Human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on a road-vehicle

Claim 2

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles having a steering wheel comprising: a plurality of status detecting means, each means including an optical sensing means for generating an electric signal in accordance with whether or not said steering wheel of the road vehicle is firmly gripped, said optical status detecting means being disposed on the steering wheel with given intervals therebetween; detection energizing means for energizing said status detecting means; signal processing means for processing an electric signal from said status detecting means; at least one security means carried by the road vehicle; and electronic control means for monitoring information output from said signal processing means and for energizing said security means if any anomaly occurs wherein said electronic control means sequentially selects said light receiving means, detects differences in output signal level between every adjacent light receiving means, and specifies those light receiving means in accordance with said differences.

Claim 3

A human condition monitioring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 1 wherein said optical sensing means is comprised of a light emitting means and a light receiving means receiving light from the former.

Claim 4

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 2 wherein said light receiving means is disposed in the vicinity of said light emitting means to have its optical axis extending substantially in the same direction as that of said light emitting means.

Claim 5

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicless according to claim 2 wherein detection energizing means includes oscillation means for imparting periodic fluctuations to said light emitting means and wherein said electronic control means detects the magnitude of amplitude of an output signal from said light receiving means.

Claim 6

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 2 wherein said signal processing means includes a filter means.

Claim 7

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 1 wherein said security means carried by the road vehicle includes alarm sound generating means.

Claim 8

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 1 wherein said security means carried by the road vehicle includes speed regulating means for lowering the speed of the road vehicIe.

Claim 9

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles having a steering wheel comprising: a plurality of heartbeat detecting means each comprising at least one light emitting means and at least one light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the light emitting means on said steering wheel, said detecting means being disposed with given intervals therebetween with the optical axes thereof extending above said steering wheel; detection energizing means for energizing said heart beat detecting means; signal processing means for processing an electric signal from said heartbeat detecting means; at least one security means carried by said road vehicle; and electronic control means for monitoring a heartbeat signal output from said signal processing means and for energizing said security means if any anomaly occurs wherein said electronic control means sequentially selects said light receiving means, detects differences in output signal level between every adjacent light receiving means, and specifies those light receiving means in accordance with said differences.

Claim 10

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles having a steering wheel comprising: a plurality of heartbeat detecting means each comprising at least one light emitting means and at least one light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the light emitting means on said steering wheel, said detecting means being disposed with given intervals therebetween with the optical axes thereof extending above said steering wheel; detection energizing means for energizing said heart beat detecting means; signal processing means for processing an electric signal from said heartbeat detecting means; at least one security means carried by said road vehicle; and electronic control means for monitoring a heartbeat signal output from said signal processing means and for energizing said security means if any anomaly occurs wherein said electronic control means sequentially selects said light receiving means, detects differences in output signal level between every adjacent light receiving means, and specifies those light receiving means in accordance with said differences.

Claim 11

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 8 wherein said electronic control means calculates at least a value corresponding to fluctation in periods of the heartbeat signal and detects any anomaly in accordance with the value.

Claim 12

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 8 wherein said heartbeat detecting means is disposed on a steering wheel of the road vehicle.

Claim 13

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 8 wherein said heartbeat detecting means is mounted on a band shaped support member.

Claim 14

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 8 wherein said each heartbeat detecting means is comprised of light emitting means and a plurality of light receiving means arranged in the vicinity of said light emitting means to surround the same and to have their optical axes extending substantially in the same direction.

Claim 15

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 8 wherein said detection energizing means includes oscillation means for imparting period fluctuations to said light emitting means, and wherein said signal processing means includes heartbeat signal demodulating means for demodulating a modulated signal from said light receiving means.

Claim 16

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 8 wherein said signal processing means includes signal transmitting means for outputting an electric wave modulated with an electric signal from said light receiving means, and signal, receiving means for receiving said electric wave and demodulating the same to obtain the electric signal from said light receiving means.

Claim 17

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles according to claim 14 wherein said detecting energizing means and said signal transmitting means are detachably secured to spokes of said steering wheel.

Claim 18

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles comprising: a plurality of heartbeat detecting means each comprising at least one ligth emitting means and at least one light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the light emitting means; detection energizing means for energizing said heart beat detecting means; signal processing means for processing an electric signal from said heartbeat detecting means; at least one security means carried by said road vehicle; and electronic control means for monitoring a heartbeat signal output from said signal processing means and for energizing said security means if any anomaly occurs wherein said electronic control means sequentially selects said light receiving means, detects differences in output signal level between every adjacent light receiving means, and specifies those light receiving means in accordance with said differences.

Claim 19

A human condition monitoring and security controlling apparatus on road vehicles comprising: a plurality of heartbeat detecting means each comprising at least one ligth emitting means and at least one light receiving means disposed in the vicinity of the light emitting means; detection energizing means for energizing said heart beat detecting means; signal processing means for processing an electric signal from said heartbeat detecting means; at least one security means carried by said road vehicle; and electronic control means for monitoring a heartbeat signal output from said signal processing means and for energizing said security means if any anomaly occurs wherein said electronic control means sequentially selects said light receiving means, detects differences in output signal level between every adjacent light receiving means, and specifies those light receiving means in accordance with said differences.