System and Method for Detecting and Preventing Drowsiness
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle comprising:
- a steering wheel;
a thermal grill located on an outermost surface of the steering wheel such that at least a portion of the thermal grill is exposed on the outermost surface of the steering wheel, the thermal grill comprising interlaced regions;
one or more monitors configured to monitor one or more parameters associated with the driver; and
a controller configured to, in response to one or more monitored parameters indicating a driver of the vehicle is drowsy, activate the thermal grill such that two adjacent regions of the thermal grill approach two different temperatures.
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Abstract
A system for preventing drowsiness in a driver by employing a thermal grill. The system includes a detection module and an intervention module. The detection module monitors a driver'"'"'s parameters to determine whether the driver is drowsy. If the driver is determined to be drowsy, the intervention module activates a thermal grill with interlaced hot and cold regions. This activation causes the hot regions to approach one temperature and the cold regions to approach another. Additionally, this activation leads to an uncomfortable sensation for the driver, alerts the driver, and prevents the driver from getting drowsy.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle comprising:
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a steering wheel; a thermal grill located on an outermost surface of the steering wheel such that at least a portion of the thermal grill is exposed on the outermost surface of the steering wheel, the thermal grill comprising interlaced regions; one or more monitors configured to monitor one or more parameters associated with the driver; and a controller configured to, in response to one or more monitored parameters indicating a driver of the vehicle is drowsy, activate the thermal grill such that two adjacent regions of the thermal grill approach two different temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method for preventing drowsiness in a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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monitoring one or more parameters associated with the driver, the monitored parameters comprising one or both of;
parameters associated with a driver'"'"'s body and parameters associated with an operation of the vehicle by the driver;determining, by a processor, whether the driver is drowsy based on the monitored parameters associated with the driver; and responsive to determining that the driver is drowsy, activating a thermal grill located on an outermost surface of a steering wheel of the vehicle such that at least a portion of the thermal grill is exposed on the outermost surface of the steering wheel, the thermal grill comprising interlaced regions, wherein activating the thermal grill results in two adjacent regions approaching two different temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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- 13. A thermal grill, the thermal grill comprising interlaced regions located on an outermost surface of a steering wheel of a vehicle such that at least a portion of the thermal grill is exposed on the outermost surface of the steering wheel, the thermal grill configured to, in response to a detection of one or more parameters associated with a driver of the vehicle indicative that the driver is drowsy, activate such that two adjacent regions of the thermal grill approach two different temperatures.
Specification