Alarm system for alerting driver to presence of objects

• US 20090243880A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Hyundai Motor Japan R&D Center Incorporated, Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kiuchi, Shingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Alarm systems comprises an eye gaze direction detecting part, an obstacle detecting device and an alarm controlling part. The eye gaze direction detecting part determines a vehicle driver'"'"'s field of view by analyzing facial images of a driver of the vehicle pictured by using a camera equipped in the vehicle. The obstacle detecting device detects the presence of an obstacle in the direction unobserved by the driver using a radar equipped in the vehicle, the direction of which radar is set up in the direction not attended by the driver on the basis of data detected by the eye gaze monitor. The alarm controlling part determines whether to make an alarm in case an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detecting device. The systems can detect the negligence of a vehicle driver in observing the front view targets and release an alarm to prevent the driver from any possible danger.

Claims

1. An alarm system of a vehicle comprising:

(a) an eye gaze direction detecting part which determines a vehicle driver'"'"'s field of view by analyzing facial images of a driver of the vehicle pictured by using a camera equipped in the vehicle;

(b) an obstacle detecting device which detects the presence of an obstacle in the direction unobserved by the driver using a radar equipped in the vehicle, the direction of which radar is set up in the direction not attended by the driver on the basis of data detected by the eye gaze monitor; and

(c) an alarm controlling part which determines whether to make an alarm in case an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detecting device.

2. The alarm system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the eye gaze direction detecting part comprises:

a camera;

a device that detects driver'"'"'s eye gaze direction based on the facial image data of the driver;

a device that detects driver'"'"'s steady eye gaze direction based on a plural number of the driver'"'"'s eye gaze directions having been detected; and

a device that judges an effective field of view of the driver from the detected driver'"'"'s steady eye gaze direction of the driver.

3. The alarm system of a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the obstacle detecting device comprises:

a radar;

a radar detection direction controlling device which determines the direction not observed by the driver within the effective field of view and set the direction as a detection direction of the radar; and

an obstacle detecting device which, in case an obstacle is detected, calculates relative speed of the obstacle with respect to the vehicle based on the speed and moving direction of the vehicle and obstacle, and subsequently calculates estimated time for the obstacle to reach the vehicle based on the obtained relative speed of the obstacle and the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle.

4. The alarm system of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the alarm controlling part comprises:

(a) an alarm determining device which, in case an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detecting device, calculates, in consideration of the chronologically recorded history of eye gaze directions recorded in a device for the chronological recordation of eye gaze directions equipped in the eye gaze direction detecting part, the time lapsed from the time when the obstacle was detected till the present time in case there has been no previous record of observing the obstacle by the driver, or the time lapsed from the time when the obstacle was last detected till the present time in case there has been a previous record of detecting the obstacle and assigns it as the time driven by the driver without front view targets awareness, and inputs into a program for determining the driver'"'"'s driving without front view targets awareness at least two of the data selected from the group consisting of (i) the time driven by the driver without front view targets awareness, (ii) the estimated time for the vehicle to collide with the obstacle, (iii) the distance and direction of the obstacle from and with respect to the vehicle, and (iv) the speeds and moving directions of the vehicle and the obstacle;

(b) an alarm controlling device that sets up the type of an alarm to be released; and

(c) an alarm release device that releases the alarm in response to the direction of the alarm controlling device.

5. The alarm system of a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the alarm controlling device calculates, in case the alarm determining device determines the alarm to be released, the level of danger by the obstacle by inputting into the program at least two of the data selected from the group consisting of (i) the time driven by the driver without front view targets awareness, (ii) the estimated time for the vehicle to collide with the obstacle, (iii) the distance and direction of the obstacle from and with respect to the vehicle, and (iv) the speeds and moving directions of the vehicle and the obstacle, sets up the type of alarm to be released in response to the calculated level of danger, and releases the alarm.