Operator identifying device

• US 20040036764A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirota, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,098,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Abstract

An operator identifying device for a vehicle with an operating section located between driver'"'"'s and non-driver'"'"'s seats includes a photographing section and an image processing section. The photographing section is configured to obtain image data of a prescribed region encompassing the operating section and at least one of hands of a driver and a non-driver when the at least one of the hands is extended toward the operating section. The image processing section is configured to process the image data to determine whether at least one of the driver and the non-driver is an operator of the operating section. Moreover, an onboard apparatus is provided with the operator identifying device, an operating section and a control section. The control section is configured to control an operation of the onboard apparatus based on an operator identification result of the operator identifying device.

Claims

1. An operator identifying device for a vehicle with an operating section located between a driver'"'"'s seat and a non-driver'"'"'s seat to be operated from the driver'"'"'s seat and the non-driver'"'"'s seat, comprising:

a photographing section configured and arranged to obtain image data of a prescribed region encompassing at least the operating section and at least one of a hand of a driver and a hand of a non-driver when the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver is extended toward the operating section; and

an image processing section configured to process the image data obtained with the photographing section to determine whether at least one of the driver and the non-driver is an operator of the operating section when the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver has been extended into the prescribed region.

2. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the image processing section is configured to extract a hand image that represents the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver from the image data and determine whether the operator is the driver or the non-driver based on a reference line that divides the image data into a driver'"'"'s seat side and a non-driver'"'"'s seat side and a relative position of the hand image with respect to the reference line.

3. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the image processing section is further configured to determine that the operator is the driver when the hand image of the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver is on the driver'"'"'s seat side regardless of whether a hand image other than the hand image exists in the non-driver'"'"'s seat side.

4. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the image processing section is further configured to determine that the operator is the non-driver when the hand image of the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver is only on the non-driver'"'"'s seat side of the reference line.

5. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the image processing section is configured to extract the hand image by applying binary processing to the image data, find a center of gravity of the hand image, and determine the operator based on whether the center of gravity is on the driver'"'"'s seat side or the non-driver'"'"'s seat side of the reference line.

6. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 5 wherein

the image processing section is further configured to determine that the operator is the driver when the center of gravity of the hand image is on the driver'"'"'s seat side regardless of whether a center of gravity of a hand image other than the hand image exists on the non-driver'"'"'s seat side.

7. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 5, wherein

the image processing section is further configured to determine that the operator is the non-driver when the center of gravity of the hand image is only on the non-driver'"'"'s seat side of the reference line.

8. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the reference line is on a vertical center plane of the operating section that substantially divides the operating section equally into the driver'"'"'s seat side and the non-driver'"'"'s seat side, and

the photographing section is configured to be installed generally on the vertical center plane of the operating section.

9. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the photographing section is configured to be installed generally on a vertical center plane of the vehicle that substantially divides the vehicle equally into the driver'"'"'s seat side and the non-driver'"'"'s seat side, the reference line is generally on the vertical center plane of the vehicle, and the operating section is arranged generally on the vertical center plane of the vehicle.

10. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the photographing section includes an infrared camera.

11. The operator identifying device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the photographing section includes an infrared camera that is configured to detect a display screen of the operating section with a temperature that is higher than ambient temperature, and

the reference line is set to a left-right centerline of an image of the display screen of the operating section in the image data obtained with the infrared camera.

12. An onboard apparatus comprising:

an operating section configured to be positioned in a front section of a vehicle between a driver'"'"'s seat and a non-driver'"'"'s seat such that the operating section is operable from the driver'"'"'s seat and the non-driver'"'"'s seat;

an operator identifying device including

a photographing section configured and arranged to obtain image data of a prescribed region encompassing at least the operating section and at least one of a hand of a driver and a hand of a non-driver when the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver is extended toward the operating section, and

an image processing section configured to process the image data obtained with the photographing section to determine whether at least one of the driver and the non-driver is an operator of the operating section when the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver has been extended into the prescribed region; and

a control section configured to control an operation of the onboard apparatus based on an operator identification result performed by the operator identifying device.

13. The onboard apparatus as recited in claim 12, further comprising

a vehicle traveling state detecting section configured and arranged to detect a traveling state of the vehicle, and

the control section being further configured to control operability of the onboard apparatus based on the traveling state of the vehicle.

14. The onboard apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein

the control section is further configured to limit operable items of the operating section to a greater degree when the operator identifying device identifies the driver as the operator than when the operator identifying device identifies the non-driver as the operator when the vehicle is traveling.

15. The onboard apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein

the image processing section is configured to extract a hand image that represents the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver from the image data and determine whether the operator is the driver or the non-driver based on a reference line that divides the image data into a driver'"'"'s seat side and a non-driver'"'"'s seat side and a relative position of the hand image with respect to the reference line.

16. The onboard apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein

the image processing section is configured to extract the hand image by applying binary processing to the image data, find a center of gravity of the hand image, and determine the operator based on whether the center of gravity is on the driver'"'"'s seat side or the non-driver'"'"'s seat side of the reference line.

17. The onboard apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein

the reference line is on a vertical center plane of the operating section that substantially divides the operating section equally into the driver'"'"'s seat side and the non-driver'"'"'s seat side, and

the photographing section is configured to be installed generally on the vertical center plane of the operating section.

18. The onboard apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein

the photographing section includes an infrared camera that is configured to detect a display screen of the operating section with a temperature that is higher than ambient temperature, and

the reference line is set to a left-right centerline of an image of the display screen of the operating section in the image data obtained with the infrared camera.

19. An operator identifying device for a vehicle with an operating section located between a driver'"'"'s seat and a non-driver'"'"'s seat to be operated from the driver'"'"'s seat and the non-driver'"'"'s seat, comprising:

photographing means for obtaining image data of a prescribed region encompassing at least the operating section and at least one of a hand of a driver and a hand of a non-driver when the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver is extended toward the operating section; and

image processing means for processing the image data obtained with the photographing means to determine whether at least one of the driver and the non-driver is an operator of the operating section when at least one of the hands of the driver and the non-driver has been extended into the prescribed region.

20. A method of identifying an operator of an operating section located between a driver'"'"'s seat and a non-driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle to be operated from the driver'"'"'s seat and the non-driver'"'"'s seat, comprising:

obtaining image data of a prescribed region encompassing the operating section and at least one of a hand of a driver and a hand of a non-driver when the at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver is extended toward the operating section; and

processing the image data to determine whether at least one of the driver and the non-driver is an operator of the operating section when at least one of the hand of the driver and the hand of the non-driver has been extended into the prescribed region.