Driver Attention Warning Logic for Autonomous Lane Changes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing driving assistance systems face challenges in determining whether a warning is necessary, often issuing unnecessary warnings by detecting the driver's visual observation using vehicle exterior and in-vehicle cameras, particularly when the driver's orientation is not directly forward during lane changes.

Innovation Solution

A driving assistance method and system that acquires driver state information during autonomous driving, issuing warnings only when the driver is not facing forward, and prohibiting warnings during lane changes by determining the driver's orientation relative to the intended lane change direction, using a controller to manage alerts and reduce unnecessary notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system issues warnings when the driver is not facing forward based on face or eye orientation detection, then driver attention can be monitored, but unnecessary warnings are issued during lane changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewarning accuracyVSAvoidunnecessary warnings
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the warning criteria based on the autonomous driving mode. When lane change is activated, the system temporarily modifies the forward-facing detection parameters to accommodate the driver's natural head orientation toward the side mirror, preventing false warnings during this specific operational state

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the evaluation parameters for driver orientation based on the current driving mode. During lane changes, the acceptable angular range for driver face orientation is expanded to include side-facing directions, while maintaining strict forward-facing requirements during normal cruising

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the system uses simple face orientation detection to determine driver attention, then the detection method is simple, but the precision of determining actual visual observation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection method complexityVSAvoidvisual observation detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The in-vehicle camera serves multiple functions: it detects face orientation for attention monitoring, tracks eye position for visual observation verification, and monitors overall driver behavior patterns, eliminating the need for separate detection systems for each function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4287161A1Driving assistance method and driving assistance system
Publication Date: 2023.12.06 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
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AI summary

Provided is a driving assistance method of, by a controller, acquiring state information of a driver during travelling of autonomous driving and issuing a warning to the driver when the controller determines that the driver is not facing forward based on the state information of the driver. In the driving assistance method, a warning is prohibited when the driver is facing a lane change direction during the travelling of autonomous driving.