DROWSY DRIVER PREVENTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20160052391A1
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Walsh, Jeffrey M., Lee, Woo Beum
• Granted Patent: US 9,302,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A user device may be used to prevent a driver of a vehicle from driving while drowsy. The user device may create a driver profile for the driver and collect driving data while the driver is driving the vehicle. The driver profile may include information regarding the driver'"'"'s propensity to drive while drowsy and the driving data may include information regarding whether the driver is exhibiting drowsy behaviors and how long the driver has been driving continuously. The user device may determine whether the driver is drowsy based on the driver profile and the driving data, and may respond in one or more ways, such as by altering the driver with an audio signal, providing the driver with a map to a nearby rest area, activating a braking system of the vehicle, warning nearby drivers about the driver being drowsy, contacting a parent or guardian of the driver, etc.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting, by a user device, driving data corresponding to a driver of a vehicle, the driving data comprising movement information associated with a head of the driver while driving the vehicle and a duration the driver has been continuously driving the vehicle, the movement information associated with the head of the driver comprising angular movement information from an auxiliary device attached to the head of the driver;

analyzing, by the user device, the driving data to determine whether the driver is drowsy by comparing the driving data to a drowsiness threshold; and

responding, by the user device, to the analyzing of the driving data by alerting the driver of the vehicle when the driver is drowsy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting of the movement information associated with the head of the driver comprises collecting angular movement information from an accelerometer associated with the auxiliary device attached to the head of the driver.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a driver profile, the driver profile comprising driver behavior information comprising data of the driver driving the vehicle on a previous occasion, analogous driver information comprising data of at least one other driver analogous to the driver in at least one way driving at least one other vehicle, and response information comprising instructions for responding to the analyzing of the driving data,

wherein the analyzing of the driving data is based on the collected driving data, the driver behavior information of the driver profile, and the analogous driver information of the driver profile, and

the responding to the analyzing of the driving data is based on the response information of the driver profile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving data comprises angular movement of the head of the driver and a change in distance between the user device and an auxiliary device of the user device, the change in distance between the user device and the auxiliary device coinciding with the angular movement of the head of the driver, and

the analyzing of the driving data to determine whether the driver is drowsy comprises analyzing the angular movement of the head of the driver in combination with the change in distance between the user device and the auxiliary device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the angular movement of the head of the driver comprises at least one of a vertical angular movement of the head of the driver, a horizontal angular movement of the head of the driver, or a lateral angular movement of the head of the driver, and

wherein the analyzing of the driving data to determine whether the driver is drowsy comprises determining whether the angular movement of the head of the driver corresponds to vertical angular movement, horizontal angular movement, or lateral angular movement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the drowsiness threshold is based on at least one of:

whether the driver has driven while drowsy before,

whether the driver is driving at a time when the driver has previously driven while drowsy,

whether the duration for which the driver has been continuously driving is greater than or equal to a driving duration associated with the driver being drowsy previously,

whether the driver is driving along a route where the driver has previously experienced drowsiness,

whether the driver is taking medication associated with drowsiness,

whether the driver has a medical condition associated with drowsiness,

whether the driver is driving along a route associated with other drivers driving while drowsy, and

whether the duration for which the driver has been driving is greater than or equal to a driving duration associated with other drivers being drowsy.

7. The method of claim 1, where the responding to the analyzing of the driving data when the driver is drowsy comprises at least one of:

communicating with the vehicle to activate a braking system of the vehicle,

communicating with the vehicle to turn off an engine of the vehicle,

providing the driver with directions to a nearby rest area,

warning drivers of other vehicles that the driver is drowsy,

contacting a guardian of the driver about the driving being drowsy,

contacting an employer of the driver about the driving being drowsy, or

contacting local law enforcement about the driving being drowsy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing of the driving data to determine whether the driver is drowsy comprises prompting the driver to complete a challenge and determining whether the driver completes the challenge successfully.

9. A system, comprising:

a user device, comprising;

a non-transitory memory device storing;

a plurality of processor-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the processor to;

collect driving data corresponding to a driver of a vehicle, the driving data comprising movement information associated with a head of the driver while driving the vehicle and a duration the driver has been continuously driving the vehicle, the movement information associated with the head of the driver comprising angular movement information from an auxiliary device attached to the head of the driver,

perform a driving data analysis based on the driving data to determine whether the driver is drowsy by comparing the driving data to a drowsiness threshold, and

respond to the driving data analysis by alerting the driver of the vehicle when the driver is drowsy.

10. The system of claim 9, executing the processor-executable instructions, to collect movement information associated with the head of the driver, causes the processor to:

collect angular movement information from an accelerometer associated with the auxiliary device attached to the head of the driver.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions causes the processor to:

create a driver profile, the driver profile comprising driver behavior information comprising data of the driver driving the vehicle on a previous occasion, analogous driver information comprising data of at least one other driver analogous to the driver driving at least one other vehicle, and response information comprising instructions for responding to the driving data,

wherein the driving data analysis is based on the collected driving data, the driver behavior information of the driver profile, and the analogous driver information of the driver profile, and

the response to the driving data analysis is based on the response information of the driver profile.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the driving data comprises angular movement of the head of the driver and a change in distance between the user device and an auxiliary device of the user device, the change in distance between the user device and the auxiliary device coinciding with the angular movement of the head of the driver, and

the driving data analysis comprises an analysis of the angular movement of the head of the driver in combination with the change in distance between the user device and the auxiliary device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the angular movement of the head of the driver comprises at least one of a vertical angular movement of the head of the driver, a horizontal angular movement of the head of the driver, or a lateral angular movement of the head of the driver, and

wherein the driving data analysis comprises a determination of whether the angular movement of the head of the driver corresponds to vertical angular movement, horizontal angular movement, or lateral angular movement.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the drowsiness threshold is based on at least one of:

whether the driver has driven while drowsy previously,

whether the driver is driving at a time when the driver has previously driving while drowsy,

whether the duration for which the driver has been continuously driving is greater than or equal to a driving duration associated with the driver being drowsy previously,

whether the driver is driving along a route where the driver has previously experienced drowsiness,

whether the driver is taking medication associated with drowsiness,

whether the driver has a medical condition associated with drowsiness,

whether the driver is driving along a route associated with other drivers driving while drowsy, and

whether the duration for which the driver has been driving is greater than or equal to a driving duration associated with other drivers being drowsy.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions, to respond to the driving data analysis when the driver is drowsy, causes the processor perform at least one of:

communicate with the vehicle to activate a braking system of the vehicle,

communicate with the vehicle to turn off an engine of the vehicle,

provide the driver with directions to a nearby rest area,

warn drivers of other vehicles that the driver is drowsy,

contact a guardian of the driver about the driving being drowsy,

contact an employer of the driver about the driving being drowsy, or

contact local law enforcement about the driving being drowsy.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein executing the processor-executable instructions, to perform the driving data analysis, causes the processor to:

determine whether the driver is drowsy by prompting the driver to complete a challenge and determining whether the driver completes the challenge successfully.

17. A computer-readable medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

a plurality of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a device, cause the one or more processors to;

create a driver profile, the driver profile comprising driver behavior information comprising data of a driver driving a vehicle on a previous occasion, analogous driver information comprising data of at least one other driver analogous to the driver driving at least one other vehicle, and response information comprising instructions for responding to driving data analyses,

collect driving data corresponding to the driver of the vehicle, driving data comprising movement information associated with a head of the driver while driving the vehicle,

perform a driving data analysis based on the driving data, the driver behavior information of the driver profile, and the analogous driver information of the driver profile to determine whether the driver is drowsy, and

respond to the driving data analysis based on the response information of the driver profile when the driver is drowsy and by collecting additional driving data when the driver is not drowsy.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein, to collect movement information associated with a head of the driver, one or more instructions, of the plurality of instructions, causes the one or more processors to:

collecting angular movement information from an auxiliary device attached to the head of the driver.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the driving data comprises angular movement of the head of the driver, a change in distance between the user device and an auxiliary device of the user device, and a duration the driver has been continuously driving the vehicle,

the change in distance between the user device and the auxiliary device coinciding with the angular movement of the head of the driver, and

the driving data analysis comprises an analysis of the angular movement of the head of the driver in combination with the change in distance between the user device and the auxiliary device and the duration the driver has been continuously driving the vehicle.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein, to respond to the driving data analysis based on the response information of the driver profile when the driver is drowsy, one or more instructions, of the plurality of instructions, causes the one or more processors to:

alert the driver of the vehicle,

communicate with the vehicle to activate a braking system of the vehicle,

communicate with the vehicle to turn off an engine of the vehicle,

provide the driver with directions to a nearby rest area,

warn drivers of other vehicles that the driver is drowsy,

contact a guardian of the driver about the driving being drowsy,

contact an employer of the driver about the driving being drowsy, or

contact local law enforcement about the driving being drowsy.