US6091334A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Drowsiness/alertness monitor
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1998-09-04
•
Granted: 2000-07-18
•
Expires: 2018-09-04
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for analyzing drowsiness of a subject. The monitor measures motion of the head of the subject and of one or both eyes of the subject in at least one dimension and derives at least one physiological indication such as gaze stability, saccade speed, saccade frequency, blink duration, and instrument-world scanning performance of the subject. The physiological indicator or indicators are compared with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Inventors
- 👤 Henrietta L. Galiana
- 👤 Ian W. Hunter
- 👤 Lynette A. Jones
- 👤 James L. Tangorra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:59
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/02; G08B21/06; A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/103; A61B5/11; A61B5/1113; A61B5/1114; A61B5/48; A61B5/4806; A61B5/4809
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for analyzing drowsiness of a subject having a head and an eye, the method comprising: a. measuring motion of the head of the subject in at least one dimension; b. measuring motion of the eye of the subject; c. deriving at least one physiological indicator of drowsiness in a waking subject, the at least one physiological indicator, selected from the group of saccade frequency, saccade speed, blink duration, blink frequency, instrument-world scanning performance, and gain of vestibular-ocular reflex, based on motion of the head and the eye; and d. comparing the at least one derived physiological indicator of the subject with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for analyzing drowsiness of a subject having a head and an eye, the method comprising: a. measuring motion of the head of the subject in at least one dimension; b. measuring motion of the eye of the subject; c. deriving at least one physiological indicator of drowsiness in a waking subject, the at least one physiological indicator, selected from the group of saccade frequency, saccade speed, blink duration, blink frequency, instrument-world scanning performance, and gain of vestibular-ocular reflex, based on motion of the head and the eye; and d. comparing the at least one derived physiological indicator of the subject with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising: e. triggering at least one alarm based the onset of drowsiness for restoring alertness of the subject.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for analyzing drowsiness of a subject having a head and two eyes, the method comprising: a. measuring motion of the head of the subject in at least one dimension; b. measuring motion of the eyes of the subject; c. deriving at least one physiological indicator of drowsiness in a waking subject, the at least one physiological indicator, selected from the group of saccade frequency, saccade speed, blink duration, blink frequency, instrument-world scanning performance, and gain of vestibular-ocular reflex, based on motion of the head and the eyes; and d. comparing the at least one derived physiological indicator of the subject with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for analyzing drowsiness of a subject having a head and two eyes, the method comprising: a. measuring motion of the head of the subject in at least one dimension; b. measuring motion of the eyes of the subject; c. deriving at least one physiological indicator of drowsiness in a waking subject, the at least one physiological indicator, selected from the group of saccade frequency, saccade speed, blink duration, blink frequency, instrument-world scanning performance, and gain of vestibular-ocular reflex, based on motion of the head and the eyes; and d. comparing the at least one derived physiological indicator of the subject with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
130 words
A drowsiness monitor for detecting drowsiness of a subject having a head and an eye, the drowsiness monitor comprising: a. a head tracker for measuring motion of the head of the subject in at least one dimension; b. an eye tracker for measuring motion of the eye of the subject; and c. an alarm processor for deriving at least one physiological indicator, the at least one physiological indicator drowsiness in a waking subject selected from the group of saccade frequency, saccade speed, blink duration, blink frequency, instrument-world scanning performance, and gain of vestibular-ocular reflex, based on motion of the head and eye, and comparing the at least one physiological indicator with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
A drowsiness monitor for detecting drowsiness of a subject having a head and an eye, the drowsiness monitor comprising: a. a head tracker for measuring motion of the head of the subject in at least one dimension; b. an eye tracker for measuring motion of the eye of the subject; and c. an alarm processor for deriving at least one physiological indicator, the at least one physiological indicator drowsiness in a waking subject selected from the group of saccade frequency, saccade speed, blink duration, blink frequency, instrument-world scanning performance, and gain of vestibular-ocular reflex, based on motion of the head and eye, and comparing the at least one physiological indicator with predetermined ranges of acceptable values in such a manner as to determine an onset of drowsiness in the subject.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A drowsiness monitor according to claim 4, further comprising a classification processor for sorting responses of the eye of the subject according to intervals corresponding to a slow phase and a fast phase.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4836219A
Cited
GB2215040A
Cited
US5293427A
Cited
US5583590A
Cited
US5573006A
Cited
US5689241A
Cited
DE19613614A1
Cited
US5570698A
Cited
US5729619A
Cited
US5859686A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-18 | 2004-01-17 | 2004-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-18 | 2008-01-17 | 2008-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-18 | 2012-01-17 | 2012-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |