Method

Abstract

To improve a technology related to overtaking a two-wheeled vehicle such as a bicycle and the like by a vehicle.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle device 10 mounted on a vehicle detects a two-wheeled vehicle traveling in front of a vehicle and acquires information regarding a travel of the vehicle. It should be noted that the information regarding the vehicle's travel includes the vehicle's travel position, the road width at the travel position, the traffic situation at the travel position, and the time change of the vehicle's steering angle. Next, the on-vehicle device 10 determines a score indicating an ease with which the two-wheeled vehicle can be overtaken at the vehicle's travel position based on the acquired information. Then, the on-vehicle device 10 stores the travel position and the corresponding score in association with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known techniques for overtaking two-wheeled vehicles such as bicycles by vehicles. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for dynamically guiding a route that ensures a safe distance between a vehicle and a bicycle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2023-071812 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There was room for improvement in the technology used by vehicles to overtake bicycles and other two-wheeled vehicles.

[0005] The purpose of the present disclosure, made in consideration of the above circumstances, is to improve the technology relating to vehicles overtaking two-wheeled vehicles such as bicycles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method comprises: A method executed by an on-board device mounted in a vehicle, When a two-wheeled vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle is detected, information regarding the traveling of the vehicle is acquired; determining a score indicating the ease of overtaking a motorcycle at a traveling position of the vehicle based on the acquired information; storing the running position and the score in association with each other; Including, The information is The traveling position, the road width at the travel position; Traffic conditions at the travel location; and A change in the steering angle of the vehicle over time; Includes: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, technology relating to vehicles overtaking two-wheeled vehicles such as bicycles is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0010] (Outline of the embodiment) An overview of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The system 1 includes a plurality of in-vehicle devices 10 and an information processing device 20. The plurality of in-vehicle devices 10 and the information processing device 20 are communicably connected to a network 30 including, for example, the Internet and a mobile communication network.

[0011] The in-vehicle device 10 is a device mounted on a vehicle. The vehicle may be any vehicle capable of carrying a human, including, but not limited to, a passenger car, a small truck, and a large truck. The vehicle may also be, for example, a gasoline-powered vehicle, an electric vehicle (BEV; Battery Electric Vehicle), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV; Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV; Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV; Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

[0012] The information processing device 20 is, for example, one or more computers such as a server device, etc. The information processing device 20 is capable of communicating with a plurality of terminal devices 10 via a network 30.

[0013] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be provided later. When an on-board device 10 mounted on a vehicle detects a two-wheeled vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, it acquires information related to the traveling of the vehicle. The information related to the traveling of the vehicle includes the traveling position of the vehicle, the road width at the traveling position, the traffic conditions at the traveling position, and the change in the steering angle of the vehicle over time. Next, based on the acquired information, the on-board device 10 determines a score indicating the ease of overtaking a two-wheeled vehicle at the traveling position of the vehicle. The on-board device 10 then associates the traveling position with the score and stores it.

[0014] As described above, according to this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 stores a travel position and a score indicating the ease of overtaking a motorcycle at that travel position. Therefore, by repeating this process, the in-vehicle device 10 can create a "scored map." This "scored map" can be used, for example, to present roads that are easy to overtake motorcycles to the vehicle driver or to warn the driver of roads that are difficult to overtake motorcycles. This allows the vehicle driver to know road information related to overtaking motorcycles in advance. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the technology related to overtaking motorcycles, such as bicycles, by vehicles is improved in that the information allows the vehicle driver to know road information related to overtaking motorcycles in advance.

[0015] (Configuration of in-vehicle device) The in-vehicle device 10 includes a communication unit 11 , an output unit 12 , an input unit 13 , a storage unit 14 , a control unit 15 , a sensor unit 16 , and an imaging unit 17 .

[0016] The communication unit 11 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 30. The communication interfaces are compatible with mobile communication standards such as, but not limited to, 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). In this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 communicates with the information processing device 20 via the communication unit 11 and the network 30.

[0017] The output unit 12 includes one or more output devices that output information. Examples of the output devices include, but are not limited to, a display that outputs information as a video or a speaker that outputs information as a sound. Alternatively, the output unit 12 may include an interface for connecting an external output device.

[0018] The input unit 13 includes one or more input devices that detect an input operation by a user. Examples of the input devices include, but are not limited to, physical keys, capacitive keys, a mouse, a touch panel, a touch screen integrated with the display of the output unit 12, or a microphone. Alternatively, the input unit 13 may include an interface for connecting an external input device.

[0019] The storage unit 14 includes one or more memories. Examples of the memories include, but are not limited to, semiconductor memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory. Each memory included in the storage unit 14 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 14 stores any information used in the operation of the in-vehicle device 10. For example, the storage unit 14 may store a system program, an application program, embedded software, etc. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 14 stores information related to the vehicle's traveling and a score indicating the ease of overtaking a motorcycle associated with the vehicle's traveling position. The information stored in the storage unit 14 may be updated with information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 11, for example.

[0020] "Information related to traveling" refers to any information related to the traveling of the vehicle, including, but not limited to, the traveling position of the vehicle, the road width at the traveling position, the traffic conditions at the traveling position, and changes in the steering angle of the vehicle over time. For example, information related to the traveling of the vehicle may include information on the vehicle speed, accelerator operation, brake operation, etc. For example, information related to the traveling of the vehicle may include the number of lanes. Furthermore, for example, information related to the traveling of the vehicle may include information related to the motorcycle traveling ahead, such as the type of motorcycle, the speed of the motorcycle, and the distance between the vehicle and the motorcycle.

[0021] "Traffic conditions at the driving position" may include, for example, the number and status of surrounding vehicles, such as whether or not there are oncoming vehicles at the vehicle's driving position, road conditions such as whether or not there are traffic lights, and whether or not there is construction work, but may also include any traffic conditions, without being limited to these.

[0022] The control unit 15 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The dedicated circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 15 controls the operation of the vehicle.

[0023] The sensor unit 16 includes a plurality of sensors necessary for acquiring information related to vehicle travel, such as a steering angle sensor, an acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a position sensor, and a gyro sensor. The sensor unit 16 may be compatible with, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System). The sensor unit 16 may also be used to detect two-wheeled vehicles, including bicycles.

[0024] The image capturing unit 17 includes one or more cameras that can capture images of the surroundings. The image capturing unit 17 may also be used to detect two-wheeled vehicles, including bicycles.

[0025] (Configuration of information processing device) The information processing device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23.

[0026] The communication unit 21 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 30. The communication interfaces correspond to, for example, a mobile communication standard, a wired LAN (Local Area Network) standard, or a wireless LAN standard, but are not limited to these and may correspond to any communication standard. In this embodiment, the information processing device 20 communicates with multiple in-vehicle devices 10 via the communication unit 21 and the network 30.

[0027] The storage unit 22 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 22 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores any information used in the operation of the information processing device 20. For example, the storage unit 22 may store a system program, an application program, embedded software, a database, etc. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 22 may store information regarding the traveling of the vehicle equipped with each of the multiple on-vehicle devices 10 received by the control unit 23 from each of the multiple on-vehicle devices 10, and a score indicating the ease of overtaking a motorcycle associated with the traveling position of the vehicle. The information stored in the storage unit 22 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 21, for example.

[0028] The control unit 23 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The dedicated circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 23 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 20.

[0029] (Operation flow of the in-vehicle device) The operation of the in-vehicle device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0030] S100: The control unit 15 of the in-vehicle device 10 detects a two-wheeled vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle on which the in-vehicle device 10 is mounted.

[0031] Specifically, the control unit 15 uses the sensor unit 16 or the photographing unit 17 to detect other vehicles traveling ahead of the vehicle. For example, the control unit 15 may use the sensor unit 16 to measure changes in the time or frequency of radio waves transmitted and reflected by the object to determine the distance or speed of the object and detect other vehicles. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may use the sensor unit 16 to emit ultrasonic pulses around the vehicle to detect other vehicles. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may use the photographing unit 17 to capture images of the front in real time and detect other vehicles using an image processing algorithm. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may use a combination of these methods or may use AI, but any method can be employed, including but not limited to these.

[0032] Whether or not the vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle can be determined by using the reflection of radio waves transmitted using the sensor unit 16, by using images captured using the image capture unit 17, or by using AI, but any method can be adopted, including but not limited to these.

[0033] When it is necessary to determine that a two-wheeled vehicle is a bicycle, the control unit 15 may make the determination based on bicycle characteristics, such as pedals, detected from an image captured using the photographing unit 17, or may use AI, but any method can be adopted, including but not limited to these.

[0034] S101: The control unit 15 acquires information about the traveling of the vehicle.

[0035] When a two-wheeled vehicle is detected in S101, the control unit 15 acquires information about the vehicle's traveling using the sensor unit 16 and the photographing unit 17. As described above, the information about the traveling includes the vehicle's traveling position, the road width at the traveling position, the traffic conditions at the traveling position, and the change in the steering angle of the vehicle over time.

[0036] S102: Based on the acquired information, the control unit 15 determines a score indicating the ease of overtaking a two-wheeled vehicle at the traveling position of the vehicle.

[0037] Specifically, first, the control unit 15 determines whether the vehicle has overtaken a motorcycle. Whether the vehicle has overtaken a motorcycle may be determined, for example, when the motorcycle detected by the sensor unit 16 or the photographing unit 17 is no longer detected. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may determine whether the vehicle has overtaken a motorcycle using information related to the vehicle's travel acquired in S101. For example, the control unit 15 may determine whether the vehicle has overtaken a motorcycle using the vehicle speed, the vehicle speed of the motorcycle, the distance between the vehicle and the motorcycle, and the time elapsed since the motorcycle was detected. Alternatively, for example, the control unit 15 may determine whether the vehicle has overtaken a motorcycle using a change in the steering angle of the vehicle over time. Alternatively, the control unit 15 may determine whether the vehicle has overtaken a motorcycle by combining the above-mentioned processes. In this way, to determine whether the vehicle has overtaken the motorcycle, any processing using the sensor unit 16, the photographing unit 17, or information related to the traveling of the vehicle can be employed.

[0038] When it is determined that the vehicle has overtaken the two-wheeled vehicle, the control unit 15 determines a score indicating the ease of overtaking the two-wheeled vehicle at the traveling position of the vehicle.

[0039] For example, the score may be expressed in a numerical format using integers in any range, such as 1 to 5, in order of ease of overtaking. Also, instead of a number, the score may be expressed in an alphabetical ranking format, such as S, A, B, C, D, in order of ease of overtaking, or a combination of numbers and letters. The numbers and letters may be expressed in order of difficulty of overtaking.

[0040] For example, the score may be in a numerical format, with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 representing the ease of overtaking. In this case, the control unit 15 may determine the score so that the larger the steering angle is based on information on time-dependent changes in the steering angle, the smaller the score value. The control unit 15 may also determine the score so that the longer the time from when the motorcycle is detected to when a change in the steering angle occurs based on information on time-dependent changes in the steering angle, the larger the score value. The control unit 15 may also determine the score so that the narrower the road width at the traveling position, the larger the score value. The control unit 15 may also determine the score based on information on traffic conditions at the traveling position. For example, the control unit 15 may determine the score so that the larger the score value is when an oncoming vehicle is present. In this way, the control unit 15 may determine the score based on any information included in the information on the traveling of the vehicle.

[0041] The process of determining the score may be performed by the information processing device 20. Specifically, when it is determined that the vehicle has overtaken the motorcycle, the control unit 15 transmits information related to the vehicle's traveling to the information processing device 20 via the communication unit 11 and the network 30. The control unit 23 of the information processing device 20 receives the information related to the vehicle's traveling via the communication unit 21, and determines, on behalf of the control unit 15, a score indicating the ease of overtaking the motorcycle at the traveling position of the vehicle.

[0042] S103: The control unit 15 stores the running position and the score in association with each other.

[0043] Specifically, the control unit 15 associates the score determined in S102 with the travel location and stores it in the memory unit 14. Note that the control unit 15 may store not only the score and the travel location but also other information related to the travel in the memory unit 14. By storing the travel location and the score in association with each other in this way, the control unit 15 can create a "map with scores." As a result, the next time the driver drives the vehicle, the control unit 15 can guide the driver along a route that passes through the travel location based on the score, or can warn the driver about the travel location.

[0044] The control unit 15 may transmit the score associated with the travel position stored in the memory unit 14 to the information processing device 20 via the communication unit 11 and the network 30. The control unit 23 of the information processing device 20 may store the received score associated with the travel position in the memory unit 22. By storing the score in the memory unit 22 of the information processing device 20, the score associated with the travel position can be used not only by the vehicle in question but also by other vehicles. The control unit 15 may also transmit other information related to travel to the information processing device 20 in addition to the score and the travel position.

[0045] Alternatively, the control unit 15 may transmit the score associated with the running position stored in the memory unit 14 to the information processing device 20 via the communication unit 11 and the network 30 only if the score exceeds a predetermined value.

[0046] The predetermined value may be changeable.

[0047] As described above, when the on-board device 10 mounted on a vehicle detects a two-wheeled vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, it acquires information related to the traveling of the vehicle. The information related to the traveling of the vehicle includes the traveling position of the vehicle, the road width at the traveling position, the traffic conditions at the traveling position, and the change in the steering angle of the vehicle over time. Next, based on the acquired information, the on-board device 10 determines a score indicating the ease of overtaking a two-wheeled vehicle at the traveling position of the vehicle. The on-board device 10 then stores the traveling position and the score in association with each other.

[0048] According to this configuration, the in-vehicle device 10 stores a travel position and a score indicating the ease of overtaking a motorcycle at that travel position. Therefore, by repeating this process, the in-vehicle device 10 can create a "scored map." This "scored map" can be used, for example, to present roads that are easy to overtake motorcycles to the vehicle driver or to warn the driver of roads that are difficult to overtake motorcycles. This allows the vehicle driver to know road information related to overtaking motorcycles in advance. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the technology related to overtaking motorcycles, such as bicycles, by vehicles is improved in that the information allows the vehicle driver to know road information related to overtaking motorcycles in advance.

[0049] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple components or steps can be combined or divided into one.

[0050] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration and operation of the in-vehicle device 10 may be distributed among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. Also, for example, an embodiment in which some or all of the components of the in-vehicle device 10 are provided in the information processing device 20 may be possible. For example, the information processing device 20 may include some or all of the components of the in-vehicle device 10.

[0051] Also, for example, an embodiment is possible in which a general-purpose computer functions as the in-vehicle device 10 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the in-vehicle device 10 according to the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executable by a processor or a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1 System 10 Onboard equipment 11 Communications Department 12 Output section 13 Input section 14 Storage section 15 Control Unit 16 Sensor section 17 Photography Department 20 Information processing equipment 21 Communications Department 22 Memory section 23 Control Unit 30 Network

Claims

[Claim 1] A method executed by an on-board device mounted in a vehicle, When a two-wheeled vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle is detected, information regarding the traveling of the vehicle is acquired; determining a score indicating the ease of overtaking a motorcycle at a traveling position of the vehicle based on the acquired information; storing the running position and the score in association with each other; Including, The information is The traveling position, the road width at the travel position; Traffic conditions at the travel location; and A change in the steering angle of the vehicle over time; A method comprising:

Images