Apparatus for reducing driver distraction via short range vehicle communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016180677-A1
Application number	US-201414575330-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes a vehicle controller. The vehicle controller is programmed to receive a signal indicative of an eye gaze of a driver and to transmit an advertisement to a personal communication device (PCD) to indicate that the driver is distracted in response to the eye gaze of the driver being diverted off of a road for a period of time that exceeds an associated time threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a vehicle controller programmed to:
receive a signal indicative of an eye gaze of a driver; and
transmit an advertisement to a personal communication device (PCD) to indicate that the driver is distracted in response to the eye gaze of the driver being diverted off of a road for a period of time that exceeds an associated time threshold.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to receive a vehicle speed signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to determine whether the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold prior to transmitting the advertisement to the PCD.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to transmit the advertisement to the PCD in response to the speed of the vehicle being greater than the speed threshold.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to receive a transmission status signal indicative of whether the vehicle is in a non-PARK mode.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the vehicle controller is further programmed to transmit the advertisement to the PCD in response to the vehicle being in the non-PARK mode.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter that is arranged to transmit, via Bluetooth low energy, the advertisement to the PCD.

8 . An apparatus comprising:
a personal communication device (PCD) programmed to:
receive a first advertisement from a vehicle indicative of a driver being in a distracted state;
initiate a timer in response to the first advertisement;
receive a second advertisement from the vehicle also indicative of the driver being in the distracted state; and
restrict an operation of the PCD in response to the second advertisement being received prior to an expiration of the timer.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PCD is further programmed to re-initiate the timer in response to the second advertisement.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PCD includes a global positioning satellite (GPS) circuit programmed to determine whether the PCD is moving by measuring a change in velocity of the PCD prior to restricting the operation.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the PCD is further programmed to restrict the operation in response to determining that the PCD is moving.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first advertisement and the second advertisement are also indicative of the vehicle being in a moving state.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PCD is further programmed to inhibit restricting the operation thereof in the event the first advertisement is received and the second advertisement is not received.

14 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PCD is further programmed to receive the first advertisement and the second advertisement via Bluetooth low energy from the vehicle.

15 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the PCD is further programmed to restrict operation thereof by at least one of preventing dialing operations performed thereon, preventing in-coming calls, and requiring in-coming calls to be routed to vehicle speakers.

16 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a vehicle controller, a signal indicative of an eye gaze of a driver; determining whether the eye gaze of the driver has been diverted off of a road for a period of time that exceeds an associated time threshold; and transmitting an advertisement to a personal communication device (PCD) to indicate that the driver is distracted in the event the period of time exceeds the associated time threshold.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising receiving a vehicle speed signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle prior to transmitting the advertisement to the PCD.

18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising determining whether the speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed threshold prior to transmitting the advertisement to the PCD.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising transmitting the advertisement to the PCD in response to the speed of the vehicle being greater than the speed threshold.

20 . The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting, via Bluetooth low energy, the advertisement to the PCD.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Reed Eric L
• Miller Thomas Lee

Classifications

• H04M1/72463

  to restrict the functionality of the device · CPC title

• H04W4/005

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G08B21/02 Primary

  Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons · CPC title

• H04W4/12 Primary

  Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements · CPC title

• H04W4/046

  Electricity · mapped topic