Vehicle Touch Screen Eyeline Detection Safety Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
As electronic devices in vehicles become increasingly multifunctional, they can distract drivers, increasing the risk of accidents since the driver's line of sight is often diverted from the front, leading to a higher accident rate.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a touch screen that includes a camera to detect the driver's eyeline and control functions based on whether their gaze is within a preset range, restricting input or modifying screen information to ensure the driver's attention is focused on the road by limiting or removing touch screen interactions when their eyeline is not on the front.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the electronic device provides multifunctional features with a touch screen, then the device functionality and information access are improved, but the driver's safety deteriorates due to diverted attention and increased accident risk
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen transitions from a static always-on interface to a dynamic interface that adapts its state based on real-time driver monitoring. The controller dynamically adjusts between full functionality mode and restricted mode based on detected eyeline position, making the system responsive to driver state while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where the camera continuously monitors the driver's eyeline, the controller processes this information to determine attention status, and the touch screen responds accordingly by either providing full functionality or restricting input. This feedback loop ensures the system adapts to maintain driver safety while preserving usability when appropriate.
2Ease of operation
If the touch screen remains always accessible, then the ease of operation is improved, but the driver's attention is diverted from the road, worsening driving safety
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen accessibility transitions from a static always-accessible state to a dynamic state that adjusts based on driver attention. When the driver's eyeline is detected within the preset range (looking at the road), full touch screen functionality is available. When the eyeline moves outside this range (driver not looking at road), the system dynamically restricts input functionality while maintaining display output, creating a time-dependent accessibility model that prioritizes safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the touch screen based on detected driver state. Specifically, it modifies the input acceptance parameter - when the driver's eyeline is outside the preset range for more than a predetermined time, the controller restricts input functionality. This parameter change allows the system to maintain ease of operation when safe while preventing distraction when unsafe.
3Reliability
If the system restricts touch screen input when the driver's eyeline is out of range, then driving safety is improved, but the device versatility and user access to functions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the touch screen functionality into two distinct modes: full functionality mode when the driver's eyeline is within the preset range, and restricted mode when it is outside the range for more than a predetermined time. This segmentation allows the system to provide appropriate functionality levels based on safety conditions, maintaining versatility when safe while ensuring safety when the driver is distracted.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic monitoring of the driver's eyeline position and applies restricted functionality only after the eyeline has been out of range for more than a predetermined time period. This time-based threshold prevents premature restriction during brief glances and ensures that functionality is restored when the driver returns attention to the road, maintaining a balance between safety and accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device provided in a vehicle and including a touch screen; a first camera configured to capture an image of a driver of the vehicle; and a controller configured to restrict a touch input function with respect to the touch screen in response to an eyeline of the driver included in the image being out of a preset driving range for more than a predetermined time.