Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8098892?dq=5311516
Timestamp: 2016-05-02 23:23:51
Document Index: 51128429

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 23', 'art 25', 'art 23', 'art 25', 'art 25', 'art 23', 'art 25']

Patent US8098892 - Body position detecting apparatus - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsIn a body position detecting apparatus, a controller repeatedly acquires image data that includes an object and an operator in a place where the operator is capable of operating the object. When the controller detects that the operator is in an operating position where the operator operates the object,...http://www.google.com/patents/US8098892?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8098892 - Body position detecting apparatusAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8098892 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/285,579Publication dateJan 17, 2012Filing dateOct 9, 2008Priority dateOct 22, 2007Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20090103815Publication number12285579, 285579, US 8098892 B2, US 8098892B2, US-B2-8098892, US8098892 B2, US8098892B2InventorsJunya Inada, Takahiro IshikawaOriginal AssigneeDenso CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (12), Non-Patent Citations (3), Classifications (8), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBody position detecting apparatus
US 8098892 B2Abstract
image acquisition means for repeatedly acquiring operator image data that includes an operation object and an operator in a place where the operator is capable of operating the operation object;
instructing means for instructing the operator to operate the operation object when a predetermined instruction start condition is satisfied;
first initial position detecting means for detecting an operator body part position that is a position of a body part of the operator included in the operator image data acquired by the image acquisition means after the instructing means instructs; and
first accumulating body part position detecting means for setting the detected operator body part position to an initial position after the operator body part position is detected by the first initial position detecting means and for detecting the operator body part position in the operator image data that is acquired after the initial position is set, by detecting a displacement from the operator body part position detected last time and accumulating the displacement to the initial position.
2. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the operator is a driver of a vehicle; and
wherein the operation object is a steering wheel of the vehicle.
position detecting means for detecting that the operator is in an operating position where the operator operates the operation object;
second initial position detecting means for detecting an operator body part position that is a position of a body part of the operator included in the operator image data acquired by the image acquisition means after the position detecting means detects that the operator is in the operating position; and
second accumulating body part position detecting means for setting the detected operator body part position to an initial position after the operator body part position is detected by the second initial position detecting means and for detecting the operator body part position in the operator image data that is acquired after the initial position is set, by detecting a displacement from the operator body part position detected last time and accumulating the displacement to the initial position.
operating position determining means for determining whether the operator body part position detected by the second accumulating body part position detecting means corresponds to the operating position when the position detecting means detects that the operator is in the operating position,
wherein the second initial position detecting means redetects the operator body part position when the operating position determining means determines that the operator body part position detected by the second accumulating body part position detecting means does not correspond to the operating position detected by the position detecting means.
operation detecting means for detecting that the operation object is operated,
wherein the position detecting means detects that the operator is in the operating position when the operation detecting means detects that the operation object is operated.
6. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the operation detecting means is a touch sensor disposed at the operation object for detecting that the operation object is touched.
7. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the body position detecting apparatus is disposed in a vehicle, and
wherein the touch sensor is disposed at a steering wheel of the vehicle.
8. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the operation detecting means is an in-vehicle device disposed in the vehicle and configured to output a signal when the in-vehicle device is operated by an occupant of the vehicle.
9. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the in-vehicle device includes a shift switch for detecting a selected position of a shift lever of the vehicle.
10. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 8,
wherein the in-vehicle device includes a navigation switch for controlling a navigation device provided in the vehicle.
11. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the in-vehicle device includes an air-conditioner switch for controlling an air conditioner of the vehicle.
12. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 5,
wherein the body position detecting apparatus is disposed in a vehicle,
wherein the body position detecting apparatus further comprises vehicle state detecting means for detecting a state of the vehicle in which the body position detecting apparatus is disposed, and
wherein the position detecting means determines whether the operator is in the operating position based on the state of the vehicle detected by the vehicle state detecting means when the operation detecting means detects that the operation object is operated.
13. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the vehicle state detecting means is a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of the vehicle.
14. The body position detecting apparatus according to claim 13,
wherein the operating position is a position of a driver in a state where the driver operates the steering wheel so that the vehicle goes straight, and
wherein the position detecting means detects that the operator is in the operating position when the steering angle detected by the vehicle state detecting means is in a predetermined range including zero degrees. Description
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the steering wheel 18 includes a handle portion 18 a having a ring shape. In the handle portion 18 a, a plurality of touch sensors 17, for example, eight touch sensors 17 are embedded. For example, the eight touch sensors 17 are arranged at substantially even intervals along a circumferential of the handle portion 18 a. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the body position detecting apparatus 1 includes a camera 21, an image capture board 22, an audio output part 23, a data storage 24, a LAN communicating part 25 and a controller 26. The camera 21 is provided for repeatedly acquiring image data of an area including a driver seat so that image data includes the steering wheel 18 and a driver who is in an operating position where the driver is capable of operating the steering wheel 18. The image capture board 22 temporarily stores the image data acquired with the camera 21. The audio output part 23 outputs audio guidance. The data storage 24 stores various data. The LAN communicating part 25 communicates with other devices including the ECUs 3-8 through the in-vehicle LAN 2. The controller 26 executes various processes based on signals from the image capture board 22, the data storage 24, and the LAN communicating part 25 and controls the audio output part 23 and the LAN communicating part 25.
If the A/C switch 16 is operated, corresponding to “YES” at S430, the process proceeds to S450. If the A/C switch 16 is not operated, corresponding to “NO” at S430, the process proceeds to S440 where the controller 26 determines where the position of the shift level is changed, for example, from N to D or from D to R, based on the detection signal from the shift switch 12.
Next, the body template resetting process at S76 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. When the controller 26 starts the body template resetting process, at S610, the controller 26 determines whether each of six body parts tracked at S70, that is, each of the face, the right upper arm, the right forearm, the left upper arm, the left forearm, and the trunk is located in corresponding one of the deformation allowable ranges K1 a-K6 a. If all of the six body parts is located in the corresponding deformation allowable ranges K1 a-K6 a, corresponding to “YES” at S610, the controller 26 sets the tracked result at S700 to the measured body template (T) and stores the measured body template (T) at the data storage 24. Then, the controller 26 ends the body template resetting process.
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