IP Library Patent Application 17987210
Patent Application
App. No. 17/987,210

ESTIMATION APPARATUS AND ESTIMATION METHOD

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
17/987,210
Abstract

An estimation apparatus includes: an image information obtainer that obtains image information of a captured image of a driver; a first detector that detects face information indicating facial behavior of the driver, based on the image information; a first reliability calculator that calculates first reliability; a second detector that detects body information indicating body movement of the driver, based on the image information; a second reliability calculator that calculates second reliability; a weight setter that, when the face information and the body information are detected, sets a first weight corresponding to the face information and a second weight corresponding to the body information based on the first reliability and the second reliability; and an estimator that estimates drowsiness of the driver based on the face information weighted by the first weight and the body information weighted by the second weight.

Claims (31)

1 . An estimation apparatus that estimates drowsiness of a driver of a vehicle, the estimation apparatus comprising:

an image information obtainer that obtains image information of a captured image of the driver;

a first detector that detects first information indicating facial behavior of the driver, based on the image information;

a first reliability calculator that calculates first reliability, the first reliability being an indicator of certainty of a detection result of the first information;

a second detector that detects second information indicating body movement of the driver, based on the image information;

a second reliability calculator that calculates second reliability, the second reliability being an indicator of certainty of a detection result of the second information;

a weight setter that, when the first information and the second information are detected, sets a first weight corresponding to the first information and a second weight corresponding to the second information based on the first reliability and the second reliability; and

an estimator that estimates drowsiness of the driver based on the first information weighted by the first weight and the second information weighted by the second weight.

2 . The estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a vehicle information obtainer that obtains vehicle information indicating at least one of a traveling state of the vehicle or an environment in a cabin of the vehicle, wherein

the weight setter further changes the first weight and the second weight that have been set, based on the vehicle information.

3 . The estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an environment information obtainer that obtains environment information indicating a surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein

the weight setter further changes the first weight and the second weight that have been set, based on the environment information.

4 . The estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a vehicle information obtainer that obtains vehicle information indicating a traveling state of the vehicle, wherein

when the weight setter determines that the vehicle is stopped or traveling around a curve based on the vehicle information, the weight setter further changes the second weight that has been set.

5 . The estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the second information includes skeletal point information indicating a skeletal point of the driver.

6 . The estimation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the second detector tracks, in a time direction, the skeletal point indicated by the skeletal point information.

7 . The estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the estimator is configured to change a processing cycle of determining drowsiness of the driver when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

8 . An estimation method for estimating drowsiness of a driver of a vehicle, the estimation method comprising:

obtaining image information of a captured image of the driver;

detecting first information indicating facial behavior of the driver, based on the image information;

calculating first reliability, the first reliability being an indicator of certainty of a detection result of the first information;

detecting second information indicating body movement of the driver, based on the image information;

calculating second reliability, the second reliability being an indicator of certainty of a detection result of the second information;

setting, when the first information and the second information are detected, a first weight corresponding to the first information and a second weight corresponding to the second information based on the first reliability and the second reliability; and

estimating drowsiness of the driver based on the first information weighted by the first weight and the second information weighted by the second weight.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066709/0745 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2023
From: IMAMURA, CHISATO; KOYAMA, TAKAYOSHI; NAKAI, WATARU; OKAYAMA, MOTOYUKI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062446/0780 →