APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING DRIVER STATUS

• US 20160023666A1
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Sang-Gwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,682,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a driver status may include an information acquisition unit acquiring driver'"'"'s vehicle driving information, driver'"'"'s vehicle operation information, and driver status information, a calculation unit calculating a driving load indicated by converting a factor obstructing safe driving into a numerical value, based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, a comparison unit between the driving load calculated by the calculation unit and a preset load margin, and a warning unit warning the driver when the comparison unit determines that the calculated driving load exceeds the preset load margin.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a driver status, comprising:

an information acquisition unit configured to acquire driver'"'"'s vehicle driving information, driver'"'"'s vehicle operation information, and driver status information;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a driving load indicated by converting a factor obstructing safe driving into a numerical value, based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit;

a comparison unit configured to compare between the driving load calculated by the calculation unit and a preset load margin; and

a warning unit configured to provide a warning to the driver when the comparison unit determines that the calculated driving load exceeds the preset load margin.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information acquisition unit comprises a vehicle driving information acquisition portion, a vehicle operation information acquisition portion, and a driver status information acquisition portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vehicle driving information acquisition portion comprises one or more of an accelerator pedal operation sensor, a brake pedal operation sensor, a steering wheel operation sensor, a multifunctional switch operation sensor, a clutch pedal operation sensor, and a transmission operation sensor, in order to acquire information generated when the driver drives a vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vehicle operation information acquisition portion comprises one or more of an air conditioning device switch operation sensor and an AVN (audio/video/navigation) switch operation sensor, in order to acquire information generated when the driver operates a vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the driver status information acquisition portion comprises one or more of a microphone, a driver observation camera, an ECG (electrocardiogram) sensor, an EEG (electroencephalogram) sensor, and a PPG (photoplethysmography) sensor, in order to acquire information according to a driver status during driving of a vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calculation unit comprises a vehicle driving load calculation portion, a vehicle operation load calculation portion, and a driver status load calculation portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the comparison unit comprises a memory portion configured to store data of the preset load margin.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the warning unit comprises one or more of a warning sound output device, a driving load display device, and a vehicle control device.

9. A method of detecting a driver status, comprising:

acquiring driver'"'"'s vehicle driving information, driver'"'"'s vehicle operation information, and driver status information;

calculating a driving load indicated by converting a load of a driver into a numerical value, based on the acquired information;

comparing the calculated driving load of the driver with a preset load margin; and

warning the driver when the driving load of the driver exceeds the preset load margin.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the acquiring comprises acquiring vehicle driving information, acquiring vehicle operation information, and acquiring driver status information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the driving information comprises one or more of accelerator pedal operation information, brake pedal operation information, steering wheel operation information, and multifunctional switch operation information which are generated when the driver drives a vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle operation information comprises one or more of AVN operation information and air conditioning device operation information which are generated when the driver operates a vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the driver status information comprises one or more of driver'"'"'s voice information, driver'"'"'s forward observation information, driver'"'"'s eye-closed information, driver'"'"'s brainwave information, driver'"'"'s ECG information, and driver'"'"'s PPG signal information which are indicative of a driver status during driving of a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the calculating a driving load comprises calculating a vehicle driving load, calculating a vehicle operation load, calculating a driver status load, and calculating a driving load by summing the respective calculated loads.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein when the driving load is equal to or greater than a first load margin and less than a second load margin, the warning the driver performs a first warning process comprising one or more of generating a warning sound through a speaker, displaying a warning through an AVN or a HUD, and notifying of vibration through vibration of a steering wheel or a seat.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein when the driving load is equal to or greater than a second load margin and less than a third load margin, the warning the driver performs a second warning process of holding a function of an AVN.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein when the driving load is equal to or greater than a third load margin, the warning the driver performs a third warning process of forcibly stopping a vehicle.