Method and system for perceptual suitability test of a driver
First Claim
1. A method for automatically executing a suitability test with respect to perceptual impairment of a driver or other equipment operator, comprising the steps of:
- (a) presenting at least one first optical stimulus pattern to the equipment operator;
(b) detecting and quantifying at least one ocular performance indicator of the equipment operator selected from the group consisting of smooth pursuit (SP), saccadic velocity (SV), vergence (V), pupil reaction (PR), and head coordination (HC) in response to the stimulus;
(c) quantifying a value of perceptual suitability (PS) of the equipment operator by the formula;
PS=A*SP+B*PR+C*HC+D*V+E*SV, wherein A, B, C, D, and E are predetermined weighting factors or functions;
(d) comparing the value of perceptual suitability (PS) with at least one threshold value in order to generate a decision about impairment or non-impairment of the equipment operator, and(e) if there is uncertainty in the result of said comparing or suspicion of impairment, presenting at least one second optical stimulus pattern with a greater complexity than the at least one first optical stimulus pattern and/or presenting at least one second optical stimulus pattern which is germane to the ocular performance indicator which is uncertain under step (d), and repeating steps (b) to (d) therewith.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tractor truck configured for towing trailers of different air connection configuration. The truck has a first and a second tractor protection valve, each configured to be located on the tractor at a location remote from the other. Each tractor protection valve location is proximate a typical position at which a mating connection on a trailer will be located when hitched to the tractor. The truck also has a selector which is operator-transitionable between a first configuration in which the first tractor protection valve is activated to supply pressured air to an interconnected trailer and a second configuration in which the second tractor protection valve is activated to supply pressured air to a different interconnected trailer.
14 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for automatically executing a suitability test with respect to perceptual impairment of a driver or other equipment operator, comprising the steps of:
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(a) presenting at least one first optical stimulus pattern to the equipment operator; (b) detecting and quantifying at least one ocular performance indicator of the equipment operator selected from the group consisting of smooth pursuit (SP), saccadic velocity (SV), vergence (V), pupil reaction (PR), and head coordination (HC) in response to the stimulus; (c) quantifying a value of perceptual suitability (PS) of the equipment operator by the formula;
PS=A*SP+B*PR+C*HC+D*V+E*SV,wherein A, B, C, D, and E are predetermined weighting factors or functions; (d) comparing the value of perceptual suitability (PS) with at least one threshold value in order to generate a decision about impairment or non-impairment of the equipment operator, and (e) if there is uncertainty in the result of said comparing or suspicion of impairment, presenting at least one second optical stimulus pattern with a greater complexity than the at least one first optical stimulus pattern and/or presenting at least one second optical stimulus pattern which is germane to the ocular performance indicator which is uncertain under step (d), and repeating steps (b) to (d) therewith. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
(b1) at the end of the time window, step (d) is performed, and (c1) step (e) and the repetition of steps (b) to (d) are performed on the window data samples including the current data sample but excluding the oldest data sample of said window data samples according to a moving or running time window approach.
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4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second optical stimulus pattern is presented for a longer time than the at least one first optical stimulus pattern is presented.
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5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second optical stimulus pattern changes in speed, frequency, modulation, predictability, and/or direction.
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6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first optical stimulus pattern is presented to the equipment operator by projecting the pattern by means of a diode laser.
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7. The method according to claim 1, wherein for each ocular performance indicator a threshold is set.
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8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the weighting factors or functions are chosen in order to minimize influences of a given installation of a system for conducting the method and/or an environmental state and/or other conditions which influence the result of the quantification of the perceptual suitability (PS).
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9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the weighting factors or functions are tuned during or between repeated executions of the method.
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10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the weighting factors or functions are tuned by neural networks and/or in dependence on an analysis of the performance indicators and/or a noise content in detected values of the indicators and/or indicator confidence.
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11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the degree of difficulty for the equipment operator in tracking a stimulus in order to detect the smooth pursuit performance indicator is varied.
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12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a stimulus presented to the equipment operator in order to detect the smooth pursuit performance indicator is varied in its degree of predictability by changing the combination of numerous sinusoids and/or a low-pass Gaussian random process and/or by stopping the stimulus randomly in the periphery of the visual field of the driver.
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13. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ocular performance indicators is calculated using angular RMS values.
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14. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ocular performance indicators is calculated by cross correlations between gaze directions and predefined motions of the eyes of the equipment operator which are common in natural driving.
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15. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ocular performance indicators is calculated using a general model response.
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16. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ocular performance indicators is calculated using a trained model response in which the model is linked to the identity of the equipment operator.
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17. The method according to claim 1, wherein in order to detect the performance indicator of pupil reaction ambient light is compensated.
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18. The method according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral sensitivity of the equipment operator is analyzed using performance indicators of saccadic velocity and/or pupil reaction in response to sudden visual events which are triggered at various visual angles.
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19. A system for automatically executing a suitability test with respect to perceptual impairment of a driver or any other person who operates a piece of equipment and/or device for conducting a method according to claim 1 and comprising a stimulus generation device (1), an eye movement and/or head movement and/or pupil reaction registration device (2) and a computation, control and output device (3) for controlling the stimulus generated by means of the stimulus generation device (1), for classification of the eye/head movement, pupil reaction data detected by the eye/head movement/pupil reaction registration device (2) and for perceptual impairment decision making.
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20. Equipment and/or device the operation of which could especially pose a general and/or potential risk for the environment and/or other people, comprising a system according to claim 19.
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21. A computer program comprising computer program code means adapted to perform a method according to claim 1 when said program is run on a programmable microcomputer.
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22. A computer program according to claim 21, when run on a computer which is connected to the internet, is adapted to be downloaded to a system or one of its components for automatically executing the suitability test with respect to perceptual impairment of a driver or any other person who operates a piece of equipment and/or device and comprising a stimulus generation device (1), an eye movement and/or bead movement and/or pupil reaction registration device (2) and a computation, control and output device (3) for controlling the stimulus generated by means of the stimulus generation device (1), for classification of the eye/head movement, pupil reaction data detected by the eye/head movement/pupil reaction registration device (2) and for perceptual impairment decision making.
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23. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium, comprising computer program code means according to claim 21.
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24. The Equipment and/or device according to claim 20 wherein said equipment and/or device is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle, train, aircraft, ship, nuclear reactor, plant, or a chemical process.
Specification