Driver abnormality detection device and driver abnormality detection method

• US 10,417,512 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2016
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamataka, Minori, Enya, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adnan, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/741,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20180197030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

Provided is at least two of a direction determination unit which determines that the state is abnormal when a gaze direction of a driver of a vehicle is not within a first predetermined range based on a captured image of a head of the driver, a height determination unit which determines that the state is abnormal when a height of an eye of the driver is not within a second predetermined range based on the captured image, and a position determination unit which determines that the state is abnormal when a position of the head in a lateral direction is not within a third predetermined range based on the captured image; and an abnormal state determination unit which determines whether the state of the driver is abnormal based on the determination results of the determination units.

Claims

1. A driver abnormality detection device comprising:

at least two of determination units including a direction determination unit which determines that a state is abnormal when a gaze direction of a driver of a vehicle is not within a first predetermined range based on a captured image of a head of the driver, a height determination unit which determines that the state is abnormal when a height of an eye of the driver is not within a second predetermined range based on the captured image, and a position determination unit which determines that the state is abnormal when a position of the head in a lateral direction is not within a third predetermined range based on the captured image;

an abnormal state determination unit which determines that the state of the driver is abnormal when at least one of the determination units determines that the state has been abnormal continuously for a time equal to or longer than a continuation allowable time set for that determination unit;

an information acquiring unit which acquires a surrounding situation of the vehicle; and

a time correction unit which corrects the continuation allowable time set for at least one of the determination units according to the surrounding situation acquired by the information acquiring unit,

wherein

one of the determination units is the position determination unit, and the third predetermined range is set within a range in which a center of gravity of the head is located in front of a headrest of a driver'"'"'s seat in the vehicle, and

the center of gravity of the head in the lateral direction is located between two position reference lines, which pass through the left and right ends of the headrest.

2. The driver abnormality detection device according to claim 1, wherein one of the determination units is the direction determination unit, and the first predetermined range is set so that at least a part of an effective field of view corresponding to the gaze direction overlaps with a range of a windshield of the vehicle.

3. The driver abnormality detection device according to claim 2, wherein the effective field of view has a predetermined spread in vertical and lateral directions with respect to the gaze direction, and the first predetermined range is set based on the effective field of view having the predetermined spread.

4. The driver abnormality detection device according to claim 1, wherein one of the determination units is the height determination unit, and the second predetermined range is set within a range in which a tail lamp of a vehicle in front can be viewed with the eyes via a windshield of the vehicle.

5. The driver abnormality detection device according to claim 1, wherein the surrounding situation includes whether a traveling position of the vehicle is in front of an intersection, a T-junction, merging, or a crosswalk.

6. A driver abnormality detection method executed by a driver abnormality detection device installed in a vehicle, the driver abnormality detection method comprising:

at least two of determination steps including a direction determination step of determining that the state is abnormal when a gaze direction of a driver of the vehicle is not within a first predetermined range based on a captured image of a head of the driver, a height determination step of determining that the state is abnormal when a height of an eye of the driver is not within a second predetermined range based on the captured image, and a position determination step of determining that the state is abnormal when a position of the head in a lateral direction is not within a third predetermined range based on the captured image;

an abnormal state determination step of determining that the state of the driver is abnormal when at least one of determination steps determines that the state has been abnormal continuously for a time equal to or longer than a continuation allowable time set for that determination step;

an information acquiring step of acquiring a surrounding situation of the vehicle; and

a time correction step of correcting the continuation allowable time set for at least one of the determination steps according to the surrounding situation acquired by the information acquiring step,

wherein

one of the determination units is the position determination unit, and the third predetermined range is set within a range in which a center of gravity of the head is located in front of a headrest of a driver'"'"'s seat in the vehicle, and

the center of gravity of the head in the lateral direction is located between two position reference lines, which pass through the left and right ends of the headrest.