US 6,151,065 AGranted

Concealed integrated vehicular camera safety system

OwnerVan P. Steed, Scott J. Arnold +1inventors

InventorsVan P. Steed, Scott J. Arnold, Robert K. Cejka

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A concealed vehicular system is provided for a motor vehicle to permit the operator to view or record events occurring inside or outside the vehicle. A miniature camera is concealed within a functional component of the vehicle, such as within a rear-view mirror or a lighting device of the vehicle. The images from the video camera are stored in a recording device, such as a video camera recorder. Alternatively, the images produced by the video camera can be transmitted to a viewing screen, such as a cathode ray tube monitor or liquid crystal diode, within the view of the driver. The concealed video camera housed within a functional component of the vehicle is imperceptible to vandals and thieves, and does not distract from the aesthetics of the vehicle.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A concealed vehicular camera system that permits viewing or recording of events while simultaneously performing a vehicle lighting function, said concealed vehicular camera system comprising:

a video camera assembly including a miniature video camera;
at least one light source which emits light during vehicular operation;
a housing structure including a cavity shaped to receive both said miniature video camera and said light source;
a cover disposed over said cavity of said housing structure and fabricated from a transparent material through which light and visual images can pass, said cover serving to conceal said miniature video camera inside said cavity;
and
a partitioning structure placed in said cavity of said housing structure and positioned to shield said miniature video camera from said light source in order to prevent light emitted by said light source from interfering with the operation of said miniature video camera.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/492,672Filed 20 Jun 1995
Granted: 21 Nov 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B60Q 1/0023
Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function: the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
G08B 13/19647
Details of the system layout: systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
G08B 15/001
Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives: concealed systems, e.g. disguised alarm systems to make…
H04N 7/181
Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast: for receiving images from a plurality of remote…