Method and apparatus for manipulating driver core temperature to enhance driver alertness
First Claim
1. A vehicle-based system for reducing a core temperature of a vehicle driver in a vehicle comprising:
- a temperature sensor capturing data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver, the temperature sensor located within a steering wheel of the vehicle and making physical contact with exposed skin of the vehicle driver; and
a temperature regulator adapted to communicate with the temperature sensor, the temperature regulator analyzing the data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver to determine when there is a rise in the core temperature of the vehicle driver, and the temperature regulator comprising a surface in physical contact with the driver, the temperature regulator cooling the surface to a temperature below an ambient temperature of the vehicle responsive to the data describing the risen core temperature of the vehicle driver equaling or exceeding a temperature associated with sleep onset.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for reducing a vehicle driver'"'"'s core temperature to offset drowsiness. In one embodiment, a temperature sensor records data describing a vehicle driver core temperature and communicates the data describing the vehicle driver core temperature to a temperature regulator. The temperature regulator determines whether the vehicle driver core temperature is similar to one or more circadian temperatures associated with wakefulness. If the vehicle driver core temperature is similar to a circadian temperature associated with sleep, the temperature regulator reduces the vehicle driver core temperature. In an embodiment the temperature regulator cools a material physically contacting the venous plexuses or arteriovenous anastomoses to cool the portions of the vehicle driver'"'"'s anatomy which most efficiently cool the vehicle driver.
44 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle-based system for reducing a core temperature of a vehicle driver in a vehicle comprising:
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a temperature sensor capturing data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver, the temperature sensor located within a steering wheel of the vehicle and making physical contact with exposed skin of the vehicle driver; and a temperature regulator adapted to communicate with the temperature sensor, the temperature regulator analyzing the data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver to determine when there is a rise in the core temperature of the vehicle driver, and the temperature regulator comprising a surface in physical contact with the driver, the temperature regulator cooling the surface to a temperature below an ambient temperature of the vehicle responsive to the data describing the risen core temperature of the vehicle driver equaling or exceeding a temperature associated with sleep onset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17)
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10. A computer-implemented method for reducing a core temperature of a vehicle driver in a vehicle comprising:
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determining the core temperature of the vehicle driver via a temperature sensor located within a steering wheel of the vehicle and making physical contact with exposed skin of the vehicle driver; determining whether the core temperature of the vehicle driver equals or exceeds a temperature associated with sleep onset; and responsive to determining the core temperature of the vehicle driver equals or exceeds the temperature associated with sleep onset, cooling a surface of a steering device of the vehicle that is in physical contact with the vehicle driver to a temperature below an ambient temperature of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18)
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16. An apparatus for reducing a core temperature of a vehicle driver comprising:
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a cooling module including a thermally conductive surface, the thermally conductive surface having a first side physically contacting the vehicle driver; a drowsiness identification module adapted to communicate with the cooling module, the drowsiness identification module receiving data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver from a temperature sensor located within a steering wheel of the vehicle and making physical contact with exposed skin of the vehicle driver, comparing the data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver with data describing one or more circadian rhythm temperatures associated with sleep and, responsive to the data describing the core temperature of the vehicle driver equaling or exceeding a circadian rhythm temperature associated with sleep, transmitting a cooling signal to the cooling module, causing the cooling module to reduce a temperature of the thermally conductive surface to a temperature below an ambient temperature of the vehicle.
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Specification