# US 11,897,481 B2 · Driver assistance system and driver assistance method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,481 B2 - Document ID: US11897481B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/350,055 - Filed: 2021-06-17 - Published: 2022-01-06 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-01 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masataka Sano; Koichiro Yamauchi; Takuya Sakata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897481B2 ## CPC - B60W 40/09: Driving style or behaviour - G01C 21/3415: {Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents} - B60W 40/04: Traffic conditions - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - B60W 50/16: Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal - G01C 21/3617: {using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement} - G01C 21/3679: {Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities (G01C21/3611 takes precedence)} - G01C 21/3697: {Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence)} - B60W 2040/0827: {due to sleepiness} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2540/21: Voice - B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract The driver assistance system comprises a detector, a navigator, a stimulator, and a voice interactor. The detector detects wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver. The navigator navigates a vehicle based on map information. The stimulator continuously or intermittently applies stimulation to the driver. The voice interactor interacts with the driver by voice. The navigator searches for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving. The voice interactor executes a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and executes a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A driver assistance system comprising: a detector configured to detect wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver; a navigator configured to navigate a vehicle based on map information; a stimulator configured to continuously or intermittently apply stimulation to the driver; and a voice interactor configured to interact with the driver by voice, wherein: the navigator is configured to automatically search for a resting facility on a route from the map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving; and the voice interactor is configured to automatically execute a first interaction of proposing navigation to the resting facility by the navigator in response to the detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving, and automatically execute a second interaction of proposing application of stimulation by the stimulator after an execution of the first interaction and during a period until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility; wherein the voice interactor is configured to stop the execution of the first interaction and execute the second interaction in response to the vehicle being caught in a traffic jam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the voice interactor is configured to propose an application of a plurality of types of stimulation to the driver in the second interaction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator is configured to apply vibration stimulation to the driver. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the stimulator is configured to apply informational stimulation to the driver. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous driving vehicle configured to travel autonomously according to the navigation by the navigator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the voice interactor is configured to stop the execution of the first interaction and execute the second interaction in response to an expected required time to the resting facility exceeding a predetermined time. ### Claim 7 A driver assistance method, comprising: detecting wakefulness reduction of a driver or absent-minded driving by the driver; automatically searching for a resting facility on a route from map information in response to a detection of the wakefulness reduction or the absent-minded driving; automatically proposing to the driver navigation to the resting facility, through a first interaction; navigating a vehicle to the resting facility in response to an agreement by the driver to a proposal through the first interaction; after initiating the navigation to the resting facility, automatically proposing to the driver application of stimulation to the driver, through a second interaction; and continuously or intermittently applying stimulation to the driver automatically until the vehicle arrives at the resting facility in response to an agreement by the driver to a proposal through the second interaction; stopping the execution of the first interaction and executing the second interaction in response to the vehicle being caught in a traffic jam.