Driver's condition detector for vehicle and computer program

• US 7,248,997 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakai, Kazuhiro, Nishii, Katsuyoshi, Nagai, Fumiya, Kimura, Teiyuu
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun; Xiuqin
• Application Number:
  US11/113,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 340/576, 340/575
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A driver'"'"'s condition detection device is for detecting a first life information indicating a driver'"'"'s degree of activity. The driver'"'"'s condition classification device is for classifying the first life information into at least two regions. The driver'"'"'s condition determination device is for determining the driver'"'"'s condition based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions.

Claims

1. A driver'"'"'s condition detector for a vehicle comprising:

a first driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a first life information indicating a driver'"'"'s degree of activity;

a vehicle activity detection device for detecting a first vehicle information indication a vehicle'"'"'s degree of action;

a driver'"'"'s condition classification device for classifying a two-dimensional map into at least three regions, the two-dimensional map having a first axis representing the first life information and a second axis representing the first vehicle information;

a driver'"'"'s condition determination device for determining whether a driver'"'"'s condition is suitable for a driving operation based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions;

a second driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a second life information indicating the driver'"'"'s degree of activity other than the first life information; and

a second vehicle activity detection device for detecting a second vehicle information indicating the vehicle'"'"'s degree of action other than the first vehicle information,

wherein;

the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines a life information threshold based on at least one of the second life information and the second vehicle information and classifies the first life information by the life information threshold;

at least one of the second driver'"'"'s information and the second vehicle information includes a plurality kinds of information classes; and

the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the life information threshold based on the plurality kinds of information classes respectively weighted.

2. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein:

the first life information includes a data of a driver'"'"'s heart rate.

3. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein:

the first life information includes a data of a driver'"'"'s nerve activity.

4. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle activity detection device for detecting a first vehicle information indicating a vehicle'"'"'s degree of action, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device classifies a combination of the first life information and the first vehicle information into at least three regions.

5. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 4, wherein the first vehicle information is any one of:

(1)A.SD;

(2) V.SD;

(3) V.CV=(V.SD/V.Ave)×

100;

(4) a×

A.SD+b×

V.Ave;

(5) a×

V.SD+b×

V.Ave;

(6) a×

V.CV+b×

V.Ave;

(7) k×

A.SD×

V.Ave; and

(8) k×

V.SD×

V.Ave,

wherein A.SD denotes a standard division of a vehicle'"'"'s acceleration, V.SD denotes a standard division of a vehicle'"'"'s velocity, V.CV denotes a coefficient of a vehicle'"'"'s velocity variation, V.Ave denotes a vehicle'"'"'s average velocity, a and b denote weightings and k denotes a coefficient.

6. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein the life information threshold is determined based on the second vehicle information.

7. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein the life information threshold is determined based on the second vehicle information.

8. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, further comprising a frequency detector for detecting a frequency information for the first life information to be in at least one of the regions, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device classifies the frequency information into at least two regions.

9. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 8, wherein the frequency information includes a time for the first life information to be in the at least one of the regions.

10. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 8, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the time domain threshold based on the second vehicle information.

11. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 8, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the time domain threshold based on the second life information.

12. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm generator for generating an alarm when the driver'"'"'s condition determination device determines the driver'"'"'s condition is not suitable for the driving operation.

13. The drivers condition detector according to claim 1, wherein the first life information is any one of:

(1) HR.SD;

(2) HR.CV=(HR.SD/HR.Ave)×

100;

(3) a×

HR.SD+b×

HR.Ave;

(4) a×

HR.SD+b×

(HR.Ave−

HR.Ave′

);

(5) k×

HR.SD×

HR.Ave; and

(6) k×

HR.SD×

(HR.Ave−

HR.Ave′

),

wherein HR.SD denotes a standard division of a driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.CV denotes a coefficient of a variation of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.Ave denotes an average of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, a and b denote weightings, HR.Ave′

denotes another average of the driver'"'"'s average heart rate at a predetermined condition and k denotes a coefficient.

14. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition determination device determines that the driver'"'"'s condition is bad when the first life information is out of a predetermined region.

15. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined range is HR.Ave+k×

HR.SD, wherein HR.SD denotes a standard division of a driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.Ave denotes an average of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, and k denotes a coefficient.

16. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition determination device determines that the driver'"'"'s condition is bad when the first life information is continuously in a predetermined region previously registered when the driver was in a bad condition.

17. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition determination device calculates the shares of the first life information distributed into the regions and displays the shares.

18. A computer program carried on a computer readable medium, the computer program for realizing the driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 1 when read and executed on a computer.

19. A driver'"'"'s condition detector for a vehicle comprising:

a first driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a first life information indicating a driver'"'"'s degree of activity;

a driver'"'"'s condition classification device for classifying the first life information into at least two regions; and

a driver'"'"'s condition determination device for determining whether a driver'"'"'s condition is suitable for a driving operation based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions,

wherein the driver'"'"'s condition determination device determines that the driver'"'"'s condition is bad when the first life information is out of a predetermined range of HR.Ave+k×

HR.SD, wherein HR.SD denotes a standard division of a driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.Ave denotes an average of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, and k denotes a coefficient.

20. A driver'"'"'s condition detector for a vehicle comprising:

a first driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a first life information indicating a driver'"'"'s degree of activity;

a driver'"'"'s condition classification device for classifying the first life information into at least two regions;

a driver'"'"'s condition determination device for determining whether a driver'"'"'s condition is suitable for a driving operation based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions;

a second driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a second life information indicating the driver'"'"'s degree of activity other than the first life information; and

a second vehicle activity detection device for detecting a second vehicle information indicating the vehicle'"'"'s degree of action other than the first vehicle information,

wherein;

the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines a life information threshold based on at least one of the second life information and the second vehicle information and classifies the first life information by the life information threshold,

at least one of the second driver'"'"'s information and the second vehicle information includes a plurality kinds of information classes; and

the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the life information threshold based on the plurality kinds of information classes respectively weighted.

21. A driver'"'"'s condition detector for a vehicle comprising:

a first driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a first life information indicating a driver'"'"'s degree of activity;

a vehicle activity detection device for detecting a first vehicle information indication a vehicle'"'"'s degree of action;

a driver'"'"'s condition classification device for classifying a two-dimensional map into at least three regions, the two-dimensional map having a first axis representing the first life information and a second axis representing the first vehicle information;

a driver'"'"'s condition determination device for determining whether a driver'"'"'s condition is suitable for a driving operation based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions,

wherein the driver'"'"'s condition determination device determines that the driver'"'"'s condition is bad when the first life information is out of a predetermined range including HR.Ave+k×

HR.SD, wherein HR.SD denotes a standard division of a driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.Ave denotes an average of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, and k denotes a coefficient.

22. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, wherein:

the first life information includes a data of a driver'"'"'s heart rate.

23. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, wherein:

the first life information includes a data of a driver'"'"'s nerve activity.

24. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, further comprising a vehicle activity detection device for detecting a first vehicle information indicating a vehicle'"'"'s degree of action, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device classifies a combination of the first life information and the first vehicle information into at least three regions.

25. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 24, wherein the first vehicle information is any one of:

(1) A.SD;

(2) V.SD;

(3) V.CV=(V.SD/V.Ave)×

100;

(4) a×

A.SD+b×

V.Ave;

(5) a×

V.SD+b×

V.Ave;

(6) a×

V.CV+b×

V.Ave;

(7) k×

A.SD×

V.Ave; and

(8) k×

V.SD×

V.Ave,

wherein A.SD denotes a standard division of a vehicle'"'"'s acceleration, V.SD denotes a standard division of a vehicle'"'"'s velocity, V.CV denotes a coefficient of a vehicle'"'"'s velocity variation, V.Ave denotes a vehicle'"'"'s average velocity, a and b denote weightings and k denotes a coefficient.

26. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, further comprising:

a second driver'"'"'s condition detection device for detecting a second life information indicating the driver'"'"'s degree of activity other than the first life information; and

a second vehicle activity detection device for detecting a second vehicle information indicating the vehicle'"'"'s degree of action other than the first vehicle information, wherein

the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines a life information threshold based on at least one of the second life information and the second vehicle information and classifies the first life information by the life information threshold.

27. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 26, wherein:

at least one of the second driver'"'"'s information and the second vehicle information includes a plurality kinds of information classes; and

the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the life information threshold based on the plurality kinds of information classes respectively weighted.

28. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, wherein the life information threshold is determined based on the second vehicle information.

29. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, wherein the life information threshold is determined based on the second vehicle information.

30. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, further comprising a frequency detector for detecting a frequency information for the first life information to be in at least one of the regions, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device classifies the frequency information into at least two regions.

31. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 30, wherein the frequency information includes a time for the first life information to be in the at least one of the regions.

32. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 30, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the time domain threshold based on the second vehicle information.

33. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 30, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition classification device determines the time domain threshold based on the second life information.

34. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 30, further comprising an alarm generator for generating an alarm when the driver'"'"'s condition determination device determines the driver'"'"'s condition is not suitable for the driving operation.

35. The drivers condition detector according to claim 21, wherein the first life information is any one of:

(1) HR.SD;

(2) HR.CV=(HR.SD/HR.Ave)×

100;

(3) a×

HR.SD+b×

HR.Ave;

(4) a×

HR.SD+b×

(HR.Ave−

HR.Ave′

);

(5) k×

HR.SD×

HR.Ave; and

(6) k×

HR.SD×

(HR.Ave−

HR.Ave′

),

wherein HR.SD denotes a standard division of a driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.CV denotes a coefficient of a variation of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.Ave denotes an average of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, a and b denote weightings, HR.Ave′

denotes another average of the driver'"'"'s average heart rate at a predetermined condition and k denotes a coefficient.

36. The driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21, wherein the driver'"'"'s condition determination device calculates the shares of the first life information distributed into the regions and displays the shares.

37. A computer program carried on a computer readable medium, the computer program for realizing the driver'"'"'s condition detector according to claim 21 when read and executed on a computer.

38. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium and instructions carried on the medium, the instructions when executed on a computer for causing the computer to:

detect a first life information indicating a driver'"'"'s degree of activity;

detect a first vehicle information indication a vehicle'"'"'s degree of action;

classify a two-dimensional map into at least three regions, the two-dimensional map having a first axis representing the first life information and a second axis representing the first vehicle information;

determining whether a driver'"'"'s condition is suitable for a driving operation based on a distribution of the first life information in the regions; and

determine that the driver'"'"'s condition is bad when the first life information is out of a predetermined range including HR.Ave±

k×

HR.SD, wherein HR.SD denotes a standard division of a driver'"'"'s heart rate, HR.Ave denotes an average of the driver'"'"'s heart rate, and k denotes a coefficient.