DRIVER HEALTH AND FATIGUE MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING OPTICS
First Claim
1. A method for optically monitoring a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
- illuminating a portion of the driver with electromagnetic radiation in an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least one illumination device;
obtaining images of the illuminated driver using at least one image obtaining device;
analyzing the images to derive a measure of flow of blood in at least one blood vessel, capillary and vein in the face of the occupant; and
analyzing the blood flow over time to determine whether the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle, the loss of ability to continue to control the vehicle arising from the driver becoming drowsy, falling asleep or otherwise being incapable of controlling the vehicle after initially having been awake or otherwise capable of controlling the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and arrangement for optically monitoring a driver of a vehicle in which a portion of the driver is illuminated with electromagnetic radiation in an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least one illumination device, images of the illuminated driver are obtained using at least one image obtaining device and the images are analyzed to derive a measure of flow of blood in at least one blood vessel, capillary and vein in the face of the occupant. The blood flow over time is analyzed to determine whether the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle. The loss of ability to continue to control the vehicle exemplifies the driver becoming drowsy, falling asleep or otherwise being incapable of controlling the vehicle after initially having been awake or otherwise capable of controlling the vehicle.
182 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for optically monitoring a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
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illuminating a portion of the driver with electromagnetic radiation in an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least one illumination device; obtaining images of the illuminated driver using at least one image obtaining device; analyzing the images to derive a measure of flow of blood in at least one blood vessel, capillary and vein in the face of the occupant; and analyzing the blood flow over time to determine whether the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle, the loss of ability to continue to control the vehicle arising from the driver becoming drowsy, falling asleep or otherwise being incapable of controlling the vehicle after initially having been awake or otherwise capable of controlling the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for optically monitoring a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
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illuminating a portion of the driver with electromagnetic radiation in a range of from about 540 nm to about 580 nm using at least one illumination device; obtaining images of the illuminated driver using at least one image obtaining device; analyzing the images to determine a heartbeat of the driver from flow of blood in at least one blood vessel, capillary and vein in the face of the occupant; analyzing variability of the determined heartbeat of the driver to determine whether the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle, the loss of ability to continue to control the vehicle arising from the driver becoming drowsy, falling asleep or otherwise being incapable of controlling the vehicle after initially having been awake or otherwise capable of controlling the vehicle; and taking action to effect a change in the operation of the vehicle upon a determination that the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle.
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19. An arrangement for optically monitoring a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
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at least one illumination device that illuminate a portion of the driver with electromagnetic radiation in an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum; at least one image obtaining device that obtains images of the illuminated driver; and a processor coupled to said at least one image obtaining device and that analyzes the images to derive a measure of flow of blood in at least one blood vessel, capillary and vein in the face of the occupant and then analyzes the blood flow over time to determine whether the driver has lost the ability to continue to control the vehicle, the loss of ability to continue to control the vehicle arising from the driver becoming drowsy, falling asleep or otherwise being incapable of controlling the vehicle after initially having been awake or otherwise capable of controlling the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification