Information processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technology for providing information in consideration of a stop time of a vehicle.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus includes a controller. The controller is configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of content to be provided to a user in a vehicle, each of the pieces of content including a required time for provision. The controller is configured to estimate a stop time of the vehicle when the stop of the vehicle is detected. The controller selects content whose required time does not exceed the estimated stop time from among the pieces of content, and outputs the selected content.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes an information providing device for a vehicle that switches whether or not to display operational content that is included in advertising information and involves operations by a vehicle occupant, based on the vehicle speed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-157109 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] One of the objectives of the present disclosure is to provide a technology for providing information taking into consideration the stopping time of a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The information processing device of the present disclosure includes a control unit. The control unit is configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of content to be provided to a user in a vehicle, each of the pieces of content having a required time for provision. The control unit is configured to, when detecting that the vehicle is stopped, estimate a stop time of the vehicle, select from the plurality of pieces of content the required time for the vehicle to be provided that does not exceed the estimated stop time, and output the selected piece of content. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide information taking into consideration the vehicle stopping time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a situation to which the present disclosure is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration and functional configuration of each of the vehicle and the server. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an example of a procedure for information processing by a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [1 Application example] 1 schematically illustrates an example of a situation to which the present disclosure is applied. The information processing system 1 is a system for processing information related to a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 acquires content to be provided within the vehicle 10 from a server 20. While the vehicle 10 is stopped, the content acquired from the server 20 may be output within the vehicle.

[0009] In the information processing system 1, a vehicle 10 and a server 20 are connected to each other via a network N. As the network N, for example, a Wide Area Network (WAN), which is a global public communication network such as the Internet, or a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone may be adopted. .

[0010] [2 Configuration Examples] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration and functional configuration of each of the vehicle 10 and the server 20. This is a diagram.

[0011] (server) The server 20 is a server for providing content to be notified in the vehicle 10. The server 20 includes a processor 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit .

[0012] The processor 21 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital signal processor (DSP). The processor 21 includes an output unit 211 as a functional unit.

[0013] The processor 21 operates as an output unit 211, and can transmit (output) predetermined content (plurality of content) stored in a content DB 221 (described later) to the vehicle 10 via the network N at predetermined intervals.

[0014] The storage unit 22 includes a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit. The main storage unit is, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM). The auxiliary storage unit is, for example, a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), a The auxiliary storage unit is a removable disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The removable medium may include, for example, a USB memory, an SD card, or a disk recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, or a Blu-ray disk.

[0015] The auxiliary storage unit stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various information tables, etc. The processor 21 loads the programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit into the main storage unit and executes them, thereby realizing the information processing of this embodiment. Some or all of the functions of the server 20 can be realized by hardware circuits such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The server 20 does not need to be realized by a single physical configuration, and may be made up of multiple computers that work together.

[0016] The auxiliary storage unit has a content database (DB) 221. The content DB 221 stores multiple pieces of content (predetermined content) to be provided to the user in the vehicle 10. Examples of the predetermined content include content that may affect future travel behavior. Each piece of predetermined content may be associated with attributes such as the required time for providing the content, the type of content, the importance of notification, a deadline dependent on the freshness of the content, and a notification range for the content. Examples of the type of content include disaster information, traffic congestion information, weather information, news, tourist spots, events, suggestions for taking a break during long drives, and dialogue to prevent the user from becoming drowsy. For example, content related to a major disaster that may affect safe driving, such as a flood or earthquake, that is occurring ahead of the vehicle 10 is set to have a high importance. The deadline dependent on the freshness of the content is a deadline for avoiding notification of content whose information has become less fresh, such as a news notification deadline. The content notification range is information used when the current location of vehicle 10 is within the content notification range and vehicle 10 notifies the user of content such as events being held in the area related to the notification range.

[0017] The communication unit 23 connects the server 20 to the network N. The communication unit 23 communicates with the vehicle using a predetermined wireless communication standard such as 4th Generation (4G) or Long Term Evolution (LTE). Communicate with both 10s.

[0018] (vehicle) The vehicle 10 may be a vehicle driven by a driver or an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle 10 may include an engine vehicle and an electric vehicle (including a hybrid vehicle). A tronic control unit (ECU) 11, a sensor 12, a camera 13, an input / output device 14, and a communication The ECU 11 is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The GPS receiver receives, for example, current position information (hereinafter also referred to as current position) of the vehicle 10 as a signal transmitted from a GPS, which is an example of a satellite positioning system. The vehicles 10 can communicate with each other using a predetermined intra-vehicle communication standard. The predetermined intra-vehicle communication standard may be a Controller Area Network (CAN) or a Local Interconnect Network ( In this embodiment, the ECU 11 is an example of an "information processing device."

[0019] The sensor 12 is a sensor for detecting information related to the vehicle 10. The sensor 12 is exemplified by a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle 10. The sensor 12 can detect the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 from the time the engine or power supply of the vehicle 10 is turned on until it is turned off.

[0020] The camera 13 is mounted, for example, near the windshield of the vehicle 10. When the vehicle 10 is stopped, the camera 13 can capture the state (e.g., red, yellow, green, etc.) of a traffic light located ahead (in the direction of travel) of the vehicle 10. The camera 13 may also capture images of whether a pedestrian traffic light installed on a road that intersects with the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling (hereinafter referred to as an intersecting road) is in green, flashing green, or red, and the number of lanes on the intersecting road.

[0021] The camera 13 may capture an image of the state (whether or not the taillights are on) of another vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a leading vehicle) stopped in front of the vehicle 10.

[0022] The input / output device 14 receives, as information input by the user, for example, a search request to search for a travel route of the vehicle 10 to the destination.

[0023] The input / output device 14 can output predetermined information. An example of the predetermined information is a travel route to the destination of the vehicle 10, which is searched in response to a search request. The predetermined information may be predetermined content that is output when the vehicle 10 stops. The predetermined content is output to a display device included in the input / output device 14. If the input / output device 14 has a speaker, the predetermined content may be output as audio.

[0024] The communication unit 15 connects the vehicle 10 to the network N. The communication unit 15 communicates with the server 20 using the same predetermined wireless communication standard as the communication unit 23.

[0025] The ECU 11 is a computer for controlling various devices mounted on the vehicle 10. The ECU 11 includes a processor 110 and a memory unit 118. The ECU 11 may include a clock. The clock may measure, for example, the current time. In this embodiment, the processor 110 is an example of a "control unit."

[0026] The processor 110 of the ECU 11 is, for example, a CPU or a DSP. The processor 110 includes, as functional units, a content acquisition unit 111, a vehicle information acquisition unit 112, a determination unit 113, a traffic information acquisition unit 114, an estimation unit 115, a selection unit 116, and an output unit 117.

[0027] The processor 110 operates as a content acquisition unit 111, and receives (acquires) predetermined content, which is information to be provided within the vehicle 10, from the server 20. The content acquisition unit 111 can store the acquired content in the storage unit 118.

[0028] The processor 110 operates as a vehicle information acquisition unit 112 and can acquire vehicle information detected by the sensor 12. The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires, for example, the speed of the vehicle 10 from the sensor 12 as the vehicle information.

[0029] The processor 110 operates as a determination unit 113 and determines whether or not the vehicle 10 has stopped, based on the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 112. For example, the determination unit 113 determines whether or not the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 indicates 0 km / h. If the determination result is positive, the determination unit 113 determines that the vehicle 10 has stopped. If the determination result is negative, the determination unit 113 determines that the vehicle 10 has not stopped.

[0030] The processor 110 operates as a traffic information acquisition unit 114, and acquires traffic information for estimating the stopping time of the vehicle 10 in response to determining that the vehicle 10 has stopped. In this case, the traffic information acquisition unit 114 may analyze the image data acquired from the camera 13 and determine whether the vehicle 10 has stopped at an intersection with a traffic light (a red light ahead). Then, in response to the determination result, the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires, for example, the following traffic information: (1) When vehicle 10 is stopped at an intersection with a traffic light (the light ahead is red), The traffic information acquisition unit 114 may receive, via the network N, information indicating the remaining time until a traffic light located ahead on the road on which the vehicle is traveling changes from red to green from a server of a driving assistance system for utilizing traffic light information. (2) When vehicle 10 stops at an intersection with a traffic light (the light ahead is red), If information indicating the remaining time (1) cannot be obtained, the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires image data captured by the camera 13, including the status of pedestrian traffic lights installed at the intersection of the road where the vehicle 10 is stopped and the number of lanes at the intersection. (3) When vehicle 10 is stopped at an intersection other than one with a traffic light (ahead is a red light). (3) is exemplified by a case where the vehicle 10 is stopped at an intersection without traffic lights, an intersection with traffic lights (waiting to turn right when the light ahead is green), or due to congestion. In this case, the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires image data captured by the camera 13, including the state of the taillights of a preceding vehicle ahead of the vehicle 10.

[0031] The processor 110 operates as an estimation unit 115, and estimates the stopping time of the vehicle 10 according to the information acquired by the traffic information acquisition unit 114 as follows. (A) When the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires the information in (1) above The estimation unit 115 estimates the remaining time indicated by the information acquired by the traffic information acquisition unit 114 as the stopping time of the vehicle 10.

[0032] (B) When the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires the information in (2) above The estimation unit 115 analyzes the imaging data acquired by the traffic information acquisition unit 114 and identifies the state of pedestrian traffic lights installed at the intersection of the road where the vehicle 10 is stopped and the number of lanes at the intersection. The estimation unit 115 estimates the stopping time of the vehicle 10 based on the state and the number of lanes. It is assumed that the time for which the pedestrian traffic light flashes green = road width (3 m / lane × number of lanes) ÷ 2 ÷ pedestrian walking speed (1 m / sec). It is also assumed that the time from when the pedestrian traffic light changes from flashing green to red until the traffic light displayed ahead of the vehicle 10 (in the direction of travel) changes from red to green (hereinafter referred to as the switching time) is 2 seconds. (B-1) When the pedestrian traffic light installed at the intersection is green The estimation unit 115 estimates that the vehicle 10 will be stopped for at least the time that the pedestrian traffic light flashes green plus the switching time. For example, if the pedestrian traffic light is green and the intersecting road has three lanes on each side (six lanes on each side), the estimation unit 115 estimates that the time that the pedestrian traffic light flashes green is 9 seconds (road width (3 m / lane × 6 lanes) ÷ 2 ÷ walking speed (1 m / sec)). The estimation unit 115 can estimate that the stopping time of the vehicle 10 is at least 11 seconds, which is the sum of the estimated 9 seconds and the switching time (2 seconds). (B-2) When the pedestrian traffic light installed at the intersection is flashing green The estimation unit 115 estimates that the vehicle 10 will be stopped for at least two seconds, which is the switching time.

[0033] (C) When the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires the information in (3) above The estimation unit 115 analyzes the image data acquired from the camera 13 and identifies the state of the taillights of a vehicle stopped in front of the vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as the leading vehicle). The estimation unit 115 estimates the stopping time of the vehicle 10 based on the identified state of the taillights. Specifically, the estimation unit 115 identifies the state of the taillights of the leading vehicle immediately preceding the vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as the first leading vehicle). Furthermore, the estimation unit 115 can identify the lighting state of the taillights of a leading vehicle ahead of the first leading vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the second leading vehicle) and a leading vehicle ahead of the second leading vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the third leading vehicle) through the front and rear windows of the first leading vehicle. Then, when the taillights of the leading vehicles from the first leading vehicle to the third leading vehicle are on and the taillights of the leading vehicle ahead of the third leading vehicle are not on, the estimation unit 115 estimates that the first leading vehicle to the third leading vehicle are stopped. Here, it is assumed that the stopping time of vehicle 10 is 1 second for each preceding vehicle. In this case, estimation unit 115 estimates that the stopping time of vehicle 10 is 1 second / preceding vehicle×number of preceding vehicles (3 vehicles)=3 seconds. Similarly, if the taillights of the first to (N-1)th preceding vehicles are on and the taillight of the Nth preceding vehicle is not on, estimation unit 115 estimates that the stopping time of vehicle 10 is 1 second / preceding vehicle×number of preceding vehicles (N-1 vehicles)=N-1 seconds.

[0034] The processor 110 operates as the selection unit 116 and selects content to be output in the vehicle 10. The selection unit 116, for example, compares the estimated stop time with the required time for delivery associated with multiple pieces of content stored in the storage unit 118, and determines whether there is content whose required time does not exceed the stop time. If there is content whose required time does not exceed the stop time, the selection unit 116 selects the content as content to be output in the vehicle 10. If there is no content whose required time does not exceed the stop time, the selection unit 116 does not select the content. Note that a shortened version of the stored content (hereinafter referred to as shortened content) and the required time for delivery of the shortened content may be associated with a specific stored content. In this case, the selection unit 116 may select the shortened content as content to be output in the vehicle 10 when it determines that the estimated stop time does not exceed the required time for delivery of the shortened content.

[0035] If there are multiple pieces of content whose required time does not exceed the stopping time, the selection unit 116 can select the content by performing at least one of the following processes. (i) Selecting content with a higher level of importance associated with the content in preference to other content. (ii) A time limit, which is associated with the content and depends on the freshness of the content, is compared with the current time measured by the clock of the ECU 11, and content that satisfies that the current time is within the time limit is selected. (iii) The notification range of the content associated with the content is compared with the current position of the vehicle 10 obtained from the GPS receiver, and content that satisfies that the current position is within the notification range is selected. The selection unit 116 may prioritize the process (i) over the processes (ii) and (iii).

[0036] The processor 110 operates as an output unit 117 and outputs the content selected by the selection unit 116 to the input / output device 14 .

[0037] The storage unit 118 includes a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit. The storage unit 118 is similar to the storage unit 22. The storage unit 118 stores, for example, predetermined content (plurality of content) acquired by the content acquisition unit 111.

[0038] [3 Example of operation] 3 shows an example of information processing by the processor 110 according to this embodiment. The following processing procedure is an example of a control method executed by a computer.

[0039] The content acquisition unit 111 acquires content, which is information that can be provided in the vehicle 10 and includes the required time for providing the content, from the server 20 (step S101). The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires vehicle information of the vehicle 10 (step S102).

[0040] The determination unit 113 determines whether the vehicle 10 has stopped based on the acquired vehicle information (step S103). If the determination unit 113 determines that the vehicle 10 has stopped (YES in step S103), the process proceeds to step S104. If not (NO in step S103), the processor 110 ends the process.

[0041] In step S104, the traffic information acquisition unit 114 acquires traffic information about the vehicle 10. The estimation unit 115 estimates the stopping time of the vehicle 10 according to the acquired traffic information (step S105).

[0042] Selection unit 116 determines whether or not there is any content among the plurality of contents stored in storage unit 118 whose required time for provision does not exceed the estimated stopping time (step S106). If selection unit 116 determines that there is any content whose required time does not exceed the estimated stopping time (YES in step S106), the process proceeds to step S107. If not (NO in step S106), processor 110 ends the process.

[0043] In step S107, the selection unit 116 selects content for which it is determined that the estimated stopping time does not exceed the required time for provision.

[0044] The output unit 211 outputs the selected content to the input / output device 14 (step S108), and the processor 110 ends the process. A user in the vehicle 10 can check the content output to the input / output device 14.

[0045] [Features] Conventionally, devices that provide information to a user who is driving when a vehicle is detected to be stopped are known. Patent Document 1 and other documents propose a vehicle information providing device that switches whether or not to display operational content, which is included in advertising information and requires operation by the vehicle occupants, based on the vehicle speed. However, the present inventors have discovered the following problems with these conventional methods. For example, if the vehicle is stopped for a short period of time, advertising information may not be displayed in the vehicle for a sufficient period of time. Furthermore, vehicle users may find it annoying to have advertising information displayed for only a short period of time. Therefore, there is a need for information provision that takes into account the vehicle's stopped time.

[0046] In this embodiment, if it is determined that there is content for which the estimated stopping time of the vehicle 10 does not exceed the required time for provision, that content is selected and output to the input / output device 14. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide information taking into account the stopping time of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent situations in which the user feels annoyed because information provision cannot be completed inside the vehicle 10 during a short stop.

[0047] [4 Variations] In the present embodiment, as an example, the ECU 11 executes the information processing from step S101 to step S108. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the processor 21 of the server 20 may have the same function as the ECU 11 and execute the same information processing as the ECU 11.

[0048] (Other embodiments) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the above description is merely an example of the present disclosure in every respect. It goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1. Information Processing System 10 Vehicle, 11 ECU, 12 Sensor, 13 Camera, 14 Input / output device, 15 Communication unit 20. Server, 21. Processor, 22. Storage unit, 23. Communication unit N··Network

Claims

[Claim 1] An information processing device including a control unit, The control unit Acquiring a plurality of contents to be provided to a user in a vehicle, each of which includes a required time for providing the contents; When detecting that the vehicle is stopped, estimating a stopping time of the vehicle; selecting, from the plurality of contents, a content whose required time does not exceed the estimated stopping time; and outputting the selected content; configured to perform Information processing device.

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