Method and system for driver handling skill recognition through driver's steering behavior

• US 20070213886A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yilu, Chin, Yuen-Kwok, Lin, William
• Application Number:
  US11/372,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20070213886A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/007 adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode

Abstract

A driver handling skill recognition system and related algorithm that identifies a driver skill level. The system includes a steering wheel angle processor responsive to a steering wheel angle signal that provides normalized DFT coefficients. The system also includes at least one feed-forward artificial neural network (FF-ANN) responsive to the normalized DFT coefficients, where the FF-ANN provides an output signal indicative of the driver skill level. In one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of FF-ANNs one for each of a plurality of different vehicle maneuvers. The system includes a maneuver identifier that identifies a vehicle maneuver. The system selects the output from one of the FF-ANNs depending on the identified maneuver. In an alternate embodiment, the system can include a single FF-ANN designed for a plurality of vehicle maneuvers.

Claims

1. A driver skill recognition system for identifying a driver skill level, said system comprising:

a steering wheel angle processor responsive to a steering wheel angle signal and providing normalized discreet Fourier Transform (DFT) coefficients; and

at least one feed-forward artificial neural network (FF-ANN) responsive to the normalized DFT coefficients, said at least one FF-ANN providing an output signal indicative of the driver skill level.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one FF-ANN is at least two FF-ANNs, wherein a first FF-ANN provides a driver skill level signal for a first predetermined vehicle maneuver and a second FF-ANN provides a driver skill level signal for a second predetermined vehicle maneuver.

3. The system according to claim 2 further comprising a maneuver identifier, said maneuver identifier identifying a vehicle maneuver, wherein the system selects the output from the first or second FF-ANN depending on the identified maneuver.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the maneuver identifier receives information from the group consisting of a digital map, GPS receiver, vehicle yaw rate, vehicle lateral acceleration, vehicle longitudinal acceleration and brake pedal switch.

5. The system according to claim 2 wherein the first FF-ANN is for a lane-change in curve maneuver and the second FF-ANN is for a double lane change maneuver.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one FF-ANN is a single FF-ANN designed for a plurality of vehicle maneuvers.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the driver skill level is for an expert driver or a novice driver.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one FF-ANN is trained off-line.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the steering wheel angle processor samples the steering wheel angle at a frequency of about 50 Hz.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system samples the driver skill level output signal from the at least one FF-ANN over a predetermined sample period, and averages the sample driver skill level output signals to provide a more accurate driver handling skill level.

11. A driver skill recognition system for identifying a driver skill level, said system comprising:

a steering wheel angle processor responsive to a vehicle condition signal and providing a representation signal of the vehicle condition signal; and

at least one feed-forward artificial neural network (FF-ANN) responsive to the representation signal, said at least one FF-ANN providing an output signal indicative of the driver skill level.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the vehicle condition signal is a vehicle steering angle signal.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein the representation signal is normalized discreet Fourier Transform (DFT) coefficients.

14. The system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one FF-ANN is at least two FF-ANNs, wherein a first FF-ANN provides a driver skill level for a first predetermined vehicle maneuver and a second FF-ANN provides a driver skill level signal for a second predetermined vehicle maneuver.

15. The system according to claim 14 further comprising a maneuver identifier, said maneuver identifier identifying a vehicle maneuver, wherein the system selects the output from the first or second FF-ANN depending on the identified maneuver.

16. The system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one FF-ANN is a single FF-ANN designed for a plurality of vehicle maneuvers.

17. The system according to claim 11 wherein the system samples the driver skill level output signal from the at least one FF-ANN over a predetermined sample period, and averages the sample driver skill level output signals to provide a more accurate driver handling skill level.

18. A driver skill recognition system for identifying a driver skill level, said system comprising:

a steering wheel angle processor responsive to a steering wheel angle signal and providing normalized discreet Fourier Transform (DFT) coefficients;

at least two feed-forward artificial neural networks (FF-ANNs) responsive to the normalized DFT coefficients, said at least two FF-ANNs separately providing output values indicative of the driver skill level for two different vehicle maneuvers;

a maneuver identifier identifying a vehicle maneuver and providing a maneuver signal identifying the maneuver; and

a multiplexer responsive to the output values from the FF-ANNs and the maneuver signal, said multiplexer outputting the value from one of the FF-ANNs depending on the identified maneuver.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the maneuver identifier receives information from the group consisting of a digital map, GPS receiver, vehicle yaw rate, vehicle lateral acceleration, vehicle longitudinal acceleration and brake pedal switch.

20. The system according to claim 18 wherein the FF-ANNs are trained off-line.

21. The system according to claim 18 wherein a first FF-ANN is for a lane-change in curve maneuver and a second FF-ANN is for a double lane change maneuver.