Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-11
2001-05-29
Tong, Nina (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S573100, C600S301000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239707
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for sensing a pulse signal from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of a driver through a pulse sensor on a steering wheel of a transportation device such as an airplane, ship, vehicle, two-wheeled vehicle or heavy equipment and monitoring the condition of the driver in accordance with the sensed result, and more particularly to a driver condition monitoring apparatus for sensing a pulse signal from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of a driver through a pulse sensor on a steering wheel of a transportation device, measuring the condition of the driver while driving, such as sleepiness, fatigue, physical abnormality, etc., in accordance with the sensed result and visually and aurally informing the driver of the measured result, thereby preventing accidents while driving.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, operators and drivers (referred to hereinafter only as drivers) for an airplane, ship, vehicle, two-wheeled vehicle, heavy equipment, etc. (referred to hereinafter only as transportation devices) must often inevitably drive the transportation devices even under the condition that they are tired or overworked, because their driving schedules are not fixed. For this reason, the drivers may encounter the danger of serious accidents due to sleepy driving resulting from their fatigue.
On the other hand, the above drivers for the transportation devices usually make self-diagnoses of their bodies on the basis of symptoms and habits appearing on their bodies to determine whether they are currently overworked or tired. When the drivers determine that they are tired, they drive the transportation devices after sleeping or taking a reset. However, such self-diagnoses of the drivers are unscientific and, when certain symptoms instantaneously appear while driving, the drivers must judge the current conditions by themselves. As a result, it is the reality that the drivers for the transportation devices are always exposed to the danger of serious accidents.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a driver condition monitoring apparatus or sensing a pulse signal from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of a driver through a pulse sensor on a steering wheel of a transportation device in a normal healthy condition of the driver, storing the sensed result as reference data in a data storage unit, sensing a pulse signal from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of the driver through the pulse sensor on the steering wheel of the transportation device while driving, measuring a variation of the sensed pulse signal resulting from overwork, sleepiness, excitement, vehicle overtaking, excessive speeding, etc. of the driver, comparing the measured result with the reference data stored in the data storage unit and, when a difference therebetween is above or below a threshold value, calling his attention to the current condition or cautioning him against it in a picture or voice, thereby guiding the driver to adequately cope with the current condition to prevent accidents while driving.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by a provision of a driver condition monitoring apparatus for checking a physical condition of a driver driving any one of transportation devices including an airplane, ship, vehicle, two-wheeled vehicle and heavy equipment and informing the driver of the checked physical condition, comprising a pulse sensor installed in a steering wheel of a given one of the transportation devices for sensing a pulse signal (electrocardiogram signal) from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of the driver; an amplifier for amplifying the pulse signal sensed by the pulse sensor and removing a noise component therefrom; a keypad including a plurality of keys for inputting information about the driver; a data storage unit for storing the driver information inputted through the keypad from the driver and reference data based on a pulse signal from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of the driver, sensed by the pulse sensor when the driver selects a reference data input mode in his normal healthy condition; a controller for comparing pulse signals from the palm or fingers of either or both of the left and right hands of the driver, sensed by the pulse sensor before, after and while driving, respectively with the reference data stored in the data storage unit, analyzing each of the compared results, judging the current condition of the driver from the analyzed result and visually and aurally informing the driver of the judged result respectively through a display and speaker; an audio processor responsive to a first control signal from the controller for converting a specified one of various voice data stored in the data storage unit into an audio signal, amplifying the converted audio signal and outputting it to the speaker; the display responsive to a second control signal from the controller for displaying the measured condition of the driver in a numerical value or picture; and a power supply for supplying an operating voltage to the driver condition monitoring apparatus using a self power source of the given transportation device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a schematic block diagram of the construction of a driver condition monitoring apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a view showing the configuration of a pulse sensor electrode on a steering wheel itself of a transportation device in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a schematic block diagram of the construction of a driver condition monitoring apparatus in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a view showing the configuration of a pulse sensor electrode on a steering wheel cover of a transportation device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5
is a view showing the configuration of a receiver and display on a steering wheel of the transportation device in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4706072 (1987-11-01), Ikeyama
patent: 5574641 (1996-11-01), Kawakami et al.
patent: 5783997 (1998-07-01), Saitoh et al.
patent: 5813989 (1998-09-01), Saitoh et al.
patent: 5917415 (1999-06-01), Atlas
patent: 6104296 (2000-08-01), Yasushi et al.
Levine & Mandelbaum
Tong Nina
LandOfFree
Driver condition monitoring apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Driver condition monitoring apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Driver condition monitoring apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2441028