System for monitoring a driver's attention to driving

• US 6,496,117 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Trajkovic, Miroslav, Gutta, Srinivas, Colmenarez, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US09/822,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20020140562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340/576, 340/435, 340/521, 340/439, 340/903, 340/905, 340/457, 340/575, 701/45, 348/77, 348/78, 180/167, 368/109, 368/250, 368/263
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A system for monitoring a driver'"'"'s attention to driving a vehicle includes a camera having a field of view wherein a driver'"'"'s face is positioned in the field of view of the camera. The system also includes a gaze and facial pose determiner coupled to the camera which receives signals corresponding to images of the driver'"'"'s face for analysis. The gaze and facial pose determiner determines whether the gaze and facial pose of the driver are oriented in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle. The system also includes an alarm responsive to the gaze and facial pose determiner for advising the driver that his gaze and facial pose are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a driver'"'"'s attention while driving a vehicle, comprising:

a driver monitoring camera including a field of view having the driver'"'"'s face positioned therein so as to view the driver'"'"'s gaze and facial pose;

a gaze and facial pose determiner coupled to the driver monitoring camera and receiving image signals from the camera indicative of the driver'"'"'s face, the gaze and facial pose determiner determining whether the gaze and facial pose of the driver are oriented in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle; and

an alarm responsive to the gaze and facial pose determiner for advising the driver that at least one of his gaze and facial pose are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

2. The system as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

an object monitoring camera having a field of view and being oriented so as to monitor regions external to and proximate the vehicle; and

an object and distance determiner operatively coupled to the object monitoring camera, the object and distance determiner identifying at least one object which is in the field of view of the object monitoring camera and determining the at least one object'"'"'s distance from the vehicle.

3. The system as defined by claim 2 wherein the gaze and facial pose determiner determines that at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver is not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, and the object and distance determiner identifies at least one object in the field of view of the camera and a distance of the at least one object from the vehicle, and it is determined that the distance of the at least one object from the vehicle is less than a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the alarm is actuated to warn the driver of a potential danger and to redirect his gaze and facial pose to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

4. The system as defined by claim 2 wherein the object and distance determiner identifies at least one object in the field of view of the camera and a distance of the at least one object from the vehicle, and it is determined that the distance of the at least one object from the vehicle is less than a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the alarm is actuated to warn the driver of a potential danger.

5. The system as defined by claim 2 further comprising:

a CPU operatively coupled to the gaze and facial pose determiner and the alarm, the CPU monitoring the signals received from the gaze and facial pose determiner and actuating the alarm in response thereto if at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver is not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

6. The system as defined by claim 5 further comprising:

a timer operatively coupled to the CPU for counting a time that the driver'"'"'s gaze and facial pose are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

7. The system as defined by claim 2 further comprising:

a speedometer for measuring a speed of the vehicle; and

a CPU operatively coupled to the gaze and facial pose determiner, the speedometer and the alarm, the CPU receiving an input signal from the speedometer indicative of the speed of the vehicle, the CPU monitoring the signals received from the gaze and facial pose determiner based on the speed of the vehicle,

wherein if the CPU determines that at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver is not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time corresponding to the speed of the vehicle, the CPU actuates the alarm to advise the driver to redirect his gaze and facial pose in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

8. The system as defined by claim 7 further comprising:

a timer operatively coupled to the CPU for counting a time that the driver'"'"'s gaze and facial pose are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

9. The system as defined by claim 1 further comprising:

a speedometer for measuring a speed of the vehicle,

wherein if the gaze and facial pose determiner determines that at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver is not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time, the alarm is actuated to advise the driver to set his gaze and facial pose in the forward direction of travel.

10. The system as defined by claim 9 wherein the predetermined period of time is determined by the speed of the vehicle.

11. The system as defined by claim 1 wherein the alarm is one of an audible alarm, visual alarm or tactile alarm.

12. A system for monitoring a driver'"'"'s attention while driving a vehicle, comprising:

a driver monitoring camera including a field of view having the driver'"'"'s face positioned therein so as to monitor the driver'"'"'s gaze and facial pose;

a gaze and facial pose determiner coupled to the driver monitoring camera and receiving image signals from the driver monitoring camera indicative of the driver'"'"'s face, the gaze and facial pose determiner determining whether the gaze and facial pose of the driver are oriented in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle;

an object monitoring camera having a field of view and being oriented so as to monitor regions external to and proximate the vehicle;

an object and distance determiner operatively coupled to the object monitoring camera, the object and distance determiner identifying an object which is in the field of view of the object monitoring camera and its distance from the vehicle; and

a speedometer for determining a speed of the vehicle;

wherein if it is determined that at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, and the object and distance identifier identifies an object in the field of view of the camera that is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the alarm is activated to advise the driver to redirect his gaze and facial pose to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle; and

wherein if it is determined that at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time, the alarm is activated to advise the driver to redirect his gaze and facial pose on the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

13. The system is defined by claim 12 wherein the predetermined period of time is determined by the speed of the vehicle.

14. The system as defined by claim 12 further comprising:

a CPU operatively coupled to the gaze and facial pose determiner and the alarm, the CPU monitoring the signals received from the gaze and facial pose determiner and actuating the alarm in response thereto if at least one of the gaze and facial pose of the driver is not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.

15. The system as defined by claim 12 further comprising:

a timer for counting a time that the driver'"'"'s gaze and facial pose are not oriented in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle.