Stopped vehicle traffic resumption alert

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809167-B1
Application number	US-201615250250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Badger Ii Charles Everett

Classifications

• B60W50/16 Primary

  Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal · CPC title

• B60W2554/804

  Relative longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B60W30/18054

  at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state (hill holding B60W30/18118) · CPC title

• G08G1/0962 Primary

  having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages · CPC title

• B60W2520/04

  Vehicle stop · CPC title