SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PRODUCTS FOR DROWSY DRIVER DETECTION AND RESPONSE

• US 20090091435A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bolourchi, Farhad
• Granted Patent: US 7,719,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods and computer products for drowsy driver detection and response. Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods and computer products for determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation, determining a severity of the lane violation, determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle and responding to the drowsy driver condition via onboard warning, corrective actuation, or remote human interventions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation;

determining a severity of the lane violation;

determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle; and

responding to the drowsy driver condition.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lane violation is determined by calculating a distance between the vehicle and a lane marker.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lane violation occurs when the distance between the vehicle and the lane marker is at least one of equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing the rate of change of an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the drowsy driver condition, comprises:

for a time interval T;

calculating a lane violation value;

calculating a severity of lane violation value; and

summing the product of the lane violation value and the severity of lane violation value.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising comparing the sum of the products of the lane violation value and severity of the lane violation value to a first predetermined drowsy driver index.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation value and severity of lane violation value at least one of equaling the first predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the first predetermined drowsy driver index.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising comparing the sum of products of the lane violation value and severity of the lane violation value to a second predetermined drowsy driver index.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising engaging a human intervention system in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation value and severity of lane violation value at least one of equaling the second predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the second predetermined drowsy driver index.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 further comprising engaging a human intervention system in response to a predetermined number of warning system activations being exceeded.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein responding to the drowsy driver condition comprises engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the detection of a drowsy driver.

13. A computer program product for detecting a drowsy drivel condition, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, the method comprising:

determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation;

determining a severity of the lane violation;

determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle; and

responding to the drowsy driver condition.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the lane violation is determined by calculating a distance between the vehicle and a lane marker.

15. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the lane violation occurs when the distance between the vehicle and the lane marker is at least one of equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

16. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

17. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing the rate of change of an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

18. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein determining the drowsy driver condition, comprises:

for a time interval T;

calculating a lane violation value;

calculating a severity of lane violation value; and

summing the product of the lane violation value and the severity of lane violation value.

19. The computer program product as claimed in claim 18 wherein the method further comprises comparing the sum of the products of the lane violation value and severity of lane violation value to a predetermined drowsy driver index.

20. The computer program product as claimed in claim 17 wherein the method further comprises engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation value and severity of lane violation value at least one of equaling the predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the predetermined drowsy driver index.

21. The computer program product as claimed in claim 20 wherein the method further comprises comparing the sum of products of the lane violation value and severity of the lane violation value to a second predetermined drowsy driver index.

22. The computer program product as claimed in claim 21 wherein the method further comprises engaging a human intervention system in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation value and severity of lane violation value at least one of equaling the second predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the second predetermined drowsy driver index.

23. The computer program product as claimed in claim 22 wherein the method further comprises engaging a human intervention system in response to a predetermined number of warning system activations being exceeded.

24. The computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein responding to the drowsy driver condition comprises engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the detection of a drowsy driver.

25. A system, comprising:

a computer processor;

a drowsy driver detection process residing on the processor and having instructions to;

determine that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation;

determine a severity of the lane violation;

determine a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle; and

respond to the drowsy driver condition.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25 wherein the process further has instructions to determine a drowsy driver index, D, given by: