DRIVER ASSISTANCE APPARATUS

• US 20170096145A1
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: BAHN, Jungsoo
• Granted Patent: US 10,435,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/12 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0836 due to alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4972 Determining alcohol content for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06

Abstract

A driver assistance apparatus, in which a sensor is configured to measure an alcohol concentration from a driver, and output the measured alcohol concentration. The apparatus includes a processor configured to perform a first drunk-driving test based on a first alcohol concentration received from the sensor before starting the vehicle, and perform a second drunk-driving test based on a second alcohol concentration received from the sensor while the vehicle is operating.

Claims

1. A driver assistance apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to measure an alcohol concentration from a driver, and output the measured alcohol concentration; and

a processor configured to;

perform a first drunk-driving test based on a first alcohol concentration received from the sensor before starting the vehicle, and

perform a second drunk-driving test based on a second alcohol concentration received from the sensor while the vehicle is operating.

2. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

prevent, based on a determination that the first alcohol concentration does not satisfy a critical value, the starting of the vehicle, and

enable, based on a determination that the first alcohol concentration satisfies the critical value, the starting of the vehicle.

3. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to, based on a result of the first alcohol concentration, set a test condition for the second drunk-driving test, the test condition comprising at least one of:

a second drunk-driving test cycle, a number of second drunk-driving tests, a sensitivity level of the sensor, or the critical value.

4. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

a first sensor disposed at a door handle of the vehicle,

a second sensor disposed at a steering wheel of the vehicle,

a third sensor disposed inside the vehicle to receive a touch signal, or

a fourth sensor disposed inside the vehicle to measure an alcohol level in air inside the vehicle, and

wherein the processor is configured to, based on the first alcohol concentration, perform the first drunk-driving test before the start of the vehicle, the first alcohol concentration being received from one of the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor, or the fourth sensor.

5. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to perform, based on a determination that the first alcohol concentration is measured before the driver gets in the vehicle, a third drunk-driving test after the driver gets into the vehicle.

6. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to verify, based on the determination that the first alcohol concentration satisfies the critical value, that the first alcohol concentration is an alcohol concentration of the driver in a driver'"'"'s seat.

7. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a user authentication unit that is configured to identify the driver in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle.

8. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user authentication unit comprises at least one of:

a first user authentication unit configured to capture an image of the driver in the driver'"'"'s seat and identify the driver based on the captured image, or

a second user authentication unit configured to recognize a fingerprint of the driver in the driver'"'"'s seat.

9. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to restrict, based on a determination that the driver in the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle is an unregistered driver, starting of the vehicle.

10. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the user authentication unit is further configured to identify, based on a determination that the driver in the driver'"'"'s seat is a registered user, a passenger in a passenger seat of the vehicle, and

wherein the processor is configured to enable, based on a determination that the passenger in the passenger seat is the registered user, starting of the vehicle.

11. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to:

sense at least one of information about the driver touching a touch sensor, information about a driving pattern based on a usage of a steering wheel, information about an alcohol level in air inside the vehicle, or information about a conversation pattern of a passenger in the vehicle, and

output, to the processor, the information for the second drunk-driving test.

12. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to perform the second drunk-driving test at a preset test time, wherein the preset test time is at least one of:

a first time corresponding to an irregular time,

a second time corresponding to a preset cycle,

a third time corresponding to a time that the vehicle stops, and

a fourth time corresponding to a time that a door of the vehicle opens.

13. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:

monitor whether one or more windows of the vehicle are opened or closed during performance of the second drunk-driving test, and

control, in response to monitoring whether the one or more windows of the vehicle are opened or closed during performance of the second drunk-driving test, the one or more windows.

14. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to:

exclude, in response to monitoring whether the one or more windows of the vehicle are opened or closed during performance of the second drunk-driving test, the information about the alcohol level in air in the vehicle for the second drunk-driving test.

15. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a guide information output unit configured to provide the driver with guide information, the guide information providing instruction on how the driver provides a user input to the sensor.

16. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a warning signal output unit that is configured to output, based on a determination that a user input for the second drunk-driving test is received or a determination that the second alcohol concentration satisfies a critical value, a warning signal.

17. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 16, wherein the warning signal output unit comprises a communication unit transmitting a result of the second drunk-driving test to a designated organization, a related organization, or a stored contact.

18. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to switch, based on a determination of a failure of the second drunk-driving test, a driving mode of the vehicle to a self-driving mode.

19. The driver assistance apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to stop, based on a determination of a failure of the second drunk-driving test, the vehicle in a safe region.

20. A drunk-driving prevention method comprising:

performing a first drunk-driving test before starting of a vehicle;

enabling, based on a determination that the first drunk-driving test has been passed, the starting of the vehicle; and

performing a second drunk-driving test while the vehicle is operating after the starting of the vehicle.

21. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 20, further comprising setting, based on the first alcohol concentration, a test condition for the second drunk-driving test based on the result of the first drunk-driving test, wherein the test condition comprises at least one of:

a second drunk-driving test cycle, a number of times the second drunk-driving test is performed, a sensitivity level of a sensor, or a critical value.

22. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 20, further comprising performing, based on a determination that the first alcohol concentration is measured before the driver gets into the vehicle, a third drunk-driving test after the driver gets into the vehicle.

23. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 20, further comprising:

identifying the driver in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle,

identifying, based on a determination that the identified driver in the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle is a registered user, a passenger in a passenger seat of the vehicle,

enabling, based on a determination that the passenger in the passenger seat of the vehicle is the registered user, the starting of the vehicle.

24. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 20, wherein the second drunk-driving test is performed at a test time, wherein the test time is at least one of a time that the vehicle stops, or a time that a door of the vehicle opens.

25. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 20, further comprising outputting, based on a determination that a user input for the second drunk-driving test is received or a determination that the second alcohol concentration satisfies a critical value, a warning signal.

26. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 25, wherein outputting of the warning signal comprises transmitting a result of the second drunk-driving test to a designated organization, a related organization, or a stored contact.

27. The drunk-driving prevention method of claim 25, further comprising switching, based on a determination of a failure of the second drunk-driving test, a driving mode of the vehicle to a self-driving mode, or stopping, based on a determination of a failure of the second drunk-driving test, the vehicle in a safe region.