PHONE DOCKING STATION FOR ENHANCED DRIVING SAFETY

• US 20180026669A1
• Filed: 01/12/2016
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seeing Machines LTD
• Original Assignee: Seeing Machines LTD
• Inventors: Edwards, Timothy James Henry, Kroeger, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 11,223,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera

Abstract

Described herein is a mount (1) for supporting a mobile device (3) having a wireless transceiver (60) within a vehicle (5) having a driver. The mount (1) includes a body (7) having a supporting formation (9) adapted to releasably support the mobile device (3) in a supported operative position within the vehicle (5). The mount (1) also includes an electrical interface (25) for connecting to an external power source, the interface (25) being positioned to engage a complementary electrical port (27) of the mobile device (3) when the mobile device (3) is in the operative position to supply power to the mobile device (3). The mount (1) and the mobile device (3) collectively define an illumination device (29, 31) and a first camera (33) that cooperate to obtain predetermined performance information about the driver.

Claims

1. A mount for supporting a mobile device having a wireless transceiver within a vehicle having a driver, the mount including:

a body having a supporting formation adapted to releasably support the mobile device in a supported operative position within the vehicle; and

an electrical interface for connecting to an external power source, the interface being positioned to engage a complementary electrical port of the mobile device when the mobile device is in the operative position to supply power to the mobile device;

wherein the mount and the mobile device collectively define an illumination device and a first camera that cooperate to obtain predetermined performance information about the driver.

2. A mount according to claim 1 wherein the illumination device is disposed on the body.

3. A mount according to claim 2 wherein the first camera device is disposed on the body.

4. A mount according to claim 3 wherein the mobile device includes a second camera which, in the operative position, is oriented to capture a road scene in front of the vehicle.

5. A mount according to claim 1 wherein, when in the operative position, the mobile device facilitates the selective actuation of the camera and the illumination device.

11. A mount according to claim 4 wherein the supporting formation includes a vertical formation which extends at least partway along a back surface of the mobile device when in its operative position and wherein the vertical formation includes an aperture positioned to allow exposure of the second camera when the mobile device is in the operative position and wherein the vertical formation includes an aperture positioned to allow exposure of the second camera when the mobile device is in the operative position.

13. A mount according to claim 1 wherein, in the operative position, the camera and the illumination device are directed towards a driver of the vehicle.

14. A mount according to claim 1 wherein the body includes a heat sink for dissipating heat from the mobile device when in the operative position.

15. A mount according to claim 1 including a proximity sensor to detect a distance of the mobile device from the mount.

16. A mount according to claim 15 wherein the proximity sensor includes one or more of a radio frequency device, Bluetooth™

device or ultrasonic localisation device.

17. A mount according to claim 1 including a speaker adapted to issue alerts based on predetermined events.

20. A mount according to claim 1 including a processor configured to control the illumination device and first camera to capture images of the driver'"'"'s face and further configured to process the captured images to determine a measure of the driver'"'"'s alertness or drowsiness.

22. A mount according to claim 1 that is integrally connected to an interior portion of the vehicle.

25. A system according to claim 1 wherein the performance information includes a measure of alertness or drowsiness of the driver and/or a measure of the driver'"'"'s responsiveness to predetermined events.

27. A system according to claim 4 wherein upon detection of a predetermined event, the first and/or second camera is instructed to record a video stream of images for a predetermined period of time.

28. A system according to claim 27 wherein the predetermined event includes an event within the road scene detected from the second camera.

35. A system according to claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate selected driver performance data to an external database.

6-10. -10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

18-19. -19. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

23-24. -24. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

29-34. -34. (canceled)

36. A mobile device adapted to cooperate with a mount within a vehicle, the mount including a first camera and an illumination device, the mobile device including:

a housing adapted to be releasably supported in a supported operative position within a supporting formation of the mount;

an electrical port adapted to electrically connect with an electrical interface of the mount when in the operative position;

a second camera; and

a processor configured to selectively actuate the first and second camera and the illumination device when the mobile device is in the operative position.

37. A mobile device according to claim 36 wherein, when the mobile device is in the operative position, the processor is configured to perform one or more additional functions relating to the driver or vehicle operation.

38. A mobile device according to claim 37 wherein the additional functions include:

obtaining of performance data of the driver from the captured images when the mobile device is in the operative position;

access position data from a GPS location device to obtain position and/or velocity data of the vehicle;

access acceleration data from an accelerometer to obtain vehicle acceleration data;

transmit one or more of captured images, acceleration, position and velocity data, and alerts to an external server through the wireless transceiver;

process images of the driver captured by the first camera and perform a biometric face recognition algorithm to identify the driver;

prevention of incoming calls and/or text messages to the mobile device; and

send an alert to a caller who has attempted to call the mobile device when it is in the operative position.

39-50. -50. (canceled)