Method and device for detecting the alertness of a vehicle driver

• US 9,731,727 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Heim, Oliver, Assaf, Charbel
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, ANA D
• Application Number:
  US15/074,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness

Abstract

A method for detecting the alertness of a vehicle driver includes the detection of a potentially dangerous situation by a system of the vehicle; the estimation of a visual observation field of the vehicle driver; and the detection of the alertness of the vehicle driver by comparing an orientation or a position of the potentially dangerous situation to the visual observation field of the vehicle driver.

Claims

1. A method for ascertaining an alertness of a vehicle driver, characterized by the steps:

detecting a potentially dangerous situation by a system of the vehicle;

detecting at least one optical feature of the vehicle as a reference point, the at least one optical feature having a known position on the vehicle;

receiving at least one image recorded by a camera unit;

estimating a visual observation field of the vehicle driver by comparing the at least one image with the position of the at least one optical feature; and

detecting the alertness of the vehicle driver by comparing an orientation or a position of the potentially dangerous situation to the visual observation field of the vehicle driver.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a warning signal if the orientation of the potentially dangerous situation and the visual observation field do not agree.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one of an intensity, a duration, a type, and a starting instant of the warning signal is a function of the detected alertness.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

intervening in a driving operation of the vehicle if the orientation of the potentially dangerous situation and the visual observation field do not agree.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein at least one of an intensity, a duration, a type, and a starting instance of the intervention is a function of the detected alertness.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the visual observation field is ascertained based on at least one of:

i) a plurality of optical features of the vehicle in a recording of the camera unit, ii) at least an indication of a cardinal direction of a device for detecting a cardinal direction of a portable sensor unit and iii) at least one signal from an acceleration sensor of the portable sensor unit.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the potentially dangerous situation is indicated by the orientation or position of an object.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adjusting at least one of a resolution and accuracy of the estimated visual observation field based on at least one of a number and a position of the at least one optical feature.

9. A device for alertness detection of a vehicle driver of a vehicle having a system for detecting a potentially dangerous situation, comprising:

a sensor unit designed to;

detect at least one optical feature of the vehicle as a reference point, the at least one optical feature having a known position on the vehicle;

receive at least one image recorded by a camera unit; and

estimate a visual observation field of the vehicle driver by comparing the at least one image with the position of the at least one optical feature;

a communications module for communication with the system and the sensor unit; and

a computer unit set up to detect alertness of the vehicle driver by comparing an orientation or a position of the potentially dangerous situation to the visual observation field of the vehicle driver.

10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer unit is situated in at least one of the system and in the portable sensor unit.

11. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one optical feature is an infrared transmitter.

12. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the system has at least one camera designed to record pupillae, and thus a gaze direction, of the driver, the computer unit being designed to superpose the gaze direction onto the visual observation field.

13. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor unit is further designed to adjust at least one of a resolution and accuracy of the estimated visual observation field based on at least one of a number and a position of the at least one optical feature.