Alerting system and method thereof

• US 10,354,525 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2018
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mindtronic AI Co.,Ltd., Shanghai XPT Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Mindtronic AI Co.,Ltd.
• Inventors: Huang, Mu-Jen, Tai, Ya-Li, Jiang, Yu-Sian, Chen, Tianle, Zhang, Junyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US15/983,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20190139407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 340905
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

An alerting system includes an image capturing module continuously captures traffic images surrounding a vehicle and showing at least one traffic sign therein; a gaze detector continuously detects a gaze direction of a driver in the vehicle; a control unit analyzes the traffic images and generates a trigger signal when it determines that the traffic sign changes and the driver fails to notice the change; and an alarming device alerts the driver upon the receipt of the trigger signal.

Claims

1. An alerting system disposed in a vehicle, comprising:

an image capturing module configured to capture traffic images surrounding the vehicle and containing at least one traffic sign therein;

a gaze detector configured to detect a gaze direction of a driver in the vehicle;

a distance detector configured to measure a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle in front of it;

a control unit connected to the image capturing module and the gaze detector;

the control unit is configured to analyze the traffic images and generate a trigger signal when it determines that the traffic sign changes, the driver fails to notice the change and the distance is less than a default distance while the vehicle is moving forward; and

an alarming device configured to alert the driver upon the receipt of the trigger signal.

2. The alerting system of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the driver does not notice the traffic sign change based on the driver'"'"'s gaze direction.

3. The alerting system of claim 1, wherein while the vehicle stops because of a red light, the alarming device alerts the driver when the traffic sign turns to a green light and the driver'"'"'s gaze direction is not toward the direction of the traffic sign.

4. The alerting system of claim 1, wherein while the vehicle is moving forward because of a green light, the alarming device alerts the driver when the traffic sign turns to a red light and the driver'"'"'s gaze direction is not toward the direction of the traffic sign.

5. The alerting system of claim 1, wherein while the vehicle stops because of a red light, the alarming device alerts the driver if the distance exceeds a default distance.

6. The alerting system of claim 1, the alarming device alerts the driver via sounds, lights, images, and/or vibrations.

7. The alerting system of claim 1, wherein the alarming device may be a handheld device.

8. The alerting system of claim 1, wherein the alarming device stops alerting the driver if the driver'"'"'s gaze is toward the direction of the traffic sign.

9. A method of alerting a driver in a vehicle, comprising:

gathering a plurality of traffic images that contain at least one traffic sign;

detecting the driver'"'"'s gaze direction;

detecting a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle in front of it;

determining if the traffic sign changes based on the traffic images and the distance is less than a default distance while the vehicle is moving forward because of a green light;

alerting the driver if the traffic sign changes, the driver fails to notice the change and the distance is less than the default distance.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the driver does not notice the change of the traffic sign if the driver'"'"'s gaze direction is not toward the traffic sign.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein while the vehicle stops because of a red light, the method further comprises alerting the driver if the traffic sign turns green and the driver'"'"'s gaze direction is not toward the traffic sign.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein while the vehicle is moving forward because of a green light, the method further comprises alerting the driver if the traffic sign turns red and the driver'"'"'s gaze direction is not toward the traffic sign.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein while the vehicle stops because of a red light, the method further comprises alerting the driver if the distance exceeds a default distance.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising alerting the driver via sounds, lights, images, and/or vibrations.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising alerting the driver via a handheld device.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising stop alerting the driver if the driver'"'"'s gaze is toward the direction of the traffic sign.