Detection of viewing direction by microphone

• US 7,231,051 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Rothe, Siegfried, Paviot, Florent
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T.
• Application Number:
  US10/414,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20030228036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 381/92, 381/86, 340/439, 340/575, 340/576, 340/436
• US Class Current: 381/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements

Abstract

A method for detecting of a viewing direction of a person includes sensing a speech signal originating from the person using at least one direction-selective microphone so as to produce a microphone signal, detecting the speaking direction of the person using the microphone signal, and deriving the viewing direction from the speaking direction. Also, a device that includes at least one direction-selective microphone configured to detect a speaking direction of the person using speech signals, and a processing unit configured to process the speech signals so as to determine the viewing direction of the person.

Claims

1. Method for detecting a viewing direction of a person, the method comprising:

sensing a speech signal originating from the person using at least one microphone so as to produce a microphone signal;

detecting the speaking direction of the person using the microphone signal; and

deriving the viewing direction from the speaking direction;

wherein the speech signal originates from a driver of a vehicle.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing is performed using at least one direction-selective individual microphone.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensing is performed using at least one array of a plurality of individual microphones connected to one another.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the detection of the speaking direction is performed using information related to a geometry of a space surrounding the person and information related to a surrounding condition for propagation of sound.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising evaluating a speech of the person using a communications system so as to obtain a result, and wherein the detection of the speaking direction is performed using the result.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing first standardization data including speech patterns relating to a plurality of persons, and wherein the detection of the speaking direction is performed using the first standardization data.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing second standardization data relating to a plurality of different speaking directions, and wherein the detection of the speaking direction is performed using the second standardization data.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising, adapting the first standardization data during one of the sensing and detecting steps according to a changed situation.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the changed situation includes one of a changed way of speaking and a changed register.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing a speech pattern of at least one person.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing a speech pattern relating to a plurality of different speech directions using a storing device.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising inputting speech patterns of the person into the storage device so as generate the speech pattern.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising synthetically generating data by combining speech patterns of a plurality of natural persons and inputting speech patterns of the synthetically generated data.

24. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising evaluating a risk potential for the driver based on the viewing direction.

14. A device for detecting a viewing direction of a person, comprising:

at least one microphone configured to detect a speaking direction of the person using speech signals; and

a processing unit configured to process the speech signals so as to determine the viewing direction of the person;

wherein the person is a driver of a vehicle.

15. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one microphone includes a direction-selective individual microphone.

16. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one microphone includes a microphone array of a plurality of individual microphones connected to one another so as to provide direction-selective information.

17. The device as recited in claim 14, further comprising a storage unit containing information related to a geometry influencing conditions of sound propagation and information related to a space surrounding the person being stored in the storage unit.

18. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein further comprising a communications system operatively connected to at least one of the microphone and the processing unit.

19. The device as recited in claim 14, further comprising a storage unit containing standardization data relating to speech patterns of a plurality of different persons.

20. The device as recited in claim 14, further comprising a storage unit containing standardization data relating to a plurality of different speaking directions.

21. The device as recited in claim 19, further comprising an adaptation unit configured to adapt the standardization data according to a changed situation.

22. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the changed situation includes a change in a way of speaking of the person over time.

23. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the changed situation includes a change in a register of the speaker over time.

25. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein the processing unit is configured to evaluate a risk potential for the driver based on the viewing direction.

26. Method for detecting a viewing direction of a vehicle driver, the method comprising:

sensing a speech signal originating from the vehicle driver using at least one microphone so as to produce a microphone signal;

detecting the speaking direction of the vehicle driver using the microphone signal;

deriving the viewing direction from the speaking direction; and

evaluating a risk potential for the vehicle driver based on the viewing direction.