Stopped vehicle traffic resumption alert

• US 9,809,167 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Badger, II, Charles Everett
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/250,250
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340436, 340438, 340457, 340439, 701 1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for a stopped vehicle traffic resumption alert. An example disclosed vehicle includes a collision detection unit and a traffic monitor. The example collision detection unit detects an object in front of the vehicle. The example traffic monitor, when a transmission of the vehicle is in drive and a speed of the vehicle is zero, tracks a gaze of a driver with a camera. Additionally, in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, the traffic monitor provides an alert to the driver.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a collision detection unit to detect an object in front of the vehicle; and

a traffic monitor to;

when a transmission of the vehicle is in drive and a speed of the vehicle is zero, track, with a camera, a gaze of a driver; and

in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, provide an alert to the driver.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the traffic monitor is to:

monitor the speed of the object; and

determine that the object transitions from being stationary to moving when the speed of the object satisfies a speed threshold.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the traffic monitor is to, when the speed of the vehicle satisfies a speed threshold, create a baseline of a face of the driver to detect when the driver is not looking forward.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the camera is a multispectral camera.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the camera includes lenses and filters an infrared spectrum.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert is at least one of a sound, a visual indicator, or a haptic response.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the alert vibrates at least one of a seat, a pedal, or a steering wheel.

8. A method to alert a driver in a vehicle comprising:

detecting, with range detection sensors, an object in front of the vehicle;

monitoring, with a transmission control unit, a state of a transmission;

when the transmission of the vehicle is in drive and a speed of the vehicle is zero, tracking, with a driver-facing camera, a gaze of the driver; and

in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, providing an alert to the driver.

9. The method of claim 8, including:

monitoring the speed of the object; and

determining that the object transitions from being stationary to moving when the speed of the object satisfies a speed threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, including, when the speed of the vehicle satisfies a speed threshold, creating a baseline of a face of the driver to detect when the driver is not looking forward.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the camera is a multispectral camera.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the camera includes lenses and filters an infrared spectrum.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the alert is at least one of a sound, a visual indicator, or a haptic response.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the alert vibrates at least one of a seat, a pedal, or a steering wheel.

15. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a vehicle to:

detect an object in front of the vehicle;

when a transmission of the vehicle is in drive and a speed of the vehicle is zero, track, with a camera, a gaze of a driver; and

in response to detecting the object transition from being stationary to moving, and the gaze of the driver not being forward, provide an alert to the driver.