Devices, systems and methods for identifying potentially dangerous oncoming cars

• US 9,113,786 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Po Yiu Pauline Li
• Original Assignee: Po Yiu Pauline Li
• Inventors: Li, Po Yiu Pauline
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xu, Xiaolan
• Application Number:
  US13/660,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20140118523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1103 Detecting eye twinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates

Abstract

A device, a system, and/or a method are provided for monitoring the eye behavior of drivers of oncoming cars. A camera mounted to a car mirror may monitor the eyes of oncoming drivers. An eye recognition analyzer may recognize nystagmus symptoms exhibited by the oncoming drivers. A machine may recognize the license plate information of the oncoming cars. The license plate numbers, as well as other identifying features of the oncoming cars, may be displayed on a head-up display of a car. A driver of the car may be otherwise notified by an alarm and/or warning about the possibility of a dangerous, oncoming car. An emitter located on the car may emit signals to other nearby networked cars in order to warn their drivers about the dangerous oncoming car. Information regarding the dangerous oncoming car may be displayed on the head-up displays of the other nearby networked cars.

Claims

1. A car mirror which monitors nystagmus related-behavior to avoid a head-on collision, the car mirror comprising:

a car mirror placed on a driver side of a first car operated by a first driver;

a camera placed on the car mirror on the driver side of the first car wherein the camera films eyes of a second car driver of a second car coming in an opposite direction on a road;

an eye recognition analyzer for recognizing nystagmus symptoms of the second car driver wherein the eye recognition analyzer detects if any involuntary rhythmic shaking or wobbling of the eyes is found to exceed a pre-determined threshold value;

a machine for recognizing a license plate number of the second car using the camera when nystagmus symptoms are found by the analyzer; and

a head-up display in the first car for warning the first driver about the second car.

2. The car mirror of claim 1, wherein the camera films video of the second driver and the eye recognition analyzer analyzes still images from the video.

3. The car mirror of claim 1 wherein the detection is limited to movement of eyes and excludes movement of a head of the second driver.

4. The car mirror of claim 1 wherein the warning comprises notifying the first driver that second driver has exhibited nystagmus symptoms.

5. The car mirror of claim 1 wherein the warning comprises the license plate number of the second car.

6. The car mirror of claim 1 further comprising an emitter that sends warning signals to alert other nearby networked cars wherein the warning signals comprise the license plate number of the second car being displayed on head-up displays of the other nearby networked cars.

7. The car mirror of claim 1 further comprising a receiver placed in the first car for receiving license plate numbers of other cars whose drivers have exhibited nystagmus symptoms wherein the license plate numbers are displayed on the head-up display.

8. The car mirror of claim 1, wherein the head-up display identifies the second car by a visual indication in a periphery of the head-up display.

9. The car mirror of claim 1, wherein the head-up display identifies a location of the second car if the second car is not in a periphery of the head-up display.

10. The car mirror of claim 1 further comprising an alarm device that alarms the first driver if the second car has crossed a center-line in the road.

11. A method of identifying oncoming dangerous cars comprising:

providing a camera mounted to a first car driven by a first driver;

filming, with the camera, video of eyes of a second driver of an oncoming second car;

analyzing, using software, the video to determine if the eyes of the second driver exhibit nystagmus symptoms; and

notifying the first driver if the second driver is determined to exhibit nystagmus symptoms.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the software analyzes the video by detecting whether the eyes of the second driver exhibit involuntary rhythmic shaking or wobbling exceeding a pre-determined threshold value.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of notifying the first driver is carried out via a head-up display on a windshield of the first car.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of notifying the first driver comprises visually identifying the second car on a head-up display on a windshield of the first car.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of notifying the first driver comprises identifying the second car on a display of the first car.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

recognizing, with the camera, a license plate number of the second car.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

recognizing, with the camera, a license plate number of the second car; and

transmitting the license plate number to other nearby networked cars.

18. A system for monitoring eye behavior of oncoming drivers, the system comprising:

a car mirror placed on a driver side of a first car operated by a first driver;

a camera placed on the car mirror on the driver side of the first car wherein the camera films video of a second car driver of a second car coming in an opposite direction on a road;

an eye recognition analyzer for recognizing nystagmus symptoms of the second car driver wherein the eye recognition analyzer compares images from the video to detect if any involuntary rhythmic shaking or wobbling of the eyes is found to exceed a pre-determined threshold value;

a machine that recognizes a license plate number of the second car using the camera when nystagmus symptoms are found by the eye recognition analyzer; and

a head-up display in the first car for warning the first driver about the second car,

a receiver placed in the first car for receiving information from other networked cars about other dangerous cars;

an emitter that sends warning signals to alert the other networked cars wherein the warning signals comprise the license plate number of the second car being displayed on head-up displays of the other networked cars; and

an alarm device that alarms the first driver if the second car has crossed a center-line in the road.