Methods and apparatus for adaptively assisting developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired drivers

• US 10,449,968 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Shaikh, Furqan Zafar, Porcari, Damian, Mielewski, Deborah Frances, Greenberg, Jeff Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/675,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20180086347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 715865
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/007 adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for adaptively assisting developmentally disabled or cognitively impaired drivers are disclosed. An apparatus comprises a user interface. The user interface is to present first navigation data in a first mode to assist a driver in guiding a vehicle from a current location to a destination location. The user interface is further to present second navigation data in a second mode to assist the driver in guiding the vehicle from the current location to the destination location. The second navigation data is adapted relative to the first navigation data based on driver assistance data associated with the driver.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a processor of an adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the processor configured to;

determine an operational mode of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the operational mode being selectively set to one of a normal mode, an assistive driving mode, or an assistive learning mode;

generate, in response to determining that the operational mode is set to the normal mode, first navigation data to assist a first driver in guiding the vehicle from a first location to a second location;

determine, in response to determining that the operational mode is set to the assistive driving mode, whether a driver record associated with a second driver is accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the driver record including driver identification data that uniquely identifies the second driver, driver disability data that identifies a developmental disability or a cognitive impairment of the second driver, and personalized driver assistance data tailored to the driver disability data of the second driver;

generate, in response to determining that the driver record is accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, second navigation data to assist the second driver in guiding the vehicle from the first location to the second location, the second navigation data being adapted relative to the first navigation data based on the personalized driver assistance data; and

set the operational mode from the assistive driving mode to the assistive learning mode in response to determining that the driver record is not accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the assistive learning mode to invoke an in-vehicle simulated driving experience to generate a new driver record associated with the second driver; and

a user interface of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus operatively coupled to the processor, the user interface configured to present the first navigation data to the first driver, to present the second navigation data to the second driver, and to present the in-vehicle simulated driving experience to the second driver.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate performance data as the second driver guides the vehicle between the first location and the second location, the performance data identifying at least one deviation between a movement of the vehicle and a target movement associated with the second navigation data; and

in response to determining that the at least one deviation violates a threshold, generate a control signal to invoke an autonomous driving mechanism of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to generate the control signal in response to determining that at least one of a facial expression or a physiological response of the second driver acquired via the user interface is indicative of a need for automated driving assistance.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate performance data as the second driver guides the vehicle between the first location and the second location, the performance data identifying at least one deviation between a movement of the vehicle and a target movement associated with the second navigation data; and

in response to determining that the at least one deviation violates a threshold;

generate updated personalized driver assistance data based on the at least one deviation; and

update the driver record based on the updated personalized driver assistance data.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first navigation data includes first commands and the second navigation data includes second commands, the second commands being adapted relative to the first commands based on the personalized driver assistance data.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first navigation data includes a first route and the second navigation data includes a second route, the second route being adapted relative to the first route based on the personalized driver assistance data.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a simulator of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the simulator configured to:

provide the in-vehicle simulated driving experience to the second driver via the user interface while the vehicle is stationary and the operational mode is set to the assistive learning mode; and

collect maneuver data associated with simulated vehicle maneuvers to be performed by the second driver in response to the in-vehicle simulated driving experience;

wherein the processor is operatively coupled to the simulator, the processor further configured to generate the personalized driver assistance data of the driver record based on the maneuver data.

8. A method, comprising:

determining, via a processor of an adaptive driver assistance apparatus of a vehicle, an operational mode of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the operational mode being selectively set to one of a normal mode, an assistive driving mode, or an assistive learning mode;

generating, via the processor in response to determining that the operational mode is set to the normal mode, first navigation data to assist a first driver in guiding the vehicle from a first location to a second location;

presenting the first navigation data to the first driver via a user interface of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the user interface operatively coupled to the processor;

determining, via the processor in response to determining that the operational mode is set to the assistive driving mode, whether a driver record associated with a second driver is accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the driver record including driver identification data that uniquely identifies the second driver, driver disability data that identifies a developmental disability or a cognitive impairment of the second driver, and personalized driver assistance data tailored to the driver disability data of the second driver;

generating, via the processor in response to determining that the driver record is accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, second navigation data to assist the second driver in guiding the vehicle from the first location to the second location, the second navigation data being adapted relative to the first navigation data based on the personalized driver assistance data;

presenting the second navigation data to the second driver via the user interface;

setting the operational mode from the assistive driving mode to the assistive learning mode in response to determining that the driver record is not accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the assistive learning mode to invoke an in-vehicle simulated driving experience to generate a new driver record associated with the second driver; and

presenting the in-vehicle simulated driving experience to the second driver via the user interface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating, via the processor, performance data as the second driver guides the vehicle between the first location and the second location, the performance data identifying at least one deviation between a movement of the vehicle and a target movement associated with the second navigation data; and

in response to determining that the at least one deviation violates a threshold, generating, via the processor, a control signal to invoke an autonomous driving mechanism of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating of the control signal is further in response to determining, via the processor, that at least one of a facial expression or a physiological response of the second driver acquired via the user interface is indicative of a need for automated driving assistance.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating, via the processor, performance data as the second driver guides the vehicle between the first location and the second location, the performance data identifying at least one deviation between a movement of the vehicle and a target movement associated with the second navigation data; and

in response to determining that the at least one deviation violates a threshold;

generating, via the processor, updated personalized driver assistance data based on the at least one deviation; and

updating, via the processor, the driver record based on the updated personalized driver assistance data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first navigation data includes first commands and the second navigation data includes second commands, the second commands being adapted relative to the first commands based on the personalized driver assistance data.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first navigation data includes a first route and the second navigation data includes a second route, the second route being adapted relative to the first route based on the personalized driver assistance data.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing the in-vehicle simulated driving experience to the second driver via the user interface while the vehicle is stationary and the operational mode is set to the assistive learning mode;

collecting maneuver data associated with simulated vehicle maneuvers to be performed by the second driver in response to the in-vehicle simulated driving experience; and

generating, via the processor, the personalized driver assistance data of the driver record based on the maneuver data.

15. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of an adaptive driver assistance apparatus of a vehicle to at least:

determine an operational mode of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the operational mode being selectively set to one of a normal mode, an assistive driving mode, or an assistive learning mode;

generate, in response to determining that the operational mode is set to the normal mode, first navigation data to assist a first driver in guiding the vehicle from a first location to a second location;

present the first navigation data to the first driver via a user interface of the adaptive driver assistance apparatus;

determine, in response to determining that the operational mode is set to the assistive driving mode, whether a driver record associated with a second driver is accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the driver record including driver identification data that uniquely identifies the second driver, driver disability data that identifies a developmental disability or a cognitive impairment of the second driver, and personalized driver assistance data tailored to the driver disability data of the second driver;

generate, in response to determining that the driver record is accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, second navigation data to assist the second driver in guiding the vehicle from the first location to the second location, the second navigation data being adapted relative to the first navigation data based on the personalized driver assistance data;

present the second navigation data to the second driver via the user interface;

set the operational mode from the assistive driving mode to the assistive learning mode in response to determining that the driver record is not accessible to the adaptive driver assistance apparatus, the assistive learning mode to invoke an in-vehicle simulated driving experience to generate a new driver record associated with the second driver; and

present the in-vehicle simulated driving experience to the second driver via the user interface.

16. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

generate performance data as the second driver guides the vehicle between the first location and the second location, the performance data identifying at least one deviation between a movement of the vehicle and a target movement associated with the second navigation data; and

in response to determining that the at least one deviation violates a threshold, generate a control signal to invoke an autonomous driving mechanism of the vehicle.

17. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

generate performance data as the second driver guides the vehicle between the first location and the second location, the performance data identifying at least one deviation between a movement of the vehicle and a target movement associated with the second navigation data; and

in response to determining that the at least one deviation violates a threshold;

generate updated personalized driver assistance data based on the at least one deviation; and

update the driver record based on the updated personalized driver assistance data.

18. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first navigation data includes first commands and the second navigation data includes second commands, the second commands being adapted relative to the first commands based on the personalized driver assistance data.

19. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first navigation data includes a first route and the second navigation data includes a second route, the second route being adapted relative to the first route based on the personalized driver assistance data.

20. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

provide the in-vehicle simulated driving experience to the second driver via the user interface while the vehicle is stationary and the operation mode is set to the assistive learning mode;

collect maneuver data associated with simulated vehicle maneuvers to be performed by the second driver in response to the in-vehicle simulated driving experience; and

generating the personalized driver assistance data of the driver record based on the maneuver data.