Occupant based vehicle control

• US 10,173,667 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Driscoll, Tom, Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Smith, David R., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/626,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/24 Capacitance type, e.g. as level indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/047 Prioritizing desires of multiple occupants, e.g. when setting climate control or driving behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 : Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 : Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/025 : related to comfort of drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 : related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00 : Drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle includes an occupant monitoring system and a processing circuit coupled to the occupant monitoring system. The occupant monitoring system is configured to acquire occupant data regarding an occupant of the vehicle. The processing circuit is configured to receive the occupant data; determine a vehicle operation command based on the occupant data, the vehicle operation command configured to affect operation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in a robotic driving mode; and provide the vehicle operation command to a vehicle system.

Claims

1. A method of operating a robotic driving vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a processing circuit, occupant data and an occupant type regarding an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the occupant type includes one of a driver and a passenger;

determining, by the processing circuit, a vehicle operation command based on the occupant data and the occupant type, the vehicle operation command configured to affect operation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in a robotic driving mode; and

providing, by the processing circuit, the vehicle operation command to a vehicle system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle system includes a robotic driving system, wherein the robotic driving system is configured to provide robotic control of the vehicle while the vehicle is in the robotic driving mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the occupant data provides an indication of discomfort of the occupant while the vehicle is in the robotic driving mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the occupant data includes at least one of an eye motion, a pupil size, a perspiration amount, a perspiration rate, a temperature, a pulse rate, audible information, an amount of shaking, an exertion of force, and a facial feature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the vehicle command determination is based on an occupant data point being outside a predefined standard.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the predefined standard includes at least one of an acceptable operating range and a threshold level, the threshold level defining at least one of a minimum level and a maximum level for one or more occupant data points.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle command determination is based on a gradation level of an occupant data point relative to a predefined standard, wherein each gradation level corresponds with a different vehicle operation command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the occupant includes a group of occupants, wherein the vehicle command determination is based on occupant data for only one occupant of the group of occupants in the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle command determination is based on a comparison of one or more occupant data points to one or more reference occupant data points included in reference occupant data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference occupant data is specific to the occupant that is acquired via one or more vehicle trips.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference occupant data is based on occupant data that is acquired for all occupants in the vehicle during one vehicle trip.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference occupant data is based on occupant data that is acquired for one or more vehicle occupants during a manual driving mode of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference occupant data is based on occupant data acquired after a predetermined time of operation of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate an output based on the occupant data and provide the generated output to the occupant of the vehicle, wherein the output includes at least one of the occupant data acquired, a proposed vehicle operation command, and a correlation between an occupant data point and a vehicle operating parameter.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a sensor is configured to acquire the occupant data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a camera, a body position sensor, a force sensor, a pressure sensor, a microphone, a heart rate/pulse sensor, a moisture sensor, a temperature sensor, and a facial sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a physiological response sensor, a physical response sensor, and an acoustic sensor, wherein the acoustic sensor acquires at least one of a voluntary sound and an involuntary sound emitted by the occupant of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the physical response sensor acquires a physical force generated by the occupant of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the effect on operation of the vehicle is based on affecting a vehicle operating parameter including at least one of a deactivation of the robotic driving mode, a vehicle speed relative to another vehicle, an absolute vehicle speed, a following distance, an acceleration characteristic of the vehicle, a braking characteristic of the vehicle, a vehicle turning characteristic, and a lateral separation distance of the vehicle relative to an object.

20. A method of operating a robotic driving vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a processing circuit, occupant data and an occupant type regarding an occupant of a vehicle, wherein the occupant type includes one of a driver and a passenger;

receiving, by the processing circuit, vehicle operation data;

providing, by the processing circuit, an output to the occupant of the vehicle regarding operation of the vehicle; and

providing, by the processing circuit, a vehicle operation command to a robotic driving system of the vehicle based on the occupant data, the occupant type, and the vehicle operation data, the vehicle operation command configured to affect operation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in a robotic driving mode.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle operation command is configured to adjust a vehicle operating parameter that caused the occupant data to indicate discomfort.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle operation data provides an indication of a vehicle operating parameter, the vehicle operating parameter including a vehicle speed relative to another vehicle, an absolute vehicle speed, a following distance, an acceleration characteristic of the vehicle, a braking characteristic of the vehicle, a vehicle turning characteristic, and a lateral separation distance of the vehicle relative to an object.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the generated output includes at least one of the occupant data acquired, a proposed vehicle operation command, and a correlation between an occupant data point and a vehicle operating parameter.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving, by the processing circuit, a response to the provided output.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the response includes at least one of a vehicle operation command, a rejection to a generated vehicle operation command, a modification to a generated vehicle operation command, and an acceptance to a generated vehicle operation command.

26. A method of operating a robotic driving vehicle, comprising:

identifying, by a processing circuit, an occupant of a vehicle;

receiving, by the processing circuit, occupant data and an occupant type regarding the occupant, wherein the occupant type includes one of a driver and a passenger;

determining, by the processing circuit, a vehicle operation command based on the occupant data and the occupant type; and

providing, by the processing circuit, the vehicle operation command to a vehicle system;

wherein the vehicle operation command is configured to affect operation of the vehicle while the vehicle is in a robotic driving mode.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein identification is based on a personal electronic device of the occupant.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the processing circuit is configured to weight occupant data corresponding to higher classified occupant types more heavily than occupant data corresponding to lower classified occupant types.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the processing circuit is configured to provide a privilege to higher classified occupant types, wherein the privilege includes at least one of an ability to override provided vehicle operation commands, an ability to ignore occupant data from one or more other occupants in the vehicle, and an ability to weight more heavily occupant data from one or more other occupants in the vehicle despite the one or more other occupants being classified in a relatively lower occupant type.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising retrieving, by the processing circuit, the occupant profile for the occupant, wherein the occupant profile includes occupant information, the occupant information including at least one of an age, a gender, a piece of health information, and a preference of the occupant.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the preference includes one or more occupant data levels that indicate a discomfort feeling in the occupant.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the preference includes a vehicle operation command for various acquired occupant data points.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising creating, by the processing circuit, an occupant profile for an unidentified occupant.