Method and apparatus for measuring vehicle driver's fatigue to give an alarm
First Claim
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1. A method for alerting a driver of an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- detecting an elapsed period of time beginning at a predetermined point of time,detecting a vehicle driving condition and calculating a driving fatigue value based on said detected driving condition and said elapsed period of time,calculating an alarm time based on said driving fatigue value; and
producing an alarm when said elapsed time reaches said alarm time.
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Abstract
An alarm device is adapted to detect accumulation of fatigue of an automotive vehicle driver and to set an alarm time clock to produce an alarm. The detection of accumulation of fatigue is based on selected driving conditions of the vehicle and the period of time during which the detected driving condition is maintained. Fatigue data obtained based on the driving condition and the time is accumulated to determine a correction or updated value of the set time to be compared with the actual driving time. An alarm device will be activated when the driving time reaches the updated time.
20 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for alerting a driver of an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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detecting an elapsed period of time beginning at a predetermined point of time, detecting a vehicle driving condition and calculating a driving fatigue value based on said detected driving condition and said elapsed period of time, calculating an alarm time based on said driving fatigue value; and producing an alarm when said elapsed time reaches said alarm time. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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2. A method for alerting a fatigued driver of an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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(a) measuring driving time corresponding to time during which the driver drives the vehicle; (b) detecting a vehicle driving condition; (c) arithmetically calculating a fatigue value of the driver based on said measured driving time and said vehicle driving condition, and accumulating the calculated fatigue value; (d) calculating an alarm time based on the accumulated fatigue value; (e) comparing said calculated alarm time with the measured driving time, (f) repeating steps (a)-(e) upon detection of a change in a vehicle driving condition, and (g) producing said alarm when the measured time becomes equal to a greater than said alarm time. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A device for generating an alarm for a fatigued driver of an automotive vehicle, comprising:
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first means for repeatedly measuring a driving time; second means for setting a time threshold for producing an alarm when the measured driving time equals or exceeds said time threshold, said second means comparing said measured driving time with said set time threshold to produce the alarm; third means for detecting a variation of driving conditions of the vehicle and producing a signal indicative of detection of variation in a driving condition; fourth means for calculating fatigue data based on said driving condition indicative signal and on the driving time measured by said first means to obtain fatigue data for the driver, said fourth means including a memory for storing the obtained fatigue data which is updated whenever said driving condition changes; and fifth means for correcting said set time threshold of said second means based on the fatigue data stored in said fourth means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining fatigue of an automotive vehicle driver and for alarming the driver, comprising the steps of:
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detecting time elapsed while driving the vehicle to produce an elapsed time indicative signal; detecting vehicle driving conditions including a first condition in which the driver is substantially resting and a second condition in which the driver'"'"'s fatigue exceeds fatigue under a normal driving condition, and producing a driving condition indicative signal having a value representative of the detected driving condition; deriving a value indicative of accumulated fatigue of the driver based on values of the elapsed time indicative signal and of the driving condition indicative signal; varying a predetermined time threshold which corresponds to a standard fatigue level of the driver in a continuous driving operation under normal driving conditions to exceed an allowable range, on the basis of the derived accumulated fatigue value and on an instantaneous value of the driving condition indicative signal, and producing a time threshold indicative signal having a value indicative of the modified time threshold; and comparing the value of said elapsed time indicative signal with the value of said time threshold indicative signal for generating an alarm when the value of the elapsed time indicative signal exceeds the value of the time threshold indicative signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for detecting fatigue of an automotive vehicle driver and for alarming the driver when detected fatigue exceeds a predetermined allowable level, comprising:
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a timer means for sequentially measuring elapsed time to produce a timer signal having a value indicative of the measured elapsed time; a detector means for detecting vehicle driving conditions including a first condition in which the driver is substantially resting and a second condition in which the driver'"'"'s fatigue accumulates at a greater rate than that accumulated under normal driving condition, said detector means producing a detector signal having a value variable according to the detected vehicle driving condition; arithmetic means for deriving a fatigue value representative of accumulated driver fatigue on the basis of the values of said timer signal and said detector means signal, said arithmetic means producing a fatigue value indicative signal having a value indicative of the derived fatigue value; a reference signal generator means producing a reference signal having a value representative of a time threshold corresponding to said predetermined allowable fatigue level, said reference signal generator means being responsive to said detector means signal and to said fatigue value indicative signal for modifying the value of said reference signal; a comparator means for comparing the value of said timer signal with the value of said reference signal as modified to produce a comparator signal when the value of said timer signal is greater than the value of said reference signal as modified; and an alarm generator means responsive to said comparator signal to generate the alarm. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification