IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,867,197
Granted Patent B2
US 10,867,197 · App. 16/685,071 · Granted Dec 15, 2020

Drowsiness mental state analysis using blink rate

Inventors: Rana el Kaliouby (Milton, MA); Survi Kyal (Chestnut Hill, MA); Abdelrahman N. Mahmoud (Somerville, MA); Seyedmohammad Mavadati (Watertown, MA); Panu James Turcot (Pacifica, CA)
Assignee: Affectiva, Inc.
G06K9/00845A61B5/0077A61B5/1103A61B5/165A61B5/18A61B5/6893B60K28/06B60R11/04G06K9/00281A61B5/02055G06Q30/0271G06T2207/30201G06T2207/30268G16H50/20
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,867,197
App. No.
16/685,071
Granted
Dec 15, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Drowsiness mental state analysis is performed using blink rate. Video is obtained of an individual or group. The individual or group can be within a vehicle. The video is analyzed to detect a blink event based on a classifier, where the blink event is determined by identifying that eyes are closed for a frame in the video. A blink duration is evaluated for the blink event. Blink-rate information is determined using the blink event and one or more other blink events. The evaluating can include evaluating blinking for a group of people. The blink-rate information is compensated to determine drowsiness, based on the temporal distribution mapping of the blink-rate information. Mental states of the individual are inferred for the blink event based on the blink event, the blink duration of the individual, and the blink-rate information that was compensated. The compensating is biased based on demographic information of the individual.

Claims (44)

1. A computer-implemented method for mental state analysis comprising:

obtaining video of an individual with an image capture device;

analyzing, using one or more processors, the video to detect a blink event based on a classifier for a blink that was determined wherein the blink event is determined by identifying that eyes of the individual are closed for a frame in the video using temporal analysis;

evaluating, using the one or more processors, a blink duration of the individual for the blink event;

determining, using the one or more processors, blink-rate information using the blink event and one or more other blink events, wherein the determining yields a blink-rate frequency, wherein a higher blink-rate frequency infers more drowsiness over the temporal distribution of the blink-rate information;

compensating, using the one or more processors, the blink-rate information to determine drowsiness, based on a temporal distribution of the blink-rate information; and

inferring, using the one or more processors, mental states of the individual for the blink event, wherein the mental states are based on the blink event, the blink duration of the individual, and the blink-rate information that was compensated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a longer blink duration infers more drowsiness over the temporal distribution of the blink-rate information.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising biasing the compensating based on demographic information of the individual.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the demographic information includes one or more of ethnicity, age, or gender.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the individual is a passenger in a vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the individual is a driver of a vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the driver is a custodial driver.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising manipulating a vehicle based on the mental states that were inferred.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the manipulating the vehicle includes recommending action.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the manipulating the vehicle includes initiating a locking out operation, recommending a break for an occupant, recommending a different route, recommending how far to drive, controlling the vehicle in response to traffic, adjusting seats, adjusting mirrors, adjusting climate control, adjusting lighting, adjusting music, generating audio stimuli, activating a braking system, or activating steering control.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the manipulating the vehicle includes recommending content to the individual.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the image capture device includes a near-infrared image capture device.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising locating a portion of a face with eyes.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising performing temporal analysis on the portion of the face to identify that the eyes are closed.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a difference in blinking by the individual and typical blinking for the individual.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the inferring mental states of the individual is further based on the difference in blinking by the individual and typical blinking for the individual.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing filters out single eye winks or looking down by the individual.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaluating average blink duration.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaluating blinking for a group of people of which the individual is a part.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining a difference in blinking between the individual and a remainder of the group.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising aggregating the blink-rate information for the individual with blink-rate information for a plurality of other people.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising correlating the blink-rate information with activities performed by the individual.

23. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for mental state analysis, the computer program product comprising code which causes one or more processors to perform operations of:

obtaining video of an individual with an image capture device;

analyzing, using one or more processors, the video to detect a blink event based on a classifier for a blink that was determined wherein the blink event is determined by identifying that eyes of the individual are closed for a frame in the video using temporal analysis;

evaluating, using the one or more processors, a blink duration of the individual for the blink event;

determining, using the one or more processors, blink-rate information using the blink event and one or more other blink events, wherein the determining yields a blink-rate frequency, wherein a higher blink-rate frequency infers more drowsiness over the temporal distribution of the blink-rate information;

compensating, using the one or more processors, the blink-rate information to determine drowsiness, based on a temporal distribution of the blink-rate information; and

inferring, using the one or more processors, mental states of the individual for the blink event, wherein the mental states are based on the blink event, the blink duration of the individual, and the blink-rate information that was compensated.

24. A computer system for mental state analysis comprising:

a memory which stores instructions;

one or more processors coupled to the memory wherein the one or more processors, when executing the instructions which are stored, are configured to:

obtain video of an individual with an image capture device;

analyze the video to detect a blink event based on a classifier for a blink that was determined wherein the blink event is determined by identifying that eyes of the individual are closed for a frame in the video using temporal analysis;

evaluate a blink duration of the individual for the blink event;

determine blink-rate information using the blink event and one or more other blink events, wherein the determination yields a blink-rate frequency, wherein a higher blink-rate frequency infers more drowsiness over the temporal distribution of the blink-rate information;

compensate the blink-rate information to determine drowsiness, based on a temporal distribution of the blink-rate information; and

infer mental states of the individual for the blink event, wherein the mental states are based on the blink event, the blink duration of the individual, and the blink-rate information that was compensated.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2020
From: EL KALIOUBY, RANA; KYAL, SURVI; MAHMOUD, ABDELRAHMAN N.; MAVADATI, SEYEDMOHAMMAD; TURCOT, PANU JAMES
To: AFFECTIVA, INC.
Reel/Frame 054294/0196 →
Continuity (46)
Continuation 16126615 · Sep 10, 2018
Continuation 15670791 · Aug 7, 2017
Continuation 15666048 · Aug 1, 2017
Continuation 15395750 · Dec 30, 2016
Continuation 15262197 · Sep 12, 2016
Continuation 14796419 · Jul 10, 2015
Continuation 14460915 · Aug 15, 2014
Continuation 13153745 · Jun 6, 2011
Continuation 14214918 · Mar 15, 2014
Continuation 13153745 · Jun 6, 2011
Provisional Application 62524606 · Jun 25, 2017
Provisional Application 62503485 · May 9, 2017
Provisional Application 62469591 · Mar 10, 2017
Provisional Application 62448448 · Jan 20, 2017
Provisional Application 62442325 · Jan 4, 2017
Provisional Application 62442291 · Jan 4, 2017
Provisional Application 62370421 · Aug 3, 2016
Provisional Application 62301558 · Feb 29, 2016
Provisional Application 62273896 · Dec 31, 2015
Provisional Application 62265937 · Dec 10, 2015
Provisional Application 62222518 · Sep 23, 2015
Provisional Application 62217872 · Sep 12, 2015
Provisional Application 62128974 · Mar 5, 2015
Provisional Application 62082579 · Nov 20, 2014
Provisional Application 62047508 · Sep 8, 2014
Provisional Application 62023800 · Jul 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61972314 · Mar 30, 2014
Provisional Application 61953878 · Mar 16, 2014
Provisional Application 61927481 · Jan 15, 2014
Provisional Application 61924252 · Jan 7, 2014
Provisional Application 61916190 · Dec 14, 2013
Provisional Application 61867007 · Aug 16, 2013
Provisional Application 61467209 · Mar 24, 2011
Provisional Application 61447464 · Feb 28, 2011
Provisional Application 61447089 · Feb 27, 2011
Provisional Application 61439913 · Feb 6, 2011
Provisional Application 61414451 · Nov 17, 2010
Provisional Application 61388002 · Sep 30, 2010
Provisional Application 61352166 · Jun 7, 2010
Provisional Application 62439928 · Dec 29, 2016
Provisional Application 61844478 · Jul 10, 2013
Provisional Application 61789038 · Mar 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61790461 · Mar 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61793761 · Mar 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61798731 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20200104616A1 · Apr 2, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,472,813