Systems and methodologies for real-time driver gaze location determination and analysis utilizing computer vision technology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9275532-B2
Application number	US-201313908114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2013
Priority date	Dec 17, 2012
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

The method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitates monitoring one or more eyes of a vehicle operator during a driving session to generate a plurality of gaze location logs with gaze location values and timestamps. The gaze location value may be generated by determining a focal point of the vehicle operator's gaze, determining which of a plurality of areas of the vehicle is associated with the focal point, and assigning the gaze location value based on the area of the vehicle associated with the focal point. The gaze location logs may be analyzed to determine the duration of the vehicle operator's gaze at each area of the vehicle. Based on the duration of the vehicle operators gaze, recommendations to improve vehicle operator performance may be determined and communicated to the vehicle operator.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
monitoring, with one or more image capture devices, one or more eyes of a vehicle operator during a plurality of trips of a vehicle to generate, for each of the plurality of trips, a plurality of gaze location logs, each of the plurality of gaze location logs including a gaze location value and a timestamp,
wherein the gaze location value is generated by:
determining a gaze location corresponding to the one or more eyes of the vehicle operator,
determining an area of the vehicle associated with the gaze location, and
assigning the gaze location value based on the area of the vehicle associated with the gaze location;

analyzing, by one or more processors, the plurality of gaze location logs for each of the plurality of trips to determine a duration of a gaze of the vehicle operator for each of a plurality of areas of the vehicle, the determination of the duration of the gaze of the vehicle operator being based on a difference between two timestamps included in the plurality of gaze location logs;
for each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle, collectively analyzing, by the one or more processors, the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator for the plurality of trips to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator, wherein
collectively analyzing the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator includes determining whether the gaze of the vehicle operator shifts from a front windshield of the vehicle to one or more different areas of the plurality of areas with a sufficiently high frequency,
the one or more different areas include at least one or both of (i) a mirror of the vehicle, and (ii) a dashboard of the vehicle, and
at least one of the one or more recommendations recommending an adjustment of the durations of gaze of the vehicle operator for at least one of the plurality of areas of the vehicle; and

electronically communicating the one or more recommendations to the vehicle operator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of areas of the vehicle further includes one or more other objects inside the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein collectively analyzing the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator includes:
determining a scanning frequency of the vehicle operator.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator also include one or both of removing distractions or adjusting the scanning frequency.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein collectively analyzing the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator includes determining whether the vehicle operator is frequently impaired.

6. A computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more image capture devices; and
a program memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computer system to:
monitor, with the one or more image capture devices, one or more eyes of a vehicle operator during a plurality of trips of a vehicle to generate, for each of the plurality of trips, a plurality of gaze location logs, each of the plurality of gaze location logs including a gaze location value and a timestamp,
wherein the gaze location value is generated by:
determining a gaze location corresponding to the one or more eyes of the vehicle operator,
determining an area of the vehicle associated with the gaze location, and
assigning the gaze location value based on the area of the vehicle associated with the gaze location;

analyze the plurality of gaze location logs for each of the plurality of trips to determine a duration of a gaze of the vehicle operator for each of a plurality of areas of the vehicle, the determination of the duration of the gaze of the vehicle operator being based on a difference between two timestamps included in the plurality of gaze location logs;
for each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle, collectively analyze the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator for the plurality of trips to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator, wherein
collectively analyzing the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator includes determining whether the gaze of the vehicle operator shifts from a front windshield of the vehicle to one or more different areas of the plurality of areas with a sufficiently high frequency,
the one or more different areas include at least one or both of (i) a mirror of the vehicle, and (ii) a dashboard of the vehicle, and
at least one of the one or more recommendations recommending an adjustment of the durations of gaze of the vehicle operator for at least one of the plurality of areas of the vehicle; and

communicate the one or more recommendations to the vehicle operator.

7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of areas of the vehicle further includes one or more other objects inside the vehicle.

8. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions to collectively analyze the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator include:
instructions to determine a scanning frequency of the vehicle operator.

9. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator also include one or more of a recommendation to remove distractions or a recommendation to adjust the scanning frequency.

10. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the instructions to collectively analyze the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator includes instructions to determine whether the vehicle operator is frequently impaired.

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause a computer system to:
monitor, with one or more image capture devices, one or more eyes of a vehicle operator during a plurality of trips of a vehicle to generate, for each of the plurality of trips, a plurality of gaze location logs, each of the plurality of gaze location logs including a gaze location value and a timestamp,
wherein the gaze location value is generated by:
determining a gaze location corresponding to the one or more eyes of the vehicle operator,
determining an area of the vehicle associated with the gaze location, and
assigning the gaze location value based on the area of the vehicle associated with the gaze location;

analyze the plurality of gaze location logs for each of the plurality of trips to determine a duration of a gaze of the vehicle operator for each of a plurality of areas of the vehicle, the determination of the duration of the gaze of the vehicle operator being based on a difference between two timestamps included in the plurality of gaze location logs;
for each of the plurality of areas of the vehicle, collectively analyze the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator for the plurality of trips to identify one or more recommendations to improve performance of the vehicle operator, wherein
collectively analyzing the durations of the gaze of the vehicle operator includes determining whether the gaze of the vehicle operator shifts from a front windshield of the vehicle to one or more different areas of the plurality of areas with a sufficiently high frequency,
the one or more different areas include at least one or both of (i) a mirror of the vehicle, an

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Plummer Bryan Allen
• Brown Parker Andrew
• He Jibo
• Fields Brian M
• Roberson Steve
• Cielocha Steve
• Peng Jufeng

Classifications

• B60W2040/0827

  due to sleepiness · CPC title

• B60K28/066 Primary

  actuating a signalling device (B60K28/063 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W2050/143

  Alarm means · CPC title

• B60W40/08

  related to drivers or passengers · CPC title

• B60W2540/221

  Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs · CPC title