DE102004034748B4 - Driver assistance system for fatigue detection and / or attention evaluation of a driver - Google Patents

Abstract

Driver assistance system (1) for fatigue detection and / or attention assessment of a driver (2), in addition to an evaluation unit (3) from at least a) a roadway monitoring system (4.1, 4.2), suitable for detecting a lane course, b) a human-machine interface ( 7), for input / control of the direction of travel, c) a steering mechanism (7.x) for aligning one or more steerable wheels / wheels (7.4), for the purpose of setting the desired direction of travel, d) an activatable warning device (5) and / or a warning device (5) available for activation, wherein the warning device is then activated and a warning signal is generated when the driver (2) approaches or deflects too much and / or too long to a lane boundary and the set direction of travel and / or an actual lane usage (9.3), and an actual lane course (9) and / or a target lane usage (9.2) to be maintained from one another a soften, characterized in that after detection of a non-driving ability and / or after the activation of the warning device, the vehicle (10) is limited in its movement to prevent the driver on the onward journey or restrict.

Description

The invention relates to a driver assistance system for detecting fatigue or attentiveness of a vehicle driver, in particular for detecting the impending or onset of microsleep, according to the preamble of claim 1.

The development trend in the automotive sector, in which safety is paramount, shows that driver assistance systems are becoming increasingly important. One of the main tasks of these driver assistance systems, which are increasingly used in the future, is the task of fatigue monitoring / fatigue detection or attention evaluation of the driver so that it can be warned, for example, a threatening or incipient microsleep, so that a threat to the driver and other road users prevented or at least be mitigated.

Numerous systems are already known in which attempts are made to solve this problem satisfactorily or with a corresponding reliability by means of a wide variety of methods and devices.

From the DE 197 34 307 C2 a method and a device for monitoring and / or influencing the driving behavior of a driver-controlled motor vehicle is known, which / s generates a warning, information and / or actuator signal depending on how strong and how long the determined or assumed direction of travel and the viewing direction of the driver differ from each other.

From the DE 196 21 435 A1 For example, a device and a method for monitoring the eyes of a person are known, with reference to the drowsiness state based on the information obtained from the pupils, the eyelids, the song movements, the rolling movements of the eyeballs and the movements of the pupil, analyzed images the driver can be formed.

From the DE 38 03 916 A1 For example, there is known a method and apparatus for determining the driving ability of a vehicle operator in which fatigue or lack of attention is detected by evaluating eye responses to stimulated stimuli. It tests a suitable device such. As a camera, in the field of view of a controlled person whose individual, instantaneous response to a stimulation by light stimuli.

From the DE 196 42 830 A1 For example, there is known a method and apparatus for inhibiting sleep and response control of individuals which is controlled based on the positional displacement and / or size change of the human eye. For this purpose, according to the proposed method, by means of sensors, the reaction values of the eye, in particular the iris, pupil and eyelid movements, the brain waves, the blood pressure, the pulse rate, the temperature change on the eye and the skin reaction, in particular the electrical skin resistance, are detected and Actual comparison under application of fuzzy logic and / or artificial neural networks. In the event of a deviation from the stored standard values (limit values), a warning signal and an emergency stop signal are triggered. The device according to the invention for implementing the proposed method comprises a carrying device (glasses) with an eye-related positioning device on or on which the sensors for monitoring the eye reactions and / or the physiological changes are placed without limiting the field of vision of the wearer. According to the document, the carrying device may be a helmet with or without a visor, a cap, a headband, a pair of glasses or a spectacle-like frame on or on which the positioning device with the signal transmitters and receivers are fastened.

From the DE 198 03 158 C1 is a device suitable for timely warning of the driver before falling asleep, known in this invention, the vigilance condition of a vehicle driver is continuously monitored. For this purpose, the area of at least one eye is recorded by means of an image sensor system and analyzed by a downstream image evaluation system.

From the DE 102 23 210 A1 a method and a device for alarming a driver when a so-called microsleep sleep is known, in this invention by means of a detector suitable for monitoring the duration of Lidschlusses the driver, the duration of the eyelid closure is monitored and when exceeding a predetermined duration of the lid closure a warning signal is triggered.

However, all of these documents, or the disclosed therein devices and associated methods have the disadvantages that the resulting results are based only on an apparent or assumed statement security and not reflect the actual actual prevailing driving performance of the vehicle driver, since for example the line of sight or Head orientation can not necessarily be used as a measure to make a statement whether the Driver has the lane or the course of the road in the field of vision or actually overlooks. Another disadvantage is to mention that these devices and the associated methods can be easily "disturbed" by the driver, for example, makes a change of sight without head movement due to the sole orientation of the eyes, or the driver wearing dark glasses, or a cap with sun visor carries or has his hair in the field of vision (falls) has addressed, so that the eyes or the orientation of the eyes or the viewing direction of the device (at all) can not or can not be detected exactly.

Furthermore, the font belongs DE 10254247 A1 to the prior art, which discloses a method and a device for monitoring the vehicle driver. It is suggested that a warning to the driver be omitted or suppressed for a predetermined period of time when a steering angle or a steering angle exceeds a predetermined threshold or the driver steers the vehicle itself back into the lane center after approaching the lane marking.

The JP 6 171 392 A describes a driver warning module in which, from the number of issued lane departure warnings, an attentiveness state of the driver is concluded and a warning is issued in response thereto.

In addition, device for lane monitoring and warning or intervention when leaving a predetermined lane are known, for example from the DE 19507957 C1 ,

DE 103 11 518 A1 shows a generic device for driver information or to respond when leaving the lane.

The object of the present invention is therefore to present a driver assistance system for fatigue detection or attention assessment of the driver, by means of this a realistic safety assessment is made possible, this is taken into account the actual current prevailing driving performance of the driver and is robust, which is robust against interference and also then still functional, if the driver occupies any position in the driver's seat, or without the driver in this case inevitably has to turn his field of vision to an optical system.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, wherein combinations and developments of individual features are conceivable with each other.

An essential idea of the invention is that the evaluation criterion for fatigue detection and / or attention evaluation and the subsequent activation of the warning device as necessary, the number of correction interventions, is used to set the desired direction of travel, which are required to drive a certain section of road, the warning device is then activated and a warning signal is generated when the driver ( 2 ) steers too far and / or too long to a lane boundary or deflects and the set direction of travel and / or an actual lane usage ( 9.3 ), and the actual lane course (and / or the target lane usage to be maintained) differ from each other (exception: overtaking with direction indicator and the like).

Thus, a device for lane monitoring is used in order to derive a statement about the state of tiredness from the strength / duration and / or, as a precaution, from the frequency of deviations between the recognized lane course and the actual lane. Preferably, therefore, a statistical evaluation of these deviations takes place.

For detecting and monitoring the lane course, the driver assistance system for fatigue detection and / or attention evaluation of the driver, via a roadway monitoring system, preferably in the form of an optical acting in the direction of travel detection system whose data are fed to an evaluation. Furthermore, the evaluation unit information from a man-machine interface, which is preferably in the form of a steering wheel and / or a control lever, for input / control of the direction of travel, which the steering mechanism for aligning one or more steerable wheel / wheels, for the purpose the adjustment of the desired direction of travel are fed. On the basis of the information evaluation, with regard to how much and / or how long and / or how often the set direction of travel and the actual course of the lane differ, the evaluation unit decides according to the number of correction interventions, whether these the activatable warning device and / or those available for activation standing warning device activated to warn the driver accordingly or to prevent or reduce the falling asleep on the onward journey or.

The term "corrective intervention" is to be understood in the context of the invention, the operation of the man-machine interface or the Number of actuations required to correct the direction of travel and / or maintain the correct lane of the given lane course in order to move the vehicle to drive on a specific section of the track, where only the "correction interventions" are evaluated or "corrective interventions" count, in which the vehicle within this section exceeds a predetermined distance to a reference and / or exceeds, and is brought by a "correction" again in the direction of the correct target distance size.

In addition to the number of "correction interventions", the evaluation unit also takes into account how much and / or preferably how often the set direction of travel and the actual course of the lane deviate from one another, the length of the particular route section being variable as a function of the lane Lane course as well as a function of the vehicle speed, may be formed.

To assess the strength of the deviation or as deviation criterion, with regard to the set direction of travel to the actual road course, the vehicle distance to a reference edge and / or "lane marking" is used / evaluated, where it is reference edge and / or "lane marking", for example, a Lane boundary marking and / or a road marking line course and / or a roadway-limiting protection device (guardrail) and / or a incorporated in the lane, preferably inductive or magnetic acting, vehicle position detection device or lane marking points / contactless to be detected lane marking devices.

The warning device which the driver assistance system has or which is available to the driver assistance system for activation is an acoustic and / or visual and / or haptic warning device, the haptic warning device preferably acting on the steering wheel, and the optical warning device is preferably the car warning device, so that other road users can be alerted to the danger.

In an inventive embodiment of the driver assistance system, this is suitable that the driver assistance system restricts the vehicle in its movement after detection of a driving inoperability and / or after activation of the warning device to prevent or restrict the driver on the onward journey, thus reducing the Danger potential is made / caused, which is the prevention of driving on, for example, a speed limit and / or a range limit, which may be superimposed with a time limit, so that the driver, for example, his vehicle, with a reduced risk potential, still correctly on a Parking can leave.

For example, driving inactivity occurs when the driver, due to tiredness or severe fatigue, or alcohol and drug interference, can no longer properly hold the vehicle in the lane or lane course intended for the vehicle, and in a repetitive, stronger and / or or longer can not correctly follow the actual course of the road through its predetermined direction of travel, so that the set direction of travel and the actual course of the road differ from each other more or less strongly and / or long.

Likewise, indirectly, a defect in the vehicle may be responsible for the fact that a driving inefficiency prevails, for example, by a fault in the steering control / steering control is responsible for a game too large, so that the driving direction to be specified by the driver, by means of the man-machine interface, from the steering mechanism for aligning one or more steerable wheels / wheels, for the purpose of setting the desired direction of travel can not be performed correctly, and consequently, taking into account the current attention of the driver, a correct tracking is not possible or repeatedly to differences or more or less strong and / or lasting deviations between the set direction of travel and the actual road course comes.

Further advantages and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the embodiment shown in the figures on a motor vehicle / passenger car.

In the description, in the claims, in the abstract and in the appended drawings, the terms and associated reference numerals used in the list of reference numerals recited below are used.

The invention will now be described below with reference to an embodiment with the aid of 1 to 5 explained in more detail. Hereinafter, for functionally identical and / or identical elements may be denoted by the same reference numerals.

Show it

1 A representation of a passenger car with driver according to the prior art, in which by means of an optical detection system, the eyes and / or the orientation of the eyes or the line of sight are detected and evaluated.

2 : A representation of the man-machine interface, for entering / controlling the direction of travel, as well as a steering mechanism for aligning the steerable wheels, for the purpose of setting the desired direction of travel.

3 : A representation of the driver assistance system with its exemplary roadway monitoring systems, man-machine interface and possible warning devices.

4 : A representation of a road course, as well as a vehicle which moves correctly along a desired lane course or along a target lane usage to be maintained.

5 A representation of a road course, as well as a vehicle which erroneously moves along an actual lane course or deviating to be maintained target lane usage.

1 shows a representation of a passenger car with driver according to the prior art, in which by means of an optical detection system, the eyes and / or the orientation of the eyes or the line of sight are detected and evaluated.

The driver ( 2 ) occupies / sits on the vehicle seat ( 8th ) and grasps with his hands the man-machine interface ( 7 ), which is formed in this example as a conventional steering wheel. Next, the figure shows an optical sensor ( 4.0 ) / an optical sensor arrangement ( 4.0 ), whose range of coverage on the eyes ( 6 ) or on the visual field ( 6 ) of the driver ( 2 ) in order to be able to detect and evaluate the eyes and / or the orientation of the eyes or the viewing direction.

2 shows a representation of the man-machine interface, for input / control of the direction of travel, and a steering mechanism for aligning the steerable wheels, for the purpose of setting the desired direction of travel.

The human-machine interface ( 7 ), which is designed in this example as a conventional steering wheel and as a drive-by-wire system, with a rotary encoder ( 7.1 ), so that by means of the rotary encoder ( 7.1 ) desired by the driver and by means of the man-machine interface ( 7 ), from the steering control ( 7.2 ) / Steering regulation ( 7.2 ) by means of the steering mechanism ( 7.3 ) to the wheels ( 7.4 ) can be implemented.

3 shows a representation of the driver assistance system ( 1 ) with its exemplary roadway monitoring systems ( 4.1 . 4.2 ), Human-machine interface ( 7 ) and possible warning devices ( 5 ).

The evaluation unit ( 3 ) of the driver assistance system, which preferably contains a μP, is connected to the individual roadway monitoring systems ( 4.1 . 4.2 ), or contains the corresponding information signals of the roadway monitoring systems ( 4.1 . 4.2 ). In the upper roadway surveillance system ( 4.1 ) This is an optical recognition system, which is particularly suitable for detecting the lane course. In the lower roadway surveillance system ( 4.2 ) is an inductive or based on a magnetic field responsive detection system, which is suitable for detecting the road course by this, for example, for detecting markers / devices (eg., Magnets / magnetic fields) which mark the road course, is formed.

The driver assistance system ( 1 ) have different warning devices ( 5 ) or is to activate the corresponding warning devices ( 5 ) connected to these, this is an acoustic warning device ( 5.1 ), and / or an optical warning device ( 5.2 ), and / or a haptic warning device ( 5.3 ), which preferably in the steering wheel ( 7 ) is.

The evaluation unit ( 3 ) evaluates the number of "correction interventions" which are made by the driver using the human-machine interface ( 7 ) and assessed on the basis of information from one or more roadway surveillance systems ( 4.1 . 4.2 ), how much and / or how long and / or how often the set direction of travel (and / or the actual lane usage) and the actual lane course (and / or the target lane usage to be maintained) differ during a certain stretch, whether the Warning device ( 5 ) or not.

4 shows a representation of a road course, as well as a vehicle which moves correctly along a desired lane course or along a target lane usage to be maintained.

As can be seen from the illustration, the vehicle follows / travels ( 10 ) a roadway course ( 9 ), which by lane boundaries ( 9.1 ) is correctly limited along a desired lane course ( 9.2 ) or along a target lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ). Since the driver is his vehicle ( 10 ) inconspicuous on / along the lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ), which maintains a constant distance to the lane boundary ( 9.1 ), exists for the driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) no reason that this generates a warning signal / activates a warning device.

5 shows a representation of a road course, as well as a vehicle which erroneously moves along an actual lane course or deviating to be maintained target lane usage.

Deviating from 4 , follows / drives the vehicle ( 10 ) a roadway course ( 9 ), which by lane boundaries ( 9.1 ) is erroneously along an actual lane course ( 9.3 ) or deviating from a nominal lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ). Since the driver is his vehicle ( 10 ) conspicuously deviant / along the lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ), which maintains a constant distance to the lane boundary ( 9.1 ), exists for the driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) an occasion that this generates a warning signal / activates a warning device.

As can be seen from the figure, the vehicle ( 10 ) of the driver in the area A and C, for a longer time or a track duration too strong to the road boundary ( 9.1 ). In area B, however, the vehicle ( 10 ) by the driver, for a shorter time or a track duration too much from the road boundary ( 9.1 ) deflected by the evaluation unit ( 3 ) is considered a clear sign of an onset of fatigue or unfitness for driving.

For the sake of completeness, it should finally be mentioned or noted that the correction of the course of the lane in area A does not necessarily have to be a "corrective intervention", as seen from the counting method, but that in this area quite a few " Correction interventions "incurred, especially when the driver, the human-machine interface jerky moves several times, so that a discontinuous course comes about, instead of a continuous course as shown.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Driver assistance system

2

driver

3

evaluation

4.0

Sensor / sensor arrangement according to the prior art

4.1

Optical roadway monitoring system

4.2

Induktives- / Magnetic-road monitoring system

5

warning device

5.1

Acoustic warning device

5.2

Optical warning device / automotive hazard warning device

5.3

Haptic warning device (on / in the steering wheel 7 )

6

Eyes / History field of the driver

7

Steering wheel / human-machine interface

7.1

Rotary encoder

7.2

Steering control / steering control

7.3

Steering mechanism for aligning one or more steerable wheels / wheels

7.4

wheel

8th

Seat / driver seat / driver's seat

9

roadway

9.1

Road boundary / road boundary lines

9.2

Correct lane course / target lane usage to be maintained

9.3

Faulty lane course / objectionable actual lane usage

10

motor vehicle

Claims (14)

Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention evaluation of a vehicle driver ( 2 ), in addition to an evaluation unit ( 3 ) from at least a) a roadway surveillance system ( 4.1 . 4.2 ), suitable for detecting a lane course, b) a human-machine interface ( 7 ), for input / control of the direction of travel, c) a steering mechanism ( 7.x ) for aligning one or more steerable wheels / wheels ( 7.4 ), for the purpose of setting the desired direction of travel, d) an activatable warning device ( 5 ) and / or a warning device available for activation ( 5 ), wherein the warning device is then activated and a warning signal is generated when the driver ( 2 ) steers too far and / or too long to a lane boundary or deflects and the set direction of travel and / or an actual lane usage ( 9.3 ), and an actual road course ( 9 ) and / or a target lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ) Differ from one another, characterized in that after detecting a carelessness and / or after activation of the warning device the vehicle ( 10 ) is limited in its movement, to prevent or limit the driver on the onward journey. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that as a criterion for the evaluation of the activation of the warning device ( 5 . 5.x ), the number of correction interventions, for driving on a certain section of the route, for setting the desired direction of travel, or the warning device being activated as a function of how often the set direction of travel and / or an actual lane usage ( 9.3 ), and an actual road course ( 9 ) and / or a target lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ) differ from each other. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that as a corrective intervention, an actuation of the human-machine interface ( 7 ) which is used to correct the direction of travel and / or maintain the correct lane ( 9.2 ) of the predetermined road course ( 9 ) is / are required. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the length of the particular route section variable, as a function of the road course ( 9 ) is. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that the length of the particular route section is variable, as a function of vehicle speed. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that as a deviation criterion, with regard to the direction of travel ( 9.3 ) to the actual road course ( 9 . 9.2 ), the vehicle distance to a reference edge ( 9.1 ) and / or "lane marking" ( 9.1 ) is used / evaluated. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 6, characterized in that it length of the particular section of track variable, as a function of the lane course lane boundary marking and / or a road marking line course and / or a road-limiting protection device (guardrail) and / or incorporated into the lane, inductively acting ( Vehicle) position detection device acts. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 6, characterized in that the warning device is an acoustic ( 5.1 ) and / or optical ( 5.2 ) and / or haptic ( 5.3 ) Warning device ( 5 ). Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is in the warning device ( 5 . 5.1 . 5.2 . 5.3 ) to a driver assistance system own warning device or to the driver assistance system ( 1 ) is available for activation available warning device. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is a speed limit and / or a range limitation in preventing the onward journey. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 10, characterized in that the speed limit and / or the range limitation can be superimposed with a time limit. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to claim 8, characterized in that it is in the optical warning device ( 5 ) around the vehicle warning device so that other road users are alerted to the danger. Vehicle ( 10 ), characterized by a driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12. Driver assistance system ( 1 ) for fatigue detection and / or attention of the driver ( 2 ), with a) a roadway monitoring system ( 4.1 . 4.2 ), suitable for detecting the course of the road, and b) a device ( 7.1 ) to recognize the set direction of travel, wherein the warning device is then activated and a warning signal is generated when the driver ( 2 ) steers too far and / or too long to a lane boundary or deflects and the set direction of travel and / or an actual lane usage ( 9.3 ), and an actual road course ( 9 ) and / or a target lane usage to be maintained ( 9.2 ) differ from each other, characterized in that after detection of a non-driving ability and / or after activation of the warning device, the vehicle ( 10 ) is limited in its movement, to prevent or limit the driver on the onward journey.

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