JP7724558B2 - Imaging equipment and programs - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a photography device and program that can be installed in a vehicle.

One type of imaging device that can be installed in a vehicle is a drive recorder that captures and stores images of the area in front of the vehicle, but there are various restrictions on where these imaging devices can be installed. For example, a known legal restriction is that drive recorders must be installed within the top 20% of the windshield.

JP 2014-220803 A

These constraints are generally explained in instruction manuals, but there are cases where people carry out installation work without reading the instruction manual at all, or without reading it carefully. Even if you do read the instruction manual, it is not easy to install the equipment in a way that satisfies the various installation constraints. Furthermore, having to use an instruction manual is inconvenient for users.

In addition, because dashcams may be used to record images in the event of an accident, they need to be firmly installed, and are often attached to the windshield with strong double-sided adhesive tape. Therefore, once attached, it is difficult to remove even if it is later discovered that the position does not meet one of the constraints. Even if it can be removed, the adhesive strength decreases, making it difficult to reattach.

It is therefore desirable to provide a guide for installing imaging devices that is easier to understand and more user-friendly. It is also desirable to utilize images captured by imaging devices such as drive recorders for purposes other than simply recording footage of accidents, etc. This application discloses inventions that address, for example, all or part of the above problems or other problems.

This application discloses, for example, the inventions described in the following configuration examples.

<Configuration Example 1>
The invention of configuration example 1 is an imaging device that can be installed in a vehicle,
The photographing device is characterized by having a first guide function of informing a user of a guide for setting up the photographing device from a notifying means.

In this way, the first guide function notifies the user of installation guidance via the notification means, allowing the user to set up the imaging device by following the guidance. Furthermore, since the guidance is provided by the imaging device itself, rather than by an instruction manual, user convenience is improved.

The "imaging device" may be a device that captures images, such as a device with a camera. A drive recorder is particularly suitable. This is because drive recorders have many restrictions on installation location and require guidance, making installation guidance highly necessary for users. Furthermore, it is particularly suitable for an imaging device that is retrofitted to a vehicle by a user, such as the driver, after purchasing the vehicle. A device with a camera is particularly suitable as a so-called all-in-one drive recorder that has a standalone camera and the ability to record the images captured by that camera on a recording medium, etc.

"Installation" may refer to fixing, attaching, or adhering to a vehicle, for example, using double-sided adhesive tape. This is because double-sided adhesive tape is difficult to remove or reattach once attached, and it is highly necessary to avoid situations where reinstallation is necessary. This is particularly effective for configurations where the installation work is performed by the general vehicle user, rather than by the vehicle manufacturer or a professional installer.

The notification means may be, for example, a display means and/or an audio output means. The display means and audio output means may be configured with multiple components (for example, two screens). Similarly, each of the means described in this specification may be configured with multiple components. For example, the control means may be configured by connecting multiple computers via communications.

The "guide" may be, for example, a guide or explanation. The "guide" may be displayed as an image on a display means. If the image contains text information (e.g., a written explanation), the content can be conveyed to the user logically, and if it contains graphic information (e.g., illustrations, photographs, etc.), the content can be easily understood. The guide may be displayed by audio output from an audio output means. The imaging device may have a display means, and may have, for example, an image display device (e.g., an LCD monitor) and/or an audio output device (e.g., a speaker) for displaying the guide.

The "notifying" configuration may, for example, be processing or control content performed by the control means to cause the notification means directly or indirectly connected to the control means to issue a notification. The "displaying" configuration may, for example, be a configuration in which the control means performs drawing processing for display on the display means.

<Configuration Example 2>
The invention of configuration example 2 is the photographing device characterized in that the first guide function has a function of causing a notifying means to notify a guide regarding the installation position of the photographing device.

In this way, the user can refer to the guide when deciding where to install the camera based on the content of the notification provided by the notification means.

The "installation location guide" may be information that allows users to recognize guidance or explanations about desirable installation locations, undesirable installation locations, restrictions on installation locations, etc.

<Configuration Example 3>
The invention of configuration example 3 is an imaging device characterized in that the guide includes information on restrictions regarding installation of the imaging device.

In this way, the user can recognize installation constraints based on notifications from the camera itself, allowing the user to install the camera so that the constraints are met without having to refer to anything other than the camera itself, such as an instruction manual. It is best to set installation constraints as constraints on the installation location.

The inventors of the present application have found that when the device is a drive recorder, it is advisable to provide the following as installation constraints, for example.
[1] Legal restrictions. For example, if installed on the windshield, it must be installed within the top 20% of the windshield. [2] It must be installed so as not to hit any movable objects inside the vehicle (especially movable objects originally equipped on the vehicle, such as the sun visor or rearview mirror). [3] It must be installed so as not to interfere with safety equipment such as safety driving assistance brake systems (e.g., collision avoidance system sensors such as EyeSight (registered trademark)), airbags, head-up displays, ETC, and other vehicle-installed or retrofitted devices near the windshield. [4] It must be installed in a position that can capture the entire area in front of the windshield, from left to right and above to below. [5] It must be installed within the wiper's wiping range. [6] For models with GPS functionality, it must be located in a position where GPS can be received. [7] It must be located in a position that does not cause radio wave interference with other devices such as terrestrial digital broadcasting receivers. [8] It must be located within reach of the cigarette lighter cable and be able to route the cigarette lighter cable so as not to interfere with driving. [9] It must avoid the tinted parts of the windshield and the vehicle inspection certificate sticker.

In the invention of configuration example 3, the guide may include textual or graphical information explaining all or some of the above-mentioned constraints. For example, with regard to constraint [1], an explanation such as "Install within the top 20% of the windshield" may be displayed on the display device. All constraints may be displayed on a single screen, or on multiple screens.

<Configuration Example 4>
A fourth configuration example of the present invention is an imaging device characterized in that the guide includes information on precautions regarding installation of the imaging device.

In this way, the user can learn about the points that require attention during installation without having to refer to anything other than the imaging device, such as an instruction manual. Important points regarding installation should include points regarding the installation location and points regarding installation constraints. Important points regarding installation constraints should include, for example, points that the user should take to satisfy the constraints and points to be aware of when taking those steps.

Cautions should be notified by display, and in particular should include text and graphic information. For example, regarding constraint [2], an explanation such as "Please move the sun visor, rearview mirror, etc. to make sure they do not hit the camera," or regarding constraint [6], an explanation such as "To check whether GPS reception is possible, move the car away from places with obstacles above, such as a covered garage," may be included. Cautions may be displayed all on one screen, or on multiple screens.

<Configuration Example 5>
The invention of configuration example 5 is an imaging device characterized in that the guide distinguishes between information about areas where installation of the imaging device is prohibited and information about areas where installation is not prohibited but undesirable, and notifies the user in a manner that is recognizable to the user.

Previously, there was no concept of clearly distinguishing between areas where installation is permitted but not desirable and areas where installation is prohibited, which led to the risk of the two being treated as the same and installation occurring in prohibited locations. However, with this change, users can recognize areas where installation is prohibited and areas where installation is permitted but not desirable, reducing the likelihood of confusing the two and installing in areas where installation is prohibited.

<Configuration Example 6>
The invention of configuration example 6 includes a temporary installation instruction function that instructs a user to temporarily install the imaging device according to the guide;
and a movable object operation instruction function for instructing the vehicle to operate the movable object after temporary installation.

This makes it easy to prevent situations where, after installation, moving a moving part on the vehicle is discovered to be in an inappropriate position, requiring the device to be reinstalled.

Examples of movable parts on a vehicle include sun visors, rearview mirrors, and windshield wipers, which can actually be moved physically. Also, examples of movable parts on a vehicle include electrically operated parts such as digital terrestrial broadcasting receivers and GPS receivers.

<Configuration Example 7>
The invention of configuration example 7 includes a temporary installation determination function that determines whether a temporary installation position of the image capturing device is inappropriate when the image capturing device is temporarily installed;
The photographing device is characterized by having a second guide function that notifies information that the temporary installation determination function has determined that the installation may be inappropriate.

In this way, the user can know that the temporary installation location may be inappropriate. Therefore, they can easily check whether the location is truly inappropriate before actually installing the camera. If it is, they can change the temporary installation location of the camera to a location different from the location indicated as possibly inappropriate, or actually install the camera.

In particular, the imaging device should be configured to have both the second guide function and the first guide function, and in particular, should be configured to execute the second guide function after executing the first guide function.

The display of the possibility of inappropriateness should include the reason for inappropriateness and instructions to move the installation location. This is advantageous as it makes it easier for the user to understand where to move it. The display of the possibility of inappropriateness should include textual and/or graphical information. For example, if it is determined that there is a possibility of inappropriateness with respect to constraint [1], it should include an explanation such as "It is not installed within the top 20% of the windshield. Please move the installation location." If there is a possibility of inappropriateness with respect to constraint [2], it should include an explanation such as "Please move the installation location so that it does not hit the sun visor or rearview mirror." The display of the possibility of inappropriateness should be done using images and/or audio.

The imaging device may also have a temporary installation instruction function that instructs the user to temporarily install the imaging device, and the temporary installation determination function may perform the determination after receiving an instruction from the temporary installation instruction function. In this way, it is possible to determine whether the temporary installation location is inappropriate after the user has actually performed the temporary installation. The instructions from the temporary installation instruction function may be provided by image and/or audio. The temporary installation instruction function may instruct the user to temporarily install the imaging device by following guidance from the first guide function. This increases the likelihood that the user will perform the temporary installation in an appropriate location, reducing the number of temporary installations. The temporary installation instruction function may display important points to note when performing the temporary installation. For example, with regard to constraint [6], important points may be displayed, such as: Checking whether GPS reception is possible should be done after moving the car from a location with an obstacle above, such as a covered garage; and Since GPS reception takes a certain amount of time even in a location where reception is possible, checking whether GPS reception is possible should be done after that time has passed.

<Configuration Example 8>
The invention of configuration example 8 has a situation input instruction function that instructs a user to input a situation at the time of temporary installation into an operation means,
The temporary installation determination function performs the determination based on an operation on the operation means.

In this way, it is possible to determine whether there is a possibility of inappropriate behavior that would be difficult to detect directly by the imaging device itself, such as interference from the imaging device affecting the operation of other devices (e.g., terrestrial digital broadcasting receivers, etc.).

In particular, the imaging device should be configured to have a temporary installation determination function and a second guide function in addition to the situation input instruction function. In particular, the temporary installation determination function and second guide function should be configured to be executed after the situation input instruction function is executed.

Operation means may be, for example, a push button or a touch panel.

The situation at the time of temporary installation may be a situation regarding the possibility that the temporary installation position is inappropriate, or more preferably, a situation regarding whether a problem will occur in relation to the movement or operation of the device equipped or retrofitted to the vehicle. For example, if the device equipped or retrofitted to the vehicle is a movable object, the situation may be a situation regarding whether the device will hit the temporarily installed imaging device when actually moved. If the device equipped or retrofitted to the vehicle is an electrical or electronic device, the situation may be a situation regarding whether a problem will occur in the operation of the device when actually operated. The instructions issued by the situation input instruction function may include instructions to move or operate the device equipped or retrofitted to the vehicle. For example, the instructions may include all or part of the following instructions:
(a) Instructions to move the sun visor or rearview mirror and input whether they will hit the camera. (b) Instructions to input whether they will interfere with devices such as airbags, head-up displays, ETC, etc., especially aftermarket devices. (c) Instructions to input whether other devices are turned on and function normally (for example, whether terrestrial digital television devices can receive all channels, whether devices with GPS functions can perform GPS positioning, whether the remote control key works normally, etc.).

When giving instructions under (a), it is advisable to also caution and warn drivers to pay particular attention to the passenger-side sun visor and/or that the position of the rearview mirror may change depending on the driver.

Furthermore, for example, if the imaging device is equipped with a temporary installation determination function that determines whether the imaging device has been temporarily installed, and the temporary installation determination function is characterized in that it makes the determination when it determines that the imaging device has been temporarily installed, then it can determine whether the installation is possibly inappropriate after determining that it has been temporarily installed.

In particular, the imaging device should be configured to have a temporary installation determination function as well as a temporary installation judgment function and a second guide function. In particular, the temporary installation determination function and second guide function should be configured to be executed after the temporary installation determination function is executed.

To determine whether the camera has been temporarily installed, for example, the user may be instructed to perform a predetermined operation on the operation means of the camera, and the camera may be determined to have been temporarily installed when the predetermined operation is performed. Even better, the camera may further include a function for determining the shaking of the camera, and may determine that the camera has been temporarily installed when the shaking of the camera falls below a certain level, as this automatically determines that the camera has been temporarily installed. The shaking of the camera may be determined, for example, based on images captured by the camera.

<Configuration Example 9>
The invention of configuration example 9 is an image capturing device characterized in that the temporary installation determination function has a function of making the determination based on image recognition using an image captured by the image capturing device.

This allows the user to temporarily install the camera and have it determine whether the position is appropriate, reducing the difficulty of the user having to attempt to position the camera while adhering to all of the displayed guides. This significantly reduces the burden on the user, particularly when there are multiple constraints, especially four or more. A good configuration for determining the position based on image recognition is to make a determination based on the image captured during temporary installation, for example.

The temporary installation determination function may recognize from the captured image whether any objects or parts that may obstruct photography are included in the captured image, and if so, determine that the position of the camera device may be inappropriate. Examples of objects or parts that may obstruct photography include stickers on vehicle inspection certificates, tinted parts of the windshield, and parts outside the wiper's wiping range. If the temporary installation determination function determines that the position is inappropriate, the second guide function may display a notification that the relevant object or part is included in the photography range and an instruction to change the installation position.

When recognizing whether the captured image contains an area outside the wiper's wiping range, the image capture device has a function to instruct the user to move the wiper, and the temporary installation determination function recognizes the wiper movement from the captured image after the instruction and determines whether the captured image contains an area outside the wiper's wiping range or the possibility of inappropriateness based on the size of that area. The image capture device may also have a function to display real-time captured images captured by the image capture device on a display device, and a function to display the wiper's wiping range recognized by image recognition superimposed on the real-time captured image, for example, using AR (Augmented Reality) display, making it easier for the user to recognize an appropriate installation position in relation to objects inside and outside the vehicle that are actually captured in the image.

The temporary installation determination function may use image recognition to recognize the positional relationship between a specific structure within the vehicle (e.g., the windshield) and the temporary installation position, and may determine the possibility that the temporary installation position is inappropriate based on the recognized positional relationship. For example, with regard to constraint [1], the possibility that the temporary installation position is inappropriate may be determined based on whether the temporary installation position is within the top 20% of the windshield. If the temporary installation determination function determines that the installation position is possibly inappropriate, the second guide function may display the reason why the installation position is inappropriate, instructions to change the installation position, etc.

The positional relationship between a specific structure within a vehicle and the camera can be recognized by comparing a reference image containing that specific structure captured by the camera with the image captured when the camera is temporarily installed. The reference image can be a still image. For example, the user can be instructed to press the camera button at the top of the windshield, and when the button is pressed, an image of the top position can be recorded, and when the button is pressed, the user can be instructed to press the camera button at the bottom, and when the button is pressed, an image of the bottom position can be recorded, and these top and bottom position images can be used as the reference images. It is even better to use an image of the entire windshield (or a certain portion of it) captured from the back seat, etc., as this reduces the effort required to obtain the reference image.

<Configuration Example 10>
The invention of configuration example 10 has a safety equipment discrimination function for discriminating the type of safety equipment installed in the vehicle,
The photographing device is characterized in that the temporary installation determination function makes the determination depending on the type of the safety equipment determined by the safety equipment determination function.

This allows the user to determine whether the temporary installation location is inappropriate even if they are not specifically familiar with the safety equipment installed in the vehicle, and reduces the need for the user to research the relationship between the safety equipment and the camera device in advance. This is particularly effective for ordinary users and drivers who are not vehicle manufacturers or sellers.

The safety equipment may be, for example, equipment with a prohibited installation area, such as a safety driving assistance brake system or an airbag. The prohibited installation area may be an area where it is prohibited or undesirable to install a camera.

The safety equipment discrimination function may directly determine the type of safety equipment, but for example, in the case of a vehicle model that comes standard with safety equipment, the type of safety equipment may be determined based on the vehicle model. Alternatively, for example, the imaging device may simply be equipped with a vehicle model discrimination function that discriminates the vehicle model, and the temporary installation determination function may make the determination based on the vehicle model determined by the vehicle model discrimination function. It is preferable to make the determination based on information obtained from the vehicle, but a configuration that focuses on safety equipment, as in <Configuration Example 10>, is particularly preferable.

The safety equipment identification function may, for example, identify the type of safety equipment based on the user's operation of the operating means. For example, the imaging device may display a list of safety equipment on the display means and instruct the user to operate the operating means to select the type of safety equipment installed in the user's vehicle from the list, and the safety equipment identification function may identify the type of safety equipment based on the operation of the operating means. The safety equipment identification function may identify the type of safety equipment based on information obtained from the vehicle. For example, automatically identifying the type of safety equipment based on a signal from an OBD-II (II is the Roman numeral "2"; hereinafter referred to as "OBD") connector may reduce the user's workload.

In particular, the imaging device should be configured to have a temporary installation determination function and a second guide function in addition to the safety equipment determination function. In particular, the temporary installation determination function and second guide function should be configured to be executed after the safety equipment determination function is executed.

The imaging device may further include a prohibited installation range storage means that stores prohibited installation ranges for each type of safety equipment, and the temporary installation determination function may determine the likelihood that the temporary installation location is inappropriate based on the prohibited installation ranges stored in the prohibited installation range storage means for the type of safety equipment identified by the safety equipment identification function. Prohibited installation ranges are published on the websites or catalogs of vehicle and safety equipment manufacturers, etc., so this information may be stored in the prohibited installation range storage means.

For example, if the prohibited installation area includes an area on a specific structure within the vehicle (e.g., the windshield), the temporary installation determination function could use image recognition to recognize the positional relationship between the specific structure within the vehicle and the temporary installation location, and automatically determine whether the temporary installation location is in an area where installation of safety equipment is prohibited, thereby reducing the user's workload.

<Configuration Example 11>
The invention of configuration example 11 is an imaging device characterized by having an installation position candidate display function for displaying installation position candidates.

This way, potential installation locations are displayed, making it easier for users to decide on an installation location.

In particular, if the imaging device is configured to have a first guide function in addition to the installation location candidate display function, the user can check whether the installation location candidate matches the installation guide.

Candidate installation locations should be locations that are appropriate as installation locations. For example, areas that do not satisfy all or certain of the constraints [1] to [9] above (e.g., safety constraints such as constraints [1] and/or [3]) should be considered inappropriate areas, and areas other than inappropriate areas should be considered candidate installation locations.

The installation location candidate display function may display installation location candidates based on information pre-stored in a storage means of the image capture device. For example, with regard to constraint [1], information on the upper 20% of the windshield may be pre-stored in a storage means, and the upper 20% of the windshield may be displayed as an installation location candidate based on that information. This information may be stored as coordinate information. Furthermore, with regard to constraint [3], if the image capture device has the safety equipment discrimination function of configuration example 10, the installation location candidate display function may display installation location candidates based on the type of safety equipment discriminated by the safety equipment discrimination function. The image capture device may further have a prohibited installation range storage means that stores prohibited installation ranges for each type of safety equipment, and the temporary installation determination function may display areas outside the prohibited installation ranges stored in the prohibited installation range storage means for the type of safety equipment discriminated by the safety equipment discrimination function as installation location candidates.

Alternatively, the candidate installation locations may be divided into multiple subregions with different priorities, and the candidate display function may display each subregion so that its priority is clear. Priorities may be set, for example, based on whether each subregion satisfies installation constraints. For example, priorities may be set based on the type or number of constraints each subregion satisfies. For example, the candidate installation location regions may be divided into subregions that satisfy only specific constraints (e.g., safety constraints such as constraints [1] and/or [3]) and subregions that simultaneously satisfy both the specific constraints and other constraints (e.g., all or some of constraints [2], [4] to [9]), with the latter subregions assigned a higher priority than the former. Priorities may also be set based on criteria other than whether each subregion satisfies installation constraints. For example, the regions that satisfy constraints [1] and [3] may be divided into a driver's side subregion and a passenger's side subregion, with the passenger's side subregion assigned a higher priority than the driver's side subregion. This is because it is preferable to position the imaging device so as not to obstruct the driver's field of view.

The installation location candidate display function preferably displays the installation location candidate images. It would be even better if the imaging device further had a function for displaying real-time images captured by the imaging device on the display device, and the installation location candidate display function had a function for displaying the installation location candidate images superimposed on the real-time captured images, for example, using AR display, as this would make it easier for the user to recognize the installation location candidate images.

The installation location candidate display function may color-code the areas of candidate installation locations. For example, the areas of candidate installation locations may be displayed in a different color from inappropriate areas. For example, the areas of candidate installation locations may be displayed in green, and the inappropriate areas may be displayed in red. Dividing the areas of candidate installation locations into multiple small areas with different priorities and displaying each small area in a different color according to priority makes it easier for the user to understand the priority of each small area. For example, small areas with high priority may be displayed in green, small areas with low priority in yellow, and inappropriate areas in red.

<Configuration Example 12>
In the invention of Configuration Example 12, a temporary installation adhesive member and a permanent installation adhesive member are packaged together,
The imaging device is characterized in that the temporary installation adhesive member has a weaker adhesive strength than the permanent installation adhesive member.

In this way, the temporary installation adhesive member has weaker adhesive strength than the permanent installation adhesive member, so even if the installation position of the imaging device is inappropriate when it is installed using the temporary installation adhesive member, the imaging device can be easily removed.

It would also be a good idea to provide a function that notifies users that the installation procedure will involve temporary installation followed by permanent installation. This will prevent users from accidentally performing permanent installation straight away, making it difficult to re-install the device.

It is also preferable to have a function that notifies the user that temporary installation should be performed using the temporary installation adhesive member, and that permanent installation should be performed using the permanent installation adhesive member. In particular, the temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member should be structured so that they can be recognized as different members, and the notification function should notify the user of this structure so that the difference between the temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member can be recognized.

The adhesive strength of the temporary installation adhesive member should be strong enough to prevent the camera from falling off when temporarily installed, but strong enough to allow it to be removed by pulling with your hand. This makes it easy to confirm that the installation position is appropriate when the camera is temporarily installed, and also makes it possible to remove the camera after temporary installation. If the temporary installation adhesive member has adhesive strength that allows it to be temporarily installed multiple times, the user can perform temporary installation repeatedly, making it easier to find the appropriate installation position. If the installation adhesive member has strong adhesive strength that prevents it from being removed by pulling with your hand, more stable and/or reliable photography is possible.

<Configuration Example 13>
The invention of configuration example 13 is an imaging device characterized in that the temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member are laminated together.

In this way, because the temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member are laminated, a user can, for example, temporarily install the imaging device using the laminated temporary installation adhesive member, then remove the temporary installation adhesive member and permanently install the imaging device using the permanent installation adhesive member, thereby improving user convenience and/or facilitating the installation process. The temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member may be packaged together in a laminated state with the imaging device. The temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member may be laminated with an adhesive strength that allows the user to easily remove the temporary installation adhesive member.

The permanent installation adhesive member may be laminated closer to the imaging device than the temporary installation adhesive member, and the temporary installation adhesive member may be laminated to the permanent installation adhesive member with an adhesive strength that prevents the imaging device from peeling off the permanent installation adhesive member due to the imaging device's own weight, but allows the temporary installation adhesive member to be peeled off when an attempt is made to peel it off by hand. The permanent installation adhesive member may be adhered to the imaging device with an adhesive strength that prevents the temporary installation adhesive member from peeling off from the imaging device when an attempt is made to peel it off by hand.

<Configuration Example 14>
The invention of configuration example 14 is an imaging device characterized in that the temporary installation adhesive member has transfer ink that is transferred to the installation location when the imaging device is installed using the temporary installation adhesive member.

In this way, for example, when the camera is installed using the temporary installation adhesive member, the transfer ink transferred to the installation location can be used as a guide for permanent installation of the camera, making installation work easier.

The transfer ink is preferably an ink that can be wiped off with tissue or the like, so that it can be easily erased even if the installation location of the imaging device is inappropriate when it is installed using the temporary installation adhesive member. The transfer ink may be, for example, a water-based ink.

<Configuration Example 15>
The invention of configuration example 15 is a program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the photographing device according to any one of configuration examples 1 to 14.

The temporary installation determination function described above may be equipped with a function that makes the determination based on image recognition using images captured by the imaging device, and that utilizes images captured by imaging devices such as drive recorders, rather than simply using them to record footage of accidents, etc.

In particular, since dashcams are equipped with cameras and image recognition engines for functions such as lane departure detection and forward vehicle detection, we discovered that these could be used for purposes other than their original purpose of recording accidents and safe driving.

(A) It is preferable to have a function for controlling the vehicle state during warm-up by the engine starter based on the transparency state of the windshield, which is based on an image captured by the imaging device of the windshield.

This configuration allows the user to more reliably depart immediately with the windshield open.

Conventional engine starters have the ability to control the engine to stop when a predetermined time has passed since the engine started, and are equipped with a temperature sensor that stops the engine when the temperature reaches a predetermined level.

However, the purpose of warming up the engine using an engine starter is not only to raise the temperature inside the vehicle before starting to drive, but also to start the vehicle before setting off to remove any frozen, frosted, or snow-covered windshield, ensuring visibility ahead and other areas so that the vehicle can depart immediately.However, whether or not such a state has been achieved is only indirectly determined by sensors and the duration of warm-up, and there is a problem in that it is not possible to know whether the windshield is in a state that actually allows for visibility until the vehicle is actually in the vehicle.However, with this configuration, the user can more reliably depart immediately with a clear windshield.

Depending on the transparency of the windshield, for example, it may be determined that warm-up can be terminated if it is transparent. Depending on the transparency of the windshield, for example, it may be determined that warm-up should not be terminated if it is not transparent. For example, the vehicle state (engine off, air conditioning adjustment) during warm-up by the engine starter may be controlled depending on whether the forward view (windshield) is clear (transparent) using a camera, and the engine may be stopped when the view is clear.

To control the vehicle state during warm-up, it is advisable to configure the system to turn off the engine if it is determined that warm-up can be completed, or to send a signal to the vehicle to adjust the air conditioner temperature depending on the transparency. For example, it is advisable to perform at least one of the following: air conditioner control (e.g., temperature, airflow position, etc.), window control (e.g., slightly opening the window), or wiper operation (e.g., intermittent, fast, slow), via an in-vehicle LAN or direct connection to each part of the vehicle, such as via an OBD adapter. It is advisable to obtain information about the current environment, such as the vehicle's engine state, cabin temperature, outside temperature, and air conditioner setting, and control the warm-up state based on that information.

For example, instead of providing the engine starter with conventional sensors or functions, the imaging device may be electrically connected to the engine starter, and the vehicle state during warm-up may be controlled based on the actual state of the windshield.

An engine starter may be one that starts an internal combustion engine, for example, but is not limited to this and may also include one that starts the warm-up of an electric vehicle.

Based on the image of the windshield captured by the imaging device, it is possible to determine whether the fog on the windshield is due to snow or frost and control the warm-up state accordingly.

The amount and/or extent of snow or frost on the windshield can be determined based on the degree of fogging on the windshield, using the image captured by the imaging device, and the warm-up state can be controlled accordingly.

For example, a camera could be used to determine whether fog on the windshield is due to snow or frost (and it would also be good to determine the amount and extent of snow or frost) and then control the warm-up state.

(B) It is desirable to have a function to determine or record the rain conditions based on images captured by the imaging device of the windshield wiper operation area. This makes it possible to more reliably determine or record gradual rain conditions. Conventional methods for detecting the wiper operation status include detecting it directly from the wiper signal line, obtaining it from the wiper operation lever, obtaining it via an ECU connection, or obtaining it via an in-vehicle LAN such as OBD. However, all of these methods have the problem of requiring wiring to the vehicle. This eliminates the need for such wiring and makes installation extremely easy. This is particularly useful in configurations where the wiper operation status is recorded to the cloud, for example, and big data analysis processing is performed.

To determine the rain conditions, for example, it is possible to use the state of the wipers moving across the image captured by an imaging device such as a drive recorder.

To determine the rain conditions, it is advisable to have a function that determines the intensity of the rain from the interval between wiper operations. It is also advisable to have a function that records changes in the interval between wiper operations in a discernible manner. It is particularly advisable to record the wiper operation status along with GPS information (time, location, etc.). The recording should be synchronized with the video recording so that it can be played back. The recording location may be the imaging device itself or a recording medium that is detachable from the imaging device, but it is particularly advisable to configure the information to be uploaded to the cloud as needed.

(C) It is preferable to have a function to determine or record the headlight on/off status based on an image captured by the imaging device of the area in front of the windshield. This function does not require wiring or other installation, and makes it extremely easy to determine or record the headlight on/off status.

It would be good to have a function that uses the results of determining whether the headlights are on, for example, to detect when the headlights should be turned on.

The headlight status can be determined, for example, to determine whether the vehicle's own lights are on. It can also be used to determine whether the vehicle in front has its lights on. It can also be used to determine whether a dimmer is on, which changes the brightness of a display device.

For example, it would be good to have a function to record the headlight status along with GPS information (time, location, etc.).

It is also a good idea to detect the amount of ambient light around the vehicle from video footage from the camera or from another sensor, and record this information along with the state of the ambient light. Recording can be done on the camera itself, or on a recording medium that is detachable from the camera, but it is particularly good practice to upload and record information to the cloud as needed.

These functions may be provided in a device external to the imaging device and implemented by electrically connecting that device to the imaging device, but it is preferable to provide them internally to the imaging device.

It is also advisable to provide sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, humidity sensors, illuminance sensors, proximity sensors, gesture sensors, etc.) in the portion attached to the windshield, and to make the determination or recording based on the sensor information and an image captured by the imaging device of the area in front of the windshield.

The determination or recording may be based on vehicle model information obtained from a connector on the vehicle, such as an OBD.

It is desirable to have a function that feeds back the results of the above judgment to the vehicle via the OBD adapter.

It is desirable to have a function that allows the judgment or recorded content to be viewed and/or controlled from a smartphone, etc.

It is preferable to configure the above-mentioned functions of the imaging device as a program to enable a computer to implement them.

The configurations described in the above-mentioned configuration examples may be combined to the extent that no contradictions arise. Furthermore, the components described in the configuration examples may be combined in any manner to the extent that no contradictions arise to create a new configuration example.

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front side of a drive recorder according to a first embodiment; 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the rear side of a drive recorder according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of a bracket. FIG. 1( a ) is a diagram showing the structure of the adhesive tape, and FIG. 1( b ) is a diagram showing the surface of the gel sheet. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the drive recorder. 10 is a flowchart of an installation guide process. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a first guide screen 100. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an installation location candidate screen 110. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display of a temporary installation instruction screen 120. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a message screen 130. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a movable object operation instruction screen 140.

(First embodiment)
A drive recorder 1 will be described below as an example of an imaging device according to the present invention. The drive recorder 1 is installed on the windshield of a vehicle. The following restrictions have been found to apply to the installation of the drive recorder 1, and as will be described below, the drive recorder 1 has processing, functions, and configurations that address these restrictions.
[1] Legal restrictions. For example, if installed on the windshield, it must be installed within the top 20% of the windshield. [2] It must be installed so as not to hit any movable objects inside the vehicle (especially movable objects originally equipped on the vehicle, such as the sun visor or rearview mirror). [3] It must be installed so as not to interfere with safety equipment such as safety driving assistance brake systems (e.g., collision avoidance system sensors such as EyeSight (registered trademark)), airbags, head-up displays, ETC, and other vehicle-installed or retrofitted devices near the windshield. [4] It must be installed in a position that can capture the entire area in front of the windshield, from left to right and above to below. [5] It must be installed within the wiper's wiping range. [6] For models with GPS functionality, it must be located in a position where GPS can be received. [7] It must be located in a position that does not cause radio wave interference with other devices such as terrestrial digital broadcasting receivers. [8] It must be located within reach of the cigarette lighter cable and be able to route the cigarette lighter cable so as not to interfere with driving. [9] It must avoid the tinted parts of the windshield and the vehicle inspection certificate sticker.

Figures 1 and 2 show the drive recorder 1 from the front and back. The drive recorder 1 is an electronic device that houses an electronic circuit board (not shown) inside a roughly rectangular housing 2. A CCD camera lens 3 for capturing images is located on the front of the housing 2, and an LCD screen 4 of an LCD display 12 (see Figure 5) for displaying images and various operation buttons 5 (up button 5a, down button 5b, MODE button 5c, and MENU button 5d) are located on the back. The top surface of the housing 2 is equipped with a capture button 6a for capturing images and a power button 6b, as well as a screw hole 7 for attaching a bracket 20 (see Figure 3). A connection terminal 8 for power supply and a card slot 9 for inserting a microSD card, which serves as a recording medium, are located on the side of the housing 2. Power is supplied to the connection terminal 8 from the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket via a cigarette lighter cable (not shown); however, in vehicles with an OBD connector, it is also possible to connect the connection terminal 8 to the OBD connector via an OBD connection cable (not shown), so that power is supplied to the connection terminal 8 from the OBD connector.

Figure 3 shows a bracket 20 for installing and fixing the drive recorder 1 to the windshield 40 of a vehicle. The bracket 20 includes an attachment stay 21 that is attached to the windshield 40 by the adhesive force of adhesive tape 30 (double-sided adhesive tape 31 or gel sheet 32) described below, and a base 22 that includes screws 22a that correspond to the screw holes 7 of the drive recorder 1.

As shown in Figure 3, the attachment stay 21 is a component that has a curved arm 21b extending from the backside of a roughly rectangular attachment plate 21a that is attached to the glass surface of the windshield 40, and a spherical sliding ball 21c attached to the tip of the arm 21b.

The base 22 is a component with a screw 22a erected on its underside and a recess (not shown) on its top surface that accommodates the sliding ball 21c. The outer periphery of the recess is provided with an outer screw 22b into which the outer periphery nut 23 is screwed. By tightening the outer periphery nut 23 with the sliding ball 21c accommodated in the recess, the sliding ball 21c can be tightened and fixed, thereby fixing the angle of the attachment stay 21 relative to the base 22. By loosening the outer periphery nut 23, the sliding ball 21c can be loosened and swung.

Figure 4(a) shows the adhesive tape 30 included with the drive recorder 1. The adhesive tape 30 is composed of a laminate of double-sided adhesive tape 31 and a gel sheet 32, and has approximately the same shape and size as the attachment plate 21a. The double-sided adhesive tape 31 has such strong adhesive strength that, once adhered to the windshield 40, it cannot be peeled off by simple manual pulling. The gel sheet 32 has weaker adhesive strength than the double-sided adhesive tape 31, allowing it to be adhered to the windshield 40 with enough strength to prevent the drive recorder 1 from falling under its own weight, yet still allow it to be easily peeled off by manual pulling. The gel sheet 32 can be easily removed (or peeled off) from the double-sided adhesive tape 31. The adhesive tape 30 is included with the drive recorder 1 with a lower protective film 33 covering the surface of the double-sided adhesive tape 31 and an upper protective film 34 covering the surface of the gel sheet 32 attached.

Figure 4(b) shows the surface of the gel sheet 32 with the upper protective film 34 removed. As shown in the figure, a position mark 32a is printed on the surface of the gel sheet 32 using water-based ink. As shown in Figure 4(b), the position mark 32a has sides parallel to the outer edges of the adhesive sheet 30, which has approximately the same shape and size as the attachment plate 21a, and is printed so that the intersection of the sides is visible. The positions of these sides are printed at positions equal inward from the outer edge of the adhesive sheet 30 in both the left and right directions. The positions of the sides are also printed at positions equal inward from the outer edge of the adhesive sheet 30 in both the up and down directions. In the example of Figure 4, the positions are printed at equal inward distances on both the up and down and left and right directions. When the gel sheet 32 is adhered to a windshield 40 or the like and then peeled off, the position mark 32a is transferred to the windshield 40 or the like. The position mark 32a transferred to the windshield 40 can be easily removed by wiping it with a tissue or the like.

Because the adhesive tape 30 has a two-layer structure consisting of double-sided adhesive tape 31 and gel sheet 32, the user can install the drive recorder 1 on the windshield 40 using the gel sheet 32, confirm that the installation position is appropriate, and then temporarily remove the drive recorder 1 from the windshield 40, remove the gel sheet 32 from the adhesive tape 30, and then install the drive recorder 1 using the double-sided adhesive tape 31. (Hereinafter, installing the drive recorder 1 using the gel sheet 32 will be referred to as "temporary installation," and installing the drive recorder 1 using the double-sided adhesive tape 31 will be referred to as "full installation.") Because the position mark 32a remains on the windshield 40 during temporary installation, the user can use the position mark 32a as a guide for permanently installing the drive recorder 1. For example, the user can permanently install the drive recorder 1 by aligning it with the position mark 32a transferred to the windshield 40 during temporary installation. For example, alignment can be performed by aligning each side of the double-sided adhesive tape 31 (or attachment plate 21a) parallel to and roughly aligned with each side of the transferred position mark 32a. More precisely, "roughly aligned" refers to alignment such that the left and right sides of the position mark 32a are positioned equidistant to the right and left from the left and right sides of the double-sided adhesive tape 31 (or attachment plate 21a), respectively, and that the top and bottom sides of the position mark 32a are positioned equidistant below and above the top and bottom sides of the double-sided adhesive tape 31 (or attachment plate 21a). This makes it easy to minimize deviations between the temporary installation position and the actual installation position. Minimizing deviations reduces the possibility of installing the drive recorder 1 in a restricted location.

Figure 5 shows the hardware configuration of the drive recorder 1. The drive recorder 1 includes a control unit 10, a CCD camera 11, an LCD display 12, a speaker 13, a GPS receiver 14, an acceleration sensor 15, an SD card reader 16, a memory unit 17, and an operation reception unit 18.

The control unit 10 is a computer having a CPU, memories such as ROM and RAM, a timer, etc., and controls the CCD camera 11, LCD display 12, speaker 13, GPS receiver 14, acceleration sensor 15, SD card reader 16, memory unit 17, operation reception unit 18, etc. In addition to the OS (Operating System), the ROM stores various programs such as an image recognition program that recognizes objects in the captured images by performing image processing (contour extraction, pattern matching, etc.) using images captured by the CCD camera 11, and an installation guide program for executing the installation guide process described below.

The CCD camera 11 is an imaging device that captures image data of the area in front of the vehicle through the lens 3. The CCD camera 11 inputs data to the control unit 10 via an interface capable of data compression and digital conversion. Images captured by the CCD camera 11 can be displayed on the LCD display 12 and can also be stored on an SD card inserted in the card slot 9. The CCD camera 11 is capable of capturing both video and still images.

The LCD display 12 is a device that displays images under the control of the control unit 10, and the speaker 13 is a device that outputs audio under the control of the control unit 10. The LCD display 12 and speaker 13 serve as notification means that notify the user of instructions regarding the installation of the drive recorder 1.

The GPS receiver 14 receives GPS signals from GPS satellites and outputs current position (longitude and latitude) information to the control unit 10.

The acceleration sensor 15 is a three-axis sensor that measures acceleration and tilt in each of the three axes (X, Y, Z).

The SD card reader 16 reads and writes data from an SD card inserted into the card slot 9 under the control of the control unit 10.

The storage unit 17 is composed of a memory such as an EEPROM. The storage unit 17 stores at least notification data 171 and prohibited installation area data 172 as various data used in the installation guide process described below. The storage unit 17 also stores a power-on flag 173.

The notification data 171 is data for making notifications using notification means such as the LCD display 12 and speaker 13. The notification data 171 includes first guide data 171a, second guide data 171b, movable object operation instruction data 171c, and installation position candidate display data 171d.

The first guide data 171a is data for providing guidance regarding installation in step S1, which will be described later. The first guide data 171a includes text data, image data, etc. for notifying the user of the above constraints [1] to [9]. The first guide data 171a includes text data for displaying the following sentences (1) to (9) corresponding to the above constraints [1] to [9].
(1) Install the unit within 20% of the windshield from the top. (2) Install the unit in a location where it will not be hit by the rearview mirror.
(3) Install the device so that it does not interfere with devices near the windshield, such as safety driving assistance brake systems and airbags.
(4) Install the camera in a position that allows it to capture the entire area in front of the windshield, from left to right and above to below.
(5) Install within the wiper's wiping range.
(6) Install the device in a location where GPS reception is possible. To check whether GPS reception is possible, move the car away from a location with obstacles above, such as a covered garage.
(7) Install the device in a location that does not cause radio wave interference with other devices such as terrestrial digital broadcasting receivers.
(8) Install the unit in a location where the cigarette lighter cable can reach and where it can be routed without interfering with driving.
(9) When installing, avoid the tinted parts of the windshield and the vehicle inspection certificate sticker.

The second guide data 171b is data used to notify the second guide in steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a, which will be described later. The second guide data 171b is composed of text data, image data, etc. The second guide data 171b includes data corresponding to steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a, respectively.

More specifically, the second guide data 171b includes text data for displaying the sentence "You may be in a prohibited installation area. Please change your position" in step S8a, the sentence "You may be outside the wiper wiping range. Please change your position" in step S9a, the sentence "A black cell phone or vehicle inspection certificate may be included in the shooting range. Please change your position" in step S10a, and the text "You may not be able to receive a GPS signal. Please change your position" in step S12a. The second guide data 171b also includes data for displaying second guides corresponding to each of multiple movable object operation instruction screens 140. For example, the data corresponding to the movable object operation instruction screen 140 shown in FIG. 10 includes text data for displaying the sentence "Please change your position so that it does not hit the sun visor or rearview mirror."

The movable object operation instruction data 171c is data for displaying the movable object operation instruction screen 140 in step S12, which will be described later. The movable object operation instruction data 171c is composed of text data, image data, etc. The movable object operation instruction data 171c includes, for example, data for displaying the following sentence:
(a) Move the sun visor, rearview mirror, etc. to make sure they do not hit anything. Pay particular attention to the sun visor on the passenger side. Please be aware that the position of the rearview mirror may change depending on the driver.
(b) Check that there is no interference with devices such as head-up displays and ETCs, especially with aftermarket devices.
(c) Turn on other devices and check that they are operating normally (that terrestrial digital television devices can receive all channels, that devices with GPS functionality can perform GPS positioning, and that the remote control keys work normally).

The installation location candidate display data 171d is data for displaying the installation location candidate screen 110, which will be described later. The installation location candidate screen 110 is a screen that displays areas on the windshield where it is desirable to install the drive recorder 1. The installation location candidate display data 171d is created in advance, taking into account the constraints [1] to [9] above.

The installation prohibited range data 172 is data that specifies the range on the windshield 40 where installation of the drive recorder 1 is prohibited. The installation prohibited range data 172 includes information (common installation prohibited range data) that specifies the common installation prohibited range, which is the range where installation is prohibited for all vehicles, and information (individual installation prohibited range data) that specifies the individual installation prohibited range, which is the range where installation is prohibited depending on the type of vehicle and the type of safety equipment (safety driving assistance brake system, etc.) installed in the vehicle. The common installation prohibited range data is created based on laws and regulations, safety considerations, etc. The individual installation prohibited range data is created based on information provided by vehicle manufacturers and safety equipment manufacturers, and the individual installation prohibited range data includes a list of vehicle and safety equipment names and data indicating the prohibited installation ranges specified for each vehicle and safety equipment included in the list.

The power-on flag 173 can store a flag value of "0" or "1." In the factory default state, the flag value of the power-on flag 173 is set to "0." When the drive recorder 1 is powered on by operating the power button 6a, the flag value of the power-on flag 173 is rewritten to "1."

When the operation reception unit 18 detects that the operation button 5, the photograph button 6a, or the power button 6b shown in Figures 1 and 2 have been operated, it outputs a corresponding operation signal to the control unit 10.

The drive recorder 1 has a GPS data acquisition function, a captured image display function, an image recognition function, and an installation guide function. These functions are realized by the control unit 10 executing various programs stored in the ROM of the control unit 10.

The GPS data acquisition function is a function in which the control unit 10 acquires information about the current location of the drive recorder 1 using GPS. To achieve the GPS location data acquisition function, the control unit 10 receives signals from the GPS receiver 14 at set time intervals (for example, every second) and calculates the current location of the drive recorder 1 based on the received signals. To achieve the image recognition function, the control unit 10 analyzes images captured by the CCD camera 11 using image processing techniques such as contour extraction and pattern matching, and recognizes pedestrians, vehicles ahead, buildings, terrain, etc. contained in the captured images.

The captured image display function is a function in which the control unit 10 displays the captured image taken by the CCD camera 11 on the LCD display 12.

The image recognition function is a function in which the control unit 10 executes an image recognition program stored in ROM to perform image processing on images captured by the CCD camera 11 and recognize objects (pedestrians, vehicles ahead, buildings, terrain, etc.) in the captured images.

The installation guide function is realized by the control unit 10 executing an installation guide program stored in ROM, and is a function that executes the installation guide processing described below.

The installation guide function includes a first guide function, a temporary installation instruction function, a movable object operation instruction function, a temporary installation determination function, a second guide function, a vehicle/safety equipment discrimination function, and an installation location candidate function.

The first guide function is a function in which the control unit 10 uses the first guide data 171a to notify the first guide (step S1), which will be described later.

The temporary installation instruction function is a function in which the control unit 10 prompts the user to temporarily install the drive recorder 1 by displaying the temporary installation instruction screen 120 (described below) on the LCD display 12 (step S6).

The movable object operation instruction function is a function in which the control unit 10 uses the movable object operation instruction data 171c to display the movable object operation instruction screen 140 (described below) (step S13), thereby prompting the user to operate a movable object inside the vehicle.

The temporary installation determination function is a function in which the control unit 10 determines whether the temporary installation position when the drive recorder 1 is temporarily installed in steps S8, S9, S10, S12, and S14 described below is likely to be inappropriate.

The second guide function is a function in which the control unit 10 uses the second guide data 171b to notify the second guide in steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a, which will be described later. The second guide function notifies the second guide in each of steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a using data corresponding to each step in the second guide data 171b.

The vehicle/safety equipment discrimination function is a function in which the control unit 10 determines the type of vehicle and safety equipment based on user operation in step S4, which will be described later.

The installation location candidate display function is a function in which the control unit 10 uses the installation location candidate display data 171d to display the installation location candidate screen 110, which displays installation location candidates, on the LCD display 12 in step S5, which will be described later.

The installation guide process executed by the installation guide function will be described below with reference to Fig. 6. The installation guide process can be used by the user when installing the drive recorder 1 in the vehicle. When the drive recorder 1 is first powered on after being shipped from the factory,
Alternatively, it is executed when the power is turned on with the MENU button 5c pressed.

In other words, when the power is turned on, the control unit 10 checks the power-on flag 173 in the memory unit 17, and if the flag value is "0", it determines that the device is in the factory-shipped state, and if the flag value is "1", it determines that the device is not in the factory-shipped state. If it determines that the device is in the factory-shipped state, the control unit 10 rewrites the flag value of the power-on flag 173 to "1" and then executes the installation guide process.

Furthermore, if the power is turned on while the MENU button 5c is pressed, the control unit 10 executes the installation guide process regardless of the flag value of the power-on flag 173. Therefore, if the user wishes to reinstall the drive recorder 1, they can reinstall the drive recorder 1 by operating the power button 6a while pressing the operation button 5, following the installation guide process.

As shown, when the installation guide process starts, in step S1, the control unit 10 notifies the user of the first guide based on the first guide data 171a. Figure 7 shows an example of the first guide screen 100 that the control unit 10 causes the LCD display 12 to display in step S1. As shown, the first guide screen 100 explains installation restrictions and precautions using text, illustrations, etc.

The first guide screen 100 is made up of multiple pages, each explaining different restrictions, precautions, etc., and when the user operates the operation button 5 corresponding to the indication mark 101 displayed on the first guide screen 100 (among the operation buttons 5 on the back of the housing 2, the operation button 5 located in the position indicated by the indication mark 101 on the LCD screen 4; similarly below; the operation button 5 corresponding to the indication mark 101 on the first guide screen 100 in Figure 7 is the MODE button 5c), the next page of the first guide screen 100 is displayed. When all pages of the first guide screen 100 have been displayed, step S1 ends and the process moves to step S2.

In step S2, the control unit 10 executes a process to acquire a reference image. Specifically, the control unit 10 displays instructions on the LCD display 12 requesting the user to place the entire windshield 40 within the shooting range from the rear seat of the vehicle or other location and press the shooting button 6a, and temporarily stores the still image captured by the CCD camera 11 when the shooting button 6a is pressed in the RAM of the control unit 10 as the reference image.

In the following steps S3 and S4, the control unit 10 executes a process to set an installation prohibition area for the drive recorder 1. The installation prohibition area is an area that combines the common installation prohibition area and the individual installation prohibition area.

In step S3, the control unit 10 acquires data on the common installation prohibited range from the installation prohibited range data 172 and stores the acquired common installation prohibited range in the RAM of the control unit 10 as temporary data.

In step S4, the control unit 10 sets an individual installation prohibited range. Specifically, the control unit 10 displays a list of vehicle and safety equipment names stored in the installation prohibited range data 172 on the LCD display 12, and also displays a message on the LCD display 12 requesting the user to select the relevant vehicle or safety equipment from the list by operating the operation buttons 5. Following this message, the user selects the vehicle or safety equipment in which to install the drive recorder 1 from the list using the up button 5a and down button 5b, and then presses the MODE button 5c. The control unit 10 reads out the individual installation prohibited range corresponding to the vehicle model or safety equipment selected when pressing the MODE button 5c is detected from the installation prohibited range data 172, and stores this as temporary data in the RAM of the control unit 10.

In step S4, the control unit 4 displays a "Not Applicable" option on the LCD display 12 along with a list of vehicles and safety equipment. If the vehicle or vehicle equipment does not have an individual installation prohibited range, the user can select "Not Applicable." If "Not Applicable" is selected, the control unit 10 ends step S4 without storing the individual installation prohibited range in RAM.

In step S5, the control unit 10 uses the installation location candidate display data 171d to display on the LCD display an installation location candidate screen 110 displaying candidate installation locations. Figure 8 shows an example of the installation location candidate screen 110 displayed in step S5. As shown, the installation location candidate screen 110 displays candidate installation location areas using illustrations. In the example shown, the candidate area on the windshield is divided into multiple small areas 111-113 with different priorities. In the example shown, small area 111 (the area with diagonal lines slanting downward to the right) is an area that satisfies safety constraints (e.g., constraint [1]), and small area 112 (the area with diagonal lines slanting upward to the right) is an area that satisfies safety constraints (e.g., constraint [1]) as well as other constraints (e.g., constraint [5]). In the figure, small area 113 is an inappropriate area that does not satisfy safety constraints (e.g., constraint [1]).

On the installation location candidate screen 110, each small area 111-113 is displayed in a different color to indicate its priority, with small area 111 displayed in yellow, small area 112 in green, and small area 113 in red. By looking at the installation location candidate screen 110, the user can easily identify candidate areas suitable for installation.

Step S5 ends when the user operates the operation button 5 (MODE button 5c) corresponding to the instruction mark 114 displayed on the installation location candidate screen 110, and then the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the control unit 10 displays a temporary installation instruction screen on the LCD display 12, prompting the user to temporarily install the drive recorder 1. Figure 9 shows an example of the temporary installation instruction screen 120 displayed in step S6. As shown, the temporary installation instruction screen 120 uses text, illustrations, and other instructions to prompt the user to peel off the lower protective film 33, attach the double-sided adhesive tape 31 to the attachment plate 21a, and then peel off the upper protective film 34 and temporarily install the drive recorder 1 on the windshield 40 using the gel sheet 32. The temporary installation instruction screen 120 also displays an instruction mark 121. When the user operates the operation button 5 (MODE button 5c) corresponding to the instruction mark 121 displayed on the temporary installation instruction screen 120, the control unit 10 determines that the temporary installation is complete, terminates step S6, and proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, the control unit 10 executes a process to recognize the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1. Specifically, the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1 is recognized by using an image recognition function to compare the real-time image captured by the CCD camera 11 with the reference image acquired in step 2. More specifically, the control unit recognizes the windshield 40 from the reference image, and then extracts common features (e.g., buildings and terrain) from the images of the area in front of the windshield 40 contained in both the reference image and the real-time image. Based on the positional relationship of the common features in both images, it calculates which part of the windshield 40 the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1 corresponds to.

In steps S8 to S14, the control unit 10 determines whether the temporary installation location of the drive recorder 1 is likely to be inappropriate as an installation location. Note that in the explanation of steps S8 to S14, the control unit 10's determination that the location is "likely inappropriate" is simply referred to as "determining it to be inappropriate," and its determination that the location is not likely to be appropriate is simply referred to as "determining it to be appropriate."

In step S8, the control unit 10 makes a judgment (first judgment) regarding the installation prohibited range. Specifically, the control unit 10 compares the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1 recognized in step S7 with the installation prohibited range temporarily stored in RAM in steps S3 and 4, and if the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1 is outside the installation prohibited range, it judges it to be "appropriate," otherwise it judges it to be "inappropriate." If the judgment in step S7 is "appropriate," the process proceeds to step S8.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S8 is "inappropriate," the process proceeds to step S8a, where the control unit 10 notifies the second guide based on the data corresponding to step S7a in the second guide data 171b. Specifically, the control unit 10 displays a warning message on the LCD display 12 stating, "There is a possibility that you are in a prohibited installation area. Please change your position."

In step S9, the control unit 10 makes a determination (second determination) regarding the wiper wiping range. Specifically, the control unit 10 displays a message on the LCD display 12 requesting the user to turn on the vehicle's wiper switch. Using an image recognition program, the control unit 10 performs image recognition processing on images captured by the CCD camera 11 over a fixed period of time thereafter, recognizing the area in the captured image where the wiper has moved. For example, the control unit 10 calculates the optical flow of a moving object in the captured image, and recognizes an area where the optical flow of the moving object corresponds to the previously calculated optical flow of the wiper as the area where the wiper is moving. Because wiper movement has a fixed pattern, the control unit 10 recognizes an area where the optical flow corresponding to this pattern exists as the area where the wiper is moving. If the proportion of the area in the captured image occupied by that area is equal to or greater than a certain value (preferably a majority, which is 80% or greater in this embodiment), the control unit 10 determines the area as "appropriate." Otherwise, the control unit 10 determines the area as "inappropriate." If the determination in step S9 is "appropriate," the control unit 10 proceeds to step S10.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S9 is "inappropriate," the process proceeds to step S9a, where the control unit 10 notifies the second guide based on the data corresponding to step S9a in the second guide data 171b. Specifically, the LCD display 12 displays a warning message stating, "You may be outside the wiper's wiping range. Please change your position."

In step S10, the control unit 10 makes a determination (third determination) as to whether the captured image contains any objects or parts that may obstruct photography. Specifically, the control unit 10 uses its image recognition function to recognize colored parts (e.g., black ceramic) or stickers (e.g., vehicle inspection certificates) on the windshield 40 from the image captured by the CCD camera 11, and if these are not included in the captured image, it determines the temporary installation position to be "appropriate," otherwise it determines it to be "inappropriate." If the determination in step S10 is "appropriate," the process proceeds to step S11.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S10 is "inappropriate," the process proceeds to step S10a, and the control unit 10 notifies the second guide based on the data corresponding to step S10a in the second guide data 171b. Specifically, a warning message stating "Black ceramic or a vehicle inspection certificate may be included in the shooting range. Please change your position" is displayed on the LCD display 12.

In step S11, the control unit 10 displays a message screen 130 as shown in FIG. 10. The message screen 130 displays a confirmation message such as "Checking GPS reception status. Please move the vehicle away from locations with overhead obstacles, such as covered garages. Once the movement is complete, press the Finish button." along with an instruction mark 131. The user can move the vehicle by following these instructions. Then, when the user operates the operation button 5 (MODE button 5c) corresponding to the instruction mark 131, the control unit 10 detects this operation and transitions the process to step S12.

In step S12, the control unit 10 makes a determination (fourth determination) regarding the GPS signal reception status of the GPS receiver 14. Specifically, the control unit 10 checks the GPS signal reception status of the GPS receiver 14, and determines the temporary installation position to be "appropriate" if the GPS signal is received normally, and determines it to be "inappropriate" if the GPS signal cannot be received normally for a specified time. The reason for determining it to be "inappropriate" if the GPS signal cannot be received normally for a specified time is that it takes a certain amount of time for the GPS signal to become receivable. If the determination in step S12 is "appropriate," the process proceeds to step S13.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S12 is "inappropriate," the process proceeds to step S12a, where the control unit 10 presents a second guide based on the data corresponding to step S12a in the second guide data 171b. Specifically, the LCD display 12 displays a warning message stating, "GPS signals may not be received. Please change your location."

In step S13, the control unit 10 uses the movable object operation instruction data 171c to display the movable object operation instruction screen 140 as shown in FIG. 11. The movable object operation instruction screen 140 displays a message instructing the user to operate a movable object on the vehicle, and also prompts the user to input whether or not operating the object will cause any problems. Examples of movable objects on the vehicle include those whose physical positions can actually be moved, such as sun visors, rearview mirrors, and windshield wipers, and those that can be electrically operated using power, such as terrestrial digital broadcasting reception functions and GPS reception functions.

The movable object operation instruction screen 140 is made up of multiple pages, each with a different message 141. Figure 11 shows the movable object operation instruction screen 140 displaying the message 141 corresponding to (a) of the movable object operation instruction data 171c. Each page displays instruction marks 142 and 143 indicating the positions of the operation buttons 5 to be operated when the user determines that there is no problem with the message 141 on that page, and when they determine that there is a problem. When the user operates the operation button 5 (down button 5b) corresponding to the "no problem" instruction mark 142 on each page, the next movable object operation instruction screen 140 is displayed.

In step S14, the control unit 10 makes a determination (fifth determination) regarding the situation when the movable object of the vehicle is operated. Specifically, when the operation button 5 corresponding to the "No problem" instruction mark 142 is operated on all pages of the movable object operation instruction screen 140, the control unit 10 determines that the temporary installation position is "appropriate," and when the operation button 5 (MODE button 5c) corresponding to the "Problem" instruction mark 143 is operated on any page of the movable object operation instruction screen 140, the control unit 10 determines that the temporary installation position is "inappropriate" at that point. If the determination in step S14 is "appropriate," the process proceeds to step S15.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S14 is "inappropriate," the process proceeds to step S14a, and the control unit 10 notifies the second guide based on the data corresponding to step S14a in the second guide data 171b, which corresponds to the page of the movable object operation instruction screen 140 when the operation button 5 corresponding to the instruction mark 143 "Problem" is operated. For example, if the operation button 5 corresponding to the instruction mark 143 is operated on the movable object operation instruction screen 140 of the page shown in FIG. 11, a warning message stating "Please change the position so that it does not hit the sun visor or rearview mirror" is displayed on the LCD display 12.

In step S15, the control unit 10 displays a success message on the LCD display 12 indicating that the temporary installation was successful, and including instructions to the user to temporarily remove the drive recorder 1, remove the gel sheet 32, and then perform the permanent installation by aligning it with the position mark 32a transferred to the windshield 40. For example, the following instruction may be displayed: "The temporary installation position appears to be appropriate. We will perform the permanent installation at the temporary installation position, so please temporarily remove the drive recorder from the windshield. Once removed, peel off the gel sheet to expose the adhesive tape for permanent installation. Please attach it to the windshield at the temporary installation position, aligning it with the position mark transferred to the windshield."

The installation guide process ends upon execution of step S15 or step S8a, step S9a, step S10a, step S12a, or step S14a.

In the drive recorder 1 of this embodiment, the first guide notification (step S1) in the installation guide process allows the user to view guidance on installation restrictions, precautions, and the like, without relying on an instruction manual or the like. Furthermore, if the control unit 10 determines that the temporary installation location of the drive recorder 1 is likely to be inappropriate, the second guide notification is issued (steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a). This notifies the user that the temporary installation location may be inappropriate. Therefore, the user can easily check whether the location truly appears inappropriate before actual installation. If the location appears inappropriate, the user can change the temporary installation location of the drive recorder 1 to a location different from the location indicated as possibly inappropriate, or actually install the drive recorder 1. Furthermore, if a success message (step S15) is displayed, the user is informed that the drive recorder 1 (control unit 10) has determined the location to be "appropriate."

In this embodiment, the drive recorder 1 determines whether the temporary installation location is appropriate based on image recognition using images captured when the drive recorder 1 is temporarily installed (steps S8-10). This allows the user to temporarily install the drive recorder 1 and have it determine for itself whether the location is appropriate, reducing the difficulty of the user having to attempt to place the drive recorder 1 while following all of the notifications in the first guide.

The drive recorder 1 of this embodiment can be temporarily installed using a gel sheet 32 with weak adhesive strength, so the user can easily remove the drive recorder 1 from the windshield 40 after temporarily installing it by following the installation guide process.

The gel sheet 32 can be used multiple times. Therefore, for example, if the second guide notification is issued during the installation guide process (steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a), the user can execute the installation guide process again and redo the temporary installation of the drive recorder 1. Even if a success message (step S15) is displayed, if the user wants to install the drive recorder 1 in a better location, the user can execute the installation guide process again and redo the temporary installation.

In addition, a position mark 32a is transferred and remains at the temporary installation position on the windshield 40. Therefore, the user can permanently install the drive recorder 1 by using the position mark 32a as a landmark when the success message (step S15) is displayed. Furthermore, when the second guide notification (steps S8a, S9a, S10a, S12a, and S14a) is issued, the user can use the position mark 32a at that time as a landmark to avoid repeatedly performing temporary installation at the same position. Note that the position mark 32a should preferably be made of ink that can be transferred multiple times.

The position mark 32a is made of water-based ink, so it can be easily wiped off with tissue or similar. This makes it easy to clean up afterward, even if you need to redo the temporary installation.

The above describes preferred embodiments, but the shapes, dimensions, materials, functions, operating modes, control modes, control parameters, operation modes, etc. of the devices, systems, and programs, or their elements and components, etc., in the above embodiments are described as examples and are subject to change.

For example, the order in which each step in the installation guide process is performed and the content displayed on the LCD display 12 can be changed as appropriate as long as the intended functionality is achieved.

In the first embodiment, a captured image including the entire windshield 40 is acquired as the reference image in step S2. However, a different captured image can also be used as the reference image. For example, the control unit 10 can be configured to instruct the user to press the capture button 6a at the top of the windshield 40, record the top-position image when the capture button 6a is pressed, and to instruct the user to press the capture button 6a at the bottom, record the bottom-position image when the capture button 6a is pressed, and use these top-position and bottom-position images as the reference images.

In addition, in the first embodiment, we have described a case in which the control unit 10 determines the vehicle model and type of safety equipment based on user operation in step S4. However, the drive recorder 1 is connected to the OBD connector, and the control unit 10 determines the vehicle model and type of safety equipment based on signals from the OBD connector, and stores the determined vehicle model and safety equipment as individual installation prohibition ranges for that vehicle as temporary data in the RAM of the control unit 10.

In addition, in the first embodiment, we have described a case in which candidate installation locations are displayed in step S5 by displaying pre-created image data as the candidate installation location screen 110. However, it is also possible to display candidate installation locations by having the control unit 10 display real-time images captured by the CCD camera 11 on the LCD display 12, and then overlaying the candidate installation locations on the real-time captured images, for example, using AR display.

In the first embodiment, the case was described in which the temporary installation is deemed to be complete when a user operates the operation button 5 corresponding to the instruction mark 121 in step S6, and the processing in step S6 is terminated. However, the control unit 10 may also determine the shaking of the drive recorder 1 by performing image recognition on the image captured by the CCD camera 11, and when the shaking falls below a certain level, determine that the temporary installation is complete and terminate the processing in step S6. The shaking may also be determined based on the detection signal from the acceleration sensor 15.

In the first embodiment, in step S7, common features (e.g., buildings and terrain) are extracted from the images of the area in front of the windshield 40 included in both the reference image and the real-time captured image, and the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1 is recognized based on the relative positions of the common features in both images. However, for example, after step S6 is executed, the drive recorder 1 may be temporarily removed from the windshield 40 and the temporary installation position of the drive recorder 1 may be recognized by using the position mark 32a transferred to the windshield 40 as a marker, which may make it easier to recognize the temporary installation position. For example, after step S6 is completed, the control unit 10 displays a message on the LCD display 12 requesting the user to temporarily remove the drive recorder 1 and move the drive recorder 1 to a position where the entire windshield 40 is within the capture range. The control unit 10 then attempts to recognize the windshield 40 and the position mark 32a transferred onto the windshield 40 from the real-time image captured by the CCD camera 11. If image recognition is successful, the control unit 10 recognizes the temporary installation position based on the recognized positional relationship between the windshield 40 and the position mark 32a. The control unit 10 then displays a message on the LCD display 12 requesting the user to temporarily reinstall the drive recorder 1 in line with the position mark 32a on the windshield 40 and to operate the operation button 5 (e.g., the MODE button 5c) once the temporary installation is complete. When operation of the operation button 5 (e.g., the MODE button 5c) is detected, step S7 is completed and the process proceeds to step S8. It is preferable to display a message requesting the user to move to the same position as when the reference image was acquired in step S2, so that the entire windshield 40 is within the image capture range. Performing image recognition using an image captured from the same position and angle as in step S2 facilitates the process of recognizing the temporary installation position.

The length of the power cable that powers the drive recorder 1 from the vehicle should be long enough to allow recording from the back seat. It is also recommended that the drive recorder be equipped with a battery or other device that will allow it to continue operating for a certain period of time even if the power supply from the vehicle is cut off. This reduces the possibility of power being cut off when acquiring a reference image from the back seat or when recognizing the temporary installation position.

The drive recorder 1 may also be equipped with an AR display function. For example, in step S9 above, the image captured in real time by the CCD camera 11 is displayed on the LCD display 12, and the wiper wiping area recognized by the image recognition in step S9 is displayed superimposed on the real-time captured image on the LCD display 12. This makes it easier for the user to recognize the appropriate installation location in relation to objects inside and outside the vehicle that are actually captured in the image.

In the first embodiment, the case where the first guide is notified in step S1 without making any particular distinction between areas where installation of the drive recorder 1 is prohibited and areas where installation is not prohibited but undesirable has been described. However, the first guide may be notified in a manner that distinguishes between these and is recognizable to the user. Conventionally, there was no concept of clearly distinguishing between areas where installation is permitted but undesirable and areas where installation is prohibited, which led to the risk of the two being perceived as the same and installation being installed in a prohibited location. However, in this way, the user can recognize areas where installation is prohibited and areas where installation is permitted but undesirable, reducing the likelihood of confusing the two and installing the drive recorder in an area where installation is prohibited.

In the first embodiment, the drive recorder 1 is described as being installed on the windshield 40, but the drive recorder 1 may also be installed in the ceiling light or dashboard of the vehicle, for example.

In the first embodiment, the imaging device of the present invention was described using a drive recorder 1 as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to other devices that are mounted on a vehicle and have the function of capturing images, such as a backup camera or rear camera.

Second Embodiment
The drive recorder according to the second embodiment has the same hardware configuration as the drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment, except that the connection terminal 8 is connected to the OBD connector of the vehicle. Hereinafter, the drive recorder according to the second embodiment will be referred to as a "drive recorder 1a." In the description of the second embodiment, the drive recorder 1a is described as being mounted on a vehicle so that the CCD camera 11 can capture images of the outside of the vehicle through the windshield, and the vehicle has an engine starter function that allows the engine to be started from a location away from the vehicle, such as indoors, by operating a remote control key or the like.

The ROM of the control unit 10 of the drive recorder 1a stores a program for implementing the transmission state determination function and vehicle control function, either in place of the installation guide program or in addition to the installation guide program. The transmission state determination function and vehicle control function are implemented by the control unit 10 executing this program.

The transparency state determination function is a function in which the control unit 10 determines the transparency state of the windshield 40 from the image captured by the CCD camera 11. Specifically, the control unit 10 uses an image recognition program to recognize the image captured by the CCD camera 11 and determine whether the forward visibility through the windshield 40 is clear (transparent).

The vehicle control function is a function in which the control unit 10 controls the warm-up state of the vehicle depending on the determination result of the transmission state determination function. Specifically, if the transmission state determination function determines that the windshield 40 is clear (transparent), the control unit 10 determines that warm-up can be terminated and sends a control signal to the vehicle via the OBD to stop the engine. Upon receiving this signal from the vehicle control function, the vehicle stops the engine.

According to the second embodiment, the degree of fogging of the windshield 40 can be determined based on images captured by the drive recorder 1a, allowing the user to depart with good visibility ahead of the vehicle. Furthermore, the engine can be stopped once the windshield 40 becomes clear, preventing unnecessary warm-up and saving fuel.

The second embodiment has been described above, but various modifications of the second embodiment are possible.

For example, the transmission state determination function may determine whether the fogging is due to snow or frost based on the degree of fogging on the windshield 40 based on the image captured by the CCD camera 11, or may further determine the amount or extent of snow or frost. In this case, the vehicle control function may control the warm-up state according to the vehicle condition, depending on whether the fogging is due to snow or frost, or the amount or extent of snow or frost.

For example, the vehicle control function may execute at least one of the following controls: air conditioning, window drive, and wipers, depending on the results of the transparency state determination function (transparency state, transparency, whether the cloudiness is due to snow or frost, the amount or extent of snow or frost, etc.).

Air conditioner operation control can be at least one of turning the air conditioner on/off, setting the temperature, air volume, and heating intensity for the windshield using the air outlet, etc. Control of the window drive device can be control to open the window slightly. Wiper control can be control to turn the wipers on/off or wiper speed (switching between fast, slow, and intermittent).

Control of the air conditioner, window drivers, wipers, etc. may be performed via the in-vehicle LAN, such as via an OBD adapter, or the drive recorder 1 may be connected directly to the air conditioner, window drivers, wipers, etc. to control them.

Information about the current environment, such as the vehicle's engine status, cabin temperature, exterior temperature, and air conditioning temperature setting, can be obtained via an in-vehicle LAN connection, such as via an OBD adapter, or via a direct connection, and the warm-up state can be controlled based on that information. By controlling the warm-up state based on information about the current environment, it is possible to more reliably eliminate freezing and other problems.

Also, for example, instead of providing the engine starter with conventional sensors or functions, the drive recorder 1 and the engine starter may be electrically connected, and the vehicle state during warm-up may be controlled based on the actual state of the windshield 40.

An engine starter may be one that starts an internal combustion engine, for example, but is not limited to this and may also include one that starts the warm-up of an electric vehicle. In this embodiment, it is configured to be connected to the OBD connector and send control signals to the vehicle via the in-vehicle LAN to start and stop the engine, but it may also be configured to start and stop the engine by connecting it to the engine start/stop switch operated by the push start button or engine key.

(Third embodiment)
The drive recorder according to the third embodiment has the same hardware configuration as the drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the drive recorder according to the third embodiment will be referred to as a "drive recorder 1b."

The ROM of the control unit 10 of the drive recorder 1b stores a program for implementing a rain information acquisition function and a rain information storage function, either in place of the installation guide program or in addition to the installation guide program. The rain information acquisition function and the rain information storage function are implemented by the control unit 10 executing the program.

The rain detection function is a function in which the control unit 10 recognizes the intensity of rain from images captured by the CCD camera 11. Specifically, the control unit 10 uses an image recognition program to recognize the wipers in the images captured by the CCD camera 11 and determine the intensity of rain from the intervals between wiper movements, thereby obtaining information about the rain (rain information).

The rain information storage function is a function in which the control unit 10 stores rain information acquired by the rain information acquisition function on an SD card inserted in the card slot 9. Specifically, the control unit 10:

Users can use the rain information stored by the rain information storage function in a variety of ways, including for personal use. For example, users can upload rain information to the cloud. Uploaded rain information can be used as big data.

Conventional methods for obtaining the wiper operating status include detecting it directly from the wiper signal line, obtaining it from the wiper operating lever, obtaining it via an ECU connection, or obtaining it via an in-vehicle LAN such as OBD. However, all of these methods have the problem of requiring additional wiring to be installed in the vehicle. According to the third embodiment, it is possible to recognize the wiper operating status without installing wiring in the vehicle. It is possible to obtain information regarding the intensity of rain based on the wiper operating status.

The third embodiment has been described above, but various modifications of the third embodiment are possible.

For example, the rain information acquisition function can acquire the change in the wiper operation interval as rain information, and the rain information storage function can store this change in an identifiable manner on the SD card.

The rain information storage function can also store the wiper operation status on an SD card along with GPS information such as time and location obtained from the GPS receiver 14. The wiper operation status can be the wiper operation interval (fast, slow, intermittent, etc.) after the operation interval has changed.

The drive recorder 1b may further have hardware and software for connecting to a network, and an upload function for uploading rain information stored on an SD card to the cloud. The upload function is realized by the control unit 10 executing a program stored in ROM or the like. The upload function can be configured to upload rain information to the cloud at any time.

(Fourth embodiment)
The drive recorder according to the fourth embodiment has the same hardware configuration as the drive recorder 1 according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the drive recorder according to the fourth embodiment will be referred to as a "drive recorder 1c."

The ROM of the control unit 10 of the drive recorder 1c stores a program for implementing a light status detection function and a light status storage function, either in place of or in addition to the installation guide program. The light status detection function and the light status storage function are implemented by the control unit 10 executing this program.

The light status detection function is a function in which the control unit 10 detects whether the headlights are on or off. Specifically, the control unit 10 uses an image recognition program to detect whether the vehicle's headlights are on and/or off as light information from images captured by the CCD camera 11.

The light status storage function is a function in which the control unit 10 stores the light information of the vehicle's headlights detected by the light status detection function on an SD card inserted in the card slot 9.

Users can use the light information stored by the light status storage function in a variety of ways, including for personal use. For example, users can upload light information to the cloud. Uploaded light information can be used as big data.

The fourth embodiment has been described above, but various modifications to the fourth embodiment are possible.

For example, in the fourth embodiment, the light status detection function and light status storage function detect and store the fact that the headlights are turned on and/or off as light information, but they may also detect and store the timing at which the headlights are turned on and/or off. The light status detection function may also detect the turning on and/or off of the headlights (or the timing at which they are turned on and/or off) of the vehicle in front, rather than the vehicle itself.

In addition, the light status storage function can store light information on an SD card along with GPS information such as time and location obtained from the GPS receiver 14.

The drive recorder 1c may also have hardware and software for connecting to a network, and an upload function for uploading write information stored on the SD card to the cloud. The upload function is realized by the control unit 10 executing a program stored in ROM or the like. The upload function can be configured to upload write information to the cloud at any time.

The drive recorder 1c may also have the function of adjusting the brightness of the LCD display 12 based on the detection results of the light status detection function.

The amount of ambient light around the vehicle can be detected from the image of the CCD camera 11 or from another sensor, and the light status memory function can record the light information along with the state of ambient light.

In the drive recorders 1a to 1c in the second to fourth embodiments, sensors (e.g., temperature sensor, humidity sensor, proximity sensor, gesture sensor, etc.) are provided at the attachment position of the attachment plate 21a relative to the windshield 40. The above functions of the drive recorders 1a to 1c can be comprehensively controlled based on information obtained from these sensors and sensors within the drive recorders 1a to 1c (e.g., acceleration sensor 15, recognition results of images captured by a CCD camera using an image recognition program, etc.). The above functions of the drive recorders 1a to 1c can be controlled based on vehicle model information obtained from an OBD or the like. Information detected, determined, stored, etc. in the drive recorders 1a to 1c can be fed back to the vehicle via the OBD connector. The information detected, determined, stored, etc. in the drive recorders 1a to 1c can be configured to be viewable and controllable from a smartphone or the like.

In the third and fourth embodiments, rain information and light information are stored on an SD card, but they may also be stored in the main body of the drive recorder 1 (e.g., the storage unit 17).

Fifth Embodiment
Conventional DMRs and the like obtain information such as acceleration using sensors in vehicle equipment, and if the information satisfies predetermined criteria such as dangerous driving or eco-driving, record the information as data for analysis during the driving, or mark the information on continuously recorded data and record it as data for analysis. For example, when a drive recorder detects acceleration corresponding to a collision, it records video and the acceleration for several seconds before and after the collision as data for analysis. This recorded data for analysis is then read by a PC or the like and displayed (e.g., as a graph).

However, with this method, if the predetermined "criteria" for dangerous driving or eco-driving do not meet the customer's needs, the program on the in-vehicle device must be changed. In other words, there was a problem in that the "criteria" for dangerous driving, etc. could not be flexibly changed.

The system of the fifth embodiment is a system having the following (1) and (2).
(1) An in-vehicle device that acquires at least one of the vehicle or driver status multiple times at different times (without determining whether the criteria are met) and (simply) records the acquired status in an identifiable manner.
(2) An analysis device separate from the on-board device of (1) that acquires the state recorded in (1) above, analyzes the acquired state, and identifies time periods that meet judgment criteria such as specified dangerous driving standards or eco-driving standards.

The in-vehicle device is, for example, the drive recorder 1 described in the first to fifth embodiments, and the analysis device is, for example, a personal computer.

By doing this, the on-board device does not make judgments based on predetermined dangerous driving standards or eco-driving standards, so the analysis device can flexibly change the judgment standards.

The following variations are possible in the fifth embodiment.

In the above system, the on-board device (1) further has the function of issuing an alarm when the condition satisfies predetermined alarm criteria, and the analysis device (2) analyzes the condition using the same predetermined alarm criteria as the on-board device (1) and identifies the time period during which the on-board device issued the alarm.

By doing this, the analysis equipment can identify the alarm notification interval without increasing the amount of data to be recorded.

(2) The analysis device marks the time interval for the acquired data.

(2) With respect to the data acquired by the analysis device, only the data in the time interval is set as the data to be saved.
By configuring in this way, the problem of an increase in the amount of data can be avoided.

(2) The analysis device evaluates dangerous driving or eco-driving based on the acquired status data for a time period that meets the predetermined criteria for dangerous driving or eco-driving, etc.

(1) The on-board device records the acquired status at regular intervals in a manner that allows the time series to be identified, with the recording interval being one second or less.

The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments. The components of each of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily selected and combined within the scope of possible combinations. Furthermore, any components of each embodiment may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, any components of each embodiment may be arbitrarily combined within the scope of possible combinations with any components described in the Summary of the Invention or components embodying any components described in the Summary of the Invention.

Below is a copy of the claims as filed.
<Document name> Claims <Claim 1>
A photographing device that can be installed in a vehicle,
10. The photographing device, comprising: a first guide function for causing a notifying means to notify a guide regarding installation of the photographing device.
<Claim 2>
2. The photographing device according to claim 1, wherein the first guide function includes a function of causing a notifying unit to notify a guide regarding an installation position of the photographing device.
<Claim 3>
3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the guide includes information about restrictions on installation of the imaging device.
<Claim 4>
4. The photographing device according to claim 1, wherein the guide includes information about precautions to be taken when installing the photographing device.
<Claim 5>
The photographing device described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the guide distinguishes between information about areas where installation of the photographing device is prohibited and information about areas where installation is not prohibited but undesirable, and notifies the user in a manner that is recognizable to the user.
<Claim 6>
a temporary installation instruction function for instructing a user to temporarily install the imaging device in accordance with the guide;
The photographing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a movable object operation instruction function for instructing the vehicle to operate a movable object after temporary installation.
<Claim 7>
a temporary installation determination function that determines whether the temporary installation position of the imaging device when temporarily installed is inappropriate;
The photographing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it has a second guide function that notifies information that the temporary installation determination function has determined that the device may be inappropriate.
<Claim 8>
a situation input instruction function for instructing a user to input a situation at the time of temporary installation into an operation means;
The photographing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the temporary installation determination function performs the determination based on an operation on the operation unit.
<Claim 9>
The photographing device according to claim 7 , wherein the temporary installation determination function comprises a function of making the determination based on image recognition using an image photographed by the photographing device.
<Claim 10>
It is equipped with a safety equipment identification function that identifies the type of safety equipment installed in the vehicle.
The photographing device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the temporary installation determination function makes the determination depending on the type of the safety equipment determined by the safety equipment determination function.
<Claim 11>
11. The photographing device according to claim 1, further comprising an installation position candidate display function for displaying candidates for the installation position.
<Claim 12>
Adhesive materials for temporary installation and adhesive materials for permanent installation are included in the package.
12. The photographing device according to claim 1, wherein the temporary-installation adhesive member has a weaker adhesive strength than the permanent-installation adhesive member.
<Claim 13>
13. The photographing device according to claim 12, wherein the temporary installation adhesive member and the permanent installation adhesive member are laminated together.
<Claim 14>
14. The photographing device according to claim 12, wherein the temporary installation adhesive member has transfer ink that is transferred to an installation location when the photographing device is installed using the temporary installation adhesive member.
<Claim 15>
A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the photographing device according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

1... Drive recorder 2... Housing 3... CCD camera lens 4... Liquid crystal screen 5... Operation buttons 6a... Recording button 6b... Power button 7... Screw holes 8... Connection terminal 9... Card slot 10... Control unit 11... CCD camera 12... Liquid crystal display 13... Speaker 14... GPS receiver 15... Acceleration sensor 16... Card reader 17... Memory unit 18... Operation acceptance unit 20... Bracket 21... Adhesive stay 22... Base 23... Outer nut 30... Adhesive tape 31... Double-sided adhesive tape 32... Gel sheet 32a... Position mark 33... Lower protective film 34... Upper protective film 40... Windshield 171... Notification data 171a... First guide data 171b... Second guide data 171b... Guide data memory unit 171c... Movable object operation instruction data 171d... Installation position candidate display data 172... Installation prohibited area data

Claims (3)

A photographing device that can be installed on the glass of a vehicle,
The imaging device has a function of displaying candidate installation positions, which overlays candidates indicating areas on the vehicle window where the imaging device can be installed on the real-time captured image and displays multiple candidates in different colors so that the priority can be determined. 2. The photographing device according to claim 1, wherein the installation position candidate display function has a function of dividing an area of the installation position candidates into a plurality of small areas having different priorities and displaying each small area in a different color according to the priority. A program for causing a computer to implement the functions of the imaging device described in claim 1 or 2.