KR-20260067794-A - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING STATE OF VEHICLE OCCUPANT

Abstract

A vehicle occupant status determination device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a scanner that scans an occupant area using an infrared light source absorbed by a specific gas, and a processor that generates a gas concentration mapping image based on the absorbance of the specific gas and determines the occupant's status based on the gas concentration mapping image.

Inventors

• 김동구
• 양상혁
• 이장현

Assignees

• 현대자동차주식회사
• 기아 주식회사

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20241106

Claims (20)

1. A scanner that scans the occupant area using an infrared light source absorbed by a specific gas; and A processor comprising a gas concentration mapping image based on the absorbance of the aforementioned specific gas and a gas concentration mapping image based on the gas concentration mapping image, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
2. In claim 1, The aforementioned specific gas is Included in the exhalation of the above-mentioned passenger, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
3. In claim 1, The above processor Setting the wavelength range of the infrared light source so that the infrared light source is absorbed by the alcohol gas, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
4. In claim 3, The above processor Calculating the absorbance of the alcohol gas based on the transmittance of the infrared light source passing through the alcohol gas, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
5. In claim 4, The above processor Generating an alcohol concentration mapping image based on the absorbance of the above alcohol gas, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
6. In claim 5, The above processor Determining the intoxication status of the passenger based on the above alcohol concentration mapping image, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
7. In claim 6, The above processor If it is determined that the above passenger is intoxicated, the location of the above passenger is determined based on the above alcohol concentration mapping image, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
8. In claim 7, The above processor If, prior to driving the vehicle, it is determined based on the alcohol concentration mapping image that the occupant is intoxicated and is the driver, the ignition is locked. Vehicle occupant status determination device.
9. In claim 8, The above processor Re-evaluating the intoxication status of the occupant whenever a preset period arrives while the vehicle is in operation, Vehicle occupant status determination device.
10. In claim 9, The above processor Controlling the vehicle to restrict driving if, based on the alcohol concentration mapping image during driving, it is determined that the passenger is intoxicated and is the driver. Vehicle occupant status determination device.
11. A step of scanning the occupant area using an infrared light source absorbed by a specific gas; and A method comprising the step of generating a gas concentration mapping image based on the absorbance of the specific gas and determining the condition of the occupant based on the gas concentration mapping image. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
12. In claim 11, The aforementioned specific gas is Included in the exhalation of the above-mentioned passenger, Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
13. In claim 11, A step further comprising setting the wavelength range of the infrared light source so that the infrared light source is absorbed by the alcohol gas, Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
14. In claim 13, The method further includes the step of calculating the absorbance of the alcohol gas based on the transmittance through which the infrared light source has passed the alcohol gas. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
15. In claim 14, A method further comprising the step of generating an alcohol concentration mapping image based on the absorbance of the alcohol gas. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
16. In claim 15, A method further comprising the step of determining the intoxication status of the passenger based on the alcohol concentration mapping image. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
17. In claim 16, If it is determined that the passenger is intoxicated, the method further includes the step of determining the location of the passenger based on the alcohol concentration mapping image. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
18. In claim 17, A method further comprising, prior to driving the vehicle, a step of locking the ignition if it is determined based on the alcohol concentration mapping image that the occupant is intoxicated and is the driver. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
19. In claim 18, The method further includes the step of re-evaluating the intoxication status of the occupant whenever a preset period arrives while the vehicle is in motion. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.
20. In claim 19, The method further includes a step of controlling the driving to be restricted if, based on the alcohol concentration mapping image during the driving of the vehicle, it is determined that the passenger is intoxicated and is the driver. Method for determining the condition of vehicle occupants.

Description

Apparatus and Method for Determining State of Vehicle Occupant The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant status determination device and method, and more specifically, to a vehicle occupant status determination device and method that determines the status of a vehicle occupant using infrared rays. Recently, to fundamentally prevent drunk driving, vehicles equipped with devices to measure the driver's alcohol concentration are being released. Generally, the driver's alcohol concentration is measured using a breath sensor to determine the alcohol contained in the driver's exhaled breath. However, since it takes a certain amount of time for the driver's exhaled breath to enter the sensor and be measured, there is a limitation in that it may take time for the engine to start after the door is opened and the driver gets into the vehicle, causing inconvenience to the driver. In addition, since the breath sensor may mis-enter the exhalation of not only the driver but also the passenger, if an intoxicated passenger rides in the vehicle, the alcohol concentration may be mis-measured based on the passenger's exhalation, which may cause an additional delay in starting the engine. In addition, there are cases where alcohol is measured using a passenger's exhalation instead of the drunk driver's, which presents a limitation in that a separate driver recognition and monitoring device is required to recognize whether the exhalation entering the breath sensor is the driver's exhalation. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle occupant status determination device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a scanner according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a method for obtaining the transmittance of an infrared light source according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a graph showing the transmittance of an infrared light source when the infrared light source is not absorbed by a specific gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a graph showing the transmittance of an infrared light source when the infrared light source is absorbed by a specific gas according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a scanning method for generating a gas concentration mapping image according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a mapping image of a driver's alcohol concentration in a drunk state according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an alcohol concentration mapping image of a passenger in a drunken state according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an alcohol concentration mapping image of a second-row passenger in a drunken state according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a point cloud image determined to be driver-free according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a point cloud image determined to be driver boarding according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a guide output according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the condition of a vehicle occupant before driving according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the condition of a vehicle occupant while driving according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a computing system for executing a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. It should be noted that in assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numeral whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions would hinder understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted. In describing the components of the embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used. These terms are intended merely to distinguish the components from other components, and the essence, order, or sequence of the components is not limited by the terms. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consisten