Warning system
First Claim
1. A warning system, comprising:
- an angle-detector that indicates a steering-angle of a hand-wheel of a host-vehicle;
a curvature-detection-means that detects a curvature of a portion of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, said portion characterized as ahead of the host-vehicle in a current direction of travel;
an alert-device; and
a controller-circuit in communication with the angle-detector, the curvature-detection-means, and the alert-device, the controller-circuit configured to;
determine an average-steering-angle in accordance with the steering-angle indicated by the angle-detector;
determine an expected-steering-angle based on the curvature detected by the curvature-detection-means;
determine a steering-angle-deviation based on the average-steering-angle and the expected-steering-angle;
determine whether the steering-angle-deviation is greater than a predetermined deviation-threshold;
in accordance with the determination that the steering-angle-deviation is greater than the deviation-threshold determine a frequency of the steering-angle-deviation; and
activate the alert-device when the frequency of the steering-angle-deviation exceeds a change-threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A warning system includes an angle-detector, a curvature-detection-means, an alert-device, and a controller-circuit. The angle-detector indicates a steering-angle of a hand-wheel of a host-vehicle. The curvature-detection-means detects a curvature of a portion of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle characterized as ahead of the host-vehicle. The alert-device is operable to alert an operator of the host-vehicle of driver-fatigue. The controller-circuit is in communication with the angle-detector, the curvature-detection-means, and the alert-device. The controller-circuit is configured to determine an average-steering-angle, determine an expected-steering-angle based on the curvature detected by the curvature-detection-means, determine a steering-angle-deviation based on the average-steering-angle and the expected-steering-angle, determine whether the steering-angle-deviation is greater than a predetermined deviation-threshold, determine a frequency of the steering-angle-deviation, and activate the alert-device when the frequency of the steering-angle-deviation exceeds a change-threshold.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A warning system, comprising:
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an angle-detector that indicates a steering-angle of a hand-wheel of a host-vehicle; a curvature-detection-means that detects a curvature of a portion of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, said portion characterized as ahead of the host-vehicle in a current direction of travel; an alert-device; and a controller-circuit in communication with the angle-detector, the curvature-detection-means, and the alert-device, the controller-circuit configured to; determine an average-steering-angle in accordance with the steering-angle indicated by the angle-detector; determine an expected-steering-angle based on the curvature detected by the curvature-detection-means; determine a steering-angle-deviation based on the average-steering-angle and the expected-steering-angle; determine whether the steering-angle-deviation is greater than a predetermined deviation-threshold; in accordance with the determination that the steering-angle-deviation is greater than the deviation-threshold determine a frequency of the steering-angle-deviation; and activate the alert-device when the frequency of the steering-angle-deviation exceeds a change-threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A warning method, comprising:
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indicating, with an angle-detector, a steering-angle of a hand-wheel of a host-vehicle; detecting, with a curvature-detection-means, a curvature of a portion of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, said portion characterized as ahead of the host-vehicle in a current direction of travel; alerting, with an alert-device, an operator of the host-vehicle; determining an average-steering-angle, with a controller-circuit in communication with the angle-detector, the curvature-detection-means, and the alert-device, in accordance with the steering-angle indicated by the angle-detector; determining an expected-steering-angle based on the curvature detected by the curvature-detection-means; determining a steering-angle-deviation based on the average-steering-angle and the expected-steering-angle; determining whether the steering-angle-deviation is greater than a predetermined deviation-threshold; in accordance with the determination that the steering-angle-deviation is greater than the deviation-threshold; determining a frequency of the steering-angle-deviation in accordance with the determination that the steering-angle-deviation is greater than the deviation-threshold; and activating the alert-device when the frequency of the steering-angle-deviation exceeds a change-threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A warning system, comprising:
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a means for detecting a steering-angle of a hand-wheel of a host-vehicle; a means for detecting a curvature of a portion of a roadway traveled by the host-vehicle, said portion characterized as ahead of the host-vehicle; a means for alerting an operator of the host-vehicle; a means for determining an average-steering-angle in accordance with the steering-angle indicated by the means for detecting the steering-angle; a means for determining an expected-steering-angle based on the curvature detected by the means for detecting the curvature; a means for determining a steering-angle-deviation based on the average-steering-angle and the expected-steering-angle; a means for determining whether the steering-angle-deviation is greater than a deviation-threshold; a means for determining a frequency of the steering-angle-deviation in accordance with the determination that the steering-angle-deviation is greater than the deviation-threshold; and a means for activating the means for alerting the operator when the frequency of the steering-angle-deviation exceeds a change-threshold indicative of driver-fatigue.
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Specification