Sony Dash Cam and Self Driving Car Tech
Sony looks to be entering the car dash camera market, along with other car safety equipment by filing a trademark application for the Sony “Safety Cocoon”.
By looking at the trademark application, it is clear that the “Safety Cocoon” will offer far more than just a “dash camera” or camera car system.
A “cocoon” as defined by Dictionary.com:
a protective covering, usually consisting of polyvinyl chloride, sprayed over machinery, large guns on board ships, etc., to provide an airtight seal and prevent rust during long periods of storage.
any encompassingly protective or hermetic wrapping or enclosure resembling a cocoon
Image sensors made by Sony have been used on many of the best rated dash cams for years now. Their new image censor will go beyond simply capturing a car accident on video, but could actually be integrated into self driving programs. The sensor is intended to be used by driver assist, self driving systems and dash cameras.
Back in April, Sony announced the release of their new image sensor, the IMX390CQV:
Tokyo, Japan – Sony Corporation (“Sony”) is announcing the commercialization of a new 2.45 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor for automotive cameras, the IMX390CQV type 1/2.7. Sony will begin shipping samples in May 2017.
…the product is ready for use in forward-sensing cameras for Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and cameras for Camera Monitoring System (CMS) that show persons and obstacles on an in-car monitor with clear visibility
It looks like Sony has far bigger plans than just a dash camera system for cars, but a whole car sensor system that may be integrated into self driving cars. It’s yet to be seen if part of the “Safety Cocoon” will be used in standalone consumer level dash cameras. Will Sony be entering the self driving car market, competing with industry leaders like Tesla?
Sony trademark filed on October 12, 2017 for the dash camera device called the “Safety Cocoon”:
| Word Mark | SAFETY COCOON |
| Goods and Services | IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Car video recorders; monitoring devices with monitor apparatus for vehicles; rear view monitoring camera device for vehicles; digital video cameras and video recorders; navigation apparatus for vehicles; telecommunication machines and apparatus; event recorders; position sensors; velocity sensors; motion sensors; sensors for detecting objects; measuring or testing machines and instruments; image sensors; semi-conductors; semi-conductor elements; image sensors; computer programs; electronic machines apparatus and their parts; vehicle detection equipment, namely, display monitors, computers, image sensors, video cameras, and operating system and application software to detect vehicle locationIC 012. US 019 021 023 031 035 044. G & S: Air bags; automobiles and their parts and fittings; two-wheeled motor vehicles, bicycles and their parts and fittings; integrated driver assistance systems for motor vehicles, comprising radar apparatus, electronic sensors, video cameras and associated electronics and software for assisting a driver to operate a vehicle including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning systems, lane change assistance, collision warning and avoidance systems, and blind spot detection |
| Standard Characters Claimed | |
| Mark Drawing Code | (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK |
| Serial Number | 87642869 |
| Filing Date | October 12, 2017 |
| Current Basis | 1B |
| Original Filing Basis | 1B |
| Owner | (APPLICANT) Sony Corporation CORPORATION JAPAN 1-7-1 Konan, Minato-ku Tokyo JAPAN |
| Attorney of Record | Robert B.G. Horowitz, Esq. |
| Type of Mark | TRADEMARK |
| Register | PRINCIPAL |
| Live/Dead Indicator | LIVE |
Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office