Secure, vehicle mounted, incident recording system

Abstract

A novel system for gathering, analyzing and storing information for the purpose of motor vehicle accident investigations. An on board, secure vehicle incident capture system, activated when the ignition switch is energized, having a video camera for generating video signals of an incident external to the vehicle, which is digitized into a synchronized data file, carrying a unique vehicle identification and a time indicator with other input data occurring on or about the vehicle such as motion sensors, brake application sensors, and the like. The file is encrypted and stored on a large capacity, code accessible device. Once written, the encrypted file can not be altered or corrupted, decrypted without the encryption key, or accessed without the access authorization code. The data file can be down loaded to be used as evidence.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An on board, secure vehicle incident capture system comprising: 
 a) at least one video camera for generating video signals of an incident external to the vehicle;    b) a recording device for capturing said video signals having a coded access;    c) a coded access to said recording device for providing a coded access to said recording device;    d) means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is at least two video cameras.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said at least two video cameras comprise at least one forward looking video camera and at least one rearward looking video camera.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted inside said vehicle and positioned to view said incident through a window of said vehicle.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are digitized.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said recording device for capturing said video signals is selected from the group consisting of video tape, a hard disk, and a CD ROM.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle contain monitor data selected from the group consisting of time and date, vehicle identifier, vehicle speed, brake application indicator, seat belt sensor, and G force sensor.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are contained in a crash proof, explosion proof repository.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said means for down loading said video signal from said coded access recording device is an LED.  
     
     
         10 . A method for the secure capture of incidents involving vehicles comprising: 
 a) activating a secure vehicle incident capture system having at least one video camera for generating video signals of an incident external to the vehicle;    b) generating a video signal of an incident external to the vehicle;    c) storing said video signal of an incident external to the vehicle on a large capacity, code accessible device; and,    d) accessing the stored video signal by means of the access code.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said video signal is digitized into a synchronized data file, carrying a unique vehicle identification and a time indicator.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said digitized data is stored on a large capacity hard drive which prevents data from being overwritten for very extended periods of time.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is at least two video cameras.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said at least two video cameras comprise at least one forward looking video camera and at least one rearward looking video camera.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said at least one video camera for generating video signals is mounted inside said vehicle and positioned to view said incident through a window of said vehicle.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said recording device for capturing said video signals is selected from the group consisting of video tape, a hard disk, and a CD ROM.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle contain monitor data selected from the group consisting of time and date, vehicle identifier, vehicle speed, brake application indicator, seat belt sensor, and G force sensor.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said video signals of an incident external to the vehicle are contained in a crash proof, explosion proof repository.