Abstract: A method for determining a state of a driver monitoring device includes generating a first image. The first image is based on an image of an interior illuminated by means of an illumination device. The method includes dividing the first image into multiple image sections. The method includes determining a maximum intensity of pixels of a first group of image sections of the first image and an average intensity of a second group of image sections of the first image and determining a difference in illumination of the first image by dividing the maximum intensity of the first group by the mean intensity of the second group. The method includes determining whether or not a diffuser is functional and properly arranged and activating or deactivating the illumination device for driver monitoring if the difference in illumination of the first image is smaller or greater than a lower threshold value.

Abstract: A method for determining a state of a driver monitoring device includes generating a first image. The first image is based on an image of an interior illuminated by means of an illumination device. The method includes dividing the first image into multiple image sections. The method includes determining a maximum intensity of pixels of a first group of image sections of the first image and an average intensity of a second group of image sections of the first image and determining a difference in illumination of the first image by dividing the maximum intensity of the first group by the mean intensity of the second group. The method includes determining whether or not a diffuser is functional and properly arranged and activating or deactivating the illumination device for driver monitoring if the difference in illumination of the first image is smaller or greater than a lower threshold value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a capturing apparatus (3) for recognizing a gesture and/or a viewing direction of an occupant (13) of a motor vehicle (1), comprising a first sensor device (5) and comprising at least one second sensor device (6), wherein each of the sensor devices (5, 6) respectively has a lighting unit (7) for emitting light (11), a receiving unit (8) for receiving the light (12) reflected by the occupant (13) and a computer unit (9) for actuating the lighting unit (7) and for recognizing the gesture and/or the viewing direction on the basis of the reflected light (12), wherein the computer units (9) of the sensor devices (5, 6) are designed to actuate the lighting units (7) synchronously as a function of a synchronization signal.