Method and product for alerting or refocusing an inattentive driver

1. A method comprising:

providing a human driver monitoring system and a human driver jolting system for a vehicle;

using the human driver monitoring system to monitor a human driver for signs of inattentiveness to the task of driving the vehicle; and,

using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver,

and wherein the human driver monitoring system is further constructed and arranged to communicate with a driving friction estimation system, wherein the driving surface friction estimation system is constructed and arranged to estimate a driving surface friction for at least one of the at least one driven roadwheel or steerable roadwheel, and wherein using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver is based at least upon the determination of the friction estimate for at least one of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver is preceded by producing an alert signal within the vehicle cabin.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the alert signal is an audible alarm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the human driver monitoring system comprises at least a camera.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the camera is an infrared camera.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the human driver monitoring system comprises at least a pressure sensor imbedded in a vehicle component, an element of vehicle upholstery, or an element of vehicle trim.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is in motion, and the motion of the vehicle comprises a longitudinal vehicle acceleration component and a lateral vehicle acceleration component.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver comprises changing the longitudinal vehicle acceleration component.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver comprises changing the lateral vehicle acceleration component.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein using the human driver monitoring system to monitor the human driver for signs of inattentiveness to the task of driving the vehicle comprises detecting that a human driver has closed its eyes.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein using the human driver monitoring system to monitor the human driver for signs of inattentiveness to the task of driving the vehicle comprises detecting that a human driver has slowed its breathing.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein using the human driver monitoring system to monitor the human driver for signs of inattentiveness to the task of driving the vehicle comprises detecting that a human driver has diverted its gaze.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein using the human driver monitoring system to monitor the human driver for signs of inattentiveness to the task of driving the vehicle comprises detecting that a human driver has slumped its shoulders.

14. A method comprising:

providing a human driver monitoring system and a human driver jolting system for a vehicle;

using the human driver monitoring system to monitor a human driver for signs of inattentiveness to the task of driving the vehicle; and,

using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver, wherein the vehicle further comprises an active suspension system and wherein using the human driver jolting system to jolt the human driver comprises using the active suspension to change the stance of the vehicle, and wherein the vehicle includes an autonomous system constructed and arranged to mitigate any changes to steering that the change in stance has caused.

15. A product comprising:

a human driver monitoring system for use in a vehicle constructed and arranged to monitor a human driver and to determine whether the human driver is inattentive to the task of driving the vehicle, and further constructed and arranged to communicate with at least one vehicle system, and to affect a change an acceleration of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel via communication with the at least one other vehicle system based at least upon the detection of whether the human driver is inattentive to the task of driving the vehicle, wherein the human driver monitoring system is further constructed and arranged to communicate with a driving friction estimation system, wherein the driving surface friction estimation system is constructed and arranged to estimate a driving surface friction for at least one of the at least one driven roadwheel or steerable roadwheel, and wherein the human driver monitoring system is constructed and arranged to affect a change in the acceleration of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel via communication with the at least one other vehicle system based at least upon the determination of whether the human driver is inattentive to the task of driving the vehicle as well as the friction estimate for at least one of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel.

16. The product of claim 15 wherein changing the acceleration of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel via communication with the at least one other vehicle system comprises communicating in order to affect a change the acceleration of a steerable roadwheel in a lateral direction by signaling a vehicle steering system to steer the at least one steerable roadwheel in the lateral direction with respect to a straight-forward bearing.

17. The product of claim 15 wherein changing the acceleration of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel via communication with the at least one other vehicle system comprises communicating in order to affect a change the acceleration of a driven roadwheel by signaling a vehicle engine system to increase an amount of torque supplied by the vehicle motor to a driven roadwheel.

18. The product of claim 15 wherein the human driver monitoring system is further constructed and arranged to communicate with at least one vehicle system or module for detecting adverse driving environment, and wherein the human driver monitoring system is constructed and arranged to affect a change in the acceleration of the at least one steerable roadwheel or the at least one driven roadwheel via communication with the at least one other vehicle system based at least upon the detection of an adverse driving environment regardless of whether the human driver is determined to be inattentive to the task of driving by the human driver monitoring system.

19. A method comprising:

providing at least one driven and steerable roadwheel constructed and arranged to be driven by torque supplied by a vehicle motor and also to be steered by a steering system, a human driver monitoring system, a driving surface friction estimation system, and a braking system constructed and arranged to brake at least one of the at least one driven or steerable roadwheel;

using the human driver monitoring system to detect that a human driver has become inattentive to the task of driving the vehicle;

using the driving surface friction estimation system to estimate a driving surface friction for at least one of the at least one driven or steerable roadwheel; and,

based at least upon the detection of the inattentiveness of the human driver and the friction estimate for at least one of the at least one driven and steerable roadwheel, changing an acceleration of the at least one driven or steerable roadwheel.