Adaptive driver warning methodology

• US 20100007479A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Matthew R.
• Application Number:
  US12/217,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007479A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

An adaptive driver warning methodology takes into account the driver gaze during a steady-state interval following a precipitating event that will potentially lead to the issuance of a driver warning. The elapsed steady-state time following the precipitating event is compared with the duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze following the precipitating event. If the duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze is less than the elapsed steady-state time, the warning parameters are established in a manner to de-sensitize or de-emphasize the driver warning. As a result, the driver warning is de-sensitized or de-emphasized even though the driver temporarily glances away from the forward direction during the steady-state interval following the precipitating event.

Claims

1. A method of warning a driver of a vehicle of a potentially hazardous driving condition, comprising the steps of:

defining an alert threshold for the hazardous driving condition, and issuing a driver warning upon determining that the alert threshold has been violated;

detecting a precipitating event that could potentially lead to a violation of the alert threshold;

sensing a driver gaze direction, and determining when the sensed driver gaze direction is non-forward; and

adaptively adjusting a driver warning parameter in a direction to de-emphasize or de-sensitize the driver warning when the driver gaze direction is temporarily non-forward following the detection of the precipitating event but prior to determining that the alert threshold has been violated.

2. The method of claim 1, where:

the potentially hazardous driving condition is a collision with a detected object in a forward path of the vehicle; and

the precipitating event is a specified change in deceleration or range-rate of the detected object relative to the host vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, where:

the potentially hazardous driving condition is a collision with a detected object; and

the precipitating event is the detection of the object.

4. The method of claim 1, where:

the potentially hazardous driving condition is a lane change maneuver; and

the precipitating event is a specified change in lateral velocity or lateral acceleration of the host vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, including the steps of:

measuring an elapsed time of a steady-state interval beginning at the detection of the precipitating event;

measuring a duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze during said steady-state interval; and

adaptively adjusting the driver warning parameter based on a comparison of the measured elapsed time and the measured duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze.

6. The method of claim 5, including the step of:

adaptively adjusting the driver warning parameter in a direction to de-emphasize or de-sensitize the driver warning when the measured duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze is less than the measured elapsed time.

7. The method of claim 1, including the step of:

adaptively adjusting the driver warning parameter in a direction to emphasize or sensitize the driver warning when the measured duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze at least as great as the measured elapsed time.

8. The method of claim 1, including the step of:

increasing the measured duration of continuous non-forward driver gaze by a prescribed amount to favor adaptive adjustment of the driver warning parameter in the direction that emphasizes or sensitizes the driver warning.

9. The method of claim 1, where:

the driver warning parameter is the alert threshold; and

the step of adaptively adjusting the driver warning parameter includes changing the alert threshold in a direction to delay the violation of the alert threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, where:

the driver warning parameter is a warning intensity; and

the step of adaptively adjusting the driver warning parameter includes reducing the warning intensity.