# US 12,183,130 B2 · Trailer monitoring for detecting inattentive driving > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,130 B2 - Document ID: US12183130B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/689,230 - Filed: 2022-03-08 - Published: 2022-09-15 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-11 - Assignees: Stoneridge, Inc. - Applicants: Stoneridge, Inc. - Inventors: Troy Otis Cooprider - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183130B2 ## CPC - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - G07C 5/04: using counting means or digital clocks - B60W 40/09: Driving style or behaviour - G07C 5/085: {using electronic data carriers} - B60W 2040/0818: {Inactivity or incapacity of driver} - B60W 2300/14: Tractor-trailers, i.e. combinations of a towing vehicle and one or more towed vehicles, e.g. caravans; Road trains - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2520/22: Articulation angle, e.g. between tractor and trailer - B60W 2520/28: Wheel speed - B60W 2530/203: Presence of trailer - B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping - B60W 2552/53: Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk - B60W 2756/10: Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle - G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)} - 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 - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A method for detecting inattentive vehicle operation in a commercial vehicle includes monitoring a motion of a rear portion of a trailer and identifying a motion trend. The method compares the motion trend with a set of known inattentive driving trends and identifies an inattentive driving event when the identified trend matches a known inattentive driving trend in the set of known inattentive driving trends. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for detecting inattentive vehicle operation in a commercial vehicle comprising: analyzing trailer monitoring data, which includes at least one of sensor data and image data, to detect a motion of a rear portion of a trailer and identify a motion trend in the trailer monitoring data; comparing the motion trend with a set of known inattentive driving trends; and identifying an inattentive driving event when the identified trend matches a known inattentive driving trend in the set of known inattentive driving trends; wherein the analyzing to detect and identify, the comparing, and the identifying are performed by an electronic control unit; and wherein the set of known inattentive driving trends includes at least one of the following inattentive driving trends: sinusoidal swaying of the rear portion of the trailer; abrupt motion of the rear portion of the trailer; and a lack of motion of the rear portion of the trailer as compared to one of a lane line and a road edge detection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising responding to an identified inattentive driving event by storing video from a driver monitoring system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the stored video includes a duration before the identified inattentive driving event. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said storing comprises storing a portion of the video after the identified inattentive driving event. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the motion of the rear portion of the trailer is monitored using exclusively image-based monitoring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the motion of the rear portion of the trailer is monitored using a combination of the sensor data and the image data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the sensor data includes data from at least one of a trailer wheel speed monitor, a lane detector, a road edge detector, and a positioning system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of known inattentive driving trends includes rule-based driving trends and machine learning determined driving trends. ### Claim 9 A commercial vehicle comprising: a tractor and at least one trailer; at least one first camera configured to capture images of a rear portion of the trailer; and an electronic control unit configured to: monitor a motion of the rear portion of the trailer in the images and identify a motion trend in response thereto; compare the motion trend with a set of known inattentive driving trends; and identify an inattentive driving event when the identified trend matches a known inattentive driving trend in the set of known inattentive driving trends; wherein the set of known inattentive driving trends includes at least one of the following inattentive driving trends: sinusoidal swaying of the rear portion of the trailer; abrupt motion of the rear portion of the trailer; and a lack of motion of the rear portion of the trailer as compared to one of a lane line and a road edge detection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The commercial vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a driver monitoring system including at least one second camera configured to capture at least a portion of a vehicle operator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The commercial vehicle of claim 10, wherein the driver monitoring system includes a buffer configured to store a duration of video feed from the at least one first camera in response to an inattentive driving event, the duration of video feed at least partially preceding the inattentive driving event. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to: based on the identified inattentive driving event, provide a signal to the driver monitoring system to save a predefined portion of video from the at least one second camera leading up the inattentive driving event. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The commercial vehicle of claim 9, including at least one of a trailer wheel speed sensor, a lane line sensor, a trailer hitch angle sensor, and a road edge sensor. ### Claim 14 A system, comprising: at least one first camera configured to capture images of a rear portion of a trailer; and an electronic control unit configured to: monitor a motion of the rear portion of the trailer in the images and identify a motion trend in response thereto; compare the motion trend with a set of known inattentive driving trends; and identify an inattentive driving event when the identified trend matches a known inattentive driving trend in the set of known inattentive driving trends; wherein the set of known inattentive driving trends includes at least one of the following inattentive driving trends: sinusoidal swaying of the rear portion of the trailer; abrupt motion of the rear portion of the trailer; and a lack of motion of the rear portion of the trailer as compared to one of a lane line and a road edge detection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a driver monitoring system including at least one second camera configured to capture at least a portion of a vehicle operator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the driver monitoring system includes a buffer configured to store a duration of video feed from the at least one first camera in response to an inattentive driving event, the duration of video feed at least partially preceding the detected inattentive driving event.