Systems and methods for assessing equipment operator fatigue and using fatigue-risk-informed safety-performance-based systems and methods to replace or supplement prescriptive work-rest regulations

• US 8,652,041 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin Moore-Ede
• Original Assignee: Martin Moore-Ede
• Inventors: Moore-Ede, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, Bill
• Assistant Examiner(s): SORIANO, BOBBY GILES
• Application Number:
  US13/289,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 600300-301
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

In a system and method for assessing and modifying fatigue, an input device receives current work-rest pattern and/or sleep data from an individual. A data aggregation and processing platform combines the current work-rest pattern and/or sleep data with previous data related to the individual to generate a fatigue assessment result, a diagnostic assessment result, and a corrective intervention result. At least one output display outputs the fatigue assessment result, diagnostic assessment result and corrective intervention result in a user-readable format to a user. The user uses this information to revise the work-rest pattern to reduce or control future fatigue risk.

Claims

1. A fatigue risk assessment and modification system for assessing fatigue risk of an individual, the system comprising:

an input device which receives at least one of current work-rest pattern and sleep data from of an individual;

a data aggregation and processing system which combines the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data with previous data related to the individual to generate at least one of a fatigue risk assessment result from the combination of the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data and previous data related to the individual, a diagnostic assessment report that includes a causation of any excessive fatigue risk, and a corrective intervention plan for reducing excessive future fatigue risk of the individual based on at least one of the fatigue risk assessment result and the diagnostic assessment report; and

at least one output display which outputs at least one of the fatigue risk assessment result, the diagnostic assessment report, and the corrective intervention plan in a user-readable format to a user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device generates a current record from the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data related to the individual, and wherein the data aggregation and processing platform stores the current record.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of input devices that receives at least one of current work-rest pattern and sleep data from a plurality of individuals, wherein the data aggregation and processing platform receives the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data from each input device and generates at least one of a fatigue risk assessment result, a diagnostic assessment report that includes a causation of excessive fatigue risk, and a corrective intervention plan for reducing future fatigue risk for each individual.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a position verification device that verifies the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the position verification device determines a first location of the individual at successive intervals of time and determines whether the individual has moved to a second location by comparing locations.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an engine control module that collects data on movements of a machine that is operated by the individual and verifies the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data by determining whether the machine has moved.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data is collected from worker logs and manually entered into the input device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data is collected from electronic logs and electronically entered into the input device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data is transmitted from the input device to the data aggregation and processing platform through a communications network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communications network is one of a satellite communications network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network, and a data communications network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data aggregation and processing platform comprises a fatigue risk processor that computes the at least one of the fatigue risk assessment result, the diagnostic assessment report, and the corrective intervention plan from the at least one of the current work-rest pattern and the sleep data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one predictive model is applied to the fatigue risk processor to compute the at least one of the fatigue risk assessment result, the diagnostic assessment report, and the corrective intervention plan.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the predictive model complies with a Fatigue-Risk-Informed Safety-Performance-Based (FRISPB) paradigm.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the predictive model is at least one of a fatigue risk model and a driver profile model, the fatigue risk model for computing the fatigue risk assessment result as a fatigue risk score, the diagnostic assessment report, and the corrective intervention plan, and a driver profile model for computing a driver profile result that includes other non-fatigue causes of risk.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the fatigue risk score and the driver profile result are combined to generate a driver risk assessment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the driver risk assessment is output to the output display.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the user uses the fatigue risk assessment result to control fatigue risk in the individual using a diagnostic assessment report on the causation of excessive fatigue risk, and a corrective intervention plan to reduce future fatigue risk.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the individual is a commercial motor vehicle driver.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the fatigue risk assessment system is installed in a machine in a vehicle that is operated by the driver.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the individual is a machine operator.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the fatigue risk assessment system is installed in a machine that is operated by the machine operator.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device and the output display are the same.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that identifies how far the individual is deviating from an ideal 24-hour interval between successive daily times of starting to drive a vehicle.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of duty start times according to time of day.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of duty end times according to time of day.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of shift lengths of the individual according to duration.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of time off between successive shifts of the individual according to time off.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of time between successive shift starts of the individual.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of consecutive days on for the individual.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of consecutive days off for the individual.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the diagnostic assessment report, the data aggregation and processing platform generates a graph that illustrates a distribution of consecutive nights off between shift blocks for the individual.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the corrective intervention plan, the data aggregation and processing platform generates at least one immediate action for reducing any excessive fatigue risk of the individual.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one immediate action directs the individual to take a nap.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one immediate action directs the individual to reduce the individual'"'"'s duty length.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one immediate action directs the individual to consolidate their sleep schedule.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one immediate action directs the individual to take a day off.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the at least one immediate action directs the individual to stabilize their duty start times.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein, in generating the corrective intervention plan, the data aggregation and processing platform generates at least one diagnostic flag that indicates the causation of any excessive fatigue risk.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the at least one diagnostic flag is generated in response to the diagnostic assessment report.