Technique for operating a vehicle effectively and safely

• US 8,626,382 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Director Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Auto Director Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Obradovich, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US13/042,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/40, 701/41, 701/44, 701/45, 701/46, 701/48, 701/49, 701/58, 701/70, 340/426.31, 340/465, 340/575, 340/576, 180/272
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/221 Column-oriented storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2553 Binding renewal aspects, e.g. using keep-alive messages

Abstract

A control system is employed in a vehicle to assist a user to operate the vehicle effectively and safely. In accordance with the invention, the system provides driving assistance to the user by taking into account the user'"'"'s physical condition, the vehicle condition and the surrounding conditions. The surrounding conditions include, e.g., road, weather and traffic conditions, external to the vehicle. The vehicle condition concerns the conditions of the brakes, steering, tires, radiator, etc. of the vehicle. Signs of fatigue, stress and illness of the user are monitored by the control system to assess the user'"'"'s physical condition.

Claims

1. A method for use in a system for assisting a user to operate a vehicle comprising:

one or more first sensors collecting a first data concerning at least one of a physical condition or a mental condition of the user and communicating the first data to a processor;

one or more second sensors collecting a second data concerning a motion of the vehicle and communicating the second data to the processor;

one or more third sensors collecting a third data concerning user control inputs to at least one of a plurality of control subsystems of the vehicle and communicating the third data to the processor;

the processor analyzing the first data, the second data and the third data to determine a cognitive state of the user; and

if the cognitive state of the user as determined by the processor indicates that the user may be cognitively impaired, the processor directing that the user be subjected to a cognitive test;

wherein the cognitive test comprises the system presenting the user with an audio or visual media, prompting the user to respond, sensing a user response and communicating the user response or lack of user response to the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data includes at least one of a health status, fatigue level, stress level, or drowsiness of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the first data comprises at least one first sensor measuring the body temperature of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the first data comprises monitoring how often the user departs from a planned route.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein analyzing the first data comprises the processor counting the number of times the user fails to follow the planned route.

6. The method of claim 5 additionally comprising the processor determining that the user may be cognitively impaired if the number of times the user fails to follow the planned route exceeds a predetermined limit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data includes at least one of acceleration, velocity or translation of the vehicle along at least one axis of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the processor collecting a fourth data concerning conditions proximate to the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein collecting the fourth data comprises one or more fourth sensors detecting objects in proximity of the vehicle with an object detection system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein data related to the conditions proximate to the vehicle is received by the vehicle from a data provider communicating with the vehicle through a communication network.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the conditions proximate to the vehicle include at least one of traffic conditions, road conditions or weather conditions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the first data, the second data and the third data comprises generating statistical information based on collecting the first data, the second data and the third data, and evaluating the statistical information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the statistical information comprises the processor comparing one or more of the first data, second data and third data to a baseline data.

14. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the processor at least partially changing a control characteristic of at least one of the control subsystems of the vehicle depending on the cognitive state of the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one of the control subsystems comprises a steering system of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting the third data comprises at least one of the third sensors measuring a force applied to a steering wheel by the user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein at least partially changing a control characteristic of the steering system comprises changing a resistance force experienced by the user when turning a steering wheel.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein one of the control subsystems comprises a braking system of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein collecting the third data comprises at least one of the third sensors measuring a force applied to a brake pedal by the user.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein at least partially changing a control characteristic of the braking system comprises changing a resistance force experience by the user when pressing a brake pedal.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein one of the control subsystems comprises an acceleration and deceleration system of the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein collecting the third data comprises at least one of the third sensors measuring a force applied to an accelerator pedal by the user.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein at least partially changing a control characteristic of the acceleration and deceleration system comprises changing a resistance force experienced by the user when pressing an accelerator pedal.

24. A method for use in a system for assisting a user to operate a vehicle, comprising:

one or more sensors collecting data concerning one or more of a physical condition of the user, a motion of the vehicle, and user inputs to at least one of a plurality of control subsystems of the vehicle;

the one or more sensors communicating the collected data to a processor;

the processor analyzing the data to determine whether a cognitive state of the user may be impaired;

if the processor determines that the cognitive state of the user may be impaired, the processor directing that the user be subjected to a cognitive state measuring test;

wherein subjecting the user to the cognitive state measuring test comprises presenting the user with an inquiry and requesting that the user respond to the inquiry by providing a response input; and

communicating the response input or lack of response input to the processor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the cognitive state measuring test comprises presenting the user with an audio or visual inquiry.

26. The method of claim 25 additionally comprising collecting the user response input via voice recognition.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein if the processor determines that the user is actually impaired, the method additionally comprising the processor at least partially changing a control characteristic of at least one of the control subsystems of the vehicle.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein if the processor determines that the user is actually impaired, the method additionally comprising the processor communicating a data to a remote location via a communications subsystem.

29. The method of claim 28 additionally comprising the processor communicating the report to a remote location via a communications subsystem.

30. The method of claim 25 additionally comprising the processor analyzing the user response input or lack of response input to determine whether the user is actually impaired.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein at least partially changing a control characteristic comprises the processor directing a braking subsystem to slow the vehicle down.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein at least partially changing a control characteristic comprises directing a steering subsystem to steer the vehicle onto a shoulder of a road.

33. The method of claim 24 additionally comprising the processor generating a report linking the data collected by the one or more sensors to the time the data was collected.

34. A method for use in a system for assisting a user to operate a vehicle comprising:

one or more first sensors collecting a first data concerning at least one of a physical condition or a mental condition of the user and communicating the first data to a processor;

one or more second sensors collecting a second data concerning a motion of the vehicle and communicating the second data to the processor;

one or more third sensors collecting a third data concerning user control inputs to at least one of a plurality of control subsystems of the vehicle and communicating the third data to the processor;

the processor analyzing the first data, the second data and the third data to determine a cognitive state of the user; and

the processor at least partially changing a control characteristic of at least one of the control subsystems of the vehicle depending on the cognitive state of the user;

wherein one of the control subsystems comprises an acceleration and deceleration system of the vehicle, and at least partially changing a control characteristic of the acceleration and deceleration system comprises changing a resistance force experienced by the user when pressing an accelerator pedal.