Wearable device and system for monitoring physical behavior of a vehicle operator

Abstract

A system uses a wearable electronic device to monitoring behavior of an operator of a vehicle. The wearable device is worn on the head of the operator of the vehicle and includes one or more motion sensors. A processor of the wearable device or of a proximate portable electronic device receives data from the one or more motion sensors and detects a pattern of motion based on the data. The system then may determine a physiological state or physical behavior of the driver based on the detected patterns or motion. Detected physiological states may include head bobs associated with sleepiness. Detected physical behaviors may include dangerous behaviors such as phone usage, prolonged gazes, sudden lane changes, or hard braking or steering.

1 . A system for monitoring behavior of an operator of a vehicle, comprising:
 a wearable electronic device configured to be worn on the head of an operator of a vehicle, wherein the wearable electronic device comprises an accelerometer and a gyroscope;   a processor; and   a computer-readable medium containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to:
 receive, from the accelerometer and gyroscope, data that is indicative of motion and orientation of the wearable electronic device, 
 process the received data to detect a pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device, 
 determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver, and 
 when the processor determines that the detected pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver, cause an electronic device to output an alert. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to process the received data to detect the pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device comprise instructions to:
 determine a forward-facing direction;   identify an angular displacement of the operator's head with respect to the forward-facing direction;   determine a magnitude and direction of the angular displacement; and   determine a time interval corresponding to the angular displacement, wherein the time interval is a time when the head of the operator remained in a position corresponding to the angular displacement.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions to determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver comprise instructions to determine that the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a phone usage event when:
 the magnitude and direction of the angular displacement corresponds to a phone usage position; and   the time interval equals or exceeds a threshold value that corresponds to a phone usage event.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a phone, wherein:
 the phone comprises one or more motion sensors to detect movement and/or orientation of the phone; and   the instructions to determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver comprise instructions to determine that the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver only if the motion sensors of the phone indicate that the phone is exhibiting a phone usage pattern of motion.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions to determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver comprise instructions to determine that the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a forward gaze when:
 the magnitude and direction of the angular displacement is zero to 5 degrees from the forward-facing direction; and   the time interval equals or exceeds a threshold that corresponds to a forward gaze.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions to determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver comprise instructions to determine that the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a downward gaze when:
 the magnitude and direction of the angular displacement indicates s a downward rotation that is equal to at least a threshold value; and   the time interval equals or exceeds a threshold that corresponds to a downward gaze.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions to determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver comprise instructions to determine that the detected pattern of motion is that of a distracted driver when the received data indicates that:
 the driver is not checking mirrors of the vehicle at least one within a time interval, or with a frequency that is not indicative of focus; and   the driver is not looking in the forward-facing direction for at least a threshold amount of driving time of the vehicle.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions to determine whether the detected pattern of motion corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver comprise instructions to determine that the detected pattern of motion is that of a focused driver when the received data indicates that:
 the driver is checking mirrors of the vehicle at least one within a time interval, or with a frequency that is indicative of focus; and   the driver is looking in the forward-facing direction for at least a threshold amount of driving time of the vehicle.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to:
 receive, from the accelerometer and gyroscope over a plurality of additional time periods, additional data that is indicative of motion and orientation of the wearable electronic device;   process the received additional data to detect additional patterns of motion of the wearable electronic device during the additional time periods;   assign a score to at least some of the additional patterns of motion;   use the assigned scores to determine an overall score for the driver over a time that includes the additional time periods.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a reference device that is attached to the vehicle and that includes a reference device motion sensor that is configured to collect a set of data corresponding to motion of the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the programming instructions that are configured to determine whether the detected pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver also comprise instructions to:
 analyze the data corresponding to motion of the vehicle; and   determine that the detected pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device is not that of a distracted driver if the pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device corresponds to the motion of the vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the programming instructions that are configured to determine whether the detected pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device corresponds to a pattern of motion of a distracted driver also comprise instructions to:
 analyze the data corresponding to motion of the vehicle and determine whether the vehicle turned or performed a lane change; and   if the vehicle turned or performed a lane change, determine that the pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device is that of a distracted driver if the pattern of motion of the wearable electronic device indicates that the driver failed to check mirrors before the vehicle turned or performed the lane change.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the processor determine that the vehicle is experiencing a hard braking event if:
 the detected pattern of motion indicates that the wearable electronic device is experiencing a negative acceleration above a threshold value; and   at the same time, the set of data corresponding to motion of the vehicle indicates that the reference device motion sensor is experiencing a negative acceleration of more than a threshold value.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the processor determine that the vehicle is experiencing a sudden lane change event if:
 the detected pattern of motion indicates that the wearable electronic device is experiencing a rate of change in a z-plane exceeding a threshold value within a threshold time;   at the same time, the set of data corresponding to motion of the vehicle indicates that the reference device motion sensor is experiencing a rate of change in the z-plane exceeding the threshold value within the threshold time.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to cause the processor determine that the vehicle is experiencing a hard steering event by:
 analyzing a derivative of the data received from the accelerometer and gyroscope of the wearable electronic device and the set of data corresponding to motion of the vehicle; and   determining that the vehicle is experiencing a hard steering event if the derivative has a value that exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable electronic device also comprises a housing, and the processor and the computer-readable medium are included within the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronic device that generates and outputs the alert comprises a portable electronic device; and   the portable electronic device comprises the processor.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the programming instructions are also configured to cause the processor to transmit the alert to a third party.