Doze alarm for driver using enclosed air sound sensor

• US 7,015,818 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: M.I. Laboratories Corporation
• Original Assignee: M.I. Laboratories Corporation
• Inventors: Takashima, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US10/362,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 340/576, 340/429, 340/439
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/168 Fluid filled sensor housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A closed pneumatic sound sensor is incorporated in a driver'"'"'s seat and catches a signal representative of a movement of the body of the driver, and a continuation time period within which the level of the signal does not reach a fixed level is detected.

Simultaneously, a signal which is generated only when the vehicle is running is caught from the vehicle, and the two signals are compared with each other by an arithmetic operation circuit. Only when both of the signals are present and a particular tendency appears in the continuation time period of the signal representative of a movement of the body, an alarm is generated.

A less expensive doze-at-the-wheel alarming apparatus which does not require cumbersome mounting and does not operate when the vehicle is not running is provided.

Claims

1. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus, wherein

a closed pneumatic sound sensor wherein one or more non-directional microphones or pressure sensors are enclosed in the inside of a closed airbag or enclosure made of an airtight flexible material and output signals of said non-directional microphones or pressure sensors are extracted to the outside through leads, is attached to a portion of a driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle to which a physical pressure of a driver is applied, and

a signal representative of a physical movement involved in a driving operation of the driver and a signal generated upon running of the vehicle are separated and extracted from an output signal or signals of said closed pneumatic sound sensor, whereafter

a driving consciousness decline state wherein the signal generated upon running of the vehicle is present and a variation of the signal representative of the physical movement almost disappears is detected and

an alarm unit is rendered operating.

2. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing material of an elastic body is provided in the inside of the closed airbag or enclosure made of the airtight flexible material.

3. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of closed pneumatic sound sensors are used.

4. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus, wherein

a closed pneumatic sound sensor wherein internal air pressure of a closed airbag or enclosure made of an airtight flexible material is introduced to an external non-directional microphone or pressure sensor and an output signal of said non-directional microphone or pressure sensor is extracted, is attached to a portion of a driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle to which a physical pressure of a driver is applied, and

a signal representative of a physical movement involved in a driving operation of the driver and a signal generated upon running of the vehicle are separated and extracted from an output signal or signals of said closed pneumatic sound sensor, whereafter

a driving consciousness decline state wherein the signal generated upon running of the vehicle is present and a variation of the signal representative of the physical movement almost disappears is detected and

an alarm unit is rendered operating.

5. A driver'"'"'s doze alarming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a reinforcing material of an elastic body is provided in the inside of the closed airbag or enclosure made of the airtight flexible material.

6. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of closed pneumatic sound sensors are used.

7. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus, wherein

a closed pneumatic sound sensor wherein one or more non-directional microphones or pressure sensors are enclosed in the inside of a closed airbag or enclosure made of an airtight flexible material and output signals of said non-directional microphones or pressure sensors are extracted to the outside through leads, is attached to a portion of a driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle to which a physical pressure of a driver is applied, and

a signal representative of a physical movement of a driver involved in a driving operation of the driver is extracted from said closed pneumatic sound sensor and simultaneously a signal generated upon running of a vehicle is extracted from a body of the vehicle, whereafter

a driving consciousness decline state wherein the signal generated upon running of the vehicle is present and a variation of the signal representative of the physical movement almost disappears is detected and

an alarm unit is rendered operating.

8. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a reinforcing material of an elastic body is provided in the inside of the closed airbag or enclosure made of the airtight flexible material.

9. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of closed pneumatic sound sensors are used.

10. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus, wherein

a closed pneumatic sound sensor wherein an internal air pressure of a closed airbag or enclosure made of an airtight flexible material is introduced to an external non-directional microphone or pressure sensor and an output signal of said non-directional microphone or pressure sensor is extracted, is attached to a portion of a driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle to which a physical pressure of a driver is applied, and

a signal representative of a physical movement of a driver involved in a driving operation of the driver is extracted from said closed pneumatic sound sensor and simultaneously a signal generated upon running of a vehicle is extracted from a body of the vehicle, whereafter

a driving consciousness decline state wherein the signal generated upon running of the vehicle is present and a variation of the signal representative of the physical movement almost disappears is detected and

an alarm unit is rendered operating.

11. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a reinforcing material of an elastic body is provided in the inside of the closed airbag or enclosure made of the airtight flexible material.

12. A driver'"'"'s doze alarm apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of closed pneumatic sound sensors are used.

13. An alarm for a driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle to alert a dozing driver, comprising:

an airtight flexible airbag or enclosure including at least one sensor which senses pressure exerted by a driver sifting in the driver'"'"'s seat, the at least one sensor generating an output signal representing physical movement of the driver while driving the vehicle, and a motion signal corresponding to motion of the vehicle;

the sensor having at least one lead for extracting the signals to the outside of the airbag or enclosure;

means for separating the motion signal from the output signal;

a circuit for detecting a decline in the output signal while the vehicle is in motion corresponding to a loss of consciousness of the driver to sound an alarm.

14. A dozing driver alarm as set forth in claim 13, wherein the sensor is a closed pneumatic sound sensor.

15. A dozing driver alarm as set forth in claim 13, wherein the decline corresponds to a decrease of a standard deviation in a wave form representing the output signal when a driver is awake and the output signal when the driver is asleep.