PURPOSE: To judge the operating condition of a driver by extracting the existence of the driver's eyes from inputted image the information of which has been processed based on the reference point of a reference point indicating means, and thereby detecting a section corresponding to the erises of the driver.
CONSTITUTION: It is caught by an infra-red image pick-up means 2 that 4 reference points in the center section out of those reference points 51 through 5n are hidden by the head of a driver, and 3 each of reference points 51 through 53, and 58 through 5n at the right and the left side are lighted. Infra-red rays from an infra-red ray irradiation means 1 are irradiated onto the driver's face by means of synchronizing signals Q3 from a synchronizing signal output means 3, the image of its reflection pattern and the light from the reference points 51 through 5n is picked up by an infra-red image pick-up means 2, and the image of luminescent points are extracted, which is formed by the respective 3 reference points 51 through 53, 58 through 5n at the right and left sides projected in an inputted image I (x, y) by an eye-ball existing range specifying means 6, so that the existing range of the driver's eyes is thereby specified. An eris detecting means 7 detects the section corresponding to the erises of the driver, and an operation judgement means 8 judges whether or not the driver's eyes are opened so that a warning command is thereby outputted to a warning output means 9.
SEKO TAKATOSHI
SAITO TOMOKO
SAITO HIROSHI
