Driver state display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11840145-B2
Application number	US-202217572004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2022
Priority date	Jan 10, 2022
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A system for providing driver status to a driver of a vehicle includes a data processor, a plurality of sensors mounted within the vehicle and adapted to send vehicle information to the data processor, a driver monitoring system within the vehicle adapted to send driver information to the data processor, the data processor further adapted to collect information from external sources via a wireless data communication network, and a driver state display adapted to receive information from the data processor and to display a short-term status indicator, a long-term status indicator and contextual information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing driver status to a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
a data processor;
a driver monitoring system within the vehicle adapted to send driver information to the data processor;
the data processor further adapted to collect information from external sources via a wireless data communication network; and
a driver state display adapted to receive information from the data processor and to display a short-term status indicator, a long-term status indicator and contextual information;
wherein, the long-term status indicator is one of a plurality of long-term graphical indicators that represent how the driver status is trending and is adapted to alert a driver to gradual changes in driver status prior to vehicle alert warnings;
wherein the driver status is based on a predetermined time interval of the driver's proper focus, on the road in front of the vehicle, indicating driver attentiveness.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the short-term status indicator is a graphical indicator of a current driver status.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of long-term graphical indicators includes a first long-term graphical indicator that represents an exceptional driver status, a second long-term graphical indicator that represents a normal driver status, a third long-term graphical indicator that represents a cautionary driver status, and a fourth long-term graphical indicator that represents an extreme driver status.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the data processor is further adapted to run a driver status algorithm and update a displayed short-term status indicator and a displayed long-term status indicator based on outputs from the driver status algorithm.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the data processor is further adapted to update thresholds within the driver status algorithm based on information of environmental factors collected by the external sources.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the data processor is further adapted to update thresholds within the driver status algorithm based on an autonomous level of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the contextual information includes an explanation of the displayed long-term driver status and suggestions to improve the long-term driver status.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the data processor is adapted to:
determine if the driver's eyes were properly focused on the road for more than 85% of a previous pre-determined interval;
determine if the driver's eyes were continuously focused on the road for time intervals averaging at least four (4) seconds during the previous pre-determined interval; and
determine if the driver's eyes were continuously distracted from the road for time intervals averaging less than one (1) second during the previous pre-determined interval;

wherein, the data processor is adapted to alter the long-term status indicator by decreasing the indication by one when:
the driver's eyes were properly focused on the road for more than 85% of the previous pre-determined interval;
the driver's eyes were continuously focused on the road for time intervals averaging at least four (4) seconds during the previous pre-determined interval; and
the driver's eyes were continuously distracted from the road for time intervals averaging less than one (1) second during the previous pre-determined interval.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the data processor is adapted to:
determine if the driver's eyes were properly focused on the road for less than 50% of the previous pre-determined interval;
determine if the driver's eyes were continuously distracted from the road for time intervals averaging more than one and a half (1.5) seconds; and
determine if the number of glances away from the road were more than one (1) during the previous pre-determined interval;

wherein, the data processor is adapted to alter the long-term status indicator by increasing the indication by one when at least one of:
the driver's eyes were continuously distracted from the road for a single time interval exceeding three (3) seconds during the previous pre-determined interval;
the driver's eyes were properly focused on the road for less than 50% of the previous pre-determined interval;
the driver's eyes were continuously distracted from the road for time intervals averaging more than one and a half (1.5) seconds, and the number of glances away from the road were more than one (1) during the previous pre-determined interval; and
the driver's eyes were continuously distracted from the road for a single time interval exceeding three (3) seconds during the previous pre-determined interval.

10. A method of providing driver status to a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
collecting, with a data processor located within the vehicle, vehicle information from a plurality of sensors mounted within the vehicle;
collecting, with the data processor, driver information from a driver monitoring system within the vehicle;
collecting, with the data processor, information from external sources via a wireless data communication network;
sending, with the data processor, information to a driver state display within the vehicle; and
displaying, via the driver state display, a short-term status indicator, a long-term status indicator and contextual information, wherein the long-term status indicator includes one of a plurality of long-term graphical indicators that represent how the driver status is trending and is adapted to alert a driver to gradual changes in driver status prior to vehicle alert warnings;
wherein the driver status is based on a predetermined time interval of the driver's proper focus, on the road in front of the vehicle, indicating driver attentiveness.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the displaying, via the driver state display, a short-term status indicator further includes displaying a graphical indicator of a current driver status.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the displaying one of a plurality of long-term graphical indicators of how the driver status is trending further includes displaying one of a first long-term graphical indicator that represents an exceptional driver status, a second long-term graphical indicator that represents a normal driver status, a third long-term graphical indicator that represents a cautionary driver status, and a fourth long-term graphical indicator that represents an extreme driver status.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein sending, with the data processor, information to the driver state display and displaying, via the driver state display, the short-term status indicator and the long-term status indicator further includes:
running with the data processor, a driver status algorithm adapted to determine a driver status based on information from the driver monitoring system; and
updating a displayed short-term status indicator and a displayed long-term status indicator based on outputs from the driver status algorithm.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including updating thresholds within the driver status algorithm based on information of environmental factors collected by the external sources.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including updating thresholds within the driver status algorithm based on an autonomous level of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the displaying, via the driver state display, contextual information further includes displaying, via the driver state display, information to the driver explaining the long-term driver status and providing suggestions to improve the

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Glaser Daniel S
• Szczerba Joseph F
• Roell James V
• August Maureen Elizabeth
• Gill Paul
• Glaser Yi Guo

Classifications

• G08C17/02 Primary

  using a radio link · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/29

  Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title