Image classification system and method thereof

An image classification system configured to classify an awareness of an occupant of a vehicle, said system comprising:

• at least one light source configured to emit light towards the occupant, wherein at least a portion of said emitted light is reflected by the occupant;
• an imager in optical communication with said at least one light source, wherein said imager is configured to receive at least a portion of said reflected light, such that a two-dimensional (2-D) facial fingerprint is produced that is representative of at least a portion of said emitted light reflected by the occupant such that the 2-D facial fingerprint has parameters of a 2-D line pattern image;
• a database configured to store at least one previously obtained 2-D facial fingerprint;
• and
• a controller communicatively connected to said imager, wherein said controller is configured to compare said 2-D facial fingerprint to said at least one previously obtained 2-D facial fingerprint stored in said database, such that said controller classifies the occupant as one of a forward facing classification, a rightward facing classification, a leftward facing classification, an upward classification, a downward classification, an attentive classification, and a non-attentive classification.

A method of classifying the target in an image, said method comprising the steps of:

• illuminating the target;
• obtaining an image based upon at least a portion of light reflected by said illumination of the target, wherein said image is an obtained two-dimensional (2-D) line pattern that is representative of at least a portion of said light reflected by the target;
• comparing said 2-D line pattern to at least one previously obtained 2-D line pattern;
• and
• classifying the target in said image based upon said comparison of said 2-D line pattern and said at least one previously obtained 2-D line pattern.