Awareness support device and awareness support method

• US 10,442,354 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherwin, Ryan W
• Application Number:
  US15/987,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20180354418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0863 due to erroneous selection or response of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/21 Voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers

Abstract

An awareness support device includes: an awareness level reduction detection unit configured to detect a reduction in a driver'"'"'s awareness level based on vehicle information on a vehicle driven by the driver; an awareness level recovery detection unit configured to detect a recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level based on the vehicle information; and an interaction processing unit configured to: start an output of an interactive voice used for interaction with the driver when the awareness level reduction detection unit detects the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level; and terminate the output of the interactive voice when the awareness level recovery detection unit detects the recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level.

Claims

1. An awareness support device comprising:

a processor programmed to;

detect a reduction in a driver'"'"'s awareness level based on vehicle information on a vehicle driven by the driver;

subtract a point associated with a predetermined caution-required action from a score each time an occurrence of the predetermined caution-required action related to a travel of the vehicle is identified based on the vehicle information;

detect the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level when the score becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value;

detect a recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level based on the vehicle information;

start an output of an interactive voice used for interaction with the driver when the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level is detected; and

terminate the output of the interactive voice when the recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level is detected.

2. The awareness support device according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor is further programmed to;

add a point associated with a predetermined normal action to the score each time an occurrence of the predetermined normal action related to the travel of the vehicle is identified based on the vehicle information; and

detect the recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level when the score becomes greater than a predetermined threshold value.

3. An awareness support method comprising:

detecting a reduction in a driver'"'"'s awareness level based on vehicle information on a vehicle driven by the driver;

subtracting a point associated with a predetermined caution-required action from a score each time an occurrence of the predetermined caution-required action related to a travel of the vehicle is identified based on the vehicle information;

detecting the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level when the score becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value;

starting an output of an interactive voice when the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level is detected, the interactive voice being a voice used for interaction with the driver;

detecting a recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level based on the vehicle information; and

terminating the output of the interactive voice when the recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level is detected.

4. An awareness support device comprising:

an Electronic Control Unit configured to

detect a reduction in a driver'"'"'s awareness level based on vehicle information on a vehicle driven by the driver;

subtract a point associated with a predetermined caution-required action from a score each time an occurrence of the predetermined caution-required action related to a travel of the vehicle is identified based on the vehicle information;

detect the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level when the score becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value;

start an output of an interactive voice when the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level is detected, the interactive voice being a voice used for interaction with the driver;

detect a recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level based on the vehicle information; and

terminate the output of the interactive voice when the recovery from the reduction in the driver'"'"'s awareness level is detected.