# US 12,223,746 B2 · Distracted-driving monitoring apparatus for vehicle

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- Number: US 12,223,746 B2
- Document ID: US12223746B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/702,437
- Filed: 2022-03-23
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-03-31
- Assignees: Subaru Corporation
- Applicants: Subaru Corporation
- Inventors: Keita Onishi; Masayuki Marubashi; Junpei Tokizaki; Keiji Asai; Shinichi Miyamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223746B2

## CPC

- G06V 20/597: {Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness}
- B60W 40/09: Driving style or behaviour
- B60W 40/11: Pitch movement
- B60W 40/114: Yaw movement
- G06V 40/174: {Facial expression recognition}
- G06V 40/18: Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
- B60W 2040/0881: {Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence}
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2540/01: Occupants other than the driver
- B60W 2540/225: Direction of gaze
- B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- 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 distracted-driving monitoring apparatus for a vehicle includes an imaging device and a determiner. The imaging device is configured to capture an image indicating at least an occupant of the vehicle. The determiner is configured to make a determination on distracted driving of the occupant of the vehicle based on the captured image. The determiner is configured to determine areas in the captured image corresponding to areas that the occupant faces from among divided areas obtained by dividing a viewing range. The viewing range corresponds to a range where the occupant is likely to face while the vehicle is in operation. The determiner is configured to execute determination processing differently for each of the determined areas to make the determination on the distracted driving of the occupant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A distracted-driving monitoring apparatus for a vehicle, the distracted-driving monitoring apparatus comprising:
an imaging device configured to capture an image of at least one occupant of the vehicle; and
a determiner configured to make a determination on distracted driving of the occupant of the vehicle based on the captured image, wherein
the determiner is configured to:
identify areas in the captured image corresponding to areas that the occupant faces from among divided areas obtained by dividing a viewing range, the viewing range corresponding to a range where the occupant is likely to face while the vehicle is in operation;
the determiner is configured to execute determination processing differently for each of the identified areas to make the determination on the distracted driving of the occupant,
the determiner is further configured to:
identify, from the captured image, an eye direction of the occupant and a face direction of the occupant;
for a first area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range, make a determination on the distracted driving of the occupant by using both of the identified face direction and the identified eye direction;
for a second area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range, make a determination on the distracted driving of the occupant not by using the identified face direction but by using the identified eye direction, the second area being different from the first area; and
for a third area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range, make a determination on the distracted driving of the occupant not by using the identified eye direction but by using the identified face direction, the third area being other than the first and second areas.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The distracted-driving monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range are at least a front area and a peripheral area, the front area being an area in a traveling direction of the vehicle, the peripheral area being an area around the front area.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The distracted-driving monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the viewing range is divided into the divided areas in a pitch direction or a top-bottom direction of the vehicle, or the viewing range is divided into the divided areas in a yaw direction or a left-right direction of the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The distracted-driving monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third area is provided as at least one of areas obtained by dividing the viewing range in a left-right direction or a yaw direction of the vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The distracted-driving monitoring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the third area is provided as at least one of areas obtained by dividing the viewing range in a top-bottom direction or a pitch direction of the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The distracted-driving monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third area is provided as at least one of areas obtained by dividing the viewing range in a top-bottom direction or a pitch direction of the vehicle.

### Claim 7

A distracted-driving monitoring apparatus for a vehicle, the distracted-driving monitoring apparatus comprising:
an imaging device configured to capture an image of at least one occupant of the vehicle; and
circuitry configured to:
make a determination on distracted driving of the occupant of the vehicle based on the captured image,
identify areas in the captured image corresponding to areas that the occupant faces from among areas obtained by dividing a viewing range, the viewing range corresponding to a range where the occupant is likely to face while the vehicle is in operation; and
execute determination processing differently for each of the identified areas to make the determination on the distracted driving of the occupant,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
identify, from the captured image, an eye direction of the occupant and a face direction of the occupant;
for a first area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range, make a determination on the distracted driving of the occupant by using both of the identified face direction and the identified eye direction;
for a second area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range, make a determination on the distracted driving of the occupant not by using the identified face direction but by using the identified eye direction, the second area being different from the first area; and
for a third area among the divided areas obtained by dividing the viewing range, make a determination on the distracted driving of the occupant not by using the identified eye direction but by using the identified face direction, the third area being other than the first and second areas.