US 8423235

US patent 8423235, titled "Video recording device for vehicle and driving information providing method thereof," was granted to MtekVision Co Ltd.

Here is a summary of the patent:

• Title: Video recording device for vehicle and driving information providing method thereof
• Assignee: MtekVision Co Ltd
• Inventor: Kam-Youn LEE
• Filing Date: 2010-09-13
• Issue Date: 2013-04-16
• Abstract: The patent describes a vehicle video recording device and a method for providing driving information. The device comprises a sensing unit (with a positioning unit, inertia sensor, and/or environment sensor), a vehicle information collecting unit (collecting data from vehicle sensors or a self-diagnosis device), and a driving information generating unit. This unit generates driving information based on the sensed and vehicle information, distinguishing between vehicle use and non-use. This allows for continuous management of vehicle driving time or accident possibility, potentially offering advantages or disadvantages to the driver.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Vehicle Video Recording Device): This claim describes a vehicle video recording device designed to record outside video. It includes:

  • A sensing unit that provides "sensed information." This unit can contain a GPS for position, an inertia sensor for movement, and/or an environment sensor.
  • A vehicle information collecting unit that gathers "vehicle information" from the car's own sensors or a self-diagnosis system (like an OBD device).
  • A driving information generating unit that creates "driving information" based on the sensed and/or vehicle information. Critically, it generates different sets of driving information depending on whether the vehicle is in use or not.
    • When the vehicle is in use, the first set of driving information includes things like the driving date, distance traveled, speed, turn signal activation, seat belt use, acceleration pedal input, brake signal, remaining fuel, and fuel consumed.
    • When the vehicle is not in use, the second set of driving information includes at least the traveling distance and GPS coordinates.

• Independent Claim 9 (Driving Information Generating Method): This claim outlines a method performed by a vehicle video recording device to generate driving information. The method involves:

  • Acquiring vehicle information and sensed information using vehicle sensors or a self-diagnosis device.
  • Generating driving information based on this acquired information, differentiating between vehicle use and non-use.
    • When the vehicle is in use, the first set of driving information includes details such as driving date, traveling distance, speed, turn signal, seat belt usage, acceleration pedal, brake signal, residual fuel, and ejected fuel.
    • When the vehicle is not in use, the second set of driving information includes at least the traveling distance and GPS positional coordinates.

CAFC 2026 Dockets Search:
A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for patent number US8423235 did not yield any direct results indicating ongoing litigation or specific mentions of this patent in the provided snippets. The search results generally discuss various patent cases and rulings from the Federal Circuit in 2026, including eligibility of software claims, IPR proceedings, and damages awards, but none specifically name US8423235. Therefore, based on the provided search results, there is no authoritative information to confirm any active cases involving US8423235 in the CAFC dockets for 2026.

As of April 26, 2026, a search for litigation involving US patent 8423235 did not yield any specific results on Unified Patents, PACER, or CAFC dockets. Therefore, no known litigation for US patent 8423235 can be reported at this time based on the conducted search.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings on file for US patent 8423235. This means the patent has not been challenged in an Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post-Grant Review (PGR), or Covered Business Method (CBM) review at the PTAB.

Strategic summary

As of 2026-07-08, all claims of US patent 8423235 (claims 1-17) remain untested at the PTAB. This means there is no estoppel landscape established by prior AIA trial proceedings, and any defendant facing assertion of this patent would have all prior-art grounds available for a potential PTAB challenge. The absence of PTAB activity could suggest that the patent has not been extensively asserted, or that prior art challenges have not been pursued through AIA trials.

Recommended next steps

If facing assertion of US patent 8423235, a potential defendant should conduct a thorough prior art search to assess the patent's validity and consider filing an AIA trial petition (IPR or PGR, depending on the circumstances) at the PTAB. Given the absence of prior PTAB challenges, this patent is a clean slate for such a proceeding.

Inventors

The sole named inventor of US patent 8423235 is Kam-Youn LEE. At the time of filing, Kam-Youn LEE was the assignor to MtekVision Co Ltd, indicating employment with or a contractual obligation to assign patent rights to MtekVision Co Ltd.

Original Assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent is MtekVision Co Ltd. MtekVision Co Ltd was a fabless semiconductor company specializing in multimedia processors, particularly for mobile applications and imaging solutions. Their products included image processing chips and video recording solutions. It is plausible that MtekVision Co Ltd shipped products embodying the claims, given their focus on video recording and image processing technology for mobile and vehicle applications.

MtekVision Co Ltd is a venture company specializing in Camera ASIC & System, providing total solutions including camera ASICs, camera modules, and camera systems. They have developed video and multimedia ICs used in mobile and automotive cameras, supplying over 400 million ICs. Their business scope includes image processing and recognition technology, semiconductors (Image Signal Processors and Multimedia Application Processors), and Original Development Manufacturing (ODM). They produce Car Driving Recorders (CDRs), Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS), and Digital Tachographs (DTG).

MtekVision's products, such as Car Driving Recorders (Black Boxes) and Digital Tachographs, directly embody the core concepts of US8423235, which describes a vehicle video recording device and a method for providing driving information based on sensed and vehicle information. MtekVision's "Car Driving Recorder" products incorporate features such as GPS, G-sensors, and various recording modes (driving, parking, event), which align with the patent's claims for collecting sensed and vehicle information to generate driving data.

MtekVision Co Ltd appears to be an active company. Their website shows recent developments, including the release of a "Black Box for Bikes" in 2024 and continuous development in automotive and semiconductor fields. Their legal information from Kompass indicates they were established in 2014, with activities in semiconductors and electronic/telecommunications engineering. There's a note about a company division in 2014, where "MtekVision Assets to MtekVision for IT division" which suggests an internal restructuring rather than dissolution.

Assignment timeline

I'm now searching the USPTO Assignment Center for US8423235.
The search for US8423235 on the USPTO Assignment Center reveals the following record:

• 2010-08-10 (executed) / recorded 2010-09-14 — Reel 024984/0434
  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: LEE, KAM-YOUN
  • Assignee: MTEKVISION CO., LTD.
  • Correspondent: MTEKVISION CO., LTD., C/O MTEKVISION BLDG., #507-2, GAJWA-DONG, SEO-GU, INCHEON, KOREA (This is the same entity as the assignee, indicating an internal filing.)
  • Context: Initial assignment from inventor to the corporate entity.

This is the only assignment record found on the USPTO Assignment Center for US8423235. This suggests that the patent has remained with MtekVision Co., Ltd. since its initial assignment from the inventor.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8423235
    2010 : Inventor assigned to MtekVision Co Ltd
    2013 : Patent Issued

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The sole recorded assignment is from the inventor to MtekVision Co Ltd, which is an operating company producing relevant products.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. MtekVision Co Ltd is an operating company, not identified as a known NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. Only one assignment is recorded, and the correspondent is the assignee itself, which is not a recurring third-party attorney or firm associated with NPEs.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. There is only one recorded assignment.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. No litigation is identified, so this signal cannot be assessed.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. MtekVision Co Ltd appears to be an active operating company.
7. Privateering — not present. There is no evidence of a transfer to an NPE for assertion on behalf of MtekVision.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent remains with the original operating assignee.

Verdict

Insufficient data.
Based on the available USPTO assignment records, only the initial assignment from the inventor to the operating company, MtekVision Co Ltd, is present (Reel 024984/0434, recorded 2010-09-14). There are no subsequent transfers or other identifiable patterns that would indicate an NPE assertion. The original assignee, MtekVision Co Ltd, is an operating company that develops and manufactures products, including car driving recorders, which embody the claims of the patent.

USPTO Assignment Center Search for US8423235

The USPTO provides various tools for searching patents, including Patent Public Search, which offers basic and advanced search functionalities. These tools allow users to search by keywords, inventor name, assignee name, and patent or publication numbers. International patent databases like WIPO PATENTSCOPE and Espacenet are also available for broader searches.

Here's an analysis of the most relevant prior art cited in US patent 8423235, along with a discussion of which claims they potentially anticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102. The focus will be on the core inventive concept of US8423235: generating different sets of driving information depending on whether the vehicle is in use or nonuse.

1. KR19990049951A

• Full Citation: KR19990049951A, titled "Multifunctional device of car and its control method," filed 1997-12-16, published 1999-07-05 (Inventor: 박호영).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a car device that can record various car operation conditions and accident information. It includes sensors to detect acceleration, speed, location (GPS), and status of various car components. The recorded data can be used for accident analysis and driver education. While it records a variety of driving-related information, it primarily focuses on event recording and general driving data, without explicitly detailing the generation of different sets of driving information specifically for "use" versus "nonuse" with distinct data parameters for each state as claimed in US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Less likely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 fully due to the absence of the explicit "different sets of driving information depending on use or nonuse" with defined content for each state. It may anticipate general aspects of collecting vehicle and sensed information.

2. US6141611A

• Full Citation: US6141611A, titled "Mobile vehicle accident data system," filed 1998-12-01, issued 2000-10-31 (Inventor: John J. Mackey).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for recording and transmitting vehicle operating data, particularly in the event of an accident. It gathers data such as speed, braking, turn signals, and GPS position, which can be stored and transmitted to a central facility. The primary focus is on accident data recording and transmission, not on systematically generating and differentiating driving information based on the vehicle's "use" or "nonuse" states for purposes like insurance premium calculation or driver habit guidance beyond accident reconstruction.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 because it does not clearly disclose the generation of different sets of driving information for use and nonuse with specific data points for each state as a continuous management system, but rather focuses on event-based recording for accidents.

3. US6718239B2

• Full Citation: US6718239B2, titled "Vehicle event data recorder including validation of output," filed 1998-02-09, issued 2004-04-06 (Assignee: I-Witness, Inc.).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicle event data recorder that captures and stores information related to vehicle operation, particularly before, during, and after an event (e.g., an accident). It can record various parameters like speed, acceleration, braking, and GPS data. A key aspect is the validation of the recorded data. While it records driving parameters, it doesn't describe the structured generation of different sets of driving information for use and nonuse as a continuous tracking mechanism beyond event recording.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to the above, it's unlikely to fully anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 due to the lack of explicit disclosure regarding the generation of different sets of driving information tailored for vehicle use and nonuse as described in US8423235.

4. KR20040073816A

• Full Citation: KR20040073816A, titled "Apparatus and method for servicing driving information, system and method for driving appendence analysis using the same," filed 2003-02-14, published 2004-08-21 (Assignee: 주식회사 모빌콤).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for providing driving information services and analyzing driving habits. It collects various driving data, including GPS location, speed, and vehicle status, and can transmit this to a server for analysis. This system aims to analyze driving patterns and provide feedback. This reference is more relevant as it discusses "servicing driving information" and "driving appendence analysis," which aligns with the broader goal of US8423235 (giving advantages/disadvantages to drivers). However, it needs to be scrutinized for the explicit teaching of different sets of information for use vs. nonuse. While it processes driving information, it doesn't clearly delineate between "use" and "nonuse" for distinct sets of driving information.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Potentially more relevant than the accident-focused patents, as it aims to provide driving information for analysis. However, a detailed review of its claims and description would be needed to determine if it explicitly discloses the key differentiating feature of US8423235: generating different, specifically defined sets of driving information for vehicle use and nonuse. Without that explicit teaching, it may not fully anticipate claims 1 and 9.

5. US20080122288A1

• Full Citation: US20080122288A1, titled "Power management systems for automotive video event recorders," filed 2006-11-07, published 2008-05-29 (Assignee: Smartdrive Systems Inc.).
• Brief Description: This application details power management systems for automotive video event recorders. It discusses maintaining recording capabilities even when the vehicle's engine is off, often using auxiliary power sources. It also mentions recording various vehicle parameters. This is highly relevant to the auxiliary power supply aspect (claim 4 of US8423235) and the ability to record during non-use. While it addresses power management for recording during non-use (parking mode), its primary focus is on the power system itself and the continuity of recording, rather than the generation of different, distinct sets of "driving information" specifically structured for "use" and "nonuse" with the parameters specified in US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Highly relevant for dependent claim 4 of US8423235, which describes an auxiliary power supply unit and a control unit for switching between activated/deactivated states to generate driving information during a deactivated state. It also addresses recording during non-use. However, it may not anticipate the specific "different sets of driving information" of independent claims 1 and 9, especially the detailed content of the second set (nonuse data like traveling distance and GPS positional coordinates) in the context of continuous management.

6. US20100194887A1

• Full Citation: US20100194887A1, titled "Method for displaying vehicle driving conditions," filed 2007-09-28, published 2010-08-05 (Inventor: Kohhei Ono).
• Brief Description: This application describes a method for displaying vehicle driving conditions, including various operational parameters. It focuses on how to present driving information to the user. While it handles "driving conditions," the emphasis is on display rather than the distinct generation and categorization of "driving information" for "use" and "nonuse" as defined in US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 because it focuses on displaying driving conditions, not on generating different, specific sets of driving information based on vehicle use and nonuse as claimed.

7. US20060287783A1

• Full Citation: US20060287783A1, titled "Automated accounting system that values, controls, records and bills the uses of equipment/vehicles for society," filed 1998-01-15, published 2006-12-21 (Assignee: Kline & Walker Llc).
• Brief Description: This patent application describes an automated system for tracking, valuing, and billing the use of equipment, including vehicles. It aims to collect data on vehicle usage for accounting and financial purposes. This is quite broad and covers "use of equipment/vehicles," which could encompass aspects of "driving information." However, its focus appears to be on financial and accounting aspects of use rather than the specific details of a vehicle video recording device generating different sets of driving information for use and nonuse as defined in US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While broadly related to tracking vehicle use, it likely lacks the specific technical details of a video recording device and the precise definitions of "different sets of driving information" for use and nonuse as required by independent claims 1 and 9.

8. US20040049324A1

• Full Citation: US20040049324A1, titled "Electrically controlled automated devices to operate, slow, guide, stop and secure, equipment and machinery for the purpose of controlling their unsafe, unattended, unauthorized, unlawful hazardous and/or legal use, with remote control and accountability worldwide," filed 1998-06-18, published 2004-03-11 (Assignee: Kline And Walker Llc).
• Brief Description: This application describes devices for controlling equipment and machinery, including vehicles, to prevent unsafe or unauthorized use. It focuses on control aspects and accountability. It's too high-level and broadly focused on control mechanisms to specifically anticipate the detailed data generation and categorization of "driving information" in US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 due to its focus on control and broad accountability, lacking the specific technical details of generating different sets of driving information for use and nonuse via a video recording device.

9. US20070009104A1

• Full Citation: US20070009104A1, titled "Wireless smart camera system and method," filed 2004-09-23, published 2007-01-11 (Inventor: Renkis Martin A).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a wireless smart camera system that can capture images and video, process them, and communicate wirelessly. It's a general camera system with smart features, not specifically tailored as a vehicle video recording device that collects vehicle information and generates driving information for use and nonuse as described in US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 as it describes a general smart camera system, not one integrated into a vehicle to collect specific vehicle/sensed data and generate differentiated driving information for use and nonuse.

10. KR100917442B1

• Full Citation: KR100917442B1, titled "Vehicle multi-speed record measuring device," filed 2009-02-26, published 2009-09-15 (Inventor: 박정석).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a device for measuring and recording multiple speeds of a vehicle. It seems focused on speed recording. While "traveling speed" is part of the first set of driving information in US8423235, this patent likely does not disclose the full scope of sensing, vehicle information collection, and the generation of different sets of driving information for both use and nonuse with specific parameters. This patent's publication date is also very close to the priority date of US8423235 (2009-09-14), making its prior art status critical.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 due to its narrow focus on "multi-speed record measuring" and not the broader system for generating different sets of driving information for use and nonuse as defined in US8423235.

11. US20120173905A1

• Full Citation: US20120173905A1, titled "Providing power over ethernet within a vehicular communication network," filed 2010-11-03, published 2012-07-05 (Assignee: Broadcom Corporation).
• Brief Description: This patent application describes providing power over Ethernet within a vehicle. This is a communication and power delivery technology. Its filing and publication dates are after the priority date of US8423235 (2009-09-14), so it cannot be prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102 for US8423235. Even if it were, it relates to power and networking, not the core driving information generation of US8423235.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Not prior art to US8423235 due to its later priority date (2010-11-03 vs. 2009-09-14).

Most Relevant Prior Art Assessment:

Based on the initial review, the most relevant prior art among the cited references appear to be:

• US20080122288A1 (Smartdrive Systems Inc.) for its discussion of "Power management systems for automotive video event recorders" and maintaining recording during non-use. This is highly relevant to dependent claim 4 (auxiliary power supply and switching states for generating driving information during deactivated state). However, it may not anticipate the specific details of different sets of driving information for use and nonuse as defined in independent claims 1 and 9.
• KR20040073816A (주식회사 모빌콤) for its general aim of "servicing driving information" and "driving appendence analysis." This moves beyond just accident recording towards a broader use of driving data, which is a key advantage highlighted in US8423235. However, a closer examination would be needed to see if it explicitly teaches the specific differentiation of driving information sets for "use" and "nonuse" with the detailed content of each set as specified in US8423235 claims 1 and 9.

The crucial distinguishing feature of US8423235's independent claims 1 and 9 is the generation of "different sets of the driving information ... depending on whether the vehicle is in use or nonuse," with explicitly defined data elements for the "first set" (use) and the "second set" (nonuse). Many prior art references record various driving data and might operate during "nonuse" (e.g., parking mode for accident recording), but the novelty lies in structuring and generating distinct sets of "driving information" with specific content for these two states to enable continuous management and differential benefits/disadvantages to the driver. Without explicit disclosure of this particular feature, these references may not fully anticipate US8423235's independent claims.

Therefore, while these references cover aspects of vehicle video recording, data collection, and power management during non-use, none of them explicitly and comprehensively disclose the key inventive step of US8423235, which is generating different, specifically itemized sets of driving information tailored for both vehicle use and nonuse periods.

Conclusion:

While all cited references broadly relate to vehicle data recording, none of them, based on their abstracts and general descriptions, appear to explicitly disclose the core novelty of US8423235's independent claims: the generation of distinct and specifically defined sets of driving information for both vehicle use and nonuse, each with its own set of parameters as detailed in claims 1 and 9. US20080122288A1 is highly relevant to the auxiliary power and operation during non-use, but its focus is on recording continuity rather than differentiated driving information sets. KR20040073816A is relevant for its broader aim of driving information services but lacks the specific "different sets" teaching. The other cited prior art focuses more on accident recording or general camera systems, making them less likely to anticipate the specific claims of US8423235.

A full anticipation analysis would require a detailed claim-by-claim comparison with the entire specification of each cited reference, which is beyond the scope of this summary based on the provided abstracts. However, based on the distinguishing feature of US8423235, the listed prior art does not immediately appear to fully anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 in their entirety.

The patent text itself describes the background art as focusing "only storage of an accident-related video, but does not provide any material for determining the accident possibility in advance." It aims to "continuously manage information on a driving time of a vehicle or the accident possibility in driving a vehicle, thereby giving an advantage or a disadvantage to a driver." This reinforces that the novelty is in the purpose-driven generation of comprehensive, differentiated driving information for both use and nonuse.

Therefore, while many references touch upon aspects of vehicle data recording, none of the cited art appears to squarely hit the "different sets of driving information generated depending on whether the vehicle is in use or nonuse" with the specific itemized content for each set, which forms the inventive core of claims 1 and 9 of US8423235.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US patent 8423235

The following patents are cited in US patent 8423235 as prior art. Their relevance is assessed against the independent claims (Claims 1 and 9), focusing on the distinguishing feature of generating different sets of driving information depending on whether the vehicle is in use or nonuse.

1. KR19990049951A

• Full Citation: KR19990049951A, titled "Multifunctional device of car and its control method" (Inventor: 박호영).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 1997-12-16, Published 1999-07-05.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a device for cars that records various operation conditions and accident-related information, including acceleration, speed, and GPS location. It aims to provide data for accident analysis and driver education.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): It generally covers the collection of vehicle and sensed information. However, it does not explicitly disclose the generation of different, specifically defined sets of driving information for vehicle "use" versus "nonuse" with distinct data parameters for each state as specified in independent claims 1 and 9 of US8423235. Therefore, it is less likely to fully anticipate these claims.

2. US6141611A

• Full Citation: US6141611A, titled "Mobile vehicle accident data system" (Inventor: John J. Mackey).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 1998-12-01, Issued 2000-10-31.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system to record and transmit vehicle operational data, particularly for accident events. It collects data such as speed, braking, turn signals, and GPS position, storing and transmitting it for accident reconstruction purposes.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While it records various driving parameters, its primary focus is on event-driven accident data rather than the continuous, differentiated generation of driving information for vehicle "use" and "nonuse" for broader management and driver assessment as claimed in US8423235. Thus, it is unlikely to fully anticipate independent claims 1 and 9.

3. US6718239B2

• Full Citation: US6718239B2, titled "Vehicle event data recorder including validation of output" (Assignee: I-Witness, Inc.).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 1998-02-09, Issued 2004-04-06.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicle event data recorder that captures and stores information before, during, and after an event, including speed, acceleration, braking, and GPS data, with a focus on data validation.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US6141611A, this patent is centered on event-based recording. It does not explicitly teach the generation of different, distinct sets of driving information specifically for "use" versus "nonuse" periods with the detailed content claimed in US8423235. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9 in their entirety.

4. KR20040073816A

• Full Citation: KR20040073816A, titled "Apparatus and method for servicing driving information, system and method for driving appendence analysis using the same" (Assignee: 주식회사 모빌콤).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 2003-02-14, Published 2004-08-21.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for providing driving information services and analyzing driving habits. It collects data like GPS location, speed, and vehicle status, transmitting it for analysis to assess driving patterns and offer feedback.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is more relevant as it discusses providing and analyzing driving information for purposes beyond just accident recording, aligning with the broader objectives of US8423235. However, a detailed analysis is needed to determine if it explicitly discloses the key feature of generating different sets of driving information with distinct parameters specifically for vehicle "use" and "nonuse" states as articulated in independent claims 1 and 9. Without this explicit teaching, it may not fully anticipate.

5. US20080122288A1

• Full Citation: US20080122288A1, titled "Power management systems for automotive video event recorders" (Assignee: Smartdrive Systems Inc.).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 2006-11-07, Published 2008-05-29.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes power management systems for vehicle video event recorders, enabling them to record even when the vehicle engine is off (e.g., parking mode) using auxiliary power. It also mentions recording various vehicle parameters.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant to dependent claim 4 of US8423235, which discusses an auxiliary power supply and switching between activated/deactivated states to generate driving information. It clearly addresses recording during non-use. However, its primary focus is on power management for continuous recording rather than the explicit generation of different, specifically defined sets of "driving information" for vehicle "use" and "nonuse" with distinct parameters as required by independent claims 1 and 9. It may anticipate the functional aspect of collecting data during non-use, but not necessarily the structured differentiation of data sets.

6. US20100194887A1

• Full Citation: US20100194887A1, titled "Method for displaying vehicle driving conditions" (Inventor: Kohhei Ono).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 2007-09-28, Published 2010-08-05.
• Brief Description: This application focuses on methods for displaying various vehicle driving conditions to a user.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent primarily concerns the presentation of driving information. It does not appear to disclose the generation of different, specific sets of driving information based on vehicle use and nonuse with the detailed content outlined in US8423235's independent claims 1 and 9. Therefore, it is unlikely to fully anticipate these claims.

7. US20060287783A1

• Full Citation: US20060287783A1, titled "Automated accounting system that values, controls, records and bills the uses of equipment/vehicles for society" (Assignee: Kline & Walker Llc).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 1998-01-15, Published 2006-12-21.
• Brief Description: This application describes a broad system for tracking, valuing, and billing the usage of equipment, including vehicles, for financial and accounting purposes.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While broadly related to tracking vehicle usage, this patent is highly generalized and does not provide the specific technical details of a vehicle video recording device generating different sets of driving information for use and nonuse with the specific parameters claimed in US8423235. It is unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9.

8. US20040049324A1

• Full Citation: US20040049324A1, titled "Electrically controlled automated devices to operate, slow, guide, stop and secure, equipment and machinery for the purpose of controlling their unsafe, unattended, unauthorized, unlawful hazardous and/or legal use, with remote control and accountability worldwide" (Assignee: Kline And Walker Llc).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 1998-06-18, Published 2004-03-11.
• Brief Description: This application describes devices for controlling equipment and machinery, including vehicles, to prevent unsafe or unauthorized use, focusing on control and accountability.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is very broad and focused on control mechanisms, rather than the specific details of a video recording device generating differentiated driving information for vehicle use and nonuse. It is unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9.

9. US20070009104A1

• Full Citation: US20070009104A1, titled "Wireless smart camera system and method" (Inventor: Renkis Martin A).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 2004-09-23, Published 2007-01-11.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a general wireless smart camera system capable of capturing, processing, and communicating images and video.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent describes a general smart camera system, not one specifically designed as a vehicle video recording device for collecting vehicle-specific information and generating differentiated driving information for use and nonuse. It is unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9.

10. KR100917442B1

• Full Citation: KR100917442B1, titled "Vehicle multi-speed record measuring device" (Inventor: 박정석).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 2009-02-26, Published 2009-09-15.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a device primarily focused on measuring and recording multiple speeds of a vehicle. Its publication date (2009-09-15) is very close to US8423235's priority date (2009-09-14).
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Given its narrow focus on speed recording, it is unlikely to disclose the full scope of sensing, vehicle information collection, and the generation of different sets of driving information for both use and nonuse with specific parameters as claimed in US8423235. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate independent claims 1 and 9.

11. US20120173905A1

• Full Citation: US20120173905A1, titled "Providing power over ethernet within a vehicular communication network" (Assignee: Broadcom Corporation).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed 2010-11-03, Published 2012-07-05.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent application has a filing date (2010-11-03) and publication date (2012-07-05) after the priority date of US8423235 (2009-09-14). Therefore, it cannot serve as prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102 for US8423235. Even if it were prior art, its subject matter of power over Ethernet in a vehicle network is not directly related to the core inventive concept of generating specific driving information sets.

Summary of Anticipation:

While the cited prior art generally relates to vehicle data recording, none of the references, based on their abstracts and general descriptions, appear to explicitly disclose every element of the independent claims (Claims 1 and 9) of US8423235. Specifically, the core inventive concept of generating "different sets of the driving information ... depending on whether the vehicle is in use or nonuse," with explicitly defined data elements for the "first set" (use) and the "second set" (nonuse), is not clearly taught by these references. Many references focus on event-based recording for accidents or general data logging, but lack the systematic differentiation and specific content for "use" and "nonuse" states as claimed in US8423235 for continuous driver assessment and management.

US20080122288A1 is highly relevant to power management for recording during non-use, which is covered by dependent claim 4, but it may not fully anticipate the precise "different sets of driving information" limitation of the independent claims. KR20040073816A is also more generally relevant to driving information analysis but does not explicitly detail the unique "use/nonuse" data set distinction.

Obviousness Analysis Under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US8423235

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the independent claims of US patent 8423235 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) at the time of the invention (priority date: 2009-09-14). The analysis focuses on independent claims 1 (vehicle video recording device) and 9 (driving information generating method), as dependent claims generally add specific features that would similarly flow from the identified motivations.

Identified Prior Art References (pre-dating 2009-09-14)

1. KR19990049951A (Publication: 1999-07-05): Titled "Multifunctional device of car and its control method," this reference broadly discloses a vehicle device that integrates various functions, including GPS-received information and vehicle engine information.
2. US6141611A (Publication: 2000-10-31): Titled "Mobile vehicle accident data system," this patent teaches a system for collecting accident data, which inherently involves sensing parameters like vehicle speed and acceleration, and recording location.
3. US6718239B2 (Publication: 2004-04-06): Titled "Vehicle event data recorder including validation of output," this patent describes an Event Data Recorder (EDR) that collects and validates vehicle operational data, such as speed, engine RPM, brake status, and seat belt use, typically around a driving "event."
4. KR20040073816A (Publication: 2004-08-21): Titled "Apparatus and method for servicing driving information, system and method for driving appendence analysis using the same," this reference directly addresses collecting and analyzing driving behavior information.
5. US20060287783A1 (Publication: 2006-12-21): Titled "Automated accounting system that values, controls, records and bills the uses of equipment/vehicles for society," this application demonstrates a need and system for tracking and differentiating vehicle usage to support billing or other accounting purposes.
6. US20080122288A1 (Publication: 2008-05-29): Titled "Power management systems for automotive video event recorders," this reference describes managing power consumption in vehicle recorders, particularly differentiating between active and inactive states.
7. KR100917442B1 (Priority: 2009-02-26, Publication: 2009-09-15): Titled "Vehicle multi-speed record measuring device," this patent application describes a device for measuring and recording vehicle speed and related data, making it relevant for collecting driving information. Although its publication date is slightly after US8423235's priority date, its earlier priority date makes it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) (pre-AIA).

Obviousness of Claim 1 (Vehicle Video Recording Device)

Claim 1 describes a vehicle video recording device comprising a sensing unit, a vehicle information collecting unit, and a driving information generating unit that creates different sets of driving information for vehicle "use" and "nonuse."

Combination: US6718239B2 in view of KR19990049951A, US20060287783A1, US20080122288A1, KR20040073816A, and US6141611A.

1. Vehicle Video Recording Device: The background art of US8423235 explicitly acknowledges "known vehicle video recording devices" that record and store video data from a camera. KR19990049951A also discloses a "multifunctional device of car" that would reasonably include video recording functionality, given its focus on information capture. A POSITA would find it obvious to integrate video recording capabilities into a vehicle data recorder or vice versa, to provide comprehensive visual and data records.
2. Sensing Unit:
   • Positioning unit (GPS): KR19990049951A discloses "GPS-received information." US6141611A also collects vehicle location.
   • Inertia sensor unit: US6141611A teaches sensing "acceleration" for accident data. EDRs, as taught by US6718239B2, inherently include inertia sensors for detecting events like collisions.
   • Environment sensor unit: While not explicitly detailed in these references, the addition of common environment sensors (e.g., temperature, humidity, light) to a vehicle monitoring device for validation purposes (as hinted by "validation of output" in US6718239B2) or to ensure data integrity and detect tampering would be a routine engineering choice for a POSITA.
3. Vehicle Information Collecting Unit: US6718239B2 (EDR) clearly connects to vehicle systems to collect "vehicle operational data" such as speed, engine RPM, brake status, and seat belt use. KR19990049951A also provides "vehicle engine information." The description of US8423235 itself mentions collecting information from a self-diagnosis device like an OBD, which is a standard interface for vehicle data, making such collection obvious.
4. Driving Information Generating Unit that generates different sets for use/nonuse:
   • Differentiation of Use/Nonuse: US20060287783A1 teaches an "automated accounting system" for vehicles that "values, controls, records and bills the uses," thereby inherently requiring the system to differentiate between times of vehicle "use" and "nonuse" to accurately account for activity. US20080122288A1 describes power management for vehicle recorders, which involves distinguishing between activated (use) and deactivated (nonuse) states to manage power consumption.
   • First set (during use): Comprising at least one of a driving date, traveling distance, traveling speed, direction indicator signal, safety belt wearing signal, acceleration pedal signal, brake signal, residual fuel signal, and ejected fuel signal. These are all common vehicle parameters. US6718239B2 (EDR) collects speed, RPM, brake, and seat belt signals. US6141611A collects speed and acceleration. KR100917442B1 specifically measures and records vehicle speed. KR20040073816A broadly covers collecting "driving information" for "driving appendence analysis." A POSITA would routinely combine these known data points to create a comprehensive record of driving behavior.
   • Second set (during nonuse): Comprising at least one of the traveling distance and GPS positional coordinates. KR19990049951A discloses GPS position information. US20080122288A1's teaching of power management for vehicle recorders would motivate a POSITA to enable continuous, low-power monitoring during nonuse (e.g., parking) to collect essential information like location (GPS) and potentially minimal distance traveled (e.g., from small movements or overall odometer tracking), for purposes such as theft tracking or continuous usage accounting (US20060287783A1).

Motivation to Combine:
The problem addressed by US8423235 is that known vehicle recording devices primarily focus on accident-related videos and do not provide sufficient material for proactively determining accident possibility or guiding driving habits, leading to disadvantages in insurance premium calculation.
A POSITA, seeking to overcome this problem and provide a more comprehensive vehicle monitoring system for purposes such as driver behavior analysis, insurance assessment, and vehicle usage management, would be motivated to combine:

• The known functionality of a vehicle video recorder (from background art/KR19990049951A) with the detailed data collection capabilities of an EDR (US6718239B2, US6141611A, KR100917442B1).
• The concepts of tracking and accounting for vehicle usage (US20060287783A1) and analyzing driving information (KR20040073816A), which inherently require distinguishing between vehicle use and nonuse.
• The power management techniques for automotive recorders (US20080122288A1) to enable continuous, low-power data collection during nonuse states.

This combination would lead a POSITA to design a system that captures relevant data tailored to both active driving ("use") and parked/inactive ("nonuse") states, utilizing readily available sensor and vehicle data interfaces, to achieve the desired granular monitoring and analysis for the stated goals of improving driver behavior and insurance assessment. The selection of specific data points for each state would be a matter of routine design choice to fulfill these objectives.

Obviousness of Claim 9 (Driving Information Generating Method)

Claim 9 outlines a method performed by a vehicle video recording device for acquiring vehicle and sensed information and generating different sets of driving information during use and nonuse of a vehicle. This method directly corresponds to the functionality of the device described in Claim 1.

Motivation to Combine: The same combinations of prior art references and motivations detailed for Claim 1 apply equally to the method of Claim 9. The steps of acquiring information using known sensors and self-diagnosis devices, and generating different sets of information based on the vehicle's operational state (use or nonuse), would be the obvious operational steps performed by the obvious device. A POSITA seeking to implement the functions of the device described above would naturally employ a method that acquires the various forms of vehicle and sensed information and processes them to generate the specific "use" and "nonuse" data sets.