DRIVER AWARENESS SENSING AND INDICATOR CONTROL
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- object detecting means for providing an indication of an object in a vicinity of a vehicle;
at least one indicator means for providing an indication regarding the detected object to a driver;
gaze detecting means for providing an indication of a vehicle driver'"'"'s gaze;
brain activity detecting means for providing an indication of the driver'"'"'s brain activity; and
control means for controlling any indication from the indicator means regarding the detected object based upon an indication from the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means corresponding to an estimation of driver awareness of the detected object.
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Abstract
An illustrative example embodiment of a system includes object detecting means for providing an indication of an object in a vicinity of a vehicle; at least one indicator means for providing an indication regarding the detected object to a driver; gaze detecting means for providing an indication of the vehicle driver'"'"'s gaze; brain activity detecting means for providing an indication of the driver'"'"'s brain activity; and control means for controlling any indication from the indicator means regarding the detected object based upon an indication from the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means corresponding to an estimation of driver awareness of the detected object.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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object detecting means for providing an indication of an object in a vicinity of a vehicle; at least one indicator means for providing an indication regarding the detected object to a driver; gaze detecting means for providing an indication of a vehicle driver'"'"'s gaze; brain activity detecting means for providing an indication of the driver'"'"'s brain activity; and control means for controlling any indication from the indicator means regarding the detected object based upon an indication from the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means corresponding to an estimation of driver awareness of the detected object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22)
the control means alters at least one characteristic for reducing an effect of the indication from the indicator means regarding the detected object when the indication from the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means correspond to an estimation that the driver is aware of the detected object;
oralters at least one characteristic for increasing an effect of the indication from the indicator means regarding the detected object when the indication from the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means correspond to an estimation that the driver is unaware of the detected object.
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4. The system of claim 3, wherein
the indication regarding the detected object is at least one of audible or visible; -
the at least one characteristic is at least one of tone, frequency or volume if the indication regarding the detected object is audible; and the at least one characteristic is at least one of size, brightness, color or intensity if the indication regarding the detected object is visible.
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5. The system of claim 1, wherein
the at least one object detecting means comprises at least one of at least one camera, at least one stereoscopic camera system, at least one ultrasonic sensor, or at least one radar detector. -
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one gaze detecting means comprises at least one camera having a field of vision situated to capture images of the driver'"'"'s eyes.
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7. The system of claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:
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an electronic processor having an electrical input for receiving one or more signals from the object detecting means, the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means; and an electronic memory device electrically coupled to the electronic processor, the electronic memory device having stored instructions, wherein controlling any indication from the indicator means comprises the electronic processor being configured to access the memory device and execute the instructions such that the electronic processor is operable to determine an estimation of driver awareness of the detected object based on said signals received from the object detecting means, the gaze detecting means and the brain activity detecting means, and to control said indication based on said determined estimation of driver awareness.
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8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control means is configured to
determine an at least approximate direction of the driver'"'"'s gaze based on the indication from the at least one gaze detecting means; -
determine an at least approximate position of the detected object relative to the driver; and determine whether the determined direction of the driver'"'"'s gaze corresponds to the driver looking toward the determined position of the detected object.
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9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one brain activity detecting means comprises a brain wave sensor configured to detect small electrical impulses or signals indicative of brain activity through the driver'"'"'s skin.
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10. The system of claim 1, wherein
the control means comprises a processor and a data storage associated with the processor; - and
wherein the processor places information in the data storage regarding detected objects and corresponding driver awareness estimations.
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11. A vehicle comprising the system of claim 1.
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22. The system of claim 1, wherein the control means controls the indicator means to provide an indication to the driver when there is insufficient information regarding the driver'"'"'s gaze.
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12. A method, comprising the steps of:
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detecting an object in a vicinity of a vehicle; detecting a vehicle driver'"'"'s gaze; detecting the driver'"'"'s brain activity; determining whether indications of the detected driver'"'"'s gaze and the detected driver'"'"'s brain activity correspond to an estimation of driver awareness of the detected object; and controlling any indication provided to the driver regarding the detected object based upon the determination regarding driver awareness. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23)
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Specification