Method and device for the detection of microsleep events
Assignee7352867 Canada Inc.
InventorBruno Farbos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a method of detecting a microsleep event in a subject. The method includes determining a number of eye openness factors by measuring a number of distances between an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid of at least one eye over a time period. Graphical representations of the eye openness factors are then generated. Changes in the eye openness factors over the time period are correlated with a reference eye closure pattern indicative of the microsleep event. Also disclosed is a microsleep event detection device.
Claims26
A method of alerting a vehicle operator to a microsleep event, the method comprising:
- determining a plurality of eye openness factors by measuring a plurality of distances between an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid of at least one eye over a time period;
- generating graphical representations of the eye openness factors;
- and
- correlating changes in the eye openness factors over the time period with a reference eye closure pattern indicative of the microsleep event;
- and
- triggering an alarm so as to alert the operator when the eye openness factors, compared to a reference eye closure pattern, are indicative of the microsleep event.
A microsleep event detection device, the device comprising:
- a facial image sampler for sampling facial images over time of a subject, the sampler having an infra red source for illuminating one or more eyes of the subject and for measuring the distance between upper eyelids and lower eyelids of the subject;
- a microprocessor connected to the sampler for receiving the sampled facial images, and for converting the sampled facial images to graphical representations of eye openness factors;
- a non-transitory memory electronically connected to the microprocessor, the memory having stored therein a plurality of reference eye closure patterns;
- and
- an alarm connected to the microprocessor for alerting the subject when the eye openness factors, compared to a reference eye closure pattern, are indicative of the microsleep event.
A computer-implemented method of detecting a microsleep event in a subject, the method comprising:
- receiving a signal from an infra red source at one or more eyes of the subject;
- determining a plurality of eye openness factors by measuring a plurality of distances between an upper eyelid and a lower eyelid of at least one eye over a time period;
- generating graphical representations of the eye openness factors;
- and
- triggering an alarm to alert the subject when the eye openness factors, compared to a reference eye closure pattern, are indicative of the microsleep event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.