Adaptive Actuator interface for active driver warning

• US 9,007,198 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Gunaratne, Pujitha
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/667,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/575, 340/576
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A method, system, device and computer readable medium for adaptively warning a driver includes detecting a behavior of the driver, the behavior including engagement in a secondary activity, which is an activity other than driving a vehicle. Based on the detected behavior, a level of engagement in the secondary activity is estimated, and, based on the estimated level of engagement in the secondary activity, the driver'"'"'s level of perception of an external hazard is determined. A warning alert for the driver, when the level of perception is below a threshold is actuated. A reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert is determined. Based on the reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert, the warning alert is adjusted, and the warning alert is terminated when the level of perception becomes above the threshold because of the reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert.

Claims

1. An apparatus to adaptively warn a driver, comprising:

a detector configured to detect a behavior of the driver, the behavior including engagement in a secondary activity, which is an activity other than driving a vehicle, and further configured to detect a reaction of the driver to an actuated warning alert;

a processor configured to estimate, based on the detected behavior, a level of engagement in the secondary activity, and to estimate, based on the estimated level of engagement in the secondary activity and a reaction time delay of the secondary activity that includes a time required to abandon the secondary activity and to pay attention to control the vehicle, a level of perception of the driver to an external hazard; and

an actuator configured to actuate a warning alert for the driver when the level of perception is below a threshold, wherein

the processor is configured to adjust an actuated warning alert of the actuator based on a detected reaction, by the detector, of the driver to the actuated warning alert.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to terminate an actuated warning alert when the driver'"'"'s level of perception is determined to be above the threshold by the processor, based on a reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driver'"'"'s level of perception that is required for the driver to safely control the vehicle is determined based on reaction time delays of secondary activities.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein predetermined reaction time delays for different secondary activities are used as baseline values, and a new set of reaction time delays are generated by the processor based on monitored behavior of the driver to personalize the reaction time delays.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the new set of reaction time delays are generated in a personalization process, which is performed in situations where no external hazard is present and the driver is engaged in secondary activities, such that personalized reaction time delays for the driver are generated by detecting the driver'"'"'s reaction time to quit secondary activities and to fully engage in driving.

6. A method for adaptively warning a driver, comprising:

detecting a behavior of the driver, the behavior including engagement in a secondary activity, which is an activity other than driving a vehicle;

estimating, based on the detected behavior, a level of engagement in the secondary activity;

estimating, based on the estimated level of engagement in the secondary activity and a reaction time delay of the secondary activity that includes a time required to abandon the secondary activity and to pay attention to control the vehicle, a level of perception of the driver to an external hazard;

actuating a warning alert for the driver when the level of perception is determined to be below a threshold;

detecting a reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert; and

adjusting, based on the detecting of the reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert, the warning alert.

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

terminating the warning alert when the level of perception becomes above the threshold because of the reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert.

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

receiving inputs from the driver about a status of the driver.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein reaction time delays for secondary activities are estimated based on baseline indices.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein types of hazard alerts being actuated are selected based on a state of the driver.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the level of perception that is required for the driver to safely control the vehicle is determined based on reaction time delays of secondary activities.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein predetermined reaction time delays for different secondary activities are used as baseline values, and a new set of reaction time delays are generated based on monitored behavior of the driver to personalize the reaction time delays.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the new set of reaction time delays are generated in a personalization process, which is performed in situations where no external hazard is present and the driver is engaged in secondary activities, such that personalized reaction time delays for the driver are generated by detecting the driver'"'"'s reaction time to quit secondary activities and to fully engage in driving.

14. The method according to claim 6, wherein the warning alert for the driver includes one or more of:

varying aroma sensations;

warning messages and icons in different colors and contrast;

sounds with varying tone and pitch; and

vibrations in the driver'"'"'s seat, steering wheel, headrest area.

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

monitoring the external hazard, and adjusting the hazard level based on results of the monitoring.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including executable instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor execute a method for adaptively warning a driver, comprising:

detecting a behavior of the driver, the behavior including engagement in a secondary activity, which is an activity other than driving a vehicle;

estimating, based on the detected behavior, a level of engagement in the secondary activity;

estimating, based on the estimated level of engagement in the secondary activity and a reaction time delay of the secondary activity that includes a time required to abandon the secondary activity and to pay attention to control the vehicle, a level of perception of the driver to an external hazard;

actuating a warning alert for the driver when the level of perception is determined to be below a threshold;

detecting a reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert; and

adjusting, based on the detecting of the reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert, the warning alert.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16, the method further comprising:

terminating the warning alert when the level of perception becomes above the threshold because of the reaction of the driver to the actuated warning alert.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the level of perception that is required for the driver to safely control the vehicle is determined based on reaction time delays of secondary activities.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein predetermined reaction time delays for different secondary activities are used as baseline values, and a new set of reaction time delays are generated based on monitored behavior of the driver to personalize the reaction time delays.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the new set of reaction time delays are generated in a personalization process, which is performed in situations where no external hazard is present and the driver is engaged in secondary activities, such that personalized reaction time delays for the driver are generated by detecting the driver'"'"'s reaction time to quit secondary activities and to fully engage in driving.