Driver Awareness Detection Using Visible Light Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driver monitoring systems using video imaging and infrared illumination are expensive, impractical for vehicle setup, and ineffective in variable lighting conditions, often making erroneous eye state discrimination due to eyelash contrast and iris darkness variations, especially in bright sunny conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing an imaging device and awareness processor to classify head pose and monitor eye movement over multiple images, determining awareness states as distracted or non-distracted, without the need for specific infrared setups, using a non-intrusive imaging device mounted in the vehicle and an IR light source for illumination, enabling accurate awareness detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If infrared illumination and visible light filters are used to control scene brightness levels, then eye state discrimination can be performed, but the system becomes expensive and impractical for vehicle setup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex infrared illumination system and visible light filters from the eye monitoring system. Instead, it uses a standard visible light camera to capture images, processing only the eye region of interest through software algorithms to determine eye state, thereby eliminating the need for expensive and complex optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, specialized infrared equipment with inexpensive, commercially available visible light cameras and image processing software. This substitution uses low-cost components that can be easily integrated into vehicles without requiring complex setup or calibration.
2Measurement precision
If infrared illuminators are specifically positioned on and off the optical camera axis, then eye state detection can be performed, but the system setup becomes impractical and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the requirement for specific infrared illuminator positioning by eliminating the infrared illumination system entirely. The solution uses standard visible light imaging with software-based eye region processing, which does not require any special lighting setup or precise optical alignment.
3Measurement precision
If prior known driver eye monitoring systems are used, then eye state discrimination can be performed, but they make erroneous decisions due to variations in eyelash contrast and eye iris darkness levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality processing by focusing computational analysis specifically on the eye region of interest within each image. Instead of analyzing the entire image or relying on global lighting conditions, the system extracts and processes only the eye area using software algorithms that are insensitive to variations in eyelash contrast and iris darkness, thereby improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing approach from relying on physical optical properties (infrared reflection, eyelash contrast, iris darkness) to using computational image analysis parameters. The software-based method analyzes eye state through digital image processing techniques that are not affected by variations in biological characteristics like eyelash contrast or iris darkness levels.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system accurately determines driver awareness by fusing head positioning and eye movement analysis, improving detection accuracy and reducing errors in variable lighting conditions without the need for complex infrared setups, thus enhancing vehicle safety features.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging device positioned to obtain a plurality of images of at least a portion of a subject's head
Implementation Method 2
an IR light source for illumination
Data Source
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AI summary
An awareness detection system (10) and method (100) that includes an imaging device (16) positioned to obtain a plurality of images of at least a portion of a subject's (18) head, and an awareness processor (28) in communication with the imaging device (16), wherein the awareness processor (28) receives the plurality of images from the imaging device (16). The awareness processor (28) performs the steps including classifying at least one image (106) of the plurality of images based upon at least a portion of the subject's (18) head, monitoring movement of at least one eye (112) of the subject (18) if the at least one image is classified as a predetermined classification, and determining an awareness state (114) of the subject (18) based upon the monitored movement of the at least one eye.