Stopped vehicle traffic resumption alert

• US 10,099,613 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Badger, II, Charles Everett
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/796,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340436, 340438, 340439, 340457, 701 1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for a stopped vehicle traffic resumption alert. An example disclosed vehicle includes a collision detection unit and a traffic monitor. The example collision detection unit detects an object in front of the vehicle. The example traffic monitor, when a transmission of the vehicle is in drive and a speed of the vehicle is zero, tracks a gaze of a driver with a camera. Additionally, in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, the traffic monitor provides an alert to the driver.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a camera facing a driver'"'"'s seat;

a collision detection unit to detect an object transitioning from being stationary to moving when the object moves a threshold distance, the threshold distance increasing as a frequency of the transitions from being stationary to moving for the object increases; and

a traffic monitor to;

when a speed of the vehicle is zero, track, with the camera, a gaze of a driver in the driver'"'"'s seat; and

in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, provide an alert to the driver.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the traffic monitor is to track, with the camera, the gaze of the driver when the speed of the vehicle is zero and a transmission of the vehicle is in drive.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the traffic monitor is to, when the speed of the vehicle satisfies a speed threshold, create a baseline of a face of the driver to detect when the gaze of the driver is not looking forward.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the camera includes lenses and filters for an infrared spectrum.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the traffic monitor is to detect the gaze of the driver when the driver is wearing sunglasses.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert vibrates a pedal of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert vibrates a steering wheel of the vehicle.

8. A method to alert a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, with a camera positioned to capture a face of the driver, an object transitioning from being stationary to moving when the object moves a threshold distance, the threshold distance increasing as a frequency of the transitions from being stationary to moving for the object increases;

when a speed of the vehicle is zero, tracking, with the camera, a gaze of the driver in a driver'"'"'s seat; and

in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, providing the alert to the driver.

9. The method of claim 8, including tracking, with the camera, the gaze of the driver when the speed of the vehicle is zero and a transmission of the vehicle is in drive.

10. The method of claim 8, including when the speed of the vehicle satisfies a speed threshold, creating a baseline of a face of the driver to detect when the gaze of the driver is not looking forward.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the camera includes lenses and filters for an infrared spectrum.

12. The method of claim 11, including detecting the gaze of the driver when the driver is wearing sunglasses.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the alert vibrates a pedal of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the alert vibrates a steering wheel of the vehicle.

15. A method to alert a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

based on a speed of an object in front of the vehicle, selecting one of a threshold speed or a threshold distance;

detecting, with a camera positioned to capture a face of the driver, an object transitioning from being stationary to moving when motion of the object satisfies the selected threshold,

when a speed of the vehicle is zero, tracking, with the camera, a gaze of the driver in a driver'"'"'s seat; and

in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, providing an alert to the driver.

16. The method of claim 15, including tracking, with the camera, the gaze of the driver when the speed of the vehicle is zero and a transmission of the vehicle is in drive.

17. The method of claim 15, including selecting the threshold speed when the object satisfies the threshold speed.

18. The method of claim 15, including selecting the threshold distance when the object does not satisfy the threshold speed.

19. The method of claim 18, including increasing the threshold distance as a frequency of the transitions from being stationary to moving for the object increases.

20. The method of claim 15, including when the speed of the vehicle satisfies a second speed threshold different from the speed threshold, creating a baseline of a face of the driver to detect when the gaze of the driver is not looking forward.