Vehicle Operation Control Device Driver State Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems struggle to accurately detect a driver's state during driving, particularly when the driver's hand position on the steering wheel changes, and fail to effectively restrict non-driving occupants' operations on in-vehicle devices during travel.
Innovation Solution
An operation control device that uses a camera to detect the driver's line of sight and hand state, determining whether the driver is engaged in driving operations, and an operation restrictor to control access to in-vehicle displays based on the vehicle's state and the driver's attention on the road, ensuring operations are restricted during travel unless the driver is actively driving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a contact sensor on the steering wheel is used to detect driver hand position, then it can detect when the driver is holding the steering wheel, but it fails to accurately detect driving state when the driver changes hand position or releases the wheel temporarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection methods (contact sensor on steering wheel, camera-based line-of-sight detection, and image-based hand state detection) into a unified driving state determination system. This integration allows the system to cross-validate signals and accurately determine driver state even when individual sensors provide ambiguous data, such as when the driver temporarily releases the wheel or changes hand position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an operation control device as an intermediary that receives and processes data from multiple sensors (contact sensor, camera, imaging device) before making the final determination about driver state and operation reception. This intermediary layer synthesizes information from different sources to resolve uncertainties in individual sensor readings.
2Ease of operation
If the vehicle allows operation input by occupants other than the driver during travel, then it improves usability and convenience, but it may compromise safety if the driver is not properly attending to the road
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of operation reception based on real-time driver state assessment. The system continuously monitors line-of-sight direction, hand state, and contact sensor signals, and dynamically adjusts whether operation input from occupants other than the driver is permitted. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maximize usability when the driver is attentive while ensuring safety when the driver's attention is compromised.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors (camera-based line-of-sight detection, imaging device for hand state, contact sensor) to continuously assess driver state and adjust operation reception permissions accordingly. The operation control device receives feedback about driver attention and hand position, and uses this feedback to make real-time decisions about allowing or restricting operation input from occupants other than the driver.
3Reliability
If the system restricts operation reception when the driver is not actively driving, then it ensures safety, but it may reduce convenience for legitimate operations during stopped or stable travel states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different operation reception policies based on the specific driving state context. When the vehicle is stopped or traveling stably with the driver's hand in a non-driving position, the system locally permits operation input from occupants other than the driver. When the vehicle is moving and the driver's hand returns to the steering wheel or line-of-sight indicates road attention, the system restricts operation reception. This localized quality control allows the system to be restrictive only when necessary for safety while maintaining convenience in appropriate contexts.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation control device includes a line-of-sight detector configured to detect a line of sight of a driver of a vehicle on the basis of an image of an interior of the vehicle captured by an imaging device provided in the vehicle, a hand state detector configured to detect a hand state of the driver on the basis of the image, a driving state determiner configured to determine whether the detected hand state is a first state in which it is estimated that a driving operation of the vehicle is being performed or a second state in which it is estimated that the driving operation is not being performed, a traveling state detector configured to detect a traveling state of the vehicle, and an operation restrictor configured to restrict reception of an operation on an operator including a display device arranged within the vehicle.