Methods and systems for warning driver of vehicle using mobile device

• US 10,445,559 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wipro Limited
• Original Assignee: Wipro Limited
• Inventors: Joseph, Sudheesh, Mathew, Abin
• Primary Examiner(s): Aynalem, Nathanael
• Application Number:
  US15/463,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20180247109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A method and system for warning a driver of a vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. The method includes capturing at least one facial aspect of the driver and a path view visible ahead of the vehicle up to a predefined distance. The method further includes identifying using image analytics at least one path event demanding attention of the driver based on a path view and a field of view of the driver. The method includes detecting absence of a driver response in response to identifying the at least one path event within the field of view of the driver. The method further includes extracting driver details associated with the driver. The method includes issuing a notification to the driver based on the driver details, when the absence of the driver response is detected.

Claims

1. A method for warning a driver of a vehicle using a mobile device, the method comprising:

capturing, by at least one first camera of the mobile device, at least one facial aspect of the driver;

capturing, by at least one second camera of the mobile device, a path view visible ahead of the vehicle up to a predefined distance;

identifying using image analytics, by the mobile device, a field of view of the driver based on the at least one facial aspect and identifying at least one path event demanding attention of the driver based on the path view and the identified field of view of the driver;

detecting, by the mobile device, absence of a driver response in response to identifying the at least one path event within the field of view of the driver;

extracting, by the mobile device, driver details associated with the driver; and

determining, by the mobile device, a warning zone and a critical zone, with respect to a location of the identified path event, in response to, the detected absence of the driver response,

wherein, the warning zone is determined based on the extracted driver details and the critical zone is determined based on environment details and vehicle details associated with the vehicle,

wherein a sum of depths of the determined warning zone and critical zone is same as a distance of the vehicle from the location of the identified path event, and

wherein the depths of the determined warning zone and the critical zone is dynamically adjusted based on the extracted driver details, the environment details, and the vehicle details;

issuing, by the mobile device, a first notification to the driver based on the driver details, when the vehicle enters the warning zone in order to stop the vehicle from entering the critical zone; and

issuing, by the mobile device, a second notification upon detection of the vehicle in the critical zone in order to stop the vehicle from encountering the detected path event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one facial aspect comprises at least one of gaze direction, facial direction, or eye position.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a mobile device placement position within the vehicle to capture the at least one facial aspect and the path view visible ahead, the mobile device placement position being determined using the at least one first camera and the at least one second camera.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment details are associated with environment around the vehicle and the vehicle details are associated with the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the environment details are retrieved from a database or by using the at least one second camera, the environment details comprise at least one of road condition, weather condition, or traffic condition.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the vehicle details are retrieved from a vehicle management system onboard the vehicle, the vehicle details comprise at least one of brake conditions, tire condition, tire pressure, speed of the vehicle, or loaded weight of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver details may be extracted based on at least one of the at least one facial aspect of the driver, at least one biometric data associated with the driver, or a driver database comprising details associated with a plurality of drivers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver response may be determined based on at least one of biometric data associated with driver or changing vehicle attribute comprising at least one of vehicle deceleration, vehicle acceleration, or sudden vehicle orientation change.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a warning message, a warning sound, or a course correction audio message.

10. A mobile device for warning a driver of a vehicle, the mobile device comprising:

a processor;

at least one first camera coupled to the processor and being configured to capture at least one facial aspect of the driver;

at least one second camera coupled to the processor and being configured to capture a path view visible ahead of the vehicle up to a predefined distance; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the at least one first camera, and the at least one second camera, wherein the memory stores processor instructions, which, on execution, causes the processor to;

identify, using image analytics, a field of view of the driver based on the at least one facial aspect and identify at least one path event demanding attention of the driver based on the path view and the identified field of view of the driver;

detect absence of a driver response in response to identifying the at least one path event within the field of view of the driver;

extract driver details associated with the driver; and

determine a warning zone and a critical zone, with respect to a location of the identified path event, in response to the detected absence of the driver response,

wherein the warning zone is determined based on the extracted driver details and the critical zone is determined based on environment details and vehicle details associated, with the vehicle,

wherein a sum of depths of the determined warning zone and critical zone is same as a distance of the vehicle from the location of the identified path event, and

wherein the depths of the determined warning, zone and the critical zone is dynamically adjusted based on the extracted driver details, the environment details, and the vehicle details;

issue a first notification to the driver based on the driver details, when

the vehicle enters the warning zone in order to stop the vehicle from entering the critical zone; and

issue a second notification upon detection of the vehicle in the critical zone in order to stop the vehicle from encountering the detected path event.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the at least one facial aspect comprises at least one of gaze direction, facial direction, or eye position.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the environment details are associated with environment around the vehicle and the vehicle details are associated with the vehicle.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the environment details are retrieved from a database or by using the at least one second camera, the environment details comprise at least one of road condition, weather condition, or traffic condition.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the vehicle details are retrieved from a vehicle management system onboard the vehicle, the vehicle details comprise at least one of brake conditions, tire condition, tire pressure, speed of the vehicle, or loaded weight of the vehicle.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the driver details are extracted based on at least one of the at least one facial aspect of the driver, at least one biometric data associated with the driver, or a driver database comprising details associated with a plurality of drivers.

16. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the driver response is determined based on at least one of biometric data associated with driver or changing vehicle attribute comprising at least one of vehicle deceleration, vehicle acceleration, or sudden vehicle orientation change.

17. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a warning message, a warning sound, or a course correction audio message.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon, a set of computer-executable instructions causing a computer comprising one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

capturing at least one facial aspect of the driver;

capturing a path view visible ahead of the vehicle up to a predefined distance;

identifying, using image analytics, a field of view of the driver based on the at least one facial aspect and identifying at least one path event demanding attention of the driver based on the path view and the identified field of view of the driver;

detecting absence of a driver response in response to identifying the at least one path event within the field of view of the driver;

extracting driver details associated with the driver; and

determining a warning zone and a critical zone, with respect to a location of the identified path event, in response to the detected absence of the driver response,

wherein the warning zone is determined based on the extracted driver details and the critical zone is determined based on environment details and vehicle details associated with the vehicle,

wherein a sum of depths of the determined warning zone and critical zone is same as a distance of the vehicle from the location of the identified path event, and

wherein the depths of the determined warning zone and the critical zone is dynamically adjusted based on the extracted driver details, the environment details, and the vehicle details;

issuing a notification to the driver based on the driver details, when

the vehicle enters the warning zone in order to stop the vehicle from entering the critical zone; and

issuing a second notification upon detection of the vehicle in the critical zone in order to stop the vehicle from encountering the detected path event.