Occupant monitoring systems and methods
First Claim
1. An illumination system for use with an occupant monitoring system (OMS) for monitoring at least one occupant in a vehicle, the vehicle having a steering wheel assembly configure to rotate relative to a steering column, the illumination system comprising:
- an infrared light source coupled to a central portion of the steering wheel assembly, the infrared light source directing infrared light within an imaging area of an occupant monitoring system (OMS), wherein the central portion of the steering wheel assembly comprises a hub and spokes, wherein the spokes extend between the hub and a rim of the steering wheel assembly.
5 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various implementations relate to an operator monitoring system (OMS). Certain implementations include an OMS coupled to a rotatable portion of a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle. For example, the OMS may include an imaging unit, such as a camera, that is coupled to a central hub portion of the steering wheel assembly. The imaging unit has a field of view directed toward one or more occupants in the vehicle and is configured to capture an image signal corresponding to an imaging area in the field of view. The imaging area can be configured to encapsulate an expected position of one or more vehicle occupants. The OMS also includes one or more processing units in electrical communication with the imaging unit that receives and processes the image signal from the imaging unit to determine an occupant state and, in some implementations, provide feedback based on the determined occupant state.
154 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An illumination system for use with an occupant monitoring system (OMS) for monitoring at least one occupant in a vehicle, the vehicle having a steering wheel assembly configure to rotate relative to a steering column, the illumination system comprising:
an infrared light source coupled to a central portion of the steering wheel assembly, the infrared light source directing infrared light within an imaging area of an occupant monitoring system (OMS), wherein the central portion of the steering wheel assembly comprises a hub and spokes, wherein the spokes extend between the hub and a rim of the steering wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An occupant monitoring system (OMS) for monitoring an occupant in a vehicle comprising:
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an imaging unit coupled to a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle, the imaging unit having a field of view for capturing an image of an imaging area within the field of view, wherein the imaging area encapsulates an expected position of the occupant, wherein the imaging unit is thermally coupled to the steering wheel assembly of the vehicle such that heat generated by the imaging unit is transferred away from the imaging unit to the steering wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An occupant monitoring system (OMS) for monitoring an occupant in a vehicle, the OMS comprising:
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an imaging unit for coupling to a steering wheel assembly, the imaging unit having a field of view inside of the vehicle for capturing an image signal corresponding to an imaging area in the vehicle, the imaging area being within the field of view, and a processing unit, the processing unit including a processor and a memory operably coupled to the processor, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; monitor an operator interference signal, the operator interference signal associated with an ability of the OMS to monitor the imaging area; in response to the operator interference signal indicating an interference with an ability of the imaging unit to capture the image signal corresponding to the imaging area, disabling one or more operations of the OMS; and in response to the operator interference signal indicating that the ability of the imaging unit to capture the image signal is restored, enabling the one or more operations of the OMS. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of monitoring an occupant in a vehicle using an occupant monitoring system, the method comprising:
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coupling an occupant monitoring system (OMS) to a steering wheel assembly of the vehicle such that the OMS rotates with a rotatable portion of the steering wheel assembly, the OMS including an imaging unit configured to capture an image signal corresponding to an imaging area in the vehicle, the imaging area being within the field of view of the imaging unit; processing an angle electrical signal to determine the angle of rotation of the steering wheel assembly and/or the rate of angular rotation of the steering wheel assembly; in response to the angle electrical signal indicating that the angle of rotation and/or the rate of angular rotation has exceeded a threshold angle of rotation or rate of angular rotation, respectively, disabling operation of the OMS; and in response to the electrical signal indicating that the angle of rotation and/or the rate of angular rotation meets or is below the threshold angle of rotation or rate of angular rotation, respectively, enabling operation of the OMS. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification