JPS5930573B2 - Method and device for determining abnormal mental and physical state of vehicle driver - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and device for determining the driving aptitude of a vehicle driver, and particularly to a method and apparatus for determining whether or not the driver is fit to drive by checking the driver's mental and physical reactions before starting the vehicle. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a determination.

When driving a vehicle such as a car, a driver is always required to maintain good mental and physical stability.

There are many factors that can reduce a driver's driving aptitude, but the most important factor is alcohol consumption, and other factors include the driver's physical condition due to overwork or illness.

It is a well-known fact that driving a vehicle is extremely dangerous when driving aptitude is reduced due to some of the factors mentioned above, and many unfortunate traffic accidents occur due to these factors.

Conventional vehicles are not equipped with a device to check the driving aptitude of the driver, and thus have allowed many drivers who are not actually fit to drive the vehicle to operate the vehicle.

In the past, several driving aptitude check systems have been proposed theoretically or experimentally.

However, some of these conventional technologies impose extremely complicated checking tasks on the driver, and some of them are still far from the stage of practical application due to their manufacturing costs.

The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems described above, and is a driving aptitude test for determining whether a driver is in a driving aptitude state by checking the driver's mental and physical reactions through a task following test. The purpose is to provide a determination method and device.

According to the present invention, driving aptitude is determined using a task following test in which a follow-up operation is performed to follow a randomly changing task target value, and the operation task imposed on the driver is extremely simple and easy. .

The present invention is extremely effective, especially in cases where the driver himself is unaware of a decline in his own driving aptitude, and the determination system of the present invention makes a strict determination of aptitude, thereby preventing the occurrence of traffic accidents. can do.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

According to the present invention, the operation of the ignition system of the vehicle is controlled by the engine lock circuit.

When the engine is stopped, the engine lock circuit locks the ignition system and prevents the engine from starting.

The driver must take the driving aptitude test according to the present invention when starting the engine.

If the result of the driving aptitude test is favorable, the locking effect of the engine lock circuit is released and the engine can be started. However, if the result is determined to be unsuitable, the ignition system is kept locked and the engine is started. Unable to start.

The task following test used in the present invention requires the subject to produce an operation output value that directly follows a given task goal, and utilizes the fact that the tracking response decreases as the stable state of mind and body is disturbed. It detects aptitude.

In the present invention, a manipulated output value is obtained based on the degree of depression of the clutch pedal, and this manipulated output value is compared with a predetermined task target value, and it is determined whether the difference between the two exceeds a predetermined reference value. If the standard value is exceeded, the engine lock circuit will not be released.

In this case, the comparison result between the operation output value and the task target value is displayed on a display unit (meter, etc.).

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The control unit 1 includes a clutch pedal 11 which is an operation unit, a potentiometer 12, a power source 13, and an amplifier 14.

Various means can be considered for extracting an electric signal as an operation output value from the clutch pedal, but a configuration using a potentiometer is preferable.

An example of this will be shown below using a drawing.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the mechanical structure of the control section.

A rotating shaft of a potentiometer 12 is fixed to the shaft support of the clutch pedal 11.

On the other hand, the box for the potentiometer 12 is fixed at a predetermined position on the vehicle body.

As a result, the resistance value of the potentiometer 12 changes depending on the degree to which the clutch pedal 11 is depressed.

By combining the potentiometer 12 with an appropriate power source 13 (or signal source), the resistance change can be extracted as an electrical signal.

The electrical signal obtained by the potentiometer 12 is amplified to a required value by an amplifier 14.

On the other hand, a random wave is output from the task setting circuit 2, which is a signal generating section, as a task setting signal, that is, a task target value.

Since this task setting signal is a random wave, driving aptitude can be strictly checked.

The comparator 3 compares the output signal Vs of the task setting circuit 2 and the output signal Vc of the amplifier 14 and outputs the deviation thereof.

Comparison section 3 is composed of a differential amplifier.

When the output signals Vs and Vc match, the comparator 3
The output becomes zero, and no display signal is sent to the display section 4.

However, when the output signal Vc increases or decreases with respect to the output signal Vs, a display signal corresponding to the deviation between the two is outputted, and this deviation value is displayed on the display section 4.

Various configurations are possible for the display section 4, but it is convenient to use an indicator such as a DC ammeter (voltmeter).

FIG. 3 is a front view of an indicator used as a display section.

Since the deviation value of the output signals Vs and Vc can be positive or negative depending on the degree of depression of the clutch pedal 11, a center pointer type indicator is used.

The driver, while looking at the indicator, adjusts the depression of the clutch pedal 11 so that the pointer becomes close to zero.

The output signal Vs from the task setting circuit 2 is random,
In addition, since the indicator outputs the deviation value,
It is impossible to predict whether the pointer will swing to the positive or negative side.

Therefore, the driver is required to quickly operate the pedals.

If the driver has a mental or physical abnormality, it will be difficult to make the operation of the clutch pedal 11 follow the task setting, and the pointer of the indicator will swing significantly.

The determining unit 5 determines whether the deviation value exceeds a predetermined set value and activates the vehicle running control device (for example, an engine lock circuit) based on this determination.

The determining unit 5 is provided with a standard value for determining driving suitability in advance, and outputs an output signal when the output signal from the comparing unit 3 exceeds this standard value.

When this output signal is issued, the vehicle running control device operates,
Make it impossible for the vehicle to depart.

When making a determination, the determination unit 5 determines whether or not the task is acceptable based on the total value of deviation values for all tasks.

The reason for doing this is that no matter how good the driver's mental and physical condition is, there is no guarantee that he or she will not make one or two mistakes by the end of all the tasks, and even then they will be judged as unfit to drive. It depends on how cruel it is.

The determination unit 5 will be explained in more detail with reference to a diagram.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the determination section 5. As shown in FIG.

The output vR of the comparator 3 is obtained as a deviation waveform shown in FIG. 5A.

The waveform in Figure 5A has time on the horizontal axis and output current on the vertical axis,
It represents the deviation change from the reference value "0".

This output is applied to a frequency measuring circuit 51 that counts the number of times the deviation waveform passes through several ranges set within a constant current value range in the positive and negative directions from the reference value.

FIG. 5B shows an example of a deviation waveform corresponding to each range. Range "0" is an allowable range, and waveforms in between are not subject to frequency measurement.

Although range "1" and range 02" are shown in FIG. 5B, range settings may be selected as appropriate.

The measurement of frequency is performed within a preset time, and this predetermined time is a fixed time during which the task following test is imposed, and according to experiments, it was about 10 to 60 seconds.

The frequency of each range measured within a certain period of time is weighted for each range by the next calculation circuit 52, and the total value is calculated, and the driver's response in the task tracking test is calculated. A value is required.

The weighting coefficients for each range are arbitrarily set, and the coefficients for ranges far from the reference value are extremely large and are set so that if the range falls within this range even once, the reaction value will exceed the appropriate value.

The reaction value, which is the output of the arithmetic circuit 52, is sent to the judgment circuit 53, and the reaction value is compared with a reference value provided in the judgment circuit 53.

Reference values are experimentally determined values and can serve as good guidelines in almost all cases.

However, if it is desired to further eliminate individual differences,
It is possible to change the reference value using the storage circuit 54.

The memory circuit 54 performs a task tracking test on a specific driver in a normal state in advance, stores this reaction value, and sets a reference value, thereby making it possible to obtain a processing circuit suitable only for the specific driver. .

In the determination circuit 53, if the reaction value is below the reference value, the output of the determination circuit 53 is output to the engine lock circuit 55.
Releases the 0-lock action and allows the engine to start.

However, if the reaction value is greater than the reference value, the engine lock circuit 55 is not unlocked and the vehicle engine cannot be started.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the operating unit is a case in which the seat potentiometer is activated by depressing the clutch pedal, but in addition to the clutch pedal, the steering wheel,
It can also be configured with vehicle interior control devices such as a light control knob and a shift lever.

Moreover, although the case where an ammeter is used as the display part is shown, the deviation value may be displayed by the brightness and darkness of a lamp.

As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, when driving a vehicle, the driver cannot start the engine of the vehicle unless he passes a task following test in advance, which prevents dangerous driving such as drunk driving. It can be prevented.

Furthermore, since the follow-up display displays the deviation value, the task follow-up test can be made more difficult and more reliable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an operating section according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a front view showing an embodiment of a display section according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the determination unit according to the present invention;
Figure B is a deviation waveform diagram in Figure 4. 1...Control sound diagram 2...Task setting circuit,
3... Comparison section, 4... Display section, 5...
...Judgment section, 11...Clutch pedal, 1
2... Potentiometer, 53... Judgment circuit, 55... Engine lock circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A deviation value between a randomly changing task target value and an operation output value outputted in response to a follow-up operation that follows the task goal for a certain period of time is displayed in the vehicle interior, and when this display is the minimum A method for determining a vehicle driver's driving aptitude by performing the above follow-up operation so that the vehicle driver's driving aptitude is determined. 2. A control unit that converts the operating force by the driver into an electric signal, a signal generation unit that sequentially generates unspecified setting signals, and compares the output signal from the control unit with the setting signal, and calculates the deviation value. A comparison circuit that outputs an output, a display section that displays the deviation value output from the comparison circuit, and a comparison judgment between the deviation value output from the comparison circuit and a preset reference value to control the running of the vehicle. A device for determining physical and mental abnormality of a vehicle driver, comprising: a determining section;