Driver alertness monitoring system
First Claim
1. A methodology for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
- sensing at least one first movement characteristic of at least a first part of a motor vehicle;
sensing at least one second movement characteristic of at least a second part of said motor vehicle;
employing at least one time relationship between said at least one first movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic in order to sense and to distinguish between driver initiated movements and non-driver initiated movements; and
determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and methodology for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle including sensing at least one first movement characteristic of at least a first part of a motor vehicle, sensing at least one second movement characteristic of at least a second part of the motor vehicle, employing at least one time relationship between the at least one first movement characteristic and the at least one second movement characteristic in order to sense and to distinguish between driver initiated movements and non-driver initiated movements and determining the alertness of the driver of the motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between the driver initiated movements and the non-driver initiated movements.
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Citations
91 Claims
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1. A methodology for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
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sensing at least one first movement characteristic of at least a first part of a motor vehicle;
sensing at least one second movement characteristic of at least a second part of said motor vehicle;
employing at least one time relationship between said at least one first movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic in order to sense and to distinguish between driver initiated movements and non-driver initiated movements; and
determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
said at least one first movement characteristic is angular displacement of said steering wheel; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is a steering angle of at least one road wheel.
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4. A methodology according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprise movement characteristics of first and second locations along a steering assembly extending from a steering wheel to at least one road wheel of said motor vehicle.
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5. A methodology according to claim 4 and wherein said first and second locations are located respectively at or upstream of and at or downstream of a power steering unit forming part of said steering assembly.
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6. A methodology according to claim 5 and wherein said first location is at a steering wheel forming part of said steering assembly.
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7. A methodology according to claim 5 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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8. A methodology according to claim 3 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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9. A methodology according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle body movement characteristic.
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10. A methodology according to claim 9 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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11. A methodology according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle chassis movement characteristic.
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12. A methodology according to claim 11 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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13. A methodology according to claim 1 and wherein said determining also employs the speed of the vehicle.
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14. A methodology for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
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employing at least one time relationship between at least one first movement characteristic of at least a first part of a motor vehicle and at least one second movement characteristic of at least a second part of said motor vehicle in order to sense and to distinguish between driver initiated movements and non-driver initiated movements; and
determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
said at least one first movement characteristic is angular displacement of said steering wheel; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is a steering angle of at least one road wheel.
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17. A methodology according to claim 14 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic and the second movement characteristic comprise movement characteristics of first and second locations along a steering assembly extending from a steering wheel to at least one road wheel of said motor vehicle.
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18. A methodology according to claim 17 and wherein said first and second locations are located respectively at or upstream of and at or downstream of a power steering unit forming part of said steering assembly.
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19. A methodology according to claim 18 and wherein said first location is at a steering wheel forming part of said steering assembly.
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20. A methodology according to claim 18 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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21. A methodology according to claim 17 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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22. A methodology according to claim 14 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle body movement characteristic.
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23. A methodology according to claim 22 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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24. A methodology according to claim 14 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle chassis movement characteristic.
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25. A methodology according to claim 24 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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26. A methodology according to claim 14 and wherein said determining also employs the speed of the vehicle.
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27. A methodology for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
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sensing at least one characteristic of driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle;
sensing at least one characteristic of non-driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle; and
determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
the integrated magnitude of the driver initiated movements;
the RMS average of the magnitude of the driver initiated movements;
the number of peaks of the driver initiated movements per unit time.
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31. A methodology according to claim 27 and wherein said at least one characteristic of non-driver initiated movements is extent.
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32. A methodology according to claim 31 and wherein extent of non-driver initiated movements includes at least one of:
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the integrated magnitude of the non-driver initiated movements;
the RMS average of the magnitude of the non-driver initiated movements, the number of peaks of the non-driver initiated movements per unit time.
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33. A methodology according to claim 27 and wherein said sensing at least one characteristic of driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle and said sensing at least one characteristic of non-driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle comprise sensing at least one first movement characteristic and sensing, at least one second movement characteristic of said motor vehicle.
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34. A methodology according to claim 33 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering wheel movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a road wheel movement characteristic.
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35. A methodology according to claim 34 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic and the second movement characteristic comprise movement characteristics of first and second locations along a steering assembly extending from a steering wheel to at least one road wheel of said motor vehicle.
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36. A methodology according to claim 35 and wherein said first and second locations are located respectively at or upstream of and at or downstream of a power steering unit forming part of said steering assembly.
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37. A methodology according to claim 36 and wherein said first location is at a steering wheel forming part of said steering assembly.
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38. A methodology according to claim 36 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is angular displacement of said steering wheel; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is a steering angle of at least one road wheel.
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39. A methodology according to claim 36 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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40. A methodology according to claim 35 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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41. A methodology according to claim 34 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle body movement characteristic.
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42. A methodology according to claim 41 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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43. A methodology according to claim 34 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle chassis movement characteristic.
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44. A methodology according to claim 43 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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45. A system for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a first sensor sensing at least one first movement characteristic of at least a first part of a motor vehicle;
a second sensor sensing at least one second movement characteristic of at least a second part of said motor vehicle;
a distinguisher, employing at least one time relationship between said at least one first movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic in order to sense and to distinguish between driver initiated movements and non-driver initiated movements; and
an alertness determiner, determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements. - View Dependent Claims (46, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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53. A system according to claim 49 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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54. A system according to claim 45 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle body movement characteristic.
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55. A system according to claim 54 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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56. A system according to claim 45 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle chassis movement characteristic.
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57. A system according to claim 56 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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58. A system according to claim 45 and also comprising a driver alertness alarm, responsive to an alarm from said driver alertness determiner for providing an alarm to a driver deemed not to be sufficiently alert.
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47. A system according to claim and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is angular displacement of said steering wheel; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is a steering angle of at least one road wheel. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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59. A system for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a distinguisher, employing at least one time relationship between at least one first movement characteristic of at least a first part of a motor vehicle and at least one second movement characteristic of at least a second part of said motor vehicle in order to sense and to distinguish between driver initiated movements and non-driver initiated movements; and
an alertness determiner, determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
said at least one first movement characteristic is angular displacement of said steering wheel; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is a steering angle of at least one road wheel.
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62. A system according to claim 59 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic and the second movement characteristic comprise movement characteristics of first and second locations along a steering assembly extending from a steering wheel to at least one road wheel of said motor vehicle.
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63. A system according to claim 62 and wherein said first and second locations are located respectively at or upstream of and at or downstream of a power steering unit forming part of said steering assembly.
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64. A system according to claim 63 and wherein said first location is at a steering wheel forming part of said steering assembly.
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65. A system according to claim 63 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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66. A system according to claim 62 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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67. A system according to claim 59 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle body movement characteristic.
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68. A system according to claim 67 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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69. A system according to claim 59 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle chassis movement characteristic.
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70. A system according to claim 69 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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71. A system according to claim 59 and wherein said determining also employs the speed of the vehicle.
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72. A system according to claim 59 and also comprising a driver alertness alarm, responsive to an alarm from said driver alertness determiner for providing an alarm to a driver deemed not to be sufficiently alert.
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73. A system for determining the alertness of a driver of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a driver initiated movement sensor, sensing at least one characteristic of driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle;
a non-driver initiated movement sensor, sensing at least one characteristic of non-driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle; and
a determiner, determining the alertness of said driver of said motor vehicle based on at least one relationship between said driver initiated movements and said non-driver initiated movements. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
the integrated magnitude of the driver initiated movements;
the RMS average of the magnitude of the driver initiated movements;
the number of peaks of the driver initiated movements per unit time.
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77. A system according to claim 73 and wherein said at least one characteristic of non-driver initiated movements is extent.
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78. A system according to claim 77 and wherein extent of non-driver initiated movements includes at least one of:
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the integrated magnitude of the non-driver initiated movements;
the RMS average of the magnitude of the non-driver initiated movements, the number of peaks of the non-driver initiated movements per unit time.
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79. A system according to claim 73 and wherein said driver initiated movement sensor sensing at least one characteristic of driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle and said non-driver initiated movement sensor sensing at least one characteristic of non-driver initiated movements of at least one part of a motor vehicle comprise a first sensor, sensing at least one first movement characteristic and a second sensor sensing at least one second movement characteristic of said motor vehicle.
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80. A system according to claim 79 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering wheel movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a road wheel movement characteristic.
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81. A system according to claim 80 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic and the second movement characteristic comprise movement characteristics of first and second locations along a steering assembly extending from a steering wheel to at least one road wheel of said motor vehicle.
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82. A system according to claim 81 and wherein said first and second locations are located respectively at or upstream of and at or downstream of a power steering unit forming part of said steering assembly.
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83. A system according to claim 82 and wherein said first location is at a steering wheel forming part of said steering assembly.
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84. A system according to claim 82 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is angular displacement of said steering wheel, and said at least one second movement characteristic is a steering angle of at least one road wheel.
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85. A system according to claim 82 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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86. A system according to claim 81 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is displacement.
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87. A system according to claim 80 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle body movement characteristic.
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88. A system according to claim 87 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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89. A system according to claim 80 and wherein said at least one first movement characteristic comprises a steering assembly movement characteristic and said at least one second movement characteristic comprises a vehicle chassis movement characteristic.
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90. A system according to claim 89 and wherein:
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said at least one first movement characteristic is displacement; and
said at least one second movement characteristic is acceleration in at least one direction.
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91. A system according to claim 73 and also comprising a driver alertness alarm, responsive to an alarm from said driver alertness determiner for providing an alarm to a driver deemed not to be sufficiently alert.
Specification