DE102013002686A1 - Method for operating motor vehicle, involves acquiring images of portion of driver, where body posture of driver is determined from acquired images, and attention signal is generated depending on determined body posture - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves acquiring the images of a portion of a driver (10) of a motor vehicle by an acquisition device (14). An attention signal characterizing the attention of the driver is generated in response to the acquired images. A driving state of the motor vehicle is changed in response to the attention signal. A body posture of the driver is determined from the acquired images, and the attention signal is generated depending on the determined body posture.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim. 7

Such a method and such a car are the DE 100 24 227 A1 to be known as known. The method is used for the electronic monitoring of a degree of attention of a motor vehicle driver by electronic monitoring of the eyes and / or the eyelid activity, whereby an alarm signal is generated with electronic registration of fatigue. It is provided that the speed is automatically reduced with appropriate registration of fatigue.

The DE 101 35 742 A1 discloses a motor vehicle having a system for automatic line of sight detection and an automatic obstacle detection and automatic vehicle control system and / or a distance control system, wherein an operating mode is provided in which the system for automatic obstacle detection and automatic vehicle control and / or the system for distance control are active when the system for automatic line of sight recognition detects lack of attention of the driver of the motor vehicle and are inactive when the system for automatic sight line detection determines the attention of the driver.

Finally, the reveals DE 10 2004 036 199 A1 a driver assistance system for fatigue detection and / or attention evaluation of the driver, in particular for detecting the imminent or onset of microsleep, the driver assistance system comprising an evaluation unit. The driver assistance system further comprises a sensor and / or a sensor arrangement which is suitable for detecting the pulse frequency of the vehicle driver. In addition, an activatable warning device and / or a warning device available for activation are provided. Furthermore, the driver assistance system comprises a storage device and / or a memory device available for storing information.

It is provided that the sensor and / or the sensor arrangement on the vehicle side are fixedly connected to the vehicle or is an integral part of the vehicle or a vehicle part. Furthermore, the pulse frequency of the vehicle driver is continuously monitored so that the warning device can be activated in the event of a sudden change in the pulse frequency by a predetermined value and / or at least in the event of an extraordinary vehicle event which is associated with the period of change in the pulse rate Make or initiate documentation in the storage device.

It has been shown that in the vehicles or in the conventional motor vehicles inadequate conclusions can be drawn on the actual attention of the driver of the motor vehicle. A sufficiently precise detection of fatigue, however, allows the implementation of appropriate countermeasures to account for a detected, reduced attention of the driver.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, a method and a motor vehicle of the type mentioned in such a way that a particularly accurate detection of the attention of the driver of the motor vehicle can be realized.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of patent claim 1 and by a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 7. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are specified in the remaining claims.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, in which images of at least part of the driver of the motor vehicle are detected by means of a detection device. The method also generates at least one attention signal characterizing the attention of the driver depending on the captured images. For example, it can be estimated on the basis of the attention signal, whether the driver is attentive, d. H. whether he can watch or perceive the traffic attentively or not.

Furthermore, in the method, depending on the attention signal, a driving state of the motor vehicle, in particular by means of at least one actuator, is changed.

In order to be able to detect the driver's attention with particular precision, ie to be able to infer a particularly precise and meaningful inference to the actual driver's attention of the motor vehicle, it is provided according to the invention that at least one posture of the driver is determined on the basis of the captured images , wherein the attention signal is generated in dependence on the detected posture. The consideration of the posture during the generation of the attention signal makes it possible to obtain particularly meaningful results with regard to the actual Attention of the driver, so that, as a result, the change of the driving condition, for example, can actually be carried out when a reduced attention of the driver or a complete lack of attention actually exists. By changing the driving state, the reduced attention or the lack of attention can be taken into account so as to minimize the risk of an accident resulting from the diminished or lack of attention.

Since the attention of the driver can be determined very precisely by taking into account the posture, unnecessary and undesirable changes in the driving state can be avoided. In other words, the method according to the invention makes it possible to actually effect the change of the driving state only if the driver's attention is actually diminished or completely absent.

Such a diminished or missing attention can be deduced, for example, if the attention signal or at least one attention value determined on the basis of the attention signal, if appropriate over a predefinable time duration, is less than a specifiable threshold value.

At least one camera can be used to capture the images of the driver. The camera provides, for example, at least one image signal characterizing the images, which can be supplied to an evaluation device. By means of the evaluation unit, the images or the image signal are subjected to image processing, by means of which finally the posture can be determined.

Based on the posture, the attention signal is then generated, for example by means of a computing device of the motor vehicle and provided, for example, and compared with the predetermined threshold value.

In order to change the driving state in response to the attention signal, for example, at least one actuator is controlled by means of the computing device such that the driving state is changed. The actuation of the actuator can be understood to mean both a regulation and a control of the at least one actuator.

The missing or diminished attention of the driver can be determined, for example, such that the ascertained posture is compared as an actual posture with at least one predeterminable, critical target posture. If the detected actual posture coincides with the critical target posture, a lacking or diminished attention is detected. As a consequence, a critical driving condition can be deduced. The critical driving condition does not actually have to be present. It can also be inferred from a lack of or diminished attention resulting and only occurring in the future, critical driving condition. In order to take the critical driving condition into account and, for example, to convert it into a safer driving state on the other hand or to avoid the emergence of a critical driving state, the driving state of the motor vehicle is then preferably changed.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a position of the head of the driver is determined as the posture. By taking account of the posture of the head, it is possible to draw particular attention to the driver's actual attention, and in particular to the driver's lack of attention, since the posture of the head is a particularly good and meaningful indicator of the driver's current state of attention.

To be particularly advantageous, it has been shown that the driving condition of the motor vehicle is changed when as the posture of the head such a position is determined, wherein the head relative to the upper body of the driver to a body side of the driver or to a front of the body of the driver hangs. In other words, the driver's head hangs limp, d. H. without substantial body tension to the side or to the front, it can be concluded with very high probability that the driver has suffered a so-called black-out and has fainted. As a result, the lack of attention of the driver can be deduced, so that appropriate countermeasures in the form of changing the driving condition can be taken. Such an attitude of the head is a particularly meaningful indicator to determine the lack of attention.

To realize a particularly precise determination of the driver's actual attention, it is provided in a further embodiment of the invention that by means of the detection device a viewing direction of the driver is detected, wherein the attention signal is generated in dependence on the detected line of sight. This means that the direction of attention of the driver is taken into account in order to determine the attention or the attention signal. As a result, a particularly high level of data security can be realized. With others In other words, it is possible to conclude the driver's attentiveness in a particularly precise and meaningful manner, even if the direction of sight is recognized and attention is paid to it.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous if, depending on the attention signal, at least one emergency call signal emanating from the motor vehicle is transmitted wirelessly, in particular via radio technology. By means of this automatic transmission of the emergency signal, for example, help, for example, at least one person rushing to the aid, can be requested before a dangerous driving situation actually occurs. Furthermore, it is possible to request help when the driver is powerless and is unable to request help himself.

Finally, it has proven to be advantageous if, when changing the driving state, a driving speed of the motor vehicle is reduced and / or a direction of travel of the motor vehicle is changed. As a result, the motor vehicle can be slowed down or even decelerated to a standstill, so that the risk of an accident resulting from the driver's lack of or reduced attention can be minimized.

Furthermore, it is possible, for example, to cause the motor vehicle to leave a lane by moving the direction of travel of the motor vehicle and to move laterally next to the actual lane on a side lane or parking space where it is reduced or braked, for example in its speed. In this safe, standing on the side stripes state can then be waited for help.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, with a detection device for capturing images of at least a part of the driver of the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle also includes a computing device coupled to the detection device, which is designed to generate at least one attention signal characterizing the driver's attention in dependence on the detected images and to effect a change of a driving state of the motor vehicle in dependence on the attention signal.

In order to determine the driver's actual attention in a particularly precise and meaningful manner, it is provided according to the invention that the computing device is designed to determine at least one posture of the driver based on the acquired images and to generate the attention signal as a function of the determined posture. Advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the invention and vice versa.

In the generation of the attention signal and thus in the determination of the driver's actual attention thus his posture is taken into account, which allows very precise conclusions about the attention of the driver. As a result, the risk of unwanted and unnecessary changes in the driving condition of the motor vehicle can be kept low.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawing. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the figure description and / or shown alone in the figure can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without the scope of To leave invention.

The drawing shows in the single figure is a schematic front view of a human driver of a passenger car, wherein a driver's attention-characterizing attention signal is generated in response to a determined posture of the driver.

The figure shows a schematic front view of a detail with a whole 10 designated driver of a motor vehicle in the form of a passenger car, wherein the driver 10 in the interior 12 of the passenger car.

The passenger car includes a detection device shown very schematically in the figure 14 which at least one detection element in the form of a camera 16 having. The camera 16 is so relative to the interior 12 geared to taking pictures of at least part of the driver 10 detected. As can be seen from the figure, the camera captures 16 Pictures of the head 18 and part of the upper body 20 the driver 10 , which is in a driver's seat in the interior 12 sitting.

The camera 16 is designed for example as a video camera, infrared camera or PMD camera. Such a PMD camera comprises at least one so-called photonic mixer device (PMD - Photonic Mixing Device).

The camera 16 provides an image signal characterizing the acquired images, which is supplied to the detector 14 coupled computing device 22 of the passenger car. The computing device 22 can in the detection device 14 be integrated or vice versa. By means of the computing device 22 become the means of the camera 16 captured images or the image signal subjected to image processing. By means of image processing becomes a posture of the driver 10 determined. This means that the posture is determined by means of the camera 16 captured images is determined.

During a ride, the posture of the driver may change 10 to change. In other words, the driver can 10 take during a trip with the passenger car different postures, which are determined by means of image processing based on the captured images.

The respective determined on the basis of the captured images and thus actually present posture of the driver 10 is compared as an actual posture with at least one predetermined, critical target posture. This at least one critical target posture is for example in a storage device 24 the computing device 22 saved. Preferably, a plurality of predetermined, critical desired body postures are provided and in the storage device 24 saved.

The desired body postures are such postures of the driver 10 which indicates a diminished or complete lack of attention of the driver 10 indicate. If the ascertained actual body position now coincides with at least one of the critical desired body postures, then it can be concluded in a particularly precise and meaningful manner that the driver's attention 10 is diminished or completely absent.

If the comparison shows that the determined actual posture does not coincide with one of the critical target body postures, it can be concluded in a particularly precise and meaningful way that the driver 10 is sufficiently attentive and can safely drive the passenger car.

The comparison of the ascertained actual posture with the desired body postures or the result of this comparison is converted into a so-called attention signal, which indicates the actual attention of the driver 10 characterized. By considering the posture of the driver 10 can thus be determined very precisely on the basis of the attention signal, whether the driver 10 is sufficiently attentive or not. If he is sufficiently attentive, the risk of a dangerous driving situation and possibly an accident occurring may be assessed as low. Is the attention of the driver 10 however, if this is reduced or absent, the risk of a dangerous driving situation or an accident may be assessed as higher.

As can be seen from the figure, in the present case, the actual posture of the driver is determined as one in which the head 18 relative to the upper body 20 limp, ie essentially without body tension to the left side of the body 26 as well as to the front 28 the driver 10 hangs. This actual posture is one of the critical target postures. On the basis of this posture can be concluded that the driver 10 passed out. In other words, the driver has 10 suffered a so-called black-out. Thus, the attention of the driver 10 not only diminished but attention is completely lacking.

As a result, by means of the computing device 22 controlled at least one actuator of the passenger car, so that by means of the actuator, a driving condition of the passenger car is changed. In other words, depending on the attention signal and thus depending on the detected posture of the driver 10 the driving condition of the passenger car is changed automatically. As part of the change in the driving state, the passenger car initially moving is slowed down, for example, by means of its service brake and optionally braked to a complete stop. The at least one actuator thus serves to actuate the service brake of the passenger car.

In addition, it can alternatively or additionally be provided that by means of at least one further actuator, which of the computing device 22 is controlled, a steering of the passenger car is automatically actuated, so that a change in direction or a driving course change of the passenger car is effected. As part of this driving course change, the passenger car can be automatically moved, for example, to a side strip arranged laterally next to a lane in response to the attention signal, where it is then braked by means of the first actuator.

By means of this change in the driving state of the passenger car, a critical driving situation can be converted into a driving situation which is safer on the other hand. Furthermore, the emergence of a critical or dangerous driving situation can be avoided. On the shoulder can the driver 10 then wait for help.

Furthermore, it can be provided that in dependence on the attention signal at least one outgoing from the passenger emergency call signal is sent. By means of this emergency signal, help can be requested automatically, as this is the powerless driver 10 can not perform anymore.

To be particularly precise the attention of the driver 10 can determine the detection device 14 a sight line detection unit 30 include. On the basis of the camera 16 captured images or on the basis of the image signal, the sight line detection unit 30 at least one line of sight of the driver 10 or from the eyes of the driver 10 determine. In this case, it is preferably provided that the attention signal is also generated as a function of the determined viewing direction. In other words, both the posture and the gaze direction in determining the attention of the driver 10 considered.

As can be seen from the figure, are the eyeballs of the driver 10 through the eyelids 32 the eyes 34 covered. In other words, the eyes 34 the driver 10 closed because he is unconscious. This closed state of the eyes 34 can by means of the sight line detection unit 30 be determined. It is for example provided that by means of the sight line detection unit 30 no line of sight is detected or can be detected, so that the closed state of the eyes 34 can be deduced.

If, for example, it is determined on the basis of the captured images that the eyes 34 the driver 10 are closed continuously over a first period of time, and if this first period of time is greater or longer than a predeterminable, second period of time, in combination with the ascertained posture, it can be concluded in a particularly precise manner that the driver has passed out or fallen asleep. As a result, it can be very precisely inferred that the driver's attention 10 is reduced or completely absent, so that finally the described change in the driving state of the passenger car can be effected.

Under the determination of the posture of the driver 10 can also determine a seating position of the driver 10 be understood in the driver's seat. In other words, it is possible on the basis of the ascertained posture to infer a seating position or to determine such a seating position which the driver 10 occupies the driver's seat, so that based on the determined seat position generates the attention signal and optionally the driving condition of the car can be changed.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10024227 A1 [0002]
• DE 10135742 A1 [0003]
• DE 102004036199 A1 [0004]

Claims (7)

Method for operating a motor vehicle, in which by means of a detection device ( 14 ) Pictures of at least part of the driver ( 10 ) of the motor vehicle, depending on the captured images at least one the driver's attention ( 10 ) is generated and depending on the attention signal, a driving condition of the motor vehicle is changed, characterized in that based on the captured images at least one posture of the driver ( 10 ) is determined, wherein the attention signal is generated in dependence on the detected posture. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that as the posture an attitude of the head ( 18 ) of the driver ( 10 ) is determined. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the driving condition of the motor vehicle is changed, if as the attitude of the head ( 18 ) is determined one in which the head ( 18 ) relative to the upper body ( 20 ) of the driver ( 10 ) to a body side ( 26 ) of the driver ( 10 ) and / or to the front ( 28 ) of the body of the driver ( 10 ) hangs. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by means of the detection device ( 14 ) a viewing direction of the driver ( 10 ) is detected, wherein the attention signal is generated in dependence on the detected line of sight. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, depending on the attention signal, at least one emergency call signal emanating from the motor vehicle is transmitted wirelessly, in particular via radio technology. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when changing the driving state, a driving speed of the motor vehicle is reduced and / or a direction of travel of the motor vehicle is changed. Car, with a detection device ( 14 ) for capturing images of at least a part of the driver ( 10 ) of the motor vehicle, and one with the detection device ( 14 ) coupled computing device ( 22 ), which is designed to attract at least one driver's attention depending on the captured images ( 10 ) and to cause a change in a driving state of the motor vehicle in response to the attention signal, characterized in that the computing device ( 22 ) is designed, based on the captured images at least one posture of the driver ( 10 ) and to generate the attention signal as a function of the ascertained posture.

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