ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A STATE OF A DRIVER

• US 20170327124A1
• Filed: 03/16/2017
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Do-yoon, CHO, Seong-je, LEE, Min-hyoung, CHO, Chul-ho, PARK, Han
• Granted Patent: US 10,065,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

Electronic devices and methods are provided in which a pressure applied, by a driver, to a seat of a moving object driven by the driver is sensed. A state of the driver is determined based on frequency characteristics with respect to a change in the pressure sensed by the sensor.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a sensor sensing a pressure applied, by a driver, to a seat of a moving object driven by the driver; and

a processor determining a state of the driver based on frequency characteristics with respect to a change in the pressure sensed by the sensor.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of piezoelectric sensors arranged on the seat in a matrix array.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor calculates a difference in a magnitude of the pressure sensed during a preset time interval, and analyzes frequency components of the difference to determine the state of the driver.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor determines that the driver is in a drowsy state in a time period in which a frequency component of the difference of the pressure magnitude is low.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor represents the calculated difference by signals on a time basis, performs a frequency conversion on the signals in each time period to determine frequency components of waveforms in each time period, and determines that the driver is in a drowsy state in a time period in which a frequency component is less than or equal to a preset threshold value.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor provides feedback corresponding to the state of the driver.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processor controls a speed of the moving object to be decreased or controls a preset audio to be output, if it is determined that the driver is in a drowsy state.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pressure is sensed by a plurality of piezoelectric sensors arranged on the seat in a matrix array.

8. A method for determining a state of a driver of an electronic device, comprising:

sensing a pressure applied, by a driver, to a seat of a moving object driven by the driver; and

determining a state of the driver based on frequency characteristics with respect to a change in the pressure.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein determining the state of the driver comprises:

calculating a difference in a magnitude of the pressure sensed during a preset time interval is calculated; and

analyzing frequency components of the difference to determine the state of the driver.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein determining the state of the driver comprises:

determining that the driver is in a drowsy state in a time period in which a frequency component of the difference of the pressure magnitude is low.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein determining the state of the driver comprises:

representing the calculated difference by signals on a time basis;

performing a frequency conversion on the signals in each time period to determine frequency components of waveforms in each time period; and

determining that the driver is in a drowsy state in a time period in which a frequency component is less than or equal to a preset threshold value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

providing feedback corresponding to the state of the driver.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein providing the feedback comprises:

decreasing a speed of the moving object or outputting a preset audio, if it is determined that the driver is in a drowsy state.

15. An electronic device for detecting a state of a driver of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor sensing pressures applied, by the driver, to regions of a seat of the vehicle; and

a processor calculating changes in the pressures, calculating at least one of magnitude characteristics and frequency characteristics of the changes, and determining the state of the driver based on the at least one of the magnitude characteristics and the frequency characteristics.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein, when a magnitude characteristic for a specific time period is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, the processor determines that the driver is moving for purposes other than driving in the specific time period.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein, when a magnitude characteristic for a specific time period is substantially zero, the processor determines that the driver is not moving.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein, when a magnitude characteristic for a specific time period is less than a first threshold value and greater than zero, the processor determines that the driver is moving for purposes of driving or moving while in a drowsy state.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein, the processor determines that the driver is moving for purposes of driving when a frequency component is greater than or equal to a second threshold value, and the processor determines that the driver is moving while in the drowsy state when the frequency component is less than the second threshold value.