DEVICE FOR WAKING UP A DRIVER AND AN OPERATOR

• US 20100188233A1
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Svenska Utvecilkings Entrprenoren Susen AB
• Original Assignee: Svenska Utvecilkings Entrprenoren Susen AB
• Inventors: Kuntzel, Klas
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/575
• 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: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

An arrangement to awaken a sleeping driver or operator of a vehicle, a vessel, an aeroplane or any other system that is controlled by a person, includes a detection part that is arranged to measure movements of a control element that belongs to the vehicle with which control element the driver has hand contact, a calculation circuit arranged to compare movements of the control element over time, and an alarm part arranged to produce vibrations in the control element. The calculation circuit is arranged to activate the alarm part when no movement of the control element has occurred during a pre-determined period, which pre-determined period indicates that the driver has fallen asleep, and in that all the parts are mounted on or are integrated with the control element.

Claims

1. An arrangement to awaken a sleeping driver or operator of a vehicle, a vessel, an aeroplane or any other system that is controlled by a person, comprising a detection part that is arranged to measure movements of a control means that belongs to the vehicle with which control means the driver has hand contact, a calculation circuit arranged to compare movements of the control means over time, and an alarm part arranged to produce vibrations in the control means, characterised in that the calculation circuit is arranged to activate the alarm part when no movement of the control means has occurred during a pre-determined period, which pre-determined period indicates that the driver has fallen asleep, and in that all the said parts are mounted on or are integrated with the said control means.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the said control means is constituted by a steering wheel and in that the alarm part is arranged to cause the said vibrations in the surfaces of the steering wheel against which the hands of the driver rest.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the said detection part comprises one or several accelerometers arranged to detect accelerations in a direction that is tangential to the steering wheel.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the said detection part comprises an angle sensor arranged to detect changes in the angle between the steering wheel and a fixed part of the vehicle.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the said arrangement is arranged such that it can be mounted in its entirety on a steering wheel.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the calculation circuit is arranged to inactivate the alarm arrangement following the first recorded steering wheel movement during an alarm that has been raised.

7. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that the said detection part comprises one or several accelerometers arranged to detect accelerations in a direction that is tangential to the steering wheel.

8. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that the said detection part comprises an angle sensor arranged to detect changes in the angle between the steering wheel and a fixed part of the vehicle.

9. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that the said detection part comprises an angle sensor arranged to detect changes in the angle between the steering wheel and a fixed part of the vehicle.

10. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that the said arrangement is arranged such that it can be mounted in its entirety on a steering wheel.

11. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that the said arrangement is arranged such that it can be mounted in its entirety on a steering wheel.

12. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterised in that the said arrangement is arranged such that it can be mounted in its entirety on a steering wheel.