# US 2012/0083974 A1 · Method and system for combining sensor data

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- Number: US 2012/0083974 A1
- Document ID: US20120083974A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/127,983
- Filed: 2008-11-07
- Published: 2012-04-05
- Earliest claimed: 2008-11-07
- Assignees: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
- Inventors: Fredrik Sandblom
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120083974A1

## CPC

- G01S 13/931: of land vehicles
- A61B 5/163: {by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change}
- A61B 5/18: for vehicle drivers {or machine operators}
- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection}
- B60W 2050/0029: {Mathematical model of the driver}
- G01S 13/87: Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
- G01S 17/87: Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G01S 2013/9321: {Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control}
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- 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 is provided for combining sensor data collected by at least two sensors coupled to at least one application, wherein at least one of the sensors provides driver-related sensor data of a driver-related behaviour and at least one external sensor provides sensor date not related to driver-related behaviour. The sensor data of the at least two sensors are combined as the respective measurement errors of the data are uncorrelated in time with respect to the at least one application.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for combining sensor data collected by at least two (100, 110) coupled to at least one application (50), characterized in that wherein at least one of the sensors (100) provides driver-related sensor data of a driver-related behaviour and at least one external sensor (110) provides sensor date not related to driver-related behaviour, wherein the sensor data of the at least two sensors (100, 110) are combined as the respective measurement errors of the data are uncorrelated in time with respect to the at least one application (50).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor data of the at least two sensors (100, 110) are combined in a state where noise of the sensor data is uncorrelated in time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor data of the at least two sensors (100, 110) are fed to a sensor fusion unit (20) for combination and/or exchange of the sensor data.

### Claim 4

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor data are transmitted to one or more applications (50) subsequent to the sensor fusion unit (20), wherein estimation errors are correlated in time after processing in the sensor fusion unit (20).

### Claim 5

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor data are pre-processed before fed into the sensor fusion unit (20).

### Claim 6

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that driver-related sensor data comprises at least driver attention and/or driver gaze direction data.

### Claim 7

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driver-related sensor data and data derived from the application (50) are used to estimate the driver's field of view (120).

### Claim 8

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a reaction time of the driver and/or a distraction level of the driver is derived from a comparison between driver-related sensor data indicating cognitive detection of an object (60) and detection of the object (60) by the at least one external sensor (110).

### Claim 9

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a reaction time is extracted from a time difference between a detection of an object by the at least one external sensor (110) and driver-related sensor data indicating cognitive detection of the same object (60) by the driver.

### Claim 10

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that that the at least one application (50) is a vehicular safety system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9, 10)

The method according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the reaction time of one or more drivers is extracted and stored for use in the vehicular safety system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9, 10, 11)

The method according to one of the claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the reaction time is used to adapt a sensitivity level of the safety system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9, 10, 11, 12)

The method according to one of the claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the reaction time is used to evaluate a level of driver attention.

### Claim 14

The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the driver-related sensor data are combined with tracking data of one or more objects (60).

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, characterized in that in a tracking system (52) a sensor model is built which at least comprises one or more of
a probability that the driver notices one or more object (60);
an accuracy of a driver monitoring camera presenting a driver's head and/or gaze direction;
a relation between head/gaze direction and position ( ) of one or more objects (60) viewed by the driver;
a probability that the driver looks at non-objects;
an impact on track confidence as a function of driver attention.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, characterized in that a track is recognized as valid if external sensor data and driver-related sensor data coincide.

### Claim 17

A safety system of a vehicle (90) employing the method according to one of the preceding claims.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

A tracking system of a vehicle (90) employing the method according to one of the claims 1 to 16.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Computer program comprising a computer program code adapted to perform a method or for use in a method according to at least one of claims 1 to 16 when said program is run on a programmable microcomputer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

Computer program according to claim 19 adapted to be downloaded to a control unit or one of its components when run on a computer which is connected to the internet.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Computer program product stored on a computer readable medium, comprising a program code for use in a method according to one of claims 1 to 16 on a computer.