Patents by Inventor Kin C. Fung

Kin C. Fung has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20190241190
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 10358034
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling one or more functions associated with a vehicle display includes providing a steering wheel having a left zone and a right zone. The method includes determining a left contact value and a right contact value based on at least one of a plurality of sensors of the steering wheel. Further, the method includes comparing the left contact value to a left contact threshold that maximizes contact of a left hand with the steering wheel within the left zone and comparing the right contact value to a right contact threshold that maximizes contact of a right hand with the steering wheel within the right zone. Upon determining a non-driving passenger is present in the vehicle, the one or more functions associated with the vehicle display are enabled or disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 10308258
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Publication number: 20190117160
    Abstract: A system and method for processing photoplethysmography (PPG) signals in a vehicle. The system and method include determining a plurality of consistent PPG waveform signals based on a plurality of PPG waveform signals and electronically aggregating the plurality of consistent PPG waveform signals into a PPG measurement signal. The system and method also include determining a plurality of noise waveform signals based on a plurality of pressure measurement signals and electronically aggregating the plurality of noise waveform signals into a motion artifacts measurement signal. The system and method further include processing a refined PPG signal to suppress motion artifacts from the PPG measurement signal by filtering a segment of the PPG measurement signal that is attributed to the motion artifacts represented within the motion artifacts measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Patent number: 10246098
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 10238304
    Abstract: A method and a system for determining changes in a body state of an individual including receiving a signal from a monitoring system, where the signal indicates a measurement of cardiac activity of the individual over a period of time and determining at least one signal feature, where the signal feature is a reoccurring event of the signal over the period of time. The method also includes determining a first interval between two successive signal features and determining a second interval between two successive first intervals. A derivative is calculated based on the second interval. Changes in the body state are identified based on the derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Charles William Hall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10213162
    Abstract: A system and method for processing photoplethysmography (PPG) signals in a vehicle. The system and method include receiving a PPG waveform signal from an optical sensor. The system and method also include processing a PPG measurement signal based on the PPG waveform signal. The system and method additionally include receiving a noise waveform signal from at least one of: a seat assembly sensor, a vehicle sensor, and a vehicle system. Additionally, the system and method include processing a motion artifacts measurement signal based on the noise waveform signal. The system and method further include processing a refined PPG signal to suppress the motion artifacts measurement signal from the PPG measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Publication number: 20190012551
    Abstract: A system and method for vehicle control that includes receiving an image from an imaging system. The system and method also includes classifying the traffic indicator having the color portion based on executing “You Only Look Once” (YOLO) object detection of the image and localizing the traffic indicator having the color portion with respect to a vehicle based on executing the YOLO object detection of the image. The system and method additionally includes performing “Binary Large Object” (blob) analysis based on red color components and green color components of the image to determine a color of the color portion of the traffic indicator. The system and method further includes controlling a vehicle system of the vehicle based on the classification of the traffic indicator, the location of the traffic indicator with respect to the vehicle, and the color of the color portion of the traffic indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Patent number: 10153796
    Abstract: A system and method for processing photoplethysmography (PPG) signals in a vehicle. The system and method include receiving a PPG waveform signal from an optical sensor. The system and method also include processing a PPG measurement signal based on the PPG waveform signal. The system and method additionally include receiving a noise waveform signal from at least one of: a seat assembly sensor, a vehicle sensor, and a vehicle system. Additionally, the system and method include processing a motion artifacts measurement signal based on the noise waveform signal. The system and method further include processing a refined PPG signal to suppress the motion artifacts measurement signal from the PPG measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Patent number: 10089543
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting a head pose in a vehicle including receiving images of a vehicle occupant located in the vehicle from an imaging device and selecting facial feature points from a plurality of facial feature points extracted from the images. The method includes calculating a head pose point based on normalizing the selected facial feature points, determining the head pose based on a change in position of the head pose point over a period of time T, and controlling one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle based on the head pose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Peter Chpak, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Patent number: 10077055
    Abstract: A method and a system for determining an information transfer rate between a driver and a vehicle, including measuring driver information and measuring vehicle information. Further, calculating a forward information transfer rate from the driver to the vehicle using the driver information and the vehicle information over a period of time, and calculating a reverse information transfer rate from the vehicle to the driver using the driver information and the vehicle information over the period of time. Additionally the method includes, calculating a driver control state using the forward information transfer rate and the reverse information transfer rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Charles William Hall, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180253613
    Abstract: A method for vehicle control includes receiving a color image from an imaging system. The color image includes a traffic indicator with a color portion. The method includes extracting red color components from the color image by subtracting a grayscale intensity value of each pixel from a red-scale value of each pixel. The method includes extracting green color components from the color image by subtracting the grayscale intensity value of each pixel from a green-scale value of each pixel. The method includes performing blob analysis based on the red color components and the green color components. The method includes determining, based on the blob analysis, a color of the color portion of the traffic indicator, and controlling a vehicle system of a vehicle based on the color of the color portion of the traffic indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Publication number: 20180105180
    Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness of a driver. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The response system can modify the control of two or more systems simultaneously in response to driver behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Publication number: 20180072310
    Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a driver's slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The systems that may be modified include: visual devices, audio devices, tactile devices, antilock brake systems, automatic brake prefill systems, brake assist systems, auto cruise control systems, electronic stability control systems, collision warning systems, lane keep assist systems, blind spot indicator systems, electronic pretensioning systems and climate control systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Publication number: 20180032825
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting a head pose in a vehicle including receiving images of a vehicle occupant located in the vehicle from an imaging device and selecting facial feature points from a plurality of facial feature points extracted from the images. The method includes calculating a head pose point based on normalizing the selected facial feature points, determining the head pose based on a change in position of the head pose point over a period of time T, and controlling one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle based on the head pose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Peter Chpak, Timothy J. Dick, Dhanashree Palande
  • Publication number: 20180022358
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 9873437
    Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness of a driver. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The response system can modify the control of two or more systems simultaneously in response to driver behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 9855945
    Abstract: Methods of assessing driver behavior include monitoring vehicle systems and driver monitoring systems to accommodate for a driver's slow reaction time, attention lapse and/or alertness. When it is determined that a driver is drowsy, for example, the response system may modify the operation of one or more vehicle systems. The systems that may be modified include: visual devices, audio devices, tactile devices, antilock brake systems, automatic brake prefill systems, brake assist systems, auto cruise control systems, electronic stability control systems, collision warning systems, lane keep assist systems, blind spot indicator systems, electronic pretensioning systems and climate control systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Publication number: 20170341658
    Abstract: A method for controlling vehicle systems includes receiving monitoring information from one or more monitoring systems and determining a plurality of driver states based on the monitoring information from the one or more monitoring systems. The method includes determining a combined driver state based on the plurality of driver states and modifying control of one or more vehicle systems based on the combined driver state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick
  • Patent number: 9809057
    Abstract: A method and a system for determining an information transfer rate between a driver and a vehicle, where the information transfer rate is calculated using driver information measured directly from the driver and vehicle information measured directly from the vehicle. The method also includes retrieving a baseline information transfer rate for maintaining control of the vehicle from a baseline information transfer rate database. A driver safety factor is calculated using the information transfer rate and the baseline information transfer rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kin C. Fung, Timothy J. Dick, Charles William Hall, Jr.