Patent ID: 9734685
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: G06Q,G08B

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method for managing an emotional state of a vehicle operator of a vehicle, comprising: collecting, by one of more physiological sensors within the vehicle, sensor data regarding one or more physiological states of the vehicle operator, wherein the sensor data is physiological data regarding the vehicle operator; receiving, using one or more processors, the sensor data regarding the emotional state of the vehicle operator from the one or more physiological sensors; calculating, using one or more processors, a plurality of impairment scores using the sensor data; calculating, using one or more processors, one or more total impairment scores from one or more groups of two or more of the plurality of impairment scores, wherein each total impairment score is calculated as a weighted combination of the two or more impairment scores and corresponds to a level of impairment of an aspect of the emotional state of the vehicle operator indicating whether the vehicle operator is in an impaired emotional state; determining, using one or more processors, the received sensor data indicate the vehicle operator is in an impaired emotional state based on the one or more total impairment scores; selecting, using one or more processors, one or more stimuli to improve the emotional state of the vehicle operator based on the received sensor data by predicting the ability of the stimuli to improve the emotional state of the vehicle operator; and causing, by controlling one or more components within the vehicle and while the vehicle operator is in emotional state, a change to one or more conditions within the vehicle based upon the selected stimuli to improve the emotional state of the vehicle operator, wherein the change to the one or more components is caused by adjusting operation of one or more of the following: vehicle interior lights, a vehicle ventilation system, heating or cooling components, aromatic components, tactile components, or music playback components within the vehicle.