Method of detecting drowsiness of a vehicle operator

• US 20100214105A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Manotas, Jesus JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/575
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• 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

A method of rectifying drowsiness of a vehicle driver includes capturing a sequence of images of the driver. It is determined, based in the images, whether a head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver. The driver is awakened with sensory stimuli only if it is determined that the head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver.

Claims

1. A method of rectifying drowsiness of a vehicle driver, comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of images of the driver;

determining, based in the images, whether a head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver; and

awakening the driver with sensory stimuli only if it is determined that the head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step includes using edge detection on the images.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the edge detection is used to ascertain a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the edge detection is used to ascertain whether at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes has moved more than a threshold distance in the substantially lateral direction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step comprises ascertaining a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of ascertaining that a frequency or duration of eyelid closure of the driver is consistent with drowsiness of the driver, the driver being awakened only if it is determined that the frequency or duration of eyelid closure of the driver is consistent with drowsiness of the driver.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step includes ascertaining an orientation of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

8. A method of rectifying drowsiness of a vehicle driver, comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of images of the driver;

using edge detection on the images to determine at least one of;

whether a head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation; and

whether a frequency or a duration of eyelid closure of the driver is indicative of drowsiness of the driver; and

awakening the driver with sensory stimuli if either;

it is determined that the head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation;

or

it is determined that the frequency or duration of eyelid closure of the driver is indicative of drowsiness of the driver.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the driver is awakened only if it is determined both that the head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation, and that the frequency or duration of eyelid closure of the driver is consistent with drowsiness of the driver.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the edge detection is used to ascertain a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the edge detection is used to ascertain whether at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes has moved more than a threshold distance in a substantially lateral direction.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the using step comprises ascertaining a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the edge detection is used to determine whether the driver'"'"'s head is tilting in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the edge detection is used to determine an orientation of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

15. A method of rectifying drowsiness of a vehicle driver, comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of images of the driver;

determining, based in the images, whether a head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation;

ascertaining, based in the images, whether a frequency or a duration of eyelid closure of the driver is consistent with drowsiness of the driver; and

awakening the driver with sensory stimuli only if;

it is determined that the head of the driver is tilting away from a vertical orientation; and

it is ascertained that the frequency or duration of eyelid closure of the driver is consistent with drowsiness of the driver.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the determining step includes using edge detection on the images.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the edge detection is used to ascertain whether at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes has moved more than a threshold distance in a substantially lateral direction.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the edge detection is used to determine whether the driver'"'"'s head is tilting in a substantially lateral direction toward a shoulder of the driver.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the edge detection is used to determine an orientation of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the determining step comprises ascertaining a location of at least one of the driver'"'"'s eyes.