System for monitoring driver alertness and adapting vehicle settings thereto

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9925872-B1
Application number	US-201615350415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A driver alertness detection system. The system is configured to activate an autonomous drive module of the vehicle to autonomously drive the vehicle when the measured alertness level of the driver is less than a predetermined threshold, and deactivate the autonomous drive module of the vehicle to permit manual driving when the measured alertness level of the driver is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driver alertness detection system comprising:
an alertness detection module configured to measure an alertness level of a driver of a vehicle, and compare the measured driver alertness level to at least one predetermined threshold; and
a vehicle control module configured to activate an autonomous drive module of the vehicle to autonomously drive the vehicle when the measured alertness level of the driver is less than a predetermined threshold, and deactivate the autonomous drive module of the vehicle to permit manual driving when the measured alertness level of the driver is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold;
wherein the vehicle control module is configured to, for a predetermined period of time when the autonomous drive module is deactivated, suspend a connection between a steering wheel of the vehicle and wheels of the vehicle such that rotation of the steering wheel does not rotate the wheels.

2. The driver alertness detection system of claim 1 , wherein the alertness detection module is configured to measure the alertness level of the driver based on data from a personal electronic device of the driver.

3. The driver alertness detection system of claim 2 , wherein the personal electronic device includes at least one of a wearable electronic device and a smartphone.

4. The driver alertness detection system of claim 2 , wherein the data includes one or more of the following: sleep history of the driver; rest history of the driver; activity history of the driver; travel schedule of the driver; and appointment schedule of the driver.

5. The driver alertness detection system of claim 1 , wherein the alertness detection module is configured to measure the alertness level of the driver based on at least one of head position and eye position of the driver.

6. The driver alertness detection system of claim 1 , wherein based on the measured alertness level, the vehicle control module is configured to adjust driving parameters including one or more of the following:
increase or decrease adaptive cruise control following distance;
increase or decrease distance threshold for collision warning;
activate or deactivate lane keep assist system;
activate or deactivate lane departure warning;
activate or deactivate blind spot warning system;
command navigation module to reroute the vehicle to a route having at least one of less traffic and lower speeds;
increase or decrease frequency of notifications to the driver; and
increase or decrease intensity of notifications to the driver.

7. The driver alertness detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control module is configured to, for a predetermined period of time when the autonomous drive module is activated or deactivated, increase stiffness of a steering wheel of the vehicle from a first level at which a first amount of torque is required to turn the steering wheel a turn distance to a second level at which a second amount of torque greater than the first amount of torque is required to turn the steering wheel the turn distance.

8. The driver alertness detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control module is configured to deactivate the autonomous drive module when the driver has exhibited constant movement to operate vehicle systems including at least one of a radio and touchscreen.

9. The driver alertness detection system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control module is configured to deactivate the autonomous drive module when the autonomous drive module is unable to autonomously drive the vehicle.

10. A method for configuring vehicle systems based on driver alertness, the method comprising:
measuring an alertness level of a driver of a vehicle, and comparing the measured alertness level to a predetermined threshold;
activating an autonomous drive module of the vehicle to autonomously drive the vehicle when the measured alertness level of the driver is less than a predetermined threshold;
deactivating the autonomous drive module of the vehicle to permit manual driving when the measured alertness level of the driver is equal to, or greater than, the predetermined threshold; and
suspending a connection between a steering wheel of the vehicle and wheels of the vehicle such that rotation of the steering wheel does not rotate the wheels for a predetermined period of time when the autonomous drive module is activated or deactivated.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising measuring the alertness level of the driver based on data from a personal electronic device of the driver.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the personal electronic device includes at least one of a wearable electronic device and a smartphone.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the data includes one or more of the following: sleep history of the driver; rest history of the driver; activity history of the driver; travel schedule of the driver; and appointment schedule of the driver.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising measuring the alertness level of the driver based on at least one of head position and eye position of the driver.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising adjusting driving parameters based on the measured alertness level, including one or more of the following:
increasing or decreasing adaptive cruise control following distance;
increasing or decreasing distance threshold for collision warning;
activating or deactivating lane keep assist warning;
activating or deactivating lane departure warning;
activating or deactivating blind spot warning system;
rerouting the vehicle to a route having at least one of less traffic and lower speeds;
increasing or decreasing frequency of notifications to the driver; and
increasing or decreasing intensity of notifications to the driver.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, for a predetermined period of time when the autonomous drive module is activated or deactivated, increasing stiffness of a steering wheel of the vehicle from a first level at which a first amount of torque is required to turn the steering wheel a turn distance to a second level at which a second amount of torque greater than the first amount of torque is required to turn the steering wheel the turn distance.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising deactivating the autonomous drive module when the driver has exhibited constant movement to operate vehicle systems including at least one of a radio and touchscreen.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising deactivating the autonomous drive module when the autonomous drive module is unable to autonomously drive the vehicle.

19. A driver alertness detection system comprising:
an alertness detection module configured to measure an alertness level of a driver of a vehicle, and compare the measured driver alertness level to at least one predetermined threshold; and
a vehicle control module configured to activate an autonomous drive module of the vehicle to autonomously drive the vehicle when the measured alertness level of the driver is less than a predetermined threshold, and deactivate the autonomous drive module of the vehicle to permit manual driving when the measured alertness level of the driver is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold;
wherein the vehicle control module is configured to, for a predetermined period of time when the autonomous drive module is activated or deactivated, increase stiffness of a steering wheel of the vehicle from a first level at which a first amount of torque is required to turn the

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Alasry Bilal
• Vang Doua

Classifications

• B60K28/06 Primary

  responsive to incapacity of driver · CPC title

• B60W50/12 Primary

  Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation · CPC title

• B60W2540/26

  Incapacity · CPC title