# US 11,999,369 B2 · Autonomous vehicle operator performance tracking

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- Number: US 11,999,369 B2
- Document ID: US11999369B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/498,388
- Filed: 2021-10-11
- Published: 2022-01-27
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-02
- Assignees: SmartDrive Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: SmartDrive Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Palmer; Mark Freitas; Daniel A. Deninger; David Forney; Slaven Sljivar; Alekh Vaidya; Jeffrey Griswold
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999369B2

## CPC

- B60K 28/06: responsive to incapacity of driver
- B60W 50/12: Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
- B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers
- B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling}
- B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant}
- B60W 60/0057: {Estimation of the time available or required for the handover}
- B60W 60/0059: {Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity}
- B60W 60/007: {Emergency override (Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227)}
- G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00)
- B60W 2040/0818: {Inactivity or incapacity of driver}
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
- B60W 2420/54: Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
- B60W 2540/22: Psychological state; Stress level or workload
- B60W 2540/221: Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
- B60W 2540/225: Direction of gaze
- B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
- B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
- B60W 2552/30: Road curve radius
- B60W 2554/00: Input parameters relating to objects
- B60W 2554/406: Traffic density
- B60W 2554/80: Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
- B60W 2554/802: Longitudinal distance
- B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
- B60W 2556/10: Historical data
- B60W 2556/45: External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
- B60Y 2302/05: Leading to automatic stopping of the vehicle
- 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
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

This disclosure relates to a system and method for determining vehicle operator preparedness for vehicles that support both autonomous operation and manual operation. The system includes sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to vehicles and their operation. During autonomous vehicle operation, the system gauges the level of responsiveness of an individual vehicle operator through challenges and corresponding responses. Based on the level of responsiveness, a preparedness metric is determined for each vehicle operator individually.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system configured to determine vehicle operator preparedness for vehicle operators of vehicles, wherein the vehicles support both an autonomous operation mode and a manual operation mode, the system configured to couple with a vehicle, wherein the vehicle operators include a vehicle operator for the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is operated autonomously, wherein continued autonomous operation of the vehicle requires the vehicle operator to exhibit a preparedness to assume control of the vehicle, the system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
during the autonomous operation mode of the vehicle, effectuate presentation of one or more challenges to the vehicle operator to gauge a level of responsiveness of the vehicle operator, wherein the one or more challenges are presented to the vehicle operator at particular moments in time, and wherein determination of the particular moments in time is based at least in part on the preparedness exhibited by the vehicle operator;
detect one or more responses by the vehicle operator to the one or more challenges;
determine whether the one or more responses reflect an insufficient level of preparedness by the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle in the manual operation mode; and
responsive to the determination that the one or more responses reflect the insufficient level of preparedness by the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle in the manual operation mode, prompt the vehicle to modify vehicle operation of the vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine a preparedness metric value that reflects preparedness of the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle, wherein determination of the preparedness metric value is based on the one or more responses; and
perform a comparison of the preparedness metric value with a preparedness threshold level,
wherein the determination that the one or more responses reflect the insufficient level of preparedness by the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle is based on the comparison.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is such that a frequency of presenting the one or more challenges is increased.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on one or more current weather parameters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on one or more current traffic parameters.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on one or more current traffic parameters.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on a current location of the vehicle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein modification of the vehicle operation as prompted includes at least one of: (i) reducing speed of the vehicle, and (ii) a change in operation mode of the vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
measure an elapsed time between a presentation of an individual challenge and a detection of an individual response to the individual challenge; and
wherein the determination of the preparedness metric value is based on the elapsed time.

### Claim 10

A method to determine vehicle operator preparedness for vehicle operators of vehicles, wherein the vehicles support both an autonomous operation mode and a manual operation mode, wherein the vehicles include a vehicle, wherein the vehicle operators include a vehicle operator for the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is operated autonomously, wherein continued autonomous operation of the vehicle requires the vehicle operator to exhibit a preparedness to assume control of the vehicle, the method comprising:
determining particular moments in time to present one or more challenges to the vehicle operator, wherein determination of the particular moments in time is based at least in part on the preparedness exhibited by the vehicle operator;
during the autonomous operation mode of the vehicle, effectuating presentation of the one or more challenges to the vehicle operator to gauge a level of responsiveness of the vehicle operator;
detecting one or more responses by the vehicle operator to the one or more challenges;
determining whether the one or more responses reflect an insufficient level of preparedness by the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle in the manual operation mode; and
responsive to determining that the one or more responses reflect the insufficient level of preparedness by the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle in the manual operation mode, prompting the vehicle to modify vehicle operation of the vehicle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
determining a preparedness metric value that reflects preparedness of the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle, wherein determination of the preparedness metric value is based on the one or more responses; and
performing a comparison of the preparedness metric value with a preparedness threshold level;
wherein determining the one or more responses reflect the insufficient level of preparedness by the vehicle operator to assume control of the vehicle is based on the comparison.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is such that a frequency of presenting the one or more challenges is increased.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on one or more current weather parameters.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on one or more current traffic parameters.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on one or more current traffic parameters.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the particular moments in time is further based at least in part on a current location of the vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein modification of the vehicle operation as prompted includes at least one of: (i) reducing speed of the vehicle, and (ii) a change in operation mode of the vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
measuring an elapsed time between a presentation of an individual challenge and a detection of an individual response to the individual challenge; and
wherein the determination of the preparedness metric value is further based on the elapsed time.