Apparatuses, systems and methods for integrating vehicle operator gesture detection within geographic maps

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for vehicle operator gesture recognition and transmission of related gesture data. More particularly, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for vehicle operator gesture recognition and transmission of related gesture data to at least one geographic map programming interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 one or more processors and one or more memories storing instructions, that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:   receive current image data captured by one or more vehicle interior sensors, wherein the current image data is representative of a pattern of current vehicle occupant head gestures;   classify the current image data as being representative of a road hazard, based on the pattern in vehicle occupant head gestures, by comparing the current image data to previously classified image data representative of a pattern of previously classified vehicle occupant head gestures that are correlated with road hazards; and   generate a real-time geographic map incorporating an indication of the road hazard within the geographic map.   
     
     
         2 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicle interior sensors include one or more of: a digital image sensor, an one ultra-sonic sensor, a radar-sensor, an infrared light sensor, or a laser light sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:
 categorize previously-uncategorized behaviors based on comparing the current image data to the previously classified image data, wherein the currently classified image data is representative of the categorized previously-uncategorized behaviors.   
     
     
         4 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the current image data is representative of a three-dimensional representation of at least one occupant within the vehicle interior. 
     
     
         5 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the previously classified image data is representative of a three-dimensional representation of at least one occupant within the vehicle interior. 
     
     
         6 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the current image data includes images and/or extracted image features that are representative of a vehicle occupant using a cellular telephone, a vehicle occupant looking out a vehicle side window, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle radio, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, two vehicle occupants talking with one-another, a vehicle occupant reading a book or magazine, a vehicle occupant putting on makeup, a vehicle occupant looking at themselves in a mirror, a vehicle occupant eating, or a vehicle occupant drinking. 
     
     
         7 . The device as in  claim 1 , wherein the previously classified image data includes images and/or extracted image features that have previously been classified as being representative of a vehicle occupant using a mobile device, a vehicle occupant looking out a vehicle side window, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle radio, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, two vehicle occupants talking with one-another, a vehicle occupant reading a book or magazine, a vehicle occupant putting on makeup, a vehicle occupant looking at themselves in a mirror, a vehicle occupant eating, or a vehicle occupant drinking. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, current image data captured by one or more vehicle interior sensors, wherein the current image data is representative of at least one pattern of current vehicle occupant head gestures;   classifying, by the one or more processors, at least one pattern of head gestures associated with a vehicle occupant as being representative of a road hazard, based on a comparison of the current image data with previously classified image data representative of a pattern of previously classified vehicle occupant head gestures that are correlated with road hazards; and   generating, by the one or more processors, a real-time geographic map incorporating an indication of the road hazard within the geographic map.   
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the one or more vehicle interior sensors include one or more of: a digital image sensor, an ultra-sonic sensor, a radar-sensor, an infrared light sensor, or a laser light sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the current image data is representative of a three-dimensional representation of at least one occupant within the vehicle interior. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein at least one vehicle operator gesture is determined using a probability function. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the previously classified image data is representative of a three-dimensional representation of at least one occupant within the vehicle interior. 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the current image data includes images and/or extracted image features that are representative of vehicle occupant locations/orientations, cellular telephone locations/orientations, vehicle occupant eye locations/orientations, vehicle occupant head location/orientation, vehicle occupant hand location/orientation, a vehicle occupant torso location/orientation, a seat belt location, or a vehicle seat location/orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 8 , wherein the previously classified image data includes images and/or extracted image features that have previously been classified as being representative of known vehicle occupant locations/orientations, known cellular telephone locations/orientations, known vehicle occupant eye locations/orientations, known vehicle occupant head location/orientation, known vehicle occupant hand location/orientation, a known vehicle occupant torso location/orientation, a known seat belt location, or a known vehicle seat location/orientation. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive current image data captured by one or more vehicle interior sensors, wherein the current image data is representative of patterns of current vehicle occupant head gestures;   classify the current image data as being representative of a road hazard by comparing the current image data to previously classified image data representative of a pattern of previously classified vehicle occupant head gestures that are correlated with road hazards; and   generate a real-time geographic map incorporating an indication of the road hazard within the geographic map.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in  claim 15 , wherein a vehicle operator degree of risk is determined using a probability function. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in  claim 15 , wherein the current image data is representative of a three-dimensional representation of at least one occupant within the vehicle interior. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in  claim 15 , wherein the current image data includes images and/or extracted image features that are representative of a vehicle occupant using a cellular telephone, a vehicle occupant looking out a vehicle side window, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle radio, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, two vehicle occupants talking with one-another, a vehicle occupant reading a book or magazine, a vehicle occupant putting on makeup, or a vehicle occupant looking at themselves in a mirror, vehicle occupant locations/orientations, cellular telephone locations/orientations, vehicle occupant eye locations/orientations, vehicle occupant head location/orientation, vehicle occupant hand location/orientation, a vehicle occupant torso location/orientation, a seat belt location, or a vehicle seat location/orientation. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in  claim 15 , wherein the previously classified image data includes images and/or extracted image features that have previously been classified as being representative of a vehicle occupant using a cellular telephone, a vehicle occupant looking out a vehicle side window, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle radio, a vehicle occupant adjusting a vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, two vehicle occupants talking with one-another, a vehicle occupant reading a book or magazine, a vehicle occupant putting on makeup, a vehicle occupant looking at themselves in a mirror, known vehicle occupant locations/orientations, known cellular telephone locations/orientations, known vehicle occupant eye locations/orientations, known vehicle occupant head location/orientation, known vehicle occupant hand location/orientation, a known vehicle occupant torso location/orientation, a known seat belt location, or a known vehicle seat location/orientation. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in  claim 15 , wherein the previously classified image data is representative of a three-dimensional representation of at least one occupant within the vehicle interior.