Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W50/00—Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
  • B60W50/08—Interaction between the driver and the control system
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W40/00—Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models
  • B60W40/08—Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models related to drivers or passengers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
  • G06V20/00—Scenes; Scene-specific elements
  • G06V20/50—Context or environment of the image
  • G06V20/52—Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06V—IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
  • G06V40/00—Recognition of biometric, human-related or animal-related patterns in image or video data
  • G06V40/10—Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to driving assistance systems for a motor vehicle which is at least partly autonomous.
• partially self-driving motor vehicles are vehicles capable of driving in real traffic and on a non-specific infrastructure requiring less and less intervention of the driver.
• Some known devices already control or monitor the position of the driver or his state of health when he is in control of a vehicle.
• Document US 8872640 B2 describes in this regard a system capable of monitoring the state of health of the driver, detecting a crisis situation or determining whether the driver is ergonomically positioned. This system responds to these situations by emitting an alarm, inhibiting the controls of the vehicle or proposing a new position to the driver.
• This device does not propose to detect a correct position and adapted to a return of orders to the driver of a partially autonomous vehicle. Indeed, in this device, the sensors arranged in the driving position to determine the posture of the driver are adapted to increase the driver comfort and generate signals in order to provide the driver of the vehicle a more ergonomic position.
• a device for detecting the presence and disposition of the feet is known in connection with the use of a standing truck. It can be used as described in US20140005858 A1 for detecting the presence and disposition of both operator's feet. Such a device is composed of several zones of detection of foot portions generating a foot presence signal. These signals are then used by a method of recognition of the configuration of the feet and comparison with a predetermined configuration.
• the device described in this document is composed of at least two sensors which detect only a presence or absence of a foot part in at least two predefined detection zones, which excludes the detection of the user.
• WO2014152802 A1 discloses a system provided with a sensor located under the brake pedal or on the foot used to brake and an alarm that activates when the driver brakes and the sensor detects that the foot is not in contact with the floor of the vehicle.
• the sensor used is adapted to detect a contact.
• the invention proposes to detect the positioning of the lower limbs of a driver before he regains control of the vehicle.
• the purpose of this invention is therefore to verify that the driver is in a good driving position when taking control of the vehicle.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a device for detecting the position of the lower limbs of a driver of a motor vehicle relative to a crankset of the vehicle, comprising at least one sensor adapted to detect the presence and the absence of at least one one of the lower limbs of the conductor in at least one remote detection zone of the sensor, a central processing unit comprising means for producing a detection matrix from signals from the sensors and comprising a detection decision algorithm.
• the set of detection zones associated with the sensors constitutes a two - dimensional horizontal mesh of the space to be detected from the driving position of the passenger compartment.
• the sensors are placed in the steering column of the vehicle.
• the sensors are placed under the steering column of the steering wheel.
• the invention also relates to a method for detecting the position of the lower limbs of a motor vehicle driver relative to a vehicle crankset, comprising the steps of:
• a detection decision algorithm is used to distinguish a correct position of the lower limbs of the driver of the vehicle from an incorrect position of the lower limbs of the driver of the vehicle from the detection matrix.
• the detection matrix comprises a set of rows and columns defining nodes each assigned a value from each sensor detection signal.
• each variable of the detection matrix is assigned a binary value which is equal to "1" if the associated sensor detects a member, or to "0" otherwise.
• four correct positions of the lower limbs of the driver of the vehicle are detected, the first position corresponding to a detection of the two feet of the driver of the vehicle near the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals; the second position corresponding to a detection of a foot of the driver of the vehicle on the footrest and another foot on an accelerator or brake pedal; the third position corresponding to a detection of the feet of the driver of the vehicle set back from the pedals and the uncrossed legs of the driver; and the fourth position corresponding to a detection of the feet of the driver of the vehicle back from the pedals and his crossed legs.
• FIG. 1 is a representation of the general architecture of a detection device according to the invention.
• FIG. 2 is a view of the driving position of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle
• FIG. 3 illustrates a positioning of the feet of the driver of the vehicle when the latter is in control
• FIG. 4 illustrates a detection frame 19 composed of lines and columns formed by boxes or zones of detection
• FIG. 5 illustrates a detection matrix
• FIGS. 6A and 6B are respectively a view of the two feet of the driver of the vehicle in the vicinity of the clutch and acceleration pedals, and a representation of the associated detection matrix;
• FIGS. 7A and 7B respectively illustrate a foot of the driver of the vehicle near the footrest, the other foot near the accelerator pedal, and the associated detection matrix
• FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the case where the feet of the driver of the vehicle are not in the vicinity of the acceleration, brake or clutch pedals of the vehicle, whose legs are uncrossed, as well as the associated detection matrix ;
• FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate the case where the driver's legs are crossed, his feet are not close to the pedals as well as the associated detection matrix
• FIG. 10 illustrates the processing steps of the processing unit.
• FIG. 1 illustrates the general architecture of a device for detecting the position of the lower limbs, that is to say the feet and legs of a motor vehicle driver.
• the device defined by the general numerical reference 1, comprises a network of sensors C1,..., Connected to a central processing unit 13, for example the central computer of the vehicle for delivering, in output, a signal S of proximity detection and good positioning of the feet and legs to allow the driver to regain control of his vehicle.
• a central processing unit 13 for example the central computer of the vehicle for delivering, in output, a signal S of proximity detection and good positioning of the feet and legs to allow the driver to regain control of his vehicle.
• the sensors c1, ..., are positioned in the passenger compartment so as to be turned towards the crankset of the vehicle and so as to detect the presence or absence of lower limbs in one or more detection zones 6, which are arranged in a horizontal plane so as to form a horizontal mesh ( Figures 1 to 3).
• the pedal of the vehicle comprises a clutch pedal 1, a brake pedal 2, an accelerator pedal 3 and a footrest 4.
• the sensors are adapted to generate a detection signal representative of the detection of the lower limbs of the driver in the associated detection zone 6.
• the signature 7 of the sensors is transmitted by the detection signals to the processing unit 13. From these signals, the processing unit 13 generates a detection matrix, representative of the presence or absence in the space to detect lower limbs of the driver.
• the processing unit 13 comprises a detection decision algorithm, adapted to distinguish a correct position of the lower limbs of the driver of the vehicle from an incorrect position from the detection matrix.
• the detectors comprise a set of ultrasonic or infrared sensors, or camera, or laser sensors, positioned under the column of vo lant or in the column of vo loon.
• the detection frame 19 consists of boxes or detection zones situated in a horizontal plane. This detection frame 19 is a mesh of the treated space.
• the signature of each detector takes the value 1 in case of detection of the presence of the lower limbs, and 0 in the opposite case.
• the set of signatures, visible in FIG. 5B, is called the detection matrix.
• the signature is 1, the corresponding box is grayed out.
• the signature is 0, the corresponding box is white.
• a test step 14 is first carried out to ensure that each of the sensors responds to a request during initialization by issuing one of the two signals representative of a detection 1 8 or a lack of detection 1 7.
• a sensor emitting no signal (step 1 5) reflects a sensor failure.
• An error signal 16 is then emitted.
• the sensors and the detection decision algorithm are then implemented (step 1 1).
• a detection frame composed of X lines and Y columns is elaborated.
• the detection decision algorithm 1 1 the detection matrix is filled by assigning each node of the matrix the value 1 in case of detection and 0 in case of non-detection.
• the driving position is validated or invalidated by means of the processing unit 13.
• the detection decision algorithm 1 1 implemented in the processing unit 13 detects the following four positions, corresponding to the feet and legs of the driver from the matrix of the detectors:
• One foot of the driver of the vehicle is on the footrest 4 and his other foot on an accelerator pedal 3 or brake 2, as can be seen in FIG. 7A.
• the feet of the driver of the vehicle 5 are set back from the pedals and the legs of the driver 8 are uncrossed, as can be seen in FIG. 8A.
• the algorithm is further adapted to detect the absence of the lower limbs of the driver of the vehicle (step 10).

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Mathematical Physics (AREA)
• Braking Elements And Transmission Devices (AREA)
• Passenger Equipment (AREA)
• Auxiliary Drives, Propulsion Controls, And Safety Devices (AREA)
• Regulating Braking Force (AREA)
• Mechanical Control Devices (AREA)
• Image Analysis (AREA)
• Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=55361685

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Family Cites Families (14)

• 2015
  • 2015-11-25 FR FR1561357A patent/FR3044148B1/fr active Active
• 2016
  • 2016-11-25 EP EP16813086.2A patent/EP3380986A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-11-25 JP JP2018526788A patent/JP2019507042A/ja active Pending
  • 2016-11-25 CN CN201680076321.7A patent/CN108431825A/zh active Pending
  • 2016-11-25 WO PCT/FR2016/053090 patent/WO2017089721A1/fr active Application Filing

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