DRIVER DROWSINESS PREDICTION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20130207804A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Chia-Hsien, Chang, Yao-Tsung, Lin, Pai-Yang
• Granted Patent: US 9,165,452 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: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A driver drowsiness prediction system includes a vital signal detection unit, a control unit and a network bridge module. The vital signal detection unit detects vital signals of a driver. The control unit receives the driver'"'"'s vital signs, and stores at least a feature signal. The feature signal represents the vital signal pattern of losing consciousness. The control unit continuously compares the detected vital signal with the feature signal. When the vital signal is similar to the feature signal, the control unit issues a pre-alarming command. The network bridge module receives the pre-alarming command and is triggered to perform a network connection process. The network bridge module logs into a pre-determined social website according to a login script, and then sends a pre-alarming message thereon, wherein the pre-alarming message includes an event indicating the driver is near unconsciousness.

Claims

1. A driver drowsiness prediction system, adapted to be detectable on conscious statuses of a driver and alarmable if the driver is near unconsciousness, the system comprising:

a vital signal detection unit, detecting a plurality of the driver'"'"'s vital signs;

a control unit, receiving the vital signals and storing at least a feature signal therein, the feature signal representing a vital signal pattern when the driver is near unconsciousness, wherein the control unit continuously compares the vital signals detected by the vital signal detection unit with the feature signal, and the control unit issues an pre-alarming command when the vital signal is identical or similar to the feature signal; and

a network bridge module, receiving the pre-alarming command, performing a network linking operation, logging in a pre-determined social website according to a login script and then sending a pre-alarming message thereon, wherein the pre-alarming message comprises an event indicating the driver is near unconsciousness.

2. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1, wherein the sent pre-alarming message is posted on the social website.

3. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1, wherein sending the pre-alarming message comprises through the social website, sending the pre-alarming message or a message correlative with the pre-alarming message to a designated receiver, to suggest the designated receiver contacting the driver.

4. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1, wherein the vital signal comprises brainwave and the vital signal detection unit comprises a brainwave instrument.

5. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 4, wherein the brainwave comprises a superior brainwave and the feature signal comprises a brainwave frequency range, the vital signal being defined similar to the feature signal when the superior brainwave matches the brainwave frequency range.

6. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 5, wherein the brainwave frequency range is within 8˜

9 Hz.

7. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a mobile communication device for performing a control program.

8. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises:

a signal analyzing unit, receiving and analyzing the brainwave, to determine whether the driver is near unconsciousness or remaining awake; and

a controller, issuing the pre-alarming command when the driver is near unconsciousness.

9. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1 further comprising a positioning module, wherein the positioning module receives a plurality of positioning signals transmitted from a plurality of positioning signal sources and transforms into at least a positioning coordinate, according to the positioning coordinate, the network bridge module indicating a geographic position of the driver in map information and attaching within the pre-alarming message accordingly.

10. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1 further comprising an automobile control module, the automobile control module performing an automobile control operation after receiving the pre-alarming command.

11. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 10, wherein the automobile control operation comprises detecting a moving direction, adjusting the moving direction and alerting to other automobiles.

12. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 1 further comprising at least an awakening module, the awakening module receiving the pre-alarming command and performing an awakening operation.

13. The driver drowsiness prediction system of claim 12, wherein the awakening operation comprises outputting alarming sounds, vibrations, slight electric shocks, alarming lights and outputting an instruction requesting the driver'"'"'s response to at least one of the outputs.

14. A driver drowsiness prediction method, adapted to be detectable on conscious statuses of a driver and alarmable if the driver is near unconsciousness, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of the driver'"'"'s vital signs;

analyzing the vital signals;

determining whether the driver is near unconsciousness; and

when the driver is near unconsciousness, performing a network linking operation, logging in a pre-determined social website according to a login script and then sending a pre-alarming message thereon, wherein the pre-alarming message comprises an event indicating the driver is near unconsciousness.

15. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 14, wherein the sent pre-alarming message is posted on the social website.

16. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 14, wherein the step of sending the pre-alarming message comprises through the social website, sending the pre-alarming message or a message correlative with the pre-alarming message to a designated receiver, to suggest the designated receiver contacting the driver.

17. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 14, wherein the vital signal comprises brain wave and the vital signal detection unit comprises a brainwave instrument.

18. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 17 further comprising a step of setting a brainwave frequency range, wherein the brainwave comprises a superior brainwave and the driver is defined near unconsciousness when the superior brainwave matches the brainwave frequency range.

19. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 18, wherein the brainwave frequency range is within 8˜

9 Hz.

20. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 14 further comprising a step of obtaining a least a positioning coordinate, and according to the positioning coordinate, and indicating a geographic position of the driver in map information and attaching within the pre-alarming message accordingly.

21. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 14 further comprising a step of performing an automobile control operation when the driver is near unconsciousness.

22. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 21, wherein the automobile control operation comprises receiving the pre-alarming command and performing an awakening operation.

23. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 14 further comprising a step of performing an awakening operation when the driver is near unconsciousness.

24. The driver drowsiness prediction method of claim 23, wherein after performing the awakening operation, the method further comprises detecting whether the driver is returning to consciousness, and alarming the awakened driver.