RU2563924C1 - Device for control over driver vigilance - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to automotive safety means. Claimed device comprises audio signalling device, safety system, capacitive transducer connected with contact determination unit in series with data processing unit. Note data processing unit is connected in parallel with audio signalling unit, safety system and unit for interaction with brake system. Capacitive transducer consists of two capacitors. Note here that first transducer is composed of external conducting surface and diver hand. Note that second capacitor is composed of internal and external conducting surfaces separated by dielectric.

EFFECT: accelerated driver response to change in driving conditions, higher safety.

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Description

The invention relates to means for ensuring the safe operation of vehicles (TS), and in particular to devices for preventing the driver from falling asleep while driving. The invention provides an increased degree of safety and driver convenience by using a more advanced method of indicating falling asleep.

The well-known "Automatic system for preventing accidents due to falling asleep of the driver behind the wheel" / 1 /, containing an annular peripheral switch located under the lower surface of the steering wheel and equipped with means to maintain the switch in the most remote position from the steering wheel. The switch is connected to an electric circuit, including light and sound alarms, as well as a time relay, which, in the absence of a falling asleep driver reacting to signals, causes the ignition to turn off, fuel supply and vehicle braking (PCT application (WO) 9622896, MKI 6 B60K 17/00, publ. 08/01/96, ISM Bulletin 14.1997, issue 29).

The disadvantages of the invention include:

- a large length of time from the moment of the onset of the sleepy state of the vehicle driver to the moment the hands are removed from the steering wheel, which causes a slowdown in the alarm, causing the driver to wake up;

- a large inertia of the system due to the long time from the moment of sleep until actuation;

- low efficiency of use due to the low information content of the sensor;

- low system reliability due to the use of a contact type sensor.

Closest to the proposed technical solution is the "Device for monitoring the wakefulness of the driver of the vehicle" / 2 /, containing a ring pressure sensor and wake-up system located on the steering wheel, as well as sound alarms, safety system and vehicle control controller. An annular pressure sensor is arranged to interact with the pads of the extreme phalanges of the fingers of the driver’s hand, while the annular pressure sensor is connected to the vehicle control controller using an electronic circuit containing an anti-jamming unit, a threshold device, an awakening system, and a signal matching unit (RF patent 2214931, IPC 7 B60K 28/06, published on July 11, 2009). The disadvantages of this device are:

- increased fatigue of the driver of the vehicle due to the need to constantly hold the ring sensor in the clamped position, which can increase the driver’s reaction time to a changing situation during movement;

- high inertia of the device due to the presence of a contact sensor to determine only the compression of the steering wheel of the vehicle, which reduces the accuracy of determining the moment of falling asleep during movement;

- low efficiency of the device due to the lack of response of the contact type sensor in case of violation of the conductivity of the contact pair, which can reduce its reliability.

The technical result, the solution of which the invention is directed, is to reduce the driver’s reaction time to a changing situation, improving the accuracy of determining the moment of falling asleep during movement and the reliability of the device.

The technical result achieved is achieved by the fact that the device is additionally equipped with a capacitive sensor consisting of two capacitors, the first capacitor is formed by the external conductive surface and the driver’s hand, and the second capacitor is formed by the internal and external conductive surfaces separated by a dielectric, and connected in series with the touch detection unit, with a data processing unit, wherein the data processing unit is connected in parallel with an audible warning device, a safety security system, Locke interaction with the braking system.

This makes it possible not only to determine the presence of retention (compression) of the steering wheel, but also to evaluate the strength of this retention (compression), to determine the presence of touch and to evaluate the area of touch, thereby most accurately determine the moment of falling asleep of the vehicle driver.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, where figure 1 shows a structural diagram of a device for monitoring the state of wakefulness of a vehicle driver, and figure 2 is a structural diagram of a capacitive sensor.

The device comprises a capacitive sensor 1 and a touch detection unit 2 located on the steering wheel and connected by radio communication to the data processing unit 3, an audible warning device 4 and a safety security system 5, in turn located on the vehicle instrument panel and connected to the brake interaction unit system 6 located on the brake pedal.

Capacitive sensor 1 is a first capacitor formed by an external conductive surface 7 and a driver’s hand, and a second capacitor formed by an internal 8 and external 7 conductive surfaces separated by a dielectric 9.

The device operates as follows.

When the driver’s hand touches the steering wheel, the capacity of the first capacitor increases, then it is measured using the touch detection unit 2, and the corresponding readings are sent to the data processing unit 3. Thus, it is possible to determine the contact surface area of the hands with the steering wheel for statistical analysis and increase the accuracy of determining the moment of falling asleep during movement.

When the driver compresses the steering wheel, the dielectric 9 deforms, the inner 8 and outer 7 conductive surfaces come together, and the capacity of the second capacitor increases. Also, the capacitance of the second capacitor is measured using the touch detection unit 2, and the corresponding readings are sent to the data processing unit 3.

When the vehicle driver falls asleep from the data processing unit 3, a signal is sent to the sound annunciators 4, if the driver does not react to them and interacts with the safety system 5, the interaction unit with the brake system 6 is launched to stop the vehicle.

Thus, the proposed device for monitoring the wakefulness of the vehicle driver can reduce vehicle driver fatigue, reduce inertia and increase the efficiency of the device due to the additional supply of a capacitive sensor consisting of two capacitors, the first capacitor is formed by an external conductive surface and the driver’s hand, and the second the capacitor is formed by internal and external conductive surfaces separated by a dielectric, and sequentially connected with the block is determined contact with the data processing unit, while the data processing unit is connected in parallel with an audible warning device, a safety security system, and an interaction unit with a brake system.

Information sources

1. Application PCT (WO) 9622896, MKI 6 B60K 17/00, publ. 08/01/96, ISM bull. 14, 1997, issue 29.

2. RF patent 2214931, IPC 7 B60K 28/06, publ. July 11, 2009

Claims (1)

The device for monitoring the wakefulness of the driver of the vehicle, containing sound alarms, a safety system, characterized in that the device is additionally equipped with a capacitive sensor consisting of two capacitors, the first capacitor is formed by an external conductive surface and the driver’s hand, and the second capacitor is formed by internal and external conductive surfaces separated by a dielectric and connected in series with a touch detection unit, with a data processing unit while the data processing unit is connected in parallel with an audible warning device, a safety safety system and an interaction unit with a brake system.

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