Automated distraction measurement of machine operator

Abstract

A system and method for automated monitoring/evaluating of the distraction of an operator of a controllably movable object, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to a system for monitoring and/or evaluating distraction of a driver of a vehicle and providing a score to the level of distraction relating to the use of other device while driving.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device associated with a driver of a vehicle comprising:
 a memory that includes a stored program;   a user-interface that allows the driver to interact with the electronic device; and   a processor that executes the stored program, wherein executing the stored program causes the processor to:   detect association of the electronic device with the vehicle;   detect a start of a driving session associated with the vehicle;   detect and evaluate one or more driver distraction events resulting from an interaction of the driver with the electronic device during the driving session by monitoring a status of the electronic device during the driving session;   determine a severity of each driver distraction event based on operational data of the vehicle measured by the electronic device; and   establish a distraction metric associated with the driver based on a duration of the driving session, a mileage of the driving session, a number of driver distraction events, the severity of each distraction event, and a duration of each driver distraction event.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device automatically detects the start of the driving session. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device detects the start of the driving session based on an initiation of a driving monitoring event by the driver via the user interface of the electronic device. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the operational data of the vehicle is measured by the electronic device using one or more sensors associated with the electronic device. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the operational data of the vehicle comprises one or more of a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, and a yaw rate of the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the status of the electronic device comprises monitoring a switching between or switching to one or more applications from a current application running on the electronic device. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the status of the electronic device comprises monitoring, by an application running on the electronic device, interferences to the application by events that are not related to the application. 
     
     
         8 . A automated distraction measurement system, comprising:
 an electronic device associated with a driver of a vehicle, wherein the electronic device:
 detects one or more driver distraction events during a driving session associated with the vehicle, 
 generates a set of parameters based on the one or more distraction events and the driving session, wherein the set of parameters comprise:
 a duration and mileage of the driving session associated with the vehicle, 
 a duration of each driver distraction event, and 
 a driving difficulty value for a duration of each driver distraction event; and 
 
 calculates a distraction metric for the driver based on the set of parameters and the one or more distraction event. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the set of parameters further include one or more vehicle performance metrics determined by the electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the set of parameters further include one or more vehicle performance metrics obtained from a telematics device of the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein to calculate the distraction metric based on the set of parameters, the electronic device calculates a subset of parameters, wherein the subset of parameters comprises:
 an average event distraction level calculated based on an average driving difficulty value for the one or more driver distraction events;   a rate of driver distraction events per mile of the vehicle's driving session calculated based on a total number of the driver distraction events and the mileage of the driving session; and   a percentage of distraction time per driving session calculated based on a total duration of all the driver distraction events and the duration of the driving session.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the electronic device normalizes one or more parameters of the subset of parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein responsive to normalizing, the electronic device adds weights to each parameters of the subset of parameters, wherein the weights indicate a significance of the parameter in the distraction metric. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic device detects the one or more driver distraction events by monitoring a status of one or more applications running on the electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic device detects the one or more driver distraction events by monitoring a switching between or switching to one or more applications from a current application running on the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein monitoring the status of the electronic device comprises monitoring a manual interaction of the driver with the electronic device via a user interface of the electronic device. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 initiating an operation of a driving distraction measurement application running on an electronic device based on an input from an operator of a vehicle via a user interface of the electronic device;   responsive to initiating the operation of the driving distraction measurement application, collecting and logging, by the electronic device, operational characteristics of the vehicle during a driving session of the vehicle;   detecting, by the electronic device, if the driving distraction measurement application has been switched to the background, wherein the switching of the driving distraction measurement application to the background is representative of an operator distraction event, and wherein the switching of the driving distraction measurement application to the background indicates that a secondary application has taken control and is operating in a foreground as a result of one of a direct and indirect use of the electronic device by the operator of the vehicle;   calculating, by the electronic device, a driving difficulty during the operator distraction event using the operational characteristics of the vehicle, wherein the driving difficulty is representative of a severity of the operator distraction event;   determining, by the electronic device, that the driving distraction measurement application has switched back to the foreground, wherein the switching of the driving distraction measurement application back to the foreground is representative of an end of the operator distraction event, and wherein the switching of the driving distraction measurement application back to the foreground indicates that the operator is done with an activity related to the secondary application;   determining, by the electronic device, an end of a driving session of the vehicle; and   calculating, by the electronic device, a distraction score associated with the operator for the driving session based on a duration and the mileage of the driving session, a start time and an end time of the operator distraction event, and the driving difficulty during the operator distraction event.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprises:
 logging, by the electronic device, a time associated with the switching of the driving distraction measurement application to the background as the start time of the operator distraction event; and   logging, by the electronic device, a time associated with the switching of the driving distraction measurement application back to the foreground as the end time of the operator distraction event; and   wherein the step of calculating the distraction score further comprises:   calculating an average event distraction level based on the driving difficulty associated with the operator distraction event;   calculating a rate of driver distraction events per mile of the vehicle's driving session based on a number of the operator distraction events and a mileage of the driving session; and   calculating a percentage of distraction time per driving session based on a duration of the driver distraction event and the duration of the driving session.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: detecting and logging, by the electronic device, additional operator distraction events associated with an interaction of the operator with the electronic device during the driving session. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising controlling operational parameters of the vehicle when the distraction score is greater than a threshold value.