Drowsy driving alarm system

• US 20060214807A1
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Venkatesh G. Tengshe, Vishwas V. Tengshe
• Original Assignee: Venkatesh G. Tengshe, Vishwas V. Tengshe
• Inventors: Tengshe, Vishwas V., Tengshe, Venkatesh G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A drowsy driving alarm system includes a monitoring mechanism with a camera and an indicator mechanism carrying drowsy driving software and a processor to process data received from the camera regarding drowsiness of a user of the drowsy driving alarm system. The monitoring mechanism can include at least one power source, at least one interface connection, at least one speaker, and a communication bus communicatively interconnecting elements of the monitoring mechanism. The monitoring mechanism can include at least one visual, audible, and/or physical indicator, a microphone, a transceiver, an antenna, at least one sensor and a compass. The indicator mechanism can include at least one display, at least one visual indicator, and a communication bus interconnecting elements of the indicator mechanism. The indicator mechanism can include at least one power source, and at least one interface connection. The indicator mechanism can include at least one audible and/or physical indicator.

Claims

1. A drowsy driving alarm system comprising:

a monitoring mechanism with a camera; and

an indicator mechanism carrying drowsy driving software and a processor to process data received from the camera regarding drowsiness of a user of the drowsy driving alarm system.

2. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

at least one power source;

at least one interface connection;

at least one speaker; and

a communication bus communicatively interconnecting elements of the monitoring mechanism.

3. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

at least one visual indicator.

4. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

at least one audible indicator.

5. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

at least one physical indicator.

6. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

a microphone.

7. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

a transceiver and an antenna.

8. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

at least one sensor; and

a compass.

9. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

an ear cradle to cradle the ear; and

a longitudinal arm with the camera positioned at an end of the arm, the arm being pivotally attached to the ear cradle to enable the position of the arm to be adjusted.

10. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 9, wherein said monitoring mechanism further comprises:

a light source mounted on the camera.

11. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 9, wherein said longitudinal arm substantially fixes the camera relative to a position of a pupil of the user'"'"'s eye.

12. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said system is configured to enable monitoring of drowsiness of a user by a third party at a remote location.

13. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said indicator mechanism further comprises:

at least one display;

at least one visual indicator; and

a communication bus interconnecting elements of the indicator mechanism.

14. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 13, wherein said indicator mechanism further comprises:

at least one audible indicator.

15. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 13, wherein said indicator mechanism further comprises:

at least one physical indicator.

16. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 13, wherein said indicator mechanism further comprises:

at least one power source; and

at least one interface connection.

17. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 1, wherein said drowsy driving software, when executed by the processor of the indicator mechanism, causes the indicator mechanism to carry out steps comprising:

effecting program initialization of the drowsy driving alarm system;

conducting a system check to determine whether components of the drowsy driving alarm system are operating properly; and

tracking the eye of a user with the camera if the drowsy driving alarm system is operationally sound.

18. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 17, wherein said conducting a system check step further causes the indicator mechanism to carry out steps comprising:

returning to the program initialization step if the drowsy driving alarm system is not operationally sound.

19. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 17, wherein said drowsy driving software, when executed by the processor of the indicator mechanism, further causes the processor of the indicator mechanism to carry out steps comprising:

determining whether an eye of a user is drowsy; and

alarming the user if a determination is made that the eye is drowsy.

20. The drowsy driving alarm system according to claim 17, wherein said drowsy driving software, when executed by the processor of the indicator mechanism, further causes the processor of the indicator mechanism to carry out steps comprising:

determining whether the user is distracted or not looking in a predetermined direction; and

alarming the user if the user is distracted or not looking in a predetermined direction, the user is alarmed.

21. A drowsy driving alarm method comprising:

effecting program initialization of the drowsy driving alarm system;

conducting a system check to determine whether components of the drowsy driving alarm system are operating properly; and

tracking the eye of a user with the camera if the drowsy driving alarm system is operationally sound.

22. The drowsy driving alarm method according to claim 21, wherein said conducting a system check step further comprises:

returning to the program initialization step if the drowsy driving alarm system is not operationally sound.

23. The drowsy driving alarm method according to claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether an eye of a user is drowsy; and

alarming the user if a determination is made that the eye is drowsy.

24. The drowsy driving alarm method according to claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether the user is distracted or not looking in a predetermined direction; and

alarming the user if the user is distracted or not looking in a predetermined direction.