SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING DRIVER ATTENTION LOADS

• US 20030181822A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Victor, Trent
• Granted Patent: US 6,974,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/558
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1103 Detecting eye twinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/338 Light strips
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/086 using driver related features
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 : indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

System and method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver that includes measuring a physiological variable of a driver, assessing a driver'"'"'s behavioral parameter on the basis of at least said measured physiological variable, and informing the driver of the assessed driver'"'"'s behavioral parameter. The measurement of the physiological variable can include measuring a driver'"'"'s eye movement, measuring a driver'"'"'s eye-gaze direction, measuring a driver'"'"'s eye-closure amount, measuring a driver'"'"'s blinking movement, measuring a driver'"'"'s head movement, measuring a driver'"'"'s head position, measuring a driver'"'"'s head orientation, measuring driver'"'"'s movable facial features, and measuring a driver'"'"'s facial temperature image.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver, comprising:

measuring a physiological variable of a driver;

assessing a driver'"'"'s behavioral parameter on the basis of at least said measured physiological variable; and

informing the driver of the assessed driver'"'"'s behavioral parameter.

2. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of measuring a physiological variable further comprises at least one step selected from a group consisting of:

measuring a driver'"'"'s eye movement;

measuring a driver'"'"'s eye-gaze direction;

measuring a driver'"'"'s eye-closure amount;

measuring a driver'"'"'s blinking movement;

measuring a driver'"'"'s head movement;

measuring a driver'"'"'s head position;

measuring a driver'"'"'s head orientation;

measuring driver'"'"'s movable facial features;

measuring a driver'"'"'s facial temperature image.

3. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of measuring a physiological variable further comprises at least one step selected from a group consisting of:

measuring a grip force on a steering wheel; and

measuring a movement of a steering column.

4. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of assessing a driver'"'"'s behavioral parameter comprises one or more steps selected from a group consisting of:

assessing a time weighted parameter characterizing a driver'"'"'s eye closure over a predetermined period of time;

assessing a time weighted parameter characterizing a driver'"'"'s off-road eye-gaze over a predetermined period of time;

assessing a time weighted parameter characterizing a driver'"'"'s blinking movement over a predetermined period of time;

assessing a time weighted parameter characterizing a driver'"'"'s eye closure over a predetermined period of time;

assessing a time weighted parameter characterizing a driver'"'"'s head position over a predetermined period of time; and

assessing a time weighted parameter characterizing a driver'"'"'s head movement over a predetermined period of time.

5. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of informing the driver comprises at least one step selected from a group consisting of providing a real-time feedback to the driver and providing a post-trip feedback to the driver.

6. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of informing the driver comprises a step providing of a histogram of the parameter over a given period of time.

7. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of informing the driver comprises a step of providing a scaled comparison between the parameter and at least one normative value.

8. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of providing the driver with a feedback message on how the driver'"'"'s attitude should be changed, said message being dependent on said parameter.

9. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of deciding whether said parameter deteriorates and informing the driver when the assessed behavior parameter deteriorates.

10. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of deciding whether said parameter is outside a safety range and informing the driver when the assessed behavior parameter is outside said safety range.

11. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 10, further comprising a steps of assessing vehicle condition data provided by vehicle condition detection means positioned on the vehicle, assessing environment data provided by environment detection means positioned on the vehicle, and determining the safety range in function of at least one of the vehicle condition data and of the environment data.

12. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 11, wherein said vehicle condition detection means comprise detection means selected from a group consisting of:

steering column detection means;

vehicle speed detection means;

gear shift detection means;

brake detection means;

throttle pedal detection means;

clutch detection means; and

wheel speed detection means.

13. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 11, wherein said environment detection means comprise detection means selected from a group consisting of:

luminosity detection means;

road condition detection means;

vehicle positioning detection means;

proximity detection means; and

lane location detection means.

14. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of informing the driver comprises a step of outputting information data through a human-machine interface.

15. The method for monitoring the physiological behavior of a driver as recited in claim 14, wherein said step of outputting information data comprises at least one step selected from a group consisting of outputting visual information data on a screen display;

outputting visual information data on a head-up display; and

outputting spoken information on an voice output.