Abstract:
A method for interactive attentiveness enhancement of a vehicle driver includes steps of determining that a driver assistance function for semiautomatic control of the motor vehicle is active, detecting a stimulus which may be experienced by the vehicle driver upon an observation of the surroundings of the motor vehicle, detecting an input of the vehicle driver in response to the stimulus, determining a game result based on the input and the stimulus, and outputting a notice concerning the game result.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a technique for interactive attentiveness enhancement, in particular for a driver of a motor vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     A modern motor vehicle has a number of so-called driver assistance functions, in order to relieve a driver of the motor vehicle. Routine tasks during driving of the motor vehicle are automatically or semiautomatically carried out by a device or a system. Such a driver assistance system is frequently configured to return control over the motor vehicle to the driver as soon as a situation is detected which may not be handled by the system. For the longitudinal control of the vehicle, i.e., the movement and speed control in the travel direction, systems are known which may regulate the speed of the vehicle partially or completely automatically. For example, a predetermined target speed may be maintained, the speed of the vehicle being automatically reduced if it travels excessively close to a preceding. In some specific embodiments, the speed of the motor vehicle may be regulated down to a standstill, and under certain circumstances restarting of the motor vehicle may also be controlled if the person in front stops or drives away again (“ACC stop and go”). 
     For the lateral control of the motor vehicle, i.e., the directional control to the right or left, systems are known which keep the motor vehicle between lane markings on the roadway, as long as the driver keeps his hands on the steering wheel. 
     While such systems relieve the vehicle driver of routine tasks, the vehicle driver may perceive his driving activity to be monotonous due to this relief, so that he possibly no longer generates the attentiveness required for safe control of the motor vehicle. In a known system for warning of decreased attentiveness, the vehicle driver is monitored with the aid of an interior camera and a driver assistance function is deactivated if the vehicle driver does not display the impression of sufficient concentration on an outside area of the motor vehicle. 
     The present invention is based on the object of providing a method, a computer program product, and a device, in order to increase the attentiveness of a vehicle driver while driving a motor vehicle having a semiautomatic driver assistance function. 
     SUMMARY 
     A method for interactive attentiveness enhancement of a vehicle driver includes steps of determining that a driver assistance function for semiautomatic control of the motor vehicle is active, detecting a stimulus which may be experienced by the vehicle driver upon an observation of the surroundings of the motor vehicle, detecting an input of the vehicle driver in response to the stimulus, determining a game result based on the input and the stimulus, and outputting a notice concerning the game result. 
     According to the present invention, the vehicle driver is encouraged to play a game, in the case of which he may only be successful if he observes the surroundings of the motor vehicle sufficiently attentively. The nature and the goal of the game may be of subordinate significance. The attentiveness of the vehicle driver may thus be oriented in a reasonable and pleasant manner onto the outside area of the motor vehicle. An acceptance of the vehicle driver for attentiveness enhancement may be increased by achieving success in the game. 
     Furthermore, in one preferred specific embodiment, a signal is output if the game result is below a predetermined value. The predetermined value may reflect in particular how much time lies between a stimulus and a corresponding input of the vehicle driver. In another specific embodiment, the signal may indicate an intermediate state or an end state of the game. The signal may be output to the vehicle driver in order to notify him that his outwardly directed attentiveness is possibly inadequate for safely controlling the motor vehicle. The vehicle driver may thus note a distraction in a timely manner before he possibly makes an incorrect driving decision and may actively withdraw from the distraction. The distraction may include a conversation with another person or the operation of a device such as an entertainment system, in particular an audio system, for example. 
     In one specific embodiment, the signal influences the driver assistance function. For example, in the case of a cruise control, a minimum distance to a preceding vehicle may be increased if the low game result indicates reduced attentiveness of the vehicle driver. In another specific embodiment, the driver assistance function may also be deactivated if the vehicle driver is found to be insufficiently attentive. General safety with which the motor vehicle is controlled may thus be increased. 
     In a first variant of the method, the stimulus may be determined based on a traffic situation in the area of the motor vehicle. Preferably, in contrast to known methods for attentiveness judgment of a vehicle driver, a stimulus is observed which generally does not result in a reaction of the vehicle driver with respect to the control of the motor vehicle. Instead, the reaction is motivated by the game. The reaction preferably does cause a driving function of the motor vehicle, for example, a speed or a lane choice, but the motivation takes place in such a way that the reaction does not result in a hazardous or unexpected maneuver. For example, it may be the goal of the game to prompt the driver to judge a distance to a preceding vehicle, the actual distance being determined with the aid of a radar sensor from the traffic situation, for example. If the estimation of the vehicle driver is sufficiently good, he is thus apparently sufficiently attentive. 
     In another variant, which may be combined with the above-mentioned variant, the stimulus is output to the vehicle driver within the scope of the method. The output may generally be carried out acoustically, visually, or haptically, the output stimulus preferably being superimposed with a directly perceptible stimulus from the surroundings of the motor vehicle. For example, a visual field display (head-up display HUD) may be used, in order to superimpose or apply additional information onto the visually perceptible traffic situation in the area of the motor vehicle. This additional information is preferably related to the perceptible traffic situation. In this variant also, a reaction or input of the vehicle driver is preferably detected, which is not necessary or is not to be expected for routine control of the motor vehicle. 
     A frequency of the output of the stimulus may be dependent on a speed of the motor vehicle. In different specific embodiments, stimuli may be output more frequently or less frequently with increasing speed of the motor vehicle. The attentiveness of the vehicle driver may thus be adapted individually to the requirements of a present traffic situation of the motor vehicle. 
     In both variants, the stimulus may relate to a relative position of a nearby motor vehicle. The attentiveness of the vehicle driver may thus be intentionally directed to a nearby motor vehicle, for example, to avoid the risk of a collision with this motor vehicle or an obstruction of this motor vehicle. 
     In one specific embodiment, the driver assistance function relates to at least one of a longitudinal controller and a transverse controller of the motor vehicle. The movement controller of the motor vehicle in the longitudinal and transverse directions may be relevant for operational safety of the motor vehicle and its occupants, so that excessive relief of the motor vehicle in these fields by a driver assistance function may most strongly impair his attentiveness. Due to the game-related focusing of the driver attentiveness on events of the longitudinal or transverse control, the loss of attentiveness caused by the driver assistance system may be compensated for. 
     A computer program product according to the present invention includes program code for carrying out the described method when the computer program product runs on a processing unit or is stored on a computer-readable data carrier. An infrastructure which is already installed on board a motor vehicle for other reasons may be made capable of carrying out the described method with the aid of the computer program product. 
     A device according to the present invention for interactive attentiveness enhancement of a vehicle driver includes a unit for detecting that a driver assistance function for semiautomatic control of the motor vehicle is active, a first interface for detecting a stimulus, which may be experienced by the vehicle driver in the event of an observation of the surroundings of the motor vehicle, a second interface for the connection to an input unit for the vehicle driver on board the motor vehicle, a processing unit, which is configured for the purpose of determining a game result based on the input and the stimulus, and a third interface for the connection to an output unit for outputting the game result. 
     With the aid of the interfaces, the processing unit may be connected to systems or subsystems of a known motor vehicle in order to carry out the above-described method. The interfaces may also be wireless, so that the processing unit may easily be removable from the motor vehicle. In one specific embodiment, a portable computer or a telephone having additional functions (“smart phone”) may include the processing unit. 
     In one preferred specific embodiment, the device includes a memory for accommodating a sequence controller of a game based on stimuli and inputs. The sequence controller may be designed in particular as a computer program product. Different sequence controllers may define different games. A favorite game may thus be reproduced or a disliked game may be replaced by a new game which is still unknown to the vehicle driver. In this way, monotony of the game used by the method or the device for the vehicle driver may be avoided. 
     In one preferred specific embodiment, a fourth interface may be provided for receiving a sequence controller to be stored in the memory. Exchanging games may thus be made even easier. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a motor vehicle having a device for interactive attentiveness enhancement of the vehicle driver. 
         FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of a method for interactive attentiveness enhancement of a vehicle driver of the motor vehicle from  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  shows an illustration of games for interactive attentiveness enhancement of the vehicle driver of  FIG. 1  or  2 . 
         FIG. 3B  shows an illustration of further games similar to the illustration of  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a system  100 , which includes a motor vehicle  105  and a device  110  attached therein for attentiveness enhancement of a vehicle driver  115 . Motor vehicle  105  includes, in the exemplary specific embodiment shown, a drive engine  120  and a steering unit  125 . With the aid of drive engine  120 , a longitudinal control of motor vehicle  105 , i.e., a cruise control, may be carried out, while a transverse control, i.e., a directional control of motor vehicle  105 , may be carried out with the aid of steering unit  125 . 
     Drive engine  120  may include a drive controller  130 , which implements a driver assistance system for the longitudinal control of motor vehicle  105 . In a similar way, steering unit  125  may include a steering controller  135 , which implements a driver assistance system for the transverse control of motor vehicle  105 , for example, a lane assistant. The control of motor vehicle  105  may preferably still be influenced by vehicle driver  115  even if drive controller  130  or steering controller  135  is activated. 
     Device  110  includes a processing unit  140 , which preferably contains a memory unit  145  and may be connected to motor vehicle  105  with the aid of a number of interfaces. In a specific embodiment other than the one shown, several of the interfaces described hereafter may also be combined. Each of the interfaces may also be implemented wirelessly. Processing unit  140 , optionally including memory unit  145 , may thus be removable from motor vehicle  105 . In particular, processing unit  140  may be included in a portable computer or a telephone having additional functions (“smart phone”). 
     A first interface  150  is connectable to a video camera  155  or another unit for scanning the surroundings of motor vehicle  105 . Information from the surroundings of motor vehicle  105  may be scanned with the aid of first interface  150 , from which a stimulus, which may be experienced by vehicle driver  115  upon observing the surroundings of motor vehicle  105 , may be determined. 
     A second interface  160  may be connected to an input unit  165  on board motor vehicle  105 . Input unit  165  may be operable in a tactile or acoustic way. In one specific embodiment, input unit  165  includes a dedicated input element, while in another specific embodiment, an already existing input element is sampled. For example, a steering wheel for operating steering unit  125  or a gas pedal for controlling drive engine  120  or drive controller  130  may be used as an input element. 
     A third interface  170  is provided for the connection to an output unit  175 . Output unit  175  may provide information to vehicle driver  115  acoustically, visually, or haptically. In a particularly preferred specific embodiment, output unit  175  includes a visual field display (head-up display). 
     With the aid of visual field display  175 , visual information may be reflected into a field of vision of vehicle driver  115 , so that the information is perceptible to the vehicle driver, while he may simultaneously perceive the surroundings of motor vehicle  105 . 
     A fourth interface  180  is provided for the connection to steering unit  125  or steering controller  135 . A fifth interface  185  is connectable in a corresponding way to drive engine  120  or drive controller  130 . Information may be acquired by processing unit  140  with the aid of interfaces  180  and  185 , which permit it to conclude whether or not a driver assistance function for semiautomatic control of motor vehicle  105  is active. 
     In a specific embodiment different from that shown, elements, which are connectable to processing unit  140  with the aid of one of interfaces  150 ,  160 , or  170 , may be included by device  110 , for example, one of controllers  130  or  140 . 
     Processing unit  140  is configured for the purpose of directing the attentiveness of vehicle driver  115  to an outside area of motor vehicle  105  in a playful way. To implement such a game, processing unit  140  may execute a computer program product, which establishes a sequence of playful interactions between vehicle driver  115  and device  110  in the meaning of a playful idea. Multiple such sequence controllers may be stored, for example, in memory unit  145 . A sixth interface  190  may be provided for exchanging sequence controllers, both uploading of a sequence controller to processing unit  140  or storage unit  145  and also downloading therefrom preferably being possible. Sixth interface  190  may be wireless in particular and may allow an exchange of sequence controllers between multiple motor vehicles  105 , for example. 
       FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of a method  200  for interactive attentiveness control of vehicle driver  115  of motor vehicle  105  from  FIG. 1 . Method  200  may be executed in particular on processing unit  140  of device  110 . 
     In a first step  205 , it is determined that a driver assistance function for semiautomatic control of motor vehicle  105  is active. For this purpose in particular, information may be acquired via one of interfaces  180  or  185  from one of control units  130  or  135  for controlling a longitudinal or transverse control of motor vehicle  105 . 
     In a subsequent step  210 , which is optional, a traffic situation in the area of motor vehicle  105  is determined This may take place with the aid of interface  150  and video camera  155 , for example, relative positions of nearby motor vehicles in relation to motor vehicle  105  being determined, for example. 
     In a first alternative, a stimulus is subsequently output to vehicle driver  115  in a step  215 . The stimulus is preferably determined as a function of the traffic situation, for example, as a function of a speed of motor vehicle  105 . In a second alternative, in a step  220 , the traffic situation is only detected and a stimulus is determined based on the detected information. As a function of a game explained in greater detail hereafter, the stimulus may include, for example, two red vehicles driving next to one another in the surroundings of motor vehicle  105  being detected. The variants of steps  215  and  220  are also combinable with one another. 
     Following one of steps  215  or  220 , an expected input of vehicle driver  115  is determined in a step  225 . The input is oriented to the determined or output stimulus and is used for the purpose of defining a handling goal of vehicle driver  115  in the meaning of the game. 
     In a subsequent step  230 , an input of vehicle driver  115  is detected, which occurs in reaction to the determined or output stimulus. After detection of the input, a game result is determined in step  235  based on the input and the stimulus. The game result may be based, for example, on an evaluation of a relationship of the detected input with the determined stimulus or a chronological relationship of the stimulus and the input. Subsequently, the determined game result is output in an optional step  240 . The output may take place with the aid of output unit  175 , for example. 
     In an optional step  245 , driver assistance function  130 ,  135  is influenced based on the game result. For example, driver assistance function  130 ,  135  may be deactivated if the game result determined in step  235  does not reach a predetermined value. 
       FIG. 3A  shows an illustration of a first game for interactive attentiveness enhancement of vehicle driver  115  of  FIG. 1  or  2 . In the illustrated game, the task of vehicle driver  115  is, for example, to estimate a distance to a preceding motor vehicle  305 . An input may take place with the aid of input unit  165 , for example. In another specific embodiment, it may be predefined with the aid of output unit  175  how great the distance to preceding motor vehicle  305  is to be and vehicle driver  115  may set the preferably matching distance by influencing drive engine  120  accordingly. 
     In another specific embodiment, a so-called “shooter” game may be played. It is the task of vehicle driver  115  to virtually “shoot down” objects which are artificially reflected into the real scene or to hit a specific point of preceding motor vehicle  305 , for example, the first letter of the motor vehicle license plate. 
       FIG. 3B  shows an illustration of further games similar to the illustration of  FIG. 3A . For example, the task of vehicle driver  115  here is to move multiple preceding motor vehicles  305 ,  310  into a row, as is known, for example, from the game “Tetris.” In still another game, it may be the task of vehicle driver  115 , for example, to virtually “bowl down” motor vehicles  305 ,  310  located in front of him. 
     Still further games are conceivable. In any case, the games are configured for the purpose of directing the attentiveness of vehicle driver  115  onto the outside area of motor vehicle  105 .