Device for modifying vehicle operator driving behavior

• US 6,366,207 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Murphy
• Original Assignee: Michael Murphy
• Inventors: Murphy, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US09/497,692
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 340/576, 340/575, 340/573.1, 340/540, 180/272
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02241 of small dimensions, e.g. adapted to fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/21 Voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

Device for monitoring and/or modifying vehicle operator behavior. The device is suited for reducing vehicle operator aggressive driving behavior which leads to increased anger and so-called “road rage”, and includes a sensor mountable in a vehicle that detects a vehicle driving condition exceeding a preset vehicle driving condition. A signal is operatively associated with the sensor and provides a warning to a vehicle operator when the sensor detects a vehicle driving condition which exceeds a predetermined value. The signal to the driver is deactivated and stops providing the warning when the sensor detects the preset vehicle driving condition for greater than a predetermined period of time. The warning to the operator may be a caution such as “Easy, now” and “You can let it go”. The device may provide. “positive strokes” to the operator when the operator has driven for a predetermined number of miles or length of time, for example, without engaging in any behavior(s) which exceeds predetermined values. The warnings and/or positive strokes may be audible signals or visual signals, for example.

Claims

1. A method of modifying vehicle operator driving behavior, the method comprising:

a) providing a sensor mountable in a vehicle, the sensor detecting an aggressive vehicle driving condition which differs from a preset normal vehicle driving condition;

b) providing a signal operatively associated with the sensor, the signal providing a notice to the vehicle operator when the sensor detects the aggressive vehicle driving condition which differs from the preset normal vehicle driving condition;

c) deactivating the signal and stopping the notice when the sensor detects the preset normal vehicle driving condition for a period of time which differs from a predetermined period of time;

d) deactivating the signal and stopping the notice when the sensor detects the aggressive vehicle driving condition for a further period of time which differs from a further predetermined period of time; and

e) causing said step of deactivating the signal and stopping the notice to occur to stop the notice if the aggressive vehicle driving condition continues for greater than the further predetermined period of time, the further predetermined period of time being selected so as to not anger the vehicle operator by giving the vehicle operator a negative stroke.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said step of deactivating the signal and stopping the notice stops the notice when the aggressive vehicle driving condition stops.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein:

a) the sensor provided in said step of providing a sensor includes at least two of an accelerometer, an engine rpm sensor, a speed sensor, a sound-actuated sensor, a brake-usage sensor, a horn-usage sensor, and a steering wheel-usage sensor; and

b) the at least two sensors initiate the signal to provide a notice when each respective one of the at least two sensors detects a respective vehicle condition which exceeds a further predetermined value and which further predetermined value is less than or equal to a predetermined value corresponding to the preset normal vehicle driving condition.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the sensor provided in said step of providing a sensor detects a vehicle driving condition which is less than or equal to the preset normal vehicle driving condition; and

b) the said signal provided in said step of providing a signal provides a positive stroke to a vehicle operator when the sensor detects the vehicle driving condition which is less than or equal to the preset normal vehicle driving condition for more than a first predetermined period of time.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein:

a) the positive stroke is provided after the notice has been provided, when the aggressive vehicle driving condition which had exceeded the preset normal vehicle driving condition is reduced to or is less than the preset normal driving condition within a second predetermined period of time.

6. A method as in claim 4, wherein

a) said positive stroke includes an audible phrase of encouragement.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the sensor provided in said step of providing a sensor includes a noise detector, and the preset normal vehicle driving condition includes a preset noise level.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein:

a) said noise detector includes a human voice detector.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the sensor provided in said step of providing a sensor includes at least two of an accelerometer, an engine rpm sensor, a speed sensor, a sound-actuated sensor, a brake-usage sensor, a horn-usage sensor, and a steering wheel-usage sensor; and

b) the at least two sensors initiate the signal to provide a notice when each respective one of the at least two sensors detects a respective vehicle condition which exceeds a further predetermined value and which further predetermined value is less than or equal to a predetermined value corresponding to the preset normal vehicle driving condition.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the further predetermined period of time selected so as to not anger the vehicle operator by giving the vehicle operator a negative stroke is not more than a few seconds.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the notice includes a notice intervention; and

b) said signal provides the notice intervention to the vehicle operator when said sensor detects the vehicle operating condition which exceeds the preset normal vehicle driving condition.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) the sensor provided in said step of providing a sensor includes an adjustment for varying a value of the preset normal vehicle driving condition.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said sensor includes a noise sensor which detects a noise level corresponding to yelling.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said signal provides a visual notice.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said signal provides an audible notice.

16. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said sensor includes a sound-actuated sensor which detects a sound which exceeds a predetermined level.

17. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said sensor includes a pressure-actuated sensor which detects a pressure which exceeds a predetermined level.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein:

a) said pressure-actuated sensor is mounted on a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein:

a) said pressure-actuated sensor detects pressure on a steering wheel region of a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle.

20. A method as in claim 18, wherein:

a) said pressure-actuated sensor detects pressure on a horn region of a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle.

21. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) an ignition sensor is provided, said ignition sensor determines a vehicle ON condition and a vehicle OFF condition;

b) said signal is operatively associated with said ignition sensor; and

c) said ignition sensor resets a deactivated signal after said ignition sensor determines a vehicle OFF condition followed by a vehicle ON condition.

22. A method as in claim 1, wherein:

a) said sensor includes an accelerometer.

23. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

a) providing a computer, said computer being operatively associated with said sensor and said signal, and said computer monitors output from said sensor and governs activation and duration of said signal.

24. A method as in claim 1, further comprising:

a) providing a computer chip, the computer chip being operatively associated with said sensor and said signal, and said computer chip monitors output from said sensor and governs activation and duration of said signal.

25. A system for monitoring driver behavior for reducing aggressive driving behavior in a vehicle, comprising:

a) a driver behavior monitoring apparatus for monitoring and collecting driver behavior data;

b) an analyzing apparatus operatively associated with said driver behavior monitoring apparatus for analyzing the driver behavior data collected by said driver behavior monitoring apparatus;

c) a signal apparatus operatively associated with said driver behavior monitoring apparatus for providing a notice to a driver in a vehicle monitored by said driver behavior monitoring apparatus when the driver behavior data has a value exceeding a predetermined driver behavior data value; and

d) said analyzing apparatus causing said signal apparatus to discontinue providing the notice to a driver after a predetermined period of time in which the driver behavior data has a value exceeding a predetermined driver behavior data value, and whether or not the driver behavior data has a value exceeding the predetermined driver behavior data value after the predetermined period of time, and said analyzing apparatus prevents said signal apparatus from providing a further notice until after the vehicle in which a driver is being monitored has been turned off and on, so that the vehicle operator is not given a negative stroke.

26. A system as in claim 25, wherein:

a) the driver behavior monitoring apparatus monitors and collects driver voice data.

27. A system as in claim 25, wherein:

a) the driver behavior monitoring apparatus monitors and collects driver voice data corresponding to yelling.

28. A system as in claim 25, wherein:

a) said signal apparatus provides a visual warning.

29. A system as in claim 28, wherein:

a) the driver behavior monitoring apparatus monitors and collects driver horn-usage data.

30. A system as in claim 25, wherein:

a) said signal apparatus provides an audible warning.

31. A system as in claim 25, wherein:

a) the driver behavior data includes at least one of horn usage data, steering wheel gripping data, vehicle speed data, vehicle acceleration data, vehicle jerk data, vehicle braking data, and engine rpm data.

32. A method of reducing vehicle operator road rage, the method comprising:

a) monitoring vehicle operator data;

b) collecting vehicle operator data;

c) analyzing the monitored and collected vehicle operator data for determining vehicle operator behavior data;

d) giving the vehicle operator a positive stroke if the vehicle operator operates the vehicle for greater than a predetermined time without engaging in an aggressive driving behavior;

e) providing an intervention if the vehicle operator engages in an aggressive driving behavior;

f) stopping the intervention if the vehicle operator continues to engage in aggressive driving behavior for more than a few seconds; and

g) neither a positive stroke nor a negative stroke is provided to the vehicle operator until after a predetermined event has occurred.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein:

a) the predetermined event includes a time greater than a predetermined period of time being exceeded.

34. A method as in claim 32, wherein:

a) the predetermined event includes a time free of aggressive driver behavior.

35. A method as in claim 32, wherein:

a) the predetermined event includes the vehicle having been through an OFF/ON condition.