Method for Detecting a Lack of Driver Activity at the Steering Wheel of a Motor Vehicle
AssigneeBayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
InventorDieter GANESCH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method detects a lack of driver activity at the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. A moment imparted by hand to the steering wheel by the driver is repeatedly measured, and if in a plurality of successive measurements the magnitude of a value of the moment imparted by hand does not exceed a threshold value, a lack of driver activity is inferred. The magnitude of the threshold value is dependent on the surface condition, in particular on the degree of unevenness, of the roadway being traveled upon. The degree of unevenness of the roadway may be derived from a measured vertical acceleration in the wheel suspension of the vehicle or from deceleration and/or acceleration signals of at least one wheel of the vehicle.
Claims12
A method of detecting a lack of driver activity at a steering wheel of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:
- repeatedly measuring a moment imparted by hand to the steering wheel by a driver;
- in an event that in several successive measurements a magnitude amount of the moment imparted by hand does not exceed a threshold value, inferring a lack of driver activity, wherein an amount of the threshold value is a function of a surface condition of a road being traveled on.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.