JP2712547B2 - Driver operating condition detection device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a driving state of a driver.

2. Description of the Related Art As a driving state detecting device for a driver, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
-158303. This is achieved by irradiating infrared rays to the face including both eyes of the driver from infrared irradiating means attached to the front of the passenger compartment, and imaging the reflection pattern of the infrared rays by infrared imaging means attached to the front of the passenger compartment. The structure is such that image processing is performed on the light and dark areas.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, not only is the device for performing image processing in the light and dark areas complicated, but it is not possible to detect when the driver moves greatly, or sometimes the eyebrows and eyes are erroneously detected. Direction cannot be detected accurately.

Means for Solving the Problems Infrared irradiating means mounted on the head including the driver's face and emitting infrared light, and infrared light receiving means attached to the front of the passenger compartment and receiving infrared light emitted from the infrared irradiating means And an operating state determining means for determining the operating state of the driver based on whether or not infrared light is received from the infrared light receiving means.

When the driver wearing the infrared irradiation means is driving in a normal posture facing the front, the infrared light receiving means receives the infrared light emitted from the infrared irradiation means and outputs the signal with infrared light reception. The driving state is output to the determining means, and the operating state determining means determines that the driving state of the driver is normal.

Conversely, when the driver wearing the infrared irradiating means looks aside, the infrared rays emitted from the infrared irradiating means deviate from the infrared receiving means, and the infrared receiving means outputs an infrared receiving no signal to the operating state determining means. The driving state determining means determines that the driving state of the driver is abnormal.

Embodiment 1 First Embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2) This first embodiment roughly includes an infrared irradiation means 1, an infrared reception means 2, an operation state determination means 3, an alarm output means 4, a vehicle speed sensor 5, And a timer 6.

The infrared irradiating means 1 is mounted on the head including the driver's face and emits infrared light. In the first embodiment, the infrared irradiating means 1 is provided substantially at the center of the lens frame 11 of the glasses 10 worn by the driver. It is composed of an infrared light emitting element.

The infrared light receiving means 2 is attached to a vehicle body roof near a windshield (not shown), which does not obstruct the visibility of the driver in front and sideways in the front part of the vehicle interior,
In a state in which the driver wearing the infrared irradiation means 1 is operating in a normal posture, it receives infrared rays emitted from the infrared irradiation means 1 and outputs an infrared light receiving signal _Q2-1 , while the infrared irradiation means 1 and outputs the infrared receiving no signal Q _2-2 without receiving the infrared rays emitted from the infrared irradiation unit 1 in a state running at abnormal posture such as the wearing driver example inattentive.

The operating state discriminating means 3 is attached to the vehicle body as a control device constituted by a microcomputer, and receives the infrared light receiving signal _Q2-1 and the infrared light receiving no signal _Q2-2 output from the infrared light receiving means 2 to operate. while it determines who operating condition normal operating conditions or abnormal operating conditions, and outputs a danger signal Q ₃ when comprising abnormal operating state discrimination set time T ₀ continues previously set.

Alarm output means 4 provided in the passenger compartment, by receiving a danger signal Q ₃ from the operating condition determining means 3, to generate for example a buzzer, chime, an alarm sound or the like.

The vehicle speed sensor 5 outputs an electric quantity according to the actual vehicle speed V of the vehicle to the driving state determining means 3.

The timer 6 is constituted by a timer built in the microcomputer since the operating state determining means 3 is formed by a microcomputer. The timer 6 measures the time by the infrared light receiving no signal Q _2-2 of the operating state determining means 3. run, is reset by the infrared receiver present signal Q _2-1.

According to the structure of the first embodiment, the driver wears the spectacles 10 to put on the infrared irradiating means 1 on the head, turns on a main switch (not shown), and outputs the infrared irradiating means 1 from the infrared irradiating means 1. When the driver is operating in a normal posture in which the driver is facing the front in a state where is emitted, the infrared rays emitted from the infrared irradiating means 1 irradiates the infrared receiving means 2 and the infrared receiving means 2 Infrared receiving signal
Q _2-1 is output to the operating state determining means 2, and the operating state determining means 2 determines that the driver is operating in a normal operating state.

When the driver turns his head to the right or left around the neck from this normal driving state and looks aside, the infrared irradiating means 1 also rotates with this aside and the infrared rays emitted from the infrared irradiating means 1 The infrared light receiving means 2 is disengaged from the infrared light receiving means 2, and the infrared light receiving means 2 outputs the infrared light receiving no signal Q _2-2 to the operating state determining means 3.
Output to Then, the timer 6 starts measuring the duration time T during which no infrared light is received, and when the duration time T exceeds the set time T ₀ , the operating state determination means 3 outputs a danger signal Q ₃ to the alarm output means 4, The alarm output means 4 generates an alarm to warn the driver of an abnormal driving state such as looking aside.

When a driver who hears the warning returns to a normal driving state in a state where an alarm is generated in this abnormal driving state, the infrared rays emitted from the infrared irradiation means 1 are transmitted to the infrared receiving means 2.
Irradiating the infrared light receiving unit 2 outputs the infrared receiving signal enable Q _2-1 in operating condition determining means 3 resets the timer 6 in conjunction with the operation state judgment means 3 stops the output of the warning signs Q _3.

Here, the operation of the operating state determination means 3 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step 101, a vehicle speed signal corresponding to the actual vehicle speed V is received from the vehicle speed sensor 5, and the actual vehicle speed V is set to the set vehicle speed V ₀ ,
For example, it is determined whether or not the set vehicle speed has exceeded 0. That is, it is determined whether the vehicle is running or stopped. Actual vehicle speed V
Is the set vehicle speed V ₀ = 0, and if the vehicle is stopped, there is no danger of looking aside, so the process returns to step 101, and the actual vehicle speed V exceeds the set vehicle speed V _0. If the vehicle is running, the process proceeds to step 102.

In step 102, it is determined whether infrared light is received. That is, when the operating condition judging means 3 is receiving the infrared receiver present signal Q _2-1 from the infrared light receiving unit 2 proceeds to step 103, the infrared receiving no signal Q ₂ is operating state discrimination means 3 from the infrared light receiving unit 2 _{If -2} has been received, the process proceeds to step 104.

In step 103, the timer 6 is reset,
To stop the output of the danger signal Q _3. Then, the process returns to step 102.

In step 104, the timer 6 measures the duration T. Then, the process proceeds to step 105.

Step 105 In the duration T is determined whether or not exceeds the set time T _0. If the duration T is shorter than the set time T ₀ (T <T ₀ ), the process returns to step 104. If the duration T is longer than the set time T ₀ (T ≧ T ₀ ), the process proceeds to step 106.

Step danger signal Q ₃ in 106 output to the alarm output unit 4 and ends one cycle of operation state judgment processing.

The cycle of steps 101 to 106 is repeated while a main switch (not shown) is on.

Considering that the set time T ₀ is not to issue an alarm during a normal operation state, the time required for visually recognizing meters, mirrors, and the like, for example, a time longer than about 1 second and as short as possible. Needs to be selected, and about 2 seconds may be selected.

Second Embodiment (Refer to FIGS. 3 and 4) In the second embodiment, since the continuation of the abnormal driving state needs to be shortened as the traveling speed of the vehicle increases, the set time T ₀ is set to the actual vehicle. The feature is that the function T ₀ = f (V) of the speed V is changed, and the set time T ₀ is shortened as the actual vehicle speed V increases. Specifically, assuming that the inter-vehicle distance L to the preceding vehicle is the same, if the actual vehicle speed V increases, the spare time T _m required to avoid a collision with the preceding vehicle is obtained.
= L / V decreases. The set time T ₀ and the allowance time T _m have the relationship shown in FIG.

Here, the reaction time to take action to avoid danger from feeling danger driver Assuming T _d, the set time T ₀ becomes T ₀ = T _m -T _d. That is, when the actual vehicle speed V is reduced and the vehicle is almost in a running state, the margin time _Tm is increased and may be, for example, 5 seconds or more. However, the present invention is not limited to the case there is nothing other than the preceding vehicle on the road, because there is a possibility that the driver jumps out is pedestrian during the inattentive, the margin time T _m should be a shorter period of time. In addition, when looking aside for more than 2 seconds, the attention is often concentrated on the looking aside and the attention on the front is often neglected. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the set time T ₀ is set as shown in FIG.
Is set to a value of 2 seconds or less in anticipation of the safety factor.

The operation of the operating state determining means 3 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Steps 201 to 204 are the same as steps 101 to 104 of the first embodiment.

The step 205 the set time T ₀ is set to any value below 2 seconds, depending on the actual vehicle speed V. That is, the set time T ₀ = f
(V). Then, the process proceeds to step 206.

Steps 206 and 207 are the same as steps 105 and 106 of the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment (See FIGS. 5 and 6) This third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the distance L between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is L.
, An inter-vehicle distance sensor 7 that outputs an inter-vehicle signal according to the vehicle speed V and the inter-vehicle distance L
Is characterized in that the set time T ₀ = f (V, L) is set as a function of

The operation of the operating state determining means 3 of the third embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

Steps 301 to 304 are the same as steps 101 to 104 of the first embodiment.

In step 305, the set time T ₀ is set to the actual vehicle speed V and the following distance L.
Set according to. That is, the set time T ₀ = f (V, L). Then, the process proceeds to step 306.

Steps 306 and 307 are the same as steps 105 and 106 of the first embodiment.

Fourth Embodiment (7 see Fig.) The fourth embodiment is a function of a set operating state discrimination means 3 time T ₀ and the actual vehicle speed V and the inter-vehicle distance L and reaction time T _d, T ₀ = f
The feature is that it is set as (V, L, T _d ).

The operation of the operating state determining means 3 of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Steps 401 to 404 are the same as steps 101 to 104 of the first embodiment.

In step 404, the set time T ₀ is set to the actual vehicle speed V and the following distance L.
And the reaction time _Td , the vehicle speed becomes faster and the value becomes smaller as the inter-vehicle distance becomes shorter. That is, the set time T _d = f (V, L, T _d ). Then, the process proceeds to step 406.

Steps 406 and 407 are the same as steps 105 and 106 of the first embodiment.

Or more second, third, according to the fourth embodiment, the actual vehicle speed V, the headway distance L, since the setting of the set time T ₀ and the reaction time T _d or the like as one of control conditions (parameters) Thus, the driver is given an alarm based on more accurate driving state determination.

The reaction time _Td is generally about 0.6 seconds.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the operating state determining means 3
Supplying a danger signal Q ₃ of the alarm output unit 4, but was adapted to warn a driver, the present invention can also be of utilizing the danger signal Q ₃ to the speed control of the vehicle. In the above-described embodiments, an alarm is issued in any case. However, various alarming methods can be considered, such as, for example, slightly moving the angle of the seat back or operating a wiper.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, without performing image processing, whether or not the driver is driving in a normal posture is determined by the presence or absence of infrared light interlocking with the movement of the driver's head. The driving state as to whether the vehicle is driving in such an abnormal posture can be accurately determined, and the apparatus can be simplified as compared with the image processing, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an operating state determining means of the first embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the set time and the spare time according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operating state determining means of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example, FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the operating state determining means of the third embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operating state determining means of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... infrared irradiation means, 2 ... infrared reception means, 3 ...
Operating state determination means.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-305845 (JP, A) JP-A-60-158303 (JP, A) JP-A-59-140132 (JP, A) JP-A-55-99422 (JP) , A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 60-65129 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Infrared irradiating means mounted on a head including a driver's face and emitting infrared light; infrared light receiving means attached to a front part of a vehicle cabin and receiving infrared light emitted from the infrared irradiating means; A driving state detecting device, comprising: driving state determining means for determining a driving state of the driver based on whether infrared light is received from infrared light receiving means.