Apparatus, Systems and Methods for Monitoring Vehicular Activity

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems and methods monitor vehicular activity. Specifically, the apparatuses, systems, and methods of the present disclosure provide a plurality of sensors and devices for monitoring a vehicle while the vehicle is in use, including but not limited to, impact sensors, cameras, recording devices, and other like devices. Even more specifically, multiple vehicles having the apparatuses, systems, and methods of the present disclosure may be networked together to provide multiple fields of view. The devices create data streams that are processed and/or recorded for reference to the same upon inquiry, such as after a vehicle accident or for any other purpose. The data streams from multiple vehicles are combined to provide additional details undiscoverable when using a single source.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for recording events relating to the operation of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a first vehicle having a first camera disposed on a first portion of the first vehicle that records visual information outside the first vehicle, a first digital storage for saving visual information recorded by the first camera, a first electronic communicator for linking with other vehicles, and a processor for determining occurrence of an event and processing the visual information recorded by the first camera; and   a second vehicle having a second camera disposed on a first portion of the second vehicle that records visual information outside the second vehicle, a second digital storage for saving visual information recorded by the second camera, and a second electronic communicator for linking with other vehicles;   wherein upon the occurrence of the event, the first vehicle communicates with the second vehicle to start saving the visual information recorded by the second camera, and further wherein the second vehicle links with the first vehicle to send the visual information recorded by the second camera to the first vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a third camera disposed adjacent the first camera, such that the visual information recorded by the third camera and the first camera is stereoscopic; and 
 a fourth camera disposed adjacent the second camera, such that the visual information recorded by the fourth camera and the second camera is stereoscopic. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera are transmitted to a data center and thereafter combined together to form a three dimensional virtual space. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera are combined together onboard the first vehicle to form a three dimensional virtual space. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the first vehicle is hardwired to the second vehicle in order to send saved visual information between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the visual information from the second camera is combined with the visual information from the first camera onboard the first vehicle to form a multiple perspective image. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the visual information from the second vehicle and the visual information from the first vehicle are wirelessly transmitted to a data center. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the visual information from the first camera and the visual information from the second camera are combined together at the data center to form a multiple perspective image. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first digital storage continuously records over the video information each time a first time period elapses and no event has occurred. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a third camera disposed on a second portion of the first vehicle, such that a field of view of the third camera is overlapped by a field of view of the first camera; and 
 a fourth camera disposed on a second portion of the second vehicle, such that a field of view of the fourth camera is overlapped by a field of view of the second camera. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method of recording events relating to the operation of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first vehicle having a first camera disposed on a first portion of the first vehicle that records visual information outside the first vehicle, a first digital storage for saving visual information recorded by the first camera, a first electronic communicator for linking with other vehicles, and a processor for determining occurrence of an event and processing the visual information recorded by the first camera;   providing a second vehicle having a second camera disposed on a first portion of the second vehicle that records visual information outside the second vehicle, a second digital storage for saving visual information recorded by the second camera, a second electronic communicator for linking with other vehicles;   sending an electronic communication from the first vehicle to the second vehicle;   saving visual information recorded by the second camera on the second digital storage upon receiving the electronic communication from the first vehicle; and   sending the visual information recorded by the second camera to the first vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a third camera disposed adjacent the first camera, such that the visual information recorded by the third camera and the first camera is stereoscopic; and 
 providing a fourth camera disposed adjacent the second camera, such that the visual information recorded by the fourth camera and the second camera is stereoscopic. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of:
 transmitting the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera to a data center; 
 combining together the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera; and 
 forming a three dimensional virtual space from the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the steps of:
 combining the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera together onboard the first vehicle; 
 forming a three dimensional virtual space from the visual information from the first camera and the third camera and the visual information from the second camera and fourth camera. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of:
 hardwiring the first vehicle to the second vehicle in order to send saved visual information between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of:
 forming a multiple perspective image onboard the first vehicle from the visual information from the second camera combined with the visual information from the first camera. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of:
 transmitting the visual information from the second vehicle and the visual information from the first vehicle to a data center. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the visual information from the first camera and the visual information from the second camera are combined together at the data center to form a multiple perspective image. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first digital storage continuously records over the video information each time a first time period elapses and no event has occurred. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a third camera disposed on a second portion of the first vehicle, such that a field of view of the third camera is overlapped by a field of view of the first camera; and 
 providing a fourth camera disposed on a second portion of the second vehicle, such that a field of view of the fourth camera is overlapped by a field of view of the second camera.