On-board warning apparatus and warning method

• US 8,184,008 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Uozumi, Shigeyasu, Ohue, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US12/311,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/575, 340/576, 180/271, 180/272
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

An on-board warning apparatus of the invention includes an inattentive time measuring device that measures a duration of an inattentive state of a driver; a dozing time measuring device that measures a duration of a dozing state of the driver; a first warning output device that warns the driver when the measured inattentive time exceeds a first predetermined period of time Ta; and a second warning output device that warns the driver when the measured dozing time exceeds a second predetermined period of time Tb. The first predetermined time Ta is shorter than the second predetermined period of time Tb.

Claims

1. An on-board warning apparatus comprising:

an inattentive time measuring device that measures a duration of an inattentive state of a driver;

a dozing time measuring device that measures a duration of a dozing state of the driver;

a first warning output device that warns the driver when the measured inattentive time exceeds a first predetermined period of time; and

a second warning output device that warns the driver when the measured dozing time exceeds a second predetermined period of time,

wherein the first predetermined time is shorter than the second predetermined period of time, and

wherein the on-board warning device is configured such that the duration of the inattentive state from the time when the inattentive time measuring device starts to detect the inattentive state until the first warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting an inattentive warning is shorter than the duration of the dozing state from the time when the dozing time measuring device starts to detect the dozing state until the second warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting a dozing warning.

3. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dozing time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the eyes of the driver are closed as the dozing time.

6. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inattentive time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the driver is not facing forward as the inattentive time.

11. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the inattentive time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the driver is not facing forward as the inattentive time.

2. An on-board warning apparatus comprising:

a collision danger determining device that determines whether there is a danger of collision between a host vehicle and an object in front of the host vehicle based on a relationship between a predetermined threshold value and a physical quantity capable of indicating a relative relationship between the host vehicle and the object in front of the host vehicle;

a warning output device that warns a driver when the collision danger determining device determines that there is a danger of collision;

an inattentive time measuring device that measures a duration of an inattentive state of the driver;

a dozing time measuring device that measures a duration of a dozing state of the driver; and

a threshold value changing device that changes the predetermined threshold value according to one of the measured inattentive time and the dozing time so that the collision danger determining device more readily determines that there is a danger of collision,

wherein an amount of change in the predetermined threshold value for the inattentive time is greater than an amount of change in the predetermined threshold value for the dozing time.

9. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dozing time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the eyes of the driver are closed as the dozing time.

10. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the inattentive time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the driver is not facing forward as the inattentive time.

14. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the inattentive time is convex and a change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the dozing time is concave, and wherein the change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the inattentive time and the change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the dozing time represent changes in the value of the predetermined threshold values for the inattentive time and the value of the predetermined threshold values for the dozing time, respectively, plotted over time.

4. An on-board warning apparatus comprising:

an inattentive time measuring device that measures a duration of an inattentive state of a driver;

a closed-eye time measuring device that measures a time during which the eyes of the driver are closed;

a first warning output device that warns the driver when the measured inattentive time exceeds a first predetermined period of time; and

a second warning output device that warns the driver when the measured closed-eye time exceeds a second predetermined period of time,

wherein the first predetermined time is shorter than the second predetermined period of time, and

wherein the on-board warning device is configured such that the duration of the inattentive state from the time when the inattentive time measuring device starts to detect the inattentive state until the first warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting an inattentive warning is shorter than the duration of the dozing state from the time when the dozing time measuring device starts to detect the dozing state until the second warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting a dozing warning.

12. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the inattentive time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the driver is not facing forward as the inattentive time.

5. An on-board warning apparatus comprising:

a collision danger determining device that determines whether there is a danger of collision between a host vehicle and an object in front of the host vehicle based on a relationship between a predetermined threshold value and a physical quantity capable of indicating a relative relationship between the host vehicle and the object in front of the host vehicle;

a warning output device that warns a driver when the collision danger determining device determines that there is a danger of collision;

an inattentive time measuring device that measures a duration of an inattentive state of the driver;

a closed-eye time measuring device that measures a time during which the eyes of the driver are closed; and

a threshold value changing device that changes the predetermined threshold value according to one of the measured inattentive time and the closed-eye time so that the collision danger determining device more readily determines that there is a danger of collision,

wherein an amount of change in the predetermined threshold value for the inattentive time is greater than an amount of change in the predetermined threshold value for the closed-eye time.

13. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inattentive time measuring device measures a duration of a state in which the driver is not facing forward as the inattentive time.

15. The on-board warning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the inattentive time is convex and a change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the dozing time is concave, and wherein the change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the inattentive time and the change curve of the predetermined threshold value for the dozing time represent changes in the value of the predetermined threshold values for the inattentive time and the value of the predetermined threshold values for the dozing time, respectively, plotted over time.

7. An on-board warning apparatus comprising:

a first detection device that detects an inattentive state of a driver;

a second detection device that detects at least one of a dozing state of the driver and a state in which the eyes of the driver are closed;

a first measuring device that measures a duration of the inattentive state of the driver;

a second measuring device that measures at least one of a duration of the dozing state of the driver and a time during which the eyes of the driver are closed; and

a warning device that issues a warning to the driver,

wherein the period of time from the time that the inattentive state is detected until time that the warning is issued is shorter than the period of time from the time that at least one of the dozing state of the driver and the state in which the eyes of the driver are closed is detected until the time that the warning is issued, and

wherein the on-board warning device is configured such that the duration of the inattentive state from the time when the inattentive time measuring device starts to detect the inattentive state until the first warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting an inattentive warning is shorter than the duration of the dozing state from the time when the dozing time measuring device starts to detect the dozing state until the second warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting a dozing warning.

8. A warning method comprising:

detecting an inattentive state of a driver;

detecting at least one of a dozing state of the driver and a state in which the eyes of the driver are closed;

measuring a duration of the inattentive state of the driver;

measuring at least one of a duration of the dozing state of the driver and a time during which the eyes of the driver are closed; and

issuing a warning to the driver,

wherein the period of time from the time that the inattentive state is detected until time that the warning is issued is shorter than the period of time from the time that at least one of the dozing state of the driver and the state in which the eyes of the driver are closed is detected until the time that the warning is issued, and

wherein the on-board warning device is configured such that the duration of the inattentive state from the time when the inattentive time measuring device starts to detect the inattentive state until the first warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting an inattentive warning is shorter than the duration of the dozing state from the time when the dozing time measuring device starts to detect the dozing state until the second warning output device starts to warn the driver by outputting a dozing warning.