EP-4735315-A1 - CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

EP4735315A1EP 4735315 A1EP4735315 A1EP 4735315A1EP-4735315-A1

Abstract

Examples pertain to a control system (100) for controlling a driver assistance system (200) of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more processors collectively configured to: obtain (302) a driver attention level input signal (310), the driver attention level input signal indicative of a determined level of driver attention to controlling operation of the vehicle; in dependence on the determined level of driver attention, determine (304) whether the level of driver attention is below a driver attention threshold; and in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be below the driver attention threshold, output a driver assistance system control increase signal (306), the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause an increase in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system (200).

Inventors

HERNANDEZ-MUNOZ, Luis
SEDDON, Sandra
BARGE, ROLAND

Assignees

Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240625

Claims (15)

1. A control system for controlling a driver assistance system of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more processors collectively configured to: obtain a driver attention level input signal, the driver attention level input signal indicative of a determined level of driver attention to controlling operation of the vehicle; in dependence on the determined level of driver attention, determine whether the level of driver attention is below a driver attention threshold; and in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be below the driver attention threshold, output a driver assistance system control increase signal, the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause an increase in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system.
2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the driver attention level input signal is further indicative of a determined category of driver attention, and the control system is further configured to: in dependence on the determined category of driver attention, determine a type of driver assistance to be provided by the driver assistance system to provide the increase in automatic driver assistance functionality; and output the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause the increase in automatic driver assistance functionality according to the determined type of driver assistance to be provided.
3. The control system of any preceding claim, wherein the category of driver attention comprises one or more of: driver drowsiness; driver distraction; and driver unresponsiveness.
4. The control system of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to obtain the driver attention level input signal by: receiving the determined level of driver attention from a facial analysis module configured to capture one or more images of a face of the driver and determine, in dependence on the one or more images, the level of driver attention.
5. The control system of any preceding claim, wherein the driver attention threshold is dependent on one or more of: whether the vehicle is performing a transfer of control event; and whether the vehicle is performing a minimum risk manoeuvre.
6. The control system of any preceding claim, wherein the increase in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system comprises one or more of: lane assistance configured to control the vehicle to be located within a driving lane; forward collision warning provision indicative of a risk of forward collision of the vehicle; speed limit warning provision indicative of a road speed limit at the location of the vehicle; new speed limit notification provision indicative of a road speed limit ahead of the vehicle; and blind spot monitoring provision indicative of the presence of an object in a blind spot of the vehicle.
7. The control system of any preceding claim, configured to provide a driver assistance mode indicator signal to a driver output apparatus, the driver assistance mode indicator signal configured to cause the driver output apparatus to provide an indicator to indicate the driver assistance functionality being provided.
8. The control system of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to: obtain a further driver attention level input signal, the further driver attention level input signal indicative of a further determined level of driver attention to controlling operation of the vehicle; in dependence on the further determined level of driver attention, determine whether the level of driver attention is above the driver attention threshold; and in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be above the driver attention threshold, output a driver assistance system control decrease signal, the driver assistance system control decrease signal to cause an decrease in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system.
9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the driver assistance system control decrease signal is configured to cause the decrease in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system, to return the automatic driver assistance functionality to a level of driver assistance functionality provided by the driver assistance system before the increase in driver assistance functionality provided in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be below the driver attention threshold.
10. The control system of any preceding claim, wherein the driver assistance system is configured to operate in a plurality of modes, wherein each of the plurality of modes provides a different level of automatic driver assistance functionality in a driver assistance; and wherein the control system is configured to: output the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause the driver assistance system to operate in a high assistance mode to thereby cause the increase in automatic driver assistance functionality.
11. A system for a vehicle, the system comprising the control system of any of claims 1 to 10; and a driver attention level determination module in communication with the control system, the driver attention level determination module configured to: receive driver attention state input indicative of the attention state of the driver; determine the driver attention level input signal in dependence on the driver attention state; and provide the driver attention level input signal to the control system.
12. The system for a vehicle of claim 11, wherein the driver attention state input comprises one or more of: driver facial input obtained from an image capture device, the driver facial input indicative of one or more of: driver facial expression, driver eye gaze direction, driver eyelid position, and eyelid closure duration; and steering wheel contact input obtained from a steering wheel sensor, the steering wheel contact input indicative of the contact of a driver’s hand with a steering wheel of the vehicle.
13. A vehicle comprising the system of claim 11 or 12, or the control system of any of claims 1 to 10.
14. A method for controlling a driver assistance system of a vehicle, the method comprising: obtaining a driver attention level input signal, the driver attention level input signal indicative of a determined level of driver attention to controlling operation of the vehicle; in dependence on the determined level of driver attention, determining whether the level of driver attention is below a driver attention threshold; and in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be below the driver attention threshold, outputting a driver assistance system control increase signal, the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause an increase in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system.
15. Computer readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, are arranged to perform a method according to claim 14.

Description

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a control system for a driver assistance system. Aspects of the invention relate to a control system, a system, a vehicle, and computer readable instructions. BACKGROUND It is known to provide features in a vehicle which may provide an alert for a driver who is not in the most appropriate state for driving, such as being fatigued, distracted or unresponsive. For example, if a driver is detected as being in a fatigued or drowsy state, an audio, visual or haptic alert may be provided in response to alert the driver, so the driver may return their attention to driving or perhaps stop for a rest before continuing their journey. Further improvements to vehicle operation in view of a driver’s detected state of responsiveness would be beneficial. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a control system, a system, a vehicle, and computer readable instructions as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a control system for controlling a driver assistance system of a vehicle. The control system is configured to receive a driver attention level input signal indicative of a level of driver attention to controlling the vehicle, determine whether the level of driver attention is below a driver attention threshold, and, according to whether the determined level of driver attention is above or below the driver attention threshold, output a control signal to control the driver assistance system. Advantageously, the DAS of the car can be controlled according to the attentiveness of the driver to driving the vehicle. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a control system for controlling a driver assistance system of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more processors collectively configured to: obtain a driver attention level input signal, the driver attention level input signal indicative of a determined level of driver attention to controlling operation of the vehicle; in dependence on the determined level of driver attention, determine whether the level of driver attention is below a driver attention threshold; and in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be below the driver attention threshold, output a driver assistance system control increase signal, the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause an increase in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system. Advantageously, the DAS of the car can be controlled to provide more automatic driving assistance if the driver is determined to be inattentive. A driver paying less attention to controlling the vehicle is detected as being less attentive and the DAS is automatically controlled to provide more driving assistance to compensate for the driver’s inattentiveness. Automatic driver assistance functionality may be considered to be vehicle control functionality which is automatically activated in response to a determination that the current driver operation of the vehicle would benefit from the driver assistance functionality, to supports operation of the vehicle. The control system may comprise at least one electronic processor having an electrical input for receiving an input signal; and at least one memory device electrically coupled to the at least one electronic processor and having instructions stored therein; and wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to access the at least one memory device and execute the instructions thereon so as to: obtain a driver attention level input signal, the driver attention level input signal indicative of a determined level of driver attention to controlling operation of the vehicle; in dependence on the determined level of driver attention, determine whether the level of driver attention is below a driver attention threshold; and in response to the level of driver attention being determined to be below the driver attention threshold, output a driver assistance system control increase signal, the driver assistance system control increase signal to cause an increase in automatic driver assistance functionality to be provided by the driver assistance system. Advantageously, the DAS of the vehicle can be controlled in response to input indicative of additional automatic driver support being beneficial due to the attention state of the driver, to provide an output to control the DAS to provide more automatic driving assistance if the driver is determined to be inattentive. The driver attention level input signal may be further indicative of a determined category of driver attention. The control system may be further configured to: in dependence on the determined category of driver attention, determine a