Vehicular monitoring system with interior viewing camera and remote communication

Abstract

A vehicular monitoring system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and viewing interior of the vehicle. The camera is operable to capture image data. Image data captured by the camera is provided to a data processor and is processed at the data processor. A wireless communication link links the vehicle with a remote communication device located remote from the vehicle. The remote communication device, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the camera.

1 . A vehicular monitoring system, the vehicular monitoring system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular monitoring system, the camera viewing interior of the vehicle;   wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor;   wherein the camera is operable to capture image data;   wherein image data captured by the camera is provided to a data processor, and   
       wherein captured image data provided to the data processor is processed at the data processor;
 a wireless communication link linking the vehicle with a remote communication device located remote from the vehicle; and 
 wherein the remote communication device, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the camera. 
 
     
     
         2 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the data processor comprises an image processing chip. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is controllable via a signal communicated by the remote communication device. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the camera captures image data responsive to the signal communicated by the remote communication device. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one exterior viewing camera of the vehicle, wherein the remote communication device, responsive to communication received via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the at least one exterior viewing camera. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one exterior viewing camera comprises a plurality of exterior viewing cameras of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 6 , wherein the remote communication device, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the plurality of exterior viewing cameras to provide a top-down view display of an area at least partially around the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote communication device comprises a smart phone. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote communication device is operable to record the video images video images derived from image data captured by the camera. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein GPS-derived position data of the vehicle is communicated from the vehicle to the remote communication device via the wireless communication link. 
     
     
         11 . A vehicular monitoring system, the vehicular monitoring system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular monitoring system, the camera viewing interior of the vehicle;   wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor;   wherein the camera is operable to capture image data;   wherein image data captured by the camera is provided to a data processor, and   
       wherein captured image data provided to the data processor is processed at the data processor;
 wherein the data processor comprises an image processing chip; 
 a wireless communication link linking the vehicle with a smart phone located remote from the vehicle; and 
 wherein the smart phone, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the camera. 
 
     
     
         12 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein the camera is controllable via a signal communicated by the smart phone. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein the camera captures image data responsive to the signal communicated by the smart phone. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one exterior viewing camera of the vehicle, wherein the smart phone, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the at least one exterior viewing camera. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one exterior viewing camera comprises a plurality of exterior viewing cameras of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 15 , wherein the smart phone, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the plurality of exterior viewing cameras to provide a top-down view display of an area at least partially around the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein the smart phone is operable to record the video images video images derived from image data captured by the camera. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein GPS-derived position data of the vehicle is communicated from the vehicle to the smart phone via the wireless communication link. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicular monitoring system, the vehicular monitoring system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular monitoring system, the camera viewing interior of the vehicle;   wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array sensor;   wherein the camera is operable to capture image data;   wherein image data captured by the camera is provided to a data processor, and   
       wherein captured image data provided to the data processor is processed at the data processor;
 wherein the data processor comprises an image processing chip; 
 a wireless communication link linking the vehicle with a remote communication device located remote from the vehicle; 
 wherein the camera captures image data responsive to a signal communicated by the remote communication device via the wireless communication link; and 
 wherein the remote communication device, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the camera. 
 
     
     
         20 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one exterior viewing camera of the vehicle, wherein the remote communication device, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the at least one exterior viewing camera. 
     
     
         21 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one exterior viewing camera comprises a plurality of exterior viewing cameras of the vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 21 , wherein the remote communication device, responsive to communication received from the vehicle via the wireless communication link, displays video images derived from image data captured by the plurality of exterior viewing cameras to provide a top-down view display of an area at least partially around the vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 19 , wherein the remote communication device is operable to record the video images video images derived from image data captured by the camera. 
     
     
         24 . The vehicular monitoring system of  claim 19 , wherein GPS-derived position data of the vehicle is communicated from the vehicle to the remote communication device via the wireless communication link.