Generation device

Abstract

To facilitate generation of background data of a driving simulator corresponding to the real world.SOLUTION: A server 10 is configured to generate background data based on captured image data of a dashcam 31 provided by a user of a vehicle 30, generate data including the background data as course data for a driving simulator executed on a user terminal 20, and deliver the data to the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a generating device for generating background data for a vehicle driving simulator. [Background technology]

[0002] There are vehicle driving simulators that simulate vehicle driving on roads in the real world, which are used for games, driving lessons, etc. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 describes a driving simulator that acquires real-world traffic information and weather information and reflects the information in the simulation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-22264 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned driving simulator, only the courses prepared in advance can be driven. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A generating device that solves the above problem generates background data for three-dimensional computer graphics used in a driving simulator that simulates vehicle driving on roads in the real world, based on video data from a drive recorder. Effect of the Invention

[0006] It is easy to generate background data for a driving simulator that corresponds to the real world. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a generating device. [Diagram 2] 4 is a sequence diagram showing a processing procedure relating to the generation and distribution of course data in the generation device. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] An embodiment of the generating device will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. <Configuration of the generating device> First, the configuration of the generating device of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The generating device of this embodiment is configured as a device for generating background data used in a driving simulator. The driving simulator here is configured to simulate vehicle driving on roads in the real world. The driving simulator may be a simulator for games such as racing, or a simulator for vehicle driving lessons.

[0009] 1 is equipped with a drive recorder 31 that captures images of the outside of the vehicle. The vehicle 30 also includes a storage 32 capable of storing captured data from the drive recorder 31, a communication module 33 for outside-vehicle communication, and a positioning system 34 for detecting the position of the vehicle 30. An example of the positioning system 34 is a satellite positioning system. The captured data from the drive recorder 31 recorded in the storage 32 includes, in addition to the image of the outside of the vehicle captured by the drive recorder 31, information on the capture location and capture date and time acquired from the positioning system 34.

[0010] The driving simulator is executed on a computer terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a user terminal 20) owned by a user of the vehicle 30. Examples of the user terminal 20 include a personal computer, a consumer game machine, and a smartphone. The user terminal 20 includes a processing circuit 21 and a storage 22. The storage 22 stores a program for the driving simulator. The user terminal 20 operates as a driving simulator when the processing circuit 21 reads and executes the program. The storage 22 stores data of driving courses that can be traveled on the driving simulator (hereinafter, referred to as course data). The driving simulator is configured so that courses that can be traveled on the simulator can be added by acquiring new course data.

[0011] The generation device of this embodiment is configured with a server 10 shown in Fig. 1. The server 10 includes a processing circuit 11 and a storage 12. The server 10 performs processing related to the generation of course data for a driving simulator by the processing circuit 11 executing a program stored in the storage 12.

[0012] <About creating course data> Next, a course data generation process performed by the server 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The server 10 creates the course data using image data captured by the drive recorder 31 when the vehicle 30 actually travels along the course to be generated.

[0013] When creating course data, the user of the vehicle 30 transmits the captured image data of the drive recorder 31 to the server 10 (S1). In the case of FIG. 2, the captured image data is transmitted directly from the vehicle 30 to the server 10. The captured image data may be transmitted to the server 10 via the user terminal 20. In this case, the captured image data of the drive recorder 31 is first transferred to the user terminal 20 using a removable storage medium such as a memory card, Wi-Fi communication, or the like. The captured image data is then transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the server 10.

[0014] In response to this, the server 10 acquires information other than the photographic data that is necessary for creating the course data, such as road map information and topographical information about the area around the course (S2). The server 10 then creates course data based on this information (S3) and transmits it to the user terminal 20 (S5). The user terminal 20 stores the received course data in the storage 22 (S6).

[0015] The course data includes background data of the course in addition to data of the course itself. When creating the course data, the server 10 generates background data based on the shooting data of the drive recorder 31 (S4). The background data includes 3D models of objects such as buildings and vegetation around the course. The shooting data of the drive recorder 31 includes images of the object seen from multiple angles. The imaging data also includes information on the shooting positions of the multiple images. The server 10 creates a 3D model of the object by photogrammetry using such multiple images. Specifically, the server 10 creates a 3D model of the object by analyzing and integrating parallax information of the images of the object taken from multiple angles. The server 10 also analyzes the images to determine the color and texture of the surface of the 3D model. For distant objects whose appearance changes little as the vehicle 30 moves on the course, background data may be created as 2D images without creating a 3D model.

[0016] <Effects of the embodiment> The operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. The server 10 generates background data based on the captured data of the drive recorder 31 provided by the user of the vehicle 30. Then, the server 10 creates course data including the generated background data and transmits it to the user of the vehicle 30. This enables the user to drive the course captured by the drive recorder 31 in the driving simulator.

[0017] According to the generation device of the present embodiment described above, the following effects can be achieved. (1) Courses that users have actually driven can be easily added to the courses that can be driven in the driving simulator.

[0018] (2) When course data for a driving simulator is created using only existing road map information and topographical information, it is not possible to reproduce the appearance of objects around the course. In contrast, the server 10 of this embodiment generates background data for a course that can be traveled on the driving simulator based on image data captured by the drive recorder 31. In other words, the server 10 generates background data based on images captured from an actual vehicle 30. This makes it possible to make the background of a course that can be traveled on the driving simulator closer to reality.

[0019] <Other embodiments> This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that there is no technical contradiction.

[0020] The server 10 may be configured to generate background data individually according to the time of day, season, or weather at the time of shooting of the shooting data. The appearance of objects around the course changes depending on the time of day, season, and weather. Therefore, if background data is generated individually according to them, the change in the appearance of objects due to the time of day, season, and weather can be reproduced on the driving simulator. For example, background data based on daytime shooting data and background data based on nighttime shooting data are generated separately. In this case, the course data created by the server 10 includes background data for daytime and nighttime. In such a case, the driving simulator can specify the time of day for driving and switch the background data to be used depending on the specified time of day, thereby enabling the background to be depicted according to the time of day.

[0021] If the photographed data includes an image of a signboard, the server 10 may be configured to change the display content of the signboard when generating background data. In some cases, permission from the owner is required for use of a store signboard or the like in a driving simulator. In such cases, permission is not required if the display content of the signboard in the background data is made different from the actual content. In addition, advertising can be performed by setting the display content of the signboard in the background data to that specified by the provider of the driving simulator or course data.

[0022] The server 10 may be configured to set vehicles included in the images of the captured data as other vehicles that appear in the driving simulator. In this case, the server 10 identifies the vehicle model, body color, etc., by image analysis of the captured data, and transmits this information to the user terminal 20 together with the course data. The user terminal 20 causes the vehicle, whose information is provided by the server 10, to appear as another vehicle encountered while driving in the driving simulator. In this case, the vehicle encountered while driving in the real world appears in the driving simulator, making the experience in the driving simulator closer to reality.

[0023] The generation of background data and the creation of course data may be performed by the user terminal 20. Also, the generation of background data and the creation of course data may be performed by a user terminal 20 other than the terminal that executes the driving simulator. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 10 Server 11 Processing circuit 12. Storage 20 User terminal 21 Processing circuit 22 Storage 30 Vehicles 31 Drive recorder 32 Storage 33 Communication Module 34 Positioning System

Claims

1. A generating device that generates background data for use in a driving simulator that simulates vehicle driving on real-world roads based on shooting data from a drive recorder.

2. The generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a generating unit configured to generate the background data based on the photographed data provided by a user of a vehicle in which the drive recorder is installed, and transmit the background data to the user.

3. The generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the background data is generated individually in accordance with any one of a time period, a season, and a weather condition at the time when the photographic data is photographed.

4. The generating device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the photographic data includes an image of a signboard, display contents of the signboard are changed when the background data is generated.

5. The generating device according to claim 1 , wherein a vehicle included in the image of the photographed data is set as another vehicle appearing in the driving simulator.

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