METHOD AND CONTROL UNIT FOR MONITORING AN INTERIOR OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, IN PARTICULAR DURING A DELIVERY

Abstract

A method for monitoring an interior of a motor vehicle using at least one camera directed into the interior during a temporary access to the interior or to a trunk of the motor vehicle, the camera being switched on by a control unit during the entire access or in the event of deviations from specified rules for the access and transmitting the recorded data to a storage device.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A control unit for at least one camera for monitoring an interior of a motor vehicle, the control unit being coupled to a device configured to provide temporary access to the interior and is connected to a storage device configured to record data during the temporary access.

10. The control unit as recited in claim 9, wherein the device is configured for providing the temporary access for depositing a delivery in the interior of the motor vehicle or depositing a delivery in a trunk of the motor vehicle.

11. The control unit as recited in claim 9, wherein the control unit is connected to a warning device, the warning device configured to announce and/or indicate an activation of the camera by a warning signal by an acoustic transducer and/or optical transducer.

12. A method for monitoring an interior of a motor vehicle using at least one camera directed into the interior during a temporary access to the interior or a trunk of the motor vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: switching on the camera by a control unit during the entire temporary access or in the event of deviations from prescribed rules for the temporary access; and transmitting recorded data from the camera to a storage device.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising the following steps: granting the temporary access is granted for the purpose of depositing a delivery in the interior or in a trunk of the motor vehicle; and implementing the temporary access by temporarily opening at least one locking device of the motor vehicle.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the control unit switches on the camera when the interior or a trunk are opened during the temporary access or when specifiable rules are not observed.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein prior to switching on camera and/or during the operation of camera, a warning signal is generated by a warning device, the warning signal being an optical and/or acoustic warning signal.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein in the transmitted step, image data recorded by the camera are transmitted by the control unit to an external storage device via a radio transmitter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0010] FIG. 1 schematically shows a motor vehicle equipped for secure delivery.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 having an interior 2 and a trunk 3, which is equipped with a locking device 7. A device 6 for temporary access allows an authorized person to open trunk 3 for a specified time in order to deposit for example a delivery 13, in particular a package. A control unit 5 is able to switch on a camera 4 directed into interior 2 for monitoring activities during the temporary access. For this purpose, control unit 5 is coupled to device 6 so that the information as to when a temporary access occurs is available to control unit 5. It is then possible to switch on the camera for the entire duration of the access and record all activities during this time interval. This is also expedient in applications in which a motor vehicle 1 has no separate trunk 3 so that a delivery must be deposited in interior 3. If a complete recording is not desired or not permitted, it is also possible to switch camera 4 on during the access only when certain rules, which may be prescribed for a correct access, are not observed. For example, the camera may be switched on when an access to interior 2 is opened. For preventing unauthorized entries into interior 2, it is particularly effective if a warning device 8 is activated prior to or while switching on camera 4, which triggers an optical and/or acoustic warning signal via a transducer 9. The data recorded by camera 4 may be stored in a storage device 10 in motor vehicle 1 and/or may be stored in an external storage device 12, to which they are transmitted via a radio transmitter 11.

[0012] In the latter case, the intruder no longer has access to the data following an unauthorized entry into interior 2.