Systems and methods for scheduling driver interface tasks based on driver workload

• US 8,924,079 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Filev, Dimitar Petrov, Lu, Jianbo, Tseng, Finn
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US13/795,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A vehicle'"'"'s dynamic handling state, driver inputs to the vehicle, etc. may be examined to determine one or more measures of driver workload. Driver interface tasks may then be delayed and/or prevented from executing based on the driver workload so as to not increase the driver workload. Alternatively, driver interface tasks may be schedule for execution based on the driver workload and caused to execute according to the schedule, for example, to minimize the impact the executing driver interface tasks have on driver workload.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a system configured to generate tasks including a notification regarding an in-coming call; and

at least one controller configured to (i) determine a headway between the vehicle and another vehicle based on a history of the vehicle'"'"'s speed and distance to the another vehicle, (ii) determine a driver type, (iii) receive the tasks, and (iv) selectively delay or prevent at least some of the tasks from being executed including forwarding the in-coming call to a voice mail system based on the headway and driver type.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each of the tasks includes a priority type and wherein the at least one controller is configured to selectively delay or prevent at least some of the tasks from being executed further based on the priority type.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the tasks include at least one of generating an audio output, generating a visual output, and generating a tactile output.

4. A vehicle comprising:

a system configured to generate tasks including a notification regarding an in-coming call; and

at least one controller configured to receive the tasks and to selectively delay or prevent at least some of the tasks from being executed including forwarding the in-coming call to a voice mail system based on a driver type and a distance between the vehicle and another object.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the at least one controller is configured to selectively delay or prevent at least some of the tasks from being executed further based on a speed of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to determine the driver type.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein each of the tasks includes a priority type and wherein the at least one controller is configured to selectively delay or prevent at least some of the tasks from being executed further based on the priority type.

8. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the tasks include at least one of generating an audio output, generating a visual output, and generating a tactile output.

9. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the object is another vehicle in front of the vehicle, another vehicle in a lane adjacent the vehicle, or a roadway intersection.

10. A method for managing driver interface tasks for a vehicle comprising:

determining a headway between the vehicle and another vehicle based on the vehicle'"'"'s speed and distance to the another vehicle;

determining at least one environmental condition;

receiving a plurality of tasks including a notification regarding an in-coming call; and

selectively delaying or preventing at least some of the tasks from being executed including forwarding the in-coming call to a voice mail system based on the headway and the at least one environmental condition.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein each of the tasks includes a priority type and wherein at least some of the tasks are selectively delayed or prevented from being executed further based on the priority type.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the tasks include at least one of generating an audio output, generating a visual output, and generating a tactile output.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the headway is recursively determined.