After market driving assistance system

• US 9,122,933 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mighty Carma Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mighty Carma Incorporated
• Inventors: Palan, Saurabh
• Primary Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US13/802,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 340/287, 340/435, 340/436, 340/576, 340/901, 340/903, 340/905, 340/907, 340/932, 340/933, 340/937, 701/1, 701/23, 701/36, 701/41, 701/49, 701/116, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

The system comprises a sensing system and a speed detection system to monitor and gather information associated with a driver, a vehicle being operated by the driver, a monitored area proximate to the vehicle. The system further comprises a display module located within the interior of the vehicle and a controller in communication with the speed detection system, the sensing system and the display module. Upon receiving the gathered information from the sensing system, the controller utilizes the gathered information to detect the presence and the proximity of an object in the monitored zone of the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle. Upon detecting said object in the monitored zone of the vehicle, the controller determines the appropriateness of providing a warning to a driver of the vehicle regarding said object. The appropriateness of providing the warning is determined as a function of the proximity of said object to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle. Upon determining that the warning is appropriate, the controller displays the warning to the driver through the display module.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system to assist a driver of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a speed detection system communicating with a first controller of the vehicle to determine a speed of the vehicle, wherein the first controller monitors and gathers data indicative of the speed of the vehicle;

a sensing system having at least one first sensor affixed to the vehicle to monitor and gather a first information associated with a monitoring zone defined along a region proximate to the vehicle, the sensing system further including a first transmitter for transmitting the first information periodically;

a display module located within the interior of the vehicle;

a second controller in communication with the speed detection system, the sensing system and the display module;

wherein upon receiving the first information from the sensing system, the second controller utilizes the first information to detect the presence and the proximity of an object in the monitored zone of the vehicle, wherein upon detection of said object in the monitored zone of the vehicle, the second controller determines the appropriateness of providing a warning to a driver of the vehicle regarding said object, the appropriateness of providing the warning to the driver regarding said object determined as a function of the proximity of said object to the vehicle and the speed of the vehicle; and

wherein upon a determination that the warning is appropriate, the second controller displays the warning, through the display module, to the driver of the vehicle regarding the presence and the proximity of said object, wherein;

the second controller utilizes the first information to determine a first and a second location of the vehicle on a road way the vehicle is presently operated in, wherein a given location of the vehicle on the road way is determined as a relative location of the vehicle with respect to a given lane on the road way, the second controller utilizing the determined first and second location of the vehicle to detect an occurrence of a lane change by the vehicle, wherein upon detection of the occurrence of the lane change by the vehicle, the second controller determining the appropriateness of providing an unsafe lane change warning to the driver of the vehicle, the appropriateness of providing the unsafe lane change warning determined as a function of the proximity of any object in the monitored zone of the vehicle and a usage of a lane change indicator by the driver when the vehicle lane change occurred; and

wherein upon a determination that the speeding warning is appropriate, the second controller displays the speeding warning, through the display module, to the driver of the vehicle, further comprising;

a driver action monitoring system having at least one second sensor affixed to the vehicle to monitor and gather second information associated with one or more actions of the driver during the operation of the vehicle, the driver action monitoring system further including a second transmitter for transmitting the gather information periodically;

wherein upon receiving the second information from the driver action monitoring system, the second controller utilizes the second information to determine an extent of focus of the driver on the road way during operation of the vehicle, wherein the second controller utilizes the extent of focus of the driver to determine the appropriateness of providing a distracted driving warning to the driver of the vehicle; and

wherein upon a determination that the distracted driving warning is appropriate, the second controller displays the warning, through the display module, to the driver of the vehicle.

2. The object detection and warning system according to claim 1, wherein:

the second controller utilizes the first information to determine the speed of the vehicle and a speed limit of a road way the vehicle is presently operated in, wherein upon the determined speed of the vehicle being greater than the determined speed limit of the road way, the second controller determines the appropriateness of providing a speeding warning to the driver of the vehicle; and

wherein upon a determination that the speeding warning is appropriate, the second controller displays the speeding warning, through the display module, to the driver of the vehicle.

3. The object detection and warning system according to claim 1, wherein the first controller is an on-board vehicle diagnostics system.

4. The object detection and warning system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sensor is an imaging module.

5. The object detection and warning system according to claim 4, wherein the gathered information includes a visual information gathered by the imaging module.

6. The object detection and warning system according to claim 1, wherein the object includes one or more of:

a second vehicle;

a biker;

a pedestrian;

or a motorcyclist.

7. The object detection and warning system according to claim 1, wherein the monitored driver action includes one or more of:

an action of a hand of the driver;

or a focus direction of eyes of the driver.

8. A method of providing driving assistance information to a driver using a driver assistance system comprising sensor units for collecting sensor data concerning the driver, a vehicle operated by the driver and a proximity of the vehicle, and a processing unit for processing the sensor data, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring driver information, vehicle information, vehicle proximity information;

utilizing the acquired information to determine a presence and a position of an object within proximity of said vehicle;

determining appropriateness of providing a warning to the driver regarding said object, the appropriateness of providing the warning determined as a function of the position of said object to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle; and

displaying the warning to the driver regarding the presence and the proximity of said object when providing the warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate, further comprising;

utilizing the acquired information to determine a first and a second location of the vehicle on a road way the vehicle is presently operated in, wherein a given location of the vehicle on the road way is determined as a relative location of the vehicle with respect to a given lane on the road way;

utilizing the determined first and second location of the vehicle to detect an occurrence of a lane change by the vehicle;

when the occurrence of the lane change by the vehicle is detected, determining the appropriateness of providing an unsafe lane change warning to the driver of the vehicle, the appropriateness of providing the unsafe lane change warning determined as a function of the proximity of any object in the monitored zone of the vehicle and a usage of a lane change indicator by the driver when the vehicle lane change occurred; and

displaying the unsafe lane change warning to the driver when providing the unsafe lane change warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate, further comprising;

monitoring and gathering information associated with one or more actions of the driver during the operation of the vehicle;

utilizing the gathered information to determine an extent of focus of the driver on a road way the vehicle is presently operated on;

utilizing the extent of focus of the driver to determine the appropriateness of providing a distracted driving warning to the driver of the vehicle; and

displaying the distracted driving warning to the driver when providing the distracted driving warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

utilizing the acquired information to determine the speed of the vehicle and a speed limit of a road way the vehicle is presently operated in, when the determined speed of the vehicle is greater than the determined speed limit of the road way, determining appropriateness of providing a speeding warning to the driver of the vehicle; and

displaying the speeding warning to the driver when providing the speeding warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor units are imaging modules.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the gathered information includes a visual information gathered by the imaging module.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the object includes one or more of:

a second vehicle;

a biker;

a pedestrian;

or a motorcyclist.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the monitored driver action includes one or more of:

an action of a hand of the driver;

or a focus direction of eyes of the driver.

14. A driver assistance system for providing driving assistance information to a driver of a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for acquiring driver information, vehicle information, vehicle proximity information;

means for utilizing the acquired information to determine a presence and a position of an object within proximity of said vehicle;

means for determining appropriateness of providing a warning to the driver regarding said object, the appropriateness of providing the warning determined as a function of the position of said object to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle; and

means for displaying the warning to the driver regarding the presence and the proximity of said object when providing the warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate, further comprising;

means for utilizing the acquired information to determine a first and a second location of the vehicle on a road way the vehicle is presently operated in, wherein a given location of the vehicle on the road way is determined as a relative location of the vehicle with respect to a given lane on the road way;

means for utilizing the determined first and second location of the vehicle to detect an occurrence of a lane change by the vehicle;

when the occurrence of the lane change by the vehicle is detected, means for determining the appropriateness of providing an unsafe lane change warning to the driver of the vehicle, the appropriateness of providing the unsafe lane change warning determined as a function of the proximity of any object in the monitored zone of the vehicle and a usage of a lane change indicator by the driver when the vehicle lane change occurred; and

means for displaying the unsafe lane change warning to the driver when providing the unsafe lane change warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate, further comprising;

means for monitoring and gathering information associated with one or more actions of the driver during the operation of the vehicle;

means for utilizing the gathered information to determine an extent of focus of the driver on a road way the vehicle is presently operated on;

means for utilizing the extent of focus of the driver to determine the appropriateness of providing a distracted driving warning to the driver of the vehicle; and

means for displaying the distracted driving warning to the driver when providing the distracted driving warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for utilizing the acquired information to determine the speed of the vehicle and a speed limit of a road way the vehicle is presently operated in, when the determined speed of the vehicle is greater than the determined speed limit of the road way, means for determining appropriateness of providing a speeding warning to the driver of the vehicle; and

means for displaying the speeding warning to the driver when providing the speeding warning to the driver is determined to be appropriate.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor units are imaging modules.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the gathered information includes a visual information gathered by the imaging module.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the object includes one or more of:

a second vehicle;

a biker;

a pedestrian;

or a motorcyclist.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the monitored driver action includes one or more of:

an action of a hand of the driver;

or a focus direction of eyes of the driver.