JP5228970B2 - Dozing prevention device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a snoozing prevention device that awakens a driver and prevents snoozing.

  As a device of this type, when a sleepiness signal indicating that the driver's sleepiness is above a predetermined level is input from the sleepiness detection device, the driver from the music distribution server based on the search information stored in the storage device Music data that is not recorded on the recording medium is acquired, and the control unit controls the test data to be played back by the music playback unit (for example, patents) Reference 1).

JP 2008-210163 A

  However, the device described in Patent Document 1 is configured to awaken the driver by playing music data uniformly regardless of the degree of sleepiness of the driver. In this way, in a configuration that uniformly awakens the driver regardless of the degree of sleepiness of the driver, sufficient awakening is not performed for the driver to be awakened by a strong stimulus with a high sleepiness level, Although the driver's drowsiness level is low and arousal due to a strong stimulus is not desired, a strong awakening is performed, causing problems such as making the driver feel bothered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to wake a driver more comfortably.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a dozing prevention apparatus that awakens a driver and prevents dozing, and an information acquisition unit that acquires information for detecting the drowsiness of the driver; The sleepiness level specifying means for estimating the sleepiness level of the driver based on the information for detecting the sleepiness of the driver, and identifying the sleepiness level indicating the degree of sleepiness of the driver; In order to awaken the driver, awakening means that can give the driver a stimulus with different types and different strengths, and the greater the sleepiness level specified by the sleepiness level specifying means, the stronger the degree of awakening the driver And awakening control means for controlling the awakening means.

  According to such a configuration, in order to awaken the driver, the degree of awakening as the driver's drowsiness level increases by using awakening means that can give the driver a stimulus with different types and different strengths. Since the driver is stimulated to become stronger, the driver can be awakened more comfortably.

Further, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the awakening control means includes a single awakening control means for controlling the awakening means so as to give the driver a stimulus with a strength corresponding to the sleepiness level of the driver, After the control by the wakefulness control means is performed, continuous wakefulness control means for controlling the wakefulness means so as to continuously stimulate the driver with the strength according to the sleepiness level specified again by the sleepiness level specifying means , It is characterized by having.

According to such a configuration, after the driver is stimulated with a strength corresponding to the driver's sleepiness, the driver is continuously stimulated with the strength according to the driver's sleepiness. The driver can be gradually awakened. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the switching from the control by the single awakening control means to the control by the continuous awakening control means is based on the number of times that the sleepiness degree specified by the sleepiness degree specifying means is greater than a predetermined value. It is characterized by being performed.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 3, when the awakening means is controlled by the awakening control means, a warning display is displayed indicating that the operation is performed to wake up the driver. It can be easily recognized.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the awakening means includes a deceleration instructing means for sending a signal instructing deceleration of the vehicle to the traveling control means for controlling the traveling of the mounted vehicle. When a signal for instructing deceleration of the vehicle is transmitted, the vehicle is instructed to turn on the brake lamp in conjunction with the timing of deceleration of the vehicle according to the signal.

  According to such a configuration, when a signal instructing deceleration of the vehicle is transmitted, the vehicle is instructed to light the brake lamp in conjunction with the timing of deceleration of the vehicle according to the signal. The brake lamp of the vehicle can be turned on in conjunction with the timing at which the vehicle decelerates.

The invention according to claim 5 is provided with a determination means for determining whether or not to continuously give a stimulus to the driver, and the sleepiness level specifying means is based on the facial expression of the driver. The determination means is for making the determination based on the driver's arousal maintenance behavior rather than the driver's facial expression, and the driver's arousal maintenance behavior is If it is determined by the determination means that the driver is continuously given a stimulus, the driver is stopped .

It is a figure which shows the structure of the dozing prevention apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the reference | standard of a sleepiness degree. It is a figure for demonstrating the kind of irritation | stimulation implemented by the dozing prevention apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the icon which pays attention to sleepiness. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a control apparatus.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a dozing prevention apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The snooze prevention device 1 includes a vehicle interior camera 10 a, a front camera 10 b, a lighting device 11, a display device 12, a speaker 13, a pseudo vibration generator 14, a seat belt retractor 15, and a controller 16. The control device 16 is connected to a travel control device 20 that performs vehicle travel control, a vehicle air conditioning device 21 that performs air conditioning control, and a navigation device 22.

  The vehicle interior camera 10a is for recognizing the facial expression of the driver of the vehicle, and sends a captured image of the driver's face to the control device 16. The front camera 10b is for recognizing an image of a white line drawn on the road surface in front of the vehicle, and sends a captured image of the road surface in front of the vehicle to the control device 16.

  The illuminating device 11 includes a light emitting unit 11a for illuminating the driver's face and a light projection control circuit 11b for controlling one current flowing through the light emitting unit 13a.

  The display device 12 includes a navigation monitor provided as a display unit of the navigation device and an indicator (none of which is shown) provided in the meter. The indicator directs light containing many wavelengths of 400 to 570 nanometers (nm), which is said to have an effect of suppressing melatonin, which is known as a hormone secreted in the human brain and induces sleepiness, to the driver's face. A light emitting element for irradiation is included.

  The speaker 13 outputs a sound corresponding to the sound signal input from the control device 16.

  The pseudo-vibration generator 14 simulates vibrations and vibration sounds generated by the vehicle when the wheels travel on so-called rumble strips in which wavy uneven portions are provided on the road surface in order to prevent a vehicle from departing from the road surface. Is generated. The pseudo vibration generator 14 in the present embodiment includes a right vibration motor that artificially generates vibration and vibration sound generated on the right side of the vehicle when a wheel travels on a rumble strip formed on the right side of the road surface, A left-side vibration motor (not shown) is provided that artificially generates vibration and vibration sound generated on the left side of the vehicle when the wheel travels on the rumble strips formed on the left side of the road surface. The pseudo-vibration generator 14 separately drives a right vibration motor embedded on the right side under the driver seat seat surface and a left vibration motor embedded on the left side of the driver seat seat surface to thereby move the left and right sides of the seat. It is possible to vibrate separately.

  The seat belt retractor 15 is a device that includes a motor (not shown) for retracting the seat belt of the driver's seat and drives the motor to wind the seat belt of the driver's seat. The seat belt retractor 15 can change the torque of the motor in accordance with a signal from the control device 16 to adjust the retractable strength of the seat belt in the driver's seat step by step.

  The travel control device 20 includes an engine ECU that performs engine control and a brake ECU that performs lighting control of a brake lamp and the like. If the pulse signal which instruct | indicates deceleration is input from the control apparatus 16, the traveling control apparatus 20 in this embodiment will act | operate the brake of a vehicle instantaneously according to the said signal.

  The vehicle air conditioner 21 performs atmospheric air conditioning by blowing air from an air conditioner outlet. The vehicle air conditioner 21 in the present embodiment includes a seat ventilator that can blow air from the seat seat surface of the driver's seat or the seat back.

  The navigation device 22 uses a position detector such as a GPS receiver to identify the vehicle position and displays a map display function for displaying the vehicle position mark on a map around the vehicle position, or from the departure point to the destination. It has a function of searching for a guidance route to reach and performing travel guidance according to this guidance route.

  The control device 16 is configured as a computer including a CPU, a memory, an I / O, and the like, and the CPU performs various processes according to a program stored in the memory. An illuminance sensor (not shown) for detecting the illuminance around the vehicle is connected to the control device 16.

  As processing of the control device 16, sleepiness level specifying processing for performing image recognition processing on the driver's captured image input from the vehicle interior camera 10 a and specifying the sleepiness level indicating the degree of the driver's sleepiness, forward A white line detection process for recognizing a white line drawn on the road surface in front of the vehicle by performing an image recognition process on a photographed image in front of the vehicle input from the camera 10b, and an illuminance around the vehicle based on a signal input from the illuminance sensor. There is an illumination control process for determining and performing automatic lighting control of the illumination device 11 according to the determination result.

  It should be noted that the above-described process for specifying the sleepiness level is performed by a well-known technique (for example, “Examination of the possibility of sleepiness detection using facial expression features” of the 19th Annual Meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan. , October 19, 2007, “A Study on Factors Representing Characteristics of Drowsiness Expression Based on Observation Analysis of Facial Expression” of the Autumn Meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan (refer to 200075647 etc.).

  FIG. 2 shows the standard of sleepiness created by the “Labor Science Institute”. The control device 16 according to the present embodiment specifies the driver's sleepiness level in the range of 0 to 5 in accordance with the sleepiness level standard shown in this figure. The sleepiness level is not always an integer.

  The snooze prevention device 1 performs a process of stimulating the driver with different types and different strengths so that the degree of sleepiness of the driver increases and the degree of awakening of the driver increases.

  In FIG. 3, the kind of irritation | stimulation implemented by this dozing prevention apparatus 1 is shown. As shown in the figure, the stimulation performed by the snoozing prevention apparatus 1 includes the intensity of stimulation such as “slight perceptual stimulation”, “weak stimulation”, “strong stimulation”, “single stimulation”, “continuous stimulation”. It is classified. The stimulus given to the driver becomes stronger in the order of “slight perceptual stimulus”, “weak stimulus”, and “strong stimulus”. In addition, “single stimulus” is a stimulus that feels annoying if it lasts for more than a few seconds, such as an auditory stimulus or a tactile stimulus, and “continuous stimulus” is a stimulus that does not feel annoying even if it lasts for several seconds to several minutes. It has become.

  “Navi voice guidance” indicates that the navigation apparatus 22 performs voice guidance for awakening the driver instead of the original voice guidance accompanying the route guidance of the navigation apparatus 22. Examples of voice guidance include “Near A town” or “Long time driving difficulties”.

  The “weak sound / display” causes a warning sound (buzzer sound, melody, etc.) having a relatively low volume to be output from the speaker 13 and an icon I for drowsiness warning as shown in FIG. “Strong sound / display” indicates that a warning sound (buzzer sound, melody, etc.) having a relatively large volume is output from the speaker 13 and that the icon I for drowsiness is blinked. Warning display on the monitor.

  The “weak pseudo-rumble strip” indicates that a relatively weak vibration is generated by the pseudo vibration generator 14, and the “strong pseudo rumble strip” is a relatively strong vibration generated by the pseudo vibration generator 14. It shows that it is generated.

  “Weak seat belt stimulation” indicates that the seat belt retractor 15 causes the driver's seat belt to be temporarily retracted relatively weakly. “Strong seat belt stimulation” This shows that the winding device 15 is relatively strong in temporarily winding the seat belt of the driver's seat.

  “Weak deceleration G stimulus” indicates that a strong deceleration command is output to the travel control device 20 to relatively weakly temporarily activate the brake, and “weak deceleration G stimulus” It shows that the brake is actuated relatively strongly by outputting a signal instructing the controller 20 to perform strong deceleration. When the control device 16 sends a signal for instructing deceleration of the vehicle to the travel control device 20, the control device 16 travels a signal for instructing lighting of the brake lamp of the vehicle in conjunction with the timing of deceleration of the vehicle according to this signal. It is sent to the control device 20.

  “Indicator lighting” indicates that an indicator provided in the meter is lit.

  “Seat ventilator” indicates that the air is sent from the seat ventilator of the vehicle air conditioner 21, and “seat ventilator + atmosphere air conditioner” is the vehicle air conditioner together with the air blown from the seat ventilator of the vehicle air conditioner 21. It shows that the apparatus 21 performs atmospheric air conditioning by blowing air from the air conditioner outlet. In the present embodiment, the driver is given a feeling different from that of normal air blowing by repeating the on / off operation of the air blowing or the swing operation.

  As described above, the snoozing prevention device 1 can generate various stimuli such as hearing, vision, and touch with different strengths.

  The control device 16 in the present embodiment performs a process of giving a stimulus to the driver so that the stimulus given to the driver becomes stronger as the driver's sleepiness is higher.

  Next, this process will be described with reference to FIG. The snooze prevention apparatus 1 is activated when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on, and the control apparatus 16 starts the drowsiness level specifying process, the white line detection process, the lighting control process, and the like described above, and periodically performs the process shown in FIG. To implement.

  First, the sleepiness level is specified (S100). This sleepiness level is specified by the sleepiness level specifying process.

  In S102, S104, and S120, the magnitude of the driver's sleepiness is determined. That is, in S102, it is determined whether or not the driver's sleepiness is 2 or less. In S104, it is determined whether or not the driver's sleepiness is greater than 2 and 3 or less. It is determined whether the sleepiness level of the person is greater than 3 and 4 or less.

  Here, when the driver's sleepiness level is low and the sleepiness level is 2 or less, the determination in S102 is YES, and the process ends. Therefore, no stimulus is given to the driver.

  If the driver's sleepiness level is greater than 2 and less than or equal to 3, the determination in S104 is YES, and then it is determined whether or not the number of determinations is greater than or equal to a threshold (for example, 2 times) (S106). . The number of determinations is the number of determinations in S106.

  Here, when the number of determinations is less than the threshold value, the determination in S106 is NO, and then a warning is displayed that the operation is performed to wake the driver (S108). Specifically, an icon I for drowsiness shown in FIG. 4 is displayed as a warning on the navigation monitor.

  Next, a slight perceptual stimulus is generated (S110). Specifically, a stimulus by “navigation voice guidance” corresponding to the slight perceptual stimulus and the single stimulus shown in FIG. 3 is generated.

  Then, the process shown in FIG. 5 is performed again. Here, when the driver's sleepiness level is greater than 2 and less than or equal to 3 and the number of determinations in S106 is greater than or equal to a threshold (for example, 2 times), the determination in S106 is YES, and then the driver A warning is displayed that the operation is performed to wake up the user (S112). Specifically, a warning is displayed on the navigation monitor so as to blink the icon I for drowsiness shown in FIG.

  Next, a subtle continuous stimulus is generated (S114). Specifically, a stimulus by “indicator lighting” corresponding to the slightly perceptual stimulus and the continuous stimulus shown in FIG. 3 is generated. Thereby, the light which contains many wavelengths of 400-570 nanometer (nm) is irradiated toward a driver | operator's face from an indicator.

  Next, it is determined whether or not there is an awakening maintenance action by the driver (S116). Awakening maintenance actions include yawning, sighing, re-sitting, stretching exercises, eating and drinking, speech, corrective steering, and window opening. Yawning, sighing, re-sitting, stretching exercises, eating and drinking, and speech can be detected by image recognition, and correction steering can be detected using a steering angle sensor or the like.

  Here, if there is an awakening maintenance action by some driver, the determination in S116 is YES, the alarm display and continuous stimulation are stopped (S118), and this process is terminated. If there is no awakening maintenance action by the driver, the determination in S116 is NO, and the present process is terminated without stopping the alarm display and the continuous stimulation.

  If the driver's sleepiness level is greater than 3 and less than or equal to 4, the determination in S120 is YES, and then it is determined whether or not the number of determinations is greater than or equal to a threshold value (for example, 2 times) (S122).

  If the number of times of determination is less than the threshold value, the determination in S122 is NO, a warning display similar to S108 is performed (S124), and then a weak single stimulus is generated (S126). Specifically, the “weak sound / display”, “weak random strip”, “weak seat belt stimulus”, and “weak deceleration G stimulus” corresponding to the weak stimulus and single stimulus shown in FIG. Activate either one.

  Then, the process shown in FIG. 5 is performed again. Here, if the driver's sleepiness is greater than 3 and less than or equal to 4 and the number of determinations in S106 is greater than or equal to a threshold value (for example, 2 times), the determination in S122 is YES and the same warning as in S112 Display is performed (S128), and then a weak continuous stimulus is generated (S130). Specifically, stimulation by “weak sound / display” and “seat ventilator” corresponding to the weak stimulation and single stimulation shown in FIG. 3 is performed.

  Next, as in S116, it is determined whether or not there is an awakening maintenance action by the driver (S132).

  Here, if there is an awakening maintenance action by some driver, the determination in S132 is YES, the alarm display and the continuous stimulation are stopped (S134), and this process is terminated. If there is no awakening maintenance action by the driver, the determination in S134 is NO, and the present process is terminated without stopping the alarm display and the continuous stimulation.

  If the driver's sleepiness level is greater than 4, the determination in S120 is NO, and then it is determined whether the number of determinations is greater than or equal to a threshold (for example, 2 times) (S136).

  If the number of determinations is less than the threshold, the determination in S136 is NO, a warning display similar to S108 is performed (S138), and then a strong single stimulus is generated (S140). Specifically, the “strong sound / display”, “strong random strip”, “strong seat belt stimulation”, and “strong deceleration G stimulation” corresponding to the strong stimulation and single stimulation shown in FIG. Activate either one.

  Then, the process shown in FIG. 5 is performed again. If the driver's drowsiness level continues to be greater than 4 and the number of determinations in S106 is greater than or equal to a threshold value (for example, 2 times), the determination in S136 is YES and the same warning display as in S112 is performed. (S142) Next, a stronger continuous stimulus is generated (S144). Specifically, stimulation by “seat ventilator + atmosphere air conditioning” corresponding to the strong stimulation and single stimulation shown in FIG. 3 is performed.

  Next, similarly to S116, it is determined whether or not there is an awakening maintenance action by the driver (S146).

  Here, if there is an awakening maintenance action by some driver, the determination in S146 is YES, the alarm display and continuous stimulation are stopped (S148), and this process is terminated. If there is no awakening maintenance action by the driver, the determination in S146 is NO, and the present process is terminated without stopping the alarm display and the continuous stimulation.

  According to the configuration described above, sleepiness indicating the degree of strength of the driver's sleepiness is estimated by estimating the strength of the driver's sleepiness based on the photographed image of the driver's face photographed by the vehicle interior camera 10a. The devices 12 to 15, 20 to 20, each of which can give a stimulus to a driver with different types and different strengths, so that the degree of sleepiness of the driver increases as the driver's sleepiness level increases. 22 is controlled, the driver is stimulated so that the degree of awakening increases as the driver's sleepiness increases, and the driver can be awakened more comfortably.

  In addition, after stimulating the driver with a strength corresponding to the driver's sleepiness, the driver is continuously stimulated with the strength according to the driver's sleepiness, Can be gradually awakened.

  Further, when the operation is performed to wake up, a warning is displayed that the operation is performed to wake up the driver. Therefore, the driver can easily recognize that the operation is performed to wake up the driver.

  In addition, when a signal for instructing deceleration of the vehicle is sent, it is instructed to turn on the brake lamp of the vehicle in conjunction with the timing at which the vehicle decelerates according to the signal. Thus, the brake lamp of the vehicle can be turned on.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Based on the meaning of this invention, it can implement with a various form.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the driver is awakened by the various stimuli illustrated in FIG. 3 is not limited to the various stimuli illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, a vibration motor that vibrates a steering wheel or an accelerator pedal may be provided, and the vibration motor may be rotated to vibrate the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal to wake up the driver. In addition, when it is determined that the vehicle window is open using a window opening sensor or the like, the driver may be awakened using another method instead of stimulation by the seat ventilator. In addition, when it is determined using an acceleration sensor or the like that the vehicle is traveling on a road with large vibrations, the driver may be awakened using another method instead of the pseudo rumble strip.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment showed the structure which performs the image recognition process to the image of the driver | operator's face image | photographed with the camera 10a which image | photographs opening of a driver | operator, and estimates the driver | operator's sleepiness intensity degree. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, measurement is performed using biological information such as a heartbeat, a pulse, and a breathing pattern of the driver using various sensors, and the driver's sleepiness is strengthened from the measured biological information. You may comprise so that the degree of thickness may be estimated. Further, the degree of sleepiness of the driver may be estimated by combining vehicle signals such as a steering angle signal input from a steering angle sensor of the vehicle and biological information.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, when it was determined that there is an awakening maintenance action by the driver, the configuration in which the alarm display and the continuous stimulus are stopped is shown. For example, when it is determined that the continuous stimulus is continued for a certain period of time The alarm display and continuous stimulation may be stopped.

  The correspondence relationship between the configuration of the above embodiment and the configuration of the claims will be described. The vehicle interior camera 10a and a sensor for measuring biological information correspond to information acquisition means, and the drowsiness level specification by the control device 16 is specified. The processing corresponds to sleepiness level specifying means, the various stimuli shown in FIG. 3 correspond to wakefulness means, S110, S114, S126, S130, S140, and S144 correspond to wakefulness control means, and S110, S126, and S140 include S114, S130, and S144 correspond to the continuous awakening control means, S108, S112, S124, S128, S138, and S142 correspond to the warning display means, and the control device 16 performs “deceleration G stimulation”. The function of outputting a signal for instructing deceleration to the traveling control device 20 corresponds to the deceleration instruction means, and the pseudo vibration generating device 14 Right vibration motor corresponds to the right vibration generating means, the left side vibration motor pseudo vibration generator 14 corresponds to the left side vibration generating means, a pseudo vibration generator 14 corresponds to a pseudo vibration generating means.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Dozing prevention apparatus 10a Car interior camera 10b Front camera 11 Illumination apparatus 12 Display apparatus 13 Speaker 14 Pseudo-vibration generator 15 Seatbelt winding apparatus 16 Control apparatus 20 Travel control apparatus 21 Vehicle air conditioner 22 Navigation apparatus

Claims (5)

A dozing prevention device that awakens a driver and prevents falling asleep,
Information acquisition means for acquiring information for detecting driver drowsiness;
Based on the information for detecting the driver's sleepiness, the degree of sleepiness of the driver is estimated, and sleepiness level specifying means for specifying the sleepiness level indicating the degree of sleepiness of the driver,
Awakening means capable of stimulating the driver with different types and different strengths to wake the driver;
Waking control means for controlling the waking means so that the degree of waking up the driver becomes stronger as the sleepiness degree specified by the drowsiness level specifying means increases ,
The awakening control means includes
A single awakening control means for controlling the awakening means so as to give a single stimulus to the driver at a strength according to the sleepiness level specified by the sleepiness level specifying means;
After the control by the single alertness control means is performed, the alerting means is continuously controlled so as to continuously stimulate the driver with the strength according to the sleepiness level specified again by the sleepiness level specifying means. And a wakefulness control means . Switching from the control by the single awakening control means to the control by the continuous awakening control means is performed based on the number of determinations that the sleepiness level specified by the sleepiness level specification means is greater than a predetermined value. The dozing prevention apparatus according to claim 1. The dozing prevention device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising warning display means for displaying a warning that the operation is performed to wake the driver when the wake control means is controlled by the wake control means. . The awakening means includes a deceleration instructing means for sending a signal instructing deceleration of the vehicle to a traveling control means for controlling the traveling of the mounted vehicle,
2. The brake lamp of the vehicle is turned on in conjunction with a timing at which the vehicle decelerates according to the signal when a signal instructing deceleration of the vehicle is transmitted by the deceleration instruction means. The dozing prevention apparatus as described in any one of thru | or 3. Determination means for determining whether or not to stop continuously giving the driver a stimulus,
The sleepiness level specifying means is for specifying a driver's sleepiness level based on the facial expression of the driver,
The determination means performs the determination based on the driver's awakening maintenance behavior instead of the driver's facial expression,
5. The driver according to claim 1, wherein when the determination unit determines that there is a wakefulness maintaining action by the driver, the driver is continuously stopped from being stimulated. The dozing prevention device according to 1 .

Images