Driver Consciousness Detection Using Mobile Terminal Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current consciousness state determination systems for drivers in autonomous driving vehicles inaccurately assess driver consciousness when the driver is not facing forward, potentially mistaking inattentiveness for unconsciousness.
Innovation Solution
A consciousness state determination system that includes a first image-taking section on the vehicle, an electronic control unit, and a mobile terminal, which uses terminal-side information such as images and operation data to accurately determine driver consciousness, even when the driver is not facing forward, by executing a consciousness state determination process based on images taken by the mobile terminal when the reliability of the initial determination is low.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the camera takes images of the driver to determine consciousness, then the driver's eye state can be monitored, but the determination accuracy decreases when the driver is not facing forward
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal's image-taking section is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a general mobile device and a driver monitoring camera. The terminal can be positioned to capture driver images regardless of the driver's facing direction, making the system adaptable to various driver postures while maintaining consciousness determination accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile terminal serves as an intermediary device between the driver and the vehicle's consciousness determination system. By utilizing the terminal's camera and positioning it appropriately, the system can capture driver images from angles that accommodate non-forward-facing postures, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and posture adaptability.
2Ease of operation
If the driver operates the mobile terminal while autonomous driving is executed, then the driver can perform tasks, but the driver may be mistaken for unconscious
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its image-taking strategy based on the driver's actions. When the driver is operating the mobile terminal, the terminal's camera captures images from a position that accounts for the driver's downward gaze, allowing the system to distinguish between intentional eye closure for task performance and unintentional eye closure indicating unconsciousness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the mobile terminal's image-taking section to continuously monitor driver state. By analyzing images captured during terminal operation, the system can differentiate between driver actions (looking down at the terminal) and unconsciousness (eyes closed without purpose), thereby maintaining determination reliability while allowing ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If a single image-taking section is used in the vehicle, then the system structure is simple, but the determination reliability is low when driver facing direction varies
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile terminal's image-taking section is leveraged to provide additional monitoring capability without adding dedicated vehicle-mounted cameras. The terminal's camera serves the dual purpose of mobile device functionality and driver monitoring, effectively increasing system reliability while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile terminal, which the driver already possesses and uses, is utilized to perform the additional function of driver monitoring. This self-service approach allows the system to gain enhanced reliability through multiple image sources without requiring the vehicle to provide additional specialized equipment, thus maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A consciousness state determination system comprises a first image-taking section which is mounted on a vehicle and takes images of a driver of the vehicle, an electronic control unit which executes a consciousness state determination process of determining whether the driver is conscious, based on a first image corresponding to the image of the driver taken by the first image-taking section, and a mobile terminal carried by the driver. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether the driver is conscious, based on terminal-side information corresponding to information acquired by the mobile terminal when a predetermined condition that a reliability level of a determination result obtained from the consciousness state determination process is presumably low, becomes satisfied.