Apparatus and method for detecting a state of a driver based on biometric signals of the driver

• US 10,022,082 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Hur, Nam Woong, Jeon, Seul Ki, Kim, Hyun Sang, Kim, Eung Hwan, Ahn, Sang Tae, Jang, Hyo Jung, Jun, Sung Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US15/356,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20170367635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 340575, 340576, 600300, 600509, 600529, 701 1, 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14553 specially adapted for cerebral tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16

Abstract

An apparatus and a method is provided for detecting biometric signals of a driver and classifying the driver into a normal state or a fatigued state based on the biometric signals. An apparatus may include: a biometric signal measuring part configured to measure the biometric signals including a blood flow rate of a brain of the driver using an electro-encephalography (EEG), an electro-cardiography (ECG), and a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) of the driver; a biometric signal integral part configured to integrate the measured biometric signals, to extract characteristics of the respective biometric signals from the measured biometric signals and to then integrate the extracted characteristics, or to classify the extracted characteristics of the biometric signals and to then integrate the classified characteristics; and a driver state detecting part configured to detect the state of the driver based on the integrated biometric signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a state of a driver based on biometric signals of the driver executed by a processor, the apparatus comprising:

a biometric signal measuring part configured to measure the biometric signals including a blood flow rate of a brain of the driver by using an electro-encephalography (EEG), an electro-cardiography (ECG), and a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) of the driver;

a biometric signal integral part configured to analyze and integrate the measured biometric signals of the driver, to extract characteristics of the respective biometric signals from the measured biometric signals and then to integrate the extracted characteristics, or to classify the extracted characteristics of the biometric signals and then to integrate the classified characteristics;

a driver state detecting part configured to detect the state of the driver based on the integrated biometric signals; and

wherein the processor is configured to classify and analyze the driver into a normal state and a fatigue state based on the measured biometric signals.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the biometric signal measuring part includes:

an electro-encephalography measuring apparatus configured to measure the electro-encephalography occurring from the brain;

an emitter configured to generate near-field infrared ray to measure the blood flow rate of the brain; and

a detector configured to detect the near-field infrared ray reflected after the emitter generates the near-field infrared ray and to obtain electrical signals.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein to extract characteristics of the respective biometric signals are from the measured biometric signals, the biometric signal integral part is configured to extract characteristics of the electro-encephalography by extracting characteristics of a relative power level (RPL) using electrodes attached to a scalp of the driver.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when characteristics of the respective biometric signals are extracted from the measured biometric signals, the biometric signal integral part is configured to extract characteristics of the electro-cardiography by extracting a component of R among components of P, Q, R, S, and T of the electro-cardiography and to calculate a heart rate using the extracted component of R.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when characteristics of the respective biometric signals are extracted from the measured biometric signals, the biometric signal measuring part is configured to measure the blood flow rate of the brain of the driver by measuring a reflection amount by a detector, converting light intensity into oxyhemoglobin and specific oxyhemoglobin concentrations using an absorption rate of light, and using the oxyhemoglobin and specific oxyhemoglobin concentrations.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driver state detecting part is configured to calculate a driving condition level by applying a same weight to values of the electro-encephalography, the electro-cardiography, and the blood flow rate of the brain.

7. A method for detecting a state of a driver based on biometric signals of the driver executed by a processor, the method comprising:

measuring the biometric signals of the driver including a blood flow rate of a brain of the driver using an electro-encephalography (EEG), an electro-cardiography (ECG), and a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) of the driver;

analyzing and integrating the measured biometric signals of the driver, extracting characteristics of the respective biometric signals from the measured biometric signals and then integrating the extracted characteristics, or classifying the extracted characteristics of the biometric signals and then integrating the classified characteristics;

detecting the state of the driver based on the integrated biometric signals; and

classifying and analyzing the driver into a normal state and a fatigue state based on the measured biometric signals.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein when characteristics of the respective biometric signals are extracted from the measured biometric signals, characteristics of the electro-encephalography are extracted by extracting characteristics of a relative power level (RPL) using electrodes attached to a scalp of the driver.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein when characteristics of the respective biometric signals are extracted from the measured biometric signals, characteristics of the electro-cardiography are extracted by extracting a component of R among components of P, Q, R, S, and T of the electro-cardiography and calculating a heart rate using the extracted component of R.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein when characteristics of the respective biometric signals are extracted from the measured biometric signals, the blood flow rate of the brain of the driver is measured by measuring a reflection amount by a detector, converting light intensity into oxyhemoglobin and specific oxyhemoglobin concentrations using an absorption rate of light, and using the oxyhemoglobin and specific oxyhemoglobin concentrations.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein a driving condition level is calculated by applying a same weight to values of the electro-encephalography, the electro-cardiography, and the blood flow rate of the brain.