Method and device for recognizing the level of awareness of a vehicle driver

• US 7,455,146 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2003
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Brosig, Stefan, Apel, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US10/524,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 180/277, 180/280, 180/271, 280/735
• US Class Current: 180/272
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting the attention level of a vehicle operator, wherein a steering performance of the vehicle operator is monitored, as well as to a device (30) for detecting the attention level of a vehicle operator, with at least one sensor device detecting the steering performance of the vehicle and with a signal measurement and evaluation unit (32).

According to the method of the invention, a phase relationship between a change of a steering angle (β) of at least one steerable wheel (22) of the vehicle and a change of the steering wheel angle (α) is evaluated. With the device of the invention, at least one signal (48) corresponding to the attention level can be generated, with the signal depending on a phase relationship between a steering angle (β) of at least one steerable wheel (22) of the vehicle and a steering wheel angle (α).

Claims

1. A method for detecting a level of awareness of a vehicle driver by monitoring a steering behavior of the vehicle driver and evaluating a phase profile between a change in a steering angle (β

) of at least one steerable wheel of a vehicle and a change in a steering-wheel angle (α

) of a steering wheel of the vehicle, the method comprising;

Determining a first t₁, wherein the change in the steering angle (β

) begins at the first time t₁;

determining a second time t₂, wherein the change in the steering-wheel angle (α

) begins at the second time t₂and the second time t₂follows the first time t₁;

determining a third time t₃, wherein the vehicle driver starts to bring about compensation by actuation of the steering wheel at the third time t₃; and

evaluating a gradient of the steering-wheel angle (α

) during a time interval from the second time t₂to the third time t₃ for detecting the level of awareness of the vehicle driver.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gradient of the steering-wheel angle (α

) is compared with at least one predefinable limiting value.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a frequency of exceeding of the at least one limiting value is monitored over a predefinable time interval.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

triggering at least one action at a predefinable approximation to the at least one predefinable limiting value, at an exceeding of the at least one limiting value or at a frequency of exceeding of the at least one predefinable limiting value.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one action is an automatic steering intervention.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one action is at least one acoustic, visual or haptic indication.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

triggering at least one action which is graded as a function of a detected level of awareness.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating an angular position or a rotational speed of a rotor of a servomotor of an electric steering assistance means and an angular position of a steering column to determine the steering angle (β

) and the steering-wheel angle (α

).

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating a steering torque of an electric steering assistance means to determine the change of the steering angle (β

) and the steering-wheel angle (α

).

2. A method for detecting the level of awareness of a vehicle driver by monitoring a steering behavior of the vehicle driver and evaluating a phase profile between a change in a steering angle (β

) of at least one steerable wheel of a vehicle and a change in a steering-wheel angle (α

) of a steering wheel of the vehicle, the method comprising;

determining a first time t₁, wherein the change in the steering angle (β

) begins at the first time t₁;

determining a second time t₂, wherein the change in the steering-wheel angle (α

) begins at the second time t₂and the second time t₂follows the first time t₁;

determining a third time t₃, wherein the vehicle driver starts to bring about compensation by actuation of the steering wheel at the third time t₃; and

comparing a gradient of the steering-wheel angle (α

) with a gradient of the steering angle (β

) to detect the level of awareness of the vehicle driver.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein a frequency of exceeding of the at least one limiting value is monitored over a predefinable time interval.

10. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

triggering at least one action which is graded as a function of a detected level of awareness.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

evaluating an angular position or a rotational speed of a rotor of a servomotor of an electric steering assistance means and an angular position of a steering column to determine the steering angle (β

) and the steering-wheel angle (α

).

14. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

evaluating a steering torque of an electric steering assistance means to determine the change of the steering angle (β

) and the steering-wheel angle (α

).

15. An apparatus for detecting a level of awareness of a vehicle driver and a phase profile between a change in a steering angle (β

) of at least one steerable wheel of a vehicle and a change in a steering-wheel angle (α

) of a steering wheel of the vehicle the apparatus comprising;

at least one sensing device which detects a steering behavior of a vehicle;

means for determining a first time t₁, wherein the change in the steering angle (β

) begins at the first time t₁;

means for determining a second time t₂, wherein the change in the steering-wheel angle (α

) begins at the second time t₂and the second time t₂follows the first time t₁;

means for determining a third time t₃, wherein the vehicle driver starts to bring about compensation by actuation of the steering wheel at the third time t₃; and

means for generating a signal which corresponds to the level of awareness of the vehicle driver by evaluation of a gradient of the steering-wheel angle (α

) during a time interval from the second time t₂to the third time t₃.

16. An apparatus for detecting a level of awareness of a vehicle driver and a phase profile between a change in a steering angle (β

) of at least one steerable wheel of a vehicle and a change in a steering-wheel angle (α

) of a steering wheel of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising;

at least one sensing device which detects a steering behavior of a vehicle;

mean for determining a first time t₁, wherein the change in the steering angle (β

) begins at the first time t₁;

means for determining a second time t₂, wherein the change in the steering-wheel angle (α

) begins at the second time t₂and the second time t₂follows the first time t₁;

means for determining a third time t₃, wherein the vehicle driver starts to bring about compensation by actuation of the steering wheel at the third time t₃; and

means for generating a signal which corresponds to the level of awareness by comparison of a gradient of the steering-wheel angle (α

) with a gradient of the steering angle (β

).