Safe driving support apparatus and method

Abstract

A safe driving support apparatus may include: an emotion index detection unit configured to detect an emotion index of a driver or passenger, using one or more of vision, voice and behavior of the driver or passenger; a driver risk index detection unit configured to detect a driver risk index using ego vehicle driving information and surrounding environment information of an ego vehicle; a driving difficulty level detection unit configured to detect a driving difficult level depending on a driving position of the ego vehicle; a vehicle driving unit configured to control autonomous driving of the ego vehicle; and a control unit configured to control the vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to a safe area, according to whether the emotion index, the driver risk index and the driving difficulty level are included in a preset safety area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A safe driving support apparatus comprising:
 a driver risk index detection unit configured to calculate a driver risk index based on one or more calculated loads on a driver's attention, including a trajectory load of an ego vehicle; 
 a driving difficulty level detection unit configured to determine a driving difficulty level for a current area depending on a driving position of the ego vehicle;  
 a vehicle driving unit configured to control driving of the ego vehicle; and 
 a control unit configured to control the vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to a safe area based on whether the driving difficulty level is within a difficulty range and the driver risk index is outside within a preset safety area or not range, 
 wherein, for calculating the trajectory load, the driver risk index detection unit is configured to:
 estimate a trajectory of the ego vehicle based on any one or any combination of any two or more of a speed, a steering angle, an acceleration rate, and a yaw rate of the ego vehicle,;  
 estimate a trajectory of a neighboring vehicle based on a longitudinal distance and or a lateral distance between the ego vehicle and the neighboring vehicle,;  
 estimate a trajectory distance value based on difference between the trajectory of the ego vehicle and the trajectory of the neighboring vehicle,; and 
 determine the trajectory load based on whether the trajectory distance value is smaller than meets a threshold or not, and  
 
 wherein the control unit is configured to determine that the driver risk index is outside within the preset safety area range based on the trajectory load. 
 
     
     
       2. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an emotion index detection unit configured to detect an emotion index of a driver or passenger, using one or more at least one of vision, voice and, or behavior of the driver or passenger, 
 wherein the emotion index detection unit comprises:
 a first emotion recognizer configured to detect a characteristic value of a voice signal of the driver or the passenger, and detect a voice index according to the detected characteristic value;   a second emotion recognizer configured to take an image of the driver or the passenger, and detect a vision index of the driver or the passenger by analyzing the taken image;   a third emotion recognizer configured to sense a position of an accelerator or brake, and detect a behavior index according to a start pattern of the accelerator or brake and a motion of the passenger; and   an emotion index calculator configured to calculate the emotion index using the voice index, the vision index and the behavior index,   
 wherein the control unit is configured to further determine that whether the emotion index is outside the preset safety area or not within a stable range. 
 
     
     
       3. The safe driving support apparatus of claim  2   18 , wherein the emotion index detection unit comprises:
 a first emotion recognizer configured to detect a characteristic value of a voice signal of the driver, and detect a voice index according to the detected characteristic value,  
 wherein the first emotion recognizer comprises:
 a voice signal sensing unit configured to recognize the voice signal of the driver or the passenger; and 
 a voice index detection unit configured to detect the characteristic value of the voice signal detected by the voice signal sensing unit, and detect the voice index corresponding to the detected characteristic value. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The safe driving support apparatus of claim  2   18 , wherein the emotion index detection unit comprises:
 a second emotion recognizer configured to take an image of the driver, and detect a vision index of the driver by analyzing the taken image,  
 wherein the second emotion recognizer comprises:
 a driver face filming unit configured to film the eyes or face of the driver; and  
 a passenger face filming unit configured to film the eyes or face of the passenger; and 
 a vision index detection unit configured to detect the eyes and face of the driver in an image taken by the driver face filming unit, detect the eyes and face of the passenger in an image taken by the passenger face filming unit, and detect the vision index according to eye movement or facial expression of the driver or the passenger. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The safe driving support apparatus of claim  2   18 , wherein the emotion index detection unit comprises:
 a third emotion recognizer configured to sense a position of an accelerator or brake, and detect a behavior index according to a start pattern of the accelerator or brake,  
 wherein the third emotion recognizer comprises:
 a start pattern sensing unit configured to sense the start pattern of the accelerator or the brake; and  
 a passenger motion index detection unit configured to detect a passenger motion index using one or more of an arm motion size and motion radius of the passenger and a motion frequency of the passenger; and 
 a behavior index detection unit configured to detect the behavior index of the driver or the passenger, using a start index corresponding to the sensed start pattern of the accelerator or the brake or the passenger motion index detected by the passenger motion index detection unit. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The safe driving support apparatus of claim  2   18 , wherein the emotion index detection unit further comprising comprises an emotional state control unit configured to control the emotional states of the driver and the passenger to settle down when the emotion index is in a risk range. 
     
     
       7. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the control unit applies the voice index, the vision index, and the behavior index to a learning-based emotion map, and controls the emotional state control unit when determines whether the emotion index is not included in the preset safety area risk range based on the emotion map. 
     
     
       8. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the learning-based emotion map divides the emotional state of the driver into the safety area and a risk area, depending on the voice index, the vision index and the behavior index. 
     
     
       9. The A safe driving support apparatus comprising:
 a driver risk index detection unit configured to calculate a driver risk index based on a trajectory load of an ego vehicle; 
 a vehicle driving unit configured to control driving of the ego vehicle; and 
 a control unit configured to warn a driver based on whether the driver risk index is within a safety range, 
 wherein, for calculating the trajectory load, the driver risk index detection unit is configured to:
 estimate a trajectory of the ego vehicle based on any one or any combination of any two or more of a speed, a steering angle, an acceleration rate, and a yaw rate of the ego vehicle, 
 estimate a trajectory of a neighboring vehicle based on a longitudinal distance or a lateral distance between the ego vehicle and the neighboring vehicle, 
 estimate a trajectory distance value based on difference between the trajectory of the ego vehicle and the trajectory of the neighboring vehicle, and 
 determine the trajectory load based on whether the trajectory distance value meets a threshold, wherein the control unit is configured to determine that the driver risk index is within the safety range based on the trajectory load, 
 
 wherein the safe driving support apparatus further comprises:
 an emotion index detection unit configured to detect an emotion index of a driver, using at least one of vision, voice, or behavior of the driver, wherein the control unit is configured to further determine whether the emotion index is within a stable range, 
 
 wherein the safe driving support apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising comprises:
 a driving difficulty level detection unit configured to detect a driving difficult level depending on a driving position of the ego vehicle, 
 
 wherein the driving difficulty level detection unit defines and quantifies driving difficulty levels for various areas, and detects the driving difficulty level according to the current position of the ego vehicle, and  
 wherein the control unit is configured to further determine that whether the driving difficulty level is outside within the preset safety area or not range. 
 
     
     
       10. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein when the emotion index is not within the stable range, and the driver risk index and the driving difficulty level are not included within in the safety area range, the control unit controls the vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to a safe area. 
     
     
       11. A safe driving support method comprising:
 calculating, by a driver risk index detection unit, a driver risk index based on one or more calculated loads on a driver's attention, including a trajectory load of an ego vehicle; 
 determining, by a driving difficulty level detection unit, a driving difficulty level for a current area depending on a driving position of the ego vehicle; and 
 determining, by a control unit, whether the driver risk index is outside within a preset safety area or not range and whether the driving difficulty level is within a difficulty range, and controlling a vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to a safe area warning a driver depending on a result of the determination of whether the determined driving difficulty level is within the difficulty range and a result of the determination result of whether the driver risk index is within the safety range, 
 wherein, for calculating the trajectory load, the driver risk index detection unit performs;: 
 estimating a trajectory of the ego vehicle based on any one or any combination of any two or more of a speed, a steering angle, an acceleration rate, and a yaw rate of the ego vehicle,;  
 estimating a trajectory of a neighboring vehicle based on a longitudinal distance and or a lateral distance between the ego vehicle and the neighboring vehicle,;  
 estimating a trajectory distance value based on difference between the trajectory of the ego vehicle and the trajectory of the neighboring vehicle,; and 
 determining the trajectory load based on whether the trajectory distance value is smaller than meets a threshold or not, and  
 
 wherein the control unit is configured to determine that the driver risk index is outside within the preset safety area range based on the trajectory load. 
 
     
     
       12. The safe driving support method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting, by an emotion index detection unit, an emotion index of a driver or passenger, using one or more at least one of vision, voice and, or behavior of the driver or the passenger; 
 wherein the detecting of the emotion index comprises detecting a characteristic value of a voice signal of the driver or passenger, detecting a voice index according to the detected characteristic value, taking an image of the driver or passenger, detecting a vision index of the driver or passenger by analyzing the taken image, sensing the position of an accelerator or brake, detecting a behavior index according to a start pattern of the accelerator or brake or a motion of the passenger, and calculating the emotion index using the voice index, the vision index and the behavior index, 
 wherein the control unit determines whether the emotion index is outside the preset safety area or not within a stable range. 
 
     
     
       13. The safe driving support method of  claim 12 , wherein the control unit controls an emotional state control unit to control the emotional states of the driver and the passenger to settle down, depending on whether the emotion index is included in within the preset safety area stable range. 
     
     
       14. The safe driving support method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 detecting, by a driving difficulty level detection unit, a driving difficulty level depending on a driving position of the ego vehicle, 
 wherein the detecting of the driving difficulty level comprises defining and quantifying driving difficulty levels for various areas, and detecting the driving difficulty level according to the current position of the ego vehicle 
 wherein the calculating of the driver risk index is performed in real-time, and 
 wherein the determining of the driving difficulty level comprises determining the driving difficulty level from among driving difficulty levels that are predetermined for various areas before the real-time. 
 
     
     
       15. The safe driving support method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the control unit further performs a controlling of the a vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to the a safe area comprises depending on a result of the determination whether the driving difficulty level is within the difficulty range and a result of the determination of whether the driver risk index is within the safety range, and 
 wherein the determining of whether the emotion index is within the stable range includes applying the voice index, the vision index, and the behavior index to a learning-based emotion map, and determining whether the emotion index is not included in the preset safety area a risk range based on the emotion map. 
 
     
     
       16. The safe driving support method of  claim 15 , wherein the learning-based emotion map divides the emotional states of the driver into the safety area and a risk area, depending on the voice index, the vision index and the behavior index. 
     
     
       17. A safe driving support apparatus comprising:
 a driver risk index detection unit configured to calculate a driver risk index in real-time based on one or more calculated loads on a driver's attention, including a trajectory load of an ego vehicle;   a driving difficulty level detection unit configured to determine a driving difficulty level, from among respective driving difficulty levels predetermined for various areas, depending on a driving position of the ego vehicle;   a vehicle driving unit configured to control driving of the ego vehicle; and   a control unit configured to warn a driver based on the driving difficulty level and whether the driver risk index is within a safety range,   wherein, for calculating the trajectory load, the driver risk index detection unit is configured to:
 estimate a trajectory of the ego vehicle based on any one or any combination of any two or more of a speed, a steering angle, an acceleration rate, and a yaw rate of the ego vehicle; 
 estimate a trajectory of a neighboring vehicle based on a longitudinal distance or a lateral distance between the ego vehicle and the neighboring vehicle; 
 estimate a trajectory distance value based on difference between the trajectory of the ego vehicle and the trajectory of the neighboring vehicle; and 
 determine the trajectory load based on whether the trajectory distance value meets a threshold, and 
   wherein the control unit is configured to determine that the driver risk index is within the safety range based on the trajectory load.   
     
     
       18. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an emotion index detection unit configured to detect an emotion index of a driver, using at least one of vision, voice, or behavior of the driver,   wherein the control unit is configured to further determine whether the emotion index is within a stable range.   
     
     
       19. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the determination of the trajectory load is based on whether the trajectory distance value is greater than the threshold. 
     
     
       20. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the driver risk index is an index value on a driver risk axis of a safety area, where the threshold value is a value that corresponds to a delineation between the safety area and portions of a space outside of the safety area, the safety area being within the space defined by a driver emotion axis, the driver risk axis, and a driver difficulty axis, with the driving difficulty level being an index value on the driver difficulty axis. 
     
     
       21. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the control unit is configured to further determine whether respective emotion indices are within respective stable ranges of the at least one of the vision, the voice, or the behavior. 
     
     
       22. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to a safe area based on whether the driver risk index is within the safety range. 
     
     
       23. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to warn the driver based on whether the driving difficulty level is within a difficulty range and the driver risk index is within the safety range. 
     
     
       24. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control unit is further configured to control the vehicle driving unit to drive the ego vehicle to a safe area based on whether the driver risk index is within the safety range and based on whether the driving difficulty level is within a difficulty range. 
     
     
       25. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein, for predetermining the driving difficulty levels, the driving difficulty level detection unit defines and quantifies the driving difficulty levels for the various areas before the real-time. 
     
     
       26. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising an emotion index detection unit configured to detect an emotion index, along the driver emotion axis, of a driver using at least one of vision, voice, or behavior of the driver,
 wherein the control unit is further configured to control the vehicle driving unit to selectively, based the driver risk index, the driving difficulty level, and the emotion index, drive the ego vehicle to a safe area.   
     
     
       27. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the control unit is configured to warn the driver based on whether the driving difficulty level is within a difficulty range, the driver risk index is within the safety range, and dependent on a result of the determination of whether the respective emotion indices are within respective stable ranges. 
     
     
       28. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the driver risk index detection unit is configured to calculate the driver risk index in real-time, and   wherein, for the determination of the driving difficulty level, the driving difficulty level detection unit is configured to determine the driving difficulty level from among driving difficulty levels that are predetermined for various areas before the real-time.   
     
     
       29. The safe driving support apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein, for predetermining the driving difficulty levels, the driving difficulty level detection unit is further configured to define and quantify the driving difficulty levels for the various areas before the real-time. 
     
     
       30. The safe driving support method of  claim 14 , wherein the determining of the driving difficulty level further comprises defining and quantifying the driving difficulty levels for the various areas before the real-time.