METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVER STATE DETECTION

• US 20090322506A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmitz, Carsten
• Application Number:
  US12/304,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322506A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0863 due to erroneous selection or response of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

In a method and an apparatus for driver state detection, a signal characterizing the driver state is derived from the frequency of minima in the time profile of a variable that represents the lane-holding behavior of the driver, in particular the “time to line crossing,” the time required until the lane marking is crossed.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A method for driver state detection, comprising:

generating a signal signaling the driver state by deriving from a variable that indicates a frequency with which extreme values occur in a time profile of a variable representing a lane behavior of a driver.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the variable is at least one of (a) a time required until the vehicle goes beyond lane edge markings, (b) a threshold derived therefrom, and (c) a time required until the vehicle goes beyond lane edge markings without substantial changes in the vehicle state.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the extreme values are minima of the time profile.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein a frequency of time spans with a substantially constant steering wheel position is additionally evaluated for derivation of the signal for the driver state.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein exceedance of a defined lateral separation from at least one of (a) a lane edge marking and (b) a threshold value derived therefrom, while at least one of (a) a steering wheel position and (b) a steering angle remains constant, is further evaluated.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein evaluation of the ascertained variables that represent the driver state is performed by a neural classifier.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein a variable is supplied to the neural classifier, which represents a frequency of minima, which represents a frequency of a constant steering wheel position with overreactive steering correction.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein variables including at least one of (a) steering rates, (b) a standard deviation of a lateral position of the vehicle in a lane, (c) eyelid blink frequencies, (d) eyelid closure times, (e) gas pedal actuation rates and (f) brake pedal actuation rates are additionally supplied.

18. An apparatus for driver state detection, comprising:

a computer unit adapted to generate a signal characterizing a driver state, the computer unit configured such that the signal characterizing the driver state is derivable from a frequency of extreme values in a time profile of a variable that represents lane-holding behavior of a driver.