METHOD FOR ASSESSING DRIVER ATTENTIVENESS

• US 20120101712A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Schramm, Thomas, Rathmacher, Ralf, Schiebahn, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/278,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20120101712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

The attentiveness of the driver of motor vehicle traveling in a lane provided with boundaries on both sides is assessed by measuring the distance of the vehicle from one of the boundaries, determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the vehicle in the lane, specifying a desired range of the distance of the vehicle from one boundary by means of the objective lateral freedom of movement, and adapting a parameter representative of the assessed attentiveness of the driver when the distance of the vehicle from one boundary leaves the desired range.

Claims

1. A method for assessing an attentiveness of a driver of a motor vehicle traveling in a lane provided with boundaries on both sides, comprising:

measuring a distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries;

determining an objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane;

specifying a desired range of the distance of the motor vehicle from one boundary with the objective lateral freedom of movement; and

adapting a parameter representative of the attentiveness of the driver when the distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries leaves the desired range.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a width of the desired range is a fraction of the objective lateral freedom of movement dependent on vehicle speed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane, comprises:

measuring the distance of the motor vehicle from the other boundary; and

determining the objective lateral freedom of movement with a sum of distances.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane, comprises:

measuring the distance between two boundaries; and

determining the objective lateral freedom of movement with a difference between the distance and a width of the motor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

periodically repeating determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane; and

suspending the determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane if a change in the objective lateral freedom of movement is detected.

6. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the parameter is a numerical value, and

wherein adapting the parameter representative of the attentiveness of the driver when the distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries leaves the desired range comprises increasing a deviation of the numerical value from a standard value, and

further comprising generating a warning when the deviation exceeds a limiting value.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising decreasing the deviation of the numerical value from the standard value when a predefined time span has elapsed.

8. A driver assistance system for assessing an attentiveness of a driver of a motor vehicle traveling in a lane provided with boundaries on both sides, comprising:

a measuring device configured to measure a distance of the motor vehicle from at least one of the boundaries;

a determining device configured to determine an objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane;

a specifying device configured to specify a desired range of the distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries with the objective lateral freedom of movement;

an adapting device configured to adapt a parameter representative of the attentiveness of the driver when the distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries leaves the desired range.

9. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the measuring device comprises at least one camera and an image processing system.

10. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the determining device is an onboard computer for the motor vehicle.

11. A computer readable medium embodying a computer program product, said computer program product comprising:

an assessing program for assessing an attentiveness of a driver of a motor vehicle traveling in a lane provided with boundaries on both sides, the assessing program is configured to;

measure a distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries;

determine an objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane;

specify a desired range of the distance of the motor vehicle from one boundary with the objective lateral freedom of movement; and

adapt a parameter representative of the attentiveness of the driver when the distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries leaves the desired range.

12. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 11, wherein a width of the desired range is a fraction of the objective lateral freedom of movement dependent on vehicle speed.

13. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the assessing program is configured to determine the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane with a measurement of the distance of the motor vehicle from the other boundary, and the assessing program further configured to determine the objective lateral freedom of movement with a sum of distances.

14. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the assessing program is configured to determine the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane with a measurement of the distance between two boundaries, and further configured to determine the objective lateral freedom of movement with a difference between the distance and a width of the motor vehicle.

15. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 11, the assessing program further configured to:

periodically repeat determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane; and

suspend the determining the objective lateral freedom of movement of the motor vehicle in the lane if a change in the objective lateral freedom of movement is detected.

16. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 11,

wherein the parameter is a numerical value, and

wherein adapting the parameter representative of the attentiveness of the driver when the distance of the motor vehicle from one of the boundaries leaves the desired range comprises increasing a deviation of the numerical value from a standard value, and

wherein the assessing program is further configured to generate a warning when the deviation exceeds a limiting value.

17. The computer readable medium embodying the computer program product according to claim 16, that the assessing program is further configured to decrease the deviation of the numerical value from the standard value when a predefined time span has elapsed.