Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8144992?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6004266
Timestamp: 2014-07-11 13:57:11
Document Index: 137048895

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2006', 'application No. 2007101801399', 'application No. 200710180139', 'application No. 200710180139', 'application No. 2006', 'application No. 200710180139']

Patent US8144992 - Eye condition detection apparatus and method for installing same - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA driver's eye condition detection is conducted by an eye condition detection apparatus including a right/left near-infrared light sources, a camera and an ECU installed therein. The right side near-infrared light source is positioned on a right side relative to the camera in a driver's view, and a light...http://www.google.com/patents/US8144992?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8144992 - Eye condition detection apparatus and method for installing sameAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8144992 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/902,668Publication dateMar 27, 2012Filing dateSep 25, 2007Priority dateOct 11, 2006Also published asCN101161200A, CN101161200B, DE102007047643A1, US20080089559Publication number11902668, 902668, US 8144992 B2, US 8144992B2, US-B2-8144992, US8144992 B2, US8144992B2InventorsTakashi KoumuraOriginal AssigneeDenso CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (13), Non-Patent Citations (5), Classifications (15), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetEye condition detection apparatus and method for installing sameUS 8144992 B2Abstract A driver's eye condition detection is conducted by an eye condition detection apparatus including a right/left near-infrared light sources, a camera and an ECU installed therein. The right side near-infrared light source is positioned on a right side relative to the camera in a driver's view, and a light axis of the right side near-infrared light source is tilted to the right by 15 to 45 degrees relative to an imaging direction of the camera. Further, the left side near-infrared light source is positioned on a left side relative to the camera in a driver's view, and a light axis of the right side near-infrared light source is tilted to the left by 15 to 45 degrees relative to an imaging direction of the camera. In this manner, detection errors of the driver's eye condition are reduced.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-277304 filed on Oct. 11, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure generally relates to a driver's eye condition detection apparatus and a method for installing a driver's eye condition detection apparatus.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION There have been conventionally proposed eye condition detection apparatus for detecting the eye condition (e.g., blinking and gaze direction) of a vehicle driver. For example, the eye condition detection apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 (i.e., Japanese Patent Document JP-A-H09-21611, also published as U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,763) includes: a light source for illuminating a driver's face; a camera for shooting the illuminated driver's face from the front; and an image processing unit that detects the eye condition from the image of the face picked up by the camera.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In consideration of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to devise the disposition of a light source with respect to the techniques associated with an eye condition detection apparatus for detecting the eye condition of a vehicle driver, and thereby reduce the frequency of occurrence of a situation in which an eye cannot be detected as compared with conventional cases.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Though the descriptions in the following embodiments are aimed at a situation in the vehicle wherein a steering wheel is disposed on a right side in a vehicle body, the disclosure of the invention may be applied to the vehicle wherein a steering wheel is disposed on a left side in a vehicle body if right-left relationships are switched.
First Embodiment Hereafter, a description will be given to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates how an eye condition detection apparatus 50 in this embodiment is installed in a vehicle compartment. The eye condition detection apparatus 50 includes a right near-infrared illumination light source 1, a left near-infrared illumination light source 2, a camera 3, and an ECU 4.
Second Embodiment A description will be given to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 8 illustrates how an eye condition detection apparatus 60 in this embodiment is installed in a vehicle compartment. The eye condition detection apparatus 60 in this embodiment is different from the eye condition detection apparatus 50 in the first embodiment only in the installation position of the left near-infrared illumination light source 2. However, the installation position of the right near-infrared illumination light source 1 may also be different from that in the first embodiment.
Other Embodiments Up to this point, a description has been given to embodiments of the invention. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and includes various modes that make it possible to carry out the functions of each feature of the invention.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5801763Dec 20, 1995Sep 1, 1998Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaFace image taking deviceUS6952498Nov 15, 2001Oct 4, 2005Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaFace portion detecting apparatusUS20060087582Oct 27, 2004Apr 27, 2006Scharenbroch Gregory KIllumination and imaging system and methodUS20070115099Jul 6, 2004May 24, 2007Nobutaka HamadaImage processing system for identifying car thievesCN1830389AApr 21, 2006Sep 13, 2006太原理工大学Device for monitoring fatigue driving state and its methodEP1655687A2 *Oct 4, 2005May 10, 2006Delphi Technologies, Inc.Illumination and imaging system and methodJP2003308523A Title not availableJP2005081101A Title not availableJP2005242428A Title not availableJP2005266868A Title not availableJP2005296383A Title not availableJP2005323180A Title not availableJPH07191384A Title not available* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1Office Action dated Jun. 5, 2009 from the China Patent Office in the corresponding CN application No. 2007101801399 (and English Translation).2Office Action dated Nov. 2, 2010 from the China Patent Office in corresponding CN application No. 200710180139.9 (and English Translation).3Office Action mailed Jul. 6, 2011 in corresponding CN application No. 200710180139.9 (and English translation).4Office Action mailed on Jun. 14, 2011 in the corresponding Japanese patent application No. 2006-277304 (English translation enclosed).5Second Office Action dated Apr. 7, 2010 from the China Patent Office in the corresponding CN application No. 200710180139.9 (and English Translation).Classifications U.S. Classification382/190International ClassificationG06K9/46Cooperative ClassificationB60R2011/0003, B60W2040/0827, A61B3/113, B60W2050/143, G06K9/00604, B60W2540/00, B60W2420/42, B60R11/04, G06K9/209, B60W2040/0818European ClassificationG06K9/00S1, G06K9/20S, A61B3/113Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 25, 2007ASAssignmentOwner name: DENSO CORPORATION, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:KOUMURA, TAKASHI;REEL/FRAME:019935/0698Effective date: 20070914RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google