SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGING A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE

• US 20140313333A1
• Filed: 04/18/2013
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Le, Jialiang, Rao, Manoharprasad K., Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O.
• Application Number:
  US13/865,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313333A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system and method for imaging a driver of a vehicle is provided. The system includes an imager mounted to a steering wheel hub that images a scene containing a bodily feature of the driver and generates image data therefrom. An image processor receives and analyzes the image data and generates biometric information related to the driver. The biometric information is useable as input for a variety of vehicle operations.

Claims

1. A vehicle imaging system, comprising:

an imager configured to image a scene containing a bodily feature of a driver and selectively perform one of an enlargement and reduction of the imaged scene and generate image data therefrom; and

an image processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to generate biometric information related to the driver that is outputted to a vehicle system to assist the vehicle system in performing a vehicle operation.

2. The vehicle imaging system of claim 1, wherein the imager is mounted on a non-rotating vehicle steering wheel hub.

3. The vehicle imaging system of claim 2, wherein the imager is mounted on a rotating vehicle steering wheel hub and the image processor is further configured to provide a correction of a tilted image that is caused by the driver turning the steering wheel, wherein the correction returns the tilted image to an upright position.

4. The vehicle imaging system of claim 1, wherein the imager comprises a camera with the capability for zooming, and is configured to enlarge the image scene if the bodily feature is less than a threshold value and reduce the imaged scene if the pixel size is greater than the threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises at least one of a single pixel value and range of pixel values.

5. The vehicle imaging system of claim 1, wherein the image data relates to at least one characteristic of the bodily feature.

6. The vehicle imaging system claim 1, wherein the biometric information relates to at least one of a behavioral characteristic and a physiological characteristic of the driver.

7. The vehicle imaging system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle system comprises an advanced restraint system operating to optimize deployment of an airbag in the event of an accident and the biometric information is used to determine at least one of a deploying power and a deploying direction of an airbag located in the driver compartment.

8. The vehicle imaging system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operation comprises a driver alertness system operating to monitor the attentiveness of the driver and the biometric information is used to provide a notification to the driver when the driver is in a state of inattentiveness.

9. A vehicle imaging system, comprising:

a camera mounted to a steering wheel hub and configured to image a scene containing a bodily feature of a driver and selectively perform one of an enlargement and reduction of the imaged scene and generate image data therefrom; and

an image processor configured to receive and analyze the image data to generate biometric information related to the driver that is outputted to a vehicle system performing a vehicle operation.

10. The vehicle imaging system of claim 9, wherein the steering wheel hub comprises a non-rotating vehicle steering wheel hub.

11. The vehicle imaging system of claim 9, wherein the steering wheel hub comprises a rotating vehicle steering wheel hub and the image processor is further configured to provide a correction of a tilted image that is caused by rotation of the steering wheel, wherein the correction returns the tilted image to an upright position.

12. The vehicle imaging system of claim 9, wherein the camera is configured to enlarge the imaged scene if the bodily feature has a pixel size that is less than a threshold value and reduce the imaged scene if the bodily feature has a pixel size greater than the threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises at least one of a single pixel value and range of pixel values.

13. The vehicle imaging system claim 9, wherein the image data relates to at least one characteristic of the bodily feature and the biometric information relates to at least one of a behavioral characteristic and a physiological characteristic of the bodily feature.

14. The vehicle imaging system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle system comprises an advanced restraint system operating to optimize airbag deployment in the event an accident occurs and the biometric information is used to determine at least one of a deploying power and a deploying direction of an airbag located in the driver compartment.

15. The vehicle imaging system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle system comprises a driver alertness system operating to monitor the attentiveness of the driver and the biometric information is used to provide a notification to the driver when the driver is in a state of inattentiveness.

16. A method for using a vehicle imaging system, comprising:

using an imager to image a scene containing a bodily feature of the driver and selectively perform one of an enlargement and reduction of the imaged scene and generate image data therefrom;

receiving and analyzing the image data in an image processor to generate biometric information related to the driver; and

outputting the biometric information to a vehicle system to assist with a vehicle operation.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the imager on a vehicle steering wheel hub.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising using a zooming algorithm to selectively perform one of the enlargement and reduction of the imaged scene, wherein the zooming algorithm enlarges the imaged scene if the bodily feature has a pixel size that is less than a threshold value and reduces the imaged scene if the bodily feature has a pixel size greater than the threshold value, wherein the threshold value comprises at least one of a single pixel value and range of pixel values.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle system comprises an advanced restraint system operating to optimize airbag deployment in the event an accident occurs and the biometric information is used to determine at least one of a deploying power and a deploying direction of an airbag located in the driver compartment.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle system comprises a driver alertness system operating to monitor the attentiveness of the driver and the biometric information is used to provide a notification to the driver when the driver is in a state of inattentiveness.