# US 12,767,164 B2 · Method and system for monitoring driver attention > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,767,164 B2 - Document ID: US12767164B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/087,770 - Filed: 2025-03-24 - Published: 2025-09-25 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2024-03-25 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Yannick Forster; Frederik Naujoks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12767164B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - B60W 2040/0818: {Inactivity or incapacity of driver} - B60W 2040/0881: {Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence} - B60W 2050/143: {Alarm means} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2540/225: Direction of gaze - 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 ## Abstract A method and automotive control unit is configured to monitor an attention of a driver of a vehicle. To this end, a gaze location of a driver of the vehicle is determined. If the gaze location corresponds to a rear-facing mirror, a field of view of the rear-facing mirror is determined. If the field of view corresponds to a view of a driving environment of the vehicle, the driver is classified as performing a driving task. If the field of view corresponds to a view of the vehicle, the driver is classified as performing a non-driving task. An attention alert is issued to the driver based on the classification of the driver. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for monitoring an attention of a driver of a vehicle, comprising: determining a gaze location of a driver of the vehicle; when the gaze location corresponds to a rear-facing mirror, determining a field of view of the rear-facing mirror; when the field of view corresponds to a view of a driving environment of the vehicle, classifying the driver as performing a driving task; when the field of view corresponds to a view of the vehicle, classifying the driver as performing a non-driving task; and issuing an attention alert to the driver based on the classification of the driver, wherein the field of view corresponds to the view of the driving environment of the vehicle if the field of view includes less of the view of the vehicle than a vehicle view threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the gaze location corresponds to the rear-facing mirror: detecting an occupancy state of each of a plurality of rear seats of the vehicle, each occupancy state indicating an occupancy of each corresponding rear seat; and classifying the driver as performing the driving task if each occupancy state indicates that none of the rear seats of the plurality of rear seats is occupied. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: foregoing determining the field of view if each occupancy state indicates that none of the rear seats of the plurality of rear seats is occupied. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the field of view of the rear-facing mirror comprises detecting an auxiliary mirror within the field of view of the rear-facing mirror, the auxiliary mirror having an auxiliary field of view including at least one rear seat; and the method further comprises classifying the driver as performing the non-driving task even if the field of view corresponds to the view of the driving environment of the vehicle if the auxiliary mirror is detected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the issuing of the attention alert to the driver includes issuing the attention alert to the driver if the driver is classified as performing the non-driving task. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the gaze location corresponds to the rear-facing mirror, determining a gaze duration, the gaze duration corresponding to a time interval during which the gaze location corresponds to the rear-facing mirror, wherein the issuing of the attention alert to the driver is further based on the gaze duration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the issuing of the attention alert to the driver further includes issuing the attention alert to the driver if the driver is classified as performing the driving task and if the gaze duration exceeds a gaze duration threshold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: when the gaze location corresponds to the rear-facing mirror, determining a plurality of gaze durations during a gaze accumulation period, wherein the issuing of the attention alert to the driver further comprises issuing the attention alert to the driver if the driver is classified as performing the driving task and if a sum of the plurality of gaze durations during the gaze accumulation period exceeds a gaze accumulation threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the issuing of the attention alert to the driver further comprises: issuing a base attention alert if one of a plurality of base attention alert conditions is met, the plurality of base attention alert conditions comprising at least a first base alert condition and a second base alert condition, the first base alert condition comprising the driver being classified as performing the driving task and the gaze duration exceeding the gaze duration threshold or the sum of the plurality of gaze durations during the gaze accumulation period exceeding the gaze accumulation threshold and the second base alert condition comprising the driver being classified as performing the non-driving task; and issuing an elevated attention alert if one of a plurality of elevated attention alert conditions is met, the plurality of elevated attention alert conditions comprising at least a first elevated attention alert condition, the first elevated attention alert condition comprising the driver being classified as performing the non-driving task and the gaze duration exceeding the gaze duration threshold or the sum of the plurality of gaze durations during the gaze accumulation period exceeding the gaze accumulation threshold. ### Claim 10 An automotive control unit, comprising: at least one processing unit; and a memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and configured to store machine-readable instructions, wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the at least one processing unit to: determine a gaze location of a driver of a vehicle; and when the gaze location corresponds to a rear-facing mirror: determine a field of view of the rear-facing mirror; when the field of view corresponds to a view of a driving environment of the vehicle, classify the driver as performing a driving task; when the field of view corresponds to a view of the vehicle, classify the driver as performing a non-driving task; and issue an attention alert to the driver based on the classification of the driver, wherein the field of view corresponds to the view of the driving environment of the vehicle if the field of view includes less of the view of the vehicle than a vehicle view threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The automotive control unit of claim 10, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: when the gaze location corresponds to the rear-facing mirror: detect an occupancy state of each of a plurality of rear seats of the vehicle, each occupancy state indicating an occupancy of each corresponding rear seat; and classify the driver as performing the driving task if each occupancy state indicates that none of the rear seats of the plurality of rear seats is occupied. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The automotive control unit of claim 11, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: foregoes determining the field of view if each occupancy state indicates that none of the rear seats of the plurality of rear seats is occupied. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The automotive control unit of claim 10, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: detect an auxiliary mirror within the field of view of the rear-facing mirror, the auxiliary mirror having an auxiliary field of view including at least one rear seat; and classify the driver as performing the non-driving task even if the field of view corresponds to the view of the driving environment of the vehicle if the auxiliary mirror is detected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The automotive control unit of claim 10, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: when the gaze location corresponds to a rear-facing mirror, determine a gaze duration, the gaze duration corresponding to a time interval during which the gaze location corresponds to the rear-facing mirror, and issue the attention alert to the driver further based on the gaze duration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The automotive control unit of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: issue the attention alert to the driver if the driver is classified as performing the driving task and if the gaze duration exceeds a gaze duration threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The automotive control unit of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: when the gaze location corresponds to a rear-facing mirror, determine a plurality of gaze durations during a gaze accumulation period, and issue the attention alert to the driver if the driver is classified as performing the driving task and if a sum of the plurality of gaze durations during the gaze accumulation period exceeds a gaze accumulation threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The automotive control unit of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to: issue a base attention alert if one of a plurality of base attention alert conditions is met, the plurality of base attention alert conditions comprising at least a first base alert condition and a second base alert condition, the first base alert condition comprising the driver being classified as performing the driving task and the gaze duration exceeding the gaze duration threshold or the sum of the plurality of gaze durations during the gaze accumulation period exceeding the gaze accumulation threshold and the second base alert condition comprising the driver being classified as performing the non-driving task; and issue an elevated attention alert if one of a plurality of elevated attention alert conditions is met, the plurality of elevated attention alert conditions comprising at least a first elevated attention alert condition, the first elevated attention alert condition comprising the driver being classified as performing the non-driving task and the gaze duration exceeding the gaze duration threshold or the sum of the plurality of gaze durations during the gaze accumulation period exceeding the gaze accumulation threshold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) A vehicle comprising the automotive control unit of claim 10.