System and method to monitor and reduce vehicle operator impairment

US8981942B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company · US

Inventors

• Jibo He · Champaign, US
• Brian Mark Fields · Phoenix, US
• Steve Roberson · Normal, US
• Steve Cielocha · Bloomington, US
• Jufeng Peng · Avon, US
• Julian Coltea · Hinsdale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 2012
• Grant date: Mar 17, 2015
• Expiry date: Dec 17, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07C5/008
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitates monitoring a vehicle operator, the environment ahead of the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle during the course of vehicle operation to determine whether the vehicle operator is impaired (e.g., distracted, drowsy, intoxicated), alerting the vehicle operator when impairment is detected, and log data relating to vehicle operator impairment for further analysis. The method, system, and computer-readable medium may monitor the vehicle operator, the environment ahead of the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle using either or both of optical sensors or accelerometers. In particular, one optical sensor may monitor the vehicle operator to detect eye blinks, head nods, head rotations, and/or gaze fixation. Another optical sensor may monitor the road ahead of the vehicle to detect lane deviation, lane centering, and time to collision. The accelerometers may detect acceleration in the direction of vehicle travel and/or lateral acceleration.