# US 11,999,233 B2 · Driver monitoring device, storage medium storing computer program for driver monitoring, and driver monitoring method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,233 B2 - Document ID: US11999233B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/056,833 - Filed: 2022-11-18 - Published: 2023-07-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-18 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kenichiroh Hara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999233B2 ## CPC - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver - B60K 35/22: Display screens - B60K 35/26: using acoustic output - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - B60K 35/80: Arrangements for controlling instruments - B60K 35/90: Calibration of instruments, e.g. setting initial or reference parameters; Testing of instruments, e.g. detecting malfunction - B60K 2360/1434: Touch panels - B60K 2360/175: Autonomous driving - B60K 2360/176: Camera images - B60K 2360/178: Warnings - B60K 2360/21: using cameras - B60W 2040/0881: {Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence} - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - 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 ## Abstract A driver monitoring device has a processor configured to acquire number of passengers that are occupying a vehicle when the vehicle has begun to travel, to determine whether or not a driver is sitting in a driving seat based on an image near the driving seat of the vehicle which has been taken by an imaging unit and, when it has been determined that the driver is not seated in the driving seat, to determine that the driver is not seated in the driving seat if number of seated people, representing number of people that are sitting as detected by a seating sensor situated in each seat other than the driving seat of the vehicle, matches the number of passengers, and to determine that the driver is seated in the driving seat if the number of seated people is one less than the number of passengers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A driver monitoring device comprising: a processor configured to acquire number of passengers that are occupying a vehicle when the vehicle has begun to travel, determine whether or not a driver is sitting in a driving seat based on an image near the driving seat of the vehicle which has been taken by an imaging unit, and determine that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat if number of seated people, representing number of people that are sitting as detected by a seating sensor situated in each seat other than the driving seat of the vehicle, matches the number of passengers, and determine that the driver is sitting in the driving seat if the number of seated people is one less than the number of passengers, when it has been determined that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The driver monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to notify the driver to sit in the driving seat via a notification unit, when it has been determined that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The driver monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether or not the driver is sitting in the driving seat based on multiple images taken by the imaging unit, during a predetermined time after assessment, when it has been determined that the driver is sitting in the driving seat. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The driver monitoring device according to claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to notify the driver to sit in the driving seat via a notification unit, when it has been determined that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The driver monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to notify the driver to sit in the driving seat via a notification unit, when the number of seated people does not match the number of passengers and the number of seated people is also not one less than the number of passengers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The driver monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the number of seated people with the number of passengers, and if the number of seated people is greater than the value of the number of passengers minus 1, calculate the value of one added to the number of seated people minus the number of passengers as the number of objects placed on seats other than the driving seat, in cases where it has been determined that the driver is sitting in the driving seat, and determine that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat if the number of seated people minus the number of objects matches the number of passengers, or determine that the driver is sitting in the driving seat if the number of seated people minus the number of objects is one less than the number of passengers, after the number of objects has been calculated, in cases where it has been determined that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat. ### Claim 7 A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium storing a computer program for driver monitoring, which causes a processor execute a process, the process comprising: acquiring number of passengers that are occupying a vehicle when the vehicle has begun to travel; determining whether or not a driver is sitting in a driving seat based on an image near the driving seat of the vehicle which has been taken by an imaging unit; and determining that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat if number of seated people, representing number of people that are sitting as detected by a seating sensor situated in each seat other than the driving seat of the vehicle, matches the number of passengers, or determining that the driver is sitting in the driving seat if the number of seated people is one less than the number of passengers, in cases where it has been determined that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat. ### Claim 8 A driver monitoring method carried out by a driver monitoring device and the method comprising: acquiring number of passengers that are occupying a vehicle when the vehicle has begun to travel; determining whether or not a driver is sitting in a driving seat based on an image near the driving seat of the vehicle which has been taken by an imaging unit; and determining that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat if number of seated people, representing number of people that are sitting as detected by a seating sensor situated in each seat other than the driving seat of the vehicle, matches the number of passengers, or determining that the driver is sitting in the driving seat if the number of seated people is one less than the number of passengers, in cases where it has been determined that the driver is not sitting in the driving seat.