method and device for ascertaining a driver state

• US 20160167670A1
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: GJIKOKAJ, Dijanist, ROUS, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,656,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A variable that represents at least the alertness of the driver in a current vehicle operating cycle is ascertained as a function of at least one of (i) the variable representing the alertness of the driver determined in a preceding vehicle operating cycle, and (ii) at least one value used for ascertaining the variable representing the alertness of the driver determined in a preceding vehicle operating cycle.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method for ascertaining a variable representing at least the alertness of a driver, comprising:

ascertaining, for a current vehicle operating cycle, the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver as a function of at least one of (i) the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver determined in a preceding vehicle operating cycle, and (ii) at least one value used for ascertaining the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver in a preceding vehicle operating cycle.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver for the current vehicle operating cycle is determined additionally as a function of a further variable which represents a level of activeness of the driver.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein a tonic component and a phaseal component are considered when determining the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of a neuronal network and a classifier is used for ascertaining the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

performing an identification of the driver at the start of the current vehicle operating cycle.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of a lateral guidance behavior, a linear guidance behavior, and a performance of the driver to keep the vehicle inside a traffic lane is considered in ascertaining the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of (i) an actuation of an operating element by the driver, and (ii) an interaction of the driver with the vehicle via at least one of a human-machine-interface and an infotainment system is taken into account in ascertaining the variable representing at least the alertness.

20. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein a variable representing the physiological state of the driver is considered in ascertaining the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver.

21. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of a body temperature, a heartbeat frequency, and a pupil dilation of the driver is considered as the variable representing the physiological state of the driver.

22. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein driving information is taken into account in ascertaining the variable representing the alertness.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the driving information is at least one of an already elapsed driving time, brightness to which the driver is exposed, the time of the day, and the temperature to which the driver is exposed.

24. A device for ascertaining a variable representing at least the alertness of the driver, comprising:

a control unit including a processor configured to perform the following;

ascertaining, for a current vehicle operating cycle, the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver as a function of at least one of (i) the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver determined in a preceding vehicle operating cycle, and (ii) at least one value used for ascertaining the variable representing at least the alertness of the driver in a preceding vehicle operating cycle.