Automated driver's exam system

• US 10,625,745 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sean Tremblay
• Original Assignee: Sean Tremblay
• Inventors: Tremblay, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US16/241,690
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 340576, 434 62
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/20 Direction indicator values
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems for modifying a standard automobile in order to perform an automated driver'"'"'s exam on a driver of the modified automobile, which monitor the driver, the automobile, and the surroundings of the automobile during the driver'"'"'s exam, and compare the monitored data to benchmark data in order to determine whether the driver'"'"'s exam is passed. The systems may monitor the behavior of the driver, such as eye movement, head position, posture, or the like; the motion of the automobile, such as speed, acceleration, braking, or the like; the configuration of the automobile, such as the wheel position, turn signal switch position, or the like; the surrounding of the automobile, such as road conditions, positions of other vehicles, obstacles, signs, signals, or the like. The systems may also provide feedback during automated driving exams or practice exams by proving a display and speaker.

Claims

1. A system for performing an automatic driver'"'"'s exam on a driver using an automobile;

said automobile comprising;

a windshield,

a driver'"'"'s side door,

a side-view mirror depending from said driver'"'"'s side door,

a steering wheel, and

a turn signal switch depending from said steering wheel;

said system comprising;

a merge detector, said merge detector comprising;

a body housing,

a microcontroller,

an ultrasonic rangefinder,

a first BLE communication device,

magnetic connectors,

first Velcro straps,

a first battery, and

a body housing, which contains said microcontroller, said ultrasonic rangefinder, said first BLE communication device, and said first battery, and which connects to said driver'"'"'s side door of said automobile using said magnetic connectors and said first Velcro straps, which may be secured to said side-view mirror of said automobile;

a wheel detector, said wheel detector comprising;

a first microcontroller system,

a second BLE communication device,

second Velcro straps,

a second battery,

a first IMU sensor, which comprises a magnetometer and an accelerometer and which is used to report changes in positions to said first microcontroller system, and

a first small housing, which contains said first microcontroller system, said second BLE communication device, said second battery, and said IMU sensor, and which fastens to said steering wheel of said automobile using said second Velcro straps;

a blink detector, said blink detector comprising;

a second microcontroller system,

a serial USB communication device,

a GPS module, which reports position and speed to said second microcontroller system,

third Velcro straps,

a third battery,

a second IMU sensor, which is used to report changes in positions to said second microcontroller system, and

a second small housing, which contains said second microcontroller system, said GPS module, said third battery, and said second IMU sensor, and which fastens to the said turn signal switch of said steering wheel of said automobile using said third Velcro straps; and

a main module, said main module comprising;

a central hub,

a display screen depending from said central hub,

an audio speaker depending from said central hub,

a dash camera, said dash camera comprising;

a first video camera, which is mounted on said windshield of said automobile,

a face camera, said face camera comprising;

a second video camera attached to said central hub,

a first processor, said first processor being capable of interacting with said dash camera and said face camera in order to process video signals from said dash camera and said face camera, and

a second processor, said second processor comprising;

a memory stored in non-transitory computer-readable medium,

said second processor being capable of interacting with said first processor via TCP communication, with said microcontroller of said merge detector using said first BLE communication device, with said first microcontroller system of said wheel detector using said second BLE communication device, with said second microcontroller system of said blink detector using said serial USB communication device, with said display screen, and with said audio speaker, in order to gather data and store said data in said memory, convey said data on said display screen, and to signal audio cues using said audio speaker, said data comprising information generated by said main module, said merge detector, said wheel detector, and said blink detector;

wherein said dash camera of said main module gathers live video of the surroundings of said automobile, which is processed by said first processor using deep learning techniques so that traffic data, signage, other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles may be detected, identified, and classified, in conjunction with available state information regarding road features and traffic conditions,

wherein said face camera of said main module gathers live video of said driver, which is processed by said first processor using said deep learning techniques in order to detect and identify said driver'"'"'s facial position and to determine whether said driver is using the proper eye and head movement while maneuvering said automobile;

wherein said merge detector detects and reports distances of objects that are close to said driver'"'"'s side door of said automobile using said ultrasonic rangefinder;

wherein said wheel detector detects and reports the handling of said steering wheel of said automobile using said first IMU sensor;

wherein said blink detector detects and reports position using said GPS module and the use of turn signals using said second IMU sensor;

wherein a set driving course is properly driven while recording said data from said main module, said merge detector, said wheel detector, and said blink detector, to determine benchmark data, said benchmark data comprising said data recorded during properly driven said set driving course;

wherein said set driving course is driven by said driver during said automatic driver'"'"'s exam while recording said data from said main module, said merge detector, said wheel detector, and said blink detector, to determine exam data, said exam data comprising said data recorded during said set driving course driven by said driver; and

wherein said exam data is compared to said benchmark data by said second processor in order to determine whether said driver passed said automatic driver'"'"'s exam.