Systems, methods and computer products for drowsy driver detection and response

• US 7,719,431 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Bolourchi, Farhad
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US11/868,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20090091435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 340/575, 340/576
• US Class Current: 340/576
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods and computer products for drowsy driver detection and response. Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods and computer products for determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation, determining a severity of the lane violation, determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle and responding to the drowsy driver condition via onboard warning, corrective actuation, or remote human interventions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation;

determining a severity of the lane violation;

determining a frequency of lane violations in a time interval T;

determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle as a function of the severity of the lane violation and the frequency of lane violations; and

responding to the drowsy driver condition;

wherein determining the drowsy driver condition, comprises, for the time interval T;

calculating lane violation values; and

calculating corresponding severity of lane violation values;

and summing the products of the lane violation values and the severity of lane violation values over the time interval T.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lane violation is determined by calculating a distance between the vehicle and a lane marker.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lane violation occurs when the distance between the vehicle and the lane marker is at least one of equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing the rate of change of an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising comparing the sum of the products of the lane violation values and severity of the lane violation values to a first predetermined drowsy driver index.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation values and severity of lane violation values at least one of equaling the first predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the first predetermined drowsy driver index.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 further comprising comparing the sum of products of the lane violation values and severity of the lane violation values to a second predetermined drowsy driver index.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising engaging a human intervention system in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation values and severity of lane violation values at least one of equaling the second predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the second predetermined drowsy driver index.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising engaging a human intervention system in response to a predetermined number of warning system activations being exceeded.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein responding to the drowsy driver condition comprises engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the detection of a drowsy driver.

12. A drowsy driver detection system comprising:

a computer processor;

a computer program product including instructions for causing the computer processor to implement a method, the method comprising;

determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation;

determining a severity of the lane violation;

determining a frequency of lane violations in a time interval T;

determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle as a function of the severity of the lane violation and frequency of lane violations; and

responding to the drowsy driver condition;

wherein determining the drowsy driver condition, comprises, for the time interval T;

calculating lane violation values; and

calculating corresponding severity of lane violation values; and

summing the products of the lane violation values and the corresponding severity of lane violation values over the time interval T.

13. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 12 wherein the lane violation is determined by calculating a distance between the vehicle and a lane marker.

14. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 12 wherein the lane violation occurs when the distance between the vehicle and the lane marker is at least one of equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

15. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 12 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

16. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 12 wherein the severity of the lane violation is determined by analyzing the rate of change of an angle of incidence between the vehicle and a lane marker.

17. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises comparing the sum of the products of the lane violation values and severity of lane violation values to a predetermined drowsy driver index.

18. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation values and severity of lane violation values at least one of equaling the predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the predetermined drowsy driver index.

19. The in drowsy driver detection system of claim 18 wherein the method further comprises comparing the sum of products of the lane violation values and severity of the lane violation value to a second predetermined drowsy driver index.

20. The drowsy driver detector system claim 19 wherein the method further comprises engaging a human intervention system in response to the sum of the products of the lane violation values and severity of lane violation values at least one of equaling the second predetermined drowsy driver index and exceeding the second predetermined drowsy driver index.

21. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises engaging a human intervention system in response to a predetermined number of warning system activations being exceeded.

22. The drowsy driver detection system of claim 12 wherein responding to the drowsy driver condition comprises engaging vehicle warning systems in response to the detection of a drowsy driver.

23. A system, comprising:

a computer processor;

a drowsy driver detection process residing on the processor and having instructions to;

determine that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation;

determine a severity of the lane violation;

determine a frequency of lane violation in a time interval T;

determine a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle as a function of the severity of the lane violation and the frequency of lane violations; and

respond to the drowsy driver condition;

wherein determining the drowsy driver condition, comprises, for the time interval T;

calculating lane violation values; and

calculating corresponding severity of lane violation values; and

summing the products of the lane violation values and the corresponding severity of lane violation values over the time interval T.

24. A system comprising:

a computer processor;

a drowsy driver detection process residing on the processor and having instructions to;

determine that a vehicle has engaged in lane violation;

determine a severity of the lane violation;

determine a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle; and

respond to the drowsy driver condition;

the process further has instructions to determine a drowsy driver index, D, given by;