Information processing apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides an information processing apparatus. The information processing device (10) is provided with a control unit (11) and a display unit (14), and the control unit performs control for determining a reference distance on the basis of the maximum protruding length toward the rear side of the vehicle during the opening and closing operation of the rear door, and if a rear obstacle is detected at the start of parking of the vehicle, displaying the reference distance on the basis of the determined reference distance. If so, a guide image indicating a position separated from a rear obstacle only by a reference distance is displayed on a screen of a rear viewing angle by the display unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a technique has been disclosed that relates to a rear-view monitor that displays a predicted forward route and the distance from a target line on an image behind a vehicle in order to assist the parking operation of the vehicle (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-63770 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] For example, in order to use the trunk behind the vehicle, the user may open and close the rear tailgate after parking. Depending on the structure of the rear tailgate, the rear tailgate may protrude toward the rear side of the vehicle during the opening and closing operation. Therefore, in such a case, it is preferable to park at a certain distance from an obstacle (such as a wall) on the rear side of the vehicle. However, in a conventional rear-view monitor, since the protruding length of the rear tailgate is not considered, it is not always possible to assist in parking at an appropriate distance from an obstacle on the rear side of the vehicle. In this way, there is still room for improvement in the auxiliary technology for the parking operation of the vehicle.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure, which has been made in view of the actual situation involved, is to improve the auxiliary technology for the parking operation of the vehicle.

[0009] Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure

[0011] includes a control unit and a display unit, and the control unit performs the following control:

[0012] Based on the maximum protruding length toward the rear side of the vehicle during the opening and closing operation of the rear tailgate, a reference distance is determined.

[0013] If a rear obstacle is detected at the start of vehicle parking, a guidance image indicating a position that is only the reference distance away from the rear obstacle is displayed on the screen in the rear view through the display unit.

[0014] Effects of the Invention

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the auxiliary technology for the parking operation of the vehicle is improved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] Figure 1 A block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 2 A block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing apparatus.

[0018] Figure 3 A flowchart showing the operation of the information processing apparatus.

[0019] Figure 4 A diagram showing an example of a guidance image. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0021] (Outline of Embodiment)

[0022] Refer to Figure 1 , and an outline of the technology related to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The technology related to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a vehicle 1 and an information processing apparatus 10 mounted on the vehicle 1.

[0023] Although the vehicle 1 is, for example, an automobile, it is not limited thereto and may be any vehicle. Although the automobile is, for example, a gasoline vehicle, an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid vehicle (HV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV), etc., it is not limited thereto. The vehicle 1 has a rear tailgate 2, and in the opening and closing operation of the rear tailgate 2, the rear tailgate 2 protrudes toward the rear side of the vehicle.

[0024] The information processing apparatus 10 is any apparatus used by an occupant of the vehicle 1. For example, a dedicated in-vehicle device such as a rear view monitor device can be adopted as the information processing apparatus 10.

[0025] First, an outline of the present embodiment will be described, and the detailed content will be described later. The information processing apparatus 10 determines a reference distance based on the maximum protrusion length toward the rear side of the vehicle in the opening and closing operation of the rear tailgate 2. If a rear obstacle is detected at the start of vehicle parking, the information processing apparatus 10 will display a guidance image indicating a position that is only the reference distance away from the rear obstacle on a rear view screen.

[0026] In this way, according to this embodiment, when a rear obstacle is detected at the start of vehicle parking, the information processing device 10 displays a guidance image indicating a position that is only the reference distance away from the rear obstacle on the rear-view screen. In addition, the reference distance is defined based on the maximum protruding length towards the rear side of the vehicle during the opening and closing operation of the rear tailgate. Therefore, the parking operation assistance technology of the vehicle is improved in that it can assist in considering the relationship with the rear obstacle when the user opens and closes the rear tailgate after parking.

[0027] (Structure of the information processing device)

[0028] Next, each structure of the information processing device 10 will be described in detail. The information processing device 10 is any device used by the user.

[0029] As Figure 2 shown, the information processing device 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an input unit 13, a display unit 14, a communication unit 15, a positioning unit 16, and a photographing unit 17.

[0030] The control unit 11 includes at least one processor, at least one dedicated circuit, or a combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (central processing unit) or a GPU (graphics processing unit), or a dedicated processor dedicated to specific processing. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). The control unit 11 controls each part of the information processing device 10 and at the same time performs processing related to the operation of the information processing device 10.

[0031] In the storage unit 12, it includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of them. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM (random access memory) or a ROM (read only memory). The RAM is, for example, an SRAM (static random access memory) or a DRAM (dynamic random access memory). The ROM is, for example, an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory). The storage unit 12 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. In the storage unit 12, data used in the operation of the information processing device 10 and data obtained through the operation of the information processing device 10 are stored.

[0032] In the input unit 13, it includes at least one input interface. The input interface is, for example, a physical key, a capacitive key, a pointing device, or a touch screen integrally provided with a display. In addition, the input interface can also be, for example, a sound sensor that accepts voice input, or a camera that accepts gesture input, etc. The input unit 13 accepts an operation of inputting data used in the operation of the information processing device 10. The input unit 13 can also be provided outside the information processing device 10 instead and connected to the information processing device 10 as an external input device. As a connection method, for example, any method such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used.

[0033] In the display unit 14, there is included at least one display output interface. The display output interface is, for example, a display for displaying a rear view angle or the like. The rear view angle refers to image information representing the external scenery behind the vehicle. The display is, for example, an LCD (liquid crystal display) or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. The display unit 14 performs display output of the data obtained through the operation of the information processing device 10. The display unit 14 may also be provided externally instead of being provided in the information processing device 10 and connected to the information processing device 10 as an external output device. As a connection method, for example, any method such as USB, HDMI (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used.

[0034] The communication unit 15 is equipped with a communication interface for connecting to a network. For example, the communication unit 15 may also be equipped with a communication interface for connecting to a CAN. Although the communication interface for connecting to a network corresponds to a mobile communication standard or the like, it is not limited thereto and may also correspond to any communication standard. In the present embodiment, the information processing device 10 of a certain moving body is wirelessly connected to the information processing device of another moving body via the communication unit 15 and the network. The communication unit 15 receives the data used in the operation of the information processing device 10 and also transmits the data obtained through the operation of the information processing device 10.

[0035] The positioning unit 16 includes one or more devices for obtaining the position information of the information processing device 10 (i.e., the position information of the vehicle 1). Specifically, although the positioning unit 16 includes, for example, a receiver corresponding to GPS, it is not limited thereto and may also include a receiver corresponding to any satellite positioning system.

[0036] The photographing unit 17 includes an in-vehicle camera that generates an image obtained by photographing the external scenery behind the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the "image" may be either a still image or a moving image. The in-vehicle camera included in the photographing unit 17 may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera. The photographing unit 17 is provided in the vehicle 1 in such a manner that it can photograph the external scenery behind the vehicle 1. By photographing the external scenery behind the vehicle 1 with the photographing unit 17, the aforementioned rear view angle can be displayed on the display unit 14.

[0037] The functions of the information processing apparatus 10 are implemented by the processor equivalent to the information processing apparatus 10 executing the program according to this embodiment. That is, the functions of the information processing apparatus 10 are implemented by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operations of the information processing apparatus 10, thereby causing the computer to function as the information processing apparatus 10. That is, the computer functions as the information processing apparatus 10 by executing the operations of the information processing apparatus 10 according to the program.

[0038] In this embodiment, the program can be pre-recorded in a recording medium readable by a computer. The recording medium readable by a computer includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic recording device, an optical disc, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory. The distribution of the program is performed, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending a portable recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) on which the program is recorded. In addition, the distribution of the program can also be performed by pre-storing the program in a storage of an external server and sending the program from the external server to other computers. In addition, the program can also be provided as a program product.

[0039] Part or all of the functions of the information processing apparatus 10 can also be implemented by a dedicated circuit equivalent to the control unit 11. That is, part or all of the functions of the information processing apparatus 10 can also be implemented by hardware.

[0040] (Operations of the Information Processing Apparatus)

[0041] Refer to Figure 3 , and the operations of the information processing apparatus 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0042] Step S100: The control unit 11 of the information processing apparatus 10 determines a reference distance based on the maximum protruding length toward the rear side of the vehicle in the opening / closing operation of the rear tailgate. For example, the control unit 11 determines the reference distance within the following range, that is, the range that is equal to or greater than the protruding length when the opening degree of the rear tailgate is the minimum opening degree required for loading and unloading the luggage in the trunk and is equal to or less than the maximum protruding length.

[0043] Step S200: If a rear obstacle is detected at the start of vehicle parking, the control unit 11 displays, via the display unit 14, a guidance image indicating a position that is only the reference distance away from the rear obstacle on the rear-view screen. Any method can be adopted for detecting the rear obstacle. For example, the detection of the rear obstacle can be implemented by image recognition of the rear image captured by the imaging unit 17. Additionally, for example, the detection of the rear obstacle can also be implemented by a sensor or the like.

[0044] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is an example of the user interface 100 including the above-described guidance image. The user interface 100 includes a rear obstacle 200 (here, a wall), a first line image 310, a second line image 320, and a guidance image 330. The first line image 310 indicates guidance at a predetermined distance behind the vehicle. For example, the first line image 310 is displayed at a position 0.5 m behind the vehicle. The second line image 320 indicates guidance of a predicted forward route. For example, the second line image 320 is displayed at a position 3 m behind the vehicle according to the state of the steering wheel. The guidance image 330 indicates a position that is only the reference distance away from the rear obstacle 200. Based on this guidance image 330, the driver can easily park at a reference distance away from the rear obstacle 200.

[0045] As described above, in the information processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when a rear obstacle is detected at the start of vehicle parking, a guidance image indicating a position that is only the reference distance away from the rear obstacle is displayed on the rear-view screen. Additionally, the reference distance is defined based on the maximum protruding length toward the rear side of the vehicle during the opening and closing operation of the rear gate. Therefore, the auxiliary technology for vehicle parking operation is improved in that it can assist in parking while considering the relationship with the rear obstacle when the user opens and closes the rear gate after parking.

[0046] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the respective drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and changes are all included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each structural part or each step, etc., can be reconfigured in a theoretically non-contradictory manner, and multiple structural parts or steps, etc., can be combined into one or divided.

[0047] For example, the control unit 11 can also determine the reference distance based on the information of the luggage loaded in the trunk of the vehicle 1. The information of the luggage includes, for example, information such as the size, weight, and contents of the luggage. For example, the larger or heavier the luggage, the longer the reference distance can be set. Thus, an appropriate reference distance corresponding to the luggage information can be determined.

[0048] For another example, the control unit 11 can also display a guidance image on the display unit 14 according to the position information of the vehicle 1 when it is parked. The control unit 11 obtains the involved position information through the positioning unit 16. For example, when the position information of the vehicle 1 when it is parked is substantially consistent with a predetermined reference position, the control unit 11 can also display a guidance image on the display unit 14. The predetermined reference position can also include the positions of facilities (such as shopping centers) where the possibility of using the trunk is considered to be relatively high.

[0049] For another example, the control unit 11 can also store the actual information indicating the number of times the rear tailgate is opened and closed for each past parking position of the vehicle 1. In this case, the reference position can also include any parking position where the number of opening and closing times is above the threshold value in the actual information.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising a control unit and a display unit, wherein the control unit performs the following control: The reference distance is determined based on the maximum protruding length of the tailgate toward the rear of the vehicle during the opening and closing operation. If a rear obstacle is detected at the start of parking of the vehicle, a guide image indicating a position away from the rear obstacle by the reference distance is displayed on a screen of a rearward viewing angle via the display unit.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit determines the reference distance within a range that is greater than or equal to a protrusion length when the opening of the tailgate is a minimum opening required for taking luggage in and out of a luggage box and less than or equal to the maximum protrusion length.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit further determines the reference distance based on information of luggage loaded in a luggage box of the vehicle.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit displays the guide image on the display unit based on position information of the vehicle when it is parked.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit displays the guide image when the position information of the vehicle when parked substantially matches a predetermined reference position.

Images