Information presentation system, information presentation method, and program

Abstract

To facilitate reduction of anxiety of an occupant of a vehicle during driving.SOLUTION: An information presentation system 1 includes a first acquisition unit 11, a second acquisition unit 12 and a processing unit 14. The first acquisition unit 11 acquires state anxiety information indicating a state anxiety of an occupant of a vehicle. The second acquisition unit 12 acquires characteristic anxiety information indicating characteristic anxiety of the occupant. When the state anxiety information indicates that the state anxiety occurs in the occupant, the processing unit 14 executes a process of presenting a message for assisting the driving of the occupant to the occupant based on the characteristic anxiety information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information presentation system, an information presentation method, and a program for presenting information to, for example, a vehicle occupant. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle driving control system. This driving control system includes a driving control device that, when it is determined that a user is anxious based on the result of measuring the user's anxiety level measured by a user anxiety level measuring device, determines the anxiety factor that is the source of the anxiety based on characteristic data of the user with respect to the vehicle's driving situation, and adjusts the degree of control of the vehicle's driving control based on the determined anxiety factor, thereby changing the vehicle's driving control to reduce the user's anxiety. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-52881 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides an information presentation system and the like that can easily reduce the anxiety that vehicle occupants feel when driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An information presentation system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, and a processing unit. The first acquisition unit acquires state anxiety information indicating state anxiety of a vehicle occupant. The second acquisition unit acquires trait anxiety information indicating trait anxiety of the occupant. When the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing the state anxiety, the processing unit executes a process of presenting a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving based on the trait anxiety information.

[0006] In an information presentation method according to one aspect of the present disclosure, state anxiety information indicating state anxiety of a vehicle occupant is obtained, trait anxiety information indicating trait anxiety of the occupant is obtained, and when the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety, a process is performed to present a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving based on the trait anxiety information.

[0007] A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes one or more processors to execute the information presentation method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The information presentation system and the like disclosed herein has the advantage of easily reducing the anxiety that vehicle occupants feel when driving. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of information presented by an information presentation system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an outline of an information presentation system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of acquisition of state anxiety information by a first acquisition unit of the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of acquisition of situation information by a third acquisition unit of the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a first message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a second message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a third message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fourth message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fifth message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a message presented to an occupant in an information presentation system according to a modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] The embodiments described below are comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component installation positions and connection forms, steps, step orders, etc. shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components not described in the independent claims are described as optional components.

[0012] In addition, each drawing is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. In addition, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals in each drawing.

[0013] (Embodiment) <Summary> First, the inventor's point of view will be explained.

[0014] Conventionally, as a technology for assisting a vehicle occupant in driving, a technology is known that detects the state of anxiety of the vehicle occupant while driving (so-called state anxiety) and provides the occupant with assistance according to the detected state of anxiety, and is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 takes into consideration the state of anxiety of the occupant detected while driving (state anxiety), but does not take into consideration the characteristics of the occupant related to their susceptibility to a state of anxiety (so-called trait anxiety), and therefore has a problem in that it is not possible to provide effective assistance to the occupant.

[0015] State anxiety and trait anxiety are concepts proposed by Spielberger et al. in 1966. State anxiety refers to anxiety as a temporary emotional state that a person experiences in response to a specific point in time, situation, event, or object. On the other hand, trait anxiety refers to a tendency to become anxious that stems from a person's personality, etc. (Reference: Koga, "Problems of State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety," Psychological Review, 1980, Vol. 23, No. 3).

[0016] In general, people with high trait anxiety tend to perceive a relatively wide range of situations as dangerous or threatening and react to them, and are more likely to show elevated state anxiety than people with low trait anxiety. In other words, for occupants with high trait anxiety, support based on state anxiety detected while driving alone may not be sufficient or may not be able to alleviate their anxiety.

[0017] In view of the above, the inventor has found that for people with high trait anxiety, psychological support is effective by presenting information to the occupant using an information presentation system 1 according to an embodiment (see FIG. 2). This point will be specifically described below.

[0018] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of information presented by an information presentation system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, situations in which an occupant feels anxious are roughly classified into a first situation, a second situation, and a third situation.

[0019] The first situation is a situation that requires an immediate decision and an immediate response. In other words, the first situation is a situation in which the occupant experiences state anxiety and has little or no time to react. The first situation may occur, for example, when the vehicle is turning right, when the vehicle is driving on a narrow road, when the vehicle is attempting to park, when the vehicle is changing lanes, or when the vehicle is merging, as shown in the "Situation" column of FIG. 1.

[0020] The second situation is a situation in which anxiety continues temporarily. In other words, the second situation is a situation in which the occupant experiences state anxiety and has a predetermined time period (for example, about 10 seconds, or several minutes, etc.) to react. The second situation is, for example, as shown in the "Situation" column in Figure 1, a situation that can occur after a so-called near miss, such as when the occupant is being tailgated or when a child or other person suddenly runs out into the road, or a situation in which a difficult situation (such as a narrow road where passing is difficult, or a right turn) is approaching immediately ahead.

[0021] The third situation is a situation in which anxiety continues. In other words, the third situation is a situation in which the occupant experiences state anxiety and the grace period is longer than the predetermined period. The third situation is, for example, a situation in which the vehicle is in an environment that affects the occupant's field of vision, such as at night or in rain, as shown in the "Situation" column in FIG. 1, or a situation in which the occupant is unfamiliar with the road or destination.

[0022] Here, existing systems installed in a vehicle, such as an ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistant System) 2 (see FIG. 2) or a navigation system 3 (see FIG. 2), assist the occupant in driving according to the situation in which the occupant is placed.

[0023] For example, when the occupant is in the first situation, the existing system assists the occupant in driving by executing functions such as parking assistance, warning of approaching vehicles or objects, collision mitigation braking, and lane change assistance, as shown in the "Driving Assistance" column in Figure 1. In the future, it is also expected that the existing system will assist the occupant in driving by executing a merging assistance function.

[0024] Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in the second situation, the existing system assists the occupant in driving by executing the recording function of the drive recorder, as shown in the "Driving Assistance" column in Figure 1. In the future, it is expected that the system will also assist the occupant in driving by executing the function of warning the tailgating vehicle or automatically reporting to the police.

[0025] Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in the third situation, particularly when the vehicle is in an environment that affects the occupant's field of vision, the existing system assists the occupant in driving by executing a function such as automatic headlight control, as shown in the "Driving Assistance" column in Figure 1. Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in the third situation, particularly when the destination is new to the occupant, the existing system assists the occupant in driving by executing a function such as presenting information about traffic congestion or accidents, or presenting information about the location of near misses, as shown in the "Driving Assistance" column in Figure 1.

[0026] The driving assistance provided by the above-mentioned existing systems is based on state anxiety and is considered effective for occupants with low trait anxiety. However, for occupants with high trait anxiety, it is considered difficult to alleviate state anxiety with the driving assistance provided by the existing systems alone.

[0027] Therefore, the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment presents a message to the occupant according to the situation in which the occupant is placed, thereby providing psychological support to the occupant and eliminating state anxiety.

[0028] For example, when the occupant is in the first situation, the information presentation system 1 presents the occupant with simple information to assist the occupant in assessing the situation or in driving, or a message to provide driving assistance, as shown in the "Message Type" column in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, such a message may be referred to as a "first message."

[0029] Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in the second situation, the information presentation system 1 presents the occupant with a message to divert the occupant's attention from anxiety or to calm the occupant's anxious feelings so that the occupant can concentrate on driving, as shown in the "Message Type" column in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, such a message may be referred to as a "second message."

[0030] Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in a third situation, particularly when the occupant is in an environment that affects the occupant's field of vision, the information presentation system 1 presents the occupant with a message for providing driving assistance according to the driving environment, as shown in the "Message Type" column in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, such a message may be referred to as a "third message."

[0031] Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in the third situation, particularly when the destination is unknown to the occupant, the information presentation system 1 presents the occupant with a message for providing information about the unknown destination, as shown in the "Message Type" column in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, such a message may be referred to as a "fourth message."

[0032] Furthermore, for example, when the occupant is in a third situation other than those described above, the information presentation system 1 presents the occupant with a message to change the way they perceive things or situations, in other words, to promote "cognitive change (reevaluation)" (hereinafter also referred to as "reevaluation in cognitive change"), as shown in the "Message Type" column in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, such a message may be referred to as a "fifth message."

[0033] Here, "cognitive change (reappraisal)" refers to a cognitive change method among the known methods of emotion regulation, including situation selection, situation modification, attention allocation, cognitive change, and response adjustment, and refers to changing the evaluation of the situation or one's own abilities in order to change the emotions evoked by the situation. For more information on the above-mentioned methods of emotion regulation, please see, for example, "Handbook of Emotion Regulation, Chapter 12 et al., 2022" and "JJ Gross, Antecedent- and response-focused emotion regulation: Divergent consequences for experience, expression, and physiology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1998."

[0034] <Configuration> Next, a configuration of an information presentation system 1 according to an embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of the information presentation system 1 according to an embodiment. The information presentation system 1 is used in a moving body such as a vehicle, and is a system for assisting the driving of the vehicle. In the embodiment, the information presentation system 1 is realized by an in-vehicle device, but may also be realized by an external device brought in from outside the vehicle. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the occupant targeted by the information presentation system 1 is a driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle, but may also be an occupant other than the driver seated in the passenger seat or a rear seat.

[0035] The information presentation system 1 is realized by, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). As shown in Fig. 2, the information presentation system 1 includes a first acquisition unit 11, a second acquisition unit 12, a third acquisition unit 13, a processing unit 14, and a storage unit 15. Note that the storage unit 15 does not necessarily have to be included in the components of the information presentation system 1.

[0036] The information presentation system 1 is also connected to the ADAS 2 and the navigation system 3, and when the ADAS 2 and the navigation system 3 execute a driving assistance function, the information presentation system 1 presents a message to the occupant in cooperation with the ADAS 2 and the navigation system 3. Note that the information presentation system 1 may present a message to the occupant without cooperating with the ADAS 2 and the navigation system 3.

[0037] The first acquisition unit 11 acquires state anxiety information indicating the state anxiety of a vehicle occupant. In this embodiment, the first acquisition unit 11 acquires biometric information of the occupant and detects state anxiety based on the acquired biometric information, thereby acquiring the state anxiety information. Here, the biometric information may include, for example, the occupant's heart rate or the occupant's electrodermal activity (EDA). For information on detecting state anxiety based on biometric information, see, for example, "Kiba and Osuka, 'Development of an Anxiety Level Estimation Method Using Physiological Indices for a VR Exposure Therapy System,' Biomedical Engineering, 2020."

[0038] Specifically, the first acquisition unit 11 sequentially acquires information indicating the occupant's heart rate and information indicating the EDA from, for example, electrodes attached to the steering wheel. The occupant's heart rate and EDA may also be acquired from a wearable device attached to the occupant's wrist, arm, head, or the like, such as a smartwatch. As an example of an algorithm for detecting a state anxiety state, the first acquisition unit 11 acquires state anxiety information indicating that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety when the average value of RRI (RR Interval), which is acquired time-series data on heart rate fluctuations, decreases and the average value of SC (Skin Conductance), which is one piece of acquired EDA information, significantly increases. In the following, "the occupant is experiencing state anxiety" may be interpreted as "the occupant's state anxiety is relatively high."

[0039] Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of state anxiety information acquisition by the first acquisition unit 11 of the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment. In Fig. 3, a solid line L1 represents a time series change in the average value of the occupant's RRI, and a solid line L2 represents a time series change in the average value of the EDA SC. During the time period surrounded by the dashed line in Fig. 3, the average value of the RRI decreases and the average value of the EDA SC increases significantly. Therefore, in the example shown in Fig. 3, the first acquisition unit 11 acquires state anxiety information indicating that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety during the time period surrounded by the dashed line.

[0040] The second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information indicating the occupant's trait anxiety. Examples of acquisition of trait anxiety information by the second acquisition unit 12 are listed below. In the first and second acquisition examples shown below, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information based on the results of responses to questions about trait anxiety asked to the occupant. In the third and fourth acquisition examples shown below, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information based on the degree to which the occupant experiences state anxiety while driving.

[0041] In the first acquisition example, for example, a question is asked to the occupant when the vehicle is delivered, or a question is asked to the occupant via an in-vehicle display when the occupant uses the vehicle for the first time. The questions are: (1) whether or not they tend to feel anxious while driving; (2) how much driving experience they have; and (3) whether or not they are poor at driving. Regarding (1), if the respondent answers "always feel anxious," they receive a score of 3; if they answer "often feel anxious," they receive a score of 1; and if they answer "sometimes feel anxious / almost never feel anxious," they receive a score of 0. Regarding (2), if the respondent answers their driving experience is "less than one year," they receive a score of 2; if they answer "less than three years," they receive a score of 1; and if they answer "three years or more," they receive a score of 0. Regarding (3), if the respondent answers "poor" at driving, they receive a score of 2; if they answer "rather poor" they receive a score of 1; and if they answer "neither / rather good / good" they receive a score of 0.

[0042] Then, when the second acquisition unit 12 asks the occupant only question (1), it acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high" if the score is 3, acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" if the score is 1, and acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "low" if the score is 0. Furthermore, when the second acquisition unit 12 asks the occupant questions (1) and (2), it acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high" if the total score is 4 to 5 points, acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" if the total score is 2 to 3 points, and acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "low" if the total score is 0 to 1 point. In addition, when the second acquisition unit 12 asks the occupant questions (1), (2), and (3), it acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high" if the total score is 6 to 7 points, acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" if the total score is 3 to 5 points, and acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "low" if the total score is 0 to 2 points.

[0043] In the first acquisition example, trait anxiety information was acquired by asking questions to occupants based on the following grounds. That is, a questionnaire was administered to several dozen people, including those who are poor drivers, those who are good drivers, and those who are neither poor nor good drivers, asking whether they felt anxious while driving, and if so, how often they felt anxious. As a result, a correlation was found that the better a person is at driving, the less anxious they felt (i.e., low trait anxiety), and the worse a person is at driving, the more anxious they felt (i.e., high trait anxiety).

[0044] In addition, a questionnaire was administered to several dozen people, including those with no driving experience, those with short driving experience, and those with long driving experience, asking whether they felt anxious while driving, and if so, how often they felt anxious. The results showed a correlation: the longer the driving experience, the less anxious people felt (i.e., low trait anxiety), and the shorter the driving experience, the more anxious people felt (i.e., high trait anxiety).

[0045] In the second acquisition example, the second acquisition unit 12 administers the STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) to the occupant when the vehicle is delivered, or administers the STAI to the occupant via an in-vehicle display when the occupant uses the vehicle for the first time. The STAI is a test in which the occupant is asked 20 questions regarding trait anxiety. For details about the STAI, see "STAI, Spielberger, 1970" and "New Edition STAI (Japanese version), https: / / www.jitsumukyouzai.com / wellness / show_product.php?pid=75".

[0046] Then, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high" when the STAI answer result is "5" out of 5, acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" when the STAI answer result is "4 or 3", and acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "low" when the STAI answer result is "2 or 1".

[0047] In a third acquisition example, the second acquisition unit 12 refers to the history of the occupant's state anxiety information while the vehicle is traveling, which is acquired by the first acquisition unit 11. Specifically, the second acquisition unit 12 calculates the ratio of the distance (or time) of the section in which the occupant experiences state anxiety to the travel distance (or travel time) based on the history of when the vehicle has traveled for a certain period of time, and acquires trait anxiety information from the ratio. For example, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high" when the ratio is 10% or more, acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" when the ratio is 5% or more but less than 10%, and acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "low" when the ratio is less than 5%.

[0048] In the fourth acquisition example, the second acquisition unit 12 refers to the history of the occupant's state anxiety information acquired by the first acquisition unit 11 while the vehicle is traveling, and the history of situation information regarding the situation in which the occupant is placed while the vehicle is traveling acquired by the third acquisition unit 13 (described later). Specifically, the second acquisition unit 12 calculates the ratio of the occupant experiencing state anxiety in a specific situation based on the history of the vehicle traveling for a certain period of time, and acquires trait anxiety information from the ratio. Here, a specific situation is a situation in which an occupant with high trait anxiety is likely to experience state anxiety. The specific situation is the first situation, second situation, or third situation already described.

[0049] For example, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high" when the above ratio is 30% or more, acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" when the ratio is 10% or more but less than 30%, and acquires trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "low" when the ratio is less than 10%.

[0050] The third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information related to the situation that the occupant is in. In the embodiment, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires the situation information based on information from various devices mounted on the vehicle, information from the ADAS 2, information from the navigation system 3, etc.

[0051] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of acquisition of situation information by the third acquisition unit 13 of the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0052] First, an example will be described in which the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the situation in which the occupant is placed is the first situation (i.e., a situation requiring immediate decision and immediate response). For example, when the navigation system 3 indicates that the current position of the vehicle is at a right turn point and the vehicle is stopped, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is waiting to turn right. Also, for example, when the shift lever is in a reverse position and the backup camera recognizes the parking position, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is being reversed and parked. Also, for example, when the navigation system 3 indicates that the current position of the vehicle is at a merging point and the vehicle speed is approximately 30 to 60 km / h (15 km / h or less if there is traffic congestion), the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is merging.

[0053] Furthermore, for example, when the camera or radar indicates that there is a stopped vehicle ahead of the vehicle, when the camera or radar indicates that the vehicle is approaching a vehicle ahead, or when the navigation system 3 indicates that the current position of the vehicle is a lane restriction, accident, or construction site, and when the camera or radar indicates that there are no other vehicles to the side or rear of the vehicle, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is passing through a narrow road or passing another vehicle, when the sonar detects an object approaching the vehicle and the vehicle speed is 15 km / h or less.

[0054] Next, an example will be described in which the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the situation in which the occupant is placed is the second situation (i.e., a situation in which anxiety continues temporarily). For example, when the camera or millimeter wave sensor detects a bicycle or a pedestrian, and the acceleration sensor detects sudden braking, or the ADAS2 performs a damage mitigation braking operation, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the bicycle or pedestrian has jumped out in front of the vehicle. Furthermore, for example, when the third acquisition unit 13 detects the approach of a vehicle behind or in front of the vehicle repeatedly in a short period of time, or when the close proximity continues for a certain period of time, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is being tailgated.

[0055] Next, an example will be described in which the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the situation in which the occupant is placed is the third situation (i.e., a situation in which anxiety continues). For example, if the headlights are on, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is traveling at night. Also, for example, if the wipers are operating, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is traveling in the rain. Also, for example, if the navigation system 3 indicates that the current location of the vehicle is on a highway and that the vehicle speed is 80 km / h or higher, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the vehicle is traveling on a highway. Also, for example, the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the occupant is heading to a destination that is new to the occupant, based on the search results, settings, or search history of the navigation system 3.

[0056] The processing unit 14 executes various processes to assist the vehicle occupant in driving. In the embodiment, the processing unit 14 has a determination unit 141 and a presentation unit 142. The processing unit 14 performs the functions of the determination unit 141 and the presentation unit 142 by executing a program stored in advance in an internal memory, for example.

[0057] When the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety, the decision unit 141 executes a process of determining whether to present a message to the occupant based on the trait anxiety information. In the embodiment, the decision unit 141 determines to present a message to the occupant when the value of trait anxiety in the trait anxiety information is higher than a threshold, and determines not to present a message to the occupant when the value of trait anxiety is lower than the threshold. Specifically, when the decision unit 141 has acquired trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "high," it determines to present a message to the occupant. On the other hand, when the decision unit 141 has acquired trait anxiety information indicating that trait anxiety is "medium" or "low," it determines not to present a message to the occupant.

[0058] Furthermore, when it is determined that a message should be presented to the occupant, the determination unit 141 executes a process of determining the type of message according to the situation information. The process of determining the type of message by the determination unit 141 will be described in detail in the section <Operation> described later.

[0059] The presentation unit 142 executes a process of presenting the message determined by the determination unit 141 to the occupant. In the embodiment, the presentation unit 142 reads out a message to be presented from a plurality of candidate messages stored in the storage unit 15, and presents the message to the occupant by outputting the read out message as voice from a speaker. The voice may be a mechanical voice, or may be a recorded voice uttered by a person.

[0060] The presenting unit 142 may generate a message to be presented using a message generation model that has been machine-learned in advance to input situation information and output a message. In this case, it is not necessary to store multiple message candidates in the storage unit 15. In this case, the process of determining the type of message by the determining unit 141 is not necessary.

[0061] The storage unit 15 is, for example, a semiconductor memory, and is a dedicated or general-purpose memory for storing information used in the information presentation system 1. The storage unit 15 stores, for example, a plurality of message candidates that can be presented to the occupant by the presentation unit 142.

[0062] <Operation> The operation of the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0063] First, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information (S101). Step S101 is executed, for example, when the vehicle is started. Note that, if the trait anxiety information has already been acquired and stored in the memory unit 15, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires the trait anxiety information by reading it from the memory unit 15. If the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "high" (S102: Yes), the decision unit 141 decides to present a message to the occupant while the vehicle is traveling (including when the vehicle is temporarily stopped). On the other hand, if the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "medium" or "low" (S102: No), the decision unit 141 decides not to present a message to the occupant while the vehicle is traveling.

[0064] Next, the first acquisition unit 11 sequentially acquires state anxiety information while the vehicle is traveling (S103). Step S103 is repeated while the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is not experiencing state anxiety (S104: No). Then, when the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety (S104: Yes), the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information (S105). Note that step S105 may be executed sequentially regardless of step S104.

[0065] Next, the determination unit 141 determines the type of message to be presented to the occupant according to the situation information. Note that if the acquired situation information indicates that the situation does not fall into any of the first situation, the second situation, and the third situation (S106: No, S108: No, S110: No), the determination unit 141 does not determine the type of message. In this case, the information presentation system 1 executes step S103 again.

[0066] If the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the situation in which the occupant is placed is the first situation (i.e., a situation requiring immediate judgment and immediate response) (S106: Yes), the determination unit 141 determines to present a first message to the occupant. Then, the presentation unit 142 presents the first message to the occupant (S107). After executing step S107, the information presentation system 1 executes step S103 again.

[0067] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a first message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in the "Message" column in FIG. 6, when the situation in which the occupant is placed is the first situation, the presentation unit 142 presents to the occupant simple information presentation or a message for providing driving assistance to assist the occupant in assessing the situation or in performing driving operation. Note that the "Driving Assistance" column in FIG. 6 indicates the content of driving assistance performed by various devices mounted on the vehicle, the ADAS 2, or the navigation system 3 when the presentation unit 142 presents the first message. The same applies to the "Driving Assistance" columns in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 described below.

[0068] 5, if the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the situation in which the occupant is placed is the second situation (i.e., a situation in which anxiety continues temporarily) (S106: No, S108: Yes), the decision unit 141 decides to present a second message to the occupant. Then, the presentation unit 142 presents the second message to the occupant (S109). After executing step S109, the information presentation system 1 again executes step S103.

[0069] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a second message presented to the occupant in the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in the "Message" column in Fig. 7, when the situation in which the occupant is placed is the second situation, the presentation unit 142 presents the occupant with a message to divert the occupant's attention from anxiety and allow them to concentrate on driving, or a message to calm the occupant's anxious feelings.

[0070] Returning to Figure 5, if the third acquisition unit 13 acquires situation information indicating that the situation in which the occupant is placed is the third situation (i.e., a situation in which anxiety continues) (S108: No, S110: Yes), the determination unit 141 further determines the type of message to be presented to the occupant depending on the content of the third situation.

[0071] Specifically, if the environment affects the occupant's field of vision (S111: Yes), the determination unit 141 determines to present a third message to the occupant. Then, the presentation unit 142 presents the third message to the occupant (S112). After executing step S112, the information presentation system 1 executes step S103 again.

[0072] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a third message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in the "Message" column in Fig. 8, when the situation in which the occupant is placed is the third situation and the environment affects the occupant's field of vision, the presentation unit 142 presents the occupant with a message for providing driving assistance according to the driving environment.

[0073] 5, if the destination is new to the occupant (S111: No, S113: Yes), the determination unit 141 determines to present a fourth message to the occupant. Then, the presentation unit 142 presents the fourth message to the occupant (S114). After executing step S114, the information presentation system 1 again executes step S103.

[0074] 9 is a diagram showing an example of a fourth message presented to the occupant in the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in the "Message" column in Fig. 9, when the situation in which the occupant is placed is the third situation and the destination is a first-time destination for the occupant, the presentation unit 142 presents the occupant with a message for providing information about the unknown destination.

[0075] 5, if the third situation is a situation other than the above (S113: No), the decision unit 141 decides to present a fifth message to the occupant. Then, the presentation unit 142 presents the fifth message to the occupant (S115). After executing step S115, the information presentation system 1 again executes step S103.

[0076] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a fifth message presented to the occupant in the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 10(a) shows an example of the fifth message presented to the occupant when starting to drive, Fig. 10(b) shows an example of the fifth message presented to the occupant while driving, and Fig. 10(c) shows an example of the fifth message presented to the occupant when finishing driving. As shown in Fig. 10, the presentation unit 142 presents the occupant with a message to change the way they perceive things or situations, that is, to promote "cognitive change (reevaluation)."

[0077] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10 , the messages presented by the presentation unit 142 include at least one of a message promoting positive reappraisal, a message promoting refocusing on a plan, a message promoting a global perspective, and a message promoting positive refocus, which are types of subcategories of "cognitive change (reappraisal)." Positive reappraisal refers to thinking positively about the current situation from the perspective of personal growth. Refocusing on a plan refers to thinking about how to deal with the current situation to change it. A global perspective refers to downplaying the seriousness of the current situation or thinking that the current situation is better than other negative situations. Positive refocus refers to thinking about positive things unrelated to the current situation.

[0078] <Advantages> The advantages of the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment will be described below. As described above, when an occupant experiences state anxiety, the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment executes a process of presenting a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving, based on trait anxiety information indicating the occupant's trait anxiety. Therefore, the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment has the advantage of being able to provide psychological support to the occupant by taking trait anxiety into consideration, and of easily reducing the anxiety felt by the vehicle occupant while driving. In particular, the information presentation system 1 according to the embodiment has the advantage of making it easier to dispel the occupant's anxiety by presenting a message to the occupant, even when the occupant's anxiety cannot be dispelled solely by support based on the occupant's state anxiety detected during driving by, for example, the ADAS 2.

[0079] (Variation) While the information presentation system according to the present disclosure has been described above based on the above-described embodiment, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment. As long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present disclosure, various modifications conceivable by those skilled in the art may also be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the processing unit 14 presents a message to the occupant only when the value of trait anxiety is higher than the threshold (in other words, the trait anxiety is relatively high), but this is not limited to this. For example, the processing unit 14 (determination unit 141) may determine the type of message to present to the occupant depending on whether the value indicating trait anxiety is high or low (in other words, the degree of trait anxiety).

[0081] Fig. 11 shows an example of a message presented to an occupant in the information presentation system 1 according to the modified embodiment. Fig. 11(a) shows an example of a message according to the level of trait anxiety for each type of situation, and Fig. 11(b) shows an example of a message according to the level of trait anxiety for each specific situation.

[0082] In the example shown in (a) of FIG. 11, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "high," the decision unit 141 determines to present a message to the occupant in all of the first situation, the second situation, and the third situation. Also in this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "medium," the decision unit 141 determines to present a message to the occupant only in the first situation and the second situation. Also in this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "low," the decision unit 141 determines not to present a message to the occupant in all of the first situation, the second situation, and the third situation.

[0083] In the example shown in (b) of FIG. 11, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "high," the decision unit 141 determines to present a first message to the occupant when the vehicle turns right, when the vehicle is driving on a narrow road, when attempting to park the vehicle, when the vehicle is changing lanes, or when the vehicle is merging. Also, in this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "high," the decision unit 141 determines to present a second message to the occupant when the occupant is being tailgated or after a near miss. Also, in this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "high," the decision unit 141 determines to present a third or fourth message to the occupant when driving at night or in rainy weather, or when the destination is a first-time destination for the occupant.

[0084] In the example shown in (b) of FIG. 11, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "medium," the decision unit 141 determines to present a first message to the occupant when the vehicle is traveling on a narrow road. In this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "medium," the decision unit 141 determines to present a second message to the occupant when the occupant is being tailgated. In this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "medium," the decision unit 141 determines to present a third or fourth message to the occupant when traveling at night or in rainy weather, or when the destination is a first-time destination for the occupant.

[0085] 11(b), when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "low", the decision unit 141 decides to present the first message to the occupant when the vehicle is traveling on a narrow road. Also, in this example, when the trait anxiety information indicates that the trait anxiety is "low", the decision unit 141 decides to present the third message to the occupant when traveling at night or in the rain.

[0086] Furthermore, for example, the processing unit 14 may present a message desired by the occupant to the occupant regardless of the level of the occupant's trait anxiety. In this case, the occupant may use, for example, an appropriate user interface to select one or more situations in which a message will be presented, and may also perform an operation to select the type of message to be presented in each of the selected one or more situations in advance. As a result, the processing unit 14 presents the type of message desired by the occupant in each of the one or more situations desired by the occupant.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the presentation unit 142 of the processing unit 14 presents a message to the occupant by outputting the message as sound from a speaker, but this is not limiting. For example, the presentation unit 142 may present the message to the occupant by displaying the message on a HUD (Head-Up Display) mounted on the vehicle. Furthermore, the presentation unit 142 may present the message to the occupant by both outputting the message as sound from a speaker and displaying it on the HUD.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the presentation unit 142 of the processing unit 14 may change the type of sound to be output from the speaker depending on the occupant. For example, the presentation unit 142 may present a message to the occupant by outputting from the speaker a male voice, a female voice, a child's voice, the voice of an actor that the occupant likes, or the voice of a character that the occupant likes depending on the occupant. Furthermore, for example, the presentation unit 142 may present a message to the occupant by outputting from the speaker a voice in a dialect such as Kansai dialect depending on the occupant.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the information presentation system 1 may be realized by an IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) system, which is an in-vehicle information and communication system using, for example, a car navigation system, a display, and an audio system.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the information presentation system 1 is implemented by an in-vehicle device, but is not limited to this. For example, the information presentation system 1 may be implemented in a server device separate from the vehicle, and a message may be presented to the occupant by wireless communication between the server device and the vehicle. The information presentation system 1 may also have a composite configuration in which part of the information presentation system 1 is implemented in the vehicle and the rest is implemented in the server device.

[0091] Furthermore, each unit included in the information presentation system 1 according to the above embodiment is typically realized as an LSI (Large-Scale Integration), which is an integrated circuit. These units may be individually implemented as single chips, or some or all of them may be integrated into a single chip.

[0092] Furthermore, the integration is not limited to LSI, but may be realized by dedicated circuits or general-purpose processors. FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), which can be programmed after LSI fabrication, or reconfigurable processors, which allow the connections and settings of circuit cells within LSIs to be reconfigured, may also be used.

[0093] In the above-described embodiments, each component may be configured with dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0094] Furthermore, all of the numbers used above are examples for specifically explaining the present disclosure, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the numbers shown as examples.

[0095] The division of functional blocks in the block diagram is an example, and multiple functional blocks may be realized as a single functional block, one functional block may be divided into multiple blocks, or some functions may be moved to another functional block.Furthermore, the functions of multiple functional blocks having similar functions may be processed in parallel or in time-sharing by a single piece of hardware or software.

[0096] The order in which the steps in the flowchart are executed is merely an example for specifically explaining the present disclosure, and an order other than the above may be used. Also, some of the steps may be executed simultaneously (in parallel) with other steps.

[0097] In addition, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by making various modifications to the above embodiments that a person skilled in the art would think of, and forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions in the embodiments within the scope that does not deviate from the intent of this disclosure.

[0098] (summary) As described above, the information presentation system 1 according to the first aspect includes a first acquisition unit 11, a second acquisition unit 12, and a processing unit 14. The first acquisition unit 11 acquires state anxiety information indicating state anxiety of a vehicle occupant. The second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information indicating trait anxiety of the occupant. When the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety, the processing unit 14 executes processing to present a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving based on the trait anxiety information.

[0099] This has the advantage that by presenting a message to the occupant, it is possible to provide psychological support to the occupant taking into account their characteristic anxiety, which makes it easier to reduce the anxiety that vehicle occupants feel when driving.

[0100] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the second aspect, in the first aspect, the processing unit 14 presents a message to the occupant when the value indicating trait anxiety is higher than the threshold value, and does not present a message to the occupant when the value indicating trait anxiety is lower than the threshold value.

[0101] This has the advantage that messages are presented only to occupants with relatively high trait anxiety, making it easier to efficiently provide psychological support that takes trait anxiety into consideration.

[0102] Furthermore, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the third aspect, in the first aspect, the processing unit 14 determines the type of message depending on the level of the value indicating trait anxiety.

[0103] This has the advantage that the type of message presented to the occupant is changed depending on the degree of trait anxiety, making it easier to efficiently provide psychological support that takes trait anxiety into account not only to occupants with relatively high trait anxiety, but also to occupants with relatively low trait anxiety.

[0104] Also, for example, the information presentation system 1 according to a fourth aspect is in any one of the first to third aspects and further includes a third acquisition unit 13 that acquires situation information related to the situation the occupant is in. The processing unit 14 determines the type of message depending on the situation information.

[0105] This has the advantage that psychological support can be provided efficiently by presenting a message to the occupant according to the situation in which the occupant is placed.

[0106] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, when the situation information indicates that the first situation is one in which there is no time for the occupant to deal with it, the processing unit 14 presents the occupant with a brief message for dealing with the first situation.

[0107] This has the advantage that in situations where immediate decisions and immediate responses are required, presenting a concise message to the occupants makes it easier for them to deal with the situation compared to when a message showing detailed instructions for dealing with the situation is presented to the occupants.

[0108] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the sixth aspect, in the fourth or fifth aspect, when the situation information indicates that the second situation exists, in which the occupant has a predetermined amount of time to respond, the processing unit 14 presents the occupant with a message to divert the occupant's attention from the state anxiety or a message to calm the occupant's anxious feelings.

[0109] This has the advantage that in situations where anxiety continues temporarily, by presenting the occupant with a message to divert their attention from state anxiety or a message to calm their anxious feelings, it becomes easier for the occupant to concentrate on driving and the occupant's anxiety is more easily reduced.

[0110] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the seventh aspect, in any one of the fourth to sixth aspects, when the situation information indicates that the situation is a third situation in which the grace period for the occupant to take action is longer than a predetermined time, the processing unit 14 presents a message to the occupant according to the type of the third situation.

[0111] This has the advantage that in a situation where anxiety continues, the anxiety of the occupant can be easily reduced by presenting the occupant with a message appropriate to the situation.

[0112] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the eighth aspect, in the seventh aspect, when the situation information indicates that the vehicle is in an environment that affects the occupant's field of vision, the processing unit 14 presents a message to the occupant that corresponds to the environment.

[0113] This has the advantage that when an environment makes it difficult for the occupant to drive, a message appropriate to the environment can be presented to the occupant, which can help increase the occupant's sense of self-efficacy and reduce the occupant's anxiety.

[0114] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the ninth aspect, in the seventh or eighth aspect, if the status information indicates that the destination is a first-time destination for the occupant, the processing unit 14 presents a message to the occupant to provide information about the destination.

[0115] This has the advantage that, in an environment where occupants feel anxious about an unknown destination, providing information about the destination to the occupants makes it easier to reduce the occupants' anticipatory anxiety.

[0116] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the tenth aspect, in any one of the fourth to sixth aspects, when the situation information indicates that the situation is a third situation in which the grace period for the occupant to respond is longer than a predetermined period, the processing unit 14 presents the occupant with a message encouraging reassessment of cognitive changes.

[0117] This has the advantage that in situations where anxiety continues, by presenting occupants with a message that changes the way they perceive things or situations, it becomes easier for them to re-examine their anxiety from a different perspective, making it easier to reduce occupant anxiety and potentially improving occupant psychological skills to suppress anxiety.

[0118] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the eleventh aspect, in any one of the first to tenth aspects, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information based on the answer results to a question regarding trait anxiety for the occupant.

[0119] This has the advantage that trait anxiety information is obtained based on the results of directly asking the occupant about trait anxiety, making it easier to accurately grasp the degree of trait anxiety of the occupant.

[0120] Also, for example, in the information presentation system 1 according to the 12th aspect, in any one of the first to tenth aspects, the second acquisition unit 12 acquires trait anxiety information based on the degree of occurrence of state anxiety when the occupant is driving.

[0121] This has the advantage that trait anxiety information is obtained based on the state anxiety that the occupant actually felt while driving, making it easier to accurately grasp the degree of trait anxiety of the occupant.

[0122] Also, for example, in an information presentation method according to a thirteenth aspect, state anxiety information indicating state anxiety of a vehicle occupant is acquired. The information presentation method acquires trait anxiety information indicating trait anxiety of the occupant. When the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing state anxiety, the information presentation method executes a process of presenting a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving based on the trait anxiety information.

[0123] This has the advantage that by presenting a message to the occupant, it is possible to provide psychological support to the occupant taking into account their characteristic anxiety, which makes it easier to reduce the anxiety that vehicle occupants feel when driving.

[0124] Also, for example, a program according to a fourteenth aspect causes one or more processors to execute the information presentation method according to the thirteenth aspect.

[0125] This has the advantage that by presenting a message to the occupant, it is possible to provide psychological support to the occupant taking into account their characteristic anxiety, which makes it easier to reduce the anxiety that vehicle occupants feel when driving. [Industrial Applicability]

[0126] The present disclosure is applicable to a system for assisting a vehicle occupant in driving a moving object such as a vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1 Information presentation system 11 First acquisition part 12 Second acquisition part 13 Third acquisition part 14 Processing section 141 Decision Section 142 Presentation section 15 Storage section 2. ADAS 3. Navigation system L1, L2 solid lines

Claims

1. a first acquisition unit that acquires state anxiety information indicating state anxiety of an occupant of the vehicle; a second acquisition unit that acquires trait anxiety information indicating the trait anxiety of the occupant; a processing unit that, when the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing the state anxiety, executes a process of presenting a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving based on the trait anxiety information, Information presentation system.

2. The processing unit presents the message to the occupant when the value indicating the trait anxiety is higher than a threshold, and does not present the message to the occupant when the value indicating the trait anxiety is lower than the threshold. The information presentation system according to claim 1 .

3. The processing unit determines the type of the message depending on the level of the value indicating the trait anxiety. The information presentation system according to claim 1 .

4. Further, a third acquisition unit is provided to acquire situation information relating to a situation in which the occupant is placed, the processing unit determines the type of the message according to the situation information. The information presentation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When the situation information indicates that the situation is a first situation for which there is no grace time for the occupant to deal with it, the processing unit presents the concise message for dealing with the first situation to the occupant. The information presentation system according to claim 4 .

6. When the situation information indicates that the situation is a second situation in which there is a predetermined amount of time for the occupant to deal with the situation, the processing unit presents to the occupant the message for diverting the occupant's attention from the state anxiety or the message for calming the occupant's anxious feelings. The information presentation system according to claim 4 .

7. When the situation information indicates that the situation is a third situation in which a grace period for the occupant to take action is longer than a predetermined period, the processing unit presents the message to the occupant according to a type of the third situation. The information presentation system according to claim 4 .

8. When the situation information indicates that the vehicle is in an environment that affects the field of view of the occupant, the processing unit presents the message corresponding to the environment to the occupant. The information presentation system according to claim 7 .

9. When the situation information indicates that the destination is a first-time destination for the occupant, the processing unit presents the message to the occupant to provide information about the destination. The information presentation system according to claim 7 .

10. and when the situation information indicates that the situation is a third situation in which a grace period for the occupant to deal with the situation is longer than a predetermined period, the processing unit presents the message to the occupant to promote reassessment of cognitive changes. The information presentation system according to claim 4 .

11. The second acquisition unit acquires the trait anxiety information based on a response result to a question regarding the trait anxiety posed to the occupant. The information presentation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

12. the second acquisition unit acquires the trait anxiety information based on an occurrence degree of the state anxiety when the occupant is driving. The information presentation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

13. acquiring state anxiety information indicating state anxiety of an occupant of the vehicle; acquiring trait anxiety information indicating the trait anxiety of the occupant; When the state anxiety information indicates that the occupant is experiencing the state anxiety, a process is executed to present a message to the occupant to assist the occupant in driving based on the trait anxiety information. Information presentation method.

14. one or more processors, Executing the information presentation method according to claim 13 . program.

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