Predictive Human-Machine Interface Using Eye Gaze Technology, Blind Spot Indicators and Driver Experience

• US 20120271484A1
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Feit, Steven, Grebe, Cody, Miller, Ross, Scheufler, Nick, Lin, Jason, Kosterich, Michelle, Choi, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 9,650,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for preventing accidents in a vehicle. The system comprises an eye gaze detector for receiving an eye gaze vector from a driver. The system additionally comprises a proximity sensor for detecting locations of nearby objects and their velocities. A vehicle accident risk is determined based on the nearby object location and velocity. Additionally, the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances is determined based on the nearby object location and velocity as well as the eye gaze location. Responsive to the driver'"'"'s knowledge and the vehicle accident risk, a vehicle alert is activated.

Claims

1. A method of providing an accident warning alert in a vehicle comprising:

receiving an eye gaze vector from a driver using an eye gaze detector;

detecting a location of a nearby object using a proximity sensor, wherein said nearby object is outside the vehicle;

determining a vehicle accident risk based on the location of the nearby object;

determining a driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances based on the location of the nearby object and the eye gaze vector; and

activating a vehicle alert based on the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

activating a car control function based on the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the car control function is at least one of a vehicle braking function, a steering wheel function, or an infotainment control function.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

gathering driver experience information from a driver using the eye gaze detector and vehicle driving data; and

calculating a driver experience level based on the driver experience information, and wherein activating a vehicle alert is further based on the driver experience level.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances further comprises determining whether the location of the nearby object is within a field of view of the eye gaze vector.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle alert comprises a first visual alert when the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk are above a first threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the vehicle alert comprises a second visual alert when the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk are above a second threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the vehicle alert comprises an auditory alert when the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk are above a third threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the nearby object is at least one of a second vehicle, a fixed object, or a lane demarcation.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a nearby object velocity using a proximity sensor, and wherein determining the vehicle accident risk and the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances is further based on the nearby object velocity.

11. A system of providing an accident warning alert in a vehicle comprising:

an eye gaze detector configured to receive an eye gaze vector from a driver;

a proximity sensor configured to detect a location of a nearby object, wherein said nearby object is outside the vehicle;

an electronic control unit configure to determine a vehicle accident risk based on the location of the nearby object and determine a driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances based on the location of the nearby object and the eye gaze vector; and

the electronic control unit further configured to activate a vehicle alert based on the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to activate a car control function based on the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the car control function is at least one of a vehicle braking function, a steering wheel function, or an infotainment control function.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a driver experience system configured to gather driver experience information from a driver using the eye gaze detector and vehicle driving data and to determine a driver experience level based on the driver experience information, and wherein activation of the vehicle alert is further based on the driver experience level.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the determination of a driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances is further based on whether the location of the nearby object is within a field of view of the eye gaze vector.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the vehicle alert comprises a first visual alert when the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk are above a first threshold.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle alert comprises a second visual alert when the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk are above a second threshold.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the vehicle alert comprises an auditory alert when the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances and the vehicle accident risk are above a third threshold.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the nearby object is at least one of a second vehicle, a fixed object, or a lane demarcation.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the proximity sensor is further configured to detect a nearby object velocity, and wherein the vehicle accident risk and the driver'"'"'s knowledge of vehicle circumstances is further based on the nearby object velocity.