System and method for determining whether a vehicle operator has an impaired cognitive state

• US 20070296601A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jalics, Laci J., Witt, Gerald J., Sultan, Michel F., Partin, Dale L., Zhang, Harry, Lambert, David K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,468,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A system and a method for determining whether an operator of a vehicle has an impaired cognitive state are provided. The method includes determining an intoxication indication value indicative of whether the operator is intoxicated, utilizing a controller. The method further includes determining a drowsiness indication value indicative of whether the operator is drowsy, utilizing the controller. The method further includes determining a fatigue indication value indicative of whether the operator is fatigued, utilizing the controller. The method further includes determining a cognitively impaired indication value based on at least one of the intoxication indication value, the drowsiness indication value, and the fatigue indication value. The method further includes generating a signal indicating that the operator is cognitively impaired when the cognitively impaired indication value is greater than a threshold cognitively impaired indication value, utilizing the controller.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether an operator of a vehicle is intoxicated, comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of a first location of the vehicle at a first time, utilizing a global positioning system device, when a vehicle ignition switch is in a predetermined operating position;

determining a location classification associated with the first location of the vehicle based on the first signal, utilizing a controller;

determining whether the operator is intoxicated based on the location classification and a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the first location, utilizing the controller; and

generating a second signal when the operator is intoxicated, utilizing the controller.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein determining whether the operator is intoxicated is further based on a calendar date and historical data associated with the operator.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein determining whether the operator is intoxicated is further based on a probability of the operator consuming alcohol at the first location.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising generating an identity signal indicative of an identity of the operator, utilizing a biometric sensor, when the ignition switch is in the predetermined operating position.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising generating a blood alcohol content value, utilizing a first sensor operably communicating with the controller, and if the blood alcohol content value is greater than or equal to a threshold blood alcohol content value, then generating an excessive blood alcohol level signal indicating the operator is intoxicated, utilizing the controller.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the operator was intoxicated at a prior location at a second time, utilizing the controller; and

if an elapsed time interval between the first time and the second time is less than a threshold time interval, then generating a third signal indicating the operator is intoxicated, utilizing the controller.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising determining an intoxication indication value based on the first signal, a calendar date, a time value indicative of a time of day, a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the first location, and historical data associated with the operator and if the intoxication indication value is greater than a threshold intoxication indication value, then generating a fourth signal indicating the operator is intoxicated, utilizing the controller.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the intoxication indication value is a probability value in a predetermined range.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising inducing a light-emitting diode to emit light indicating the operator is intoxicated, utilizing the second signal.

10. A system for determining whether an operator of a vehicle is intoxicated, comprising:

a global positioning system device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle at a first time, when a vehicle ignition switch is in a predetermined operating position; and

a controller operably communicating with the global positioning system device, the controller configured to determine whether the operator is intoxicated based on a location classification associated with the location of the vehicle based on the first signal and a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the location, the controller further configured to generate a second signal when the operator is intoxicated.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the operator is intoxicated based on a calendar date and historical data associated with the operator.

12. The system as in claim 10, further comprising a biometric sensor configured to generate an identity signal indicative of an identity of the operator, when the ignition switch is in the predetermined operating position.

13. The system as in claim 12, wherein the biometric sensor comprises a fingerprint sensor.

14. The system as in claim 10, further comprising a first sensor operably communicating with the controller, the first sensor configured to generate a third signal indicative of a breath-alcohol content value associated with the operator, the controller further configured to generate a fourth signal indicating the operator is intoxicated at the first time if the breath-alcohol content value is greater than or equal to a threshold breath-alcohol content value.

15. A method for determining whether an operator of a vehicle is drowsy, comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of a first location of the vehicle at a first time, utilizing a global positioning system device, when a vehicle ignition switch is in a predetermined operating position;

determining a drowsiness indication value utilizing a controller based on the first signal and a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the first location; and

if the drowsiness indication value is greater than a threshold drowsiness indication value, then generating a second signal indicating that the operator is drowsy at the first time, utilizing the controller.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein determining the drowsiness indication value is further based on a calendar date and historical data associated with the operator.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein determining the drowsiness indication value is further based on a classification associated with the first location.

18. The method as in claim 15, further comprising generating an identity signal indicative of an identity of the operator, utilizing a biometric sensor, when the ignition switch is in the predetermined operating position.

19. The method as in claim 15, further comprising determining a second drowsiness indication value based on the first signal, a time value indicative of a time of day, a time duration value since a previous drowsiness determination, and historical data associated with the operator, if the operator was operating the vehicle at a second time prior to the first time, utilizing the controller.

20. The method as in claim 19, further comprising generating a third signal indicating that the operator is drowsy, utilizing the controller, if the second drowsiness indication value is greater than the threshold drowsiness indication value.

21. The method as in claim 15, further comprising inducing a light-emitting diode to emit light indicating the operator is drowsy, utilizing the second signal.

22. A system for determining whether an operator of a vehicle is drowsy, comprising:

a global positioning system device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle at a first time, when a vehicle ignition switch is in a predetermined operating position; and

a controller operably communicating with the global positioning system device, the controller configured to determine a drowsiness indication value based on the first signal and a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the location, the controller further configured to generate a second signal indicating that the operator is drowsy at the first time if the drowsiness indication value is greater than a threshold drowsiness indication value.

23. The system as in claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the drowsiness indication value based on a calendar date and historical data associated with the operator.

24. The system as in claim 22, further comprising a biometric sensor configured to generate an identity signal indicative of an identity of the operator.

25. A method for determining whether an operator of a vehicle is fatigued, comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of a first location of the vehicle at a first time, utilizing a global positioning system device, when a vehicle ignition switch is in a predetermined operating position;

determining a fatigue indication value utilizing a controller based on the first signal and a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the first location; and

if the fatigue indication value is greater than a threshold fatigue indication value, then generating a second signal indicating that the operator is fatigued at the first time, utilizing the controller.

26. The method as in claim 25, wherein determining the fatigue indication value is further based on a calendar date and historical data associated with the operator.

27. The method as in claim 25, wherein determining the fatigue indication value is further based on a classification associated with the first location.

28. The method as in claim 25, further comprising generating an identity signal indicative of an identity of the operator, utilizing a biometric sensor, when the ignition switch is in the predetermined operating position.

29. The method as in claim 25, further comprising determining a second fatigue indication value based on the first signal, a time value indicative of a time of day, a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the first location or an elapsed time of the operator operating the vehicle since a previous fatigue indication value determination, and historical data associated with the operator, if the operator was operating the vehicle at a second time prior to the first time, utilizing the controller.

30. The method as in claim 29, further comprising generating a third signal indicating that the operator is fatigued, utilizing the controller, if the second fatigue indication value is greater than the threshold fatigue indication value.

31. The method as in claim 25, further comprising inducing a light-emitting diode to emit light indicating the operator is fatigued, utilizing the second signal.

32. A system for determining whether an operator of a vehicle is fatigued, comprising:

a global positioning system device configured to generate a first signal indicative of a location of the vehicle at a first time, when a vehicle ignition switch is in a predetermined operating position; and

a controller operably communicating with the global positioning system device, the controller configured to determine a fatigue indication value based on the first signal and a time duration value indicative of the vehicle being at the location, the controller further configured to generate a second signal indicating that the operator is fatigued at the first time if the fatigue indication value is greater than a threshold fatigue indication value.

33. The system as in claim 32, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the fatigue indication value based on a calendar date and historical data associated with the operator.

34. The system as in claim 32, further comprising a biometric sensor configured to generate an identity signal indicative of an identity of the operator.

35. A method for determining whether an operator of a vehicle has an impaired cognitive state, comprising:

determining an intoxication indication value indicative of whether the operator is intoxicated, utilizing a controller;

determining a drowsiness indication value indicative of whether the operator is drowsy, utilizing the controller;

determining a fatigue indication value indicative of whether the operator is fatigued, utilizing the controller; and

determining a cognitively impaired indication value based on at least one of the intoxication indication value, the drowsiness indication value, and the fatigue indication value; and

if the cognitively impaired indication value is greater than a threshold cognitively impaired indication value, then generating a signal indicating that the operator is cognitively impaired, utilizing the controller.

36. The method as in claim 35, further comprising inducing a light-emitting diode to emit light indicating the operator is cognitively impaired, utilizing the signal.

37. A system for determining whether an operator of a vehicle has an impaired cognitive state, comprising:

a controller configured to determine a cognitively impaired indication value based on at least one of an intoxication indication value, a drowsiness indication value, and a fatigue indication value, the controller further configured to generate a signal indicating that the operator is cognitively impaired if the cognitively impaired indication value is greater than a threshold cognitively impaired indication value.