Face Monitoring System and Method for Vehicular Occupants

• US 20080069403A1
• Filed: 11/29/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

Imaging system and method for a vehicle includes an infrared source generating an infrared beam along a particular field-of-view in the vehicle, an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation reflected from objects in the field-of-view of the infrared beam and which generates image signals from the reflected infrared radiation, and a processor responsive to the image signals from the detector. The processor includes face recognition software that images and identifies facial features of a person to detect a person'"'"'s face and compares the detected image of the person'"'"'s face with stored images, and causes a vehicle operation, e.g., ignition of the vehicle, to be performed if a particular person'"'"'s face is identified. The processor may perform a frame subtracting process where the images when the infrared source is on are subtracted from the images when the infrared source is off so as to eliminate background.

Claims

1. An imaging system for a vehicle, comprising:

an infrared source generating an infrared beam along a particular field-of-view in the vehicle;

an infrared detector responsive to infrared radiation reflected from objects in the field-of-view of the infrared beam, said detector generating image signals from the reflected infrared radiation; and

a processor responsive to the image signals from the detector, said processor including face recognition software that images and identifies facial features of a person to detect a person'"'"'s face, said processor comparing the detected image of the person'"'"'s face with stored images, and causing a vehicle operation to be performed if a particular person'"'"'s face is identified.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the infrared source is on for a predetermined period of time and off for a predetermined period of time, said processor performing a frame subtracting process where the images when the infrared source is on are subtracted from the images when the infrared source is off so as to eliminate background.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to monitor the eyes of the person and provide a signal if the person appears drowsy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to provide a signal if an incapacitated person is detected in the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is arranged to monitor gestures of the detected person to cause a vehicle operation to be performed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operation is ignition of the vehicle.

7. An imaging method for a vehicle, comprising:

generating an infrared beam along a particular field-of-view in the vehicle;

generating image signals from reflected infrared radiation;

identifying facial features of a person to detect a person'"'"'s face;

comparing the detected image of the person'"'"'s face with stored images; and

causing a vehicle operation to be performed if a particular person'"'"'s face is identified.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising maintaining the infrared beam on for a predetermined period of time and off for a predetermined period of time, and performing a frame subtracting process where the images when the infrared source is on are subtracted from the images when the infrared source is off so as to eliminate background.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring the eyes of the person and provide a signal if the person appears drowsy.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a signal if an incapacitated person is detected in the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising monitoring gestures of the detected person to cause a vehicle operation to be performed.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising starting the vehicle ignition if a particular person'"'"'s face is identified.