Patent Description:
The general background of this invention is the field of driving warning systems. Present systems for providing driver warning information, for example for lane departure warning where lanes are delineated by line marking, are based on distance to a line crossing and based on time to a line crossing. Such systems cannot account for various combination of factors that could indicate that a lane line is about to be crossed unintentionally.

<CIT> describes a method/system for lane departure warning/assistance that warns the driver that the vehicle is about to leave a current lane and enter an adjacent lane. The driver is identified, and a corresponding profile is accessed. The driver's pupils may be measured and compared to pupil size baseline data stored in the accessed profile. If the difference in pupil size exceeds a pupil size baseline by more than a deviation level, the method/system may adjust a lane departure warning/assistance threshold of a lane departure detector that warns the driver each time the vehicle is getting too close to an adjacent lane, thus alerting the driver that the vehicle may drift into the next lane. Driving patterns, such as steering angles and braking force, may also be used to adjust the lane departure warning/assistance threshold and determine whether the driver may benefit from lane departure warning/assistance.

A further lane keeping assistant is disclosed in <CIT>.

It would be advantageous to have improved apparatus for determining driving warning information.

It should be noted that the following described aspects and examples of the invention apply also for the device for determining driving warning information, the system for determining driving warning information, the method for determining driving warning information, and for the computer program.

In a an aspect, there is provided a device for determining driving warning information as defined in appended claim <NUM>. In another aspect, there is provided a system for determining driving warning information as defined in appended claim <NUM>.

In another aspect, there is provided a method for determining driving warning information as defined in appended claim <NUM>.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a device for determining driving warning information, comprising:.

The input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with driving relevant data. The processing unit is configured to implement an artificial neural network to process the driving relevant data to generate driving awareness data. The output unit is configured to output driving warning information based on the driving awareness data.

According to the invention, the artificial neural network comprises a recurrent neural network configured with an internal cycle within the recurrent neural network, wherein a feedback connection is used to form the internal cycle, wherein output from the recurrent neural network is fed back into the recurrent neural network.

In this manner, by implementing an artificial neural network to process driving relevant data, the device is able to model the way a human would react to different scenarios, enabling the accurate and timely provision of driving warning information that can be used by a driver to take appropriate action. In this way, various combinations of conditions can be taken into account in order to generate driving awareness data and appropriate output driving warning information, minimising the issuance of unwanted warnings. To put this another way, driving conditions and different drivers can be taken into account in order to provide appropriate driving warning information on the basis of generated driving awareness data.

In this way, the device determines when a warning should be issued and does so in a manner that is intuitive, and therefore both understandable and appropriate to a human. In other words, accurate, timely, and appropriate warning information can be provided to a driver.

Also, driving warning information can be provided in a live manner, meaning that the provision of that information can be adjusted and/or adapted on the basis of driving relevant data.

According to the invention, driving relevant data comprises: a distance to a relevant road marker, a curvature of a relevant lane marker, and a driver identity, and the driving relevant data further comprises one or more of: a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, a steering angle, a status of a turn indicator, an accelerator pedal position, a brake pedal position, a driver interaction with on board systems, and the driving relevant data further comprises; a time of day; a light condition; and a weather condition.

According to the invention, the driving awareness data comprises one or more than one of: a likelihood that a lane departure on the left is not intended; a likelihood that a lane departure on the right is not intended; a level of driver attention; a level of driver fatigue; a likelihood that taking into account the driving relevant data the vehicle speed is too high.

In an example, the driving warning information comprises one or more than one of: a warning presented to a driver that a lane change appears to be unintentional; a warning presented to the driver that their level of attention appears to be deficient; a warning presented to the driver that they appear to be fatigued; a warning presented to the driver that their speed appears to be too high.

In this way, appropriate and timely warning information can be provided to a driver, enabling them to steer back on course, to pay more attention to their driving, take a break; or slow down.

In an example, the artificial neural network comprises a recurrent neural network configured with an internal cycle within the network.

In this manner, by implementing a recurrent neural network with an internal cycle within the network an internal state of the network is created enabling dynamic temporal behaviour to be exhibited. In this way, the driving warning information can be determined dynamically. To put this another way, the device can dynamically adapt to various driver profiles; can continuously adjust to driver status changes like attention, fatigue etc; and can adapt to various driving conditions like day/night, incremental weather conditions etc..

In an example, the artificial neural network comprises a learning algorithm.

In this way, the artificial neural network by having a learning algorithm is self-configurable, in other words is set by itself, in order to detect expected actions, behaviours etc..

In an example, the learning algorithm is taught on the basis of at least one driving scenario.

In this manner, the artificial neural network need only be trained with the relevant amount of scenarios, and there is no need to model the warning algorithm or the human behaviour.

In an example, the artificial neural network is configured to adapt the determined driving warning information on the basis of received driving relevant data.

In this manner, the artificial neural network, which is a recurrent neural network, is able to dynamically adapt to various driver profiles, continuously adjust to driver status changes like attention levels, levels of fatigue, adapt to driving style and changes in driving style, adapt to various driving conditions like day/night, and changes in weather conditions. In other words, the device is provided with a "live" learning/adapting capability.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a system for determining driving warning information, the system comprising:.

The at least one data acquisition unit is configured to acquire the driving relevant data.

In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a camera.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a method for determining driving warning information, comprising:.

According to another aspect, there is provided a computer program controlling apparatus as previously described which, in the computer program is executed by processing unit, is adapted to perform the method steps as previously described.

<FIG> shows an example of a device <NUM> for determining driving warning information. The device <NUM> comprises an input unit <NUM>, a processing unit <NUM>, and an output unit <NUM>. The input unit <NUM> is configured to provide the processing unit <NUM> with driving relevant data. The processing unit <NUM> is configured to implement an artificial neural network <NUM> to process the driving relevant data to generate driving awareness data. The output unit <NUM> is configured to output driving warning information based on the driving awareness data.

In an example, the device is configured to adapt to a driver profile. In an example, the device is configured to save a driver configuration. In this manner, when a driver is detected for whom configuration data is available, the device can adapt to that driver on the basis of the configuring and does not have to re-adapt to the driver. In an example, the saved driver configuration is updated on the basis of driving relevant data. In an example, different configurations can be saved for different drivers.

According to an example, the driving relevant data comprises one or more than one of: a distance to a relevant road marker; a curvature of a relevant lane marker; a vehicle speed; a vehicle acceleration; a steering angle; a status of a turn indicator; a time of day; a light condition; a weather condition; a driver identity; an accelerator pedal position; a brake pedal position; a driver interaction with on board systems.

In an example, a driver interaction with onboard systems includes interaction with one or more of a radio, a navigation system or a phone.

According to an example, the driving awareness data comprises one or more than one of: a likelihood that a lane departure on the left is not intended; a likelihood that a lane departure on the right is not intended; a level of driver attention; a level of driver fatigue; a likelihood that taking into account the driving relevant data the vehicle speed is too high.

According to an example, the driving warning information comprises one or more than one of: a warning presented to a driver that a lane change appears to be unintentional; a warning presented to the driver that their level of attention appears to be deficient; a warning presented to the driver that they appear to be fatigued; a warning presented to the driver that their speed appears to be too high.

According to an example, the artificial neural network <NUM> comprises a recurrent neural network <NUM> configured with an internal cycle within the network.

In an example, the recurrent neural network (RNN) <NUM> is configured to use an internal memory to process the driving relevant data as an arbitrary sequence of inputs.

In an example, a feedback connection is used to form the internal cycle.

In this manner, because the processing of future inputs can be altered by the previous output values the behaviour will exhibit a temporal dynamic behaviour.

According to an example, the artificial neural network <NUM> comprises a learning algorithm <NUM>.

According to an example, the learning algorithm <NUM> is taught on the basis of at least one driving scenario.

In an example, the training comprises the use of an off-the-shelf procedure such as "Gradient descent" in order to minimize training errors. Other off the shelf procedures can be used.

In an example, a training set is made of field recordings comprising different driving conditions. In an example, these recordings are revived and the expected output is saved and used as reference material for training.

In an example, the learning algorithm is a deep learning algorithm.

In other words, a supervised learning algorithm is utilized.

According to an example, the artificial neural network <NUM> is configured to adapt the determined driving warning information on the basis of received driving relevant data.

<FIG> shows an example of a system <NUM> for determining driving warning information. The system <NUM> comprises at least one data acquisition unit <NUM>, and a device <NUM> for determining driving warning information as described with respect to any of the examples of <FIG>. The at least one data acquisition unit <NUM> is configured to acquire the driving relevant data.

In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit is configured to provide the driving relevant data to the input unit. In an example, the input unit comprises the at least one data acquisition unit.

According to an example, the at least one data acquisition unit <NUM> comprises a camera <NUM>. The camera <NUM> can be a forward looking camera, and/or a sideways looking camera. The camera <NUM> can provide imagery that is used to determine a distance to road lane markers, the curvature of road lane markers, the distance to the kerb, the distance to the car in front, and can be used to provide imagery that is used to determine the change in these parameters. The processing unit <NUM> processes the imagery to determine this information.

In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a speedometer. In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a steering wheel orientation monitor. In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a turn indicator status monitor. In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a clock. In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a light monitor. In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit comprises a module configured to download weather report information. In an example, the at least one data acquisition unit is configured to provide information relating to the identity of the driver. For example, the weight of the driver could be determined to provide information relating to the driver identity. For example, the seat position, and/or steering wheel position, and/or mirror position can be determined in order to provide information relating to the driver identity. For example, the driver identity could be provided from a central processor of a vehicle, which was provided with this information by the driver as part of entering and setting up the vehicle for driving.

<FIG> shows a method <NUM> for determining driving warning information in its basic steps. The method comprises:.

In an example, the driving relevant data is provided by an input unit <NUM>. In an example a processing unit <NUM> implements the artificial neural network. In an example, an output unit <NUM> outputs the driving warning information.

<FIG> and <FIG> show examples of an artificial neural network implemented within examples of the device, system and method for determining driving warning information.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG> an artificial neural network (ANN) is used in order to model the way in actual human react to different scenarios. The ANN is fed with various inputs from a camera that is viewing the road scene. The inputs include: distance to relevant lane markers; curvature of relevant lane markers. The ANN is also fed with inputs coming from different systems within the car, such as: speed; acceleration; steering angle; turn indicator status; an accelerator pedal position; a brake pedal position; a driver interaction with on board system. The ANN is also fed with information derived from sensors on the car, and/or from information downloaded externally. This information includes: time; lighting conditions; weather conditions. The ANN is also fed with information relating to the driver identity. This can be provided directly, in terms that the driver has input their identity either directly or indirectly through use of a bespoke key that opens and starts the car. This can be provided indirectly, through information such as seat position, mirror positions, steering wheel position, driving style.

The ANN then outputs the following relevant data:.

The constitutive unit of an ANN is the "Artificial Neuron". An artificial neuron is a mathematical function conceived as a model of biological neurons. The artificial neuron receives the one or more inputs (representing dendrites) and sums them to produce an output (representing a neuron's axon). The sums of each node are weighted, and the sum is passed through a non-linear function known as an activation function. The ANN is composed of several layers. Each layer contains several neurons. The neurons in a layer receive inputs from a previous layer and pass the processed output to the next layer. The ANN topology used in actually a Recurrent NN topology that are accepts feedback connection, but a non recurrent ANN can be utilised. The number of intermediate layers determines the depth of the ANN.

The inputs propagated through each layer in a cascading pattern until the last layer where the ANN output will be available.

By using the ANN in this manner, the outputs provided are intuitive to the driver in that the outputs are derived in a manner similar to how a human would derive the outputs. Also, the warning information is provided that takes into account the driver is in the driving conditions. Warning information is then provided at the right time according to different situations and different input parameters.

In the recurrent neural network (RNN) as shown in <FIG>, there are connections which form an internal cycle inside the network. This creates an internal state of the network which allows it to exhibit dynamic temporal behaviour. In this manner, a lane departure warning function can adapt during running time. In the RNN the internal cycle is formed using a feedback connection. Because the output is feed back in the NN the output value is not lost and creates an internal state. Because the processing of future inputs can be altered by the previous output values the behavior will be temporal dynamic.

With the artificial neural network (ANN) provided here there is no need to model the workings of the algorithm or human behaviour. Rather, the ANN is trained with the relevant amount of scenarios in it then sets itself in order to detect the expected actions, behaviours.

For this training an off-the-shelf "Gradient descent" procedure is used, in order to minimize training error. Other training procedures can be used. For this specific problem the training set is made of field recordings spanning many hours of driving in multitude driving conditions. These recordings are revived and the expected output is saved and used as reference for training.

After initial training RNN can then adapt during running time, providing the following features:.

The device, system and method are described with respect to the automotive sector and the provision of warning information, such as lane departure warnings. However, the device, system and method are applicable to any other field with a human action or inaction can result in significant material losses or even human accidents. This includes, heavy machine operations, railway arbitration, industrial processes/powerplant supervision.

In another exemplary embodiment, a computer program is provided that is characterized by being configured to execute the method steps of the method according to one of the preceding embodiments, on an appropriate system.

The computer program might therefore be stored on a computer unit, which might also be part of an embodiment.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium, such as a CD-ROM, is presented wherein the computer readable medium has a computer program stored on it which computer program is described by the preceding section.

Claim 1:
A device (<NUM>) for determining driving warning information, comprising:
- an input unit (<NUM>);
- a processing unit (<NUM>); and
- an output unit (<NUM>);
wherein, the input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with driving relevant data;
wherein the driving relevant data comprises: a distance to a relevant road marker, a curvature of a relevant lane marker, and a driver identity, and the driving relevant data further comprises one or more of: a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, a steering angle, a status of a turn indicator, an accelerator pedal position, a brake pedal position, a driver interaction with on board systems, and the driving relevant data further comprises; a time of day; a light condition; and a weather condition;
wherein, the processing unit is configured to implement an artificial neural network (<NUM>) to process the driving relevant data to generate driving awareness data;
wherein the artificial neural network (<NUM>) comprises a recurrent neural network (<NUM>) configured with an internal cycle within the recurrent neural network, wherein a feedback connection is used to form the internal cycle, wherein output from the recurrent neural network is fed back into the recurrent neural network; and
wherein the driving awareness data comprises one or more than one of: a likelihood that a lane departure on the left is not intended; a likelihood that a lane departure on the right is not intended; a level of driver attention; a level of driver fatigue, a likelihood that taking into account the driving relevant data the vehicle speed is too high; and
wherein, the output unit is configured to output driving warning information based on the driving awareness data.