Incapacitated driving detection and prevention

• US 9,676,395 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Melcher, David, Cuddihy, Mark A., Simonds, Craig John, Hassani, Ali, Siddiqui, Adil Nizam, Greenberg, Jeffrey Allen, Ignaczak, Brad Alan, Holub, Patrick Kevin, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert, Strumolo, Gary Steven, Mitra, Pramita
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/927,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20170120929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0014 Adaptive controllers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

Biometric data is received from a wearable device. The biometric data concerns a vehicle operator measured by at least one sensor in the wearable device. A load score is determined. The load score is a measurement of operator capacity to operate the vehicle based at least in part on the biometric data from the wearable device. At least one vehicle component is actuated based at least in part on the load score.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a vehicle computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to:

receive, from a wearable device, biometric data concerning a vehicle operator measured by at least one sensor in the wearable device;

determine, based at least in part on the biometric data from the wearable device, a load score that is a measurement of operator capacity to operate the vehicle;

determine a deviation of the load score from a baseline;

modify the deviation based on environmental data;

match the modified deviation to a vehicle action in an action database; and

actuate at least one vehicle component according to the action.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer is further programmed to determine the load score based at least in part on data from at least one of a vehicle sensor and a vehicle communications bus.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer is further programmed to determine to actuate the at least one vehicle component based at least in part on data from a vehicle communications bus.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer is further programmed to determine the load score based at least in part on one or more previously determined load scores.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle computer is further programmed to receive personal data input by the operator.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wearable device and the vehicle computer is further programmed to provide an alert based at least partly on the load score.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle computer is further programmed to provide the alert to the wearable device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is further programmed to prompt the operator for input and to use the input in at least one of the determination of the load score and the actuation of the at least one vehicle component.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the biometric data includes at least one of a heart rate monitor, a respiratory monitor, and a pupil size and stability monitor for measuring the biometric data received by the vehicle computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to receive the biometric data from at least one vehicle sensor in addition to the wearable device.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a wearable device, biometric data concerning a vehicle operator measured by at least one sensor in the wearable device;

determining a load score that is a measurement of operator capacity to operate the vehicle based at least in part on the biometric data from the wearable device; and

determining a deviation of the load score from a baseline;

modifying the deviation based on environmental data;

matching the modified deviation to a vehicle action in an action database; and

actuating at least one vehicle component according to the action.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the load score based at least in part on data from at least one of a vehicle sensor and a vehicle communications bus.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising actuating the at least one vehicle component based at least in part on data from at least one of a vehicle sensor and a vehicle communications bus.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining to actuate the at least one vehicle component based on one or more previously determined load scores.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving personal data input by the operator.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing an alert based at least partly on the load score.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle computer prompts the operator for input on at least one of the determination of the load score and the actuation of the at least one vehicle component.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the biometric data includes at least one of a heart rate monitor, a respiratory monitor, and a pupil size and stability monitor for measuring the biometric data received by the vehicle computer.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving the biometric data from at least one vehicle sensor in addition to the wearable device.