area, and a mark 72b resembling a power button at the right end. The power off screen also has a layout in which the words "In Cancel Area" 72c are displayed in the center of the upper area. This allows the user to easily understand from the text and image that they are currently in the cancel area. Figure 15(b) shows an example of a screen displayed on the actual display unit 65. Furthermore, a remaining time indicator 72d is located at the top of the upper area of the power off screen. This remaining time indicator 72d displays the remaining time on a timer that is set to 10 seconds and has been started; the bar shortens as time passes, reaching the right end after 10 seconds have elapsed. By looking at this remaining time indicator 72d, users such as the driver can know the remaining time until the mode is confirmed.

Furthermore, on the power-off screen, the large area below the remaining time indicator 72d is divided into two halves, left and right, with the first area, the cancel area release button area 72e, located on the left, and the second area, the temporary parking monitoring button section 72f, located on the right. Each button area displays an image representing the content and large text, allowing the content assigned to each button area to be intuitively understood. By providing each button area in many areas of the display unit 65, the occurrence of accidental touches such as pressing the wrong button or accidentally pressing multiple buttons at the same time is reduced.

As described above, the control unit displays the power-off screen and changes the bar display of the remaining time indicator 72d as time passes. If the timeout occurs after 10 seconds, parking monitoring will not be performed because the vehicle is within the cancellation area. Then, with parking monitoring stopped, the power to the radar detector 54 and drive recorder 51 is turned off (S44).

When the temporary parking monitoring button section 72f on the right side is pressed while the "Power OFF Screen" is displayed, the mode switches to parking monitoring for this time only, and parking monitoring begins (S45). Then, with the start of parking monitoring, the power to the radar detector 54 is turned OFF, while the power to the drive recorder 51 remains ON (S46). In this example, too, the decision is made immediately without waiting 10 seconds. Since there is no chance of pressing the wrong button, the state is changed immediately, allowing the driver to exit the vehicle immediately.

On the other hand, pressing the cancel area release button area 72e on the left side of the "Power Off Screen" will release the cancel area corresponding to the current location, display the "Parking Monitoring Screen," and restart the 10-second waiting time.

Also, if the current location is in the cancel area, the answer in S38 is Yes, and the "power off screen" is displayed (S43). Then, the same processing as above is carried out.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the "Set Cancel Area" and "Cancel Cancel Area" settings are updated by pressing the button, and the screen transitions alternately (10-second restart).

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the "parking monitoring screen" is equipped with a function to display battery voltage. This allows the user to check the battery voltage and temporarily cancel if the battery is about to run out, or to weigh the battery voltage against the parking situation, making a comprehensive decision and adopting an appropriate usage mode. On the other hand, the battery voltage is not displayed on the power-off screen. Since parking monitoring is not performed in the cancel area, there is little need to notify the battery voltage. By notifying the user that the parking position is registered as a cancel area and will not be monitored as is, the user is made aware that this parking position is registered as a cancel area and will not be monitored as is, and is intended to provide an opportunity to cancel the cancel area or perform temporary parking monitoring as necessary.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 12, 14 to 16, etc., an operation screen is displayed on the display unit 65 of the radar detector 54, making it easy to set cancellation/temporary cancellation and register/delete cancellation areas. In the case of a standalone device with a button section on the main body case of the drive recorder, such as the drive recorder 2 shown in Figures 1 to 4, the display section is either not provided or is small, making it difficult to use as a touch screen input section. In contrast, this embodiment uses a device separate from the drive recorder. Therefore, if a device with a large display section is used or if a device is installed close to the driver, such as on the dashboard, the display content is easy to see, and a large area can be secured for the button section, providing good operability.

The basic idea is to simply exit the vehicle. In other words, for example, you can look at the radar detector screen to confirm that it is what you want, and if it is OK, exit the vehicle and it will activate after, say, 10 seconds. Specific instructions can also be given with a single touch of the screen. Cancellation areas can also be registered/deleted with a single touch. You can see the current status (cancellation area set/not set), so you can tell whether the current settings are correct or not, and then proceed with the correct operation (exiting the vehicle without operating it). Normally, this is done by activating the mode setting screen, but it can also be done easily with a single touch.

[Power supply control unit functions]
The power supply control unit 64 controls the ON/OFF of the power supply to the connected devices and the junction unit 52. Figure 17 shows the power supply control state transition for the radar detector (RD). The power supply device 57 is referred to as "OP power supply" and the radar detector is referred to as RD. T1 is a power OFF guard timer, which is a guard value when the power supply device 57 does not shut down. For example, it may be set to about 15 seconds. T2 is a timer waiting for the radar detector to shut down, which may be set to about 10 seconds.

The power control unit 64 turns on the radar detector with ACCON. Then, after ACCOOFF, it checks the power status of the power supply, and if the OP power is ON, it waits until the OP power is OFF. If the OP power is OFF, it waits for permission to turn off the RD power, and once permission is granted, it transitions to the power OFF state. Permission to turn off the RD power is determined by the power status of the drive recorder (DVR). It waits for the waiting time (extendable by 10 seconds) for operations to cancel/temporarily cancel parking monitoring or set/cancel a cancel area, and turns it OFF once that is complete. In order to display each screen on the display unit 65 of the radar detector 54, power continues to be supplied to the radar detector 54 to prevent it from being turned off.

Figure 18 shows the power control state transitions for the drive recorder (DVR). In the diagram, T1 is the parking recording determination inquiry response reception timer, which should be set to approximately 500 ms, for example. T2 is the parking recording determination result waiting timer, which is the time spent querying the RD about whether to perform parking monitoring. It should be set to approximately 15 seconds, for example. T3 is the parking recording timer, which is a setting stored in the DATA FLASH in the junction unit 52. This setting should be changeable, for example, in the radar detector settings menu.

This power control state diagram controls the drive recorder, which executes the flowchart shown in Figure 13. If ACC is turned off and parking monitoring is turned off, the power is immediately turned off, but if a determination is being made, the power remains on.

In the diagram, in the "Parking recording cancellation determination" block, the parking monitoring screen/power OFF screen is displayed on the radar detector's display, and the system enters a state of waiting for instructions from the radar detector. If the instruction and response from the radar detector indicates that parking recording is not to be performed, the power is turned OFF at the appropriate time.

To give a specific example, when ACC is ON, the DVR power is turned on, and when ACC is OFF, if the parking recording setting is OFF, the DVR power is turned off. On the other hand, when ACC is OFF, if the parking recording setting is ON, the radar detector is queried as to whether or not to cancel parking recording. Depending on the result of the parking recording inquiry from the radar detector, if parking recording is to be performed, the drive recorder (DVR) is instructed to perform parking recording, and if parking recording is not to be performed, the DVR power is turned OFF.

In the "Parking Recording Determination Transmission" block, if communication is not possible, T1 is set and a retry is made. If communication is still not possible and the time expires, the power remains ON to start recording. In the "Parking Recording Determination Result Wait" block, each time the Cancel Area Setting button area 71e or Cancel Area Cancel button area 72e on the left side of the display 65 screen is touched, a 10-second extension command (Timer Extend) is sent from the radar detector, and T2 (parking recording determination result waiting timer) is set and restarted.

Furthermore, when parking recording is performed, as shown in the "Parking Recording" block, the DVR power is turned off when the parking recording time ends or the voltage drops. If the device has a function to change the frame rate during parking recording, it is recommended that you can select between a 1 fps setting and a standard setting (e.g., 30 fps). Setting parking recording to a slower setting than the standard setting, such as 1 fps, reduces battery power consumption and enables longer recording times. If this function is provided, parking recording start and stop signals should be sent to the DVR only when the setting is 1 fps. During parking recording, the device periodically requests status notification from the DVR (e.g., every 3 seconds). If an abnormality (such as recording stopped or no SD card) is detected, the power is turned off. Furthermore, power is supplied continuously during recording, but the power is turned off after a set time (T3: maximum 9 hours) has elapsed.

In this embodiment, this type of power control is necessary because the radar detector 54 and junction unit 52 are separate units, and the junction unit 52 determines and controls the power state while communicating with the radar detector.

Figure 19 shows the power control state transition for junction unit (JCT) 52. In the figure, the control for itself is to turn itself off when the power of all connected devices is turned off.

For example, when ACC is turned ON, the power supply turns ON and becomes self-holding. This self-holding power supply is achieved by, for example, connecting ACC to one input of a two-input OR and inputting its own output to the other input. Therefore, when JCT turns ON when ACC is turned ON, it will remain ON even if ACC is turned OFF. During ACC OFF, once it is confirmed that all other power supplies are OFF, the JCT power supply is turned OFF and the self-holding power supply is released. Furthermore, if ACC is turned ON again while the power supply voltage is dropping after self-holding has been released, the JCT's MPU will be restarted.

20 and 21 show examples of setting screens for configuring the system. These setting screens are displayed on the display unit 65 of the radar detector 54 while the junction unit 52 and radar detector 54 communicate with each other. Based on the touched position on the screen, the junction unit 52 performs operations such as switching screens and updating the settings for the corresponding device. FIG. 20(a) shows an example of an "external device setting menu screen" that transitions from the top setting screen (not shown) to a touch on the screen. This menu screen has a title display section 80a at the top, and a predetermined number of multiple setting item display areas 80b arranged vertically using much of the area below the title display section 80a. Cursor buttons 80c are located above and below the right edge, a page display section 80d is located in the center of the right edge, and a back button 80e and a top button 80f are located at the bottom left edge. The title display section 80a displays "External Device Setting," indicating that this is the external device setting screen.

When the back button 80e is touched, the control unit of the junction unit performs processing to return the screen display to the screen immediately above. When the top button 80f is touched, the control unit switches to displaying the top screen, for example, the standby screen.

The setting item display area 80b is horizontally long, with the title of the setting item displayed on its left edge. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 20(c) to 20(e), the current setting details are displayed on the right edge of the setting item display area 80b.

The page display section 80d indicates how many pages the screen consists of. In this embodiment, the setting item display area 80b displays four items per page. If there are five or more items on the setting screen, they are divided into multiple pages and displayed. The page display section 80d displays the total number of pages and the page number of the currently displayed screen. For example, in the example of Figure 20(a), the external device to be configured has four items, so it consists of one page, and therefore the page display section 80d displays "1/1." Also, in the example of Figure 20(c), the drive recorder setting screen has a total of three pages, and since this is the first page, the page display section 80d displays "1/3." The cursor button 80c is a button for switching between each screen when the setting screen consists of multiple screens, as described above. For example, Figure 20(c) shows the first page, so touching the down cursor button 80c displays the second page, as shown in Figure 20(d).

To configure parking monitoring for the drive recorder, touch the top setting item display area 80b (DR) on the menu screen shown in Figure 20(a). When the control unit detects this touch, it switches to displaying the drive recorder setting screen shown in Figure 20(c). If recording is currently in progress, it will "stop recording" to allow for settings to be made. At this time, before switching the screen from Figure 20(a) to Figure 20(c), it will display a notification screen informing the user that "recording has stopped," as shown in Figure 20(b). Then, when recording stops, it will obtain the current setting values from the drive recorder 51 and display the first page of the drive recorder setting screen (see Figure 20(c)).

This drive recorder setting screen displays "DR Settings" in the title display area 80a to indicate that it is a drive recorder function setting. Furthermore, each setting item display area 80b displays the title of the setting item on the left edge and the current setting content acquired on the right edge. Touching the cursor button 80c transitions between Figures 20(c), (d), and (e). Then, when it detects that the fourth setting item display area 80b, "Parking Surveillance," has been touched on the second page setting screen shown in Figure 20(d), the control unit of the junction unit 52 displays the parking surveillance setting screen shown in Figure 20(f).

The default setting for "Parking Surveillance Recording" in the top setting item display area 80b can be set to OFF, for example. Some users who purchase this type of system will use it with the default setting. If the default setting is set to ON and parking monitoring is enabled, there is a risk that the vehicle's battery or the internal battery of the power supply unit will be unexpectedly consumed. Furthermore, if the user is unaware that parking monitoring is enabled, memory capacity will be wasted. Therefore, users who want to enable parking monitoring can set the default setting to OFF and change the setting at their own discretion and operation, allowing subsequent parking monitoring to be performed in an appropriate state, and battery management and use of parking-recorded footage can also be performed appropriately. Figure 20(f) shows an example of selecting to enable parking surveillance recording through settings ("ON" is displayed at the right end of the setting item display area 80b).

When parking surveillance recording is OFF, the bottom three items cannot be selected, and pressing them will not switch the screen. Furthermore, to change the parking surveillance time, one of the setting items on the parking surveillance setting screen (Figure 20(f) shows an example where 9 hours is set), the user touches the second setting item display area 80b from the top. When this touch is detected, the control unit displays the first page of the parking surveillance time setting screen shown in Figure 20(g). In response to a touch of cursor button 80c, the control unit switches the screen between Figure 20(g) and Figure 20(h) and sets the parking surveillance time to the time assigned to the touched selection item display area. When the set parking surveillance time has elapsed, parking recording stops and the power is turned off.

To change the parking monitoring end voltage, one of the settings on the parking monitoring setting screen (12.2 V is shown in Figure 20(f)), the user touches the third setting item display area 80b from the top. When this touch is detected, the control unit displays the first page of the parking monitoring end voltage setting screen shown in Figure 20(i). In response to a touch of cursor button 80c, the control unit switches the screen between Figure 20(i) and Figure 20(j) and sets the parking monitoring end voltage to the voltage assigned to the touched selection item display area. If the external battery voltage, for example, the input voltage to the junction unit 52, falls below the set parking monitoring end voltage, the junction unit 52 stops parking recording and turns off the power. To prevent the vehicle's battery from running out, it is recommended to assign a high value to the voltage of the selection item so that the end voltage can be set high.

The "Parking monitoring end voltage" option is disabled only when a specified power supply is connected to the sixth connector 61f of the junction unit 52. This is because the specified power supply is designed to end parking monitoring when the set time has elapsed or the battery runs out, and is not designed to end recording by setting the battery voltage.

Figure 21(a) shows an example of a system setting screen displayed on the display unit 65. This system screen can be used to erase a cancellation area. When the control unit detects that the second setting item display area 80b from the top, which displays "Parking Monitoring Cancellation Area," has been touched, the control unit switches the display on the display unit 65 to the confirmation screen shown in Figure 21(b). When the Yes button 80g is touched on this confirmation screen, the specific information (center position) of all cancellation areas registered in the position information storage unit 35 is deleted. Furthermore, when the Back button 80h is touched, the screen switches to the next higher level, for example, the screen shown in Figure 21(a). In this way, in this embodiment, cancellation areas including the current position can be registered/cancelled by touching the screen when placed in a parking position, but this can also be done by setting, allowing registration/cancellation to be performed in an appropriate manner.

When parking monitoring is actually performed, it will be performed according to the settings configured on this settings screen. If you are in a cancellation area or outside the area and want to temporarily cancel parking monitoring, it will be turned OFF without even having to check this setting.

Figures 21(c) and (d) show an example of version information displayed on the display unit in response to a specified screen operation. The version of the junction unit 52 is displayed to the right of the "Junction" item at the bottom of the screen. When this version information is displayed, if there is an "M" at the end of the junction version, it indicates that a specified power supply device is connected to the junction unit. This makes it easy to understand by checking this version information, even if, for example, the power supply device is located in a position that is difficult to see from the driver's seat and it is not immediately possible to confirm whether it is connected to the vehicle's battery or the power supply device.

[Third embodiment]
This embodiment describes an embodiment in which event recording is performed according to the driver's condition. Event recording is provided to enhance the importance of recorded data. A problem with drive recorders is that it is difficult to identify where data recorded during near-accident situations (so-called "near misses") is stored. Current drive recorders are specialized for recording accidents, so when a large impact occurs that exceeds the G-sensor threshold, the data is stored as an event recording with a higher priority. However, if the user does not select an event button to record during a near-accident situation (near miss), the near-miss images may be buried among the normal recording images, making them difficult to identify later. This makes it cumbersome to review near-miss driving experiences through video. Therefore, the inventors believed that new value could be added by assigning a higher priority to near-miss driving experiences than normal recordings and storing them separately.

The system configuration of this embodiment is based on the system configuration of the second embodiment described above, and the following explanation focuses on the differences. Vehicles include general four-wheeled passenger cars, medium-sized or larger passenger cars such as buses, and freight vehicles such as trucks.

The DMS unit 55 includes a control unit with a CPU and memory, an image processing unit that performs image recognition and the like, an operation unit that accepts user operations, a camera, an interface that connects to the junction unit 52, and other components. The control unit controls each component of the DMS unit 55. The DMS unit 55 captures an image of the driver (mainly the face) and recognizes the captured image to determine the driver's state. A known image recognition algorithm may be used for image recognition. The DMS unit 55 determines the driver's state by detecting, for example, the direction of the user's face, the direction of their line of sight, and whether their eyelids are open or closed. The driver's state is a predetermined driver state, and in this embodiment, it is a state in which the driver is dozing off or distracted while driving. The state in which the driver is dozing off or distracted while driving includes not only cases in which the driver is actually in such a state, but also cases in which the DMS unit 55 determines that there is a possibility of such a state. Such a driver state is a state that could potentially lead to an accident or other danger.

If the DMS unit 55 determines that the driver is dozing off or distracted while driving, it generates a specified event (hereinafter referred to as a "DMS event") and notifies the junction unit 52. The DMS event should be a signal that can identify the type of driver's state (such as dozing off or distracted driving). The DMS unit 55 is preferably mounted above the windshield, which is higher than the user's eye level, using a specified mounting member, but it may also be mounted on the rearview mirror, dashboard, or other location. The junction unit 52 (communication control unit 63) outputs a DMS event signal indicating the occurrence of a DMS event to the radar detector 54. Upon receiving the DMS event signal, the radar detector 54 outputs a DMS event recording signal to the drive recorder 51, instructing it to perform event recording (hereinafter referred to as "DMS event recording").

The drive recorder 51 performs DMS event recording when it receives a DMS event recording signal (i.e., when the driver is dozing off or distracted while driving). DMS event recording is a process that stores image data captured during a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds before and after) before and after the reception of the DMS event recording signal (i.e., before and after the occurrence of a DMS event). Once DMS event recording is complete, the radar detector 54 again determines the driver's state, and if it determines that the driver is dozing off or distracted while driving, it outputs a DMS event recording signal to the drive recorder 51; otherwise, it does not output the signal.

The drive recorder 51, for example, uses the first storage area to perform continuous recording while the vehicle is in operation, and the second storage area to perform DMS event recording. Continuous recording is performed by overwriting image data in the first storage area. That is, continuous recording is performed by writing image data to the entire first storage area and then overwriting the oldest image data with newer image data. Therefore, old image data from continuous recording may be lost due to overwriting. Video recorded by DMS event recording is not lost due to overwriting by other image data. For this reason, overwriting recording is not used in DMS event recording. The first storage area and the second storage area are secured, for example, by logically dividing the storage area of the same storage medium (e.g., the memory card described above). In this case, the drive recorder 51 can prevent the overwriting of image data from near misses during DMS event recording by saving this image data in a folder separate from the folder where image data from continuous recording is saved.

However, the first storage area may be allocated on the first storage medium, and the second storage area may be allocated on the second storage area. In this case, the first storage area and the second storage area are physically separated.

Image data from event recording (so-called manual recording) performed in response to a user's operation to instruct event button recording may be stored, for example, in a second storage area. If multiple events occur, the event that entered the event state first takes priority. In this embodiment, when DMS event recording is performed during manual recording, the drive recorder 51 stores image data from the near miss incident using the manual recording that is currently being performed.

The radar detector 54 also issues an alarm triggered by receiving a DMS event signal. The radar detector 54 issues an alarm simultaneously with DMS event recording by the drive recorder 51. The alarm may be, for example, an audio alarm, including a message to warn the driver, such as "Be careful, beep" in the case of distracted driving, or "Danger! Danger" in the case of drowsy driving. The alarm may be, for example, an on-screen display, such as the display shown in Figure 22(a) in the case of distracted driving, or the display shown in Figure 22(b) in the case of drowsy driving. The display "02/32" in Figures 22(a) and 22(b) indicates that 32 event files can be recorded, but two event files are currently being recorded. The alarm may also be issued by illuminating a light-emitting element (e.g., an LED) provided in the radar detector 54. In this case, the radar detector 54 may change its illumination state depending on whether the driver is distracted or drowsy driving. In the case of drowsy driving, the radar detector 54 may change the sound and screen display depending on at least one of the length of time the driver's eyes are closed and the number of times the warning has been issued. The radar detector 54 stops the warning when the driver faces forward, and stops the drowsy driving warning when the driver opens their eyes.

DMS event recording may be performed only if the radar detector 54 continues to emit an alarm for a certain period of time. The radar detector 54 may initiate an alarm, and when the alarm continues for a certain period of time, output a DMS event recording signal to the drive recorder 51. In this case, the alarm starts and DMS event recording begins a certain period of time later. This is based on the idea that if the driver is dozing off or distracted driving for a short period of time, an alarm is issued as a mild condition, and if the condition continues for more than a certain period of time, an alarm is issued and event recording is performed as a severe condition. This prevents unnecessary event recording and also has the effect of freeing up storage space.

When an alarm is issued, it is advisable to take into account not only the information detected by the DMS unit 55 about drowsiness and inattentiveness, but also the vehicle's condition as a whole to determine whether a warning is warranted or within the normal range. Even if regular recording is set to overwrite, it is possible to set it so that overwriting is not performed in order to give higher priority to recording near misses. For example, one or more of the following can be adopted.

(1) The radar detector 54 obtains vehicle speed information from the vehicle via the junction unit 52, and issues an alarm and records a DMS event if the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or above, and does not issue an alarm or record a DMS event if the vehicle is traveling at a speed below the predetermined speed. The predetermined speed is, for example, 10 km/h or below. When the vehicle speed is low, the driver may be looking around, perhaps searching for a parking space in a parking lot. In this case, an alarm for distracted driving is not appropriate, and unnecessary alarms and recording are suppressed.

(2) The radar detector 54 may detect the vehicle's driving state using, for example, a gyro sensor, and if a predetermined condition indicating a large change in inclination is met, it may not issue an alarm or record a DMS event. For example, at an intersection or parking lot, the driver may be looking around to find a parking space. In this case, an alarm for distracted driving is inappropriate, so unnecessary alarms and recording are suppressed.

(3) To improve the detection accuracy of the DMS unit 55, when there is a sudden change in brightness, it is advisable to use an illuminance sensor provided in the radar detector 54 to determine the change in brightness as a countermeasure against the possibility of the camera of the DMS unit 55 falsely detecting an image. If the difference in illuminance is large, it may cause a malfunction in the DMS, which monitors the status of the driver, etc. based on images captured by the camera. Therefore, if the radar detector 54 determines that the change in the difference in illuminance is equal to or greater than a certain value, it is advisable not to issue an alarm or perform DMS event recording. In this way, alarms due to false image detection can be prevented.

Situations where illuminance is likely to change are common in tunnels during the day. Therefore, as supplemental information, the radar detector 54 may be configured to not issue an alarm based on data indicating the location of the tunnel. Examples of such data include map data and tunnel POIs. The radar detector 54 may be configured to not issue an alarm or record DMS events near the entrance or exit of a tunnel, for example. This prevents unnecessary alarms and recording.

(4) The DMS's inattentive/drowsy driving detection is also performed when it is necessary to change the direction of the driver's gaze, such as when looking behind the vehicle when changing lanes or checking the mirrors. Therefore, it is recommended that the radar detector 54 not issue warnings or record DMS events based on turn signal information from the turn signal wires or OBD2 adapter. This prevents unnecessary warnings and recording.

(5) Based on the driver's facial recognition results, the radar detector 54 may cause the drive recorder 51 to record for a certain period of time if the driver has changed. This is because if the driver is different from usual, there is a high possibility that the driver is inexperienced. In this case, the radar detector 54 may cause recording from the start of driving until a certain period of time has elapsed when the driver has changed. This recording may be performed when a new driver is recognized, but may also be performed when a different driver is recognized from the previous time. In this way, if the driver is different from usual and there is a possibility that the driver is inexperienced, the drive recorder 51 can automatically record.

In this embodiment, settings may be configured to prohibit overwriting continuous recordings or to allow overwriting event recordings. The vehicle may be a vehicle that runs on railroad tracks or a similar track, such as a train, monorail, or linear motor car.

[Modification]
In the above-described embodiments, suppressing the operation of the parking monitoring function means not recording parking in an area where the parking position is stored (cancellation area), but it may also be possible to not record, record but not record, or record at a lower quality than the normal recording that is performed when the vehicle is parked in an area where a parking position is not set. Recording at a lower quality may involve slowing down the frame rate, reducing the resolution, recording only when certain conditions are met rather than recording all the time, etc. Other possible methods include reducing memory capacity usage and battery consumption.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment and modified example, the parking monitoring function is inhibited from operating when the vehicle is parked in the set parking position. However, it would be preferable to have a parking monitoring function that records captured video when the vehicle is parked in the set parking position, and also have a parking monitoring function that inhibits video recording when certain conditions are met, even when the vehicle is parked in the set parking position.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and variations, a predetermined area, such as a set parking position, is stored, and parking monitoring is performed differently inside and outside that area. However, for example, when combining various aspects of the present invention disclosed in this specification, the concept of using such areas and cancellation areas is not essential, and the present invention may be applied to a system that does not register areas and has the function of performing parking monitoring when operated, or not performing parking monitoring when operated. For example, the present invention may also be applied to devices that do not have the concept of cancellation areas in terms of screen display, operation, power control, etc.

The operating means provided in the drive recorder 2 for accepting user operations may be an operator other than a push-button (for example, a slide-type), a sensor such as a touch sensor or proximity sensor, a photographing means such as a camera, or a sound collection means such as a microphone. Examples of operations include push, slide, touch, proximity, gesture, and voice operation.

The "parking location where the parking monitoring function is inhibited" should be an area with a certain range, but it may also be a specific, pinpointed location.

While the drive recorder 2 was a system without a display, even in a system with a display, a separate light-emitting element may be provided, or the display may function as a light-emitting element. For example, even in a system with a display, if there is additional information to display on the display, it would be desirable to be able to notify the user by, for example, changing the background of the display or the illumination state of a specified area. For example, if the system is a drive recorder with a display integrated into a case containing a camera, a compact drive recorder would have a small display that would make messages, icons, and marks difficult to see. However, simply changing the illumination state, such as the color of the light, would make it easier to recognize various changes in the display. Furthermore, drive recorders are often installed at the top of the vehicle's interior, such as above the windshield. Depending on their installation location, they may even be installed behind the rearview mirror as viewed from the driver's seat. Even in such situations, changes in the illumination state of the illumination element are easy to see, which is advantageous. Thus, while a display is optional, it is preferable to apply this to systems without a display. The light-emitting units such as the LED 36 may be located in positions other than those described in the embodiments, as long as they are visible to a user such as a driver sitting in the driver's seat or a driver who has performed an operation. The specific aspects of the operation method, light-emitting state, screen, output sound, etc. described in the above-described embodiments are examples. The way in which the first control unit 31 and the second control unit 32 cooperate in the above-described embodiments is also an example. The functions of the first control unit 31 and the second control unit 32 may be realized by a single control unit (processor, etc.).

While various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments and modifications, it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are provided to aid in understanding the present invention and are not intended to limit its scope. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of the various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. While the configurations of the present invention for which a patent is sought are specified in the claims attached to this application, it is hereby expressly stated that configurations not currently specified in the claims may be claimed in the future as disclosed in this specification. The applicant intends to obtain rights to such portions and combinations through amendments, divisional applications, applications for conversion to design registration applications, etc.

The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments. The components of the above-mentioned embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment or variation may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the Summary of the Invention or any component that embodies any component described in the Summary of the Invention. The Company intends to obtain rights to inventions with these configurations through amendments to this application or divisional applications, etc.

1: System 2: Drive recorder 3: Power supply device 4: Cable 11: Main body 12: Camera 13: Main body case 22: Card slot 23: Memory card 26: First camera 27: Second camera 31: First control unit 32: Second control unit 33: Sound output unit 34: Microphone 35: Position information storage unit 36: LED
37: First button section 38: Second button section 39: Abnormality detection sensor 40: GPS receiver 41: Power supply section 42: Communication interface 51: Drive recorder 52: Junction unit 53: GPS antenna unit 54: Radar detector 56: OBD adapter cable 57: Power supply device 58: Connection cable 59: Power cable 62: Power supply IC
63: Communication control unit 64: Power supply control unit 65: Display unit 66: Front camera unit

Claims (5)

Parking monitoring function that records video taken at the parking position,
A display unit;
A system having :
If the power source supplying power to the system is the vehicle's battery, the display unit displays the vehicle's battery voltage, and if a different power source is used, the display unit displays, instead of the battery voltage , that the vehicle is in the parking position where operation of the parking monitoring function is inhibited . Parking monitoring function that records video taken at the parking position,
a display unit having a battery voltage display area capable of displaying the voltage of a power source that supplies power to the system;
A system having :
The display mode of the battery voltage display area is changed depending on whether the power source supplying power to the system is a vehicle battery or a separate power source.
system. A function for setting a parking position that inhibits the operation of the parking monitoring function,
The parking monitoring function records the video when a predetermined operation is performed on the display unit during parking, even if the vehicle is parked in a set parking position,
moreover,
The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display unit has a function of simultaneously displaying a first area operated to accept the predetermined operation and a second area operated to make the setting regarding the parking position. It has a function to set the parking position to record video while parking,
The parking monitoring function is a function for recording captured video when the vehicle is parked in a set parking position,
The parking monitoring function suppresses recording of the video when a predetermined operation on the display unit is received during parking, even when the vehicle is parked in a set parking position,
moreover,
The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display unit has a function of simultaneously displaying a first area operated to accept the predetermined operation and a second area operated to update the settings related to the parking position. A program for causing a computer to implement the functions used in the system described in any one of claims 1 to 4.