Dozing warning device for a vehicle
First Claim
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1. A dozing warning device comprising:
- steering angle detecting means for producing a signal S1 representative of variations in the steering angular position;
first and second abrupt steering detecting means for producing first and second abrupt steering pulses S11, S16 respectively when the value of an increase of the signal S1 exceeds a value representative of a predetermined angle variation or when the value of the decrease of the signal S1 exceeds said value, respectively;
means for producing a warning signal S22 when both of said abrupt steering pulses S11 and S16 are produced within a predetermined period of time T; and
warning means for producing a warning in response to said warning signal S22.
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Abstract
A warning device detects abrupt steering when the driver is dozing at the wheel and recognizes dozing of the driver to give a warning. The warning device comprises a sensor 20 for detecting steering variation angle, circuit 120, 130 for detecting abrupt steering based on detected right- and left-hand steering angle variations, and circuits 142, 146 for operating a warning means 30 when abrupt steering to the left and abrupt steering to the right are consecutively detected within a given period.
21 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A dozing warning device comprising:
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steering angle detecting means for producing a signal S1 representative of variations in the steering angular position; first and second abrupt steering detecting means for producing first and second abrupt steering pulses S11, S16 respectively when the value of an increase of the signal S1 exceeds a value representative of a predetermined angle variation or when the value of the decrease of the signal S1 exceeds said value, respectively; means for producing a warning signal S22 when both of said abrupt steering pulses S11 and S16 are produced within a predetermined period of time T; and warning means for producing a warning in response to said warning signal S22. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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2. A dozing warning device comprising:
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a steering angle detecting means for producing a signal S1 having a value variable in first and second directions according to variations in the steering angular position; first abrupt steering detecting means for producing a first abrupt steering pulse S11 when change in the steering angel in the first direction exceeds a predetermined angle; second abrupt steering detecting means 130 for producing second abrupt steering pulse S16 when change in the steering angle in the second direction exceeds the predetermined angle; means for producing a warning signal S22 when said first and second abrupt steering pulses S11 and S16 are both produced within a predetermined period of time T; and warning means for producing a warning in response to said warning signal S22.
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8. A method for warning a dozing driver, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting steering angle variation in first and second directions; (b) comparing the detected steering angle variation with a predetermined value; (c) measuring an interval between times when the steering angle variation in the first direction exceeds a predetermined value and the steering angle variation in the second direction exceeds the predetermined value; (d) comparing the measured interval with a predetermined interval; and (e) producing a warning when the measured interval is shorter than the predetermined interval. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A dozing warning device comprising:
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a steering angle detecting means for detecting variation of steering angular position and producing a steering angle signal having a value increasing according to steering angle variation in a first direction and decreasing according to steering angle varation in a second direction; first abrupt steering detecting means for producing a first abrupt steering indicating signal when the value of said steering angle signal is increased beyond a given first threshold; second abrupt steering detecting means for producing a second abrupt steering indicating signal when the value of said steering angle signal is decreased to less than a given second threshold; a warning signal generator means responsive to said first and second abrupt steering indicating signals to produce a warning signal when one of said first and second abrupt steering indicating signals is produced within a given period of time after the other of said abrupt steering indicating signals is produced; and a warning means for producing a warning in response to said warning signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification