Occupant monitoring systems and methods

An occupant monitoring system (OMS) for monitoring an occupant in a vehicle, the OMS comprising:

• an imaging unit for coupling to a steering wheel assembly, the imaging unit having a field of view inside of the vehicle for capturing an image signal corresponding to an imaging area in the vehicle, the imaging area being within the field of view, and
• a processing unit, the processing unit including a processor and a memory operably coupled to the processor, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• monitor an operator interference signal, the operator interference signal associated with an ability of the OMS to monitor the imaging area;
• in response to the operator interference signal indicating an interference with an ability of the imaging unit to capture the image signal corresponding to the imaging area, disabling one or more operations of the OMS;
• and
• in response to the operator interference signal indicating that the ability of the imaging unit to capture the image signal is restored, enabling the one or more operations of the OMS.

A method of monitoring an occupant in a vehicle using an occupant monitoring system, the method comprising:

• coupling an occupant monitoring system (OMS) to a steering wheel assembly of the vehicle such that the OMS rotates with a rotatable portion of the steering wheel assembly, the OMS including an imaging unit configured to capture an image signal corresponding to an imaging area in the vehicle, the imaging area being within the field of view of the imaging unit;
• processing an angle electrical signal to determine the angle of rotation of the steering wheel assembly and/or the rate of angular rotation of the steering wheel assembly;
• in response to the angle electrical signal indicating that the angle of rotation and/or the rate of angular rotation has exceeded a threshold angle of rotation or rate of angular rotation, respectively, disabling operation of the OMS;
• and
• in response to the electrical signal indicating that the angle of rotation and/or the rate of angular rotation meets or is below the threshold angle of rotation or rate of angular rotation, respectively, enabling operation of the OMS.