This is a dozing detection method and apparatus that can accurately detect blink blinks with a simple device and improve the detection speed and accuracy of dozing. Of the states from the eyes closed to the eye opening of a person's eyes, a state in which the eyes are almost opened is defined as an eye opening time, and the other is defined as an eye closing time. A relatively short time compared to the average blink interval in a healthy adult's awake state is set as the first threshold time. A relatively long time is set as the second threshold time compared to the average eye closure time in the awake state of a healthy adult. When eye opening equal to or shorter than the first threshold time is detected, blinks before and after that are regarded as blink cluster. Of the blinks in the blink blinking, it is determined that the eye is closed when the eye-closing time of the blink that occurs after the eye-opening time that is less than or equal to the first threshold time is greater than or equal to the second threshold time. Among the blinks in the blinking eyebrow, if the eye-closing time of the blink that occurs before the eye opening that is less than or equal to the first threshold time is greater than or equal to the second threshold time, it is immediately determined to be a doze state. Even in the case of closed eyes that are relatively longer than the second threshold time, it is determined that the patient is dozing.簡単な装置で、正確に瞬目群発を検出することができ、居眠りの検出早さ及び精度を向上させた居眠り検出方法と装置である。人の目の閉眼から開眼までの状態のうち、ほぼ開眼した状態を開眼時間とし、それ以外を閉眼時間とする。健常成人の覚醒状態における平均瞬目間間隔に比べて相対的に短い時間を第一の閾値時間とする。健常成人の覚醒状態における平均閉眼時間に比べて相対的に長い時間を第二の閾値時間とする。前記第一の閾値時間以下の開眼を検出した場合にその前後の瞬きを瞬目群発とする。前記瞬目群発中の瞬きのうち、前記第一の閾値時間以下の開眼時間の後に生じた瞬きの閉眼時間が、前記第二の閾値時間以上に達した場合に居眠り状態と判断する。前記瞬目群発中の瞬きのうち、前記第一の閾値時間以下の開眼の前に生じた瞬きの閉眼時間が、前記第二の閾値時間以上の場合に直ちに居眠り状態と判断する。前記第二の閾値時間より相対的に長い閉眼の場合にも居眠り状態と判断する。
