DRIVING CONDITION DETERMINATION APPARATUS

• US 20130151030A1
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: TATSUMI, Takuya
• Application Number:
  US13/672,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20130151030A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness

Abstract

A driving condition determination apparatus includes: an image obtaining device for obtaining a driver face image; a direction detector for detecting a face direction and/or a visual line direction of the driver; a steering wheel angle detector for determining whether a steering wheel angle exceeds a threshold value; and a determination device for determining whether the face direction and/or the visual line direction, which has been detected within a time interval just before the steering wheel angle exceeds the threshold value, satisfies a first condition and/or a second condition. The first condition is that the face direction and/or the visual line direction turns to a rearview mirror of the vehicle, and the second condition is that the face direction and/or the visual line direction turns to a door mirror or a side mirror on a side, to which the steering wheel is turned.

Claims

1. A driving condition determination apparatus comprising:

an image obtaining device for obtaining an image including a face of a driver of a vehicle;

a direction detector for analyzing the image and for detecting at least one of a face direction and a visual line direction of the driver;

a steering wheel angle detector for detecting a steering wheel angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and for determining whether the steering wheel angle exceeds a predetermined first threshold value; and

a determination device for determining whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction, which has been detected within a predetermined time interval just before the steering wheel angle detector determines that the steering wheel angle exceeds the predetermined first threshold value, satisfies at least one of a first condition and a second condition in a case where the steering wheel angle exceeds the predetermined first threshold value,

wherein the first condition is such that the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction turns to a rearview mirror of the vehicle, and

wherein the second condition is such that the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction turns to a door mirror or a side mirror disposed on a side, to which the steering wheel is turned.

2. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed of the vehicle; and

a threshold setting device for setting the first threshold value based on the vehicle speed.

3. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a turn signal detector for detecting a turn signal,

wherein the determination device determines whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction satisfies the at least one of the first condition and the second condition when the turn signal detector detects the turn signal.

4. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the determination device does not determine whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction satisfies the at least one of the first condition and the second condition when the turn signal detector does not detect the turn signal.

5. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning device for outputting warning information when the determination device determines that both of the first condition and the second condition are not satisfied.

6. A driving condition determination apparatus comprising:

an image obtaining device for obtaining an image including a face of a driver of a vehicle;

a direction detector for analyzing the image and for detecting at least one of a face direction and a visual line direction of the driver;

a duration time detector for detecting an steering wheel angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and for determining whether a duration time, for which the steering wheel angle is continuously equal to or larger than a predetermined standard value, exceeds a predetermined second threshold value; and

a determination device for determining whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction, which has been detected within a predetermined time interval just before the duration time detector determines that the duration time exceeds the predetermined second threshold value, satisfies at least one of a first condition and a second condition in a case where the duration time exceeds the predetermined second threshold value,

wherein the first condition is such that the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction turns to a rearview mirror of the vehicle, and

wherein the second condition is such that the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction turns to a door mirror or a side mirror disposed on a side, to which the steering wheel is turned.

7. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed of the vehicle; and

a threshold setting device for setting the second threshold value based on the vehicle speed.

8. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a turn signal detector for detecting a turn signal,

wherein the determination device determines whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction satisfies the at least one of the first condition and the second condition when the turn signal detector detects the turn signal.

9. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the determination device does not determine whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction satisfies the at least one of the first condition and the second condition when the turn signal detector does not detect the turn signal.

10. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a warning device for outputting warning information when the determination device determines that both of the first condition and the second condition are not satisfied.

11. A driving condition determination apparatus comprising:

an image obtaining device for obtaining an image including a face of a driver of a vehicle;

a direction detector for analyzing the image and for detecting at least one of a face direction and a visual line direction of the driver;

a steering wheel angle detector for detecting an steering wheel angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle and for determining whether the steering wheel angle exceeds a predetermined first threshold value;

a duration time detector for determining whether a duration time, for which the steering wheel angle is continuously equal to or larger than a predetermined standard value, exceeds a predetermined second threshold value; and

a determination device for determining whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction, which has been detected within a predetermined time interval just before the steering wheel angle detector determines that the steering wheel angle exceeds the predetermined first threshold value or the duration time detector determines that the duration time exceeds the predetermined second threshold value, satisfies at least one of a first condition and a second condition in a case where the steering wheel angle exceeds the predetermined first threshold value, or the duration time exceeds the predetermined second threshold value,

wherein the first condition is such that the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction turns to a rearview mirror of the vehicle, and

wherein the second condition is such that the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction turns to a door mirror or a side mirror disposed on a side, to which the steering wheel is turned.

12. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detector for detecting a vehicle speed of the vehicle; and

a threshold setting device for setting at least one of the first threshold value and the second threshold value based on the vehicle speed.

13. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a turn signal detector for detecting a turn signal,

wherein the determination device determines whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction satisfies the at least one of the first condition and the second condition when the turn signal detector detects the turn signal.

14. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 13,

wherein the determination device does not determine whether the at least one of the face direction and the visual line direction satisfies the at least one of the first condition and the second condition when the turn signal detector does not detect the turn signal.

15. The driving condition determination apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a warning device for outputting warning information when the determination device determines that both of the first condition and the second condition are not satisfied.